"Most of us have stumbled when saying an unfamiliar name.

"Unless you’re perfect, you have room to improve.

"Criticism is something we all have to face.

Daryl Chen and Hailey Reissman (photo, left) report.

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"Has this ever happened to you?

"There are many different reasons why you might want to influence people.

"Has this ever happened to you?

"When we needlessly apologize, we end up making ourselves small and diminish what we’re trying to express, says sociologist Maja Jovanovic.

Diane DiResta addresses the topic.

"The need for respect is intertwined with many basic human needs, but doesn’t receive…well, the respect that it deserves when it comes to workplace performance.

"Being overwhelmed is no excuse.

"Want to communicate more effectively?

"Many professionals will probably recognize this situation: You go to a meeting or an event and, assuming that everyone there already knows you, or that you're playing a minor role, you introduce yourself with your first name — or not at all.

"Challenging management and performance conversations regularly run off the rails.

Conversational skills, active listening, negotiation, conflict resolution, nonverbal communication, collaboration, and productive meetings---prepare students for the demands of workplace communication with Excellence in Business Communication's expanded coverage of interpersonal communication.

"Before you spend too much time worrying about unrealistic expectations in regards to the person who came before you, get aligned with your new boss about the goals of your role and your responsibilities.

"Casual conversations can sometimes lead us to moments of real connection.

"Do your conversations constantly fall flat because you keep asking boring and dull questions?

"The minutes of a meeting, or simply “minutes,” is an instant written record of a meeting or hearing.

"Before you relegate a person to the “no” or “pass” pile, address your reasons for putting them there by asking 'So what?

"Take a look at what you’re wearing — does it convey the complex, intriguing person that you are?

"Take the strategy employed by memory athletes to memorize decks of cards and thousands of digits of pi, and adapt it to get over stranger-name forgetfulness.

"What if your attachment to being a "good" person is holding you back from actually becoming a better person?

"A new book, "The Surprising Science of Meetings," aims to revamp meetings' reputation, with strategies for maximizing their efficiency and eliminating the pain that comes with them.