Communication Tips From Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte was the first book on my summer reading list. Somehow I had never read it before and I was curious. I found myself equally frustrated and fascinated, a desirable combination I must say, with Miss Eyre and her cast of characters. 

Along with the angst and longing, the story is filled with lessons. Two of my favorites quotes provide great tips about communication. 

Leaderships Lessons Learned in the Ladies' Room

Image courtesy of Keattikorn, freedigitalphotos.net

The line to the ladies room is infamously known for being long.  Most women have opened the door only to have the line meeting us there. So we wait. 

One time I entered a movie theater’s ladies room and had a different response. I entered to find a line of 5 women before me. They were chatting happily with each other and just waiting.

Instead of settling into my place at line, as usual, I had a thought. “There are close to 15 stalls in this room. Surely, they can’t all be occupied.” So I got out  of line, walked past the other ladies and went to see if indeed all the stalls where occupied. 

What's REALLY Bothering You?

A huge part of my job is highlighting habits that we all do that cause interpersonal conflict. 

Rarely does intense interpersonal  conflict rise from a singular event. Most often it comes from a series of events that have been compounded. 

When you yelled at your husband because he left his socks left on the floor, I bet it wasn't the first time. I will also bet that the misplacement of those garments is not really the issue. Most likely you are feeling unappreciated, tired, unheard, threatened or some related  sentiment.

People ask me all the time why I  deal in the "touchy feel-ly" or "soft" skills. Someone once described soft skills  as a set of personal qualities  habits, attitudes, and social graces that make  someone compatible to work with. 

Want BIG success? Think Small!

I read an article called Why Thinking Small is the Secret to Big Success by Lewis Howes. The premise was that in order to have success you should consider starting small.

Howes doesn't suggest breaking down big goals into the smaller pieces. This writer suggested beginning with a small unrelated goal. Why? To build confidence and momentum.

This article intrigued me because in order to live BRAVE sometimes we need to debunk the common cliches and common ways of thinking.