When “Rude” Becomes Grounds for Punishment In my work with Parks and Recreation departments, I’ve seen a pattern emerge among staff at community centers. A patron might be curt, condescending, or simply unfriendly, and the immediate request from staff is: “Can we ban them? They were rude.” It’s understandable. No one enjoys being spoken to disrespectfully. Rudeness stings. But here’s the problem: there’s no policy against being rude. Unless a patron is blatantly harassing som

I’ve seen this time and time again—whether it’s working with librarians, coaching leaders, or even parenting my own daughter: who  the feedback comes from can be just as important as how  it’s delivered. Me playing piano at 3 years old. Take, for example, when I first led the assertiveness training for library staff. The manager wanted their team to set clearer boundaries with patrons and with each other. They wanted to avoid burnout or tense situations escalating. And while

And How It Can Transform Team Performance One Conversation at a Time During a Leadership Fort Collins session earlier this year, a moment...

Every time I turn my Bluetooth speaker on a voice booms forth declaring, "Battery 50%." It's helpful information. When the battery gets...