Last week I attended an excellent 2-day workshop called "Staying Grounded When on the Spot," offered by the Public Conversations Project, in Watertown, MA. Geared to help facilitators and trainers manage challenging group moments, I found that the skills applied in a variety of settings, including one-on-one communication "hot spots." When a conversation becomes difficult, I can return to a more centered, grounded state by asking two questions:

How many times have you had an employee quit and then immediately feel desperate to fill the slot that was just vacated? Unfortunately, it's an all too common occurrence in today's workplace. There are a number of things you can do to help you get through the trying times while hiring a replacement but there is also the danger of hiring just about anyone that walks through the door just to get the job filled. Don't do this! Take the time necessary to hire the right person for the job. The actual cost of turnover is much greater than most employers realize so the first line of defense should always be to make every effort to retain your current employee, assuming he/she was performing their duties at an acceptable level.

Question: What do you think the most important part of any ad is? Your company name? Your telephone number? Your offer? Look at your own advertising. What stands out? What is in the largest print? If it's your company name or logo hold out your wrist so I can whack it with a stick. What's the answer? THE HEADLINE!! You see, without a good compelling headline it won't matter much how great your copy or you offer is, because few will ever read it.