Author: Dave Ribble

Article(s) by
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The Human Touch: Why Soft Skills Matter More Than Ever
Where were you when the Pandemic hit? Psychologists continue adding to the list of ramifications from this singular event and we will not likely know the full effects in our lifetime. What we do know, however, is that people lost their jobs, companies went under and for a couple of years at least, most of…
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The New Leadership Model: Active Listening
An active, empathetic approach to leading others can build trust, deepen relationships and uncover opportunities. The focus needs to be on constant improvement in the Art of Listening. Having said that, there’s more to consider. We seem caught in the whirlwind of our digital age; every moment feels like it’s moving at double-speed, in a…
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Perspectives Across Generations
What does success look like at different ages? How do dreams, priorities, and circumstances evolve? I interviewed three remarkable women, each representing a different generation: at 20, 44 and 73. Goals, ambitions and fulfillment seemed to be similar, yet shift over time. Ellen Jones, “El” as she prefers, is a busy 20-year-old junior at Gonzaga…
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About Relationships: Business & Otherwise
The foundation of any successful business, partnership, or marriage lies in the ability to foster meaningful and lasting relationships. Yet, paradoxically, many companies and individuals often fail to invest adequately in training and skills necessary to cultivate these bonds. The result? Frustration, strained partnerships and, ultimately, lost opportunities. Take customer service, for example. Many organizations…
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The High Cost of Surface-Connecting
Across America and in many other parts of the world, we meet at Chamber of Commerce breakfasts or for coffee, or we join private clubs and we exchange business cards and a promise to follow up in a couple of weeks. It’s a time-honored ritual. People need interaction, and if you also happen to constantly…
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The Olympic-Level Toughness (and Grace) of Tim Collins
The Olympic Flame is now extinguished until next time. Athletes, parents, coaches, trainers, celebrities, TV personalities and viewers like you and me have gone back to our version of normalcy. For a few weeks, we escaped to the competition, listened to stories about athletes we were meeting for the first time and our familiar favorites.…
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NOTICE What You’re Noticing
“Son, I’ve made a life out of readin’ people’s faces,Knowin’ what their cards were, by the way they held their eyes,So if you don’t mind my sayin’, I can see you’re out of aces,For a taste of your whiskey, I’ll give you some advice.” Some fabulous lyrics from “The Gambler,” by veteran Nashville songwriter Don…
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When Yeah But Meets What If…
Here’s my story about premature assumptions. “I’m a freshman! I will go out for the high school baseball team and, since I am a freshman, I will sit the bench most every game.” My older brother Jon, home on leave from the Marines, was quizzing me. Being from a sports-minded family, he had asked about…
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Bring Value
Last evening, I was at a networking event and a young man in his twenties asked me what was the most important thing he should learn as he starts his career. It was a good question, and I was delighted he asked me. My answer was formed only after I asked him questions of my…
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Opportunities in Disguise
NOTE: How you prepare for the possibility of an unexpected change in conditions and circumstances can be a blessing disguised as something else. Watch for those opportunities; they rarely give you a warning. It finally happened. After doing all my research about the company, the competition and the individual who made the decisions about the…