Stepping down presents a real chance to stand up

Sam Altman's "masterful communication abilities" -- and the extreme force that communication skills play in leadership -- help explain Altman's rapid reinstatement to OpenAI this month shortly after his dismissal, writes Harvard University senior research fellow Paola Cecchi-Dimeglio. Communication breakdowns can have severe consequences, but developing stellar communication skills can have tangible and intangible results.

Put it into practice: "Altman's knack for connecting with employees and stakeholders on a profound level, exhibiting empathy and insight, was pivotal in mending fences and cementing his role as CEO once again," Cecchi-Dimeglio writes. Adapting to other communication styles, ensuring clarity, probing others and eliciting and acting on feedback are important communication skills.

Unreasonable demands can end a negotiation. While almost 60% of you will counter with a proposal you can accept when you get an unreasonable demand, 30% of you shut it down, and another 4% walk away entirely.

When negotiating, you must consider the implications of relationships. Making unreasonable demands can damage existing relationships and doom new ones. Ask yourself if the short-term benefit is worth it when you make what might be perceived as an unreasonable demand.

Also, question if the relationship will be worth it when the other party makes unreasonable demands. If there won't be an ongoing relationship, working hard to get the best deal you can is acceptable -- recognizing your reputation will follow you.

Consider a successful negotiation to be one where everyone walks away from the table mildly dissatisfied. This feeling usually means everyone got much of what they wanted, and no one gave up too much.

-- Mike Figliuolo is managing director of thoughtLEADERS, which includes TITAN -- the firm's e-learning platform. Previously, he worked at McKinsey & Co., Capital One and Scotts Miracle-Gro. He is a West Point graduate and author of three leadership books: "One Piece of Paper," "Lead Inside the Box" and "The Elegant Pitch."

Helen Chang, managing director at PGIM, has a background in Wall Street and banking and says her Asian culture often made her reticent to speak up, but by learning the industry inside and out, she gained both confidence and respect. "But you need to work hard and know your stuff: you can't bluff. Because once you start bluffing, people don't believe you," Change notes.

In a time when it's easy to fall for disinformation and scams, more people are seeking to learn the meaning of "authentic," which is the Merriam-Webster word of the year for 2023, beating out other popularly searched words such as "kibbutz" and "deepfake." This year represents a crisis in authenticity, says editor at large Peter Sokolowski, which means, "when we question authenticity, we value it even more."

It should come as no surprise that "authentic" is Merriam-Webster's word of the year. The term has been cropping up for years in leadership circles as we're encouraged to be "authentic" in our methods, bringing transparency and honesty to the table to build trust. It's a challenge in this day and age of division and disinformation.

That can undoubtedly set the stage for toxic behaviors in the workplace, such as discrimination or harassment based on ethnicity, political beliefs or other perceived differences. Reporting such incidents is never an easy decision, as re.write founder Deepa Purushothaman notes in her article. Going through the reporting process can often be as stressful as the original offense, but it can be worth it in the long run.

Meanwhile, we can take a page from Sam Altman's communication style at OpenAI. His departure and quick return after an employee revolt show how loyal teams can be to their leaders when they lead openly and authentically.

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