Author Archive: Geoffrey Schmitt

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. We chanted this verse to break the curse of playmates as children. We repeated it to drown out the nasty names aimed at us precisely because the…
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There is an old joke about the difference between an expert and a generalist. An expert knows more and more about less and less until he knows absolutely everything about nothing. A generalist knows less and less about more and…
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My church youth group was looking for a ministry project.  That is to say, the four of us wanted our little group to be more meaningful. All we ever did was get together once a week for a pity party…
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George Carlin was famous for the seven words you can’t say on television. However, he made a lot of money writing about those seven words and trying to say them in lots of places. You can talk about anything you…
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Often when driving in city traffic, I find myself asking the rhetorical question, “Is it more important to have the right of way or to stay alive?”  When launching into an argument, it is helpful to ask a similar question….
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Being “elderly” takes on a new meaning with every year of life. When I was growing up we used to say “Don’t trust anyone over thirty.” Now we Baby Boomers are more liable to think, “Don’t trust anyone under fifty.” …
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When I was growing up, my mother often remarked that I was painfully honest. It was her way of saying there are some things better left unsaid. I didn’t get it at the time. However, I hope by now I…
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I hear you saying ‘no’ with your lips but there is ‘yes, yes’ in your eyes. We all use both verbal (words) and non-verbal body language to convey meaning in everyday conversations. There is no way non-verbal communication can be…
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The boundaries of polite public interaction vary to some degree. Consider these factors. The setting is important. Are you in a fancy restaurant or at the beach? Are you in Church or at a ball game? Your relationship to the…
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The Argus company has been making beautiful, humorous, and meaningful posters for years. My all time favorite is a picture of an Orangutan with these words: I know you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you…
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There are basically three approaches to determining your personality traits. You can do this informally or professionally and you can do this through self examination. The informal method is to ask the opinion of friends and family members. This can…
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Arguments come in all shapes and sizes. There are little disagreements that last a few minutes. There are feuds that go on for generations. Winning in an argument is only one possible outcome and not always the most desirable. The…
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There are some truths regarding interpersonal communication that every person who is serious about improving their life should know. Here are just a few. Actions speak louder than words. How many of us heard our parents say, “Do as I…
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“Honesty is the best policy.” According to various sources the saying has been attributed to Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin and some English Bishop in the 16th century. It’s a time tested, trustworthy saying and good advice. Most people don’t set…
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The one thing that many, if not most, people dread is speaking in public. We’re afraid of failure and ridicule. What if they don’t like me? What if I say something stupid? Who am I to say anything to them?…
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It’s called small because it refers to a conversation of little consequence. It’s about being polite, avoiding awkward silence, being connected with another human being. There is nothing wrong with silence. Some wise person once said, “it just means one…
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When I was young we said don’t trust anyone over thirty. Now I’m sixty, thinking, “Don’t trust anyone under fifty. So how do I get my seventeen year old step son to open up and talk? This is both easy…
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It is commonly said that what ninety percent of the population fear the most is speaking in public. Only a few kids eagerly raised their hands to speak in class. Fewer still signed up for the public speaking class. Only…
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Conflict is an everyday part of life. Anyone who believes conflict can be avoided is only kidding themselves. However, avoidance is only one of several ways to deal with conflict. Once you take a careful look at the other strategies…
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There are only a few people who actually enjoy public speaking. Most of the population dislikes the experience and many find it fearful. What can you do? First of all remember the above information. Most of your audience would not…
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Are you anxious about speaking in public? You are not alone. Most people say that speaking in public is the one thing they fear the most. This is the first thing to help you overcome your public speaking jitters. That…
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No one likes to be on the receiving end of a sarcastic comment.  It almost always feels like, and probably is a personal attack. Our first impulse is to respond in kind. However, this is usually a bad idea. Chances…
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When I was young dinner time was one of my favorite events. This was especially true once a month when my Boys Life magazine had arrived in the mail. The back page was called Think and Grin. It was full…
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There have been so many technological advances in our ability to communicate in the last decade that we may overlook the ways in which radical changes have happened in the past. We would hardly consider it technology today, however, the…
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