Book Review - Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler

It has been quite a while since a book has had such an impact on how I look at communications. The book offers a treasure trove of techniques to navigate tricky conversations. I first read this some time ago and have been through twice now as it feels important to really understand the contents.

The authors define crucial conversations as those pivotal moments when opinions clash, emotions surge, and outcomes are important. The book helps with ideas on how to navigate such conversations.  At the heart of the book lies the notion of creating a safe environment for candid discussions. Respectful communication, paired with active listening, emerges as the basis of successful communication. It covers those difficult topics and how to approach them in a balanced way, taking emotions into account. It discusses how conversations involve sharing perspectives, seeking comprehension, and fostering a collaborative atmosphere.

Another key message is that effective communication happens when both parties contribute to and draw from a common pool of understanding. Misunderstandings often arise when this isn’t there. The book underscores the importance of maintaining safety and mutual purpose during conversations. Establishing common ground and shared goals forms the bedrock of fruitful discourse. The book's principles can be extended to group dynamics and improving how you handle crucial conversations can yield improved team cohesion and decision-making.

Normally I’d say who I think would benefit most from reading a book but in this case I’d say that I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t benefit from a better understanding of what motivates us and others in conversation. 

We can probably do better on social media - Hashtags

We can all do better on social media when using hashtags. I wrote this as part poem, part parody of an army advert about fixing things. But mostly as a reminder that we can all do things to make life a little better for everyone but especially for those that need it.

Probably

If you’re using social media, you’re probably using hashtags.

If you’re using hashtags, you’re probably using multiple words.

If you’re using multiple words, you’re probably putting them in a string.

If you’re putting them in a string, you impact everybody’s ability to read it.

If you’re impacting everybody’s ability to read it, you’re adversely affecting those who are neurodiverse and those using screen readers.

If you’re adversely affecting those with neurodiversity and using screen readers, you’re probably not capitalising each word.

If you’re not capitalising each word, you are not being very inclusive.

If you’re not being very inclusive, you can probably do better!

#hashtagsworkworsewithoutcapitals

#HashtagsWorkBetterWithCapitals

#Accessibility #A11y #InclusionMatters

Book review - Neuroscience for Coaches" by Amy Brann.

I’ll admit I didn’t know too much about neuroscience when I began and there is so much in there, I’m not sure how much I’ll really retain. There is so much information and insights provided in the book. It gives a comprehensive overview of the brain and its functions, and how coaches can apply this knowledge to help their clients achieve their goals.

One of the most surprising elements for me was the concept of neuroplasticity. I had always assumed that the brain was a static organ that couldn't be changed, but this book explained how the brain has the ability to reorganise itself throughout life in response to new experiences. This means that with the right coaching techniques, individuals can actually rewire their brains to overcome limiting beliefs and behaviours.

Another surprising aspect of the book was the discussion of how our brains are wired for social connection. The author explains how our brains are constantly processing information about the people around us, and how this can have a profound impact on our emotions and behaviour. This helped me understand the importance of building strong relationships and social networks.

Finally, the book also delves into the concept of mindfulness and its impact on the brain. Mindfulness can actually change the structure and function of the brain (neuroplasticity), leading to improvements in attention, emotional regulation, and overall well-being. This has made me relook at mindfulness exercises again as I have previously tried but didn’t get very far.

Overall, I would probably recommend "Neuroscience for Coaches" to anyone interested in learning more about the brain and how it relates to coaching. The book is well-written, easy to understand at the time of reading, and has some practical advice. The illustrations are good in understanding which parts of the brain the book is focused on. It won’t be for everyone but I’m glad I read it. Maybe I should have started with Neuroscience, simplified by Ophelia Wong?

Why we should all be embarrassed by the WebAIM Million Report

TL;DR

Digital accessibility refers to designing and developing websites and digital tools in a way that makes them usable by people with disabilities. Unfortunately, the WebAIM Million report, which analyses the accessibility of the top one million websites, shows that progress towards web accessibility has been slow. This is a cause for embarrassment because accessibility is a basic human right and failure to ensure it on the web excludes millions of people from accessing information and services online. 

It’s just not good enough folks. We can make excuses that we don’t have control over the design or brand colours but we have to keep raising these issues until the noise is so loud people start listening. 

What is this article about? 

The WebAIM Million reports on the accessibility of the top one million websites ranked by Alexa. While there have been some small improvements in accessibility since the report began in 2019 there are still too many instances of basic issues especially in shopping and entertainment websites. 

What is Digital Accessibility? 

Digital accessibility refers to the ability of people with disabilities, including but not limited to visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, and neurodiversity, to access and use digital content and technology.

In practice, digital accessibility involves designing websites, applications, and digital content in a way that makes them usable by as many people as possible, regardless of their abilities. This includes providing alternative formats for visual and audio content, ensuring that content is navigable by keyboard and using assistive technologies like screen readers and speech recognition software, while also making sure that colour contrast and font sizes are appropriate for people with visual impairments.

The goal of digital accessibility is to remove barriers that prevent people with disabilities from fully participating in and benefiting from the digital universe. If we make digital content and technology more accessible, we can ensure that everyone has equal access to information, services, and opportunities online.

What is the WebAIM Million Report? 

The WebAIM Million report conducts an accessibility evaluation of the home pages for the top one million websites. The evaluation is conducted using the WAVE stand-alone API and the results provide an overview of the current state of web accessibility. The report, which can be found using this link https://webaim.org/projects/million/ notes detected errors, page complexity and the most common errors and more within the report. 

While it has shown some positive trends over the years, progress towards web accessibility has been painfully slow and there is still so much more work to be done. 

Here are some key trends from the report since it began:

• In the first report, published in 2019, very few of the top one million websites had no detectable accessibility errors. This number increased in each subsequent report indicating some progress in web accessibility. But the rate it is progressing, with the current technology it could be nearly a hundred years before all sites are accessible. How sad is that? 

• Alternative text for images has shown consistent improvement over the years, however as there are valid reasons for not having alt-text e.g. it is just a decorative image, it is hard to tell from these figures how bad the situation really is. 

• Empty links are down 8% since the first report but there are still 50% of them that fail due to ambiguous text such as ‘click here’, ‘more’, or ‘continue’. 

• Colour contrast is a persistent issue, usually due to design or brand choices. The highest ranking issue in the report, the latest figure of 83.6% of home pages having at least one contrast issue is barely down from 2019 which was 85.3%. 

Overall, The report serves as a useful tool for tracking progress and identifying areas where more attention and resources are needed.

What does this all mean? 

While the WebAIM Million report has shown some improvements in web accessibility over the years, there is still a long way to go to ensure that the web is fully accessible to people with disabilities. The report highlights the urgent need for more attention and resources to be devoted to digital accessibility. We should all be embarrassed by the slow progress towards making the web more accessible and take action to ensure that everyone, regardless of ability, has equal access to online information and services.