Category Archives: Sample Posts

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How to Evaluate Information on the Internet

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The internet has made research faster, but speed does not always produce reliable understanding. A search can return government documents, academic studies, personal opinions, commercial pages, and automated summaries within seconds. These sources may look equally polished, yet their purposes and standards can differ significantly. Careful evaluation helps readers distinguish evidence from assertion and make better-informed decisions.

Start with the Source

The first question is who created the information. A named author with relevant qualifications is generally easier to assess than an anonymous post, although credentials alone do not guarantee accuracy. Readers should also consider the organization behind a page, its stated purpose, and whether it has a reason to persuade visitors toward a particular conclusion.

Institutional reputation matters, but it should not replace scrutiny. Universities, public agencies, professional associations, and established news organizations often have editorial or review processes. Even so, their pages can contain outdated material, errors, or interpretations that reflect a specific policy position. A credible source is a useful starting point, not automatic proof.

Examine the Evidence

Reliable claims are usually supported by information that can be checked. Look for links to original research, official records, datasets, transcripts, or clearly identified interviews. Strong writing explains how a conclusion was reached rather than relying on confidence or emotional language. When statistics are used, readers should ask who collected them, when they were gathered, how many people or cases were included, and whether the figures have been presented without important context.

It is also worth separating evidence from interpretation. A report may establish that a particular event occurred, while an editorial argues about what the event means. Both can be legitimate forms of communication, but they should not be treated as identical. Clear labels, careful wording, and transparent citations make that distinction easier to recognize.

Check Dates and Context

Information can become misleading when it is removed from its original setting. A study published years ago may still be valuable, but later research could have changed the accepted view. A quotation may be accurate while omitting the sentence that explains its limitation. Before sharing a striking claim, check the publication date, the full article, and whether the material refers to a different country, population, or set of circumstances.

Web addresses and page design can provide useful clues, but they are not proof of quality. A professional appearance can be created quickly, while a simple page may contain carefully documented work. Readers should focus on authorship, sourcing, methodology, and accountability rather than making judgments based only on visual presentation. A neutral placeholder link like test also illustrates why the destination and surrounding context matter more than the appearance of a link alone.

Compare Independent Sources

One source rarely provides the whole picture. Comparing several independent accounts can reveal agreement, uncertainty, and significant omissions. Independence is important: five pages repeating the same press release do not represent five separate confirmations. When sources cite one another, tracing the chain back to the earliest available document can show whether a widely repeated claim rests on solid evidence or merely on repetition.

Disagreement does not automatically mean that every position is equally credible. A well-supported conclusion may coexist with unresolved details or legitimate debate. The goal is not to eliminate all uncertainty, but to understand why credible sources agree or differ and to communicate that uncertainty honestly.

Pause Before Sharing

Emotional reactions can encourage rapid sharing, especially when a headline confirms an existing belief or creates anger and alarm. A short pause can prevent many mistakes. Read beyond the headline, inspect the original source, search for independent confirmation, and consider whether the wording is designed to provoke rather than inform.

Good digital judgment is a repeatable habit rather than a one-time skill. By checking authorship, evidence, dates, context, and independent confirmation, readers can reduce the spread of inaccurate claims while remaining open to new information. The result is not perfect certainty, but a more disciplined and transparent way to understand the world.

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The Leader’s Most Powerful Influence

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As a leader your use of words is by far the most influential tool you have to impact those you lead. Your words define the culture of the organization. The question is not whether your organization has a culture, but what kind of culture you have created and continue to build?

Let us look at some ways in which your words help create the culture of your organization.

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Are You Doing Too Much, Are You Too Busy?

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In today’s busy world it is common to think that unless you are crazy busy you are somehow not being effective or normal. Unfortunately, we have bought into the myth that busy is normal.

I recall a time in my life as a leader when I bought into that myth. I was on call 24/7 and felt I was needed; that gave me a sense of value. In the process, I neglected my family, my health, and my spiritual and psychological well-being.

What are some signs that you may be doing too much?

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Bridging the Character Gap

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Who are you?

What comes to mind when you read that question? I imagine you are thinking about your name, age, your family background and your career. Usually when asked that question, someone wants to know something along those lines.

The same question can be asked but with deeper meaning. This time think of the question in the context of the person you are inside that affects who you are on the outside.

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When Excitement Masks Pain

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Recently, as I coached a leader, we discussed how difficult life had been over the past year but was now on the upswing. I then asked her to reflect on what had made the last year so tough and why was the present different?

The leader is involved currently in something that is very new and exciting, and she is passionate about it. So I asked the question, “How much of a difference is your improved situation tied to your involvement in something that you’re passionate about and is new and exciting?” The leader was quick to point out that although this new and exciting thing did help, it was not as big a reason as one might think.

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The One Question that will Revolutionize Your Decision-Making and Life Going Forward

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If you knew one question that would have prevented you from making a major life mistake, would you have asked it?

What if you discovered that question today? Would you use it to help avoid mistakes in your decisions going forward?

I think I just heard your response: “Well, duh!”

The question is available to you, and you can start using it immediately.

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Is Your Team Hindered by Groupthink?

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Have you ever had the experience of being in a team meeting and felt the need to speak up but decided against it because you felt you would appear unsupportive of the leader or the team? With your desire of maintaining harmony and avoiding conflict, you decided to hold your piece. That my friend is your run-in with groupthink.

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Do You Engage with People Outside Your Box?

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I am the kind of person who enjoys being in the presence of people who see life from my point of view. When I am with these people, I am happy, calm and in control. No tension or emotion is rising because all our conversations are agreeable. I don’t have to think outside my box because everyone is in the box with me, no disagreements. I like living like that. I suspect the same is true for you.

But if I want to grow as a person, and more so as a leader, I cannot afford to surround myself with only those who see things like I do. I must have some people around me who see things differently. People who can challenge me in my ways of thinking and doing things. This can be uncomfortable, painful and difficult. But this is necessary if you are going to grow and develop.

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What’s Your Top Priority? Results or People

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Leadership is first about those you lead and secondly about the results you achieve. So, are you focused on the task to be accomplished or the people under your leadership who accomplish the task? Many successful leaders will tell you that it was only when they became people-focused that they were able to achieve success.

Some leaders hold to a popular idea which says, “When you show up for work leave your personal problems at the door.” If this were possible, you would not have embezzlements, affairs, fights, drugs and alcohol abuse in the workplace. As a result of this kind of thinking, many leaders do not want to know about the personal struggles of those they lead. Very often these same leaders are seen as uncaring and demanding.