This is a trick question. You will not find a perfect answer at the end of this post. Sorry, but so much of what determines success for you says something about what you see as most important. We can say we all agree on what is most important, but how we define it will differ. … Continue reading What’s the most important metric?
Do you make room for an enemy?
How many enemies do you have? I know, I know, we are not supposed to call anyone an enemy. And I realize for many of you it is difficult to admit out loud that some people may even get the title. But we all know who they are in our circles. It does not mean … Continue reading Do you make room for an enemy?
Learning with Pauingassi
Thank you Pauingassi FN! I appreciate your hospitality, your welcome to me every time, and your willingness to try new things as we learn and grow together. So many good people to thank! Once again I did not offer my workshop the way I thought I would be. Instead, the invitation was put out to … Continue reading Learning with Pauingassi
Thanks for having me Little Grand Rapids!
Well, not everything went exactly as planned, but rarely does it in life. I came to talk about communication and conflict, but the conversations outside of the sessions will be what I will remember most. We all have so much to learn when it comes to communicating. It is not restricted to one place or … Continue reading Thanks for having me Little Grand Rapids!
Communication & Conflict Seminar!
Are you in Winnipeg on the evening of November 28? Come join me for a FREE seminar on communication and conflict! As part of the "What about...???" discussion series at Church of The Way, I will be facilitating a session on something we can all learn to do better. We all talk. We all listen. … Continue reading Communication & Conflict Seminar!
From one passive-aggressive to another
It's one of the banes of church leadership. But yes, it is everywhere. People using indirect tactics to communicate thoughts and emotions, but not verbalise honestly, usually to avoid conflict. Brushing people off. Muffled responses. Attention focused on only certain people. Fake apathy in dialogue. Not responding to messages. Pretending to be good, but really … Continue reading From one passive-aggressive to another
Living Better Together!
You may have noticed this title before. It's the name of the workshop I facilitated in 2 communities this past month. And I think it's pretty awesome, but I may be biased. As the tagline suggests, it's all about helping people develop healthy relationships within their families. I would extend that to all levels of … Continue reading Living Better Together!
Thank you Little Grand!
The workshop may have been small, but the sharing was deep! I had yet another opportunity to share my living better together workshop, discussing communication and relationship-building within families and communities. We had a little trouble getting word out, but once the right people were on the case everything moved nicely! Many thanks to those … Continue reading Thank you Little Grand!
How do you reach an agreement?
Conflict is a natural part of the human condition. What we do with it sometimes requires something beyond ourselves. The problem with how we approach conflict is that too often it is dressed in negative thought. When we only see conflict as an unnatural part of our existence, and one which only occurs in an … Continue reading How do you reach an agreement?
Getting a handle on conflict
This post comes out of a number of conversations I have witnessed recently. Conflict seems to be a natural or even default state of being in much public discourse. As a generalization, we just do not handle it well. (As strange as this may be for a last week of summer blog, I think it … Continue reading Getting a handle on conflict
How do you respond to unwarranted advice?
"Don't be sorry; just don't do it again!" How would you respond to this comment from a customer? A friend? A manager? A young worker at a local establishment was given the above advice from a disgruntled customer. There was a small error done during their service, and the honourable response seemed to be to … Continue reading How do you respond to unwarranted advice?
Bird crap on the window
How long do you let crap build up in your view? A friend of mine tells the story about the bird nest constantly getting built outside one of his main meeting rooms. The let it sit, and the bird crap begins to build up. First just a few people notice it. Then just like everything … Continue reading Bird crap on the window
Lead Freely 