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Ripple on a silence pond

The Power of Silence

A good facilitator makes it look easy-breezy, which is part of the magic. If the facilitator has accomplished this feat, then she is good! When one goes and graduates from “facilitator training school,” as I have, the first lesson is that “it takes twice as long to prepare, as it does to deliver.” Fortunately, over time and with practice, the preparation time is cut down considerably.

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I'm Sorry in blocks

The Two Most Difficult Words in the English Language: I’m Sorry

“It’s not if we make mistakes; rather, how we handle them,” to (not very humbly) quote myself. Lessons I’ve Learned Over the Years: When I goof, saying “I’m sorry” stands alone, and is powerful. Providing an explanation serves to dilute the apology, and often reads as an excuse, a la, “Sorry I’m late; I ran…

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warning coflict

Do We Ever Really Resolve Conflicts? Try Conflict Management

For practitioners of organizational development, there are two schools of thought when it comes to handling conflict. Some advocate conflict resolution, while others subscribe to conflict management. Ponder the difference between the notion of conflict resolution and that of conflict management. Conflict resolution means that a conflict is

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Leadership Development Carnival Graphic

June Leadership Development Carnival

Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, which once again causes me to evoke the late, great Leonard Cohen’s lyrics, “who knows where the time goes?” And, for those of us who live in (so-called) sunny southern California, the normal gray May, has slipped into June gloom, in preparation, no doubt, for another record-breaking…

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digital communications

Rules to the Road of Internet Communications: Are There Any?

Like most things in life, the advent and proliferation of the Internet has been good, and not-so-good. With access to the world at our fingertips, the ability to stay in touch with loved ones from afar, and, the convenience to purchase our daily needs online (for prompt delivery), these and other Internet-based activities have all added to the betterment of our lives. 

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woman giving feedback to a man at work

Tips for Successfully Communicating Performance Feedback

“How many supervisors like to give performance feedback?” When this question was posed to over 500 leaders in one of the nation’s largest municipal water and power companies, a scant few raised their hands. When asked to explain why, the answers boiled down to three responses: “Because I don’t want to hurt their feelings,” “She’s my friend; I don’t want her to feel bad,” and “I don’t want to  deal with the anger.”

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