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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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languages of love

The Language of Love: A Valentine Card

In their 1992 book The Language of Love, Gary Smalley and John Trent, Ph.D. distilled this thought into what I’ll call five “sub-languages:” In this post I apply their top five to shape my own top 5 list to improve the way we communicate with those around us.

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a woman listening

Listening: (Still) the Superpower of All Human Interactions

“The art of conversation is the art of hearing as well as of being heard.”  “When people talk, listen completely. Most never listen.” Those two timely bits of sage advice could have been made within the last year, month, week, or even day. Any guesses?

The first quote, from William Hazlet, is attributed to his selected essays written between 1778 – 1830…

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man giving a speach

Communication Resolutions for 2023: Five Key Tips

As the year comes to an end, it’s time for reflection, renewal, and commitment, often through pledging to New Year’s Resolutions. Next year, why not take a quote from an admired historical figure that informs communication? After all, it’s something we do 24×7, whether we want to or not, and whether we intend to or not. By focusing on how we communicate, we may have more successful results.

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misunderstanding due to diversity and language

Diversity, Language & Miscommunication

Diversity is a wonderful thing. The benefits abound: a McKinsey study found that diverse boards of directors generate better returns and more money; a Tuft’s study concluded that diverse groups uncover more angles when serving on mock juries (which underscores the value all the more so); a combined study by Columbia, MIT, University of Texas-Dallas and Northwestern found that stock picks by diverse teams experienced 58%…

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Leadership Development Carnival Graphic

November Leadership Development Carnival

As the late, great Leonard Cohen wrote (and his fellow Canadian chanteuse Judy Collins sings so hauntingly) “who knows where the time goes?” As we gallop to the end of 2022, it’s time for reflection, compassion, and leadership to begin to heal the great divides in our country and worldwide. There is no better place…

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