“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde There’s an empty lot near my house owned by a man – whom we will call ‘Anthony’. It’s a very valuable plot of city land and he – Anthony – stubbornly refuses to sell the lot to anyone. Anthony drives by in his battered old …
It was one of those mornings. I had to get up at an inhumane hour to get ready for an early meeting downtown, get dressed, gulp one day old coffee, fight traffic, find parking… You get the picture. I got there on time, thank goodness. Just as I was entering the building, I received a …
How I Was Re-Schooled In The Art Of Conversation Read More »
A wonderful friend was saddened by the loss of her relationship with her grandson. She had raised him and had been his anchor during his parents’ acrimonious divorce. She was devastated by his decision to go live in another city and stop all contact. Then, after an entire year apart, she got a terse text …
The best games are the ones where the suspense lasts until the final minutes. The excitement and anticipation on the field and in the stands permeate the atmosphere. Each player is giving their best, keeping the ball in play as long as possible…Five, 4, 3, 2, 1 … the ending whistle blows. After disputing such …
How to Play for Solutions with a Genuine Conversation Read More »
A colleague and friend sent me a wonderful book on finding your mission (À chacun sa mission) by Jean Monbourquette, a Jungian Analyst and spiritual leader. As I walked by the sea every morning for a week, I pondered his questions and worked through numerous exercises. (By the way, I highly recommend any of his …
Struggling to find your purpose? Consider what you haven’t done! Read More »
Can’t live with them, can’t live without them! Teams have meetings and it’s a fact of daily work life. Bringing team members up to date so they can plan their work and establish priorities is important and necessary…so is making sure you’re having a real conversation. I promise this post won’t be about how to hold …
How to create real conversations during team meetings Read More »
Her VP made her life miserable at work. Her ideas were shot down and ridiculed publicly, her performance scrutinized and criticized. She could do no right. Her team was mostly sheltered from the brunt of the VP’s displeasure. She would cushion the blows as best she could. They could still see the impact on their …
While it’s important to have the conversation we need to have with our reluctant colleague or significant other, major shifts can happen without approaching another person. How? When we first have conversations with our own self. I call it ‘checking in’. These are the conversations that occur quietly in our own head and heart when …
Sometimes it’s good to have a conversation with yourself! Read More »
A genuine conversation is above all a two-way street, whether it’s brainstorming exciting ideas, or clearing the air. To accomplish that, I make it a habit to periodically check in with the other person, ensuring they’re actively engaged in the exchange. Here are 5 clues you may have inadvertently closed one lane: They’re looking at …
5 clues that it’s time to check in with the other person involved in a conversation Read More »
It’s hard to resist giving advice isn’t it? We all do it whether it’s solicited… or not. When we feel sympathy or frustration with another person’s dilemma it pulls at our heartstrings. Of course, the human thing to do is to try to solve their dilemma for them. We try to advise rather than coach. …
Advising vs. Coaching: Need A Solution? Stop Giving Advice. Read More »