“I’m just telling you this for your own good”: The danger of making feedback personal Is the feedback you receive or give, thought out or off the cuff? Is it supportive, or does it cut you or someone else down? A client was sharing with me the death by a thousand cuts she was experiencing …
Coaching
Resistance is Futile. Or is it? Yet, we resist with all our might. We won’t sell the house, despite the financial burden. We still don’t exercise, in spite of the health scare. We refuse to consult this team member who now sits at a higher level. There have been plenty times in my life …
Let’s face it: most of us dislike conflict. We’d rather be uncomfortable than risk making someone else uncomfortable. Often, we even choose to remain silent when we’re faced with minor irritants and there’s really no threat of serious conflict. As I wrote last week, this fear often leads people to make nice with people who …
Where Did Your Voice Go? And How to Get it Back! Read More »
I often hear individuals in the workplace say: “It’s just the way he is”, or “That’s just the way she talks …it’s really no big deal.” Better to ignore the raised voice, the dismissive tone, the undercurrent of blame, the swearing, the silent treatment, right? “I mean what else can I do?” The bad behaviours …
Rooms across the country were energized with creative debates on ways forward. Women and men from different backgrounds and experiences were actively contributing to discussions on how to put a stop to gender-based violence. Over the summer, I had the honour of moderating several sessions in support of my federal client’s search for an inclusive, cross-country …
[one_fourth_last]So I texted my sister the other day, asking her for feedback on an old family recipe I was dabbling with. I sent her a sample and wanted to know what she thought. She liked it very much. She also added that I could add more hot pepper to one of the samples, to clearly …
When are texts substitutes for a human-to-human conversation? Read More »
Over the years I’ve developed the habit of celebrating my “small” wins. It’s usually something quick and silly like a happy dance in the elevator after a successful meeting (don’t worry, I wait until I’m alone). Other times, it’s a yelp and a happy dance when after working on a complicated proposal night and day, …
A month ago, I was speaking with a beautiful soul about her critical health challenges. My friend strongly believes in the body/mind/spirit connection and was discouraged about the serious impact of recent professional and personal setbacks on her health and well-being. More than most, she is conscious of the power of her thoughts, but she …
It was predictable. During the first day facilitating a meeting with a group of leaders gathered around issues of change and transformation for their sectors, we spent most of it presenting and analyzing the “thing”. Basically the “thing” refers to processes, the how to’s of getting from point A to B, intensely discussing all sorts …
Why it isn’t enough to just talk about the “thing” Read More »
I remember a lunchtime many decades ago when I decided to help a man with a white cane cross the street, insisting that I would get him safely to the other side. He was resisting. I was puzzled. Here I was lending a helping hand at a busy intersection during the lunch hour rush, and …