Commit, Communicate, COLLABORATE, and Celebrate. Did you know Henry Ford spent a great deal of time bouncing ideas off his friends Thomas Edison and Harvey Firestone? Man, what would it be like to collaborate with heavy-hitters like that? Well, Mr. Ford changed our world through the power of collaboration. He said “If there is any…
Twenty years ago as a new manager in the insurance industry, I remember being told by a corporate leadership trainer “the key to being a successful manager is Communicate! Communicate! Communicate!” I also remember looking skeptically into the eyes of that trainer and thinking “Really? You are getting paid to tell me I need to…
Recently, I pointed to meerkats as a fine example of successful collaboration, stemming naturally from the shared vision, mission, and values of a group. Today we’ll begin to “unpack” traits I observed within the meerkat clans, which keep them aligned, moving forward, and enjoying themselves along the way. Commitment, Communication, Collaboration, and Celebration are the characteristics…
Angry arguments benefit no one. In fact, they are a great big waste of time. I’m sure you agree quick conflict resolution and productive discussions win over drawn-out battles any day. Obviously it takes time to participate in an angry argument, but also consider the time you waste re-hashing it, justifying it, and “strategizing” your next move in…
With the launch of the Perspectives LLC company website comes a new blog, The Collaborative Conversation. The name of the blog stems from my passion for helping leaders acquire the skills that inspire and motivate their teams to perform at their best. Among these skills, one of the most significant is collaboration. Perspectives LLC clients…
“Assume the best about people and watch how anger and stress fall away.” I don’t know who coined that statement, but I imagine most of you have heard advice about perception similar to this over the years. But, have you ever put it to the test? It took a tragedy in my family, and the unchartered journey that followed, to convince…
Lately I’ve been spending time intentionally observing my dogs. I’ve always enjoyed watching their antics, but I’ve been watching them from a “conflict resolutionist” standpoint. (Wait, I think I just made up a new word – “resolutionist” – I like it!) Anyway, I have two dogs. Both are rescues. Both are happy. Sadie is the…
Don’t you know someone who always seems to have it all together? That person who can reason and stay calm when others are melting down? The one who stays focused and productive during adversity – even leads others to a good result despite a major cog in the wheel? Rest assured his/her grace under pressure…
Did you know, according to many researchers, public speaking ranks as the most terrifying thing a person can attempt to do? If you Google “top fears”, regardless of the researcher or institute, public speaking consistently makes it into the top five – usually #1 or 2. It outranks snakes, flying, confined spaces, heights, and even intimacy. Yikes!
Love, Lies and Mudslinging: Welcome to Mediation! Mediation can be a stressful and arduous process. Emotions often run high as positions are expressed and interests are explored. Sometimes participants are even surprised by the twists and turns the process takes, as motivating factors and priorities are brought to light. Not long ago I mediated a…
Every now and then, a day comes along when it feels like “Murphy’s Law” is working overtime. I had to navigate through one of those days recently. It went like this: I had a Monday morning mediation in Naples, with six participants that were all traveling from out of town to a neutral site. I…
How to recognize the opportunities hidden within conflict Conflict happens. Did you ever hear the one about the elephant and the three blind men? Three blind men went to the circus and came upon an elephant. There were no elephants where they came from, and they were thrilled to encounter such a great beast. The…