Good-bye Alistair MacLeod

Canadian writer Alistair MacLeod passed away, yesterday, at the age of 77. I first came across his writings over a dozen years ago.  At that time, I was into all things Cape Breton (on Canada’s East Coast), especially fiddle music. MacLeod’s summer home was near Inverness, Cape Breton. He spent 40 years teaching English and […]

High-context communications in a low-context virtual world

Singapore mediator Ian Macduff wrote a helpful article, last week, about the differences between low- and high-context cultures, and its’ impact in online mediation. His piece highlighted the challenges of understanding the meaning behind the message, when the message can mean so much more, or less, depending on the culture of the person sending/receiving the […]

10 Ways Cops Support Community-based Collaboration and Justice

A bunch of things triggered this list, no pun intended. Police operate at the intersection of many different civic and community relationships.  That position offers them many opportunities to influence and mediate, in collaborative ways. 1. Fewer guns:  Many cities/countries (e.g., London/UK) don’t have every police officer carry a firearm.  Could most of Toronto’s cops […]

Are you talking too much “business” with your virtual work team?

If your work involves a computer and regular interaction with others, via the web, consider yourself part of a virtual team, whether you formally call it that, or not. And, in your interactions with your “virtual team”, is it all business, or are some of your conversations of a personal nature? A recent study by […]

Welcome to our community: Make yourself at home

It’s been a long journey.  I’m just a little bird, and I’ve travelled from far away, thousands of kilometers.  I’m tired and I’m lonely.  I’m looking for a safe place to bed down, meet others like me, and start afresh.  Can you help me? “Why, yes I can”, said a gentleman in my neighbourhood.  And […]