Building a collaborative project framework involves thinking about the connections between how we talk, what we talk about, and what happens afterwards. What kind of infrastructure supports making those connections? Two things I think are essential to structuring collaborative projects are: People need the places and opportunities to have the important conversations Those conversations need […]
An apology can make it safe to collaborate
March 28, 2009 by · 2 Comments
The recent newswire story proclaimed “Sorry no longer the hardest word in Ontario”. Ontario passed legislation this month that will allow people to say sorry without fear of having it turned against them in court. Under the new rules, apologies can’t be used as an admission of fault or liability and won’t affect someone’s insurance […]
Question Bank: A place to invest your organization's important questions
March 16, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
It’s been said there is more learning in the question itself than the answer. If your organization emphasizes learning; then good questions represent an investment in learning. To better manage that investment, why not maintain a question bank. Last week I participated in a meeting with some mediator colleagues involved in the The Court Mediation […]
The circle as a process
March 9, 2009 by · 2 Comments
I’m always impressed by the process and outcomes when we gather in a circle. As collaborators, leveraging the power of the circle seems something we can do more of. Our ancestors gathered around a fire in a circle. Families gather around the kitchen table in a circle. As a society we seem slow in learning […]
