I have a history of conflict avoidance. That avoidance tendency germinated in my early childhood. My parents weren’t a happy couple. My early avoidance ways got hardwired in my neural circuitry. They’ll only die when I do. That said, over the years I’ve worked hard on building new, more constructive, habits and circuitry, to manage […]
Adversarial Collaboration
October 13, 2024 by · Leave a Comment
Does making more than US$75,000 make you happier? Psychologist Matthew Killingsworth from Wharton Business School’s did research and his data showed that it did. Celebrated Nobel Prize winning professor, and author of Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman’s research said that it didn’t. Kahneman proposed the two adversaries collaborate and discover the truth together. Killingsworth […]
How WestJet could improve their communications around service dogs
June 13, 2024 by · Leave a Comment
A newsy item this week, where I live, was about a Vancouver Island family that spoke with the media (CBC) after they couldn’t fly with their son’s service dog. This story struck me as all too familiar. Communications gone awry. If ‘communications’ is about getting on the same page, the participants in this conflict weren’t. […]
Consider Maslow’s hierarchy in response to NIMBY development concerns
June 11, 2024 by · Leave a Comment
As part of the City of Victoria’s 10-Year Official Community Plan (OCP) Update, last Saturday, I attended an OCP engagement event at my local (James Bay Neighbourhood) community centre. Like many urban neighbourhoods, mine is diverse. There’s a range of people, places and opinions. A common divergence of opinion that comes up circles around the […]
Generative AI: Why nonprofits should use and learn it
May 28, 2024 by · Leave a Comment
I’ve been using ChatGPT (OpenAI’s conversational chat application) since it came out in late 2022, both in work and personal contexts. It should be obvious to anyone whose experimented with it how its a leap in web call/search and response capability. It’s a “game changer”. That said, let’s ensure technology remains just a sidekick, not […]
The Trust Menu: A constructive response to broken trust and damaged relationships
May 17, 2024 by · Leave a Comment
Sometimes, you come across opposing politicians exhibiting civil constructive dialogue and you go, wow – I didn’t know that was possible. From a recent exchange in Canada’s parliament, involving members Charlie Angus and Sean Fraser (Minister of Housing), on the topic of funding for homeless: Now, if we could get the same level of civil […]
How going “gender-free” is changing the Victoria Contra Dance community
May 9, 2024 by · Leave a Comment
This past Saturday night, I was at my local Victoria Contra Dance, dancing “gender-free”. Aside from the pandemic years, I’ve been attending these dances for 15+ years. When I go, I’m there solely as a dancer. In earlier times, I was part of a Celtic band that played for the dancers. Miss those days, yet […]
Bridging the communications gap in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
May 3, 2024 by · Leave a Comment
Ethiopians love coffee. They incorporate coffee into important ceremonies. They sell it around the world. The are the GOAT of coffee, the original origin of coffee, or so the legend goes. One of my favourite local coffee suppliers, Level Ground Trading, sell a fair-trade Ethiopian roast that I adore. Ethiopians produce great coffee. Period. I […]
Field notes on advocating for low-income seniors
March 24, 2024 by · Leave a Comment
Mabel is direct in her communications. Aged 67, of low-income, her tenancy at-risk, and loaded with all sorts of health concerns, Mabel leaves no doubts. She isn’t ready to give up. She wants to maintain her independence for as long as possible. She just needs help doing that. Seniors’ Entitlement Services Mabel’s attitude typifies that […]
Qatar: The world’s go-to mediator
March 11, 2024 by · Leave a Comment
Qatar is at the centre of efforts to mediate the Hamas-Israel conflict. How does a country of less than 3 million people, Qatar, become the worlds’ go-to mediator? This week’s Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Rear Vision podcast provides an explainer, and then some: Qatar has become the world’s go-to mediator, but what’s in it for them? […]
