It used to be that meeting virtually was frowned on, when meeting in-person was an option. These days, the preferred choice is often flipped. Let’s meet and collaborate virtually, first. Virtual collaboration is increasingly the way to make a difference. As a virtual meeting facilitator, here’s ten scenarios I’ve found well served with a […]
10 Business Reasons to Meet and Collaborate Virtually Instead of In-Person
July 21, 2014 by · Leave a Comment
Public Art: A way to increase local interactions, connections and conversations
July 14, 2014 by · 2 Comments
Do you know your neighbours? Anything that increases interaction opportunities with neighbours, or strangers, I figure is a good thing. Public art is such a thing. From silos to interactions Even in dense urban places, our life can feel like a silo. Yet, once we get past our inward-looking tendencies, and open up to interactions […]
Urban beekeeping offers us a lesson in change and conflict management
July 7, 2014 by · Leave a Comment
Its summer, here. Flowers and gardens are blooming. Bees are buzzing in the neighbourhood, and more, if you have backyard beehives. A Yes! magazine article this week, Four Ways to Build a Bee-Friendly Neighborhood, gave some great tips for alleviating neighbour concerns, associated with urban beekeeping. I also thought the tips offer a larger model […]
Graduation Day: A reminder of inter-generational relationships and staying vital
June 13, 2014 by · 2 Comments
My son graduated from university, yesterday. It’s cause for celebration. I’m proud of him, and what he’s accomplished. His graduation also makes me reflect on his journey, a journey I’ve been part of; a collaborative journey. It seems almost too obvious to mention, yet my son and I are of different generations. Our relationship is […]
Participant Reflections on a Game Jam for Collaborative Professionals
May 15, 2014 by · Leave a Comment
I spent last weekend immersed in board games, at the CoRe Jolts Game Jam for Collaborative Professionals. The event was conceived, organized and hosted by mediator colleague, Sharon Sutherland (@ssuth). I’m not much of a “gamer”. Yet, I appreciate the power of a well-designed game, be it board or online. So when I heard […]
Good-bye Alistair MacLeod
April 21, 2014 by · Leave a Comment
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
April 3, 2014 by · Leave a Comment
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 […]
Are you talking too much “business” with your virtual work team?
March 20, 2014 by · Leave a Comment
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 […]
