Putting yourself in the other person’s shoes is a good thing. And, if you’re a professional service provider, doubly so. What goes on in your client’s mind? What triggers them, to feel that they were served well, by you? A current project I’m working on is to create a product that will help professional service […]
What's your default?
May 2, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
Two months ago, the default rule for setting out my garbage and compost changed. It used to be that I placed all garbage and compost into one type of container. That container was picked up by the City and taken to the local landfill. That changed. Now the City provides two types of containers, one […]
Place-based Conflict Management
April 22, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
In our global village world, we are more likely to buy into ideas and approaches developed somewhere else, in a different place. This is certainly true in the conflict management arena; whether its interest-based negotiation, more prisons, or Online Dispute Resolution (ODR). No matter if good or bad, these other ways can distract us from […]
Collaboration insights gained through improv training with Dave Morris
April 15, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
Since early March I’ve been attending a basic improvisation class, led by Dave Morris, here in Victoria. It just wrapped up. I’ve spent a lot of my life relying on my left brain. Spending 2 hours a week with 15 others, largely in right brain mode, was something I figured I could handle! Plus, intuitively I […]
e-Training Conflict Management skills: How to keep it interactive and experiential?
April 10, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
I got much of my classroom-based conflict management training through the Justice Institute of BC (JIBC), over a decade ago. I really enjoyed it. It was immediate, face-to-face, conversational, with lots of role-playing and discussion. Interactive and experiential. Since then, I, and many others, have wrestled with how to generate a similarly satisfying experience, online. […]
The Hybrid Mediator: Choreographing conversations across communications channels
April 8, 2013 by · 2 Comments
Facilitating difficult conversations is hard. And, what’s making it even harder is that it can be difficult to know which communications channel is most appropriate, for the situation-at-hand. The options seem endless; chat, text, email, phone, video, face-to-face… Using the wrong channel, at the wrong time, in the wrong way… is, well, not a good […]
My Life of Pi
April 5, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
Some people are highly skilled experts in one discipline. These people often credit their incredibly focused expertise as a key to their success, however they define success. I do not see myself as one of those single expertise people, though I kind of like the success part of the equation. T-shaped skills Other people have expertise […]
The Neighbourhood Stroll Habit: A way to recharge your collaborative mindset
March 21, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
When I’m working at my home office, by mid-day I’m usually ready for some outside time. Fortunately I live in an inviting neighbourhood. A short stroll in my ‘hood helps recharge my batteries. And when the batteries are charged, its easier to do those good things: focus, listening, empathy… associated with the collaborative mindset. On the […]
