How can I make it easier for people and organizations to build consensus and move forward together? That’s the question I try keep in front of me, as I go about the day-to-day of my business. And, here’s a simple mental model I created to help guide me in how I answer that question: This […]
10 Lessons on collaboration as taught by our musical brain
June 7, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
Music has been with humans since we first became humans, it has shaped the world through six kinds of songs: friendship, joy, comfort, knowledge, religion, and love. So demonstrates Daniel J. Levitin in his book The World in Six Songs – How the musical brain created human nature. I read this book with interest. I’ve […]
Relying on your intuition may be your best decision in times of uncertainty
May 25, 2009 by · 8 Comments
As a mediator, I often rely on my intuition as a guide in the heat of conflict. I never really understood how intuition worked though until I read Gerd Gigerenzer’s book, Gut Feelings: The Intelligence of the Unconscious. A superstar in the psychology of decision making, Gigerenzer thinks relying on your gut feelings (a.k.a. intuition […]
Dismal BC voter turnout = opportunity for public engagement and Gov 2.0
May 17, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
On May 12, 2009, British Columbia voters went to the polls. Voter turnout was dismal, and some say reflects a crisis! The day before, May11, the Obama government announced its Office of Public Engagement. The lack of engaged citizenry creates real learning opportunities. How will British Columbia respond? What does it mean to […]
Aboriginal ideas shape and influence our collaborative mindset
May 11, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
In my neck of the woods (British Columbia, Canada), how we imagine ourselves as a society owes much more than we realize to the Aboriginal people who live here (and have for a very long time), and their ideas. So goes the argument put forth by noted Canadian thinker, John Ralston Saul, in his book […]
20 Ways to physically structure your office for collaboration
May 4, 2009 by · 4 Comments
Structure influences behaviour. How we design and build our offices will influence the way we work together. I just finished community expert Peter Block’s book Community: The Structure of Belonging. Combining some of the ideas presented in his book, along with a few other sources (also noted in this post), I thought it would […]
Data visualization: Another good way to tell your organization's story
April 20, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
A good story can give momentum to a vision or idea.One of the ways a story can do that is by making connections, and drawing relationships, between different events.To feel connected, to belong, are basic human needs.Maybe that’s why we perk up when new connections, our relationships to others, are revealed to us in a […]
Resolving conflict online vs. offline: similarities and differences
April 13, 2009 by · 1 Comment
When we collaborate to address and resolve complex issues, those issues can take on a different dynamic when the conversation is online. The capacity to successfully address conflict and build consensus, in both the online and off-line worlds, has value for any organization. I’m currently working with a group of mediators; exploring ways to resolve […]
