High-context communications in a low-context virtual world

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 […]

10 Ways Cops Support Community-based Collaboration and Justice

A bunch of things triggered this list, no pun intended. Police operate at the intersection of many different civic and community relationships.  That position offers them many opportunities to influence and mediate, in collaborative ways. 1. Fewer guns:  Many cities/countries (e.g., London/UK) don’t have every police officer carry a firearm.  Could most of Toronto’s cops […]

Are you talking too much “business” with your virtual work team?

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 […]

Virtual Dilemmas in Communications and Collaboration

Yesterday, I did a webinar for the BC Human Resource Management Association on the topic of Virtual Collaboration. The webinar attempted to address some of the typical challenges, dilemmas we face, as we try navigate and work together, in the virtual medium; be it using email, text, audio, video… Here’s some of those virtual dilemmas: […]

For a better virtual collaboration, apply a “progression of communication”

Your inbox is full.  You’ve received 40 text messages so far today, and it’s only noon.   There’s 10 messages on your phone, just waiting for you to do something with them.  Now what? Choosing the right communication channels  When I’m collaborating virtually on work, it makes sense to have some sort of strategy on […]