Our calendar says a new year is about to start. How do we want the coming year to play out for ourselves? What will we resolve to do? As a mediator, when the parties are at loggerheads, unable to leave their position, e.g., I’m right, he’s wrong, I often remind the folks that we all […]
The ways of "yes, and" is a way to discover your collaborative potential
October 29, 2009 by · 2 Comments
If there is a better way than a genuine Yes, and to bridge personal differences, I’m open to it! Yes combined with a sincere And (YES/AND), instead of but, opens up a world of potential. This was hit home again to me last week during a workshop session on games and exercises to stimulate creativity […]
Making it easy to build consensus and move forward together
June 21, 2009 by · 2 Comments
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 […]
An apology can make it safe to collaborate
March 28, 2009 by · 2 Comments
The recent newswire story proclaimed “Sorry no longer the hardest word in Ontario”. Ontario passed legislation this month that will allow people to say sorry without fear of having it turned against them in court. Under the new rules, apologies can’t be used as an admission of fault or liability and won’t affect someone’s insurance […]
The circle as a process
March 9, 2009 by · 2 Comments
I’m always impressed by the process and outcomes when we gather in a circle. As collaborators, leveraging the power of the circle seems something we can do more of. Our ancestors gathered around a fire in a circle. Families gather around the kitchen table in a circle. As a society we seem slow in learning […]
