Smart Urban Design Focuses on Safety and Relationships for Healthier Interactions

Whenever I rush into a difficult conversation without first creating a safe space to have that conversation, I invariably regret my impulsivity. Difficult conversations, especially relationship-oriented ones, demand paying attention to the ‘how’ conversation is to take place as much as ‘what’ the conversation is about. No matter the place, safety precedes authentic conversation. Relationships […]

Shalom: Dispute and conflict and educational moments in a nonprofit board

Disputes are conflicts, our differences, brought to light. In 14 years of mediating business and community disputes, I’ve observed that a dispute is also, as often as not, a proxy for a hitherto unexpressed conflict, be it a gap in communication, a feeling that somethings not quite right, here, a hot button pushed… the list […]

CESO support of Aboriginal communities’ development in Canada informs its International work

Last week, the Canadian Executive Service Organization (CESO) sponsored an event in Victoria, coinciding with CESO’s 50th anniversary and National Volunteer Week. The event welcomed Volunteer Advisors, local government and community leaders, clients, and supporters. I’m a Volunteer Advisor with CESO. I attended. CESO is an international development organization working in Canada, with Aboriginal communities, and around the […]

Show me: Restorative Justice

Remember “show and tell” time when you were small? It wasn’t “tell and show” time. It’s “show”, first, for a reason. A local ‘show’ came my way this week. It was from the terrific folks at Restorative Justice Victoria. Restorative Justice video (video not displaying? click here to watch it on Youtube) Restorative Justice Victoria’s (RJ […]

Use Peer Assists to Transfer Knowledge and Solve an Organization Challenge

I follow Nancy Dixon’s blog, Conversation Matters. Her work is focused on the people side of knowledge management. She has developed a succinct model for how to transfer knowledge to help solve an organization challenge. Peer Assists are part of that model. Using peer assists to transfer knowledge between teams Frame: In Dixon’s model, Peer Assists are […]