Have a meal together. Why it matters Eating together helps people connect; helps bond individuals into a collaborative whole. It doesn’t matter what it is that you do, you need something to bring the team together, something that says we’re special, we value each other, and we’re in this together. Food, dress, ceremony, celebration, rituals are […]
Break down those silos and re-build from above and below
April 22, 2010 by · 2 Comments
Trying to get everyone on the same page? As long as your team members stay in their silos, your job will be next to impossible. To break down the thick walls between silos, build on the things all silos have in common: the sky above (vision) and the ground below (values). The silos metaphor is […]
Restorative Justice: A community response when bad things happen
April 5, 2010 by · 9 Comments
Bad things happen. They did to Katy Hutchison on New Year’s Eve in 1997. Her husband Bob was beaten to death while checking on a party being thrown by their neighbour’s son. It happened in Squamish, a small town just north of Vancouver. A wall of silence grew up around the murder. It was four […]
Be a better mediator: 5 jazz learning techniques worth investing in
January 18, 2010 by · 7 Comments
Jazz is America’s music. It roots are in America. Two things I always liked about jazz. One; the swing rhythm, identifiable in the music of Benny Goodman, Count Basie, and many others, always gave me a high. Two; jazz has long been associated with social justice. That sold it for me! Earlier in my […]
A framework for values-based Appropriate Dispute Resolution (ADR)
January 13, 2010 by · 3 Comments
What would a values-based Appropriate Dispute Resolution (ADR) framework look like, in an organization? Recently I listened in on a conversation between 3 well-known mediators/bloggers, Amanda Bucklow, Tammy Lenski,and Diane Levin on the topic of values-based fees in the mediation and ADR world. I’ve also being part of some recent conversations in my local Values-Based […]
