Yesterday, we received the following email from a client who is a leader in the health care field, here in Mantioba: Here is our response: We share this electronic conversation with you because we know there are many “Jennifers” out there. And not only in the healthcare sector. There are many, many amazing Manitobans/Canadians/Earthlings who… Read more →
Us and Them: The importance of making understanding (not agreement) the goal in polarized conversation
I was recently invited to contribute to a community panel discussion on the phenomenon of polarized discourse in our society and communities. The following are some of the thoughts I shared at that event. As a professional mediator, I’m part of bringing polarized people together every day. And it’s from that context, working with people… Read more →
The Black in my Throat
I remember it so clearly. It was a cold, crisp winter day when I picked up my son (then 7) after school. I could tell he was upset by something. On our walk home, he didn’t say much but he did share that “something happened with Evan”, one of his friends. And I could tell… Read more →
The greatest problem in communication is the illusion that it has been accomplished. – George Bernard Shaw
Much of what happens in human interactions exists inside our own heads and hearts – it’s private, unheard and unseen by my communication partner. The only thing that the other person knows is my action: my words, tone, body language… What they can not see are my personal, private motivations, my intentions, my reasons for… Read more →
Did you know that January is Divorce Month?
Over 40% of Canadian marriages end in divorce, most commonly initiated in January which has come to be known as “Divorce Month”. This is because many couples wait until after the holidays to move forward with the difficult process of separation. After decades of working with families in conflict as they struggle through the legal… Read more →
High-Performance Expectations: Five Practical Ways to Maximize your Training Investments
I recently read a thought-provoking and very practical book entitled The Heart of Coaching: Using Transformational Coaching to Create a High-Performance Coaching Culture by Thomas G. Crane (2012). It was especially interesting for me to read it with both of my professional hats on – as an organizational leader and as a mediator and conflict management specialist. Over the… Read more →