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 →
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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 →
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 →
Managing “High Conflict” Behaviours
If any of you are like me, at some point in your life you will have come across a very difficult person (likely, more than one!). You know, the kind that doesn’t seem to respond to typical/traditional/common sense approaches to conflict resolution and problem solving. No matter what you do, no matter how hard you… Read more →