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When I first became a trained mediator in the mid-90s, brainstorming was all the rage. Management journals touted the benefits of hosting in-person, group brainstorming to promote creativity in organizations. Leadership associations sponsored trainings on how to lead visual brainstorming activities in meetings. In fact, mediation course curriculums always included…
Language is a key factor in both causing and resolving conflict. A useful phrase that helps resolve and reduce conflict is “Can you help me understand”. Example: “Can you help me understand how you think that would help our reputation?” It is all too easy to attack another person by…
If you are responsible for an item on a meeting agenda, apply these simple criteria to make sure the time you are given is productive for everyone attending the meeting. Do you want discussion? NO: If the answer is no, be sure to advise attendees right away that this part…
The larger the group, the less responsibility each individual group member may feel for contributing to the efforts and overall success of the group. In essence, the more people present in the room or in the meeting, the easier it is for each individual person to feel less motivated and…
The purpose of a good icebreaker is to help the people attending a meeting or training to connect, get to know one another, build rapport, and break down barriers to communication. These four easy-to-follow rules will help you transform the beginning of your next meeting or training session into a…
How can leaders ensure employees are productive, accountable and still engaged after weeks and weeks of uncertainty and stress? The answer is – they can’t. Even prior to the current pandemic, when workplaces were considered relatively “normal”, leaders couldn’t just magically make those things happen. Even the best leaders can’t…
I’ll bet when I say the phrase “work meeting”, the first word that jumps to your mind isn’t “happiness.” In fact, after weeks of one virtual meeting after another, your reaction may be the exact opposite of happiness and include an extreme eye roll while you think to yourself, “not…
After switching jobs just a few short months ago, I was fortunate to become part of my first women’s Mastermind group. If you aren’t familiar with Mastermind groups, there are lots of varieties out there but basically, it’s a peer-to-peer mentoring group where members offer support, feedback, ideas and advice…
A friend of mine recently told me that after the last several weeks of COVID-19 related stress and anxiety, she started using a new model to help her navigate her weekly goals and her daily attitude. At the start of each week she now spends a few minutes dot journaling…
“In a crisis, we need short-term goals that are meaningful and motivating and appropriate for the situation at hand.” Whether you want to improve your leadership or management skills, your performance, or your relationships with co-workers or friends, coaching has become more prevalent in recent years and may have been something…