When I ask, “How are things going at work,” I often receive the response, “It’s so busy!” or “There’s so much to do!” In group settings, those comments are often followed by agreement that everyone is doing at least two
Thank you!
I received three comments from different clients this week that particularly affected me: “Thank you for all the work you did with our team…you have given me tools that I’ll likely use throughout my career.” (manager) “I have never felt
Be Willing to Pivot
A new client asked me to work with his team specifically to improve their interpersonal dynamics. When I met with the group, I quickly realized that internal interactions were low on their priority list; instead, they expressed significant concerns about
Find Connections
I just returned from a trip with my spouse to scenic Upstate NY, where I felt far away from work, politics, and household obligations. In addition to relishing the journey and the destinations, I noticed a perspective often missed in
The Elephant in the Room
How often do you leave a meeting and talk with a colleague about what wasn’t said in the room? Or feel frustrated that participants didn’t share what they said they would share? Or realize that the group didn’t address the
Celebrations…
As June comes to an end, and with it the end of Pride Month and the month of Juneteenth, I’ve been thinking a lot about the role of celebrations and commemorations. This past month, I was thrilled to join a
Meeting Agendas & Goals
How often do you attend meetings without an agenda? Do you find yourself in forums without a tangible output or accomplishment? Do you sometimes wonder about the purpose of a regularly scheduled meeting? Take a moment to review your calendar
No Apologies Needed
Over the past few weeks, a number of team members have become tearful when sharing their challenging work experiences. As their eyes began to water, each apologized: “I’m so sorry I’m crying; I was trying to avoid that.” My question:
Avoid “Sides”
In my consulting work with teams, I often hear, “She’s on their side,” or “They are against me.” That feeling is natural; when we disagree or collide with our colleagues, we may sense a divide and eventually develop a feeling
Labels
“He’s a jerk.” “She’s a bully.” I too often hear these descriptions of co-workers in the workplace. While labelling others may seem to help us make sense of the world—and of other humans—those labels ultimately don’t serve us well and
Seek to understand
Do you remember childhood arguments? “Yes, I did.” “No, you didn’t.” “Yes, I did.” “No, you didn’t.” As the conversation continues, the words stay the same, emotions and voices likely escalate, and resolution remains distant. As adults, some of our