Recently, I wrote about how no real good comes from conversations where everyone’s emotions are elevated. I likened it to two people doing a dance with their amygdala, the almond-shaped part of our brains that says things like: “Your hair is on fire! The roof is falling in! This is horrible!” And, usually, it’s not. Instead of dancing the dance of pain that comes all too quickly when we’re in a lower brain state, I suggested breaking that pattern by calling for a break

Starting last October, I’ve been teaching a 3-month program through the On Conflict Leadership Institute, called LEAP for Collaborative Leaders. Its ambition is to equip leaders who are already collaborative with the mindset and tools to build their own conflict competent culture. It’s a big vision, and I’m incredibly excited to report that the 9 leaders who signed up for this inaugural voyage, are stimulated, inspired, and passionate about the topic of collaboration as a way to make lives better. One question that arose

Many people have heard about “I statements.” As someone said to me recently: “It’s counseling 101.”     Yet, I do see many people struggle with expressing I statements, or even having a common understanding of what they are.     So, let’s start with the basics: what do we really mean by I statements?     In its simplest form, an I statement is when someone talks about their own experience:   I went to the store. I think your bike is swell.

What if I told you, if you are a member of a team or a group, that holding Circle meetings could up your creativity and innovation? Would you believe me? Let me take you on a journey to show you how I came to that conclusion! Let’s start with a key finding from a leadership book I came across recently: The Captain Class: The Hidden Force Behind the World’s Greatest Teams, by Sam Walker. Walker based his data on compelling case studies profiling the men and women

What Is Human Nature & Why Does That Matter? A friend asked me recently if I’d heard of Rutger Bregman’s book Humankind: A Hopeful History. I hadn’t, but my curiosity was piqued! So, I dived into reviews and Goodreads and ordered it from the library (still waiting excitedly!). What I did surmise is Bregman makes a case for us humans being, fundamentally, good. He addresses a question important through the ages, that is: What do you believe humans are at their core? Said another way: