by Larry Dressler | Feb 13, 2018 | On My Mind
Saying “sorry” is not easy for most of us. It is easier to decide others are the problem – that they are oversensitive or unreasonable in their expectations. It’s more comfortable to self-justify our behavior or retreat in shame. However, if you are committed to...
by Larry Dressler | Feb 2, 2018 | On My Mind
If you work on a team it’s inevitable that at some point you will disappoint, frustrate or anger a colleague. You will fail to keep a promise. You will take an action or make a decision that negatively impacts others. You will react during stressful moments in ways...
by Larry Dressler | Jan 22, 2018 | In My Tool Bag
Recently, I was planning an offsite retreat for a team with a significant number of new members who didn’t know each other very well. The first goal was to help them learn about one another beyond their public resumes and job descriptions. The second goal was to play...
by Larry Dressler | Jan 17, 2018 | From My Bookshelf
“Meetings are as common as dirt and about as popular.” –Marvin Weisbord and Sandra Janoff In my work helping clients to achieve breakthrough collaboration, here’s a question I often think about – How do we create conditions that help people with diverse...
by Larry Dressler | Jan 10, 2018 | On My Mind
I used to start my mornings with the jolt of an alarm clock that would set into motion a mental list of tasks that I needed to get done throughout the day. This habit enabled me to get a lot of “stuff” done. But, over time, I began to notice that even...
by Larry Dressler | Feb 27, 2017 | Lifestyle
For a long time I believed that the key to resolving a difficult conflict was to help the disputants arrive at logical conclusions to which they could agree. I tried to help people think their way through differences and negotiate compromise based on a rational...
by Larry Dressler | Feb 27, 2017 | Lifestyle
Last summer as strolled through my garden I could see that the leaves of all my green bean plants were turning yellow. So I watered them, fertilized them, and hoed the weeds away. But they just got worse and worse. Then one day I got down on my knees and sat eye to...
by Larry Dressler | Feb 27, 2017 | Lifestyle
Lately my work in teaching and facilitating skillful conversation has felt more urgent. I think that some of this urgency has to do with a number of pronounced and disturbing trends I see in American society. We are a country that is increasingly polarized. Partisan...
