by Larry Dressler | Nov 20, 2019 | On My Mind
I recently stumbled onto a project called The People’s Supper. Its aim is to bring together people of different identities and perspectives over a meal and to have conversations grounded in unconditional welcoming, kindness, and openness. Many of these suppers open...
by Larry Dressler | Nov 12, 2019 | In My Tool Bag
One measure of success in your meetings is the extent to which all of the different perspectives in the room were expressed. For a lot of reasons, including differences in power and status, and sense of safety, people don’t necessarily offer their ideas in groups....
by Larry Dressler | Nov 6, 2019 | On My Mind
Lately I’ve had an inordinate number of clients reach out to share that they are going through difficult times — health challenges, loss of key employees and/or customers, financial struggles, organizational changes that impact their sense of job security, etc. They...
by Larry Dressler | Oct 29, 2019 | From My Bookshelf
What’s the best way to address complex challenges facing your organization? Bringing smart people together for truly strategic conversations. I know I don’t have to tell you this, but the reason for the reminder is a lament that I often hear from leaders: I thought I...
by Larry Dressler | Oct 18, 2019 | In My Ear Buds
Voices in my head that are not my own: This is how I think of podcasts. These days, one of my favorite set of voices to listen to is HBR Women at Work hosted by Amy Bernstein, Amy Gallo, and Nicole Torres – three Harvard Business School powerhouses who think deeply...
by Larry Dressler | Sep 23, 2019 | On My Mind
Yesterday, while soaring at 38,000 feet, I had an epiphany: I can write three blogs on a two-hour flight from Denver to Oakland with ease. But to write those same blogs seated at my desk in my office can take closer to six hours. Why? It didn’t take much analysis to...
by Larry Dressler | Sep 18, 2019 | In My Tool Bag
When friends ask me, “how’s your week going?” my most common response is “intense.” It’s not that my work is any more demanding than yours. It’s that I have a tendency to be hyper-focused —tuning out even my own basic needs, like food. While this characteristic makes...
by Larry Dressler | Sep 11, 2019 | On My Mind
Are you someone who dislikes surprises? Do chaos, messiness, and unpredictability stress you out? Do you find yourself perplexed by and just a bit envious of people who have the capacity to just “go with the flow?” I, for one, do not like surprises or messiness. I’m a...
by Larry Dressler | Sep 4, 2019 | On My Mind
Recently, I discovered Kintsugi, a fifteenth century Japanese art form dedicated to repairing broken ceramics by filling in the cracks with gold. Once the repair is complete, the “brokenness” of the item — its defects — become its source of beauty and...
by Larry Dressler | Aug 27, 2019 | In My Ear Buds
If you are not an experienced consumer of podcasts, you might want to give one a try. The podcasts I listen to offer me valuable insights about leadership and collaboration. Most are available as a free subscription via an app on your phone. Thinking about them as an...
