ON MY MIND: Creating “Brave Space” for Hard Conversations
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 with the reading of a poem called “The Brave Space Invitation” written by Beth […]
FROM MY TOOL BAG: Three Skills for Drawing People Out
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. Here are three facilitation techniques that help to invite everyone’s […]
FROM MY BOOKSHELF: Feedback (and Other Dirty Words): Why We Fear It, How We Fix It By M. Tamra Chandler with Laura Dowling Grealish
Everywhere we look in organizational life there is evidence that feedback is a source of fear and anxiety, both for the people on the receiving end and for those delivering it. It’s time to “fix” feedback. Too often feedback is: Non-existent: Feedback is simply avoided through an unspoken “don’t ask for it, don’t give it” […]
ON MY MIND: Retreats that Make a Difference (Part 3)
re*treat. (verb) withdraw to a quiet or secluded place. (noun) a designated time of seclusion from routine activities to gain clarity and/or renewal. When planning a retreat, when does it make sense to bring in an experienced facilitator? Groups can often self-facilitate. However, engaging an outside facilitator is particularly beneficial in situations where the retreat […]
ON MY MIND: Retreats that Make a Difference (Part 2)
re*treat. (verb) withdraw to a quiet or secluded place. (noun) a designated time of seclusion from routine activities to gain clarity and/or renewal. Just as building designers follow universal principles and work with dimensions like angles, color, and shape, so must meeting architects consider a unique set of design dimensions. Once the foundation of the […]
ON MY MIND: Retreats that Make a Difference (Part 1)
re*treat. (verb) withdraw to a quiet or secluded place. (noun) a designated time of seclusion from routine activities to gain clarity and/or renewal. Retreats do two important things. First, they take us “away”—far from the demands of the office and shielded from everyday interruptions. Second, they bring us “together”— into a common, in-person, relaxed space. […]
IN MY TOOL BAG: The Team Check-in
Most high performing teams run fast and furious. Moving at that kind of pace we often walk into our meetings and jump right into the agenda. While hitting the ground running may feel productive, something gets lost: We fail to look up from our devices and to-do lists, even if for a moment, to see […]
IN MY TOOL BAG: The Priority-setting Matrix for Executive Teams
Recently at a senior executive team retreat, one member of the team questioned the necessity of the two-day off-site gathering. The executive rationalized that: “We are a group of department heads paid to run our own shows. If I’m honest I’m not sure why I need to be part of a senior team, other than […]
ON MY MIND: Strategy Development- What’s the Real End Game?
Over the past 25 years, I have facilitated about 300 strategy conversations across more than 70 industries. When I think about the client organizations that went on to be most successful, one insight stands out: They were more focused on the quality of their conversation and the thinking being generated than they were on creating […]
IN MY TOOL BAG: “What’s Your Story” Cards
One of my favorite writers, Margaret Wheatley, wrote: “You can’t hate someone whose story you know.” I would add that when you learn a person’s story you can’t help but see part of yourself in them. Our stories reveal parts of us that transcend resumes and elevator pitches. They bring to light our values, beliefs, […]