Plan tight and hang loose. I was in a workshop recently learning a ton. One of the key take-aways I received as we were inundated with ideas, new ways to improve our facilitation, new ways to use Zoom, great music and stellar interaction was the discipline of planning and preparation. After seven hours online three days in a row, I was sad…
I was in a program with Jon Berghoff last week and he shared “If we can’t honor and create space for dissent, we’re not a community.” What a powerful statement. It struck me as it seems many of us have lost this skill in the United States. We have lost the ability to disagree and commit. Our humanity and community…
What does it mean to be connected? In considering this question, I had to throw out the word “virtual” for meetings and events online. By using virtual, it suggests it’s not the real thing. Whether we realize it or not, we can connect really effectively online by learning how to use the tools around us. That being said, I will…
When I reflect on all 2020 has offered, I am often surprised to find many incredible benefits as the challenges have been frequent, compounding and paralyzing at times. What I remind myself repeatedly however, is it’s the most challenging periods that offer the opportunity to grow, learn and emerge into the next best version of yourself, your work and your…
“Not every day is a good day, live anyway. Not everyone will tell you the truth, be honest anyway. Not all deals are fair, play fair anyway. Not all you love will love you back, love anyway.” For those of us living into 2020, working to be resilient, seize the opportunities, stay positive and maintain composure, quotes like this can…
There are three approaches to learning something new. You can use these in onboarding employees, with children and with yourself as you approach new learning opportunities. This includes most of 2020. Some people think their way to learning. They like to analyze, gather data, watch others, read about the topic, watch videos, talk with people and once sure of their…
Have you ever had self-defeating talk? Me too. One of the most effective ways to reframe your thinking and get back into action is to ask yourself a question to prompt different thinking. Here are some examples, please share your own in the comments and let us know if you try these: I don’t understand. What am I missing? What else do I need to know? Who could I learn…
It’s easier to write the story than to do the work. Whether a story, explanation, justification, reason or excuse, they all keep you in the same place. If that’s exactly where you want to be, keep talking. If not… At a time in history when every turn is unpredictable, challenging, and disruptive, are you meeting the changes to grow and learn? If not, what do you…
I’ve posed this question before: what if you treated every conversation as if it was the last opportunity you have? It’s a great question. It causes you to contemplate how you use your time with someone. You consider being more intentional and thoughtful about what kind of conversation matters, what topics get your attention and the experience you’d like to have. Today, this may be exactly what I’m doing, and the gift is that I…
When profound wisdom is inserted into a conversation without effort, it changes you in that moment. I was sitting with my dear friend Mahtab and her family recently. We were all meandering the emotions that come when life is ending. To be specific, it was about her life coming to a close as she was completing her journey with esophageal cancer. With conversations that involve finality and…