Wondering how to generate a conversation? Here are seven questions to create different types of dialogue: What’s on your mind? This question could be used to probe deeper or to get an interesting conversation started. It’s a great way to open things up when you are curious what someone’s expression is really telling you. What do you ask when someone…
“I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit.” John Steinbeck I’ve spent a great deal of my life teaching, training, coaching, and learning. As…
We are blessed. We work to maintain a chosen family and all of us contribute to the success of how we connect, spend time and care for each other. Every gathering moves us more deeply into a connected and unified space. Some days are better than others, yet we succeed or fail together. As we pass another celebration, we are…
We all need something to look forward to. As a Minnesotan, let’s face it, our winters get long. One of the things my husband and I have done to interrupt what can feel like forever during the colder months is to schedule a long weekend or a week away every month possible. We’ve been doing this over the years and…
Procrastination. It’s human. …and it’s a behavior that manufactures stress for you and those around you. When deadlines and commitments are interdependent, trust is not only important, but also necessary. One of the ways people destroy that precious space called trust is to procrastinate. In fact, when you are pushing the deadline or missing it entirely, you add pressure and…
Peter Drucker said “most serious mistakes are not being made as a result of wrong answers. The truly dangerous thing is asking the wrong question.” When Kevin and I watch NCIS, we make guesses as to who the murderer is every time. When we get it right, we’re usually asking the better questions based on subtleties of behavior, nuance, and…
Do you struggle with Clarity Breaks™? Do you make time to write, journal or blog? If not, this is for you. Let me be specific, do you find it challenging to make time to consistently think for an hour or two every week? I used to, until I realized how much better it makes me. What helped? Scheduling time and…
Sometimes, I look at the state of our world and I feel helpless to change it. When I see some of the realities we’re dealing with and recognize that basic safety and the opportunity to love freely are compromised disproportionately for many, specifically here in the US, I seek wisdom from history. I also recognize it begins with me, in…
Inspiration can be found in almost every conversation if you’re looking for it. Thank you to David Larson for his wisdom and this great idea. During our conversation, David shared a passion for collecting powerful quotes. I do as well. He also shared that he writes daily and would never lack for things to write about if he chose a…
It works until it doesn’t. At work and home, I am the one to lead, decide and cause things. Mostly, I love it and it suits my nature as a decisive change agent. Because I get paid for this skill, I’ve learned to use it well and most of the time it works. Until it doesn’t. When we are on…