Blog
Lessons for Leaders From a Mother Who Fought to Make Her Wrongs Right
Before becoming a speaker, author, and leadership coach, I was a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. This role gave me the privilege of helping individuals, couples, and families share their stories, learn new skills, and turn around the unresolved conflict in their lives. I often think of a woman named Jane who came to me…
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Want to accomplish more? Be Willing to Get Vulnerable with your Colleagues
Would it change the way you think about your co-worker if you knew they were the oldest of five kids and they grew up in a single-parent home in a rural area? They became like parents themselves at a very young age and have little patience for child-like behavior or goofing around at the office.…
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A Nurse’s Courageous Approach to Workplace Conflict
My brother-in-law is a nurse anesthetist. He told me recently how frustrated he gets when colleagues talk about one another instead of talking to one another. This is a man who isn’t afraid to speak up and “rock the boat” if needed. So, what did he do? Instead of fuming to another colleague or complaining to a superior, he…
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Removing Uninvited Guests at Your Thanksgiving Table
This Thanksgiving is like none other. Perhaps people are missing from your table because they don’t feel comfortable meeting in person due to the coronavirus pandemic. On the other hand, there may be people present at your table who have completely different views about the handling of the pandemic. Whether you are sitting around the…
Read MoreThe Antidote To Transforming Your Conflict Management Pattern
The last several blogs have addressed various conflict management patterns that show up in business relationships and the workplace. These are patterns learned in childhood that are learned by age six or seven to cope when things got tense. You may identify with a couple patterns and based on the circumstances use each one at…
Read MoreBeing a Leader is Like Being a Parent
During a recent coaching session with an executive, my client struggled with how to manage an employee with skilled performance but poor behavior. She said, “Leadership is a lot like parenting.” Curious, I asked how so? “Sometimes it seems like my employees test the limits to see what I’ll do just like my kids do!…
Read MoreHow to See the Humanity in Your Employees
This is the final part of a three-part series on setting the tone in your work culture. “Sometimes people are jerks. They are rude, abrasive, and selfish. They may say the right things, but the way they behave makes my guard go up and it’s hard to see anything good about them.” Do you feel…
Read MoreHow to Keep Calm and Set the Tone for Your Work Culture
As a hostage negotiator, George Kohlrieser has been held hostage four times. Even when a pair of scissors was against his throat, he chose to talk rather than call for force against his captor. In those tense moments, he chose his words carefully in order to build a connection from the hostage taker’s despair to…
Read MoreHow to Avoid Going in Circles With Reasonable Suspicion of Substance Use
We’ve all been there. In conversation with employees exhibiting unacceptable behavior. Are you ready to get off of the merry-go-round?
Read More5 Signs You Avoid Conflict By Distracting From Tough Issues …
Today’s blog is the fourth part of a multi-blog series addressing how challenges faced during upbringing can affect your conflict pattern and business relationships today. 5 Signs You Are A Distractor … 1. You have a fun sense of humor You have a way of bringing levity to difficult situations through your wit and playfulness.…
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