June 17, 2024
Ask me what is most important. And I will reply, It is people, It is people, It is people Maori Proverb You read a lot these days about the need for new workplace models. There is a growing consensus that decades of rigid, bottom line management structures kill the culture necessary for real collaborative relationships. The old models are broken: […]
April 11, 2023
In truth, we all start, somewhere, within a family system. The experience is universal and lifelong. We all bring it – we all have it. It is a matter of degree – and awareness. In every interaction we have at work, we bring our internal and interpersonal dynamics to the table. Family, culture, generation and other demographic imprints with us. […]
August 11, 2022
“We live in a moment of history where change is so speeded up that we begin to see the present only when it is already disappearing.” ~ R.D Laing The Scottish psychologist, R.D Laing wrote these prescient words in 1970. In our work we see an alarming increase of the effects of overwork and overwhelm on our clients. Many of the […]
December 5, 2021
If you look behind every strong anti-empathy feeling – fear, anger, rage, frustration, resentment, disappointment, hurt, and hostility – you’ll find beliefs. Beliefs are the activators of feelings – and they drive all of our behaviors and decision-making. Some beliefs are empathy-killers
October 11, 2021
I’ve often written about the slow death of command and control leadership – envisioning the demise of that mindset as the prevailing force in organizational life. It is slow going – isn’t it? At least it feels that way to me – even as an “observer” in my role as a consultant. The power issue hangs over us. Although there […]
July 16, 2021
We learn a lot from our clients. Their insights and experiences are our primary lifeline to what is happening at every level in today’s workplace. And too often, what we hear isn’t pretty. Overworked, overburdened, stressed, exhausted, cynical, pessimistic, untrusting, disengaged, resentful, frustrated, fearful and angry are common descriptions too many people give us. Since we began integrating Emotional Intelligence […]
February 5, 2021
Since Part 1 of this article was published it has consistently remained in the blog’s top 10. While I am a very informal student of the science, what I’ve learned has reshaped the way I approach my work. I continue to hope that eventually, this slowly, but surely, organizational leaders will come to realize that many of the beliefs, practices […]
January 11, 2021
“We use the same cells to build a sense of self, since these cells originate early in life when other people’s behavior is the reflection of our own behavior. In other people, we see ourselves with mirror neurons.” Marco Iacoboni, author, Mirroring People, The Science of Empathy and How We Connect with Others Emotions and actions are powerfully contagious. When […]