Power to the People: How Dialogue Can Transform Our Rivers—and Our Democracy
Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much Helen Keller There was a palpable buzz in the foyer before the event had even begun. At the…
Calm and Bright: Navigating Difficult Conversations This Festive Season
As the end of the year approaches, the pressure ramps up. Between looming deadlines, social obligations, and festive preparations, many of us feel stretched thin and emotionally frazzled. A friend…
What are you not discussing?
Have you have been part of a meeting where the real conversation never happened? Have you been in a room where everyone was aware of what the real issue was…
What Makes Your Organisation Tick?
We’re all familiar with the notion of what makes people tick. When managers and leaders tune into what motivates people, it nurtures better relationships and stronger performance. It’s less common…
The power of positivity
The power of positivity isn’t just a self-help cliché; it’s a transformative force that can shape the tone of entire movements, as we’ve seen recently at the Labour Leadership Conference…
The benefits of authentic dialogue in international settings
“Real dialogue is where two or more people become willing to suspend their certainty in each other’s presence.” David Bohm, physicist. It was a pinch-me moment to be in Toronto…
Turn tension into triumph
With the UK general election only a week away, our news streams and TV screens have been full of fractious discussions and accusation slinging. “Politican’s staff room squabbles” is how…
The challenge of speaking out
Ayesha’s voice sounded tight as she spoke. “I’m struggling and I wonder if you can help? It’s my boss. He speaks at 10,000 miles an hour and I can hardly…
Not to decide is to decide
Decades of research tells us that about half of organisational decisions fail to achieve their goals. They either unravel after a meeting has ended or have unintended consequences. Many meetings don’t end in decisions being made. As we all know, waiting to see what happens is often not an effective way to make a decision. Not to decide is to decide.
Slay the silence
The news that King Charles has cancer has prompted messages of support from across the world. Rishi Sunak announced it has been ‘caught early’, and both Joe Biden and Donald…
Stop the sabotage
Management culture often makes a mess of meetings. Group think means conviviality trumps people telling the truth. Managers are disconnected from the people they serve and make decisions in a…
Being in the room together
“In true dialogue, both sides are willing to change“ Reinhard Stelter Our inability to talk with one another is at the root of all conflict. Whether it’s a war between…
Disagreeing agreeably
“Between what is said and not meant, and what is meant and not said, most of love is lost.” Gibran, K. (1923) The Prophet It hardly needs to be said that the world needs…
Lead change through dialogue (Part 2)
Open communication is motivating for groups who need to innovate. To stimulate this, leaders in these disruptive times need a communication competence that fosters dialogue. As I said in my…
Lead change through dialogue (Part 1)
Leading change through dialogue is challenging but not as hard as trying to lead change without dialogue. To innovate during these fractured times, leaders must engage hearts not just minds,…
How to move from monologue to dialogue
Dysfunctional team dynamics are particularly problematic in today’s highly interconnected world. The problems facing leaders are too complex for any one person to solve. Challenges such as developing a purpose-driven,…
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