A common complaint that I hear from my intentional community clients as we prepare to work on a vexing issue is, “We talked about this same issue LAST year!” There is a great desire to be DONE with it already, to set it to rest, to come up with a final solution or policy that […]
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As I wait for the shipment of my new book on apology to arrive…two excellent pieces on this very topic floated through my digital inbox. Yesterday, Forbes columnist Erika Andersen discussed the role of apology in leadership. I was particularly struck by the connections she makes between respect, responsibility, and courage. She and I are […]
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Since communication and conflict resolution are what I do for a living, I am expected to excel at both…even when I am officially “off duty.” Some days I consider this an advantage; I am continually pushed to improve myself. Other days I find it exhausting, as my natural state of being is somewhat cranky and […]
Life provides us with multiple opportunities for misunderstandings, conflicts, and hurt feelings. A well-done apology can go a long way toward healing a strained relationship, while a poor one can create even more disconnection and distress. After witnessing and experiencing both very good and very bad apologies in my life, I began studying good apology […]
Tags: Apology
I arrived at the client’s location and was being given the grand tour, as well as my hosts’ perception of the conflicts I was there to mediate. As we chatted about the upcoming session, one of them smilingly asked, “Are we the worst group you’ve ever worked with?” Almost EVERY group asks me something along […]
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Recently I was given the valuable opportunity to practice what I preach! A client was not entirely happy with the work we’d done together and gave me very frank, specific and detailed feedback about it. While grateful for their honesty, I was somewhat taken by surprise. This conversation was an excellent chance to review these […]