I used to lead parenting workshops, and one of the key takeaway messages was, “Connect before you correct.”
I’m hearing echoes of that concept as people wrestle with how best to maintain relationships digitally over what is becoming a long time apart. As I continue to observe what great teams do in these strange days, they emphasize connection before content. Continue reading “Connection Before Content”
The first time I sat on a Board of Directors, it didn’t go particularly well. In hindsight, I think it’s because I took too long to contribute. I took on the role of the quiet newbie for the first year of my term, which only left me two years to make whatever impact I could. That impact was minimal for several other reasons, one of which was not having a team around me that was interested in leveraging the contributions I could offer. They communicated quite clearly that they were fine without me. Continue reading “Ask and Tell”
Once you see something, you can’t unsee it.
I remember feeling that way after taking a beginner art class several years ago. The instructor encouraged us to look not at details, but at patches of dark and light in a landscape. That perspective was new to me, and it highlighted the spaces between things in new ways. I can’t not bring it to my awareness anymore. Continue reading “The Spaces in Between”
The irony is not lost on me that I help people collaborate for a living, as I was always that student that disliked group work. Now, I’ve raised four people who are like me in that way. Sigh. Still today, I often work alone.
Dig a little deeper though, and it’s not surprising that I would devote considerable attention to helping groups create the conditions for successful group work. I want fewer people to have to endure group assignments that they could do faster and better themselves. Continue reading “I Hate Group Work”
The slowest pace of change you will ever experience for the rest of your life is happening right now.
~The Adaptation Advantage
(McGowan and Shipley 2020)
Did you sigh when you read that?
We know the pace of change is accelerating. We also know the need for continuous adaptation isn’t disappearing anytime soon.
And we’re getting some good practice at it! We’ve been invited and forced to adapt more in the past year than at any other time in our lives. Continue reading “Adept at Adapting”
