It is ridiculously simple.
You want to advance the discourse in a conversation? OFFER OPTIONS. Yes, simple. OFFERING OPTIONS works in absolutely every context, every relationship, over every hurdle. Every time.
If it is so simple, why don’t we do it all the time?
Successful people know how to mirror. They mirror consciously. They mirror well.
The power of mirroring has been keenly on my mind in the aftermath of the Parkland shootings in Florida. I was touched by the extravagant range of human and activist responses, and I found myself remembering a response to the Pulse nightclub attack in Orlando, two years back, that had richly moved me. It is a sublime tale of mirroring. It took place on a JetBlue flight that carried the grandmother of Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, one of the club-goers that got killed in the shootings, to Orlando to attend Luis’ funeral.
I have always loved the notion of a Third Eye.
According to the symbology of the 7 chakras or energy centers, the Third Eye sits right in the center of our forehead. Smack above our eyebrows. It is the place in our body that links to our intuition. It’s also the pathway to any psychic powers we may possess. Very cool.
I am happy for you. Powerful words, right?
And my two favorite variations:
I am so pleased for you (a bit more cautious).
I am thrilled for you (yes, over the top).
When something good happens to a colleague or a friend, we tend to say Congratulations. We may even send a congratulatory note. Nice.
I notice them at once. A woman and a man.
They sit catti-corner from me on a Thursday morning in a coffee-shop in Hollywood. The woman leans into the table, her left elbow resting on the tabletop, a look of eager curiosity on her face as she listens to the man sitting across from her. The woman’s entire presence radiates a sense of supreme interest and delight
It’s called Open Space Technology.
Don’t let the name fool you. Open Space is not a new app or a fresh software solution. It’s a conversational framework that has been around for over 30 years. Created by Harrison Owen, a former associate pastor, peace worker and organizational development consultant, Open Space dismantles organizational silos and rigid
When I look at public leadership what I see is dismal.
I’m reminded of it as I revisit an article Jay Cost wrote in the Wall Street Journal, The Politics of Distrust (10/17/15). I am reminded of it every time I watch a business executive address a Town Hall meeting, every time I catch a politician make a public statement in front of a camera,
2018. My one vision for all of us is this. Let’s make this The Year of More Connection.
Well, yes. Duh. Of course, right?
Two seminal articles appeared in 2017 that captured the urgency of our need to connect. They encapsulated a simmering Zeitgeist.Their messages reverberated beyond their intended target audiences and instantly went global.
Statistics show the US economy is in fine shape. Unemployment has reached historic lows. Yet GE announced just last week it is cutting 12,000 positions. 4% of its workforce. Siemens is cutting 6,900 jobs. Several folks I know well have lost their jobs within the last few weeks.
December. Holiday season. A hyper-challenging time of the year to suddenly
I sent Sylvie an invite on LinkedIn. Sylvie and I are social friends in the community where I live.
Sylvie’s email response to me: Wow, so happy to connect with you in the professional world. What an honor!
Sweet, right?
I adore Sylvie. But here’s the secret code