Public Participation is Necessary for Democracy When determining how to ensure effective public participation, it should be noted that public participation is no less than the bedrock of a functioning democracy. Thomas Jefferson, the author of the U.S. Constitution, said, “I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people… read more →
It’s common to think that for me to win, you have to lose. That may be true in sports, but not in most other areas. There’s an old axiom in the sales profession that says, “you can get what you want if you can help the other guy get what he wants.” Mutual gain is… read more →
Is it that we just don’t want to deal with or talk with people who think differently, we don’t need to, or that we’ve forgotten how? Actually, I’ve come to realize that it’s all of the above and more; there is no one easy answer. Some people are just so embedded in their own beliefs… read more →
Most people like to avoid conflict in their lives. Sure, some people get their jollies from chaos (and media feeds on it because it attracts an audience and produces lots of revenue), but the rest of us don’t go out of our way to invite the pain and confusion that goes along with it. But,… read more →
Almost all of us have moved our work online and, thankfully, we’ve maintained our ability to connect in the best alternate ways possible. I can’t imagine where we’d be if the pandemic and lockdown had occurred before our current video and connection capability options. But as game changing as Zoom, Skype, WebEx and the other… read more →
Speaking of tough conversations, I hope you’ll find some thoughts and ideas here on how to manage yourself as the facilitator. Read More
It took just one more cell phone recorded murder and George Floyd’s death has finally forced the widespread public anger and tough conversations that we’ve needed to, hopefully, make needed change happen. It’s normal for people to want to avoid talking about unpleasant things and controversial issues, but for most of us, that’s simply no… read more →
An article in the recent issue of Psychology Today addresses how our eyes, gestures and tone put us in synch with each other in ways that online platforms will never duplicate. Like all primates, we’re social creatures and regardless of how effective WebEx, Facetime, Skype, Zoom and the others are – and don’t get me… read more →
People believe what they choose to believe. For some people choosing means weighing verified, peer-reviewed facts on all sides of issues, and for others it means agreeing with whatever and whoever reinforces how they want to feel. Read More …
Eventually we’re going to have to figure out how to talk to, deal with, and work with people that we don’t agree with or maybe even don’t like very much. That’s going to require (re)developing a skillset that feels like we’re losing. I’m seeing more being written about the need for these supposed soft skills. Calling… read more →