Mindfulness, Emotion Regulation and Neuroscience
One of the core practices for everyday readiness that I write about in my book, Standing in the Fire is mindfulness meditation. I and several of the veteran leaders and facilitators I interviewed have...
View ArticleThe Evolution of Empathy
I’ve written a lot about compassion and empathy as leadership capacities — particularly in high-stakes, polarized, high-emotion situations. Ever wonder how we humans developed the capacity for empathy?...
View ArticleStaying True to Yourself
We live in an age of compromise. We’ve learned to be practical and to make concessions — not a bad thing. But there are times when compromise becomes a trap. It becomes a rationale for doing what is...
View ArticleOne Facilitator Who is Shaken and Stirred
My friend and colleague Gibran Rivera recently returned from Guatemala where he masterfully facilitated a “think tank” for Reading Village. He describes himself as “shaken up” from his experience....
View ArticleLeadership Lessons from the Vegetable Garden
Last summer as strolled through my garden I could see that the leaves of all my green bean plants were turning yellow. So I watered them, fertilized them, and hoed the weeds away. But they just got...
View ArticleBringing Heart Skills to Conflict
For a long time I believed that the key to resolving a difficult conflict was to help the disputants arrive at logical conclusions to which they could agree. I tried to help people think their way...
View ArticleLeading from Center
In Standing in the Fire I explore what it means to locate and cultivate the place within each of us from which wise choice and deliberate action comes. People have referred to this place as center,...
View ArticleWhy Skillful Conversation Matters Now
Lately my work in teaching and facilitating skillful conversation has felt more urgent. I think that some of this urgency has to do with a number of pronounced and disturbing trends I see in American...
View ArticleWhen 1% Makes a World of Difference
I have amazing clients but 1% for the Planet stands out as an organization with a truly inspiring mission. In fact, I was so inspired after facilitating 1%’s annual Board Retreat in 2008 that I became...
View ArticlePresence for the Holidays
I’ve come to appreciate that the holidays present all kinds of opportunities for high-heat moments — awkward social events, challenging family gatherings, stressful retail encounters. One of my...
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