Emotions are gauges on a dashboard, not the fuel that powers the engine
Think of your emotions as lights and gauges on a car’s dashboard. The unpleasant ones are like the yellow and red lights. They tell you that something is not entirely in line with some of your values.
Compromise — the worst of all conflict resolutions
I have heard it many times. People who try to mediate in a conflict situation often suggest that the parties involved need to learn to compromise. But just look at the concept of compromise. Compromise basically means that both parties have to sacrifice their position...
No conflict, no harmony
When we think about relationships we desire harmony. Is that true for you? What if I told you that harmony is not the absence of conflict but its very presence. For many, harmony in a relationship is like riding on the same wave. We are always together, we always...
Conflict: Painful or full of opportunity and potential
When you hear the word conflict, what do you associate with it? Is it pain, hurt, arguments, or maybe disrespect, lack of understanding, and lack of love? What if I told you that I see opportunities, possibilities and potential. A few weeks after I got married, I was...
Creating a healthier conflict culture in teams PART 1
Recently I asked on LinkedIn what people consider the first step to a healthier conflict culture. Interestingly all of the comments went straight to the actual team relationships, which I see as steps further down the line. But it is common that we try to change the...
What I learned from crashing the perfect team
In the mid-2000's I had the privilege of leading a pioneer team of four. Quite early on we discovered that according to a test we undertook, we were a perfect mix of personalities and should exceed any expectations. However, we didn't go very far and crashed. In our...
How a good conflict culture benefits your team
We live in a society which perceives conflicts as something bad or wrong. Therefore people search for help on how to avoid conflicts at work, in an organisation or within a team. And this used to be my approach too until I learned these rumbles have a value. My change...
Influence – a great way to encourage staff engagement
Over the past years, companies have gone great lengths to get their employees more motivated. Staff engagement has become a buzzword. Businesses spend lots of money on bonuses, gifts, events as well as benefits. Now here's a controversial question: do these things...
