Red Pen or Yellow Highlighter?

While grading papers for a graduate class I’m teaching at St. Mary’s University recently, I realized my approaching to “grading” has fundamentally transformed since I began teaching in the mid-1990’s. It’s become much more gentle. I used to read with an...

The Problem with Diagnoses

Last week, a leader called me to discuss a conflict that had arisen on her team.One of her team members had challenged a decision made by a colleague, who in turn responded with indignation and intensity.Sparks flew, tears flowed and everyone else at the meeting...

Too Emotional?

While helping a senior level executive think through some bristly team dynamics recently, she told me that “the problem” was that some team members were simply “too emotional.” She related an incident in which a direct report became teary in...

Hopeless and Happy: Powerful Presence

While facilitating some empathy skills training recently, I was reminded of a powerful lesson.(I learn so much from each of you!)Participants were paired off, practicing their empathy skills, when a pair called me over for some coaching and input.Although they were...

Follow Your Bliss

I am in Mexico as I write this, enjoying the sun, the breeze, the sand … looking forward to a week of downtime and unplugging (after I get this out to all of you!).I seriously resist slowing down and downshifting, but when I finally do, it’s sooooo...

Always Ask the Second Question

Last week, I wrote about a power struggle I had with student over a late paper, and the shift that changed our relationship.Quite a few of you wrote to ask me whether or not the “problem of late papers” was fixed as a result of the process I described.In essence, did...