Blog

It seems like there’s one in every group:  The go-getter who absolutely has to win in every situation, and at all costs.  In many cases, especially in areas of business where winning can make the difference, this can be an admirable trait.  But that’s not always the case, especially when in comes to intra-office activities.  When there are […]

Whether you’re talking about activities for team building or any sort of in-office collaborative work, few things can be more damaging to group interactions than a toxic personality.  You know the sort of people: Constantly self-aggrandizing. Always finger-pointing to dodge blame. Endlessly negative towards the contributions of others. Full of snarky/passive aggressive comments. Credit-grabbing. It […]

There are plenty of companies offering corporate team-building events these days, too many to count.  All of them make huge promises, but it can be difficult to tell which ones can really deliver.  And this is a big deal since they don’t just cost money, but you’re potentially putting your lives in their hands! When shopping around […]

Have you ever heard co-workers engaged in a conflict exclaim, “I didn’t mean it that way”? “Intentions” play a crucial part in dust ups like this. Nine times out ten, you didn’t mean to hurt someone — in fact, you were trying to help them!  So why does it always seem to come across as […]

Not long ago, after watching Donald Trump’s acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, I gave him a “trust report card”, based on the following criteria: Sincerity Reliability Competence Caring Transparency You can read my whole article here. To review: Sincerity is about honesty; it’s about telling the truth as you see it.   A sincere […]

I came across this article today by Chip and Dan Heath (the Heath Brothers). I think you’ll enjoy it Dave   THE FIVE DYSFUNCTIONS OF A TEAM DECISION-MAKING PROCESS* *Hat tip to Patrick Lencioni—we’re ripping off the title of his classic book Five Dysfunctions of a Team for this piece. Dysfunction 1: Mass confusion. (Nobody […]

After watching Donald Trump’s acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, I found myself thinking, “He sure gives a good talk, but can I trust this guy?”   It’s fascinating how important trust seems to be when it comes to relationships.   In his seminal book, “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team”, Patrick Lencioni places trust […]

“Competition is the worst possible arrangement as far as relationship is concerned” –educator Alfie Kohn (1986) In one of my recent articles, I discussed the great Alfie Kohn’s controversial thoughts about rewards and recognition. Perhaps even more thought-provoking are Kohn’s ideas about competition, raised in his seminal and fascinating work, “No Contest-the Case Against Competition” […]