What To Do When Both Sides Are Right But They’re Still Fighting   A Simple Guide to Balancing Opposites at Work (and in Life) "Life's toughest choices aren't between right and wrong—they're between right and right. When you find yourself in a tug-of-war where both sides have a point, don't pick a winner; build a better rope to connect them."  - Mike Sometimes we face choices that aren't about right or wrong. They're about two good things that pull in different directions. These situations are called polarities—the presence of opposing yet interdependent perspectives, forces, or values that pull against each other but both have value. For example: Autonomy vs. Collaboration (a Perspective) – People want to make their own choices, but also need to work together. Stability vs. Change (a Force) – We like things to stay the same, but we also need to grow and adapt. Short-Term vs. Long-Term Thinking (a Value) – We need to solve today’s problems but also pl...

Why Good Meeting Guidelines Should Be More Than a Poster Transform meetings  from passive participation to active commitment – why your team should co-create ' Good Meetings Guidelines.' "A team that crafts their own meeting guidelines isn't just setting rules—they're weaving mutual respect into the fabric of how they work together. - Mike Why Good Meeting Guidelines Should Be More Than a Poster We’ve all seen posters in meeting rooms intended to motivate people to stop having meetings that waste time. Sure, they’re useful. But let’s be honest: how often do people change their behavior just because a laminated sheet of paper hanging on the wall says they should?  This poster is a good one: Why? Because there was a negotiation between team members to set up these guidelines. A negotiation that leads to a poster like this is far more impactful than simply displaying a list like this.  Why? Because when peers collectively decide how they will interact, they are settin...

When Trust is a Problem in Your Meetings—Here’s How to Fix It How to move beyond friction and improve meeting outcomes without triggering defensiveness. From Friction to Function In teams, trust deficit shows up in different ways such as, withholding critical information, passive resistance to technical decisions, and the proliferation of defensive documentation. While these symptoms often trigger interventions focused on the behavior of individuals, there's a more diplomatic approach that aligns with the need to maintain team cohesiveness. The Price of Distrust: Why Intervention Matters Trust issues in teams are expensive, creating costs such as deepening organizational silos,  delayed deployments due to excessive review cycles, and redundant validation requirements. It can help to treat trust deficits as a team dynamic rather than a personal attribute, even though trust problems emanate from individuals. Doing so can optimize team processes without triggering defensive ...

  Escape the Cycle of Reactive Conversations Picture this: a meeting starts productively, but soon, a disagreement spirals into a reactive loop of defense and counter-defense. Progress stalls, and frustration mounts. Reactive conversations like these are all too common in professional settings, yet they’re rarely addressed effectively.

  Understanding Three Types of Conflict—and How to Keep Them from Becoming an Office Reality Show   Conflict happens. Whether it’s a clash of ideas, personalities, or processes, how we handle it can mean the difference between a productive breakthrough and a cringe-worthy episode of "Workplace Dramas: The Never Ending Story." Conflict happens. Whether it’s a clash of ideas, personalities, or processes, how we handle it can mean the difference between a productive breakthrough and a cringe-worthy episode of "Workplace Dramas: The Never Ending Story." The first step? Identifying the type of conflict you’re dealing with. Let’s break it down. 1. Task Conflict – Innovation in Disguise Task conflict pops up when people disagree about what needs to be done. It’s the classic brainstorming session scenario—one person envisions a sleek PowerPoint masterpiece, another sees an elaborate 50-page report, and someone in the corner just wants a decision. While it might feel li...

  Navigating the Tricky Tight Rope Between Anchoring and Goal Setting in Negotiations   In the complex world of negotiations, understanding and leveraging psychological principles can make the difference between success and failure. Two key concepts that play a crucial role in this arena are the anchoring effect and goal setting . "In a negotiation, we must find a solution that pleases everyone, because no one accepts that they must lose and someone else win." - Nelson Mandela How to Balance Anchoring and Goal Setting In the complex world of negotiations, understanding and leveraging psychological principles can make the difference between success and failure. Two key concepts that play a crucial role in this arena are the anchoring effect and goal setting. While both can be powerful tools, they also come with potential pitfalls. Here is how to harness these concepts effectively, both for yourself and for leading a team, while maintaining a collaborative approach that fosters...