Peeking from behind the mask
24 March 2012Two articles in today’s Melbourne Age newspaper stood out. This one and this one. “Tell the story – the more times you tell it, the better off you’ll be.” This was the advice given to Brant Webb and Todd Russell, survivors of the Beaconsfield goldmine disaster. They were trapped underground in a small wire cage…
Break down to break through
26 December 2011This song, Minnie the Moocher, by The Blues Brothers, came up on shuffle while I was at the gym. I was focusing on the song as I tried to take my mind off running and how heavy my legs felt. The song uses call and response, one of my favourite musical devices. At about 2…
The power of connections
17 June 2011I spent the weekend at Gathering11, with 100+ other people. I found myself at Gathering11 because of connections, generosity and curiosity. I’ve come away with yet more connections, ideas, inspiration and dare I say, a good old dose of enthusiasm. It’s not often I have an opportunity to be a participant, to feel what it’s…
What really happened
6 May 2011Following up my last post, here’s what actually happened when I had an opportunity to do some connecting activities with the 80+ people I’m working with this week. As is often the case, 60 minutes became around 40 minutes. Because I believe it’s important to honour the finishing time (in this case a morning tea…
Good strategy is not enough
30 November 2010If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. – African Proverb Tim Schottman used to work with Starbucks. When he retired he became interested in taking his corporate knowledge and applying that to other causes – such as providing corneal transplants. This talk describes how he learnt…
The gift of listening
8 November 2010Beyond the Pale Tips for better meetings You know when you are out with friends and the conversation hits pause? How sometimes you can just enjoy the silence, and how other times it feels a bit uncomfortable, wondering who is going to say something next? Or when you are in a meeting at work, and…
Valuing friendships and connections
20 October 2010Have you ever been to an event where you have come away excited, but unclear why? And have other people at the same event wondered what the point of it was? These are two extremes of experience with many shades inbetween and represent the great diversity of experiences we have at different events. What works…
What does ‘doing something’ really mean?
21 September 2010Last night I saw Stephen Fry at Royal Albert Hall in London. To the nearly capacity crowd of 7000 people, he talked for two hours about, well, nothing in particular, but nonetheless entertainingly about his early school days, addictions, collaborations, accidental fame, sexuality and creating humour. He didn’t do anything except talk. He held the…
Being provocative
19 July 2010When Andrew Rixon and I were working together recently we were talking about clients who say they want something different in facilitation, but all of their subsequent behaviour (and anxieties) point to something else altogether. Andrew shared with me this tool he uses to engage clients in a more meaningful conversation about what they are…
Is D & M making a comeback over DM?
18 July 2010Is all this micro-blogging, direct messaging, status updating and skimming the web making us crave something else? Do we want to have deeper, longer and more meaningful conversations? Sarah Wilson writes about this in her latest column/blog. Here’s a few snippets: Everyone I know is glued to TED.com…And when they’re not they’re going to “in…