I helped facilitate a community conversation on sustainable communities last week. It was in a cafe at night. The process was a light touch combination of world cafe and Theory U. World cafe puts different questions on different tables, allows people to choose their topic, then rotate to another top
It is important to cut through the simple oppositionism of economy versus ecology. Pavan Sukhdev, head of the UNEP’s Green Economy Initiative, argues that the greening of economies is a new engine for growth, employment and the reduction of persistent poverty. He has put numbers on it. It is p
For the past couple of weeks I have attended a training session in Marshall Rosenberg’s non-violent communication skills. I was attracted by the idea of doing it every Monday night for five weeks, in the next suburb. Like going off to a community choir, but instead of doing scales we practice fundam
Knowing is not the same as doing. That’s Rule Number 18 from Alan M. Webber’s recent book, Rules of Thumb.[1] Webber was the founding editor/owner of Fast Company, the hip business magazine he established after a long stint at the much more staid Harvard Business Review. Rules of Thumb lists 52 busi
collaboration: act of working jointly act of cooperating traitorously with an enemy that is occupying your country I once worked with a woman who refused to use the word collaboration or collaborator. The Nazi occupation of European countries during the second world war relied on the venality and fe
Early in March, I joined a three day workshop with an incredibly ambitious aim: “Creative Thinking Forum on Creating a Viable Australia”. The event drew some 60-70 people together from around Australia. I wondered if we were all crazy. Yet the process, ‘Design Shop’ created and facilitated by Matt T
In the past year I have done quite a few training sessions on performance management. The sessions confirmed my suspicion that the Australian working culture is abysmal at performance feedback. Contrary to the popular stereotype of blunt, frank and open communication, in our workplaces we are, in th
In the past year I have done quite a few training sessions on performance management. The sessions confirmed my suspicion that the Australian working culture is abysmal at performance feedback. Contrary to the popular stereotype of blunt, frank and open communication, in our workplaces we are, in th
Often our stuckness equates to procrastination. And at the heart of procrastination lies fear and inertia. So the answer can be simple: do something, do anything. Walk, run, dance, stand on your head, hang a picture; go to a museum, skating rink, climbing wall or a swimming pool. Why? Physical movem