18 Reasons to have the Challenging Conversation

And an opportunity to have one! (And enjoy it!)

Have the challenging conversation

For more than a decade I’ve been thinking about challenging conversations.

  • About the people that avoid them at all costs.
  • And about the people that drive over others with their opinions while refusing to listen to another point of view.

How do you usually respond?  (I’ve done both.)

When You KNOW You Are Right: Remember 3 Things…

There are times the truth is camouflaged

We recently purchased a new home and immediately started adding to the garage.

The day the bricklayers came to add brick to the addition, something didn’t seem quite right…

I looked at it, thought it must be my eyes and walked away.

Then I turned around and came back out, looked at it again and it still didn’t seem quite right.

So I took a picture and then I was sure!

I forwarded the picture below to a few friends and didn’t tell them what to look for and just asked them what they saw.

Most of them saw it too…

Engagement and Growth: Begins with a Balanced Culture

Healthy Culture

I recently visited a high school that has invested years teaching their students to be activists.

While that effort alone is impressive.  The uncommon skill they are teaching, and modeling for the students is even more so.

Through instruction and experience, their students are learning that a healthy culture is a balanced culture.  And that in a balanced culture it is possible to think critically and to be compassionate.

They are learning how to shine a bright light on truth with data and personal experiences.  …While getting involved with, and loving people that have made choices they disagree with.

They are engaging people and growing their cause because of their unique approach.  And the impact they are having on the students, families and the community is beyond impressive.

What those students and their families may not realize:

  • Is that it is uncommon it is to learn to balance challenging concepts.
  • This skill will benefit every part of their lives in the years to come.  (As individuals. with their families, in the businesses and non profits they will serve and within the communities and nation they will live in.)

Now imagine the cultures you are a part of: 

Are Truth and Love strategically poured into the foundation and the future?

How to Stand Against: The Schemer who Manipulates the Truth

Would you stand alone for truth, for teams for individuals?

Protect yourself from a schemer

On Monday morning women from 9 different nations connected in an online Conversation Safari to explore the question… Are you being manipulated?

During that discussion, we talked about different kinds of manipulation.

  1. Unintentional manipulation – like a guilt trip to get someone to do what you want him or her to do.
  2. Intentional manipulation – when someone intentionally distorts facts for personal gain.
  3. Intentional AND strategic manipulation – when someone strategically distorts facts, and creates disruption to accomplish a specific goal.

Most people on the call believe that intentional AND strategic manipulation happens more often than we realize.

A few days later I stumbled into a real life example of their point.