We all want our lives to be stimulating, meaningful, and useful to others. It’s satisfying to be able to solve problems, help others, and be productive overall. But for some people, the pursuit of stimulation can become an unhealthy habit, a compulsion—almost an addiction. When someone continually craves a heightened sense of stimulation in this…
In my last post I shared the dysfunctional relationship pattern between leaders and direct reports as part of what author Barry Oshry describes as “Dance of the Blind Reflex” in his book Seeing Systems: Unlocking the Mysteries of Organizational Life. Continuing this theme, another primary dance we may find our clients in is between someone…
I’m working with an organization that, like many, is going through change. During coaching sessions I’ve become aware of some dysfunctional patterns of behavior that can prevent both leaders and individual contributors from moving through change as smoothly as they otherwise could. It’s a phenomenon that is quite common in many organizations—one that business author…
What is it about the word why that makes people so defensive? Perhaps it’s because we believe we have to defend our position. Perhaps it’s because of the way it is sometimes said with a certain tone. Or maybe it’s because we find it irritating when our small kids relentlessly use this word. I remember…