by Margaret Anderson | Aug 7, 2013 | Blog
Some time ago, I wrote about the way sleep, or other mental breaks, result in fresh inspiration when a consensus-seeking interaction gets stuck.[1] Recent experiences have reminded me how well this works for other types of problem solving. For several weeks, I’ve been...
by Margaret Anderson | Jul 11, 2013 | Blog
More and more studies show that optimism can improve your health, happiness, and I would add, even your success at persuasion and consensus building. Going into a conversation with a positive attitude works in your favor. But expecting trouble can lower your...
by Margaret Anderson | Jun 27, 2013 | Blog
Last week I had the honor of presenting “Navigating Cultural Differences You Never Knew You Had” at the 2013 General Assembly (national convention) of the Unitarian Universalist Association in Louisville, KY. I was proud to be one of relatively few non-clergy chosen...
by Margaret Anderson | Jun 12, 2013 | Blog
Soon I’ll be attending a convention where I expect to hear a lot of “we can do it” messages. Such pep talks have become standard procedure to encourage and energize people, especially groups with a task to accomplish or a goal to reach. But according to Daniel Pink,...
by Margaret Anderson | May 22, 2013 | Blog
Last week, I saw a nice example of how non-argumentative communication skills can persuade without antagonizing. In this video clip, questions were asked in a matter-of-fact, neutral interview style. These questions got the interview subjects thinking without...
by Margaret Anderson | May 15, 2013 | Blog
I’ve read, a number of times, the difference between guilt and shame. I confess that, up until a few days ago, I might not have been able to accurately recount what I’ve read. But, in a TED Talk[1], University of Houston professor Brene Brown lays out the...
