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Recently, I offended a coworker in public with an offhand “joke” that cut deeply. At the time, I had no idea what I said bothered him because he, like most of us in that situation, masked his inner reaction to save face – both his and mine. I continued with my day, silently reliving the […]

How do you know when to call in a trust and leadership trainer/coach? Quick! Without over-analyzing, choose the word below that best describes your current work environment: Outstanding. Frequent risk-taking, open communication, collegiality, and trust

We got into this business because we believe high trust underpins professional effectiveness. When trust exists, work feels fun, relaxed, loose, and efficient.

When should I call Building Trust? When you have talented people who have hit a trust or teamwork plateau; the pain is real. You risk continued subpar results, unnecessary and costly turnover, or both. Why should I work with Building Trust instead of another

I’ve had a lot of people ask me, “why the career change?” when I left social work to work for Building Trust. And some who are probably thinking, “why hire a social worker to run a business”? I can’t speak for Bruce’s decision to choose me over other candidates, but I can easily explain why […]

We’ve heard that contentment is not having what we want; it’s wanting what we have. But this framework itself comes from an achievement mentality that seems to be losing its appeal these days. “Wanting” and “having” are no longer the driving forces they used to be.

In my training and coaching work with organizations, I encounter folks who want meaningful connections with coworkers, friends, and family members. They leave our workshops feeling energized and well-equipped to break down barriers that get in the way of gutsy collaboration and good mojo. However, sometimes, within a couple of months, what seems like a new opportunity to open things up with other people becomes a heavy lift. Can you relate? Of course! Me, too.

Wait, what? In my latest book on 60 ways to build trust, collaboration is highlighted as the best way to deal with conflict. And yet there are situations when it’s appropriate not to collaborate, too. In 1974, Kenneth W. Thomas and Ralph H. Kilmann published an insightful tool that indicates how a person uses five forms, or “modes,” of handling conflict: avoiding, accommodating, compromising, competing, and collaborating. When it comes to trust-building, I usually work with clients to find the way forward that allows mutual safety, transparency, and assertiveness, which requires some amount of time and risk-taking from both parties. Given this ideal context, let’s look at when to employ the alternatives to collaboration.