Defensiveness refers to both a feeling and a behavior. The feeling is typically elicited when you feel as though someone is being critical of you, and results in shame, sadness, and anger. In turn, behavior usually results from the feeling, such as being sarcastic, giving someone the silent treatment, or being critical in return. Purpose … Read more

If you’ve been stuck mostly at home with one or more family members over the past year, chances are you’ve gotten on one another’s nerves occasionally. When you’re under a lot of stress, it’s not uncommon say something unkind, or even to lash out in anger to someone you care about. And we all make … Read more

Who hasn’t been hurt by the actions or words of another? Perhaps a parent constantly criticized you growing up, a colleague sabotaged a project or your partner had an affair. Or maybe you’ve had a traumatic experience, such as being physically or emotionally abused by someone close to you. These wounds can leave lasting feelings … Read more

Have you ever been in the Stand-Up Meeting That Time Forgot? That is, a five-minute meeting that seemed to stretch to 15, 20 even 30 minutes—all because of a person or persons on your team who wouldn’t stop talking? How do you deal with people who talk too much? When we think of conflict resolution, … Read more

What Is Equanimity? The word “equanimity” comes from the combination of two Latin terms: aequus, meaning “even, level” and animus, meaning “mind” or “spirit.” Equanimity is characterized by the ability to remain calm, composed, open, and non-reactive in the face of challenging or distressing situations. Luckily, equanimity is not just a psychological trait with which … Read more

Inā kei te mohio keo ko wai koe, I anga mai koe i hea, kei te mohio koe, kei te anga atu ki hea (If you know who you are and where you are from, then you will know where you are going). Indigenous cultures worldwide have survived the challenges of land alienation and multiple … Read more

Companies are twisting themselves into knots to empower and challenge their employees. They’re anxious about the sad state of engagement, and rightly so, given the value they’re losing. Consider Gallup’s meta-analysis of decades’ worth of data: It shows that high engagement—defined largely as having a strong connection with one’s work and colleagues, feeling like a real contributor, and enjoying … Read more

  Introduction An individual makes countless decisions in a day without even being aware of them. The solutions to various problems can be influenced by unconscious biases. It refers to a situation which we are unaware of and which happens beyond our control. Interestingly, it happens involuntarily and is triggered by our instinct. These instincts … Read more

The task of resolving employee disputes often falls to HR. We talk to a conflict resolution expert about mistakes to avoid when resolving workplace confrontations How can HR can approach office confrontations without upsetting others or escalating an issue further? By avoiding making these common conflict resolution mistakes, according to corporate training facilitator Phil Schibeci. … Read more

Learn what’s essential in resolving workplace conflict. In any organization, conflict is inevitable and should never be ignored. However, before taking any steps to resolve it, it’s essential to know its causes and effects first. What are the major causes of workplace conflict? Here are the things that trigger conflict among employees, according to the … Read more