Karen’s Articles
Trust, Leadership, and Confidentiality
Recently I was out to dinner with my husband and our family friends. As we were enjoying our appetizers, at the table beside us, the restaurant staff had brought out a dessert with the type of birthday candles that resemble sparklers and certainly create attention....
Beyond Leadership: The Role of AI in Enhancing Event Engagement
I've increasingly been asked, "How do you use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your work?" or "What potential do you see for AI in your industry?" Like many, I find the scope of AI's applications vast and sometimes overwhelming. Yet, a recent experience in Denver,...
Facilitation and Navigating Leadership When You’re Not the Official Leader
When I did my graduate studies at Johns Hopkins University, my professor Roger Karsk taught us about facilitation. He conveyed the importance of noticing Task, Maintenance, and Individualist Roles in a group, and especially in a meeting. Effective meetings balance...
Culture and Leadership: Could Someone Use a Muzzle?
Do you wish you could use a muzzle for overly talkative participants in meetings? Last week we considered solutions for employees who are present in meetings but don't contribute. But some attendees have the opposite problem. Recently I was conducting a team...
Transforming Stalkers to Supporters: Leading Meetings Effectively
Last month I was hired to work with “Sean." Sean has a medical degree and a law degree and everyone in his organization agrees that he is brilliant. Yet, he is what I call a "meeting stalker.” Sean attends many meetings in his organization, and even though he holds...
Cultivating Effective Leadership: The Crucial Role of Culture in Pre-Meeting Facilitation
If you have been following my facilitation blog series, you know the price of your meetings and you are adhering to facilitation best practices. Still, sometimes meetings go off course, and that’s when your work is to go even deeper. Here are tools to help you...
Humor as a Leadership Tool: Insights From UVA’s April Fools’ Day Prank
As a proud alumna of the University of Virginia, I am fortunate to be on the university’s distribution list, receiving regular updates on campus activities. Additionally, as the aunt of Carly Abraham, a fourth-year student, I enjoy the spirited updates from my...
Making Meetings Count
Meetings are expensive. Although they can be very productive and move a project or a group forward, as the facilitator of a meeting or even the participant, meetings without outcomes are a waste of your organization’s time and money. It’s a good idea to know...
Unleashing the Impact of Meeting Facilitation on Culture and Leadership
Dear Readers, have you ever wondered about the essential elements of facilitation and their impact on your team's culture and leadership? In this blog, we delve into the basics of facilitation and challenge you to reflect on the last meeting you attended. How well...
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