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Welcome to our blog!
We're delighted to have you here. Our posts offer stories, reflections and
practical tips to transform both your meetings and your leadership.
Join us as we explore the rewarding world of collaboration together!
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Barb Bickford
Aug 25, 20245 min read
Balancing Conversations and Presentations in Science Conferences
This post suggests practical ways to promote conversations among those who attend science conferences.
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Barb Bickford
Jul 25, 20243 min read
Rethinking Science Conferences: A Call for Change
How can you create truly collaborative science meetings and conferences? Start by focusing on purpose.
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Barb Bickford
Jun 11, 20243 min read
Balancing task and group focus
Do have trouble choosing between accomplishing tasks and building connections within a group?
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Barb Bickford
May 22, 20243 min read
4 Ways to Refocus Your Meetings
Unfocused meetings are common. Here's what to do to keep everyone interested and ready to go.
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Barb Bickford
Apr 9, 20243 min read
Creating Safer Meetings
If we want to strive for open dialogue, empathy and dignity in our meetings, how exactly do we do it?
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Barb Bickford
Mar 29, 20243 min read
Group Leaders: Are your meetings safe?
Safety in meetings is more than just an absence of physical aggression. Leaders need to be aware of signs that a meeting might be unsafe.
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Barb Bickford
Feb 7, 20243 min read
How Conversations Smooth Transitions
What's the relationship between conversations and transitions?
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Barb Bickford
Jan 24, 20242 min read
Listening Skills: The Power of Humble Listening
Listening with humility is paradoxically powerful. It has nothing to do with humiliation.
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Barb Bickford
Jan 19, 20242 min read
Listening Skills: The Power of Respectful Listening
Respect is the cornerstone of successful communication, both speaking and listening. Here are five reasons why respect matters in listening.
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Barb Bickford
Jan 5, 20242 min read
Listening Skills: The Power of Curious Listening
Listening is an important skill for everyone, and curiosity can make your listening transformative.
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Barb Bickford
Jan 2, 20245 min read
Embracing life transitions
Life is a series of transitions, and embracing transitions is part of leadership.
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Barb Bickford
Dec 16, 20234 min read
Ask for specific feedback
In order to be clear in our requests for feedback, we need to provide basic details about why what, how, who and when.
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Barb Bickford
Oct 16, 20233 min read
Listening skills for when you don't have time
There were just a few minutes left in our conversation. I asked Dr. Todd (names have been changed), "And regarding your staff retreat,...
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Barb Bickford
Aug 13, 20234 min read
Beyond Bob – Why we should consider alternatives to Robert’s Rules
Guest blogger Daryl Yankee points out some limitations of Robert's Rules of Order and what can be done to create inclusive board processes.
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Barb Bickford
Jul 27, 20233 min read
What’s better than good old strategic planning?
I used to roll my eyes when I heard the words “strategic planning.” In my experience, strategic planning was developed and imposed...
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Barb Bickford
Jul 6, 20233 min read
Leading Change
Thoughts on leading change through big and small experiments
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Barb Bickford
Jun 21, 20235 min read
Brush Up Your Meeting Preparation
What do painting projects and meetings have in common?
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Barb Bickford
Jun 5, 20234 min read
Leading with Paradox
How leaders can embrace contradiction to drive innovation
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Barb Bickford
May 14, 20233 min read
Evaluate your meetings
You can improve unproductive meetings if you evaluate them and act on what you learn.
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Barb Bickford
Apr 22, 20232 min read
My career started on Earth Day
My youthful decision to do something about water quality has flowed through my career as a leader.
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