Blog | Bickford Collaboration

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We're delighted to have you here. Our posts offer stories, reflections and
practical tips to transform both your meetings and your leadership.
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Balancing Conversations and Presentations in Science Conferences

Barb Bickford

Aug 255 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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Rethinking Science Conferences: A Call for Change

Barb Bickford

Jul 253 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 113 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 223 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 93 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 293 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 73 min read

How Conversations Smooth Transitions

What's the relationship between conversations and transitions?

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Listening Skills: The Power of Humble Listening

Barb Bickford

Jan 242 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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Listening Skills: The Power of Respectful Listening

Barb Bickford

Jan 192 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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Listening Skills: The Power of Curious Listening

Barb Bickford

Jan 52 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 25 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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Listening skills for when you don't have time

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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Beyond Bob – Why we should consider alternatives to Robert’s Rules

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.

277 views0 comments

What’s better than good old strategic planning?

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...

219 views0 comments

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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Bickford Collaboration

Helping you collaborate and
lead with confidence
so you can make a difference

Welcome to our blog!

Bickford Collaboration, LLC
Stillwater, Minnesota
608-630-0177 or 651-413-2425
bickfordcollaboration@gmail.com