
Ahh – Yes! Focus your energy – like a newer car!
Freedom of acceleration, maximum control and maneuverability kept me at the wheel of my little sports car for 14 years. I felt resistance to the newer cars that seemed to want to take control away from me. But the time came and I succumbed to a newer model. Well, it...

Three Misconceptions about Power
I recently took another black belt test in Aikido. With 28 years of practice under my belt I found this one to be quite fun! This was also a time of reflection about what continues to motivate my practice. I hope this reflection will be valuable to you. As our...

Ahh…Yes! It didn’t have to end this way. How Mastering Conflict could have helped
I expected a peaceful hike in the forest. While that was mostly what I got - I also witnessed a pretty interesting conflict, which ended with a young school teacher in tears and a politician creating a defensive wall. I enjoy studying conflict as it is my field of...

Solve Your Resource Issues: Rise Up!
“I have too many resources!” said no one, ever. In fact, my leadership survey revealed that resource strain is the #2 drag on forward momentum for most teams. Interestingly, the origin of the word resource holds the key to a solution. At its root, resource means “rise...

Force versus Power
How you choose between using force vs. using power impacts every interaction you have — even if you’re interacting only with yourself. Do you know what that difference is? Believe it or not, the answer is based in physics.
Watch now.

Ahh Yes! On a dark street in Boston
Those of you who have experienced Spiral Impact know I am a long time student of the martial art, aikido. Spiral Impact, a collaboration/conflict resolution method, is grounded in aikido principles. Fequentlly I am asked, “Have you ever had to use your martial skills...
Power and Force – Distinction
[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/259049773[/vimeo] Transcript: Have you ever considered the distinction between power and force and how your choice of which to use impacts your interactions with yourself or others? I have spent a couple-three decades exploring this...

Ahh…Yes! Stick the landing
I love the Olympics. What a great time to turn our attention to elite performance and the World coming together for good! Flawlessly adjusting to rapidly changing circumstances is the hallmark of champions. Athletic performance is an in-your-face visual representation...
How do you deal with resistance? 2 Minute Video blog
[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/254013051[/vimeo] Karen shares the five typical ways to respond to resistance - and the likely outcome of each choice. Explore the site for more info!

Ahh…Yes! Are You Certain?
“Anyone who is so certain has got to be wrong,” my daughter’s father said upon her birth. You see, I was certain she was going to be a boy. In my mind I had collected enough evidence that to me at the time made it certain. “Certainty” by definition means without...

Ahh-Yes! The One Question to Ask Yourself for Leading Edge Performance
Click the image below to listen [vimeo]https://vimeo.com/246271410[/vimeo] It can be tricky - innovation and leading edge performance require both conflict and alignment. In The Innovation Code, Jeff DeGraff states, “…it’s our impulse to resolve or eliminate conflict,...

Ahh…Yes! The messy middle place of change
Those of you who’ve read my writing over time know I am gardener. This fall, as I was cleaning out my flowerbeds, I decided to harvest the seeds from my beautiful marigolds. I did this as a kid. I loved the cycle of flowers dying to produce seeds for the next year....
Get Measurable Results
Enterprise-wide results that make a measurable difference in how your teams engage.
Sign Up for semiweekly Spiral Question
Prompts to get you thinking and doing with power and grace -- delivered Monday & Wednesday to your mailbox!