I'm a recovering academic who uses her insights from behavioural economics to develop methods that facilitate collaboration. In my weekly newsletter, I share the summary of my latest interview on the "workshops work" podcast along with an application of facilitation as a life and leadership skill.
Let's talk authenticity (a rant!) || 🎙️ Episode 334: Before You Call the Lawyer: Reimagining Conflict
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Dear Reader, How much of yourself do you leave at the office door? For my book about (un)professionalism, I am currently researching the concept of authenticity. And when I read yet another article suggesting leaders not to be authentic, I almost lost it! Leaders shouldn’t bring their whole selves to work. An academic article even advices practicing strategic authenticity not to compromise your professional image 🤯 Share just enough of your “real self” to look genuine, while keeping the rest tucked neatly behind the curtain. If authenticity is strategic… is it still authenticity? What really annoys me is the fact that authenticity has never meant "unfiltered self-expression". If it did, I wouldn’t want my partner to be authentic. Would you?? Let’s not confuse authenticity with immaturity! The word authentic comes from the Greek authentikos — real, true, genuine, original, beyond the masks we wear to hide our vulnerability. Becoming authentic means returning to that original self: past the hurt and the habits we built to protect our wounds. At work, this shows up as the courage to say, I don’t know, and invite support. To be honest about a bad week so colleagues understand a dip in performance — and trust you’ll be back on track. Authenticity is hard work. It emerges when we’ve worked through defence mechanisms like people-pleasing, micromanaging, perfectionism, avoidance, or gaslighting. We don’t need strategic authenticity. We need psychologically safe spaces where people can share genuine emotion — and where maturity, not masks, protects each other from harm. 🎙 Meanwhile, on the podcast…Friday night card game clash, or shareholder dispute – at its core, all conflict is the same. Ursula Taylor has seen time and time again, from the court room, to the board room, that every conflict is created and perpetuated from unprocessed human emotion. From litigation attorney, to conflict consultant, she now helps leaders and teams turn conflict into opportunity. By transmuting the infectious, emotionally-charged energy of shame, fear or distrust – softer, more grounded energy can take its place, clearing the path to resolution. Ursula shares stories from her legal days, and the learnings we can all apply to our daily lives to do conflict better – as leaders, facilitators, and most of all, humans. Find out about:
🎧 Click here to listen to the interview📥 Check out my 1-page summary 👀 Watch the unedited interview on Youtube 📌 Find podcast episodes that match your needsDid you know? You can search all episodes by keyword on our Buzzsprout page to find exactly what you need. Click here to find the episodes by keyword. 🔖 Inspiration at Your Fingertips: Get the Podcast Summary eBooksAre you looking for inspiration for your next workshop or guidance on which podcast episode to explore next? Discover the eBooks compiling summaries of all 300 “Workshops Work” podcast episodes—a rich collection of facilitation insights and practical tips. These digital coffee table books are perfect for sparking new ideas or delving deeper into workshop best practices. Click here to get your copies. That’s it from my side! I hope you enjoy the content and find inspiration in the stories and the podcast. I wish you the courage to show up as your whole self, not just the parts you’ve rehearsed. I hope to see you here next week! Myriam
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How can we facilitate collaboration?
I'm a recovering academic who uses her insights from behavioural economics to develop methods that facilitate collaboration. In my weekly newsletter, I share the summary of my latest interview on the "workshops work" podcast along with an application of facilitation as a life and leadership skill.
Dear Reader, What if growing smaller actually meant growing stronger? This question came to mind when my newsletter provider announced a significant fee increase (based on the number of subscribers). I've been obsessed with numbers believing that more is merrier and more followers or subscribers means more reach. But just because we are sending a message doesn't mean someone receives it. I've learned from years of facilitation that just because we're sending a message doesn't mean someone...
Dear Reader, Do you have a sense of community in your work? Working solo can feel isolating, which is why many freelancers seek out peer groups. But even in a team, it’s easy to feel lonely. Most conversations are about the what: what needs doing, by when, by who. Important, yes, but not very connecting. Today, in an All Hands meeting with my associates, all freelancers, I was reminded what community feels like. And it wasn’t because of icebreakers or formal bonding. It came from what we...
Dear Reader, Nothing tests a fresh insight faster than walking through your own front door.... I literally just stepped through the door, coming back from a week-long retreat with Mr Embodiment, Mark Walsh (you might remember him from podcast 282). As I was writing, it struck me: I was doing the exact opposite of what I’d taken away from the retreat, and what I was about to write about 🤯 Instead of arriving properly - making tea, changing into comfortable clothes, maybe just breathing for a...