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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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What makes a meeting "heavenly"?
We’ve all heard of "meetings from hell." You know, those meetings that never end and have unfocused discussions or nasty conflicts. Or...
Barb Bickford
Jul 17, 20221 min read
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How do you gather shared public input during a pandemic?
In my last post , I mentioned gathering a shared list of “Guiding Principles” to guide the future of a lake and park in our city. In this...
Barb Bickford
Jun 24, 20223 min read
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From Community to City
Last week, I stood at the side of the City Council chamber, mentally preparing myself to summarize two years of volunteer work. On...
Barb Bickford
May 13, 20222 min read
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How can conflict be healthy? (Part 2 of 2)
What can we do to shift from unhealthy conflict to healthy conflict? I asked the participants of the course “Open Minds: Learn, Work and...
Barb Bickford
Apr 22, 20222 min read
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How can conflict be healthy? (Part 1 of 2)
I asked the participants of my recent class (“Open Minds: Learn, Work and Achieve More Together”) what they thought were signs of healthy...
Barb Bickford
Apr 5, 20221 min read
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A Manifesto for Online Collaboration
Light is coming through the fog of boring ineffective online meetings! Today, we are releasing a Manifesto for Online Collaboration that...
Barb Bickford
Mar 24, 20221 min read
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Can a sense of purpose mend a disagreement?
Everyone in the planning group expected the upcoming meeting to be contentious. "Will we continue in person or online?" "Can we try...
Barb Bickford
Mar 14, 20222 min read
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You are not alone in your challenges
During 2021, I researched the challenges people are having with meetings. Through interviews and surveys, I found that their challenges...
Barb Bickford
Feb 10, 20221 min read
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About words that start with C...
Are you getting a little tired of that word that starts with the letter C (coronovirus)? Me too! Let's talk about other C words. Here...
Barb Bickford
Mar 18, 20201 min read
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What is "collaboration"?
Recently, I came across an article that used the word "collaboration" to describe an outcome where two parties each got some of what they...
Barb Bickford
Feb 4, 20202 min read
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Liberating structures -- efficient and fun!
Barb offers another example of how Liberating Structures helped a team collaborate, solve a problem and build the team, all at the same time
Barb Bickford
Jan 27, 20202 min read
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Liberating Structures in Action
This organization shifted from blame to constructive action in only one hour, using Liberating Structures. Learn how!
Barb Bickford
Jan 22, 20202 min read
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Liberating Structures are for everyone, not just liberals
Think outside the box of typical meeting structures! Experience "Liberating Structures" workshops in St. Paul, MN and Madison, WI.
Barb Bickford
Jan 14, 20201 min read
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Transformation from within
"We are being asked to become transforming agents within human society rather than revolutionary ones acting outside it." -- Esther de...
Barb Bickford
Oct 7, 20191 min read
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What can you learn from loss?
A songwriter friend of mine says “the personal is the most universal”. In that spirit, I begin this post by saying what I’m about to...
Barb Bickford
Aug 18, 20192 min read
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Successful "Transitions and New Beginnings" workshop
Participants journal during the Transitions and New Beginnings workshop During our recent "Transitions and New Beginnings" workshop, we...
Barb Bickford
Jul 21, 20191 min read
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Transitions and New Beginnings
When I moved to Minnesota in 2018, I didn't quite realize all the ways the move would affect me. For example, I no longer had to commute...
Barb Bickford
Jun 18, 20191 min read
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