Relationship Friction: The Hidden Force That Breaks Careers ‘Relationship Friction’ (RF) is one of those concepts people recognize immediately when it is named yet struggle to describe while they are living inside it. Among other things, it shows up as tension in meetings, second-guessing after conversations, resentment that quietly accumulates, or a persistent sense that […]
Read MoreFinally understand why your conversations with Millennials hit a wall. I often coach managers who struggle with their Gen Y / Millennial team members. This classic case of Relationship Friction seems a near-universal pain point in professional life right now. It’s exhausting for everyone. My diagnostic: my clients’s professional whys do not align with their […]
Read MoreHarnessing your anger can help you access your Relationship Wisdom. Anger has a bad rap which I think is underserved. While there is obviously much truth to Ryan Holiday’s statement that there’s “no one stupider than an angry person”, I wish to tell you about how to use anger to combat Relationship Friction. In last […]
Read MoreBeat Relationship Friction by making up a reason not to disengage. When Relationship Friction bites, we typically have one of two immediate, instinctive reactions: Anger or withdrawal. This post focuses on withdrawal—that paralyzing feeling, the instinct to run, to disengage. For example, When an important conversation doesn’t work out, you freeze and become mute. When […]
Read MoreRelationship Wisdom in practice: taking appropriate responsibility is the hardest step. The other day, I was outlining a customised coaching journey for a prospective client burdened by Relationship Friction. She interrupted me: “It wasn’t my fault.” Until then, she had been smiling. Her body language had been relaxed and open. I saw her visibly tense. […]
Read MoreWhy feedback conversations feel like Groundhog Day. How many times has this happened to you? You sit down with a team member whose work just isn’t meeting the mark. You want them to succeed. You might even really like them. But no matter how many times you talk… nothing changes. Now you’re living your Groundhog Day: the […]
Read More“The most powerful relationship you will ever have is the relationship with yourself” – @Steve Maraboli, Speaker, Author, Athlete, Veteran Relationship friction also exists within. Develop your relationship wisdom by listening to another voice – the one of your authentic nature. It’s easy to point the finger at somebody else. At work, it’s bad bosses, […]
Read More“Don’t confuse “familiar” with “acceptable”. Toxic relationships can fool you like that.” – Steve Maraboli, Speaker, Author, Athlete, Veteran Wisdom and Courage: to know when to act differently, and then to do so. This may sound obvious, but is this how you actually respond when the situation demands it? Do you instead remain trapped in […]
Read More“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts” – Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor I would have been curious to hear some of your stories of living with Wisdom and Temperance. I’m sure many of you embody them, even if you don’t name them that way. Today, let me share two stories […]
Read More“How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself?” – Epictetus, Greek slave and philosopher During my LinkedIn holiday, I reposted folks whose personal philosophies shape their work because this is how I increasingly chose to show up. Today, I wish to share my own moral compass: the four virtues of Stoic […]
Read More“Once AI can carry out 30% of tasks, annual growth will exceed 20%” – The Economist, 24 July 2025 A recent Economist issue explored two futures shaped by AGI: a hellscape and an explosion of economic growth. While I chose to open with the more positive scenario, it seems likely that only those invested in […]
Read More“I’m having fun. I’m being myself. I’m doing what I love. That’s all that matters.” Although many parts of the world are currently facing intense heat, with one heat wave following another, summer feels gentler to me than any other season. That’s why I quoted James Charles, a YouTube influencer and makeup artist. His words […]
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