When I packed my bags for college, my big sister gave me a book to put in my suitcase. It was beautifully bound and just the right size in my hands.
It was just the right size for my mind, too. I carry the book with me still, two decades later. The very first story in [...]

In northern New England, my home, February is the last cold gasp of winter before spring’s month heralds renewal. It’s no wonder that every February finds my thoughts circling around direction and renewal of my own. This February is no different, but the result is.
The blog at Lenski.com will be no more.
In its place is [...]

Good mediators and coaches know the power of a simple, elegant question, asked at the right time. Such questions can help unlock a conflict that’s been stuck, transform the impossible into the possible, and shine new light on problem-solving.
So I was intrigued when Chris Bailey tagged me in the Think Different Challenge, a meme working [...]

“Monkey mind” is the experience of jumping from thought to thought, like a monkey swinging from branch to branch, lured by yet another piece of fruit even while the piece in his hand is only partially eaten.
The Monkey Mind Habit
In interpersonal conflict, monkey mind is the numbing, confusing chatter in your mind every time you [...]

What are you up to on International Women’s Day, Saturday, March 8?
I’ll be celebrating the annual, global event by keynoting the kickoff to Seacoast Women’s Week in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
The kickoff event is a benefit for Womenaid Portsmouth, a non-profit providing short-term financial assistance to women and families in need of help. I’ve been invited [...]

What would love do now?
It’s the question I ask when I find myself lost in a difficult conversation, a conversation that seems to be getting more difficult by the moment, a conversation in which I’m reaching up for air but sinking further into the muck.
What would love do now?
It’s the question that I can grab [...]

Well, if I called the wrong number, why did you answer the phone? – James Thurber
Interpersonal conflict triggers
Conflict triggers are your “hot buttons,” the emotional responses set off by the words or actions of others during difficult conversations. While it’s a common expression to say, “He presses my buttons,” or “She’s baiting me,” your hot [...]