In Difficult Conversations, Avoid the Zax Trap

I still have all my beloved Dr. Seuss books from childhood, a whole collection sitting on a shelf I pass by frequently. Somehow, though, I never had a copy of The Sneetches and Other Stories, a surprising gap I have now corrected.

Have you ever read The Zax, a story in that collection? If not, take 30 seconds and do it now. If so, take 30 seconds and re-read it. Next time you see colleagues acting like Zaxes during difficult conversations at work, just pass a copy of the story to them. It’ll convey the message in that gentle and fun way that only Dr. Seuss can.

Thanks to my Canadian mediation colleague Stephen Raymond for alerting me to the existence of The Zax.