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The Compromise Trap

The Compromise TrapStay true to yourself and be a positive force at work.

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Twin Arts of Apology and Compromise

CompromiseTrap-Effective Apology Books

 

Last month I had the good fortune to partner on a joint talk with John Kador, author of Effective Apology, to explore how compromise and apology might be linked.

What I learned is that the ability to apologize when an apology is due is a healthy compromise. It means giving up the need to be right, to reinforce some fantasy image of who we are, because we value our relationships more than our egos. It requires owning up to our blind spots, weaknesses, and bad habits, but brings us back in touch with reality and frees us from the compromise trap.

 

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Articles & White Papers
Thoughts on getting the real story, compromise, constructive conflict, and making the mission real.

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Tips from The Compromise Trap Featured in Investor's Business Daily

Steve Watkins' article, Stick to your Convictions, which appeared in the August 5th edition of Investor's Business Daily, outlines how individuals can stay aligned with their own integrity and values, and why it is so important to remain true to yourself. His article provides a list of tips that are concise and can be effective in helping professionals address the common workplace issue of balancing work pressures and personal values.

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Finding Good Stories the LEAN Way -- Feature Story in The LEAN Communicator

Liz Guthridge, author Lean Communications: The 5-Step System for Doing More With Less and Getting Great Results interviews Elizabeth about finding good stories. See http://leancommunications.com/ for more.

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Has the Art of Compromise Gone out the Window?

Columnist Wallace Immen of the Toronto Globe & Mail summarizes an interview with Elizabeth Doty, focusing on the impact of the recession and how easy it is for employees to cave on concessions out of fear. He provides a good summary of six specific ways we get trapped, what snares us and how to avoid the traps in the first place.

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Speak Up When Work Doesn't Align With Personal Values

Article by Kelly Griffin based on The Compromise Trap describes how, by speaking up and being true to their values, employees can support the organization in becoming stronger and more successful. . (Best Practices in HR Newsletter, Jan 2, 2010.) Click here for complete newsletter (see page 6).

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Winning the Devil’s Bargain

Article in Strategy + Business magazine describes how work can sometimes feel like a devil’s bargain… and the five strategies people use to cope. (Spring, 2007)

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Transforming Capabilities Using Story

Shows how experience-sharing practices can overcome barriers to knowledge transfer, helping teams identify common “learning frontiers” while simultaneously deepening relationships. (White Paper for NSN's Story in Organizations SIG Aug, 2004)

Story as Organizational Learning

(In 2006 Pfeiffer Annual: Human Resource Management) Shows how story is at the heart of an organization’s ability to learn from experience, and outlines how to apply it in practice.
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Article for Seminars for Nurse Managers outlines critical practices for cultivating learning communities that are engaged, relevant and creative. Available only in hardcopy.