The Compromise Trap

Stay true to yourself and be a positive force at work.

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.

Conversations with license to talk.

To make the most progress, you need to master the art of candid, constructive conversations about the problems you really have, the new solutions that are emerging, and where there is the greatest opportunity for improvement.

WorkLore helps you spark high-value conversations where participants actively engage with each other and with us -- in a variety of formats from webinars to keynote speeches to day-long workshops.

The Art of "Sucking it Up"... and When Not To

Learn when being flexible is the right thing to do, and when it goes too far, causing lasting damage to your health, personal relationships, and self-respect, and even hurting the company itself. Understand the Six Personal Foundations that enable you to see all your options and act with courage under pressure.

Ten Misconceptions About Compromise

Understand how blind spots and unconscious patterns can lead even the best organizations to create damaging pressure – and how employees can step up constructively to help avoid compromises that are unhealthy. Includes an overview of the Five Positive Plays anyone can take anytime in the face of unhealthy pressure.

Leading for Integrity: Unleash Your Team's Full Potential for Innovation, Value and Impact

When employees are fully engaged in their work, they exert greater discretionary effort, exhibit more creativity, and collaborate more effectively. Yet the challenge in most organizations is not creating that high engagement, but avoiding the unintentional compromises that discourage and erode commitment. This session helps teams identify the hidden “costs of compromise” that may be unintentionally undermining their operation, and the highest impact changes to make the mission real enough to fully engage employees, customers and leadership.

Secrets of Constructive Conflict

High-performing teams invest in strong foundations so they can handle the constructive conflict that enables better decisions. In this interactive discussion, we will explore the natural tensions and polarities in your business and how to make best use of all the vantage points represented on your team.

The Power of a Positive No

So many of us struggle with saying "No“, falling into accommodation or lashing out ineffectively. Yet there is no way to meet your responsibilities, live up to your values or protect your health without it. Borrowing from William Ury’s The Power of a Positive No, this talk outlines approaches that actually improve quality, performance and customer satisfaction, while reducing burnout and frustration.

Story as Organizational Learning

All too often the knowledge needed to transform an organization’s competencies is hidden in isolated pockets of innovation, or inaccessible because people do not know what they know. As simple as it sounds, sharing real-life experiences and stories is one of the fastest ways to surface and put that knowledge into action. And, as it turns out, it is one of the most natural ways to build relationships, commitment, and trust.

The Challenges of Organizational Integrity

Contrary to popular wisdom, individual integrity does not add up to organizational integrity. Without systems to help organizations coordinate to deliver on their commitments, keep their values and visions real, or stay in touch with external reality, we can end up delivering results that give lip service to a goal but miss the real potential and even cause harm. In this exploratory conversation, we examine what it means for an organization to have integrity, and what it will take to move toward greater organizational integrity in our society. Includes a summary of three “organizational integrity loopholes” that can undermine a company or institution’s ability to keep its commitments, without any individual necessarily being a villain.

Twin Arts of Apology & Compromise

Learn more about the connection between effective apology and healthy compromise as Elizabeth Doty and John Kador team up for an insightful discussion.

A Conversation with Radio Host, Susan Davis...

Interview with Elizabeth Doty on Good Green Radio

Investor's Business Daily features The Compromise Trap! Follow us @elizdo.