S10-Ep29: Let's Talk - Four Steps to Bridging Workplace, Political, and Family Disagreements

Innovating Leadership: Co-Creating Our Future

Guest: Michael Morrow-Fox, Organizational Development & Leadership Consultant

They say talk is cheap, but not listening can be very expensive. Yet many leaders don’t listen to their teams, especially in today’s climate of disagreements and divisiveness. So how can you have these difficult conversations, and keep your team running smoothly?

Our guest, Mike Morrow-Fox, has the answer: conversational receptiveness. It’s a four step technique that moves the needle on workplace dialogue, so the leader hears important information, and the speaker knows their voice has been heard and respected. Mike gives the details in this episode.

Here's what Mike and Maureen cover:

1. The four distinct steps to conversational receptiveness;
2. How this can be used for any difficult conversation, from mild disagreements to full conflict resolution; and
3. The critical role your own mood and mindset play in getting positive results in any conversation.

For more expert insights on communication and conflict resolution, check these episodes:

• Empathy, Dialogue, & A Good Mood: An Ambassador Reveals What Leaders Need in Crisis with Ambassador Thomas Greminger & Peter Cunningham
• Effectively Addressing Values Conflicts with John Heiser
• Finding Peace in Conflict: Northern Ireland & Beyond with John, Lord Alderdice

For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. We’re on Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Twitter, too!

RESOURCES:

Our host, Maureen Metcalf, posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.

Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI. Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.

Books we’re reading for fun or personal development right now include:

• Everyday Ubuntu: Living Better Together, the African Way by Mungi Ngomane. Hardback (https://amzn.to/48Doh6j) and audiobook (https://amzn.to/48YCRF4)
• Nerve: Lessons on Leadership from Two Women Who Went First by Martha Piper & Indira Samarasekera. Paperback (https://amzn.to/3tOtzg4) and audiobook (https://amzn.to/41OYdT5)
• Jilly Truit murder mysteries by Beverley McLachlin:
  • Full Disclosure – https://amzn.to/46TxW6Q (paperback) https://amzn.to/46VDL3Q (audiobook)
  • Denial – https://amzn.to/46YCbhs (paperback) https://amzn.to/3GJc0AA (audiobook)
• Women and Leadership: Journey Toward Equity by Sherylle J. Tan & Lisa DeFrank-Cole

NOTE: As an Amazon partner, we may make a small commission from books you buy through these links.

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OUR PODCAST TEAM:

Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf

Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko

Video & Graphics Editor: Devon Mushalko

Brilliant Conversationalist: Jenna Reik

Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.

CONNECT WITH US:

YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership

Threads: @innovativeleaders

X/Twitter/Whatever New Name It Has This Week: @IL_Institute

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2

Instagram: @innovativeleader

TikTok: @innovativeleadership

Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com

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About Our Guest:

Michael Morrow-Fox, MBA, EdS, is a consultant with the Innovative Leadership Institute experienced in health care, education, banking, government, and non-profit management.

Michael has over 20 years of experience in leading technology and human resources operations, as well as several years of full-time university teaching. Michael uses this background to blend his real-world understanding with current theoretical models helping his clients reach goals beyond their current thinking.

Michael has experience managing a 50 million dollar technology budget, helping a technology startup company get off the ground, overseeing an international nonprofit organization achieve ‘best place to work’ status, and leading organizational education for a city government. Michael’s strengths are not in what area he works, but in how he helps others work. Michael’s project management, process excellence, problem-solving, and human performance management skills help companies form truly innovative strategies.

Michael has served as a full-time university faculty at Capital University winning a Department of Education FIPSE Grant and George Mason Program Excellence Award, as the Director of Technology Strategy for the OhioHealth Hospitals, as the Vice President of Operations for a technology start-up serving American Express, as the Vice President of Talent Management Training and Development for the American Heart Association, and the Manager of Organizational Education for the City of Greensboro, North Carolina. Michael has held Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification since 2002, he has worked on Six Sigma Black Belt initiatives since 1999 and has been a Six Sigma Green Belt since 2006. His Bachelor’s degree focused on Industrial Psychology and Employee Counseling, his MBA focus was on Organizational Leadership, his Educational Specialist Degree is in Educational Leadership, and Michael holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership.

Michael is a contributing author of Innovative Leadership for Health Care, Innovative Leadership Workbook for Emerging Leaders and Managers, and the Innovative Leader Guide to Transforming Organizations.