Mutual Ground Strategies, LLC

10/09/2025

Most people only reach out for help once conflict has already blown up — when trust is frayed and options feel limited.

The real opportunity is earlier: building skills so everyday tensions don’t turn into crises.

Join me on October 23 at 4 PM CST for Beyond Logic: Making Sense of Conflict, hosted by Laura Comilla of Greatness Calls. We’ll practice simple ways to turn tension into clarity and make hard conversations easier.

👉 Register Here https://go.mutual-ground.com/sp/e4f47427a4e

10/03/2025

Do you approach conflict by holding tight to your position or by exploring what you truly need?

Most people start with demands. They come into conflict convinced that their position is the only way forward. It feels safer, more concrete, more defensible. But the truth is, positions only scratch the surface.

When you take the time to uncover what you actually need and want, everything changes. Needs are deeper than demands and they often overlap more than people expect. That overlap is where creativity lives.

When you move away from fixed positions, you open the door to fresh, unexpected solutions. Options that don’t just “settle the fight,” but create outcomes that genuinely serve everyone involved.

Conflict handled this way isn’t about winning or losing. It’s about stepping out of a rigid mindset so you can think bigger, connect better, and design agreements that last.

Will you stick to your demands or dig deeper to discover what’s really driving you?

09/30/2025

✨ Ever had someone say, “I just want respect” — and wondered what that really means?

At the request of my colleague Lisa Gavin, I wrote about the difference between dignity and respect.

💡 Dignity = inherent worth we’re all born with
🤲 Respect = the behavior that honors that dignity

When dignity isn’t honored, it often shows up as feeling “disrespected.” But the real question is: which part of someone’s dignity wasn’t seen or valued?

In this piece I share:
📖 Donna Hicks’ 10 Elements of Dignity
⚖️ Why contempt is rising in culture
🤝 How dignity and respect shape workplaces & relationships

🔗 🔗 Read the full article here:

“R-E-S-P-E-C-T / Find out what it means to me.”Aretha Franklin’s famous lyrics remind us that respect isn’t one-size-fits-all. In practice, it depends on context, relationships, and timing. So when someone says, “I just want respect,” the real question is: what are they asking for right ...

09/22/2025

Last chance to join me tomorrow for Managing Important Conversations in 4 Steps with Laura Comilla of Greatness Calls.

If you’ve got a conversation you’ve been avoiding, this workshop is for you!

📅 Tomorrow, September 23, 4pm CT

Register Here 🔗 https://share.hsforms.com/2PxUATb54QsSzOpBFoHGexwr3j65

08/26/2025

08/22/2025

Conflict on the water can get intense. Boats crowd the marks, rules bend, tempers flare. But most of the time, sailors don’t escalate to a protest. They resolve it informally: with a penalty turn or a conversation back at the dock.

I see the same principle in business and family conflict. Formal processes have their place, but informal resolution often preserves relationships better.

💬 What about you? Have you ever seen a workplace or family conflict handled better with a conversation than with formal escalation?

👉 Read the full piece here: https://www.mutual-ground.com/post/navigating-conflict-on-the-water-and-beyond

(photo by Anna Suslova)

In a high-adrenaline, competitive environment, conflict often gets resolved faster and with less damage than in many workplaces or family businesses.

08/05/2025

Many family businesses appear strong and unified from the outside, rooted in tradition, shared values, and generational leadership. But behind that polished exterior, it’s not uncommon to find complex internal dynamics: unspoken tensions, overlapping roles, resistance to change, and long-standing assumptions that no longer serve the company’s future. These unaddressed issues can quietly hinder progress, especially during leadership transitions.

When new leaders step in, often from the next generation, they may inherit more than a title. They step into legacy expectations, unclear authority, and an environment where every decision is weighed against “how things have always been done.” Respect, a value held dearly in family enterprises, can sometimes be misinterpreted as deference to outdated norms or reluctance to question the status quo.

Through structured facilitation, clarity can be restored. Defining roles, surfacing buried expectations, and reframing what leadership and respect mean in today’s context can open the door to realignment and renewed collaboration. These conversations aren’t always easy but they are essential for evolving a business while preserving what matters most.

If you’re leading a family business and sensing invisible barriers or inherited patterns holding you back, it may be time to pause and reassess. Real transformation begins when assumptions are named, and you take the time to understand each other.

What does "respect" mean to you?

07/31/2025

When something happens at work that crosses a line, the hardest part isn’t always the moment itself, it’s what comes next.

Do you say something?
Stay quiet?
Escalate?
Quit?

The Workplace Conflict Navigator, created with helps you make those decisions with clarity and care, before you hand the situation over to someone else.

📋 Start with the free checklist

📍Link in bio to download

07/29/2025

Mediation isn’t just an alternative to litigation, it’s a powerful, human-centered approach to resolving conflict that emphasizes communication, clarity, and mutual respect. At its core, mediation offers people the chance to tell their stories, feel heard, and collaboratively shape outcomes that work for everyone involved. It’s preventative, meaning it can be used long before legal battles arise.

Here are the 10 advantages of mediation:

Preventative, resolves issues early before they escalate.
Flexible & Controllable , you choose how, when, and where it happens.
Informal, no rigid procedures, more comfort and ease.
Allows Your Story to Be Heard, share your experience and feel understood.
Future-Focused, shifts the conversation toward what’s next, not just what happened.
Preserves Relationships, encourages resolution without burning bridges.
Saves Time, often resolved in hours, not months.
Saves Money, avoids court costs and legal fees.
Improves Well-Being, reduces emotional and mental strain.
Brings Clarity, helps define what really matters and how to move forward.

Learn more about how mediation can work for you: www.mutual-ground.com

07/29/2025

Workplace conflict isn’t just about what’s said, it’s about what’s underneath what’s said. Most disputes begin with positions: rigid stances based on frustration, miscommunication, or a desire to be “right.” But beneath those positions are deeper needs and emotions, stress, pressure, fear of failure, or feeling undervalued.

Take a case like Sam and Alex, two managers whose disagreement over a project spiraled into broken communication, public blame, and team-wide disengagement. Both had valid concerns, but their escalating positions masked the real needs: clarity, appreciation, support, and trust.

In mediation, shifting from a win-lose mindset to one focused on understanding, collaboration, and sustainable resolution is taken into consideration. It’s not just about who’s “right,” but what each person needs to move forward.

Is tension brewing on your team?

Visit my website to learn more! www.mutual-ground.com

07/22/2025

Deciding to pursue mediation often begins with quiet reflection. Many individuals and professionals arrive at this choice after weighing other conflict resolution options, like legal action, internal escalation, or simply walking away. What often tips the scale is the realization that mediation offers something different: space for clarity, accountability, and early resolution without escalating tension.

Mediation doesn’t demand forfeiting other avenues; it allows for flexibility while centering understanding and sustainable outcomes. For those navigating complex disputes, a skilled neutral third party can help illuminate what truly matters beneath the surface beyond the conflict itself.

At its best, mediation becomes more than just a process; it’s a turning point for restoring communication, protecting relationships, and moving forward with dignity.

To learn more, visit www.mutual-ground.com.

07/16/2025

Something feels off at work, but you’re not sure what to do.
HR feels risky.
Legal feels like too much.
And staying silent isn’t working.

You don’t have to hand your situation over before you’re ready.
You can stay in control and get support.

The Workplace Conflict Navigator was created for moments like this.
And if you’re not ready to talk yet, start here:

📋 Download the free Workplace Conflict Resolution Checklist: https://go.mutual-ground.com/widget/form/CKqJh4bW2GlLtt4jcgtw