After weeks of nonstop travel, I was running out of energy. As a result I was unusually apathetic as I walked into the conference center for one of my recent presentations. Not a good attitude for teaching relational wisdom. So I began to pray. “Lord, I feel lousy this morning. I’m tired, discouraged and…(Read More)
Do you want to learn how to connect with people? Really connect? To touch others heart-to-heart, life-to-life? To convince them you understand and care about them? To move them toward actions that are right and good and pleasing to God? Then learn how to connect with their hearts by describing experiences…(Read More)
In 1997, Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt won Academy Awards for Best Actor and Actress for their roles in the romantic comedy, As Good As it Gets. Throughout the movie, Helen Hunt demonstrates one of the most compelling ways to influence others. Before I describe her simple strategy (which can be used in the family…(Read More)
Your worldview is always operating in the background of daily life. It gives rise to the beliefs and values that guide your attitudes and behavior, which determine the quality of your relationships. This combination of worldview, beliefs and values also determines how you face the major challenges and crises of life. Such as three forms…(Read More)
One of the most popular features of our training program is that we summarize all of our key principles in simple acrostics that can be easily memorized and applied in every day life. Here is a report from a man on how these concepts helped him to respond constructively to a frustrating spouse, a challenging…(Read More)
She was working the early shift at a small Starbucks counter in Dulles Airport. The young barista had probably been up since 4 or 5 a.m., and she already looked worn out. After placing my order with the cashier I stood by the counter while the barista finished the coffee ordered just before me…(Read More)
It’s never smart to offend someone who has discretionary authority over your life. Such as the ticket agent I watched as she juggled an overbooked flight. She was waiting for two couples who had confirmed seats but had not yet appeared at the gate. I was on standby and would not make the flight…(Read More)
Deputy Matt Holman saved the life of a homeless man staggering toward destruction. His name was Robert Morris. He’d lost his family, become an addict, and was living in a tent in the woods … until it was washed away late one night in a flood. As Mr. Morris reported in a recorded 911 call…(Read More)
My first job out of law school was to clerk for a federal judge. He served on appellate courts around the country, so we often traveled together. One week I left early so I could attend a Christian Legal Society Conference in Chicago before flying on to join the Judge in Washington, D.C. The…(Read More)
Last week I had the privilege of reading how one of our newest Approved Presenters has been applying relational wisdom with dozens of people, including his indecisive wife, a challenging grandson, two tense business partners, and long-term clients who had dropped him as their insurance agent. I was delighted to see how profoundly his…(Read More)
After four weeks of nonstop travel last month, I was running out of energy. As a result I was unusually apathetic as I walked into the conference center for one of my recent presentations. Not a good attitude for teaching relational wisdom. So I began to pray. “Lord, I feel lousy this morning. I’m…(Read More)
Next Sunday is Mother’s Day. If you’re tired of doing the same “card and gift†routine, allow me to suggest something that your mother will remember the rest of her life. Since she devoted much of her life to serving you, I encourage you to make a special effort to SERVE her next…(Read More)
One of the most effective ways to undermine a relationship is to use double-messages to manipulate other people. This all-too-common process was perfectly illustrated in a recent edition of Baby Blues, one of my favorite cartoon strips. Wanda has clearly mastered the art of “control without coercion.” By saying “It’s fine…(Read More)
If you’d like to see some vivid examples of relational wisdom, be sure to see Disney’s latest release, McFarland, U.S.A. The movie is based on the true story of a 1987 cross country team from a predominantly Mexican-American high school in McFarland, California. Kevin Costner stars as coach Jim White…(Read More)
I recently learned that I have stage IV cancer. A month ago a surgeon removed my thyroid and over forty lymph nodes. Radiation treatment should begin in a few days. Then a week of isolation until the radioactive iodine leaves my system. Then the waiting begins … Not something I would have chosen on my…(Read More)
Last week I posted an RW Quiz based on a short video clip about a woman in Thailand who was dying of cancer. I was impressed by the many insightful answers I received. The only problem was that I had a difficult time selecting the best answers … there were so many good ones from…(Read More)
Today you can test your relational wisdom. All you have to do is watch a three minute video clip and answer three questions. You can keep your answers to yourself, or you can email them to me for a chance to win a $150 scholarship for training as an Approved RW Presenter or Certified RW…(Read More)
Not long ago, I was once again was well-served by an outstanding medical team. Over a dozen people at the Billings Clinic pooled their training and talents to repair a small hernia in my abdomen. From beginning to end, they cared for me with the utmost in professional skill and personal attention. As a…(Read More)
When emotions rise, rational thinking usually plummets. This is why I summarized the key principles in my book, The Peacemaker, as simple acrostics, such as the Seven A’s of Confession and the Four Promises of Forgiveness, which people can recall and apply even when emotions are clouding their judgment. Having seen the benefit of…(Read More)
Do you want to learn how to connect with people? Really connect? To touch others heart-to-heart, life-to-life? To convince them you understand and care about them? To move them toward actions that are right and good and pleasing to God? Then learn how to connect with their hearts by describing experiences…(Read More)
She was working the early shift at a small Starbucks counter in Dulles Airport. The young barista had probably been up since 4 or 5 a.m., and she already looked worn out. After placing my order with the cashier I stood by the counter while the barista finished the coffee ordered just before me…(Read More)