Ever have a conflict with someone and not know where to begin with addressing the situation? No one likes confrontation, but when it is necessary, there are a few basic tools out there that can make all the difference between a successful outcome and a frustrating one.

One model of effective communication that I like is what’s known as A-E-I-O-U (Wisinski, 1993). This model works with any level of conflict within the organization: employee-to-boss, peer-to-peer or boss-to-employee.  Here’s how it works:

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Maybe there was a time when the boundaries between work and home life were clear, but I don’t think anyone can remember when it was. Now, with portable technology keeping us permanently tethered to the workplace, those lines are becoming increasingly blurred. And the cost to our mental and physical health can be enormous. (As highlighted in my April newsletter). At least once a week I will hear some version of the following statement: “My work situation is untenable. I just can’t go on like this.”

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As a fan of Jim Carrey, one of my all-time favorite movies is The Truman Show. The hero, Truman, lives inside a Utopian bubble carefully constructed just for him by a savvy media company. Unbeknownst to Truman, hidden cameras broadcast his every move live on television 24/7 to an audience of millions. While outwardly, he appears happy-go-lucky, inwardly a subtle desperation begins to take hold, as he gradually realizes that the life he thought was his, is in fact a monstrous hoax perpetrated upon him.

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I was born and raised in Roseland, where my mother still resides. Upon visiting her last week, I was reminded that the annual “Run For The Roses 5K” is scheduled for this coming weekend, an event that I hold dear to my heart.

As a young girl, this was the very first race I attempted to run, and although I had to walk a good portion of it, I recall the encouragement I received from another runner that day.

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I lead a running group in Central Park and this week one of the participants asked me to recommend one of my favorite marathon guides. Although this is not a book about technique, training, or nutrition, I have always loved The Runner’s Guide to the Meaning of Life by Amby Burfoot.

A lifelong runner and running advocate, Amby Burfoot has been executive editor of Runner's World magazine since 1985. He is also the author of The Principles of Running and Runner's World Complete Book of Running.  In 1968, he won the Boston Marathon, the first American to do so in 11 years.

The Runner’s Guide to the Meaning of Life is a collection of essays which covers a range of topics including courage, goals, family, materialism and humility. It is a compact read which prompts further thoughts for the road. 

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