Thoughts and Insights by Michael Gregory

What do you do when times get tough? – according to neuroscience

We all know the phrase when the going gets tough the tough get going. We appreciate the idiom. But what about our psyche and the impact of all the negative news on a daily basis. What if your revenues are down? What if you are furloughed not knowing when you will be called back or worse yet, what if you are laid off and don’t have job to come back to? What if you lost a relative or close friend due to COVID-19 or for any other reason? Talk about stress. We know from neuroscience there are 12 resilience practices to help you that are broken down into five categories. These five categories are being offered to help you regardless of your situation. These come from the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California at Berkeley. I am offering these to you here with some additional insights to help you going forward.

What should you be doing with your business now during this pandemic and what’s next?

There are many articles out there on what to do in a crisis, during a pandemic, working from home etc., but thinking strategically and tactically, what should you be doing now and planning for in the future with your business? This article addresses these questions and offers you a personal example for your consideration. As a speaker, consultant, and author, I personally feel it, but as an entrepreneur and opportunist, with a strong resolve and resilience I am finding ways to reimagine myself and I want to help you to find ways and reimagine yourself in your business too.  This blog is little longer than normal, but I believe all of the information provided here will really help you in your business too.

How can you avoid a turf battle when you are involved with a group negotiation?

In a group negotiation there are a host of interests that need to be addressed. Parties often distrust one another and they are very suspicious of the motives of the other group. This leads to distrust and negative perspectives. This article addresses how groups with differing perspectives can address these types of concerns to negotiate an amicable resolution even when turf battles are involved. Not that this is a panacea that always works, but these ideas work in many situations and should be considered with any difficult group negotiation.

What are your biggest concerns around conflict resolution and collaboration?

If you follow this blog you have seen commentary on soft skills or what I refer to as the critical skills of today and the future given artificial intelligence as well as commentary on the IRS, valuation, negotiations, mediation and facilitation.  With all of us dealing with the “new normal” or eventually coming to the “new normal” I wanted to reach out to you and ask you, what are your concerns?  What do you want to know about? What are your greatest fears? What keeps you up at night? How can I help you? This is an invitation from me to you

We need each other and to be connected: lessons from neuroscience

During this time of sheltering in place, it is still important to stay connected with others.

When a deal breaks down with the IRS what should you do?

When a deal looks like it is lost, the perspective of both sides is to simply dig and go to the next level whatever that may be. If working with the IRS on the examination of a tax return both sides can agree to disagree. The IRS exam team finalizes the proposed adjustment and gives it to the taxpayer. The taxpayer responds with a 30-day letter. The IRS exam team writes up a response to the taxpayer’s 30-day letter response and the case is shipped off to IRS Appeals. Is there a better way?

How do you strengthen ties with teams working from home?

With many people transitioning from the office to home or from infrequently in the office to permanently in the home, what are some ways to ensure collaborating, connecting, and networking with each other? Here are some ideas to help you. These are simply some initial ideas. You will need to tailor these to your own circumstances. Hopefully these thoughts may encourage you to develop your own ideas too. If you have other ideas too, I would welcome you to share those with me.

Key Lessons for Collaboration in a Virtual World

With that impact of the Corvid -19 virus a lot more of us are working in isolation at home or at other venues. This article focuses on things to keep in mind and provides some ideas to help you and your team. The focus is on collaboration and working together better looking at collaboration and technology. This is not new. What is new is the expansion into this area and seeing the opportunities that it provides.

Negotiation, mediation and facilitation during a pandemic

We are in an interesting time. Never have we seen a pandemic like this before in our lives. What if you are currently involved with a negotiation, a mediation or a facilitation at this time? What are things to think about? What should you do? This abbreviated blog provides with some rational ideas on how to proceed.

Three signs your workplace culture is hurting you, and what you can do about it

When everyone is aligned and on the same page that feels great emotionally, mentally and physically. Is that the case with you and your organization? If it is great. This article may not be for you. If not read on. Here are three signs that that there may be issues and three ideas of what you might want to do as a result.