Demetra Anagnostopoulos's blog

Increased business acumen is an important component of any strategic initiative for developing leaders — i.e., the specific literacy around business fundamentals and the key functions of an organization that drive business results. Lately, I've been thinking that there's a parallel to business acumen that's equally important for achieving strong results. Let’s call that "collaborative acumen."

As a firm dedicated to whole-person leadership as personified in our trademark methods for developing Facilitative Leaders, Interaction Associates is pleased to join the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans in honoring Ebby Halliday, the legendary Dallas real estate entrepreneur who is celebrating her 100th birthday.

I am on the train returning from the Dalai Lama Center's 2009 Peace Summit in Vancouver. What an extraordinary experience. Not only did I find myself in a myriad of "small miracle moments" over the course of the four days, but the experience of being there with colleagues in our field such as Meg Wheatley, Peter Senge, Peter Block, Dawna Markova, Wilford Welch, Juanita Brown — and our own Samantha Tan, who co-facilitated a World Cafe for a group of 120 business and social sector leaders — was inspiring.

What are some of the key takeaways from the recent Building Trust in Business [17] best practices study?

We’re excited that Interaction Associates will be a sponsor for the The Give US Your Poor Concert for Boston's Homeless, Friday, November 16, 2007, at 8 p.m., at the Strand Theatre in Boston, MA. This concert, along with a CD featuring many of the same artists, is designed to benefit the Boston-based nonprofit policy research organization, Give US Your Poor, and a variety of advocacy and helping organizations. The endeavor is an extraordinary example of collaboration in action, in service of a noble aspiration.

Tightly Organized Agendas Lead To Fruitful Meetings
by Morey Stettner, Investors Business Daily.

A succinct, well-organized agenda raises the odds of a successful meeting. It saves time, sets expectations and helps attendees prepare.

To read more of this article from Investors Business Daily, please go here [26].

Being a leader is a complex job. One of the subtleties that takes time to master is knowing when to manage someone to ensure they produce an immediate result, and when to coach someone to help them solve a problem on their own. The reality is that you as a leader live in a world with less and less discretionary time, and where you can't afford to let talent and potential go untapped. Coaching is therefore, a unique type of working relationship that can have significant impact on developing the independent problem-solving capabilities of your direct reports and peers.