You have heard repeatedly that an agenda is a vital ingredient to a successful meeting. But little is ever heard about safety in meetings—the environmental variable that determines whether people participate or merely observe. How do you measure safety? What actions are available to leaders for creating a safe meeting environment?

It's ironic that the Baseball Writers Association of America named Joe Girardi the National League's 2006 Manager of the Year. Giardi was recently fired by the Florida Marlins despite managing a young, low-rated team into contention. It seems his problem wasn't performance but rather communication. 

My article Drawing Out the Facts: The Art of the Discovery Interview was published in the July, 2007 issue of Better Software Magazine. The article explores how to conduct effective client interviews.

Every technology organization must deal with change. Virginia Satir, a pioneering family therapist, created a change model to help families process change. Her model fits high technology organizations equally well. This article explains Satir's model and offers insights into how to more effectively manage the change process.