The Art of Conscious Conversations

PREFACE

Twenty-five years ago I worked as an associate at a mid-size firm in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where one of the partners was struggling with an alcohol problem. His behavior became increasingly toxic for the firm’s leadership, our employees, and our clients. As leaders, we were frustrated and stuck in negativity, which magnified the dysfunction. We had no idea how to navigate these troubled waters.

At that time, I was immersed in Stephen Covey’s book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I had learned just enough from the book to know that we could no longer avoid the issue. We reached out for help, and after burning through a few ineffective consultants, the universe delivered a gem of a business coach named Linda Reid. Her experience, ...