Valerie Polunas

Most teams have a set of operating guidelines. They know their goals, deadlines, priorities, and metrics, but when tensions rise, teams struggle to stick to them. That’s because conflict rarely shows up in explicit ways. It shows up like this: A sharp tone in a meeting Avoidance after a disagreement Side conversations that turn into gossip Decisions that get revisited again and again A manager trying to “keep the peace” by lowering expectations If you’re an HR leader, you’ve probably seen...

December has a way of speeding up just as we’re running out of steam. Deadlines pile up, inboxes overflow, and everyone’s trying to squeeze in “one last thing” before the year ends. When I worked on teams, that push to the finish line was rough, but even then, it felt important to pause just long enough to: Reflect on our work together Dream about what we might take on next Clear up any lingering tensions Have a little fun Show real appreciation for what we’d just pulled off together I didn’t...

It’s November, which means election chatter, even in an “off year.” Local ballots don’t grab national headlines, but they can still amplify the feeling that we’re miles apart. But, are we really that different? Or are we being nudged into outrage by attention-hungry politics and algorithms? In my experience, people with very different views still find common ground and always a shared humanity. The talks aren’t always easy, but with the right mindset and skills, people can disagree better....