After earning my degree in chemical engineering, analyzing space shuttle failures for NASA, and managing high-tech businesses in 20 countries around the world, I realized

An organization’s greatest resource is its people, and conflict depletes that resource.

So, I decided to shift my focus from technology to understanding people and what makes them behave the way they do.

In the process of studying this with my partners Steve Weiss and Louis Patler, Ph.D., we became fascinated by the differences between generations and how hard it was for them to get along.

That lead us to research generations for a fresh perspective and publish the results in our book, The Consistent Consumer.

Throughout all this, I learned one of the most helpful discoveries of my life

Every person has different past experiences, which makes them see the world very differently.

While this concept might seem simple, I found it to be profound. It allowed me to understand what was driving people’s behaviors and not take their actions personally.

Empowered with this key insight, I’ve come to understand myself and others better, and my personal and professional relationships have become much more harmonious.

Building on this insight, my wife Heather and I began studying the lives of great peacemakers. During the process of writing our book, Great Peacemakers, we uncovered powerful ways that these inspiring leaders were able to reduce conflict, increase collaboration, and create positive change in the world.

Again, I started doing my best to apply these lessons in my own life and saw tremendous results.

Eager to share this wisdom with others, my colleagues and I distilled it into educational experiences, which we strive to make entertaining, deeply meaningful, and personally relevant for participants

For me, doing this work is an honor and a delight.