Mutual Ground Strategies, LLC

Boat Coffee & Conversation is back.

I took August off, but these morning meetups on my sailboat have been too good to let go. Real conversation, fresh air, no agenda, just people showing up to actually talk to each other for once.

We meet at Montrose Harbor on s/v JuJu, or the yacht club if the weather turns on us. Coffee, a quaint little boat, no pitch, no small talk you have to fake your way through.

If that sounds like your kind of morning, come join us. Link in the comments.

What is your why?

We’re all told we need to know it for our marketing, but we rarely get the space to actually talk about it.

Huge thank you to Lisa Gavin for asking the question on this topic at last week’s Boat Coffee & Conversation networking event. (If you haven’t met Lisa, she’s always full of sharp questions, no wonder she’s a stellar data compliance attorney.)

And if you’re still trying to define yours, Bob Boord of Never Bored Design is the go-to guy to help you figure it out and turn it into a badass brand!

We also dove into career transitions, moving abroad, and the big things that make life worth living with my old friend Kevin Conway. Kevin is a brilliant attorney and a Chicago Greeter for the International Greeter Association AISBL! (Pro tip: Next time you’re traveling, look up the association for a free tour by a local).

For me, I think true understanding is one of the greatest gifts we can give each other and I like helping people find it. I guess that’s why I enjoy these meetups so much, because we always walk away understanding each other a little better.

Had a fantastic time in Madison speaking with the MABC - Madison Area Business Consultants group at the Goodman Community Center last week! Thank you Jennifer Anderson for hooking me up with them.

We dove deep into strategies for Preparing for High-Stakes Conversations, based on my workbook, The Mutual Method: A Playbook for Navigating Important Conversations. I really appreciated the high engagement and thoughtful questions from the group.

If you are looking for a strong professional network, I highly recommend checking this group out. They offer virtual sessions as well, meaning you don't need to be based in the Madison area to benefit from their community and resources. 💻

Beyond the presentation, I made sure to get the full Madison experience. I crossed paths with Bucky Badger, spent some quality time at the National Mustard Museum, and met my match with a massive pork shank at a traditional Wisconsin supper club—not to mention hauling home a ton of cheese, mustard, and a kringle. 🧀🥨 It was an unforgettable trip.

Thank you to everyone who came out and made the session so dynamic!

Want to see what a change of scenery can do for your networking? ☕️⚓️

I have a few slots left for my upcoming Boat Coffee and Conversation meetups. If you're ready to skip the stuffy boardroom setups and build genuine connections, I'd love to have you.

No pitches required—just casual, high-value conversation.

These are the only dates available right now:

• 𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟭𝟲𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝘁 𝟴:𝟯𝟬 𝗔𝗠 (We are meeting at the Yacht Club to beat the heat!)
• 𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟯𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝟴:𝟯𝟬 𝗔𝗠

Link to grab your spot is in the comments below! 👇

It is summer camp season. But what does a midnight cabin raid for contraband phones have to do with corporate leadership under stress?

I recently went back to my old youth camp to run a workshop. Right before my session, a surprise staff search for phones and vapes left the teenagers completely on edge. When I stepped up to lead, I made a critical mistake: I stuck to my planned, safe outline instead of using my actual facilitation skills to read the live emotional data in the room.

The campers completely checked out.

Corporate leaders fall into this exact trap during organizational shake-ups. We retreat to rigid scripts when we should be navigating the real friction right in front of us.

I break down the diagnostic context of Phonegate—and how to handle tension when the script breaks down—in the latest edition of Mutual Ground on Substack.

Link to the article in the comments below.

Most high-stakes conflict starts small. But over time, blame-based argument and litigation act like air being pumped into a balloon between two people.

Eventually, that balloon becomes so large that the parties can no longer see each other. They only see the barrier. They become far apart in their demands because they are motivated by self-protection rather than a shared solution.

In traditional litigation, a court judgment is like a pin in that balloon—a sudden, sharp pop where the decision is made for you, and you have very little control over where the pieces land.

Mediation is different. It asks the parties to temporarily set the balloon aside.

We don’t pretend the barrier isn't there, but we move it enough so that you can see each other clearly again. When we address the underlying relationship dynamics and interests, even the same "compromise" that felt impossible before starts to feel like a viable path forward.

By removing the distortion of the balloon, we allow for a decision that is chosen, not forced. That is when a resolution actually holds.

If your team or organization is stuck behind a barrier that keeps growing, let's talk about setting it aside to find a real way forward.

DM me with the word "consult" for a free 25-minute consultation.

Coming back from a long weekend often reveals where the friction is highest in a team.

You see it in the frantic inbox, the rushed decisions to catch up, and the tension that happens when priorities have shifted while the office was closed.

If your return to work feels more like a crisis than a transition, it is usually a sign that the underlying structure needs a reset. I help teams build the capacity to handle these high-pace moments with dignity and clarity.

Are you ready to move past the distortion and find a way forward?

DM me with the word "consult" for a free 25-min consultation.

Most HR leaders have a "gut feeling" when a team is starting to fracture.

You see the signs, but often the missing piece is a consistent structure to address it. Stepping into a high stakes conflict without a clear process is a professional risk. Without mediator informed tools, it is easy to get pulled into the friction instead of resolving it.

I help HR teams build internal capacity through training, and I also step in to facilitate when an outside party is needed. My goal is to take that stress off your plate and provide a structured environment for resolution.

Want to see how I help teams move forward? DM me to with the word "consult" and I'll send you a link to book a free 25 min consult.

My latest Substack article drops today, and it’s all about the tactical power of your presence in a room.

As a leader or facilitator, you aren’t just a participant trying to navigate a difficult situation—you are the architect of the environment. You are the thermostat for the room. Your calm or your kindness isn’t just a personality trait; it’s a strategic choice to shift the energy and curate a space where effective dialogue can actually begin.

Click the link in the comments to read the full piece!

I am often asked how leaders can create the right environment for conflict to be resolved before it escalates into a crisis.

I recently sat down with Authority Magazine to discuss exactly that. We talked about why logic alone fails in high-stakes conversations and how leaders can model the curiosity and accountability needed to take the armor off in the workplace.

We also explored how leadership behavior directly shapes conflict culture and the early signs that tension is affecting your team's ability to collaborate.

If you are looking for a substantive look at how to move past recurring friction and stalled decisions, you can find the full interview at the link below.

Workplace Conflict Resolution: Katie Kolon On How Team Leaders Can Create The Right Environment To… An Interview With Eric Pines