As we pause for Thanksgiving, our hearts at Harmony Strategies Group are full. Every year, we have the honor of walking alongside leaders, teams, and organizations who choose to face conflict not with avoidance or rigidity, but with courage, curiosity, and dignity. This work is deeply human, often tender, and always meaningful — and […]
Workplace appreciation is a brain-altering experience and a strategic imperative grounded in neuroscience. When people feel seen and valued, their brains release chemicals that increase motivation, trust, and connection. And when appreciation is absent, the brain registers it as a threat to social belonging, triggering stress responses that undermine performance and collaboration. What Happens in
Workplace Appreciation: 5 Strategies to Improve Performance Read More »
Brains, like hearts, go where they are appreciated. – Robert S. McNamara Recognition is one of the most underutilized drivers of team performance, not because people don’t value it, but because it’s often poorly designed. Many organizations rely on recognition systems that feel forced, one-directional, or overly formal. The result is performative praise that lands
6 Strategies for Effective Employee Recognition Systems Read More »
Gratitude paints little smiley faces on everything it touches. – Richelle E. Goodrich When we talk about workplace gratitude, it’s easy to imagine handwritten thank you notes or a few kind words at the holiday party. But real, sustained gratitude is a structural commitment that fosters synergy, innovations, and productive teams. When practiced intentionally,
Gratitude Isn’t Fluff, It’s Culture Work Read More »
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Kimberly Jackson Davidson is currently the University Ombudsperson at George Mason University and member of the Harmony Strategies Group. She spent two decades at Oberlin College in Ohio, holding positions in the Office of the Dean of Students and as Visiting Lecturer in African American Studies. During her final five and a half years there, she served all campus constituencies as Ombudsperson and Director of the Yeworkwha Belachew Center for Dialogue (YBCD). Davidson is active within the International Ombuds Association (IOA), the California Caucus of College and University Ombuds (CCCUO), and the Ombuds Section of the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR). She earned a B.A. in English Literature from Spelman College in 1986 and an M.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in African Literature in 1991.
Hector Escalante is an experienced Ombuds and learning and development professional with over seven years of ombuds experience and over twenty years of experience developing and teaching course offerings which promote inclusion, healthy communication, and conflict resolution. He is the Director of the Ombuds Office at the University of California, Merced, having served many years as the organizational ombuds at the University of the Pacific. He is an ombuds partner with Harmony Strategies Group, and a consulting ombuds for Earthjustice and Union of Concerned Scientists. Hector holds two master’s degrees and a doctorate in education. He is a United States Marine Corps veteran, a husband and father to four children. Hector’s passions include treating all with fairness, equity, dignity, and compassion and good food.
Kira Nurieli is the CEO of the Harmony Strategies Group and is an expert mediator, conflict coach, trainer/facilitator, consultant, and restorative practices facilitator. She has spent upwards of twenty years helping clients handle conflict and improve communication strategies and has presented at numerous conferences and symposia as a subject matter expert. She holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University and a Bachelor’s degree in Comparative Performance from Barnard College. She especially enjoys helping individuals, teams, and lay-leaders become more impactful and empowered in their work and is honored to work alongside her esteemed colleagues with the Harmony Strategies Group.
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Drop us a line for a FREE 15 minute consultation to help you handle your conflict or challenge!
Glad to help you out – please fill in the form below, so we can get started!
