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Conflict Management Strategies eNewsletter
Vol
III, Issue 5, May, 2006
Human
Resources’ Biggest Mistake.
Just
last week, I received an online article (Yes, I subscribe
to free E-Zines too) from a very well respected management
development organization. The article encouraged companies
to assess their compliance with “all the labor laws
and regulations.”
The
list, as you can imagine, was long: Family Medical Leave,
Employee Handbooks, Sexual Harassment Policy, Termination
Policy, Quarterly Employee Reviews, Legal vs. Illegal Job
Interview questions. Did the article provide good advice?
You bet! Employers must know the law and have policies in
place to assure compliance with local, state, and federal
regulation. Was the advice complete? NO.
So
what is missing? Wasn’t it comprehensive? Well, not
quite. The article suffered from a false premise. The most
dangerous illusion held by business owners, managers, and
human resource professionals-- “Compliance Is Enough”.
Legal
Compliance is NOT enough to address workplace conflict. Compliance
merely sets a minimum requirement to avoid liability. My work
as a mediator demonstrates again and again-- compliance is
not enough.
Compliance
addresses the legal obligation only, not the person and not
the working relationships.
In
their book “Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em: Getting
Good People to Stay,” Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordon-Evans
drive home that employee retention rests on feeling respected
at work. From the employee’s perspective, compliance
does not equal respect. Compliance with legal obligations
is just the foundation of a respectful working environment,
a baseline that the employer must build on. At a minimum,
employees want employers to comply with the law AND treat
the employees with dignity and respect. They want their employers
to recognize and acknowledge the impact of policies, directives,
and styles of leadership on them as individuals.
Action
Tools to increase productivity & improve your workplace
relationships.
Take
a close look at your employer’s response to conflict
at work. Is there an attitude that compliance is enough? Are
managers, co-workers, and HR personnel looking at the IMPACT
of the situation on the people involved? Here is a tool to
use to uncover impact, build respect and problem solve.
The
5 questions:
Ask
the other person these 3 questions:
1)
What is the problem?
2) Why is it a problem?
3) Your ideal outcome looks like…?
Notice
that these first 3 questions focus entirely on the other person.
Your purpose here is information gathering to achieve a clearer
picture of the situation as that person experiences it, in
other words THE IMPACT.
Now
the focus turns to you— for question #4.
Ask
yourself:
4)
What can I do /what am I willing to do in this situation?
Finally,
with question #5 open up the conversation & move to joint
problem solving.
Ask
yourself and the other person:
5)
What can WE do to get there?
Notice
the WE. Focusing on joint action allows everyone to take responsibility
for the outcome.
Simple
plan. Easy to remember. Challenging to implement because you
must deliberately choose to engage in problem solving behavior
AND be open to hearing the IMPACT.
You
can do it. Results will be better. Let me know how it goes!
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Upcoming
Events
Get
more Tips and Strategies from Carol at these Upcoming Events:
- 14th
Annual Northwest Dispute Resolution
Saturday, April 29, Seattle, WA
www.mediate.com/nwadr
- Dept
Of The Navy Civilian Human Resources
Leadership Conference 2006: Mastering The Gear Works:
Engaging Talent For Higher Performance.
Tuesday, May 2, Bremerton, WA
Download
the Flyer(pdf)
- Association
of Public Safety Communications Officials
Thursday, June 22, Wenatchee, WA
www.apcowa.org
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Interested
in bringing Carol to your workplace or professional association
for training, consulting or key note addresses? Call 253-219-5532
or visit www.ManagingConflict.com
Please
forward this issue.
We
spend so much of our waking hours at work for it to be an
uncomfortable, stressful place. I want to help you bring your
best to the workplace and handle sticky situations gracefully
and improve your working relationships. These Conflict Management
Strategies are intended to help you accomplish that.
If
you enjoy these articles, would you please forward this issue
to other people who might enjoy it or benefit from it?
Please
let others know they can sign up for their own subscription
to these articles. All they have to do is click here www.managingconflict.com
or cut and paste this address into their web browser to go
to my web site where they can sign up and receive Carol Bowser’s
Conflict Management Strategies.
I
want to hear from YOU
I want to know about your challenges in the workplace and
your successes from using the tips and strategies discussed
here or from a Conflict Management Strategies Training or
Key Note Address! Is there a particular situation you are
struggling with or a success you want to celebrate? Share
it with me.
Here
is how: Send an email to cb@managingconflict.com
Describe the situation from your perspective, tell me what
tip or strategy you used, and the results you had.
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COPYRIGHT
AND REPRINTS
Reprint permission is granted when the following credit appears:
"© Carol Bowser, JD, 2006. Reprinted with permission
from 'Carol Bowser’s Conflict Management Strategies,'
an internet newsletter. For your own personal subscription,
go to www.ManagingConflict.com
"
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