Managing Projects Implies Mediating Conflict

Posted by admin | Conflict Resolution, Governmental Workplaces, Member Profiles, Organizational Conflict, Workplace Conflict | Tuesday 1 July 2008 11:00 am

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In July of 2000, I worked on a project in Germany.

The project was a data center implementation for an application service provider, involving approximately 300 people from 9 different countries.

On one particular day, I was standing outside of the data center in Hamburg wondering why my security access card was not working. I called Ron, the Project Director with 39 years of experience, and was informed that the project had been temporarily shut down at the request of the client.

“No one is allowed in the data center at this time. The client is not happy with the current project status or team. The client is assessing all options. I would have told you earlier, but I just found out myself. Come back to Frankfurt until further notice.” As Ron’s ‘eyes and ears’ on this project, I could feel his pain and frustration.

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Diversity Training - How to Identify and Resolve Unconscious Discrimination in the Workplace

Posted by admin | Conflict Coaching, Governmental Workplaces, Unionized Organizations | Monday 28 April 2008 9:21 am

The Changing Face of Workplace Discrimination

It seems that the face of workplace discrimination is changing into a less easily recognizable one. Workers continue to be held down based on race, gender and other factors. This despite years of the government, the courts, and society in general fighting patterns of discrimination. While in the past discrimination was more overt and conscious, today’s discrimination is often largely unconscious.

EEOC Seeks to Remedy Unconscious Discrimination

The EEOC is focused on pursuing unconscious (”systemic” or “pattern and practice”) discrimination cases. In FY-2006 monetary benefits for discrimination claims increased 30% to nearly $230 million. In a statement by Mark Benedict Ph.D. while addressing the EEOC (February, 2007), he made several recommendations, grouped under three broad themes:

1) deepening the EEOC’s conceptual understanding of workplace discrimination;

2) using the EEOC’s new Employer Information Report(EEO-1) data to guide systemic investigations; and

3) using testing to address hiring discrimination.

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Know Thyself and Workplace Conflict

Posted by admin | Conflict Coaching, Governmental Workplaces, Workplace Conflict | Thursday 13 March 2008 8:33 am

Knowing thyself is an in-depth understanding of “who I am.” and “how I am.” This understanding of one’s self is the product of the formal and informal experiences of living life. But, to be clear, this understanding is not the result of simply “having” experiences, but is the result of deep, consistent and conscious reflection on one’s experiences, i.e., lessons learned (the good, the bad and the ugly).

Much self-awareness occurs as the result of experiencing an inner conflict which tugs on our sleeve and forces us to change. One of the results of such transformation is that we often change our value system which is reflected in new ways of thinking, be-ing and do-ing.

Examples of experiences that bring us to know thyself, self-awareness and conscious change are mid-life crises (which, by the way, are affecting folks at earlier and earlier ages today no longer just at “mid-life”), health issues, relationship issues, career issues, financial issues and mental, emotional or psychological issues such heart attacks, divorces and failed relationships, loss of job, bankruptcy, stress, rustout, burnout, depression and addictions to chemical and non-chemical (food, alcohol, exercise, porn, blogging, etc.) substances.

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Conflict Management In The Office

Posted by admin | Conflict, Conflict Resolution, Governmental Workplaces, Workplace Conflict | Sunday 9 March 2008 2:26 pm

Most managers know that people interacting in the workplace can often lead to conflict. This common office event will always arise, and managers must know how to identify and deal with conflict. Most people automatically associate conflict with a negative outcome and the avoid it.

Conflict comes from different perspectives among different individuals. Clashing of ideas and perceptions form many different confrontations. These ideas stem from society norms, individual values or religious morals.

Conflict is part of life and is not such a bad thing. Conflict helps identify problems or potential problems that must be corrected before mistakes happen. It’s fair to say that conflict is necessary for the evolvement of organizational goals and needs. This benefits the workplace for the long run.

Conflict, specifically competition is a great motivator for employees to participate in the decision making cycle. Debating over issues can bring forth new and improved processes and ideas. This evidence may have been passed bye if employees weren’t challenged to change or other office conflict.

Conflict can really help personnel and management learns to recognize and benefit from differences. It can be daunting to get through conflict because it’s hard to put personal feelings aside and see things from a different perspective. If conflict doesn’t materialize and management leads by example conflict can rapidly escalate to violence. Everyone will lose and conflict will continue.

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