Reducing Conflict - Neutral Evaluations

Once again I’ve been asked to offer an opinion about the way a problematic situation has been handled.  My evaluation:  Badly.  What could have been a simple issue, leading to mediation and resolution has been escalated into an unnecessary big deal.  This has caused grief not only to the participants, but to their teams as well.

An unbiased evaluator would have seen this as a mild misunderstanding and would have brought the parties together in mediation.  They would have resolved the disagreement themselves. 

This leads me to recommending that all managers and HR folk who hear complaints in the workplace read two of my books:  Conflict in the Workplace: Causes and Cures and Conducting Workplace Investigations:  Designated Investigator.  They are both available on Amazon and elsewhere as well as directly from my publisher:  Robertson Publishing.

They will really help you in handling complaints – particularly complaints of sexual harassment, discrimination, abuse and bullying – but all kinds of workplace complaints as well.

To Innovate or Not: That is the Question

Innovation:  To Encourage it or Discourage It?

When interviewing CEOs about creativity and innovation in their organizations they say they want it.  When interviewing managers in the same organizations I often hear that they are afraid of “loose cannons.”

CEOs tell me that their managers stifle creativity and innovation.  Managers tell me that they are caught in the middle of a sandwich.  They have orders from above to deliver deliverables in a timely and efficient manner – so they cannot afford to let their employees “play around with new ideas”  (that’s their words, not mine!) 

So what’s the resolution?

How do we allow people the freedom to experiment and try new ideas – perhaps more efficient ways to work – or even up to and including new product/service ideas?  If we allow them this freedom, will they fail to get their daily work done?  Will they go off willy-nilly and spoil existing processes?

BUT – we really do want to encourage new ideas, more efficient processes, reduction of waste and increase in productiveity….

So, what’s the conclusion?   ASK ME!