Joyce Weiss

I work with organizations and individuals who want to kick conflict and chaos to the curb - Queen of Conflict Resolution and Communication Coach

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Tips to Help You Discover Your Purpose & Passion in Your Career

Lori-Williams-Headshot-150x200
Photo of Lori Williams

Thoughts from Joyce

I have three powerful questions for you:

1.  Are you doing what you do best?
2.  Do you REALLY like what you are doing?
3.  Have you thought about your natural strengths and skills?

Many of my clients discover their innate skills and feel better about themselves after we delve deep to find their natural talents. It is hard to recognize what comes easy to us because we take these things for granted. Friends and colleagues usually see these things about us long before we do.

My natural “gift” is helping others solve their issues so they feel better about themselves. High school friends all knew that I would be a coach or counselor way before I recognized this. It took me many years to discover my innate talents of supporting others to resolve conflict. Once I finally figured this out, I can proudly say that “I’m an over night’s success…it only took me 30 years!”

Many people are so busy complaining about their job or life. They don’t take the time to look within to discover how they can switch one minor thing to actually love what they do.

Here is a powerful story about a colleague of mine who discovered her purpose and passion and created a new career for herself:

Lori T. Williams is a 25 year attorney based in Birminhgam MI. She owns a legal referral business called Your Legal Resource, PLLC and assists individuals and small business in need of legal advice or representation in Metro Detroit by connecting them with the right legal specialist for their situation. Lori is also an active networker, blogger, and event host/facilitator. Those who know Lori, know she is a connector and that THIS is her passion!

Lori did not always feel so passionate about her work as a divorce attorney, which is the area of law she practiced for 14 years before creating her current business in 2004. Lori saw herself as the serious professional who would help her clients through one of the worst of times in their lives. She was well respected in the legal community and enjoyed helping others, yet she didn’t have a passion for family law. Who gets excited about ending marriages?

How Lori figured out her authentic self

The light bulb went on during a class that Lori took on “finding your purpose.” This was a turning point for her. The rest of this blog may give you some ideas on how to discover your own purpose especially if you don’t like what you are doing for a living.  Lori read a book, Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren. This book and the class study had a huge impact on Lori, because she discovered her purpose was to connect others.

She wasn’t quite sure what to do with this new found awareness, so she starting discussing it with another friend who was in the course with her. Lori’s friend was also a coach and she helped Lori return to her legal background in a way that would inspire and energize her. Since Lori had built an extensive network within and outside of the legal profession, and was seen as a resource to others, she was able to combine her networking skills and legal background and create Your Legal Resource.

Lori is now sought after as a legal matchmaker who connects the right client with the right lawyer. She also helps attorneys grow their practice by introducing them to their target referral partners and teaching them effective networking and marketing strategies. Lori notes, “it gives me great joy to bring people together for a living, rather than ending relationships like I used to do as a divorce attorney, and it benefits the people I connect.”

2014 will be a powerful year for Lori as she celebrates her 25th year as an attorney and her 10 year anniversary as the owner and managing attorney of Your Legal Resource. Way to go, Lori!

Click here for more information on the valuable services that Lori Williams provides, and visit her blog  to read articles about law, marketing, and networking tips for the small business owner.

Here are more interesting articles by Lori Williams

Valuable Resources for Professional and Business Growth
Is My Business Investor-Ready?
Tips for Finding the Right Attorney For You

So, what about you?

I’m not suggesting that you quit your job! I am asking you to think about how you view your career.
Are you doing what you do best?
Do you REALLY like what you are doing?
Have you thought about your natural strengths and skills?
Ask good friends what they think you are best at.  You may be surprised at what they say.

Feel free to share your comments in the comment section after the blog. I will answer you immediately. For those of you who have discovered your own story during your professional growth, please share how you did it, what changes you had to make, and how it has impacted your life.

Was this helpful?

Please send me any comments that you may have for this blog post. Place your comments in the comment box at the end of this post. Loyal readers like you help us find more people who could benefit from these posts. Feel free to share this information. Just make sure and give credit to:
Joyce Weiss Training & Development LLC > www.JoyceWeiss.com.

Please let others know about these blog posts on reducing conflict at the workplace and home. There may be someone in your life who is feeling stressed out… who could benefit from the inspiration and knowledge on improving their working condition or home life.

Until next time,
This is Joyce Weiss, Conflict Resolution Consultant
I help others have tough conversations so they get a better night’s sleep.

Remember…You Get What YOU Tolerate!

 PS Click here for my article on “Make the Most of a Job That You May Not Like.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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You Have to Read This to See the Importance of JOY at Work

menloPeriodically I share innovative projects and systems that my colleagues or clients are doing to reduce conflict in the workplace and create employee engagement. This post is about a company based in Ann Arbor, MI. It’s fearless leader, Rich Sheridan’s title says it all – “CEO, Chief Story Teller & Tour Guide.”    Anna Flynn who is also in the photograph has the following title…“Jack of all Trades.”

Menlo Innovations is a leader in the business value of joy and is passionate about building quality software. They have been voted the 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work numerous times.

The minute I walked in I knew I was not in a “normal” place! There was no receptionist. There were no cubicles. The room was full of people laughing and working together. Rich was right in the middle of all of this and was NOT in a special gold studded office.

 The following are just a few of the best practices at Menlo Innovations:

  • pairing; no one works alone 
  • change partners every 5 days
  • open and collaborate workspace
  • 40 hour work weeks
  • pets and babies at work
  • making mistakes faster

Menlo’s way of hiring new team members:

Team members and leaders don’t ask any questions to the job applicants. Job applicants are put to work immediately. There are 30-50 people working at the same time during the interview. The applicant experiences what they will be doing if they get hired… to make sure that they like this kind of environment without micro managers. In 20 minutes they switch pairs. This process takes 2 hours.

 After they leave employees gather to analyze what they observed. The team discusses whether the job applicants bring out all the best qualities in their partners. The applicant’s job is to make the other applicant look as good as possible.

When they make the cut applicants are invited back for the 2nd interview and get paid for their time. If they make this cut they work for 3 weeks to see if they like the Menlo Way and if Menlo sees a fit.

How does Menlo deal with conflict?

Team members receive feedback from a peer group whenever they request it. When team members have an issue with others they are empowered to take care of this themselves. A factory floor manager gives them strategies if they need extra assistance. Managers don’t get involved.

 Check out Joy, Inc: How We Build a Workplace People Love by Richard Sheridan.   

 Rich offers an inside look at how he removed the fear and ambiguity that typically make a workplace miserable. I will be writing another blog post about Menlo Innovations after I read Joy, Inc.

Check out this video on resources to reduce conflict in the workplace to increase morale at work.

 Thoughts From Joyce

I can just hear some of you thinking…”I would love to work at Menlo Innovations” or “This will never work at my company.” Why not? Start with small steps. Reread some of my past posts on how other companies engage their employees.

 Let me know what you do to engage your employees to bring JOY at work. When I started my career, leaders told me NOT to have their employees laugh during my presentation. Leaders only wanted serious training to increase productivity. They only wanted me to share strategies. I’m so glad that this archaic thinking has changed. Those of you who know my personality realize that humor is part of my life and every training project. Laughter and getting energy from each other makes a great training session rock!

Was this helpful?

Please send me any comments that you may have for this blog post. Place your comments in the comment box at the end of this post. Loyal readers like you help us find more people who could benefit from these posts. Feel free to share this post. Just make sure and give credit to  Joyce Weiss Training & Development LLC > www.JoyceWeiss.com

Please let others know about these blog posts on reducing conflict at the workplace and home. There may be someone in your life who is experiencing some stress… who could benefit from the inspiration and knowledge on improving their working condition or home life.

Until next time,

This is Joyce Weiss, Conflict Resolution Consultant

I help others have tough conversations so they get a better night’s sleep.

Remember…You Get What YOU Tolerate!

 PS. Check out this video on Resources to reduce conflict in the workplace to increase morale at work.

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Leadership Secrets Learned from Breaking Bad

breaking bad

I am a BIG fan of the TV series “Breaking Bad.”
It is intriguing to see how much positive hype is taking place right after
the powerful ending.
Many of the actors are giving such accolades to the entire writing team,
directors, producers  and staff.
They worked together for over 5 seasons and they still think of everyone
as a family.

 

 

So are you wondering…

“How in the world is the cast still feeling such a connection with each other?”

I heard the following statements in interviews from the show’s writers and actors.
They fit perfectly with the themes that I share with you weekly on dealing with conflict
in the workplace and improving communication.

Strong teams need to communicate openly in order to create an engaging environment.

Strong teams need to know:

1. “Tell me what you expect from me.”

2. “Give me an opportunity to perform.”

3. “Let me know how I’m getting along.”

4. “Give me guidance where I need it.”

5. “Recognize me for my contributions.”

Each actor and writer mentioned that they were able to ask these questions to directors and
producers. They helped create such a cohesive group of people.
Are these sentences being spoken in your workplace?

Was this helpful?
Please send me any comments that you may have for this blog post.
What do you do to engage your team?
Place your comments in the comment box at the end of this post.

Loyal readers like you help us find more people who could benefit from these posts.
Feel free to share this post. Just make sure and give credit to:
Joyce Weiss Training & Development LLC > www.JoyceWeiss.com

Please let others know about these blog posts on reducing conflict at the workplace and home.
There may be someone in your life who is experiencing some stress…who could benefit
from the inspiration and knowledge on improving their working condition or home life.

Until next time,
This is Joyce Weiss, Conflict Resolution Consultant

I help others have tough conversations so they get a better night’s sleep.

Remember…You Get What YOU Tolerate!

PS Click here to listen to Joyce’s podcast on Creating Team Synergy

PPS Click here to discover how you can have tough conversations and get a better night’s sleep
by mastering your communication skills.
Joyce will support you for 2 months during her Master E-Course Communicate with Impact.

 

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5 Ridiculously Simple Ways to Improve Your Team

conflict in meetingYou know those communications…the ones where you just can’t
pay attention or roll your eyes.

Have you ever been on a losing team? What would you have changed
if you were the leader?

Don’t set your team up for failure.
Whether you’re the team leader or a team member,
don’t let the following 5 scenarios happen in your office.

On a Losing Team, People:

1. Do not know what is expected.

2. Do not know how he/she is doing.

3. Cannot do the required skills.

4. Lack organizational support.

5. Have poor relationships.

What Can YOU Do When You See Your Team’s Success Dwindle?

1.  Ask questions and be clear about what is expected from your company, colleagues, and your boss.

2.  Find out how you are doing a few times/year and NOT just during evaluations.

3.  Know what the required skills are for you and others and get training immediately.

4.  Look for another job if there is no support from the top.

5.  You don’t have to like your colleagues.  Let go of old issues if they are getting in the way.
Do your best to change a negative situation into something a bit more manageable in order to
move forward.

Remember…YOU Get What YOU Tolerate!

Click here for an article on How to Increase Respect in the Workplace.

Thoughts from Joyce

I know that these 5 ideas sound easy.  They are not always simple to follow.
Please write questions about your own conflict or communication situations at work.
You are not alone.  There is usually a second right answer once you brainstorm with an ally!

Was this helpful?

Let us hear your thoughts in the comment section below.

Feel free to share these tips with your team – just be sure to give Joyce credit when you share.

Sign up at the RSS feed on the blog to be included in future posts from Joyce on this subject.

For more information, videos, articles and podcasts, visit Joyce’s website.

Click here for an article on
How to Increase Respect in the Workplace and Reduce Stress

 Until next time…This is Joyce Weiss

Remember…YOU Get What You Tolerate!

Don’t run away from conflict. Resolve it now to get respect back in the workplace.

I help people have tough conversations so they get a better night’s sleep!

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Do You REALLY Want to Improve Morale?

photo the office superboss

This is the 2nd post about the gems that I learned from the MI Lean Consortium Conference.
The information for this post comes from an incredible LEAN leader and author, Jamie Flinchbaugh.
Employee engagement helps reduce conflict in the workplace…only when programs are put in place after a lot of planning with the entire team.

 

 

 


 

Employee Engagement Works When…

  • Everyone buys into the program, not just the leader or a few people
  • Leaders become teachers and walk their talk
  • Problems with the program are dealt with immediately

3 Important Ideas That Impact Change

  • Behavior is how we act
  • Action is what we do
  • Results are what we get

Build Tension with Change…NOT Stress

  • What is the current reality?
  • What is the vision of the ideal state?

The gap creates tension.  This will help the team forward.  Now discuss what changes need to be made
to get the results that you ALL want.

How to Build Positive Tension

  • Eliminate fear
  • Eliminate comfort
  • Make sure that there is space for learning and making mistakes

 Joyce’s Opinion on Successful Employee Engagement

Respect is NOT about being nice

“Be Direct with Respect ” is our company trademark that has changed the environment for my clients.
The idea is to give your opinion to anyone in a respectful way.
It takes practice to learn communication skills that work!
The GAP is where people learn new behavior for themselves and others.

Click here to find out how you and your team can take an ON Line Master E-Course
Communicate with Impact.
You will be in touch with Joyce for 2 months while you practice
new skills to get the communication results that you deserve.
Learn how to deal with negativity, bullies, time wasters, and boundaries.
You take the class from the comfort of your own home and the class is personalized to fit your needs.

OK, It’s YOUR Turn!

Please share how your company encourages employees to share their opinion to make positive
change in your company.

Was this helpful?
Please send me any comments that you may have on this subject.
Place your comments in the comment box at the end of this post.

Loyal readers like you help us find more people who could benefit from these posts.
Feel free to share these ideas. Just make sure and give credit to:
Joyce Weiss Training & Development LLC > www.JoyceWeiss.com

Please let others know about these ideas on reducing conflict at the workplace and home.
There may be someone in your life who is experiencing some stress…
who could benefit from the inspiration and knowledge on improving their working condition or home
life.

 Until next time,
This is Joyce Weiss, Conflict Resolution Consultant

I help others have tough conversations so they get a better night’s sleep.

Remember…You Get What YOU Tolerate!

PS  Click here to find out how you and your team can take
an ON Line Master E-Course Communicate with Impact.

 

 

 

 

Contact Joyce

Email: joyce@joyceweiss.com
Phone: 248-681-5831