Have you agreed to do something that was not in your comfort zone and the project just didn’t turn out as well as you hoped?  This post is about a workshop that I was asked to do for one of my loyal clients.  The meeting planner, Julie, was in a bind because a trainer who she used for a “Hiring and Firing” class was not available.  She asked me if I was willing to do research and teach the class for a couple of her conferences.  I told her that I was NOT a lawyer or human resource specialist.  She realized this yet knew that my expertise was in conflict and conflict.  I agreed to do this because of the confidence from my client.

I interviewed several lawyers and human resource specialists and created a 20 page booklet.  I was very interested in the topic and was impressed with how corporate America deals with this important yet difficult subject.  I was ready to teach the course.  The first conference went better than I thought.  Yet the feedback was 75% positive and 25% negative.  Participants wished Julie brought in a lawyer or human resource director.  They were right.  I did not like the fact that I could not answer all the questions during the class.

What to do? What Changes did I Make?

Conference #2 was coming up.  After a LONG self evaluation, I discovered how I could turn around this stressful situation and hopefully make this training better.  I immediately introduced myself as a facilitator.  I told them that I would help facilitate their tough conversations when we discussed the legal ramifications of terminating employees.  I also stated that there were several people in the training who already hired and fired employees and I asked them to be the real experts at times.  They agreed to do this.  I also empowered the participants who never hired or fired others to ask questions.  This was also a new topic for many of their colleagues.  I created many participatory exercises.  Small groups wrote job descriptions or decided which interview questions were their favorite ones.  We read some of the handouts verbatim on firing and discrimination because of the seriousness of the topic.  

Was the second training better?

Yes it was!  Participants appreciated my transparency when I concentrated on what I could do and my own skill set.  The difference was that in the first conference I kept on telling them that I was NOT a lawyer or human resource specialist.  Plus in the second conference I used the expertise of the people in the group which they all appreciated.

Joyce, what did your learn?

First of all I learned to trust myself when others see a positive quality that I may not see about myself.  I actually told Julie that I would like to be considered in the future to present “Hiring and Firing” to her members.  I was able to turn this stressful situation around by making minor changes.  Trust me when I say I will remember this story in the future.

So what about you?

Have you ever created a project that did not turn out as well as you wanted?  If so, how did you turn things around to make the project a success? 

I want to hear from you!

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A recognized expert on Resolving Conflict in the Workplace, Joyce Weiss, M.A., CSP is an author, Communication Strategist, and a Certified Speaking Professional. To book Joyce to speak at your event or company call: 800.713.1926 or email: Joyce@JoyceWeiss.com
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Until next time,

This is Joyce Weiss, Communication Strategist

I help people become top level leaders who get GREAT results.
How do I do this?
I teach them to tackle the tough conversations with bullies and negative people to build employee engagement, accountability, and rock star performance…
The Result? My clients resolve their conflict and they get a better night’s sleep!

Feel free to call me (800.713.1926) concerning your own team/executive retreats, workshops, on line professional growth coaching, and keynote speeches.

Remember…You Get What YOU Tolerate!

See YOU Next Week.

CLICK HERE to take the easy and fun Communicate with Impact Quiz. You will get your results immediately and learn more about setting boundaries to be more effective at work and in your life. Sound good?
Here’s the LINK