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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Add 26 Days to Your Year: Reduce Conflict in the Workplace

“If only I had more hours in the day.” How many times have you uttered those words?
If you’re like most people, you either think it or say it daily.
The good news is that we all have more time accessible to us.
The bad news is that we often let others steal it from us.

Consider this: International Communications Research in New York surveyed over 1,000 people on how many minutes per day
they are interrupted with things that they don’t want to do.
Over 42 percent of those surveyed admit that they spend 100 minutes or more every day on interruptions.

This breaks down to the following:

100 minutes (1-2/3 hours) per day
11-2/3 hours per week
26 days per year
5 weeks of vacation

While you can’t make up for lost time, you can have more time to do what you want to do – starting today!
The secret is to use Be Direct with Respect® principles.

Here’s how.

  •  When someone asks, “Can I have five minutes of your time?” the natural response is to say,
    “Sure,” even though you really don’t have  five minutes…and you know those five minutes will grow into 15, 20, or even 30 minutes. A better response is, “Sure, I’d love to help you.   Let me call you when I’m done with this project and we can talk then.”
    Now you’re still engaging the person, but you’re doing it on your terms and your timeline, not theirs.
  •  When someone tries to start a friendly conversation with you or engage in small talk and you don’t have the time,
    the usual response is to stop what you’re doing and talk to the person. After all, you don’t want to be rude.
    A better response is, “I’d love to hear more about your grand kids (or your new project, the new clients, etc.),
    Right now I have a meeting (or a deadline to meet, a report to finish, a doctor’s appointment, etc.).
    So let’s talk about this later today when I’m available.”
    Again, it’s just a matter of redirecting the person to your timeline.
  •   When you have a planned one hour meeting with someone and the hour is almost up but the other person shows no intention of leaving or ending the conversation, most people would let the meeting run over, which then disrupts their entire day’s schedule.
    A better approach is, “Our time is just about up. Why don’t we use the remaining few minutes to decide when we’ll meet again to complete this discussion.”
    At that point the person may suddenly be able to sum up all the key points. And if additional time is needed, now you’re doing it according to your schedule.

Take Back Your Time

Being Direct with Respect® is a skill that enables you to stop interruptions at work and home in order to do the necessary tasks.
It is an art to tell others that you can’t take care of their needs without sounding like a selfish person.
When you’re direct with respect, you can do what you need and want to do and get the respect from others at the same time.

Check out our new Communicate with Impact: Be Direct with Respect ON DEMAND Course.

Click here to Discover how WE can work together to help YOU become a master communicator so that you can add 26 days to your year!

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Until next time,
This is Joyce Weiss
and remember…YOU GET WHAT YOU TOLERATE!

 

 

 

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Do You Want to Hear a Podcast With Tips on How to Reduce Stress and Conflict in the Workplace?

My loyal readers have asked me to inform them when I’m interviewed on the radio especially on
the topic of reducing stress and conflict in the workplace.

I was honored to be a guest on the Catalyst Business Talk Radio Show.
I thank David Pace from  Business Speakers Bureau for the introduction.

Do you want to hear my latest podcast on how to Reduce Conflict in the Workplace?
If you answered, “yes”, you’re at the right place.

Check out the entertaining and informative interview that Catalyst Business Talk Radio Show Public Radio produced on
Secrets to Reduce Conflict in the Workplace.

      Click here for the podcast
Click Here  For more great business podcasts from Catalyst Business Talk Radio Show

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Let us hear your thoughts after you listen to the interview.
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Sign up at the RSS feed on the blog site to be included in future blog posts from Joyce on this subject.

Until next time,
This is Joyce Weiss
and Remember…You Get What You Tolerate!

PS If you haven’t signed up for the Free Video Series on “Reducing Conflict in the Workplace”… you can do this right now
Click here to register for the Free Video Series

 

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Use Be Direct with Respect® to Reduce Conflict in the Workplace

Be Direct with Respect® Strategies

You can now go to the next level in your career development after reading this article by taking Joyce’s newest on line course which includes a coaching session on the phone.  You have the opportunity to work with Joyce on an issue that you learned about yourself during the course. Look for details about this exciting offer below the article.

Strategy 1: Eliminate Ambiguity

By being Direct With Respect®, you’ll always begin with positive statements and get right to the point. If your conversation is to point out and correct negative behaviors, describe the person’s actions, not their personality. Use language that makes an impact, yet decreases defensiveness. One good way to do this is by using “I” statements rather than “you” statements. Also, use factual descriptions instead of judgments or exaggerations.

Strategy 2: Gain the ability to be direct and truthful

When should you be direct and speak up? As soon as you reasonably can. If you wait too long, you may forget what you needed to say, which can leave a nasty residue of resentment that can explode at the wrong time ­ or at the wrong person. While it’s difficult to know precisely when to speak up, it’s equally challenging to know when to let something drop. To gain perspective, imagine how important the incident will be in six months. If you think it will still be important, then say something immediately. If it would sound a little silly in six months, then let it drop.

Remember, though, telling the truth isn’t a license to dump your negative feelings on others.

Strategy 3: Develop positive self-talk strategies that propel your career

Once you realize you’re giving negative messages, make a conscious effort to stop and say something positive instead. Stop focusing on what you feel you don’t do well and congratulate yourself for all your strong points. Also, strive to seek out other positive people so you can support each other. Challenge yourself to break away from negative people who are only holding you down. The more positive you are, the more confident you’ll be at being Direct with Respect®. In return, others will feel more confident about your abilities, thus leading to more future success.

Be Direct with Respect® is a new way of thinking and communicating for those who are used to holding things inside. Once you implement Be Direct with Respect®, you’ll find that being direct and truthful will make you self-confident and earn you the respect you deserve. Even more important, as the concept of Be Direct with Respect® takes hold in your company, your employees will communicate better and build stronger relationships with co-workers and customers alike. Before you know it, morale will be up, profits will soar, and your company will be ready to make its mark on the business world.

Check out how you can go deeper and learn more ideas on how you can communicate with impact with
Joyce’s On Demand Course.
Like my client  Lori did after she took the course.

“Things are really going well here since people started taking the Be Direct with Respect®:  Communicate with Impact Course.
We continue to see great progress within our management team which is beginning to flow down to the staff.  I had a meeting with one of my managers this moring and she commented again on your program and how well it impacted her.”
Lori Verbrugge, Human Resource Director, Midwest Financial Credit Union

Click the link below so can get ready for radical communication improvement!
Be Direct with Respect®:  Communicate with Impact On Demand Course

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

Until our next visit, Remember…
You Get What You Tolerate!

Joyce Weiss, M.A., CSP
Conflict Resolution Consultant & Accountability Coach

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New Facts About Stress: Make the Most From a Job That You May Not Like

Admit it… you may not like your job. You might come home every evening after a long day and spend the next few hours complaining to anyone who’ll listen about how miserable your workplace is and how you’d love to quit – if only you had enough money set aside to do so.

But let’s also face today’s economic reality. Jobs are hard to find, and any job that pays is one you have to keep. So if your work situation is less than ideal and you want a way to love what you do without changing your job, here are some suggestions to help.

1. Show optimism and a positive outlook at all times.

How can you be optimistic when you dislike your job? Remember that at least you have a job. You’re paying your bills and providing for your family. You’re not part of the newest unemployment statistic. Find something positive to focus on to remind yourself of how life would be if you didn’t have any job at all. In order to stay positive, strive for excellence, not because you have to, but because you want to.

2. Learn from setbacks and convert challenges into success.

Many people feel that they have “bad luck” at work. Everything that can go wrong seems to happen to them, and they then like to talk about these negative experiences, which only makes them even more depressed. But when something goes wrong, rather than dwell on the setback, find out what you can learn from the experience so you can be successful next time.

3. Do whatever it takes to get the job done.

If you don’t like the job and don’t want to do it, then the job won’t get done at all. It’ll be hanging over your head like a dark rain cloud, so you might as well do it anyway. Also, if you don’t get the job done, someone else will, and then you’ll get the pink slip. If you feel that you can’t do whatever it takes to get the job done because of a lack of resources and your hands are tied, then untie your own hands. What could you do differently given your existing resources? There’s always a second right answer.

4. Be eager to share ideas with leaders and colleagues.

You can’t work in a vacuum. You need to talk with others and collaborate in order to expand your thinking and gain new perspective. And you never know… someone may say something that makes you realize your job isn’t so bad after all.

5. Look for ways to constantly grow.

We are all a work in progress. And growth and learning is something that we must initiate; we can’t expect others to do it for us. Additionally, lifelong learning will make you more competitive in the marketplace. So when the economy rebounds and you can find that new job you want, you’ll have the skills and mindset to make it happen.

Check out Full Speed Ahead: Become Driven by Change
which is a life coaching book
to help you deal with life’s stresses.

“A Straight forward, engaging and down to earth book for those desiring improvement in the quality and direction of their lives.”
Anthony Robbins, Author Awaken the Giant Within and Unlimited Power

“Joyce Weiss in Full Speed Ahead challenges the reader to deal with change on a personal and professional level as a way to maximize opportunity.  The book starts with charging your life’s battery with positive attitude and brakes with a discussion of goal-setting and prioritizing.  Each chapter has helpful worksheets that drive Weiss’ points home.  Chapter 7, covering creativity, was a personal
favorite because it identifies the mental roadblocks to creatvity and shows how on can detour around them.

Jim Pawlak, Book Reviewer for The Detroit News

Check out Full Speed Ahead: Become Driven by Change

 

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

Until next time, Remember…

“You Get What You Tolerate!”
Joyce Weiss, M.A., CSP
Conflict Resolution Consultant & Accountability Coach

 

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5 Team Building Tips to Reduce Conflict in the Workplace

Will teamwork bring in more clients and keep the ones you’ve got? Yes!

People who work together may develop the dreaded “Who cares?” disease. Highly infectious, it slowly erodes all the good efforts that a few excellent workers produce.

However, it’s reversible if you take immediate action. Start with these 10 tips:

1. FIND OR CREATE A TEAM LEADER

Great teams don’t just happen. They are carefully and purposefully built by a team leader. Get someone to take charge – whether it’s the manager or anyone interested in group leadership.

2. DEVELOP GOOD COMMUNICATION

Now that the team leader is in place, call the team together. Focus on how individuals can improve skills and finances and help the company grow ­ only possible by working together.

3. FIGURE OUT WHAT YOUR COMPANY NEEDS TO BE SUCCESSFUL

Every winning business starts out with a purposeful, short-term and long-range plan. Decide what the company goals are for the next day, week, month, and future.

4. ASSESS THE STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES AND NEEDS OF THE TEAM

When you know who is good at what, it’ll be easy to assign tasks to team members in order to reach the goals. Assign accordingly!

5. AGREE ON TEAM RULES

Successful teams have written rules which they develop themselves. Start with these helpful ones: Tell a person when you don’t agree, don’t talk about people behind their backs, and never be late for trivial reasons. Your team will get the idea after a few examples.

If you want to find out how your team can improve it’s working condition, check out Joyce’s consulting services.  Joyce can come to your workplace for a customized program.  Visit the link below to find out how you can reduce
conflict in the workplace!
You will also hear a podcast to give you more ideas to use with your team.

“Our team was tremendously impacted by the Team Building Program that Joyce Weiss presented to our office. There were several people on our team who did everything possible to avoid one another. During the sessions Joyce helped everyone see how the negative energy between those two individuals affected the entire office. Everyone was given the opportunity to express their concern – which really helped. The best part of the training was when Joyce taught us how to speak directly to each other in a respectful way. By the end of the workshop there was a tremendous difference in our team. The stress level of everyone dissolved. Several weeks went by and I noticed the two people that had the main issue with one another were having a conversation with each other. I called Joyce immediately to let her know how she really left a positive impact on our office. Thank you Joyce!” –

Cpl Steve A. Richardson, Jr, Regional Contracting Office. Marine Forces Reserve

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

Until next time…Remember

“You Get What You Tolerate!”
Joyce Weiss, M.A., CSP
Conflict Resolution Consultant & Accountability Coach

Contact Joyce

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