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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Did You Ever Facilitate a Meeting That Didn’t Go As Well As You Envisioned?

If so…you are not alone.

This blog post gives you tips to help you plan a very productive meeting.

I had the honor of  presenting a workshop to members of MI Society of Association Executives (MSAE) on BEST PRACTICES AS A FACILITATOR.

Thanks to Nichole Tilma (Director of Professional Development & Special Events for MSAE) who invited me to lead the workshop and to Kathy Bart (Director of Sales at Director at DeVos Place) who did a great job as a co-leader.

 

Kathy Bart, Joyce Weiss, and Nichole Tilma

We started out the program with an important distinction between the words facilitator and expert.

A facilitator is an individual whose job is to help manage a process of information exchange.  A facilitator helps HOW the discussion is proceeding.  Facilitators ask questions versus give answers.  An expert’s role is to offer advice and give answers.
It is important to know the difference because great facilitators understand their role and don’t take over the discussion.  They make sure the group moves forward.

I hope that you find the following best practices as a facilitator helpful:

Set Priorities

Find out what the audience needs to know, wants to know and why are there

Set Ground Rules Such as:

  • Turning off cell phones
  • No side bars with people whispering to each other
  • Checking egos at the door in order to have honest conversations
  • Stopping negativity

Encourage Everyone to Share Ideas by Asking the Group to:

  • Write down 3 ideas
  • Share these ideas with a partner
  • Discuss these ideas in small groups
  • Bring these ideas back to the large group

Have Fun During the Meeting

Bring small toys for the group to play with during the meeting

  • Koosh balls
  • Stress toys
  • Play dough
  • Bubbles

Take 30 Minute Stretch Breaks

  • Have the audience stand and do easy exercises
  • Share the best idea that they learned so far

Get The Group to Take Action by Using Debriefing Questions

  • The most important concept that you learned today is…
  • The first step that you will take is…
  • The biggest barrier that you will have to overcome is…
  • You will overcome the barrier by…

If you use these 5 best practices, your next facilitating meeting will be very successful.

Please send me your most challenging issue on how to facilitate your next meeting.

Also, send me your best practices and I will post them in a future blog…giving you credit!

Enjoy co-leader Katy Bart share what she learned from the session

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

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Until next time

Remember, YOU Get What YOU Tolerate!

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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How to Stay in Business for a LONG Time

Do you want to know how to stay in business for a really long time?

I was asked to share answers to this very important question to a very creative group -SE MI Entrepreneurs Association.
There were several generations in workplace represented in the packed room.

SE MI Entrepreneurs Association is designed to help members grow their business.
They provide training, network opportunities, information and valuable resources.

ZaLonya Allen, PhD is the Executive Director and did an excellent job letting the community know about this important event.

 

Here are the main points that I covered:

  • Learn from your mistakes and hopefully you wont repeat them.
  • “Failure is never final and success does not last forever.”
  • Be creative during slow times.  Take advantage of this time to write articles, contact former clients or re brand
  • Ask yourself the important question…Who is my client?  Stay focused and service to that market.
  • Don’t scatter yourself too thin by attempting to service to everyone.
  • Make smart financial decisions when hiring consultants and make sure to check on references.  (It is amazing how many
    people in the audience shared horror stories on this one!)
  • We are never there.  Continuous learning is constant and exciting.
  • Take time to re brand every few years to stay current and fresh.
  • Build relationships before asking for referrals or favors.
  • Learn skills in leadership consulting to get and give respect.
  • Constantly improve communication skills. Please let me know if you want me to share more ideas with you on this topic.
    Feel free to call me at 800.713.1926 or email:  Joyce@JoyceWeiss.com

Check out the tips that Dr ZaLonya Allen will use as a result of the program

Your conflict in the workplace consultant says… 

Remember to run away from energy vampires.
There are many possibilities.
We need to see them…believe me you will find them.
Make sure to run away from those telling you that there is no business anymore.

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Let us hear your thoughts in the comment section.

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 topic.

Until Next Time….
Remember, YOU GET WHAT YOU TOLERATE!

Joyce Weiss, M.A., CSP
Conflict in the Workplace Consultant

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Lean Culture and Resolving Conflict in the Workplace

I had the privilege of co presenting a program for the MI Lean Consortium.  G.S. Clarke shared his knowledge on measuring, analyzing, and changing an organization’s existing culture focusing on thought patterns and behaviors.  I continued the discussion on how to deal with resistance during change.   The members asked great questions and they shared their best practices using Lean.

MI Lean Consortium is a diverse network of knowledgeable Lean professionals who come together to share innovative practices.  The organization aims to create a lean culture in MI to ensure sustainable competitive advantage, which could translate into healthier businesses that offers more job opportunities leading to economic growth in the state.

I’m so impressed with this group and will be become a member soon.

Check out some of the main ideas that we discussed on resolving conflict in the workplace especially while convincing naysayers about the benefits of cultural change.

  • When you change culture, you will get conflict
  • We need to convince leaders that they will be able to do what they want to do after lean processes are implemented
  • Front line employees will see how their working condition will improve when waste in time and resources are reduced
  • Everyone has to be responsible for lean every day.  It is not a passing fad and takes a long time to implement
  • The role of Lean leaders is to create change based on learning
  • It is more important to be effective than right

It is NOT an easy task to deal with people who are resistant to change, but it is possible…once we learn how to improve communication skills.

Lean consists of the following:

  • Philosophy:  Long term thinking
  • Process:  Eliminate waste
  • People and Partners:  Respect, challenge, people
    Problem Solving:  Continuous improvement and learning 

    Here are a few more ideas on lean:

  • Signs of good leadership include high morale and consistent achievement of objectives within the group…growing people while still doing tasks to accomplish greater results.
  • A lean company forbids its people to do what they did yesterday.
  • Learning and experimenting are expected and required for every job.
  • Leaders provide the emotional safety for those who are willing to risk and shrink the comfort zone.

If you want more information about the MI Lean Consortium or on
resolving conflict in the workplace
feel free to contact me and I will introduce you to the fine people at MI Learn Consortium

 

Check out the 2 videos from Debra Levantrosser Setman who is the co founder of MI Lean Consortium and Phil Berry who sits on the Board of Directors on what they learned from the program


Debra Levantrosser Setman, Les Sutherland, Joyce Weiss, G.S. Clarke, Phil Berry

Was this helpful?
Let us hear your thoughts in the comment box 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 the subject.

Until next time, Remember…YOU GET WHAT YOU TOLERATE!

Joyce Weiss
Conflict Resolution Consultant and Accountability Coach

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Understanding 5 Generations to Help Reduce Conflict in the Workplace

One of my favorite clients -The Greater Lansing CVB helped me launch a powerful new program called “The New Normal:  Doing More with Less.”  It was created to help reduce conflict in the workplace. We had a packed house in the Causeway Bay Convention Center in Lansing MI.  I shared tips on how the audience could keep up with the workload without burning out.

I will share highlights in this blog on how all 5 generations in the workplace can help each other create less conflict in the workplace by improving communication skills.  Look for more ideas in future blogs.

1.  The Linkster Generation:  Born after 1995.
These are teens just entering the workforce.  Leaders need to educate them on the importance of face to face communication.  They need to educate us on how to use technology.  Include the linkster generation in company meetings and let them know that they have something to contribute. The linkster generation is 18% of the world’s population.

2. Generation Y: Born Between 1981-1995
Their top motivator is BALANCE.  They don’t like to work 9-5 like the baby boomers.  They work best when they set their own hours.  They are loyal if their work/life is balanced.  Their job turnover rate is 30%.  They are 35% of the workforce.

3. Generation X:  Born Between 1965-1980
They came home from school to an empty house because many of their parents were at work.  they force themselves to be on teams even though they would rather do things on their own.  They want to be given the tools.  They want to be trained.  They are very independent.  Reward a generation X with time off to spend time with their family.  They are the smallest generation on record.

4.  Baby Boomers:  Born between 1946-1965
Baby boomers are team players.  They are used to a 9-5 job and take work home with them.  Help them gain work/life balance and learn how to be better organized so that they can have a “life” after work.  Encourage them to become mentors.

5. The Traditional Generation:  Born between 1918-1945
They bring  great value to the organization.  Make them mentors.  They do like to learn and may need a little help with technology.  They represent only 8% of the workforce.

A question that I’m always asked is…How can we improve communication in the workplace?

A perfect example is to listen…really listen to the needs of all generations.  The baby boomers live to work and Generation X and Y work to live.  One is not better than the other.  Different equals different.  Different does not equal wrong.

  • Discuss why members of different generations in your workplace think and act like they do.
  • Discuss ideas on how doing more with less can help the bottom line.

Each generation has important information to share.  They can also learn from each other…which is the key to reducing conflict in the workplace.

I will include more information from this workshop in future blogs. It was really interesting because we had 4 generations represented in the workshop.  Conversation was extremely interesting on how work/life balance is important to ALL generations.

Below is a photo of Jennifer Hagen-Events Planner and Jan Pfeiffer, Membership Manager who both work at the Greater Lansing CVB.

Photo of Jennifer Hagen and Jan Pfeiffer
Photo of Jennifer Hagen and Jan Pfeiffer

The following video is a testimonial from Amanda Allen who works at the Okemos Convention Center and Holiday Express & Comfort Inn:

Thanks to the fine people at Greater Lansing CVB who make me feel like part of their family each time we work together.

Was this helpful? Let us hear your thoughts in the comments 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.

Please hit this link for Articles on Reducing Conflict in the Workplace

Remember…YOU GET WHAT YOU TOLERATE!

Until the next time
Joyce Weiss

Contact Joyce

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