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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Resolving Conflict in the Workplace by Using Lean Thinking

I have the honor of co-presenting a workshop on Lean Culture and Resolving Conflict in the Workplace sponsored by Michigan Lean Consortium.
Gerry Clark and Thomas Smith will be conducting the lean part of the workshop…which requires a complete transformation on how an organization collectively thinks and conducts business.

I will be addressing how changing a culture automatically creates conflict.  Participants will learn strategies on how to get people on board.

Participants will learn how to:

  • deal with naysayers
  • build trust by resolving conflict
  • stop wasting time by not dealing with conflict
  • gain control
  • use the power talk strategy
  • protect themselves when being verbally attacked
  • create solutions even during conflict

If you are not able to attend this powerful workshop, here are some questions that you can ask at your next meeting:

1.  Does your organization have top leaders who are seriously dedicated to becoming a lean learning enterprise?  If not can they at least seem seriously coachable?

2.  Are you committed to this process for the long term?

3.  What steps will you need to take to prepare yourself for this process?

4.  Are you willing to make enough of a commitment to take time to learn, to observe deeply and to participate in continuous improvement?

5.  How will you mentor others?

6.  How will your organization get the support needed for this transformation?

7.  Is your organization full of conflicting and inconsistent messages?  If so, develop a communication plan for beginning the process for sending consistent messages.

8.  What will be necessary to change the culture so that a singular consistent message develops?

Lean consists of the following:

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

Here are the details of the meeting if you are able to attend.  I would love to see you there!

Date: June 17, 2011
Time: 8:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Location: Oakland—Macomb INCubator
Address: 6633 18 Mile Road, Sterling Heights, MI 48314

The event will be cut in half by lunch with the culture piece from 9:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. and the conflict
resolution piece Noon-2:00 p.m. Light breakfast & lunch included.
To register, email: register@michiganlean.org Limit 50
Cost: $20 for non-members; free for members; check out www.michiganlean.org for more events!

Please let me know if you would like me to present this program to your organization.
Feel free to contact me at 800.713.1926 or joyce@JoyceWeiss.com and I will answer any questions that you may have for me.

Was this helpful?
What is your most pressing issue on keeping your company continuously learning?
If you already are a lean company, please share your successes.

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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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

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The New Normal: Doing More with Less to Decrease Conflict in the Workplace

I had the pleasure of being a presenter at a conference sponsored by the MI Society of Government Meeting Planners in Grand Rapids MI.  The topic was The New Normal:  Doing More with Less.  The main idea was to reduce conflict in the workplace by improving communication skills. Thanks to Andy Silver, The Director of Training for MI Department of Community Health, who helped me understand the needs of the audience which helped me customize the program to their needs.

The following is a list of 3 questions for you to ask yourself and share with your team to discover how you can improve your working c0ndition and decrease conflict in the workplace:
1.  What systems do you use to identify what is important to whom and when?
2.  How do you weed out or stop things that are not working and recharge with new program alignment?
3.  What barriers are hindering you from creating a positive work environment?

The answers to these questions are a good way for you to improve your working condition and reduce conflict in the workplace.  Your team can improve communication skills by coming up with new ideas on how to do more with less.

Please share your answers with me and I will respond because I enjoy connecting with my loyal readers!

Below are 2 short video testimonials that describe how Doris Sims from the Greater Lansing CVB and Mona Murphy from Flint Area CVB enjoyed the session.

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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.
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Until the next time…Joyce Weiss

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Do You Have a Successful Team? Do You See Bullying in the Workplace?

My clients have seen some negative behaviors that are making it hard for them to create a successful team. They are experiencing more bullying in the workplace.

Make sure to confront the bullies by using be direct with respect®.
Check out this past blog post with ideas on how to do this successfully.

Communication tips: bullying in the workplace

Check out how your team works together. Are they working in harmony to make a great team?
Do the following statements apply to them?  If not, how can you make them true?  Do they…

1.       Trust each other?

2.       Engage in unfiltered conflict around ideas?

3.       Commit to decisions and plans of action?

4.       Hold one another accountable for delivering against those plans?

5.       Focus on the achievement of collective results?

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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.

Listen to the  podcast below  with Joyce on conflict resolution.

Conflict in the Workplace Podcast

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Leadership Consulting: Great Leaders Make NO Excuses

Have you ever attended a meeting when complaining prevailed?

Did you wish that the leader stopped the negativity in order to move forward?

This blog post describes how a strong leader took a negative situation and turned it into a very productive meeting.

I recently attended the School of Education and Human Services board meeting at Oakland University in Rochester MI.  Our fearless leader Dean Louis Gallien told us how Oakland University may lose 23% of its state allocation if state legislators accept our governor’s budget plan for higher education.

Dean Gallien told us that our governor needs to fix our state budget and make tough decisions.  He led us into discussions on how to move forward and figure out what we must do to continue making Oakland University vital and growing.

The board of directors did not waste time feeling like victims or blame the government.
“No excuses” became our mantra for the rest of this productive meeting.

I wish all leaders stopped constant complaining during meetings. This kind of behavior only breeds negativity which stops problem solving and creativity.

Think about your own situation for a moment – especially if your budget was cut or if you experienced a reduction in staff or benefits.

How much time was wasted in conversations on what was taken away?

We need to spend more time on the positive things that the company is doing.
We need to spend the rest of our time discussing ideas for streamlining, cost cutting, and restructuring.
Many of us are experiencing the “new work reality” about reduction of budgets.

Do your best to use the following tips to keep creative ideas flowing:

  • Look towards the future
  • Search for a second right answer
  • Find opportunity from change
  • Do your best to stay positive during challenges
  • Accept responsibility and don’t blame others
  • Don’t walk away from negative people – run!

These are not easy to do BUT they are necessary in order to move forward and succeed.
Let our competition complain and stay stuck in their status quo while we find answers to our challenges.

Remember – You Get What You Tolerate!

Until the next time.
What is your most pressing question about your own meetings?

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For more information, articles, and podcasts on conflict resolution, visit https://www.joyceweiss.com

Contact Joyce

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