The U.S. Army has what it calls its’ “My 15%” rule. Believing that most people have about 15 percent control over their work situations, the Army asks everyone, no matter their rank, “What’s your 15% of the problem?” “Where do you have freedom to act?”, for mutual benefit. No matter your organization, to me: adopting a”my 15%” […]
Apply a “My 15%” Rule to Develop and Leverage Conflict Competency in Your Organization
September 27, 2017 by · 1 Comment
How to minimize the extent unconscious bias impacts your decision-making process
September 20, 2017 by · 1 Comment
“That’s not what I meant to say.” Yet, I did. Was I tripped up by my unconscious biases? The list of cognitive biases, a subset of our unconscious biases, is long (150+). Biases influence how we behave in the world. Unconscious bias is a performance killer “Unconscious bias is a powerful yet quiet performance killer. It literally […]
A “Strong Middle” is Vital for a Healthy Workplace Conflict Management System
September 12, 2017 by · Leave a Comment
All too infrequently, I get down on the floor and do a few sit-ups. I’m doing it knowing the benefits of a strong middle (i.e., core). The body functions better, is healthier, with a strong middle. I know that. You know that. What’s less obvious is that a strong middle also applies to workplace conflict […]
Union-Employer Collective Agreements emphasize rights over power
September 4, 2017 by · Leave a Comment
When I was 18 years old, I had no interest in school. So, I went to work at National Steel Car, in Hamilton, Ontario. The company made railway cars. The scale of the operations was huge, overwhelming for me. At the time, I felt a boy among men. Yet, as a (Steelworkers) union member I was […]
My “Expressing Feelings” Algorithm for Difficult Workplace Conversations and Problem-Solving
August 29, 2017 by · Leave a Comment
“Never mind all that feelings stuff, let’s just do it”. Just do it. Just do the work. If only life were so simple. In the workplace, jointly solving problems often involves difficult conversations, and conflicting views. Difficult conversations won’t go well unless feelings are surfaced. We have to have those conversations. Change happens, finding solutions to […]
