I’ve yet to encounter an organization whose stated value is ‘workplace harassment’. Yet, the sexual assault, abuse and harassment stories shared under the #MeToo hashtag on social media this week would almost suggest that’s the case. In a healthy workplace, values and behaviours closely align. Align behaviours and values: Walk the talk Values are words. Behaviours […]
Aligning values and behaviours makes for a healthier workplace culture
October 17, 2017 by · Leave a Comment
Smart Urban Design Focuses on Safety and Relationships for Healthier Interactions
October 4, 2017 by · Leave a Comment
Whenever I rush into a difficult conversation without first creating a safe space to have that conversation, I invariably regret my impulsivity. Difficult conversations, especially relationship-oriented ones, demand paying attention to the ‘how’ conversation is to take place as much as ‘what’ the conversation is about. No matter the place, safety precedes authentic conversation. Relationships […]
Apply a “My 15%” Rule to Develop and Leverage Conflict Competency in Your Organization
September 27, 2017 by · 1 Comment
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%” […]
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 […]
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 […]
