Are these your workplace challenges?
- Skills gaps: communications, collaboration, conflict management
- Destructive behaviours: high-conflict individuals, toxic relationships
- Team dysfunction
- Departmental silos
- Business and/or customer disputes
- Labour-management issues
- Community engagement
Here’s 5 ways I can help you:
1. 1:1 Coaching
1:1 Coaching is an effective way to support individual self-development and problem-solving. I apply self-assessment instruments, and conversational approaches, to help individuals increase their self-awareness. Self-awareness of behaviours and ‘hot buttons’, and a personalized action plan, are fundamental to building communication, collaboration and conflict management skills competency.
2. Team Development
In teams, the quality of interactions and relationships directly influence team results. With a focus on personal accountability, team leadership, and team dynamics, I use a variety of tools and techniques, both individual and group-related, in order to help teams understand and address their task and relationship challenges.
3. Interpersonal Mediation
Whether its employee-based, business-customer, or business-business, mediation (i.e., facilitated negotiations) is a cost-effective, appropriate, and empowering way to resolve interpersonal differences. As a commercial mediator, I’ve helped thousands of individuals, and hundreds of businesses and community organizations resolve their differences using win-win approaches. These case studies of mediations I’ve conducted will give you a sense of how the mediation process works. And, here’s a guide to hiring a mediator.
4. Situation Assessment
Most workplaces are complex. There are many factors at play; interpersonal relationships, system processes and data, external factors… A situation assessment can help you understand what’s going on, people-wise, and how to move forward, in positive and constructive ways. With 25+ years consulting experience conducting situation assessments – I can efficiently interview stakeholders, assess the situation (from multiple perspectives), frame going-forward options, and recommend a course of action for you.
5. Workshops
Workshops are an opportunity for participants, to learn new things, solve real-world problems, connect with others, and be motivated for future action. Workshop topics I cover include:
- Communications basics
- Cross-cultural communications
- Conflict management
- Innovation
- Workplace collaboration
- Virtual collaboration
For more about my approach to facilitating workshops, see: how I flip a training workshop.
(Service) Benefits to you
- Grows skills competencies and organization capacities
- Increases employee engagement, workplace productivity, and customer service
- Promotes a positive, collaborative workplace
- Achieves mutual benefit solutions and outcomes
- Enhances your reputation and brand, and ability to attract and retain quality staff
- Reduces costs, associated with workplace conflict
My credentials
Consulting
- Collaboration consultant to the Vancouver Foundation.
- Facilitator of global virtual teams, working on corporate innovation challenges, with IdeaConnection.com.
- Consultant to multiple BC Government conflict management systems initiatives, including Civil Resolution Tribunal.
- 15 years as a business analyst and project manager with international systems consulting firms, Accenture and Sierra Systems.
- Volunteer Adviser with the Canadian Executive Service Organization (in Philippines, Tanzania, Bolivia).
- Some of the clients I’ve worked with (non-confidential).
Conflict Management
- Commercial mediator, resolved 600+ workplace and community disputes.
- Online mediator with e-bay, BC Government, Consumer Protection BC.
- Mentor to 25 mediators in the BC Court Mediation Practicum Program.
- Restorative justice facilitator.
- Facilitator of cross-cultural conflict management workshops for Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria.
- Member of the BC Mediator Roster (since 2003)
- Certified Workplace Fairness Analyst.
- Certified in Conflict Dynamics Profile® assessment instrument.
- Associate Faculty, Royal Roads University, Justice Studies Program.
Testimonials
“Ben, thank you for presenting for our members in Cowichan. We appreciated your grounded expertise, and engaging style. Attendees enjoyed the opportunity to pose questions in the safe and comfortable atmosphere you created.” Elizabeth Croft, Events and Membership Manager, Duncan Cowichan Chamber of Commerce
“Ben is very conscientious, always prepared, very friendly, good with people, and I recommend him as a mediator in pretty much any civil dispute.” Lee Turnbull, Senior Advisor, Mediate BC
“I hired Ben as a project manager for a high risk, many-faceted project. His attention to detail, realistic approach and consultative manner gave this project the boost it needed. I would hire him again unreservedly.” Pam Wilkins, British Columbia Government
“Ben worked with us to provide a mix of one-to-one and group sessions tailored to address a workplace conflict. His guidance has given us tools and insights that we continue to use.” BC Non-Profit Manager
“Ben was on the Board of Directors of the Values-Based Business Network for several years and his mediator’s approach was an important contribution to the board. At one point, we had an “angry” contractor and Ben handled the situation smoothly and professionally, leaving all sides satisfied with the outcome.”, Alan Dolan, Chair, Values-Based Business Network (Victoria)
“Ben was thorough and sensitive in his approach to our collaboration building requirements. He is a trained professional who offers highly valuable insight.” Lorna Knowles, VP, i.O.N., It’s Only Natural Clothing Corp.
“Ben resides at the intersection of dispute resolution and social technologies. He brings to his work a refreshing combination of professionalism, sincere personal engagement, and an infectious passion for connecting people and ideas. Working with Ben was a rewarding, enjoyable experience. I look forward to following his exciting work and continuing to connect both on and offline.” Justin Corbett, Executive Director at National Association For Community Mediation
“Ben conducted an educational workshop on Conflict Mediation for Chamber members as part of our Business Education Series. Participants report that he expertly communicated key issues, providing concrete tools for them to take away while inspiring with fresh perspectives. He is a pleasure to work with – reliable and professional. Well done Ben!” Sarah Mitchell, Event Manager at Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
“Ben is a creative thinker and blogger. In the Philippines, he pulled off a tricky assignment with CESO when he photographed, videotaped and interviewed people for a blog. His positive messages, actions and collaborative approach demonstrated how to work with others in projects here and abroad. ” Alex Gillis, Communications and Public Engagement Manager, Canadian Executive Service Organization
My Fees
My general consulting fee is $100/hour. Coaching is $125/hour. Mediation-related is $150/hour.
Let’s connect
Call me for a free consultation; at 1-250-516-3936, or fill out my Contact form, and I’ll get back to you, usually within 1 business day.
Thank you for your interest in my services.