September 27, 2016
Presenting Problem Escalated conflict between the service technicians (60 employees) and the dispatch department (3 employees) impaired performance. Some of the staff left work early, emotionally distraught over the tension and accusations. The vice president of the division concluded that the conflict was caused by “personality problems.” Fact Finding and Actions After interviewing a cross-section […]
September 1, 2016
If you had to guess, how much would you say workplace drama and conflict cost your department and organization? Remember to count lost productivity, strained working relationships, supervisor time, and even employee turnover. Of course, the amount will vary from business to business. But if your workplace is like the average organization, the cost is […]
August 3, 2016
Last time, we talked about the mind/brain distinction, defined neuroplasticity, and wrapped up with a quick exercise on taking in the good. We’ll need to keep these basics in mind as we continue with this series. Today, we’re going to be talking about different layers of the human brain. First, there’s the “lizard brain” or […]
August 2, 2016
Back in 2012, I attended a week-long class on neuroplasticity led by neuropsychologist Rick Hanson and sponsored by the Cape Cod Institute. I turned the content into a newsletter series called Brain Bytes, full of tips, tricks, and strategies from the seminar. The class was a few years ago, but the research is transformative and cutting-edge. So over the […]
August 2, 2016
Presenting Problem The VP of a hospital division asked Anna Maravelas of Thera Rising to resolve a conflict on the dialysis unit. The conflict centered on the three leaders of the unit: the head nurse, the assistant head nurse, and the supervisor of the technicians. Because the conflict compromised patient safety, the VP decided that without […]
August 2, 2016
The construction managers and architects had barely spoken in nine years. And they worked a few feet from each other, at the same firm. Does that sound crazy? Good, because it is crazy! That said, departmental standoffs and power struggles are realities of the modern workplace. As a conflict competence organization, Thera Rising sees plenty […]
August 1, 2016
Have you ever had an experience like this? You’re giving a presentation in front of your department. In the middle of your talk, your colleague Brad interrupts you and challenges one of your conclusions. Your pulse climbs as he leans back in his chair, looking smug. A throbbing sensation builds in your temple. Your field […]
July 28, 2016
In ten-plus years of working at Thera Rising, I’ve heard about two responses to telling someone I work in workplace conflict resolution. One is, “Wow, we could use you where I work!” The other is, “But isn’t conflict good?” The short answer to that question is, “Well, yes. Kind of. But a lot of the […]