Once Upon a ConflictWritten by Judith Richardson
Once upon a time there lived an innocent, hardworking manager. One day he dared to wander from safety of his open-concept office to speak out at a team meeting. He was immediately challenged, nay attacked, by another team member and his senior manager, embarrassing him in front of his peers. Plagued by downsizing, this noble manager feared for his job. A senior human resource professional saved day through mediation. From that day forward, manager carried that scar and never trusted anyone enough to speak out again.I am a management consultant and corporate coach. When it comes to fundamentals, my work is in creating spaces for people to make meaning, and move forward. We do not check our souls at door to workplace. Many of us are encountering a relentless speeding-up of life, an absence of thoughtfulness, fracturing relationships, and polarized issues. If we fail to prepare ourselves with appropriate skills, we face risk of being weakened by pressure, stress, and overwhelm at a time when our help and our leadership are needed most. I offer some simple steps for making meaning and thriving if conflict rears its head. 1. Honor others’ choices There are times when try as we might, we just can’t understand other people’s choices. I believe that not allowing others their choices plays a part in conflicted or violent situations. I realize that for some people limits and legislated behavior seems to be only thing that works, and I do not condone violent behavior. And yet, if we are here to express uniqueness of our soul, then at some level we are all free or none of us are free. And so, if you like being able to choose things that you like to choose...then it might be all right with you that others choose things they want to choose. 2. Hold your colleagues in your thoughts with deliberate intention. Clients experiencing conflict at work find themselves moving into worry about future and what is going to happen or might happen. Often concerned that fears might consume or paralyze them. Fear is often catalyst for some of our most positive change. The only way to relax and stay relaxed is acceptance. You don't have to agree, or follow, or condone, but acceptance means you begin any interaction with a serenity that invites others to engage with you.
| | Radical Success!Written by Judith Richardson
Most successful businesses began with someone's passionate mission: to share new information, produce a better product, provide a new understanding, and contribute to culture. A successful business remains successful because it stays true to its mission. How does a business stay true to its mission? •By becoming clear about whom it is meant to serve •By hiring only people who are truly aligned with mission •By ensuring its products, its management practices and its organizational structures are all in alignment with mission •By measuring how well organization has achieved its mission each and every day •By trusting that money is a natural by-product of staying true to mission. A business that stays true to its mission develops “Presence”, has an inner pulse. A business with “Presence” is one that is standing still and solid, emanating light of its mission, so that its most perfect customers can easily find their way to company.
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