Sound Familiar?
When you think about your workplace, are any of these topics on your mind?
- Conflict aversion
- Too much conflict
- Gridlock on one specific issue
- One person derailing or delaying decisions
- You’re in anger management
- Someone else should be in anger management
- You all want to grow or change the business, but can’t decide how
- Boundaries between work and friendship/family
You’re in the right place! Keep reading to find out how to move forward.
Services
Mediation
“Going to mediation” can sound ominous, but the process doesn’t have to be. When you’re open to it, mediation can reveal surprising truths. Often, one (or both) of you might think that your needs or desires for the company are obvious; just as often, those needs are actually unclear.
When you’re in mediation, the goal is for you and the other party to co-create your own solution. If you’re reading this, you’ve probably already tried solving problems on your own but gotten stuck: For example, maybe you and your work wife/graphic design studio co-founder keep circling the same question or questions over and over again, without any resolution. The role of the mediator is to slow down your conversation enough to help uncover hidden or misunderstood ideas, so that each of you can better understand the other and be better prepared to work together on common goals.
By the way, mediation isn’t only for people who can’t agree with each other. It’s also for people who do agree on what they want, but still can’t figure out the best way to proceed through a complex situation. Picture two sisters who own a hair salon together and aren’t sure how to handle some issues with their landlord because of many complex and time-dependent factors that involve the other tenants, international time zones, and language barriers. In a session like this, we’d work on unearthing/clarifying your needs and goals, and you’ll leave knowing how best to proceed together.
Facilitated Conversations
Our Facilitated Conversations can look different, depending on what your group needs.
*Group Mediation session: Good for when there is a specific problem affecting the group, such as undiscussed tension between salon owners and the stylists who rent chairs there. As with regular two-party mediation, the facilitator ensures that the group discussion happens at a pace that helps reveal any hidden or misunderstood ideas, and in a way that everyone can understand each other. Participants co-create their own solution, which helps everyone buy into the solution’s execution. Everyone leaves with deeper understanding of each other’s priorities and how they impact the business.
*Structured exploration session: Good for when you need to set aside time for the group to examine “the elephant in the room” — that is, to explore a specific question or issue that’s been blocking your company from growth. The facilitator directs discussions based on a curated series of topics related to this question or issue. Participants leave with clarity on the question or issue and ideas on how to move the company forward.
*Open exploration session: More participant-directed, this session is good for helping stakeholders check in with each other before/during/after a transitional time (say, while anticipating your father/CEO’s retirement). Participants determine the topics, and the facilitator makes sure everyone hears and understands each other, and helps uncover hidden needs that may impact the future of the business. Participants leave with a fuller understanding of their colleagues’/loved ones’ experiences of this transitional moment, as well as things to keep in mind while the business enters this new stage.
Conflict Coaching
One-on-one sessions for when you are working on a specific conflict – anticipating a conflict, wondering how to address a current conflict, or maybe been told that you’re handling conflict badly (but haven’t gotten anywhere with anger management sessions). During these sessions, we discuss the issue, clarify what’s at stake, and game out possible solutions, all using interactive tools. You’ll leave our session(s) having figured out some new ways to communicate your position with the best chances of getting it heard and acted on.
Trainings
Trainings are interactive, participatory workshops that explore how conflict functions both within your group and within each participant as individuals. Trainings involve exercises that build on each other, with each exercise followed by a group discussion. Each training is tailored to the needs of your team and can be centered on a particular theme or issue if that serves.
At the end of a training, your team will feel more comfortable with conflict and more knowledgeable about the positive aspects of conflict. You’ll also have a better understanding of how, when, and whom to engage in a workplace conflict. Finally, you’ll get a better understanding of your conflict “style,” as well as how other people perceive that style.
Half-day and full-day workshops available.
Communications Audit
Is your family (or framily) working together effectively with each other? What about with the rest of your company? Don’t get stuck in assumptions about who is discussing what, and how, and when: You need to have a clear plan. The Communications Audit is a review of your company’s internal “phone tree” to explore and document how and when important information is currently communicated. This audit also includes a strategic planning process to strengthen and optimize your in-house communication strategy over time.
Socialization Roadmap (add-on)
As an add-on to the Communications Audit, the Socialization Roadmap helps you plan a specific product, policy, or process in-house roll-out, from the point of view of the people at your company who will be using it. The Roadmap uncovers and accounts for anticipated blocks to change, and offers guidance on how to take people’s resistance into consideration while still moving forward with the new product, policy, or process.
Retainers
Ongoing custom services for your family-run and friend-run business. If you’re facing a major company transition and want guidance along the way, we can set you up for long-term family and friend relationship successes. Please schedule some time to discuss what you need and how we can help.