April 1, 2011 – 9:30am – 3:30pm

At one time or another, we all face issues in the workplace:

-   Your co-worker isn’t carrying a fair share of the load.

-   Your staff members are in-fighting, and look to you to resolve their issues.

-   The department that is supposed to support you is giving you attitude.

-   You have ideas to help the company, but you’re hitting a brick wall.

-   You’re considering filing a formal complaint, or are worried that one against you or the company may be brewing.

-   You think a policy is outdated, a decision is unfair to you, or a strategy is harmful to the team, but aren’t sure how to bring it up.

Handling workplace issues in an effective manner saves you & the company time, money, reputation and relationships. Employees give discretionary effort as team players when ‘engaged.’ Learn these techniques through exercises, examples, and practical how-to guidelines:

• The three basic ways to handle issues, and guidelines for when to use which
• How to address a conflict with a colleague without making it worse
• Coaching others in using problem-solving skills to resolve their own issues
• ‘Disagreeing up’ – giving input, challenging policies & decisions
• The keys to turning issues into resolutions, and an adversarial situation into a partnership

Time & Place: 9:30 – 3:30 on Friday, April 1, at Community Mediation Inc, 32 Elm Street, New Haven.

Jane Zirlis, the facilitator, is a management consultant specializing in organizational effectiveness & strategic initiatives, and is a mediator for the EEOC.   She was a key member of the team which implemented Coca-Cola’s landmark conflict management policy, and integrates those best practice concepts into her leadership workshops and coaching.  In her early career, Jane founded a boutique organizational consulting firm on Wall Street, and has been an arbitrator in the financial services for over 15 years.  Her recent projects include helping organizations use conflict management techniques as an enterprise risk management tool, as well as a profitability and Employee Engagement strategy.  Jane has a BA in Human Behavior from Harvard University and an MBA from NYU in Finance, where her thesis project was International Negotiations.

Read an interview with Jane from the Hartford Business Journal