Paul Meshanko

Adventures of a Cultural Tourist: Rural America

2012-01-08T19:44:00.001-08:00

I admit I am a bit of a location snob. Having grown up in a large suburb 15 minutes from the city, then living in an actual city for most of my 20s, I am little biased when it comes to anything beyond those places. That’s where my comfort zone is, and I am fully aware of the limitations it puts on me!

So when I was offered to do some Connecting with Respect work in a less than urban or even suburban area, I was kind of nervous, but definitely up for the challenge – even though the client had to change the date of the work to accommodate hunting season. I mean, growing up the only thing I knew about hunting was hunting for a pair of shoes at the mall – which I went to every Sunday and more – but I digress.

Leading up to the trip, I would tell people where I was going and many looked surprised and some even offered a simple, “good luck with that.” It seemed like no one and not even myself was confident that this trip wasn’t going to be anything short of a disaster and that the people I was going to be working with were less than ideal candidates to hear my message.

I wondered if the material wasn’t accessible enough, if they’d be openly hostile to my being there, or if they’d just not say anything – the kiss of death for any facilitator.

The day of the workshop I was still nervous. And when I got to the site, I was greeted by my contact, who promptly told me that in my black pants and casual suit jacket I was overdressed. Oh no, I thought, I am in the wrong place the whole time I was in a back office changing into something more relaxed – my traveling clothes for the ride home!

But all that changed when I met the group and we settled into a day of challenging not only ourselves but our beliefs. By the end of the workshop, I was raving about having such open-minded and smart participants. Nothing like the group I had conjured up in my mind, who had nothing in common with me, because of where they lived.

So what’s the moral of this story?

Well, for starters our perceptions may be just that – perceptions. Because of the location and other circumstances involved, I allowed myself to believe every stereotype about rural America and the people who live there. The mind is like that. It looks for similar information and makes judgements before you can ever learn the real truth. It was only through allowing myself to really connect with the participants, because of who they were and not their stereotypical alter egos I had in my mind that I learned to appreciate and respect them for them.

Melanie Sklarz is the web content coordinator for the RespectfulWorkplace.com site, the lead blog writer, and a facilitator for Legacy’s diversity and respect programs. Prior to working for Legacy Business Cultures, Melanie spent almost 10 years developing, facilitating and promoting education and training programs for museums and non-profits, primarily in Washington, DC. She earned her MA in Women’s Studies from the Ohio State University.

Drew Brees – A Respectful Leader

2012-01-08T19:42:00.001-08:00

The year is coming to an end and number crunching is underway. Final results show that your company will break numerous records this year for profitability. Mr. CEO it is time for you to plan your investor call and all hands staff meeting to share the news. What message will you deliver? Who will you thank for the success? What path will you set for 2012?

Drew Brees, quarterback of the New Orleans Saints broke the record for NFL single season passing yards on Monday Night Football. The record stood for 27 years until Brees passed for 307 yards in the game and surpassed 5,087 yards for the season with one week left to play. He snapped the record with a touchdown pass and was instantly engulfed by his offensive line. The celebration was on and true leadership was about to show its head.

Brees being a truly respectful class act after being released from the grasp of his lineman instantly started to point to the crowd in the Superdome. He was thanking the Saints fans for supporting the team. He knows who his stakeholders are. He knows who keeps the cash flow going in the business.

As the celebration continued the cameras were rolling and watched as Brees stopped and hugged every one of his teammates, coaches and sideline staffers. There was even former Saints player Steve Gleason, who recently let the world know he was diagnosed with ALS, embracing Drew on the sideline. You could see Brees tell Gleason, “I love you man!” Once again he knows who is stakeholders are.

In a moment that could be selfish and no one would say a word Brees did what true leaders do. He redirected all the attention from him onto his team in a respectful way. He made sure each member of the team knew how important they were to his success as the quarterback. He did not conduct interviews with “I” statements and take the glory. He thanked the defense, special teams, linemen, running backs, wide receivers, ball boys, equipment managers, trainers and coaches. He stopped to take pictures with teammates that wanted to remember the moment. The moment he went into the history books.

Then the cameras were allowed into the locker room where a passionate Sean Payton, head coach of the Saints delivered the victory speech. He congratulated the team on the victory, gave praise and showed respect to former record holder Dan Marino and turned over the floor to Drew.
This video shows you all you need to know on how to be a true leader. Drew Brees Locker Room Speech (courtsey of ESPN).

When it comes time for you to lead your team and celebrate victories in the business world, take a lesson from an NFL quarterback. Your team in your company depends on your leadership and when it is easy to take the credit for success remember your stakeholders. Who is your offensive line that protects you? Who are the receivers that catch your passes? Who are the equipment managers that make sure you have the tools you need to succeed? Finally, who are your fans? Thank them all and you will achieve continued respectful success in 2012.

Chris Capozzi serves as the Director of Business Development for Legacy Business Cultures and RespectfulWorkplace.com. He has a proven track record of success in the business and athletic arenas. Chris has led sales teams to record growth and built a startup business to over $1 million in revenue in just two years. Coach Capozzi has also used his model for success on the baseball field as a coach on the college and professional levels. His unique ability to understand human motivation from different aspects in life is the key to working with clients. He was the National Sales and Management Director for Ripken Baseball and the Corporate Development Director for the University of Phoenix. Capozzi owned his own business Between the Lines Athletics for over a decade. He has coached for Malone College, Villa Julie College, USA Baseball Athlete Development Program, Frontier League Professional Baseball and still serves as an assistant coach at Walsh University. Chris combines sound team culture with respect for each other to produce winning results on and off the field and the boardroom.

Chris has a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Phoenix and serves on the board of directors for numerous non-profit organizations. He resides in North Canton, OH with his wife Stefanie and four children.

Respect Tip: Lead by Example

2012-01-08T19:40:00.001-08:00

“A leader leads by example, whether he intends to or not.” ~ Unknown

The most effective leaders don’t use words to lead, they use their actions. Think about it. Who, as a leader, has influenced you the most in your life or career?

Do you remember them more for the words they spoke to you or the life they led? It could be a bit a both but probably their actions were more memorable in the end.

We can all say that we want to be a good leader, we are a good leader but a truly great and respectful leader does not need to say any of that, if they lead by example. As the famous adage goes, “actions speaker louder than words.”

What You Can Do

As a leader, the best thing to remember is that everything you not only say but do impacts someone else. In the workplace, this may mean being a role model that exhibits the type of behavior you want to see in your staff.

An Ounce of Prevention

2012-01-08T19:33:00.001-08:00

At a recent networking event I was standing near a couple of younger women who were deep in a conversation about challenges they were facing at work. After introducing ourselves I learned that they both work in large organizations, each in a position of power.

One woman was talking about a staff member who seemed to have no idea as to what constituted appropriate workplace behaviour. Apparently this is a common problem because the other woman seemed to be experiencing a lot of the same issues at her workplace.

A plethora of “whys” and “shoulds” peppered the conversation. “Why would she behave like that? She should know that you can’t say something like that…Why doesn’t she know that you can’t do something like that…She should know that you can’t act like that…”

Their frustration with these situations was evident. As the exchange continued I noticed that they became both empowered and comforted by their shared sense of the issue, inaccurately framed as a problem with an individual employee rather than the possible symptom of a larger or systemic issue.

I have encountered this countless times in my consulting work. Employees engage in inappropriate behaviour, they tell off colour jokes, they throw paper clips at each other’s heads, they send rude emails, they raise their voices or use profanity, they dress provocatively, they have sexual relations in the office. The list goes on and on. Leaders shake their heads and wonder how this is happening, given that “they should know better.”

As I walked away from the conversation I thought to myself that the answer to all those why questions is very simple. The reason that the employee does not know what is or is not appropriate in her workplace is because no one has told her. In all likelihood neither of their workplaces has spent much time thinking about why that old expression “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” has stuck around for as long as it has.

A great deal of my time is spent dealing with problematic disrespectful behaviour in the workplace, the vast majority of which is absolutely preventable. One of the reasons it continues to occur is because many workplace leaders, like those two women I overheard, share some very flawed assumptions about behavioural norms in our contemporary, diverse society.

The assumption is that such norms exist. The assumption is that there is a common understanding of what appropriate, respectful and professional workplace behaviour looks like and that the people they are hiring to work for them possess this knowledge.

In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. There are no widely accepted norms. There is no common understanding. Years ago I was conducting focus groups with employees in a department that was having some major problems with disrespect. As we were wrapping up the subject of dress codes came up. One young woman said “ We have a casual dress code. It works fine.” Then she proceeded to get up and as she was walking out I saw the details of the tattoo she had on her lower back clearly visible in the space between her shirt and the top of her low rise jeans.

Appropriate for the street? Maybe. In an office? No, particularly if you want to avoid costly and disruptive problems like sexual harassment. That workplace might have a dress code, however, it was obvious to me that employee had no idea how she “should” be dressing at work.

As I reflected on what I heard that evening I wondered what, if any, action either of those women might take as a result of their conversation. In my experience, one flawed assumption often leads to another. If we assume that an employee should know better, we assume that the employee is to blame for what is going on. The employee and their problematic or inappropriate behaviour become one and the same. We see the person as the problem; a flawed and potentially costly perspective which encourages us to absolve ourselves of any responsibility for the inappropriate behaviour we are encountering in others.

Here’s a hot tip for you. If you are in a position of power in a workplace, you are responsible. And as Spiderman’s uncle said as he lay dying, with great power comes great responsibility. While I appreciate that life would be a whole lot easier for many workplace leaders if there was a common societal understanding of how to behave respectfully and professionally, given that there isn’t, adopting an “ounce of prevention” approach will ensure that one is created for the employees in your workplace.

The first step is to figure out what it is that you think that employees “should” know about how to conduct themselves appropriately, respectfully and professionally in your workplace. The fact that it is a workplace must be the anchor to any discussions. There must be a distinction between what people do or say at work, compared to what they might do or say outside of work. That distinction should frame the discussion.

When you have figured out what you think employees should know, don’t simply develop a policy and stick it in your employee handbook. By all means develop policies, but make sure that those policies serve as a springboard to widespread and ongoing discussions and dialogue with all employees. Start talking about what respectful and professional behaviour looks like. Rather than create a set of rules and impose them, demonstrate respect by involving employees with curiosity and questioning.

Structure these conversations so that all employees understand what it is that they “should” know about behavioural expectations in your workplace. Make sure that those conversations are incorporated into your hiring and onboarding practices. Make sure that workplace leaders and those they lead are supported, empowered and held accountable to take responsibility to speak up when they encounter behaviour that does not reflect the corporate standard.

An” ounce of prevention” summarizes the dominant theme in Road to Respect. If you want to eliminate the costly and toxic outcomes of workplace disrespect, you must be proactive. You have to create a workplace culture where respectful norms of behaviour are clearly defined, communicated, understood and demonstrated by everyone. Applying that old adage will ensure that your business reaps “a pound of cure” with ongoing, sustainable business success.

Erica Pinsky, B.A., M.Sc, CHRP, is an engaging and inspirational speaker, author and consultant working with organizations to build respectful and inclusive workplace cultures that attract and retain quality employees. Creative, dynamic and results oriented, Erica is passionate about promoting workplace cultures where employees feel engaged, comfortable and focused on their jobs in an environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying and destructive conflict. Erica’s book, Road to Respect, Path to Profit gives companies a road map to success in today’s challenging business climate.

Respect Tip: Contribute Porportionally

2012-01-08T19:32:00.000-08:00

While this tip can have multiple interpretations, I am referring to meetings. You know the person ( maybe it’s you!) who monopolizes an entire meeting with their comments. Or it’s the person, who gives the longest explanation for the simplest point. Whoever it is, you get the idea. This type of disruptive and disrespectful behavior takes many forms.

Make it Happen

The next time you are in a meeting and notice that you are contributing too much, try to scale it back, if necessary. Instead let the person, who never gets a chance to say something share their ideas first.
Or if you are in a meeting and someone else is not contributing proportionally, gently remind them that everyone should have a turn speaking. Maybe at the next meeting, you even set a timer and everyone gets no more 3 minutes to speak per topic.

As Paul Meshanko always says in his workshops, when discussing this topic, “You are born with one mouth and two ears so use them proportionally.”

MAKING A DIFFERENCE WITH MUTUAL RESPECT

2012-01-08T15:43:00.000-08:00

In the summer of 2010, Medical Mutual of Ohio partnered with EdgeOhio to help launch Mutual Respect, an initiative that would build on the company’s already-strong employee satisfaction ratings and turn it into an active force to improve many areas, including customer service, employee commitment and trust. According to Tom Greene, VP of Human Resources, “The goal of any program of this type should be to create an environment that, over time, will continue to foster retention, improve employee continuity and make for a better customer experience. All of those characteristics help differentiate Medical Mutual in the marketplace.”

Support for the idea came straight from the top. The board of directors of Medical Mutual also recognized that their people are their company’s greatest competitive advantage. Patty Hartmann, Manager of Corporate Learning and Development, said that both the board and senior leadership wanted to leverage the company’s diversity, not as a passive way to recognize people’s differences, but to actively use them to make Medical Mutual stronger. “We knew we had a culture that understood diversity and supported differences,” said Hartmann, “but we wanted to turn that into a competitive asset that helps us succeed in the market. It’s the next step in continuing to build an inclusive culture.”

Medical Mutual officially launched Mutual Respect by first surveying all 2,700 of its employees in Ohio, Indiana, South Carolina and Georgia to establish internal benchmark data on perceptions of respectfulness in the culture. According to Sandy Opacich, Director of HR, “We have been doing employee ‘satisfaction’ surveys for several years, but with EdgeOhio on board, we were able to interweave questions developed specifically to ascertain the level of respect within.” The initial survey response rate was 70 percent, which is substantial. The results showed that, while Medical Mutual was already perceived as a very respectful work environment, there was room for improvement in some key areas.

Acting on data and insights gained from the survey process, Medical Mutual quickly followed up with a customized workshop created by EdgeOhio to position respect as a platform for better understanding the broader concept of diversity and how to leverage it for culture change. Paul Meshanko, EdgeOhio’s Managing Partner, is quick to point out that an authentic culture of respect goes beyond the traditional [diversity] focus on awareness of differences. While this may be a starting point, authentic respect requires the active commitment of all managers and employees to treat each other in ways that build esteem and communicate value.

Initially, the half-day workshop was delivered to all leaders and managers, including the chief executive officer. Following the management workshops, each manager was then required to work with his or her team members to facilitate the creation of a Code of Cooperation. These “living guidelines” typically include 8-12 behaviorally specific statements detailing how employees who work together agree to engage with and treat each other. What sets Mutual Respect apart from past diversity efforts, according to Medical Mutual’s Tom Greene, is that the “results of the survey and the manager-level training include a clear link to organization-wide efforts to foster a culture of respect.”

With management already having completed the program, Medical Mutual is now offering over 30 sessions of the Mutual Respect workshop to all employees on a voluntary basis. EdgeOhio has certified internal staff to facilitate the workshop and Hartmann says it has been very well attended. “So far, all sessions have been full, most with waiting lists.” she says. “We plan to re-survey our employees in third quarter 2011 and, judging by early comments, we expect continued improvement in areas that have a measurable impact on our company.”

Workplace violence is costing US employers over $200 billion a year

2011-12-08T14:38:00.000-08:00

Paul Meshanko from Legacy Business Cultures and Tom Green VP of Human Resources from Medical Mutual discuss Workplace Violence with Ciarra Nelson from TV20

Respect Tip: Give a Compliment

2011-12-08T14:34:00.001-08:00

Today we begin a new weekly feature, where we suggest a respect tip for you to use in your workplace and daily life. Often these tips will seem obvious, but as everyone’s daily lives become busier, these ‘niceties’ are often the first thing we forget and are also the most important to fostering an environment of respect.

When we think about respect, we usually remember how we felt when someone treated us with respect – or disrespect! That feeling will stay with us and the next time that person needs help we will either choose to mirror that respectful or disrespectful behavior back to to them.

So what if we decided we wanted more respect?

Then, we’d focus on those small (or large) behaviors that made us feel respected the most and share them with other people.

That is our goal with sharing a weekly respect tip. Each tip will be a simple reminder that hopefully brings about big results in your own life.

Our first tip is to give a compliment.

Did a coworker do a great job on a presentation? Did an employee suggest a new idea that brought in more business? Whatever it was, give that person a compliment today. And make sure you also do this in public so this person receives the recognition they deserve.

Then, see if you can find at least one person a day to give a compliment to and notice their reaction. Feel free to leave a comment and let us know how this tip worked for you.

Is this Respectful?

2011-12-08T14:32:00.001-08:00

So here’s a scenario for you to consider:

It’s based on recent political entanglements. You sit on a board that has the power to make decisions for the entire company, but you dislike the President of the company. Even though both of you claim to want the best for the company, you continually block all the President’s initiatives, because you disagree with them.

You’ve been with the company longer than the President, so you believe you know more than him on these issues.

The President has asked for your input, but you refuse to meet with him because of your differing ideologies. You’ve declared that you will not compromise on your beliefs and change your opinion on the situation.

Now, the President is releasing another new plan to improve the company and you still don’t like it. He will be presenting the new plan to the entire company and has asked you to comment on the proposal. You have declined, saying that the rest of the board will speak instead.

Is this respectful behavior toward the President? Why? Or why not? What would you do?

Respect is…

2011-12-08T14:29:00.000-08:00

Do you think you know what respect is? The dictionary defines it as: the condition of being esteemed or honored.

In this short video, Paul Meshanko explains how we define it and also how this relates to you and your organization. It might just change your idea of what respect is and what respect isn’t.

Advantage to Butt-in-the-Seat Respect Training

2011-12-08T14:06:00.000-08:00

The best roadmap to the future sometimes looks strangely like the past. This is particularly relevant in the discussion on classroom vs. online training. Almost a decade ago, one of my friends who worked as an HR manager for a large, Fortune 50 manufacturing company lamented the difficulty his organization was having with employee acceptance and use of a new, online learning service that had just been purchased from an outside vendor.

He said, “You know, Paul, sometimes there’s nothing quite like good, old ‘butt-in-the-chair’ training”. Looking through the lens of recent research on learning, the cause of his frustration is much more apparent.

Technology is great. In fact, I’m writing this post from a Mr. Tire repair shop (conveniently located next to a Bob Evans restaurant with a strong wi-fi signal). I could just as easily be participating in a webinar on to do a better job pre-screening new employee candidates or improving the search rankings of our websites. But technology, like other educational “tools”, has its limitations…especially when it comes to learning and development.

The challenge is human neurology.

Research supports that knowledge and skills related to tasks that can be executed independently of other people (such as how to interact with a new computer program) can be practiced and learned by our brains without direct interaction with other people. However, when the skills to be learned actually involve our interactions with other people or have a high emotional content (such as communication skills or inclusive behaviors), our brains struggle on their own to learn at the level required to change behaviors. This is because the learning itself is a by-product of participating in and observing the complex, nuanced and multi-sensory interactions between live humans.

My suggestion, one that has served our company very well over the past 15 years, is simple. Leverage technology to its fullest when it makes sense. Online learning labs, webinars, etc. are terrific and should be part of every organization’s learning tool kit. But when it comes to enhancing skill sets critical for positively impacting the culture of your business (the “soft” skills), stick with live, face-to-face environments. Not only does this best take advantage of how humans learn, it also builds commitment to use the skills between the people who learn together.

Respect Tip: Watch Your Cues

2011-12-06T17:08:00.000-08:00

Last night while watching NBC Nightly News, they featured a story about people looking for work and a center that provides them with classes and coaching. One of the exercises that the job seekers were required to participate in involved being videoed while mock interviewed. Afterward, they were required to watch a playback of the video but with the sound turned down.

Why?

Well, if you’ve ever taking a public speaking class, you know that usually one of the assignments requires you to be taped speaking so you can see how you REALLY present yourself.

The same is true of the above story. While we may not always be aware of the visual cues we project, they may be speaking more loudly than we are in work situations. Watching the video with the sound off, participants learn which cues they are projecting and if they are in alignment with what they intended to project.

Sometimes our visual cues can be way off and we come across not what we intended but what the other person perceives. So being aware of how we present ourselves from someone else’s point of view can save a lot of confusion in the workplace and build respect along the way.

What You Can Do

Ask a confidant at work how they perceive the way you act. Are you nodding your head yes, when you actually mean no? Are you smiling when you deliver bad news? If so, try watching your cues in the workplace and notice the reactions.

More Reasons Why Civility Begins at Home

2011-12-01T16:59:00.000-08:00

Autumn is here and with it brought a return to school for students, a renewed energy in the workplace with summer holidays behind us, and the end of the extensive summer vacation for government. With everyone raring to go, there are bound to be uncontrolled fits and misplaced bursts of energy, many people jockeying for positions of comfort after their rejuvenating summer breaks. Undoubtedly, there will be instances where people are so enthusiastic or full of themselves in general that they will exhibit uncivil behavior. We are, after all, human beings. It is our very nature, especially in western society, to get ahead either at school, in our jobs, or in our efforts to get reelected as government officials.

None of us are immune to overstepping our bounds from time to time with this desire to achieve our goals. Unfortunately, while striving for our goals, too often these efforts turn into acts of bullying. Sometimes we purposefully act in ways which can be very hurtful and cruel to those around us. Other times we behave this way quite unaware and are clueless as to how our actions affect those people with whom we interact.

What better time than the present is there to stop and assess our actions, our motives, and our goals? I have observed, as have many others, that civility at school, in the work place, in social and activity clubs and in the legislature has fallen to a very low point. If we want to build any kind of a sustainable and healthy future for our children and grandchildren, now is the time to begin anew to lead by example so that those who hold us in high regard have good reason to do so.

Where we need to begin this sort of renovation is at home. Bullying begins at home. This is learned because one or both parents, caregivers, and siblings teach this behavior initially. There is no point to laying blame elsewhere. If there are constant tears at home from a child; if there is a constant or even occasional outburst which instills fear in a household; if there is confusion and lethargy surrounding a household, it is time to take a look at what is going on. We need to become more aware of and take responsibility for our actions. We must make a bigger effort to think about how we affect other people’s feelings and self-esteem.

Bullying comes in many forms – physical, emotional, verbal, and mental. Unfortunately, the effects of this abuse can last a lifetime. We all deserve respect. Whether the newborn fresh home from the hospital, the elder statesman who is the patriarch of the family, or the grandmother whose firm guidance has solved many a family argument, we all deserve to be treated with kindness, compassion and respect. This is best accomplished if practiced everyday. I think it is so important that I suggest scheduling some family time if necessary, where all family members can get together to discuss what is going on in their lives. How else will we find out if someone is being bullied and is afraid. None of us are skilled enough psychics to guess how our loved ones are feeling, what their troubles may be, and how we may help them to feel better about themselves.

Bullying is akin to negative reinforcement. The only thing worse is abandonment. Coming home to an empty house, for example, is a very unhealthy way for any of us to end our day of work or schooling. Even something as simple as a short note indicating that there is food in the fridge or what time dinner will be gives some assurance that a much needed connection will be made soon. We cannot thrive or even exist in isolation. We mustn’t do this to our loved ones.

Bullying is the behavior of weak individuals. This weakness needs to be addressed. It is the responsibility of parents to see to it that their children are raised to know the difference between behavior which is acceptable and that which is not. This is a simple process really because everything that our parents do, we as children assume is alright. It does not take a lot of experience to recognize actions which are wrong. Abuse of any kind is uncalled for. Physical abuse is in fact against the law, a fact of which many people are unaware. Physical abuse must be reported to authorities at once and can be done anonymously if needs be.

This fall, let’s try to make it our own personal policy to behave civilly with one another. This kind of natural behavior cannot be successfully legislated, nor should it be. A healthy society should be able to nurture this behavior very comfortably. Discussing this at home brings it to the forefront of our minds and helps make it easier to happen. If the home is a secure place to live physically, mentally and emotionally, our schools and places of work will be too.

Jay Remer is certified by the Protocol School of Washington as a consultant for corporate etiquette and international protocol. He lives in St. Andrews, NB, Canada. E-mail your etiquette questions to jay@etiquetteguy.com and visit his website at www.etiquetteguy.com.

EdgeOhio rebrands to Legacy Business Cultures

2011-11-29T16:00:00.000-08:00

Cleveland, Ohio, October 20, 2011 – Edge Learning of Ohio (EdgeOhio), today announced that it is changing its name to Legacy Business Cultures (www.legacycultures.com).

“We wholeheartedly believe – as do our clients – in the importance of creating a powerful and positive emotional legacy with employees, partners, and customers,” said Paul Meshanko, founder and Managing Partner. “Our bread and butter is helping our clients create long-lasting, best-in-class organizational cultures, so our new name simply reflects what we do best.”

Since its founding in 1997, the firm has provided leadership and staff development services that help organizations improve management competencies, enhance employee engagement, and improve customer service. The company’s fully customizable training curricula cover the topics of diversity and respect, engagement readiness, leadership development and organizational resiliency. Additionally, Legacy provides a comprehensive suite of employee survey and assessment tools that accurately measure employee attitudes and link their impact to business results.

“Organizations that build exceptional cultures don’t get there overnight,” Meshanko said. “They start with a plan and then work hard to build engaged, respectful and highly productive workforces. We help our clients figure out where they are today – and then give them the training and tools they need to get where they want to be tomorrow.”

The name change to Legacy, which is effective immediately, does not impact the company’s organizational structure, its day-to-day operations, or its alliance with key strategic partners. According to Meshanko, “We’re fortunate to be aligned with some of the very best partners in the industry and will continue to work with these organizations and individuals under our new name. As we’ve proven over the years, our virtual team consistently provides a world-class service offering for everything we do!”

Century Federal Credit Union Earns a Rate of Return on Employee Engagement

2011-11-29T15:57:00.000-08:00

Century Federal Credit Union Earns a Rate of Return on Employee Engagement

There is no secret that small business drives the American economy and employees drive small business. Century Federal Credit Union (CFCU) of Cleveland, Ohio recognizes that it is their staff that will keep members satisfied and partners for years to come. In 2008, CFCU entered into what has now become a five year relationship with EdgeOhio that would build on the company’s already-strong employee satisfaction ratings, and turn it into an active force to improve may areas, including member service, employee commitment and trust.

CFCU leadership recognized an investment in their employees’ personal development would lead to higher levels of career satisfaction and ultimately customer retention and growth. Michelle Gorczyca, Director of Human Resources said, “Increasing Human Effectiveness started with our leadership team and it was a life changing program.” Small businesses have a higher level of connectivity with both staff and customers. CFCU understands that if a staff member is not engaged in the workplace a break down in relationships will occur quicker than in big business. CFCU chose to have Dawn Zmecek, Training and Development Coordinator, certified through Edge Ohio in the Increasing Human Effectiveness (IHE) program. Dawn was then able to facilitate the IHE program to all staff members. She now offers the program at least twice a year internally.

IHE was a great place to start in developing a higher level of engagement, but the leadership of CFCU wanted to create a clearly defined respectful workplace. Gorczyca and Zmecek attended the EdgeOhio public workshop Respect: The Source of Our Strength. During this program participants create a document titled “The Code of Cooperation.” This code drives respectful behavior in the workplace and is created by members of a given workgroup. The leaders of CFCU understood for lasting cultural impact they would need to create a code with their own employees.

The management group was asked to facilitate the code exercise and come up with statements that felt define a respectful workplace. CFCU then took the Code of Cooperation exercise and instituted the code as the key focus of the annual all employee day. Zmecek says, “The code gave every employee a voice.” From the development of the code at the employee day, Gorczyca took the lists and found twelve (12) common themes that CFCU employees identified as drivers for respect.

Once the official Code of Cooperation was complete, all employees signed it showing their commitment to treating each other with respect in the workplace. The twelve themes would lead to a level of impact that is still felt today. A survey was created based on the themes and all employees participate monthly to navigate ongoing change. Each month Zmecek dedicates a blog to one of the themes and as a result she says “levels of communication continue to increase.”

CFCU continued to make the presence of the code a lasting one by presenting each department with a framed version and creating an awards program around the twelve themes. The previous initiatives were not enough for leadership and they went one step further to ensure that all employees made the code a part of daily operations and interactions. All senior leaders decided to integrate the code as part of each employees performance review and assigned a ten (10) percent value to the code. Zmecek said “this ensured we walked the walk of respect.”

CFCU offers advice to fellow small businesses looking to impact their corporate culture. Gorczyca indicates “IHE provides a common language and a foundation for us to build on. In a small business one ineffective relationship can devastate an entire business line. EdgeOhio provided the guidance and programming to help bring big business training and development to a small business atmosphere.”

Respect Tip: Look for Common Ground

2011-11-22T13:40:00.000-08:00

One surefire way to create respect among people is to look for common ground. Too often we let our differences divide us instead of looking for our similarities. I bet we’d be surprised by how much we all have in common.

A great example of this revolves around values. I know the word has gotten some bad press lately, but what I am talking about are the core values that each and every one of us hold dear. These types of values are personal but help shape the way we view the world and basically determine what goals we accomplish on a short and long term basis.

Ask most people around the world what they value, and I am sure that one of those values will likely be family. It seems to be one of the few truly universal values that people agree on.

I have a colleague that has realized this and every time he meets someone new or reconnects with a contact he asks them about their family. It’s an easy way to make someone feel comfortable and to put you both on common ground.

What you can do

See if you can find some common ground with your colleagues at work. Sure, you all work for the same organization and want it to succeed and maybe that’s enough to create a respectful workplace. But try and see if you can come with any other shared values. You might just be surprised and you might also treat those colleague with more respect as a result.

How Heavy is Your Emotional Backpack?

2011-11-18T16:41:00.000-08:00

Imagine that each and every day you are wearing an invisible backpack. And that the people you interact with either add to it with positive or negative emotions. At the end of the day, how heavy is your emotional backpack?

This is a metaphor that stems from our Connecting With Respect program that we lead for organizations. In this program, we ask participants to explain (in behavioral and actionable) terms what respect and disrespect feel like. We then go on to explain how those behaviors create the emotions that end up in our backpack at the end of the day and how it is all related to your level of productivity in the workplace.

So what does respect feel like?

Often we hear answers like worthy or esteemed, for example from participants. Those are pretty positive emotions.

Now imagine those same emotions in your backpack at the end of the day. Last week, while facilitating this program with a colleague, he shared with me his take on this. Let’s say those positive emotions are actually helium balloons in your backpack. Just think how uplifted you would feel at the end of the day.

On the other hand, what does disrespect feel like?

This question gets a lot of impassioned responses in our program, as expected. People tend to have more vivid recollections of disrespectful feelings and experiences. We hear words like insignificant, stupid, unimportant and more.

Pretty harsh stuff. And pretty heavy stuff in your backpack, right!? As my colleague from before describes these, they are like bricks in your backpacks that really weigh you down.

Now let’s consider how your productivity is affected

How productive do you think you are if you are walking around with a backpack of bricks – or “crap bricks” as our latest client declared them last week during our program? I’d say probably not that productive or even motivated to want to work.

Now, let’s look at the backpack filled with helium balloons and positive emotions. I bet you’re feeling better already and uplifted. You may even be excited to go to work and are your most productive.
Which backpack do you want to wear all day? I’m guessing the one with the positive emotions and helium balloons that make you the most productive at work.

Melanie Sklarz is the web content coordinator for the RespectfulWorkplace.com site, the lead blog writer, and a facilitator for Legacy’s diversity and respect programs. Prior to working for Legacy Business Cultures, Melanie spent almost 10 years developing, facilitating and promoting education and training programs for museums and non-profits, primarily in Washington, DC. She earned her MA in Women’s Studies from the Ohio State University.

PSU – Generations of Culture

2011-11-15T15:51:00.000-08:00

Are there lessons we can learn from Penn State?

Is there a generational consideration that should be given to Joe Paterno, Jerry Sandusky and others involved in the allegedly horrific crime committed on the campus of Penn State University?  Did the perspective on life that is shown from their generation lead to the actions of the alleged cover up in this case?  Could we learn more on what this teaches us about similar situations?

The answer is yes.  The generational perspective in this case comes from a generation known as the tradionalist group.  This group is from the WWII era and Coach Paterno, born in 1926 falls right in the middle of this group while Coach Sandusky born in 1944 is on the edge of the baby boomers. Let’s examine the key characteristics of this generation and see if this sheds some light on the relationship between these two individuals.

The tradionalist generation are loyal to the employer and expect loyalty in return; possess strong interpersonal skills, enjoy flextime so they can work their own schedule; believe promotion, recognition and raises should come from job tenure. They build a legacy – expect a lifetime career with one employer or at least in one field and have a sense of personal responsibility to work.

Coach Paterno was the leader of this program for over forty years and developed a culture of loyalty from those involved. The corporate culture within the system was solely directed by his life experience.  He has built a legacy but regardless of all the good will that he has built over the years his moral judgment will be forever in question.  While we may never know the truth and circumstances in this tragedy, what we do know is if the culture were different within this team all of the cases that occurred after 2002 could have been prevented.

What would this legacy look like in the corporate world?

The leader that has been in place for decades setting a culture of “this is the way we have always done it” and expects everyone to fall in line with the culture the leader has built as his legacy.  In this company if a scandal was brewing we would see the leader take care of it and expect that he can handle the situation in the way he knows best.  The leader would know that if such a scandal was public his reputation and legacy would be destroyed.

Can we learn from this?  Sure we can. Has this happened before in the corporate world and a different direction taken?  Yes it has.  Think back to 1982, potassium cyanide was placed in Extra-Strength Tylenol throughout Chicago. Seven individuals died from this form of terrorism. Johnson & Johnson (the makers of the pain reliever) could have simply taken Tylenol off the counters in the Chicago area. Instead, the company immediately recalled Tylenol from the stores nationwide. Consumers, advertisers and other businesses praised J&J for its swift actions. Today the company is one of the most well-liked companies by consumers (Bickel, 2011).

Will Penn State University be able to recover from this scandal?  Yes, if they put safe guards in place to ensure this can never happen again.  The school must work to create a safe environment for all staff, students, and visitors. PSU will need to carefully create a standard of operation procedure in reporting and handling such situations in the future.

Future leaders of the institution will need to have a greater understanding on the impact that child safety and the handling of this situation will have on the future enrollment of students and families supporting youth camps on campus.  A policy is not enough.  A culture change is needed and respect for people should be at the foundation if they indeed want to return happy to the valley.

Respect Tip: Mentor a Colleague

2011-11-15T13:42:00.000-08:00

Probably one of the easiest ways to earn respect in the workplace is to mentor a colleague who is new to your team or organization. I am sure you know about the traditional mentoring process where a seasoned colleague works with a younger staff member in a formal way. Maybe they agree to meet at a set time to discuss predetermined goals.

While this type of mentoring is effective, I’d like to suggest a more informal approach to mentoring.

And that is simply making sure that your behavior at work inspires others. Sometimes, it is the nonverbals that we exude that makes the biggest influence on colleagues. Often as the old adage goes, “actions speak louder than words.”

What you can do

The first step to this type of mentoring is to be aware of how you behave (verbally and nonverbally) in the workplace. How do you treat EVERYONE? Do you always make eye contact and give people your full attention when talking to them? All of these respectful behaviors add up.

Who knows, you might already be unconsciously mentoring someone at work with your positive attitude and behavior.

Respect Tip: Value Dissenting Opinions

2011-11-08T13:45:00.000-08:00

I suppose there is no better day, than today to discuss embracing dissenting opinions. It is election day here in the United States, after all. And unless you haven’t noticed, politics in this country has become a place where dissenting opinions have been losing value. It seems that nowadays it is only my way and no other way.

But valuing those opinions that are different from our own – even if we don’t agree with them is a more powerful tool to building consensus among people and groups. By acknowledging that someone else’s opinion matters as much as our own is the first step to creating a respectful dialogue. You might be surprised to find that although someone else’s opinions differ greatly from yours their intent may actually be the same. For example, we all want to see the country improve, although our opinions on how to do that may differ.

Do it now

Next time you engage in a conversation that focuses on a differences of opinions, take a step back and actually consider the other person’s opinion and value it as much as you value your own. You might be pleasantly surprised by the outcome after making this simple, yet powerful effort.

What Would You Do?

2011-11-03T13:46:00.000-07:00

I created a version of the following scenario for an upcoming Connecting with Respect program I am co- facilitating next week. Read over the situation and try to take into consideration the perspectives of all the players.

Chris just turned 18 years old. Chris is an African-American and lives with his mother, who has been his sole parent for most of his life. He just started his first after school job setting up equipment for a local recreation center. He needs this job to help his mom pay the bills, so he is eager to make a good impression and do as he is told.

Katie is also 18 and she and Chris are seniors at the same high school. She is working at the recreation department in the child care center after school and on weekends. Before this, she did babysitting in her neighborhood. Katie is the middle child in a family of all girls. Her father is an accountant, who is a member of the city council and her mother has stayed home to raise Katie and her sisters.

Jennifer is Chris and Katie’s supervisor at the recreation center, in a primarily Caucasian suburb. She is in her mid-30s and is divorced but has no children. She was raised in a very conservative family. She is known among the younger staff as fun. She often chats with the kids during their breaks. She almost acts more like a friend and less like a supervisor.

That is unless she is around Chris. She usually criticizes his work and in meetings does not make eye contact with him. She is often heard making jokes about him behind his back. Katie has noticed this and as a favorite of Jennifer’s has started to feel uncomfortable. She does not want to say something and embarrass her family and she is also fearful that speaking up could cause Chris to lose his job.

What should Katie do?

Respect Tip: Be Wrong, On Occasion

2011-11-01T13:48:00.000-07:00

When was the last time you admitted (to yourself or others!) that you were wrong? Most of us like to be right all the time. But is it possible that on occasion we might be wrong and that that might be good for us and our relationships with others?

Being wrong, on occasion is not really the bad thing society would have us believe. It takes a person with a certain amount of humility and a large dose of self-esteem to admit that they are wrong. At work, this can lead to building stronger relationships with colleagues, employees approaching us with new ideas, and even the possibility for creating a more respectful workplace.

Start today

The next time you need to prove how right you are about something, take a step back and think about the following:

How do I know that I am right and the other person is wrong?
How do I know if I am acting on emotions only?
How do I know that my truth is the only truth out there?

And for more inspiration, check out The Art of Being Wrong and The Art of Being Wrong: The Rest of the Story.

Adventures of a Cultural Tourist: An African-American Church

2011-10-27T13:50:00.000-07:00

Value the many different sources of knowledge that exist is one of the Rules of Engagement that we use in our program, and it is also the theme of my latest installment in the adventures of cultural tourist. I began this series last month with an introduction and this month I’ll take you on my first adventure: attending a worship service at an African-American church.

Religion in our country is often a very personal and very segregated experience. I’ll admit that my own religious experience is limited to sporadically attending Catholic services, attending a Catholic college, and more recently exploring the services at a local Unitarian Universalist church. All of which were mostly all-white congregations.

That’s why when a close friend asked me to attend a service with him at his African-American church, I said, “yes.” What came next is something I was unprepared for.

Walking into the “church” which appeared to be just a small nondescript building on the outskirts of the city, I was greeted warmly by the other members of the church, who were excited to meet me. Such gregariousness took me aback. My friend and I sat near the front of the church, right next to a large speaker.

For about the next hour, that large speaker blared music, while members of the congregation joyfully sang and danced. I kept leaning into my friend asking him when the sermon was going to start. I was getting antsy. Our cultue is so rooted in instant gratification that I expected that after an hour the service should be over and not just starting!

The service concluded about three hours later, and I was exhausted. You may wonder why, since I wasn’t up there singing and dancing and preaching, I was just sitting in my seat the entire time. Well, as an introvert my energy is easily drained being surrounded by such extroversion. So much so, that afterward, when several people asked me how I enjoyed the service I replied, “that it was much different than what I was used to and that I was tired.” They laughed and probably thought I was a little weird.

Culturally speaking, the church services I attended all my life were more introspective and less about outwardly expressing your religion. I mentioned this recently to a friend, who said that’s why, although white, he was looking to join an African-American church, because if he wanted to silently contemplate his faith he could sit home and do that by himself. He expressed that he was more interested in being around others who were not only spiritually but physically engaged in their religion.

I had not thought about this before and had taken for granted that all religious services required you to be a passive rather than an active participant. It was my start at valuing the various sources of information and perspectives that exist around race and religion in our country. I realize now that I have a long way to go to learn more about this and relish in the exploration.

Melanie Sklarz is the web content coordinator for the RespectfulWorkplace.com site, the lead blog writer, and a facilitator for Legacy’s diversity and respect programs. Prior to working for Legacy Business Cultures, Melanie spent almost 10 years developing, facilitating and promoting education and training programs for museums and non-profits, primarily in Washington, DC. She earned her MA in Women’s Studies from the Ohio State University.

Respect Tip: Build Trust

2011-10-25T13:54:00.000-07:00

This weekend I attended a conference on creativity in business. I know the topic may seem a lot different than respect in the workplace, but as I learned the two are very similar. Before you can have a safe space to create or innovate in an organization you need respect and before you can have respect you need to build trust.

Think about it. Earning someone’s trust is probably the earliest stage to developing a relationship with them. Someone gives you something, you accept it and they learn to trust you.

That reciprocity will usually lead to an implied trust, which ultimately will turn into a respectful relationship.

So how does this work in organizations?

Say you help out a colleague and give them some information that helps them land a key client. You’ve established their trust and proved that you are a valuable resource that that person can turn to. This leads to them respecting not only you but your input and advice.

What are some other ways you can build trust that leads to respect in your organization?

Welcome to the Participation Age (or Participation, Power and Respect)

2011-10-20T13:58:00.000-07:00

One of my most popular presentations is entitled Speak Up Speak Out: Personal Power and Respect at Work. As the title suggests, the goal of the workshop is to inspire, empower and educate people to speak up when they have concerns and conflicts at work, particularly when faced with power based behaviors like harassment and bullying.

I developed this session as a direct response to what I experience repeatedly in my work as a Respectful Workplace Solutions Expert. The most common response that people have when on the receiving end of disrespectful behaviour is to put up with it, to say nothing and hope that it will go away. Problem is it rarely does. While creating a respectful workplace is the ultimate fix for such issues, many of us don’t have the luxury of waiting. I want to ensure people that they can make a different choice, a choice to speak up respectfully about the problems they may be facing.

I often end those presentations with this quote from anthropologist Margaret Mead:

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.”

Recently a small group of American citizens made a choice to speak up. They are speaking up about the very issues I focus on in my work: equality, respect and power. Three weeks later the Wall St. protest movement has spread within the US and now beyond its borders. Protests are planned for major Canadian as well as European cities.

I just watched an interview with a high profile conservative businessman and Canadian media personality, known for saying things like greed is good and the only thing better than money is more money. Not surprisingly he dismisses what is going on in New York as the ravings of a few disgruntled people who see an opportunity to get themselves on YouTube. He does not believe that these protests will change anything, mainly because his perspective is that nothing needs to be changed.

As I listened I couldn’t help thinking about Marie Antoinette and another infamous quote: “Let them eat cake.”

Personally I think that anyone currently in a position of power should be sitting up and taking notice. I share the perspective of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who contends that we are poised for another momentous shift in our collective economic history. In her opening remarks at the first ever Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) High-Level Policy Dialogue on Women and the Economy held on September 16 in San Francisco she said:

“I believe that here, at the beginning of the 21st century, we are entering the Participation Age, where every individual, regardless of gender or other characteristics, is poised to be a contributing and valued member of the global marketplace.”

The Participation Age which Ms. Clinton envisages will be one which will require a shift in the distribution of power. To create a truly participatory society, or a truly participatory workplace, it is necessary to share power, to share wealth and opportunity, rather than hoard it. A participatory workplace is an empowered workplace. And an empowered workplace must, by definition, be a respectful one, where speaking up respectfully becomes the norm, rather than the exception.

Don’t wait until people start protesting in your workplace. The writing is on the wall. The Participation Age is upon us. Chances are the employees in your workplace are looking for ways to contribute and are eager to speak up. Creating the opportunity for them to do so demonstrates respect. All you have to do is use your power to get the conversation started.

Erica Pinsky, B.A., M.Sc, CHRP, is an engaging and inspirational speaker, author and consultant working with organizations to build respectful and inclusive workplace cultures that attract and retain quality employees. Creative, dynamic and results oriented, Erica is passionate about promoting workplace cultures where employees feel engaged, comfortable and focused on their jobs in an environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying and destructive conflict. Erica’s book, Road to Respect, Path to Profit gives companies a road map to success in today’s challenging business climate.

EdgeOhio rebrands to Legacy Business Cultures

2011-10-20T07:56:00.000-07:00

Respect Tip: Welcome a New Employee

2011-10-18T13:57:00.000-07:00

Did you know that an employee that is properly welcomed into an organization has a significantly higher rate of staying on long-term than an employee who is left to fend for themselves on their first day?

Why?

It’s simple. Imagine your first day at a new job. You arrive to your desk to find it decorated with welcome signs. There is a mentor waiting to show you around. Everyone who greets you has a big smile on their face as they introduce themselves. Your supervisor works with you to develop goals for your new position.

How would you feel? Respected, maybe?

The above scenario is a great starting point for organizations looking to retain good employees. It doesn’t take a lot of money, but it does take some effort to create a work culture that respects employees and what better way to express that then when making a first impression.

Try it today

When a new employee starts in your office, have flowers delivered, take them to lunch, or just try to get to know them and make them feel welcome and respected.

Respect Tip: Say, “I’m Sorry” When Necessary

2011-10-11T14:07:00.000-07:00

I have a habit of saying “sorry” all the time. I am not sure why. I wonder if it has something to do with growing up female in this society or that I lived in London for a time and people are always saying “sorry” when they bump into you on the tube. Or could it be that I’m overly emotional?

Whatever the reason, saying, “I’m sorry” when necessary is probably a better tactic. Admitting when we are wrong is a tough action for many of us. It may seem that we are weak or that we don’t have empathy, if we can’t say “I’m sorry.”

While the latter may be true, the former most certainly is not. There is nothing weak about admitting you were wrong or that you unnecessarily hurt someone. It actually shows that you have the integrity to acknowledge your flaws and make up for them. And that’s what makes us human becomings instead of simply human beings, right?

What you can do

Have you been involved in a situation that you need to sincerely apologize for? It’s never too late to say, “I’m sorry.” Sometime this week, seek out that person you have wronged and apologize. You might be surprised how you will feel afterward and how other the person treats you in the future.

Respect Tip: Be Empathetic

2011-10-04T14:08:00.000-07:00

Did you know that the word empathy is a relatively new term to modern western cultures? Neither did I, until I read this fascinating post about Narrative Empathy on the Psychology Today blog.

Empathy in the workplace has been historically looked down as too much of an ultra soft skill. But in the last twenty or so years with the rise of emotional intelligence, empathy has been slowly making its way into the workplace. And that’s a good thing. When people can empathize with someone else in the workplace it can also lead to a more respectful workplace.

Think about it

If you can emotionally put yourself in someone else’s place and understand their perspective wouldn’t you respect them and that position more?

Try it today

Do you work with someone who constantly has to leave work early or take days off to care for a sick parent? Instead of resenting them and their time off, try to imagine if you had a sick parent or relative and had to do the same. Wouldn’t you want the support of your colleagues?

Adventures of a Cultural Tourist

2011-09-29T14:10:00.000-07:00

After I participated in our most recent Connecting With Respect workshop, I had an idea for a new blog series. At the conclusion of the day and half session, we were left with some tips for moving forward on the path to respect. One of the suggestions stuck in my mind: practice curiosity.

I’ve always been a person curious about other cultures. I mean I am the same person who, while in high school, enrolled in an Intercultural Communications class at a local college.

On my travels and in my life, I’ve probably befriended someone from every continent, except Antarctica. I’ve even started attending local dinners for young professionals hosted by the Council on World Affairs just to meet people from different cultures, and boy have I!

Be Curious Not Suspicious

But that doesn’t mean I am immune to having biases. In fact, no matter how open minded you think you are I am sure there is somewhere a hidden bias in the recesses of your mind and that’s fine. The human brain works like that. So much so that Harvard University has even created Project Implicit to test these.

If we are not curious and open to exploring new cultures, then we fall prey to succumbing to these biases. Often we mistake being curious when we are really being suspicious about another culture. For instance, after seeing someone wearing a specific piece of religious headgear, you may think I wonder what they are hiding instead of wondering what that signifies in their religion and what is its purpose.

My Adventures

That’s why I’ve decided to push my cultural boundaries even further with this series by becoming a cultural tourist.

Why did I choose the term cultural tourism? Cultural tourism has been typically depicted as exploring another region’s culture, or more specifically the lifestyle of it’s peoples. Usually, this takes the form of exploring historic sites and buildings among other things. But, I like the idea of re-appropriating it to refer to learning about live cultures that may be different from our own.

Each month, I will do just that by placing myself outside of my normal comfort zone and engaging in an experience that may seem to stretch those boundaries. Don’t be surprised if you see me around town attending a bar mitzvah, Muslim temple, or even political meeting.

And feel free to leave a comment to suggest where you’d like to see me next!

Melanie Sklarz is the web content coordinator for the RespectfulWorkplace.com site, the lead blog writer, and a facilitator for Legacy Business Culture’s diversity and respect programs. Prior to working for LegacyCultures, Melanie spent almost 10 years developing, facilitating and promoting education and training programs for museums and non-profits, primarily in Washington, DC. She earned her MA in Women’s Studies from the Ohio State University.

Respect Tip: Seek Out New Perspectives and Ideas

2011-09-27T14:16:00.000-07:00

It’s no secret. We live in a me-centered society. All you have to do is turn on the TV and watch this in action in a myriad of reality shows. Or open up your favorite social networking site and read other people’s posts.

Technology has made it easy to surround ourselves with people and ideas like us. We can now filter what we see, hear and even who we engage with, so we don’t have to interact with people or ideas different from us.
Even as technology has allowed us to be more global, we still seek those people and ideas out that are like us.

But constantly reaffirming our own thoughts, doesn’t allow us to grow and accept new people and ideas when we do encounter them. It’s also difficult to respect them, if we don’t know about them first.

Explore Something New

Do you usually eat at the same place for lunch? Try the place across the street instead. What do you know about the new employee who practices a different religion from you? Find out more by asking. What can you do today? These small steps can help you learn about new perspective and ideas.

You might be surprised by what you learn or that it will make you more respectful towards people and ideas different from you and your own.

What New Facebook Can Teach Us About Respect in the Workplace

2011-09-22T14:17:00.000-07:00

Like most people, I woke up yesterday morning and was greeted by a somewhat new interface on my Facebook page. The changes were minor but enough to disrupt my usual routine. It was apparent that what I was looking for was much more difficult to find and everything else seemed to be overly complicated.

I wasn’t the only one having difficulty adjusting to these changes. I checked my news feed and saw post after post of people complaining about the new look of their home page and how much they hated it. On the flip side, I also saw a lot of comments about how those people complaining just didn’t like change.

Now I am person who embraces change, and while I don’t mean to speak for everyone else who hates the updates, I am not sure that was a valid response to those who were expressing disgust.

The entire situation made me think about respect in the workplace and how most organizations try to achieve this. I t goes something like this:

“We are trying to be proactive (or most likely reactive) so we need to establish a respectful workplace policy. To do this we are going to have HR write up a list of items that people need to do to be more respectful. We are going to distribute this to employees and force them to comply.”

I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound very respectful or even something that is effectively going to create a more respectful work environment.

Why?

Because change is best when it’s not forced upon us. People support what they help create. That’s why when we, here at RespectfulWorkplace.com, work with organizations the last step is to create a working document, with input from the entire team on how they will treat others with respect.

This process is successful, because unlike the above example, employees have a say in what respectful behaviors the entire group will support and what the expectations will be. This is why there was such an uproar over the new Facebook. Even though it is a voluntary and free service, people had no say in the change. It was forced upon them and that’s why so many people were outraged, not that they don’t like change.

Melanie Sklarz is the web content coordinator for the RespectfulWorkplace.com site, the lead blog writer, and a facilitator for Edge Learning of Ohio’s diversity and respect programs. Prior to working for EdgeOhio, Melanie spent almost 10 years developing, facilitating and promoting education and training programs for museums and non-profits, primarily in Washington, DC. She earned her MA in Women’s Studies from the Ohio State University.

Respect Tip: Actively Listen

2011-09-20T14:26:00.000-07:00

When someone is talking to you, do you listen?

You’ll probably say, “of course!” But are you really hearing them? It seems that with so many distractions in our lives today and in the office that active listening is slowly slipping into extinction. Too often, we are so absorbed with ourselves and thinking about when we need to pick up the kids, what we are having for dinner, etc that we don’t actively listen when someone is talking. We’ve all done it, so you are not alone!

What can you do?

Start by actively listening, rather than passively listening (see above examples). Active listening requires that we set aside those distracting thoughts that consume our minds and focus solely on the person speaking. This may mean that we step away from our computer to give them our full attention. It also requires that we give them eye contact and encouraging non-verbals to let them know we agree with their ideas – and more importantly, that we hear them!

Try it today.

The next time you’re lured into letting your mind wander during a conversation, simply focus on the present and the speaker. Do this at least once today and before you know it, you’ll be on the path to becoming an active listener fostering respect with those you communicate with.

Respect Tip: Be Kind to Everyone

2011-09-13T14:30:00.000-07:00

Today’s tip, like last week, is a simple one. Be kind to everyone you encounter.

What happens when you do this consistently

Would you notice a difference in the way people treated you? Would it make you feel better? All of these might actually happen. Kindness does improve the chances that someone will be kind back to you. And kindness has been shown to improve your health.

But above all, being kind to everyone – from the person who empties your trash can to the person in the corner office – creates a respectful work environment where all employees thrive.

Try it today

Greet everyone you come into contact with true kindness. And let us know what you did to show kindness. We look forward to your comments.

The Power of Words

2011-07-21T14:39:00.000-07:00

Most of us grew up with the nursery rhyme “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me”. At a young age, when we would parrot such expressions while being verbally bullied, it seemed quite effective. There we would be, two kids face-to-face, finding our way through our worlds – the playground or the classroom, deciding who would have the upper hand. Usually once this exchange was completed, order was established and we went on about our business. Whatever was said by the bully didn’t seem to matter once the familiar retort was spoken. However, today we communicate in many more ways than we once did. We have a variety of hand held gadgets and the internet. We can hide behind these as walls of defense and as a result we are far more likely to say things we would not say face-to-face.

One of the main reasons for this kind of talk lies in not thinking about what we are going to say before we actually speak. We are in too big of a hurry, or so we believe, to express what we are really thinking. It’s important to take the time to think through what we are about to say. What is our intention and what tone do we want to use? Words are very powerful and once spoken, they cannot be retracted.

Despite the fact that apologies are sometimes made in the aftermath, the cruel intentions behind derogatory comments linger, as do the hurt feelings – sometimes indefinitely.

There are also benefits to hearing positive messages. So many times we may say something to someone in passing which strikes a chord with them and brightens their lives. I know in working with at risk youth how an understanding ear and a few kind words can have a major impact on how someone feels at the moment. All of us have times in our lives when we feel lonely or even isolated. We can be experiencing some sadness or we can be feeling shame about something. Often it is hard to think that anyone else could understand what we are experiencing. At such moments, someone can say something to us which makes us suddenly feel connected again. The weight of the world is lifted from our shoulders and we actually feel good about ourselves.

Many of us spend time on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Depending on whom we choose to ‘friend’, ‘follow’, or ‘like’ sets the tone for the messages we receive. I find inspiring thoughts and quotations to be particularly welcome. In fact, I share such quotes and insights daily on my own pages. Because I receive a lot of positive feedback, I know that other people like the energy of upbeat expressions from time to time.

Early in the morning I arise and with tea in hand head to my laptop in search of some daily inspiration. A word crosses my mind. I ‘google’ it followed by the word ‘quotes’. This takes me to a series of pages with loads of quotations from famous authors, statesmen, philosophers and others. As I read through the quotes, certain ones resonate with me. Those are the ones I share. This starts me off in a good mood and sharing these thoughts with others benefits us both. These messages carry very strong meaning and have a great impact on how I choose to feel about my life and the world around me throughout the day.

As we spend more time thinking about how words impact us, we realize just what an impact our words have on others. We recognize harsh hurtful words and how they make us feel. We recognize kind and inspiring words too and begin to see the vast difference in the feelings that those words have on us.

The words we choose reflect how we feel about ourselves and our place in the world. By making some mental notes about the words we use, we can begin to appreciate them even more and then begin to change them if necessary. We develop more compassion for our friends and for ourselves. These are skills which we will hone over our entire lives. What better place to practice speaking and writing with more awareness than at home, with those we love and trust. We are then in a stronger position to take this with us to our schools and our jobs and make better choices about the words we decide to use.

Jay Remer is certified by the Protocol School of Washington as a consultant for corporate etiquette and international protocol. He lives in St. Andrews, NB, Canada. E-mail your etiquette questions to jay@etiquetteguy.com and visit his website at www.etiquetteguy.com.

Advantage to Butt-in-the-Seat Training

2011-07-18T14:52:00.000-07:00

The best roadmap to the future sometimes looks strangely like the past. This is particularly relevant in the discussion on classroom vs. online training. Almost a decade ago, one of my friends who worked as an HR manager for a large, Fortune 50 manufacturing company lamented the difficulty his organization was having with employee acceptance and use of a new, online learning service that had just been purchased from an outside vendor. He said, “You know, Paul, sometimes there’s nothing quite like good, old ‘butt-in-the-chair’ training”. Looking through the lens of recent research on learning, the cause of his frustration is much more apparent.

Technology is great. In fact, I’m writing this post from a Mr. Tire repair shop (conveniently located next to a Bob Evans restaurant with a strong wi-fi signal). I could just as easily be participating in a webinar on to do a better job pre-screening new employee candidates or improving the search rankings of our websites. But technology, like other educational “tools”, has its limitations…especially when it comes to learning and development.

The challenge is human neurology. Research supports that knowledge and skills related to tasks that can be executed independently of other people (such as how to interact with a new computer program) can be practiced and learned by our brains without direct interaction with other people. However, when the skills to be learned actually involve our interactions with other people or have a high emotional content (such as communication skills or inclusive behaviors), our brains struggle on their own to learn at the level required to change behaviors. This is because the learning itself is a by-product of participating in and observing the complex, nuanced and multi-sensory interactions between live humans.

My suggestion, one that has served our company very well over the past 40 years, is simple. Leverage technology to its fullest when it makes sense. Online learning labs, webinars, etc. are terrific and should be part of every organization’s learning tool kit. But when it comes to enhancing skill sets critical for positively impacting the culture of your business (the “soft” skills), stick with live, face-to-face environments. Not only does this best take advantage of how humans learn, it also builds commitment to use the skills between the people who learn together.

Spanish at Work: The New Niche

2011-07-07T15:38:00.000-07:00

A direct outgrowth of diversity training in the workplace – the desire to learn Spanish for work – is slowly finding its way into the corporate psyche. The benefits of workplace Spanish seem to be well worth the effort, since efficient communication on the job is critical when there exists a large number of Spanish-speaking employees who have difficulty communicating in English.

Of course, workplace English classes help bridge the communication gap tremendously too, and many companies are choosing to incorporate English language instruction on the job. However, far less examination of language training has been placed at the other end of the communication spectrum, i.e., learning Spanish to communicate back!

The benefits are wonderfully surprising

What a sense of camaraderie is fostered when employees learning Spanish finally realize how difficult it must be for their fellow English learners! Employees are suddenly less frustrated by the extra time it takes a company employee to explain something. In addition, employees learning Spanish begin to develop a new sense of excitement and curiosity towards their Spanish-speaking co-workers. No longer is there that same sense of fear or disengagement when communicating with employees who don’t speak English very well.

For company employees learning Spanish, a heightened affinity for understanding another’s culture also begins to emerge. In fact, a whole new feeling of confidence, teamwork and trust begins to develop among workers – a great asset for any company looking to increase work quality and worker productivity. It’s a win-win situation for everyone!

So what’s the best way to start conducting Spanish classes at your workplace?

First, get an interested group of employees together. Set up a time – twice a week is recommended; lunchtime seems extremely conducive to avoid interfering with everyone’s work schedule. Find an instructor or staff trainer to lead the class. Lastly, use a Spanish textbook written specifically for the workplace – preferably not one that asks you to memorize sentences in hopes that those will be the exact sentences you need. Instead, find a textbook that approaches learning from a second/foreign language point of view; one that allows you to create your own sentences based on helpful vocabulary and minimal grammar hints.

Discover the joy of learning another language and one that will be useful at work!

Michelle Buehring is the author of Work into Spanish, a textbook to learn Spanish written specifically for the workplace. An ESL teacher of more than 30 years, Michelle has authored three textbooks; Work into Spanish is her most recent. Visit www.workintospanish.com for a “peek inside” Work into Spanish.

The Road Less Travelled

2011-06-16T11:06:00.000-07:00

I was talking to a client recently about a local HR conference she had attended. When I asked her for her thoughts she said that the main theme that emerged for her was a variation of how we are all going to have to work harder, smarter, better and faster if we want to be successful.

Now I don’t know about you, but if I have to work any harder, smarter, better or particularly faster, I’ll need to break into light speed. The pace of change we are all dealing with is staggering. Everyone I know already has too much on their plate and yet, because the bar keeps getting raised higher and higher, most of them are also feeling like they don’t measure up.

As far as I am concerned the propagation of this competitive, status quo mind set is placing us directly, as the Talking Heads wrote so years ago, on the Road to Nowhere. And on that Road, values like respect, compassion, fairness, connection, and authenticity are nowhere to be found.

Dr. David Rock, who studies the neuroscience of leadership, has found that as leaders progress up the organizational power hierarchy, their capacity for both self-awareness and awareness of others diminishes. This, as Dr. Rock points out, is quite problematic given that what is required for effective leadership is an increase in behavioural awareness. The reason for this phenomenon, which he has documented in his research, has to do with the fact that leaders today have too much to do, are inundated with too much information and are under too much pressure.

It seems that from a brain functioning capacity, we humans have not evolved all that much over the last several thousand years. Like our ancestors, when we perceive a threat, whether it be a sabre toothed tiger or a corporate take-over, our fear meters starts soaring and we have a flight or fight response. That fear causes us to operate from the emotional or limbic part of our brain. The rational, and much smaller part of our brain that allows us to make sound, reasonable decisions, basically turns off.

What is needed to ensure that leaders and those they lead make insightful, thoughtful decisions is a quiet and happy mind. People are at their most creative, their most productive when they are relaxed and having fun. This is why, Dr. Rock shared with us, brainstorming doesn’t work. We feel stressed and pressured to come up with creative ideas, which starts the fear motor going and actually limits our ability access the incredible power of innovative knowledge most of are capable of.

Bigger, smarter, better, faster does not make for quiet happy minds. It makes for stressed out minds within stressed out people. In my line of work that translates to increases in disrespectful power based behaviours like bullying and harassment, which create toxic environments where no one is happy. Make no mistake. Individuals that bully and harass are generally not happy people. Rather they tend to be deeply unhappy, angry, insecure and fearful.

I really don’t care if “those in the know” tell us we have to work bigger, smarter, bigger and faster to be successful. I happen to think they are wrong. I have no interest in travelling on the Road to Nowhere. I am much more interested in continuing my journey on the Road to Respect.

What about you?

Erica Pinsky, B.A., M.Sc, CHRP, is an engaging and inspirational speaker, author and consultant working with organizations to build respectful and inclusive workplace cultures that attract and retain quality employees. Creative, dynamic and results oriented, Erica is passionate about promoting workplace cultures where employees feel engaged, comfortable and focused on their jobs in an environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying and destructive conflict. Erica’s book, Road to Respect, Path to Profit gives companies a road map to success in today’s challenging business climate.

Buckeye Nation on Shaky Footing

2011-06-06T08:26:00.000-07:00

As both a resident of central Ohio for most of my younger life and a graduate of The Ohio State University, I consider myself as big a Buckeye fan as any. That’s why, like most members of “Buckeye Nation,” I was profoundly disappointed by the recently reported NCAA violations involving both some of the football players and recently ousted head coach, Jim Tressel.

While there are still many unknowns to this story (including who else in the administration may have known about “Tattoo-gate”), what has clearly become apparent is that Coach Tressel was guilty of a serious breach of integrity. But it’s important to recognize that integrity is not the same thing as morals or ethics. In fact, there are many who could convincingly argue that what Coach Tressel did in trying to protect his players was a morally admirable act, especially since it put his own career in jeopardy.

The truth is that it’s much easier to be a person of high morals and ethics than it is to be a person of integrity. The reason for this is that morals and ethics are subjective and beholden to only one person’s scrutiny – our own. In practice, most of our morals tend to be situationally flexible. We hold ourselves accountable for certain behaviors with some people, in some situations, some of the time… and then rationalize why different standards are okay at others.

Integrity is much more powerful than either morals or ethics because it requires transparency and consistency. To be a person of integrity is to behave in a manner that matches what we publicly tell others and to do so with all people in all situations – even when it’s inconvenient or comes at a cost. And that is why it is such a valued quality. Integrity provides predictability and structural stability to our entire society, one organization and community at a time. When even a single person in a position of authority behaves in a manner that is unpredictable or for reasons that are suspect, the entire structure becomes compromised. The damage can take years to fix and sometimes, you just have to tear it down and start over again.

Paul Meshanko has a BSBA from The Ohio State University and an MBA from Baldwin-Wallace College. He is a Registered Corporate Coach and a Master Facilitator for Edge Learning Institute’s leadership, employee engagement, and diversity awareness processes. He is currently the firm’s practice leader for all leadership development and diversity/inclusion programs.

2011-06-01T08:45:00.000-07:00

Paul Meshanko was a guest this morning for a two part interview with Bill Wills of Wills and Synder in the Morning on WTAM 1100 in Cleveland, OH. He discussed the impact a respectful workplace can have on the corporate culture. Meshanko will join the show again tomorrow at 6:35 am est to further discuss what a respectful workplace looks like. To listen to the interview click here.WTAM interview with Paul

The Top 10 Signs of a Respectful Workplace

2011-05-26T08:50:00.000-07:00

Ten Signs of a Respectful Workplace

Co-workers acknowledge and greet each other, often by name.
Common courtesies such as “please” and “thank you” are the norm.
The absence of gossip, rumors, sarcasm and cliques.
Employees work hard, but can still maintain work-life balance.
Management and employees vigorously pursue a safe workplace.
Business leaders are visible, accessible and approachable.
Employees leverage technology without being consumed by it.
Conflicts are resolved quickly and directly.
Occasional incidents of disrespect are acknowledged and resolved (with an apology when appropriate).
Lots of smiles & good natured humor.

Inspiring Employee Motivation in the Workplace

2011-05-18T11:20:00.000-07:00

Inspiring workplaces are places where people feel motivated to perform at their best potential and to contribute their ideas for the betterment of the organization.

Inspiring leaders understand that there are no motivational shortcuts. Pep talks, team building activities and salary perks all have their place, but creating a highly motivated workforce is not the result of a one, ten or even twenty times a year event.

Stoking a fire once every three months is a surefire recipe for burnout. To keep the workplace flames burning bright the fire that drives people’s passions need to be continuously stoked.

And inspiring motivators understand some basic motivational principles . . .

It all starts with a positive work environment.

• Carrots outperform sticks.
• Different things motivate different people.
• Intrinsic motivators outperform external motivators.
• People want to be appreciated and recognized.
• Celebrating milestones generates momentum.
• Small is beautiful.

It All Starts With a Positive Work Environment

Let’s recap the entire book thus far: Assuming you’ve hired the right folks for the right jobs, then happy, positive working environments create happy, positive workers.

It doesn’t get any simpler than this. Everything starts here. If your basic workplace environment is poisoned with toxic bosses and distrust and high levels of stress, then all the motivational perks in the world aren’t going to make any difference to the performance of your employees.

And happy, positive work environments are created when . . .

• You hire positive, talented people
• You match people to their best talents and passions
• People are given clear, challenging goals and an exciting vision
• People are given the tools and training they need to do the job well.
• Communication is open, honest and respectful
• Humour and creativity in the workplace thrive

The importance of starting with these basics cannot be overstated. You may have a very upbeat, positive work environment, but if someone is put into a position where they feel mismatched and overwhelmed, then obviously motivation will suffer. Likewise if people are not given clear direction, or not provided with the proper tools and training, motivation suffers. And motivation most definitely suffers when reward incentives are seen to be unfairly distributed. Even monkeys understand this one.

A research study reported looked at rewards offered to capuchin monkeys in exchange for simple tasks they performed. To receive a slice of cucumber, the monkey had to give a small rock to the researcher. When their fellow monkeys began to receive greater rewards for those same small rocks, their performance declined. Some refused to take the rewards, even tossing them back. And when monkeys got rewarded for doing even less work, the monkeys really went bananas.

By not focusing on the fundamentals of a positive, inspiring work environment, organizations often inadvertently do more to suppress motivation than they do to fire it up. In other words, there are probably more “off switches” than there are “on switches” and inspiring leaders understand that creating a highly motivated workforce is not just about finding the carrots, it’s about preventing the off switches:

Internal politics. An absence of open communication. Promoting someone that “everyone” knows is incompetent. Authoritarian leadership. Idea squashing.

Rewards not visibly tied to performance. Rumours. Abuse of powers.
The list of potential de-motivators goes on and on, and serves as a reminder that ensuring the basics are in place is the first step in creating a truly positive, motivated and inspiring workplace.

After all, what can be more motivating that working for a truly inspiring workplace?

Copyright 2011, Michael Kerr. Excerpted from the book “Inspiring Workplaces – Creating the Kind of Workplace Where EVERYONE Wants to Work.”

Michael Kerr is a Hall of Fame speaker and the author of six books including “Putting Humor to Work” and “Inspiring Workplaces.” For more information about Michael go to www.mikekerr.com and www.inspiringworkplaces.com.

Do One Thing for Diversity and Inclusion

2011-05-17T11:21:00.000-07:00

Almost 10 years ago, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution that included designating May 21 as The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue. According to the UN, cultural rights are also human rights. This day is intended to promote intercultural dialogue, interreligious dialogue, and culture and development.

A grassroots initiative sponsored by several organizations has sprung up in response. This initiative encourages you to do one – just one - thing for diversity and inclusion on Saturday. Obviously, the goal is that you will do more than one thing and will also do it more than on just one day.

So what will you do for diversity and inclusion on May 21?

EdgeOhio Adds New Director of Business Development to Staff

2011-05-06T09:04:00.000-07:00

CLEVELAND, Ohio, May 5, 2011—Edge Learning of Ohio (EdgeOhio) has announced the appointment of Christopher Capozzi to the position of Director of Business Development. Capozzi will report to EdgeOhio’s Managing Partner, Paul Meshanko, and work from the company’s Rockside Road offices.
Since its founding in 1997, EdgeOhio has provided consultation, staff development and employee survey services to large and small private companies, government agencies and not-for-profits in the areas of:

Diversity/Inclusion
Culture Change
Employee Engagement
Sales Force Development
Lean Manufacturing
Customer Service

Capozzi brings over 15 years experience as both an entrepreneur and a development director. He will lead EdgeOhio’s new market development efforts and leverage current strategic partnerships for new market share growth. According to Meshanko, “Chris’ many years of experience and familiarity with the training industry, through his former business development roles at the University of Phoenix, will provide an immediate benefit to our company growth goals.”

Capozzi holds a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Phoenix, which fits well with EdgeOhio’s service line. “This is a great opportunity to apply both my sales background and my degree in helping organizations understand how to grow their human capital by applying the programs and services EdgeOhio offers,” says Capozzi.

With increasing demand in the marketplace for EdgeOhio’s staff development programs, including the “Increasing Human Effectiveness” and “Respectful Workplace” workshops, the company is experiencing explosive growth, according to Meshanko. “Organizations today realize the importance of investing in their people in ways that improve retention, productivity, core value alignment and overall job satisfaction.” The addition of Capozzi to the staff provides a new avenue to reach those businesses who know they need help in areas such as employee engagement and respect, but don’t know where to turn.

Unlike most corporate training service providers that offer a limited range of change tools, EdgeOhio covers an entire spectrum from needs assessment to key metric measurement to customized curriculum design and facilitator certification. “Chris’ familiarity with the on-boarding and support of large, complex clients who have broad-ranging needs make him a perfect fit for our business”, adds Meshanko. “He’s a quick study and will make an immediate and positive impact on our ability to both support existing clients and develop new ones. We’re fortunate to have him as an addition to our staff”.

Edge Learning of Ohio is a global provider of leadership and staff development services that help companies and non-profits improve management competencies, enhance customer service and improve employee engagement. Over its 15-year history, it has worked with dozens of globally-recognized leaders including DuPont, Medical Mutual of Ohio, BASF, Parker Hannifin, The Cleveland Clinic Hospitals, Emerson Electric Company, MTD, Curtiss Wright Flow Control, Progressive Insurance, Symantec and McGraw-Hill Education. For more information about EdgeOhio’s offerings please visit www.EdgeOhio.com or call 1-888-892-0300.

DuPont Cultivates Respect as a Global Asset

2011-05-06T09:02:00.000-07:00

When a corporate giant like E. I. Du Pont De Nemours and Company (DuPont), the Delaware based diversified manufacturer, makes Respect for People one of its four core values, alongside Safety, Exhibiting the highest Ethical Standards and Protecting the Environment, they must be onto something. They are. DuPont realized a long time ago that if you respect your people they will respect each other, produce at a higher level and improve in the other three core values. For those reasons, respect has been a company core value for many years. And while there may be tangential impact on profits and litigation avoidance, those are coincidental. DuPont leadership believes it’s the right way to run a successful company.

But according to Director of Respect for People Central Greg Martz “though we had a diverse, inclusive work environment, our other core values had more structure, systemized improvement programs, and dedicated resources — Respect for People was trailing in its formal approach.” In 2009 DuPont’s senior leadership decided to do something about it.

The effort started by surveying over 13,000 of DuPont’s 58,000 employees in 69 “discovery” locations. The results of this enormous undertaking showed that almost 90 percent of those surveyed believed that DuPont was a respectful place to work. That would be a satisfactory mark for many organizations but in terms of a core value within DuPont, 90 percent leaves room for improvement. They knew they needed training, audit capabilities, metrics and communications processes.

With the help of EdgeOhio and a customized DuPont version of Edge’s Respect: The Source of Our Strength® workshops, they expect to train over 200 facilitators worldwide by the summer of 2011. DuPont is committed to delivering respect training in 20 languages to more than 40,000 employees by 2014. Senior leadership at DuPont fully supports the effort and is providing the resources, funding and promotion any major corporate roll out needs to be successful.

Along with the training itself, DuPont is also creating internal communications programs that will help generate more knowledge around respect. DuPont is convinced that the effort they are championing will make it a better place to work and provide positive bottom line return. And that’s good news for both employees and the company’s shareholders.

Spring into Self-Respect

2011-05-05T11:24:00.000-07:00

No one can argue we had a tough winter. But now, Spring is officially here, and it is clearly time to come out of hibernation.

As I’ve suggested before, now is the time to begin implementing some of the hopes and goals we set for ourselves for the new year. As the earth shows rebirth and renewal in so many ways, it is perhaps the greatest opportunity for us to take a look inside of ourselves. After all, if we cannot set aside time to perform some internal spring cleaning, how will we be able to get down to the brass tacks of carrying out external chores?

I like to refer to this as self etiquette. Many of us have a difficult time allotting time to be kind and thoughtful to ourselves. We are too busy; we have more important priorities; we have fires that need to be put out. In reality, we will be far more effective at handling most of life’s challenges if our own bodies and minds are functioning in the most stress free and tuned in state as possible.

I am a great believer in making lists. I go so far as to have a flip chart in my office. It is loaded with spur of the moment ideas, bills to pay, projects to complete – both long and short term. And there is even one page devoted to inspirational words which help settle me when I am stressed and help center my mind when I need to make important decisions. Lists help me to de-globalize my life. By that I mean, lists take away any overwhelming and negative energies that may overtake my day. Writing something down moves the thought or task from my mind to the paper to let anything potentially stress- filled stop me in my tracks. I break tasks down into steps; I compartmentalize jobs, chores and personal obligations into manageable sizes. What I soon come to realize too is that what seemed like a daunting chaotic morass of decisions and problems are dealt with in a far more graceful, skillful and less time-consuming way than I had imagined.

The more ways that we can be respectful of our minds and bodies; the more times we can show compassion to ourselves; the more kindness and recognition we focus on us, the more skillfully and easily we can exhibit these behaviors towards our families, friends and colleagues.

Spring is the time of year when we inhale deeply a restorative breath; we ‘spring clean’ our houses, cottages, and places of businesses. Many of us return to our gardens and begin preparing the soil for the bounty of summer and autumn. We feel this renewal in our bones and in our souls. With this breath comes an ability to perform random acts of kindness, to praise our loved ones, and to appreciate the world around us. This is the time of year when we can restore our sense of gratitude and to redouble our efforts to help our friends and neighbors who need our assistance. Pay a visit to someone who cannot leave their house. Call a friend just to let them know you’re thinking about them.

I believe in celebrating Spring. It makes me feel better about myself and it makes me more aware of the many blessings I have as well as giving me a renewed strength to handle those situations which are challenging. The magical part of this season is that most of what I learned in adopting this renewal I learned from my family and friends with a healthy dose of intuition. Happy Spring!

Jay Remer is certified by the Protocol School of Washington as a consultant for corporate etiquette and international protocol. He lives in St. Andrews, NB, Canada. E-mail your etiquette questions to jay@etiquetteguy.com and visit his website at www.etiquetteguy.com.

A Reminder about Religion in the Workplace

2011-05-03T11:38:00.000-07:00

While the world watched the news coverage of Osama bin Laden’s death, I was thinking about a talk I heard on Friday at the City Club of Cleveland given by Dr. William A. Graham, who asked “How Do Islam & Civil Society Intersect?”

Introducing his lecture, Dr. Graham stressed how there is a large and prevailing myth of a monolithic Christian culture that is at war with a monolithic Islamic culture, which is false. For almost the last 10 years, here in the United States, that myth has been personified by the image of a group of militant Muslims who attacked the country.

It was only after the death of Osama bin Laden and the following words spoken by President Obama after the incident that gave me hope that we can break free from this hurtful myth.

“…we must also reaffirm that the United States is not – and never will be – at war with Islam.”

Muslim-Americans, who have been stereotyped and grouped together with these militants, including Osama bin Laden, following the 9/11 attacks, are also hoping that the social persecution of them in this country will lessen in the upcoming years.

All of this leads to a nice reminder posted online today by the HR Reporter on religion in workplace and how we should respect one another, especially our Muslim co-workers!

The True “Value” of Values

2011-04-21T11:41:00.000-07:00

The main theme of my book Road to Respect: Path to Profit is that everyone succeeds when workplace practices are aligned with values, and in particular the ethical value of respect. The reason is simple; values are the glue that unite us in our humanity.

I share a story in Road to Respect about an experience I had as a participant in a values exercise at a bullying symposium. In this exercise each individual was given a paper that listed 14 ethical values. The facilitator then divided us into groups. Each of us had to choose the five values that were most important to us as individuals. Then we had to tally our individual results and identify the five values that were most important to our group. Finally all of the groups reported back and the facilitators identified the five values that the majority of the groups had identified as most important.

The values that emerged were compassion, fairness, honesty, respect and responsibility. The facilitator then shared some information with us that quite frankly blew me away. Those five ethical values emerge consistently no matter who does that exercise. He produced graphs and charts that included the responses of very diverse groups of people in different parts of the globe. Whatever our gender, age, ethnicity and nationality, it seems we share common ethical values.

Often, however, our differences prevent us from starting the conversation to discover that shared connection. There can be no doubt that it is often difficult to see a reflection of these ethical values in modern society, which seems focused on individuality, greed and competitiveness. Who cares about you as long as I get more? We distract ourselves with the cult of celebrity, the acquisition of stuff, and focus on what we look like, as opposed to why we are here and what we contribute.
Here in Canada we have a business focused television show whose most prominent ad features one of the hosts saying, “Greed is good”. I have to tell you that every time I hear that line I get angry. When exactly did greed become a good thing? I am not a religious person but isn’t greed included in the list of seven deadly sins, along with sloth, anger, pride, lust, envy and gluttony?

Somewhere in the last 20 or so years, we shifted to a society where what used to be considered sins have been translated to virtues. It took the financial meltdown and its aftermath to expose what I believe is a values crisis in modern society. The question to be posed now is how we are going to respond?

I saw a sign of hope recently when I discovered values.com. This site is designed to encourage and inspire us to think about, and talk about our values. It states “The Foundation for a Better Life began as a simple idea to promote positive values. We believe that people are basically good and just need a reminder. And that the values we live by are worth more when we pass them on.”

Almost every contemporary workplace has stated organizational values. Respect often features prominently in these elegantly crafted statements. The problem, as I discuss in Road to Respect, is that in most workplaces those values are “paper values”. They are not talked about. There are no strategies, no reminders to ensure that these values are reflected in workplace practices and workplace relationships. As a result no one is actually living them. They have no real “value”.

I start every day reconnecting with my personal values – Respect, Creativity, Engagement, Responsiveness, Joy, Love. This ritual reminds me on a daily basis who I am and who I want to be in the world. I make a conscious and deliberate choice to align my actions with my values, just as I counsel my clients to do in their workplace cultures.

I have experienced the incredible power of values to break down barriers and create community. I was working with a client to assist in resolving a long standing and destructive conflict within a senior team. In one of our first sessions we did a values exercise. Two team members, who had barely spoken in years and were convinced they had absolutely nothing in common, were stunned to discover that they shared core personal values. That realization was the first step in facilitating the shift to a healthy and productive working relationship.

How often are employees in your workplace reminded about your workplace values? How do you think it might affect your business results if your values were truly lived in your workplace, supporting a positive and respectful workplace community? If you are not sure check out the success of values based companies like Zappos, Four Seasons Hotels, and Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream.

Please take a moment today to check out values.com. Share this site with those you work with. It’s a great way to get the conversation started.

Erica Pinsky, B.A., M.Sc, CHRP, is an engaging and inspirational speaker, author and consultant working with organizations to build respectful and inclusive workplace cultures that attract and retain quality employees. Creative, dynamic and results oriented, Erica is passionate about promoting workplace cultures where employees feel engaged, comfortable and focused on their jobs in an environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying and destructive conflict. Erica’s book, Road to Respect, Path to Profit gives companies a road map to success in today’s challenging business climate.

Why Kobe Bryant Would Have Been Fired Not Fined in Your Workplace

2011-04-14T11:44:00.000-07:00

By now, we’ve all seen or heard about the infamous meltdown of NBA superstar Kobe Bryant during a recent game. And we’ve all heard the derogatory slur he hurled at a referee. Obviously, this is not the first time we have heard an anti-gay slur in the NBA, but it was the first time that a player was seriously fined.

Why??

Imagine if you had a similar tantrum at work and called your boss a derogatory term (pick one). What would happen? I am pretty sure you’d probably be fired and not simply fined, as Kobe was.

When will we, as a society, realize that words hurt and take ownership for our actions?

And unlike what Kobe said in a statement released later, “What I said last night should not be taken literally” – yes, it should be!

Five Tips for Respectful Interaction in the Workplace

2011-04-07T12:21:00.000-07:00

*This article first appeared on the Politics of the Workplace website.

There are tons of rules in society, some written and some implicit— a red light means stop and most people obey. In the workplace there are established rules of respect as well. For example, if you physically assault someone, steal, or don’t show up for work, it’s likely you will be fired. For the most part, most employees have grasped those rules, but it tends to be the unspoken, often unwritten rules of behavior that cause the most problems in the workplace.

Here are our five tips for creating a respectful interaction in the workplace. These Rules of Engagement are primarily used in our workshops but these rules are so universal they could be adopted and used in a multitude of workplace scenarios to ensure respectful interactions among employees.

1. Take the point of view of others. Science has shown us that mirror neurons work to create empathy among individuals. By taking the point of view of the people we work with we can better understand their motivations.

2. Value the many sources of knowledge that exist. Sometimes we tend to think that our view is the correct one, because it’s all we know. But there are many sources of knowledge that exist within the workplace and all we have to do is take the time to explore them. Learn about that new co-worker or have lunch with someone in another department.

3. Look for places to agree, connect or support. When we interact with others in the workplace, it’s easier to conquer our differences by finding ways to connect first. Does that co-worker with the different political beliefs also value family as much as you? This allows you to create a connection with the person based on commonality.

4. Acknowledge that I don’t have to be right all the time. Often when we assume we are right, we reduce the amount of new information that we take in, because obviously we know it all already! A better approach would be to accept that you may not be right all the time and allow yourself to learn from your co-workers’ differences.

5. Act in ways that edify the self-esteem of others. Discussions of difference or diversity in the workplace can sometimes get ugly with people hurling personal insults at one another. Instead, try to boost the self-esteem of others when discussing such hotly contested topics. Building self-esteem is a major step toward creating a respectful workplace.

By practicing these simple tips on a regular basis, you can ensure that respect is not just another corporate buzzword in the workplace but an action that all employees partake in. And hopefully, before long, these rules will become ones that we all follow without giving them much thought.

Melanie Sklarz is the web content coordinator for the RespectfulWorkplace.com site, the lead blog writer, and a facilitator for Edge Learning of Ohio’s diversity and respect programs. Prior to working for EdgeOhio, Melanie spent almost 10 years developing, facilitating and promoting education and training programs for museums and non-profits, primarily in Washington, DC. She earned her MA in Women’s Studies from the Ohio State University.

Employee Engagement + Respect = A Respectful Workplace

2011-04-01T12:25:00.000-07:00

Last month someone tipped me off to a blog post on the importance of employee engagement and respect in the workplace written by Paul Marciano.

I am not sure how I missed this excellent post or the book he also wrote entitled Carrots and Sticks Don’t Work: Build a Culture of Employee Engagement with the Principles of RESPECT, but I am glad someone alerted me to it!

The post, Engaging employees with RESPECT, is a must read for ALL managers, because he provides seven tangible ways they can show respect to their employees.

We are all about spreading the word how employee engagement and respect create a respectful workplace and we’re glad to hear that someone else is too.

Listening is Key to a Respectful Work Environment

2011-03-16T11:46:00.000-07:00

It may be hard to believe but something as basic as listening could just be the answer to creating a supportive and respectful work environment.

At work, many people spend a great deal of time talking and wanting to be heard. Some of us are on the phone all day. Others make a career out of giving presentations at conferences. The talkers often expect to be heard. And what happens when they’re ignored?

Most often, people who are not being heard, or listened to will talk even more. Sometimes they will even shout just so that they can make themselves heard. Children often exhibit this behavior when their parents are too busy to pay attention to them. You’ll notice that they stop crying and screaming when they get the attention they need.

The reason why this happens is that human beings require a two-way conversation in order to achieve a meaningful relationship. It has nothing to do with acting like an infant. People talking without listening are often at the root of a volatile workplace dynamic whereas a happy workforce is all about good relationships. How many marriages have ended as a result of spouses not listening to what the other has to say?

Whether you’re a boss or subordinate, all anyone wants is a few minutes to be heard and listened to. Co-workers may approach others if they sense that their troubles are not being heard. They may approach a boss or their human resource department if they feel the conflicts escalating. If bosses feel ignored, they too will act in ways that could potentially create discord in the workplace.

The key to a thriving workforce absolutely depends on employees taking turns listening to one another. It doesn’t always mean you have to agree but just the act of listening makes people feel valued and an important member of the team.

So the next time you’re in a meeting in which a colleague has something to say listen and advise accordingly. Without a doubt, they will reciprocate and isn’t this what a meaningful relationship is all about?

Ji Hyun Lee is a writer and consultant based in New York, home to one of the most competitive work environments in the country. As a result of this, she uses her work experiences to document a blog about all the ethical dilemmas that arise in the workplace for her website, PoliticsoftheWorkplace.com. When she is not writing, Ji Hyun also consults businesses and individuals in content development and SEO/SEM best practices. In the past, she worked at Forbes.com, DiversityPlus and Asian Diversity magazine. She has an MFA from Columbia University.

International Women’s Day 2011

2011-03-08T11:49:00.000-08:00

Today marks the centennial celebration of International Women’s Day, which was first commemorated in 1911 in several Western European countries.

It is now a national holiday in many countries around the world, supporting the goal to increase the awareness of the plight of women.

This year the theme is:

Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women

How will YOU celebrate??

Civility Begins at Home

2011-03-03T11:58:00.000-08:00

In the wake of the horrific shootings in Tucson on January 8, the US media, as only they can do, have really wound me up by turning this tragic event into somewhat of a Medusa. They have dutifully dissected almost every angle imaginable, as is their manner of reporting. I have listened to arguments and opinions by journalists, politicians and entertainers from all sides. They are bandying around what appears to be a new concept to them – civility. However, in my opinion, they have missed the most important point of their discussion on civility in politics. I’m not sure if they just think civility sounds like a good thing to be talking about; if they actually think they are an authority on the subject; or if they are diving into deep and murky waters where monsters live.

In a nut shell however, civility must begin at home. Only from there it can spread to every aspect of our lives. Without civility at home, there is no chance that we will carry it through the day into all the arenas of our busy lives. Treating all people with respect and compassion is what civility is all about. Our use of civil behavior is also a crystal clear mirror into our own selves and our souls. We are oftentimes not even civil with ourselves. Protecting our borders, our cultures, and our values to the exclusion of all others is poisoning the very fabric of the society in which we live. This dynamic is not solely an American phenomenon, but appears throughout much of the world.

I listened to one broadcaster on NPR explain that one of our ‘esteemed’ elected officials declared that there is no place in politics for civility. To my way of thinking, politics is the one place where civility is most needed. The politics I grew up with afforded a platform where healthy debates could take place. Where have all the statesmen gone? The days of choosing between two or more people of integrity in an election have disappeared. Why is it that people with differing opinions cannot have a debate without treating each other as enemies? Is it not possible to disagree about a matter without being disagreeable? We still refer to our elected officials as our political leaders. They are afforded all kinds of privilege. Yet they display such vulgar behavior with their colleagues that one must wonder whether they are even capable of conducting the nation’s business. These are the people whom we still hold in high esteem. I wonder why. What’s more puzzling is that because we hold these so called leaders in high regard, we deem their behavior as acceptable. Not only is this flawed on many levels, it validates and encourages incivility, and we unwittingly pass these values onto our children, tomorrow’s stewards of our fragile planet.

There is a real, almost palpable, need for control over our lives, or at least some part thereof. What we have traditionally held important and worth protecting are our belief systems – political and religious. We cling to these more tightly than ever today. In part I believe it is because we live in such a fast paced world that there is little we can hold onto long enough to achieve that sense of control which we so desperately need. And of our political views, why must we protect them so vigorously? What is it about these beliefs that causes us to raise our voices to decibels unknown just to make our point heard and hopefully agreed with? Could it be that we don’t really have the strength of conviction we need to actually believe in our hearts what we think we believe in our heads?

Politicians from both sides of the aisle are equally guilty of the dissolution of civility. In addition, their inappropriate use of language is disparaging. It puts a whole new meaning on ‘politically incorrect’. I am unclear as to their true intentions, as they likely are as well, but the messages they proffer carry strong subliminal reminders implying that anyone who disagrees with them is the enemy.

I am not naive enough to realize that political posturing is all a part of the process of free government. But what has happened to reason? Do the politicians truly believe that their constituents don’t have the capacity to make informed decisions after hearing responsible arguments from all sides? Perhaps, as with many things in life, they are simply mirroring their own inabilities and feelings of inadequacy. The time has come for all of our elected officials, not just a few of them, to start acting like leaders. With some practice, who knows, they may even become leaders.

Incivility is bullying, plain and simple. Leading by example will show our youth how to behave with respect for others, but only if we make the choice to do just that.

Jay Remer is certified by the Protocol School of Washington as a consultant for corporate etiquette and international protocol. He lives in St. Andrews, NB, Canada. E-mail your etiquette questions to jay@etiquetteguy.com and visit his website at www.etiquetteguy.com.

The National Institute for Civil Discourse Opens

2011-03-02T12:02:00.000-08:00

Did you know last month, in the wake of the shootings in Arizona, the National Institute for Civil Discourse opened? The NICD is housed at the University of Arizona, not that far from where the shootings took place.

The goal of the Institute is to advocate for civility in public discourse. I encouraged this too, after the shootings, in my post, A Call for Enduring Civility. Where I asked everyone, not just politicians, to promote civility.

This is a huge step in creating awareness to an ongoing and often destructive problem that is growing in our society. I think it’s admirable to tackle this issue in the political arena, but would also like to see it taken more seriously in the workplace. My hope is that someone will open up a similar institute to promote civility and respect in the workplace. In the meantime, we can place our hope in this newly opened institute to make a difference.

Learn more about the National Institute for Civil Discourse and their mission.

From Toxic to Terrific: Transforming the Culture of Your Workplace

2011-02-17T12:10:00.000-08:00

No one sets out to create a toxic environment. Yet when a workplace culture evolves on its own with little attention given to relationships and employees aren’t held accountable for rudeness or disrespect, the mood at any organization can turn poisonous. The results: loss of productivity, low morale, increased absenteeism and high turnover. Don’t miss the signs. Is your workplace in danger?

Take this quiz and see.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

1. “Sure, we tell some off colour-jokes, but everyone laughs, so I know there’s no problem. We need to have some fun at work” (agree/disagree).
2. “The best way to improve people’s performance is to point out mistakes” (agree/disagree).
3. “I know we don’t have much conflict because I never hear about it” (agree/disagree).
4. “I keep conversations with staff members short and to the point. I tell them what they need to know and make sure they do what they’re supposed to” (agree/disagree).
5. “Every workplace has gossip. Everyone loves to gossip, and it can spice up the workplace. Besides, you really can’t stop it” (agree/disagree).
6. “Everyone has bad days sometimes. When I have one, I shouldn’t have to pretend otherwise” (agree/disagree).
7. “People whine and complain. Some people are just negative, it’s best just to tune it out” (agree/disagree).
8. “Around here, profits (or results) are most important. It doesn’t matter so much how you get them” (agree/disagree).

If you agreed with three or fewer of these statements, toxicity probably hasn’t become a problem at your organization, but you can still make some improvements. If you agreed with four or more, conditions are ripe for your workplace to become toxic.

Getting it Right

Use appropriate humor: The fact that everyone’s laughing doesn’t necessarily mean people find a joke funny. Out of pressure to fit in, most of us sometimes laugh at disrespectful talk. Jokes or remarks with racist or sexist overtones can expose businesses to costly and damaging human-rights complaints. People work best when they’re comfortable. Create fun that’s respectful to everyone. Make sure people feel empowered and safe to speak up when they witness offensive behaviour.
Recognize achievement: All too often, we point out people’s mistakes but forget to pat them on the back for doing well. If they only hear about what they’re doing wrong, pretty soon they’ll stop wanting to do anything. Public criticism, sarcasm and joking about mistakes will improve neither your employees’ performance nor your relationship with them. Such powerbased “feedback” is associated with bullying and will turn your environment toxic. Instead, talk to employees about their performance consistently and respectfully so that they’ll want to improve and don’t feel diminished or inadequate.
Solve conflicts proactively: The vast majority of employees keep quiet about problems. Why? They worry that things will get worse if they speak up, they don’t know to whom to talk, or they don’t think they can change anything. Moreover, harassment and bullying produce fear-based workplaces where putting up and shutting up become the norm. Don’t wait for your employees to approach you. Ask questions about how things are going at work. Early intervention is the best way to resolve conflicts.
Foster partnerships: One of the greatest causes of toxicity is the stress workers undergo when they lack control over their work. Bosses who use power for control harm employees, teams and the bottom line. Respectful leaders empower teams with information and dialogue, rather than stifling communication. Treat your employees as partners rather than as subordinates. Make inquiries, listen to the answers and use that information to develop your relationships with employees.
Stop gossip: Any malicious, insulting, maligning or unsubstantiated rumour about a co-worker or the organization is a form of workplace gossip. And gossip alone can create a toxic workplace. Indeed, it’s a type of workplace bullying. The best way to counter it is to talk about it. Speak to employees about the harm and destruction it causes the workplace. Introduce practical strategies for dealing with it. For example, tell an employee that what he or she is doing is gossiping and that you don’t want to participate. Refuse to pass the rumours on, and walk away.
Manage anger: Albert Schweitzer said, “Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.” A leader who yells, screams, throws things or announces, “I’m in a bad mood, and everyone just better stay out of my way” sends employees the message that rudeness and intimidation are okay. We’re all obligated to apply emotional discipline and manage our emotions at work. If you’re susceptible, anger-management strategies such as breathing or positive self-talk can help. When you’re angry, focus on something positive to keep your mood from infecting your workplace.
Cut out the whining: Negativity spreads like wildfire, creating unrest, conflict and apathy. Co-workers will start missing work just to get away from it. Make sure employees understand that whining and complaining benefit no one. The best approach, both for you and for them, is to take action, speak up and do something about workplace problems and concerns. If you have employees who are consistently negative, sit down with them individually, give examples of their behaviour and let them know how it affects you and others. If there’s a work related reason for the behaviour, try to resolve that underlying issue.
Value everyone: Every organization has to be concerned with the bottom line, but if you teach employees to get results at any cost, no matter whom they need to step on or discredit, you’ll create a culture in which cut-throat competition and mistrust predominate. Ensure that every employee feels valued and motivated to do the best possible job. Sit down with your team, set realistic goals and support employees to help them succeed. Hold everyone accountable for contributing. Then celebrate success together.

Erica Pinsky, B.A., M.Sc, CHRP, is an engaging and inspirational speaker, author and consultant working with organizations to build respectful and inclusive workplace cultures that attract and retain quality employees. Creative, dynamic and results oriented, Erica is passionate about promoting workplace cultures where employees feel engaged, comfortable and focused on their jobs in an environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying and destructive conflict. Erica’s book, Road to Respect, Path to Profit gives companies a road map to success in today’s challenging business climate.

Test Your Knowledge of African-American History

2011-02-10T12:15:00.000-08:00

February is Black History Month (yeah, I know, like Women’s History Month it should really be all year round!), and it’s a fun time to test what you know about African-American history.

This year, US News & World Report has designed a simple 9 question online quiz to test your knowledge
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If after seeing your results, you think you need to brush up on your African-American history (I know I did!), then check out this informative site created by the Library of Congress.

How to Put Humor to Work Without Getting Fired!

2011-02-04T12:16:00.000-08:00

Here are 8 simple guiding lights to consider when putting humor to work in any type of organization:

1. Take Yourself Lightly. Too many of us fall victim to the dreadful disease “acute professionalism.” The symptoms include a furrowed forehead, high levels of stress and blocked creativity. The cure is simple – learn to take yourself lightly, while still taking your job seriously.

2. Be Yourself. When practicing humor it’s important to be authentic. Our sense of humor is as unique as our fingerprints, so practice humor that reflects your own personality. And be tolerant of the different types or styles of humor around you.

3. Think Small and Simple. The biggest factors that contribute to employee morale don’t cost a lot of money or take a lot of energy; it’s the small things done on a consistent basis that matter. So look for easy opportunities to introduce a little humor – put up a humor bulletin board, create a humor room (Kodak Eastman and Hewlett Packard have them) include humorous quotes in correspondence and practice spontaneous humor (which as stand-up comedians will tell you, is the most effective form of humor).

4. Practice Relevant Humor. The more you celebrate humor specific to your office, team or organization, the more meaningful the humor is. Relevant, work-related humor can easily become part of your organization’s history and help teams bond around shared experiences. Start collecting a humor file of quotes, cartoons, funny customer questions and anecdotes that relate to your organization.

5. Practice Safe Humor. Humor can break down barriers as easily as it can builds walls, so make sure the style of humor you practice is “safe”. Non-sexist, non-racist, non-religious humor is the order of the day. Cynical humor, sarcastic barbs, humor that detracts from the work at hand or humor that smothers creativity by laughing at new ideas should be avoided at all costs. And beware of e-mail humor: as many humorists have noted the written word does not smile. Without the benefit of facial expressions or tone of voice, e-mail humor can fall flat and easily lead to confused messages. To encourage the practice of safe humor develop a set of “Humor Guidelines” that clearly lays out what type and style of humor is expected. And what’s the safest form of humor? Laughing at yourself. When you laugh at yourself you take away everyone’s ability to laugh at you.

6. Hire for Humor. If you want to lighten up the office then recruit people with a positive sense of humor. Southwest Airlines, recipient of a Humor in the Workplace award, hires for humor, regardless of whether it’s a front line customer service agent or mechanic, so that every employee will fit their unique corporate culture. Even NASA has suggested that one of the most important attributes of future astronauts will be a great sense of humor.

7. Make Fun a Priority. It’s easy to agree with the idea that we need to have more fun in our organizations, after all it’s one of those feel good, motherhood statements. There’s only one problem – this little thing called “life” keeps getting in the way. So if you’re going to take humor seriously then treat it like any other priority – tie into your mission statement (the corporate motto for Grimes Aerospace based in Columbus, Ohio, is “Growth, Profit and Fun”), list fun as one of your core values, offer training in workplace humor, include it in goals and work plans, and yes, evaluate it every now and then by asking the simple, yet all important question – “Are we having fun yet?

8. Give Yourself and Each Other Permission to Play. This last guiding light may be the most important one of all. There are literally hundreds of ideas for ways to add a little fun or humor into any office, the key to opening the door to these ideas is simply giving yourself the green light to play. Remind yourself and each other that it’s not only okay to have fun, it’s absolutely necessary. Post reminder slogans around the office (“Lighten Up!”), circulate your Humor Guidelines and above all else don’t be a barrier to fun or creative ideas. If you give each other permission to play and have fun on a regular basis – the rest will be child’s play.

Michael Kerr is a Hall of Fame speaker and the author of six books including “Putting Humor to Work” and “Inspiring Workplaces.” For more information about Michael go to www.mikekerr.com and www.inspiringworkplaces.com.

Walking the Respect Talk

2011-02-01T12:18:00.000-08:00

In the past, we’ve advocated for leaders walking the talk of creating a respectful workplace. In fact, our first post on this blog, written by Paul Meshanko, our Managing Partner discussed just that.

The attitudes and behaviors of senior leaders are where the rubber meets the road. If you really value respect, you have to precisely describe (and communicate) what it looks like and then hold yourselves 100% accountable for role modeling it.

That’s why it has been so interesting watching our state’s newly elected governor, John Kasich talking but nor walking the respect line to create an inclusive cabinet. Shortly after his inauguration, the media and other groups called him out for appointing not one single diverse member to his cabinet of so far 23 individuals.
Kasich’s spokesperson responded with the following statement.

The governor continues to look for qualified people to serve Ohio in his administration, without regard to race. More diversity and more inclusiveness are goals to which the administration is committed and to which we strive, just as our society strives toward them as well, and that commitment is ongoing.

It’s odd that in a state with an African-American population close to 1.3 million and not counting all the other diverse groups that reside in Ohio that the governor couldn’t find at least one qualified candidate.
I say it’s time not for just business leaders to walk to the talk of respect but also our political leaders. What do you think?

**UPDATE**

A couple days after I posted this, Governor John Kasich appointed African-American Michael Colbert to head the Department of Job and Family Services. Kasich also made a point to say that Colbert’s experience not his race landed him the position.

Humility as a Leadership Trait

2011-01-20T12:26:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, our friends at the Manpower Employment Blawg asked readers to identify what business researchers determined was the number one trait of a successful leader.

Of course, many people answered with the standard communication skills and charisma even got high marks, but the correct answer was humility.

Think about some of the best supervisors you’ve had, would you rank them high in the humility department?
Maybe or maybe not.

Several years ago, I wrote a post asking Is a Respectful Leader Also a Humble Leader? The question is still a valid one today and possibly even more so.

A Call for Enduring Civility

2011-01-14T12:29:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week, along with over 30 million other viewers, I watched President Obama’s heartfelt speech at the memorial for the Tucson shooting victims. Like his predecessors after similar national tragedies, The President of the United States called on us all, as Americans, to make a change for the better.

But will we?

We’ve been down many similar roads and seemed to have failed and went back to our old ways.

Remember 9/11? Of course, you do. You probably even remember exactly where you were when you heard the news. I know I do. I was living in Washington, DC, and on that fateful day, working on the top floor of a building just 2 blocks away from the White House. I can still remember looking out the window, after hearing the news, and seeing people running from that iconic building.

So, I am sure that you also remember the days, and even weeks after that tragic day, when everyone was just a little nicer to everyone else. People, who normally greeted you with a scowl, smiled. But after awhile we all went back to our old ways.

Then, remember just two years ago, I questioned whether we had reached the end of diversity training? Well, I can safely say that we have received no shortage of requests for diversity training. In fact, the inquiries have increased substantially since then.

So what will it take for us to be truly civil and respectful to one another in the long run?

I’ll leave you with a suggestion from the president’s speech:

We may not be able to stop all evil in the world, but I know that how we treat one another, that’s entirely up to us. And I believe that for all our imperfections, we are full of decency and goodness, and that the forces that divide us are not as strong as those that unite us.

Melanie Sklarz spent almost 10 years developing, facilitating and promoting education and training programs for museums and non-profits, primarily in Washington, DC. Melanie is currently the web content coordinator for the RespectfulWorkplace.com site and blog as well as a facilitator for Edge Learning’s diversity and respect programs. She earned her MA in Women’s Studies from the Ohio State University.

Respectful Workplace Tip: Say, “Thank You”

2011-01-06T12:40:00.000-08:00

Last year, I wrote about the importance of kindness in the workplace, so I was glad to see that our friends over at the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation recently published their own post on this subject.

Like us, they advocate for the same simple, yet effective way of creating respect in your workplace, the act of saying “thank you” to your employees.

Check out their post for great tips and non-traditional ways to thank your employees in the new year and all year!

You’re Welcome!

2011-01-06T12:37:00.000-08:00

There are a number of basic phrases which are part of any good arsenal of etiquette words. I have discussed the virtues of ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ in previous columns. Here I would like to share my thoughts on the phrase ‘you’re welcome’. This phrase usually follows ‘thank you’. But more times than not, we forget to complete this communication.

What exactly do we mean when we say ‘you’re welcome’? For one thing, we indicate that we have heard and accepted the thanks conveyed. For another, it shows that we are happy that whatever effort we have made or whatever gift we may have given was appreciated. It actually gives us a feeling of satisfaction.

I have noticed however that some people have a tough time with this phrase. That is probably because some of those same people have a tough time receiving thanks to begin with. Giving and receiving thanks are two very different acts and they are so very important to learn to do gracefully.

Take for example a graduation ceremony. When the diplomas are handed to the graduates, the principal or dean will hand the diploma to the graduate and say, “Congratulations”. The new graduate will respond with, “Thank you”. The Dean would then appropriately say, “You’re welcome”. That remark gives a sense of deserving, an acknowledgement of accomplishment, and an exclamation mark to accompany the congratulations. The transaction of the giving and receiving of the diploma is thus completed.

In a further instance, someone holds a door open for another person leaving or entering a car, a room or a building. “Thank you” is quickly and logically followed by “you’re welcome”. Now that seemingly simple phrase means something akin to ‘it is my pleasure’, ‘no thanks necessary’, or ‘be my guest, please’.

In yet a third example, when an applicant for a job is hired, a similar series of ‘congratulations’, ‘thank you’ and ‘you’re welcome’ ensues. In this scenario, it implies ‘welcome to the company’, ‘this process is finally concluded’ and even ‘thank you’ in return. This use illustrates what a win-win result looks like in business.

In these three examples the phrase takes on slightly different meanings, and it does complete a transaction, a long term scholarly pursuit, or a difficult protracted interview process. In each example, without using a clear and sincere ‘you’re welcome’, something would be missing.

Using these two words regularly is a skill we need to develop at an early age. We often hear parents teaching children to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, but often ‘you’re welcome’ is left out. Learning to incorporate this expression of understanding into one’s communication style is important because it demonstrates that we ‘get it’.

It is routine for children to actually be taught that the various meanings of this phrase can be used almost interchangeably. This is certainly better than not teaching anything at all or reinforcing that no answer is acceptable. I would caution however that as we mature and conversations and situations become more complex, learning the distinctions between the various alternatives is important and each should be delivered with purpose. After all, this is one way that we can show respect for one another. It solidifies relationships and ties up any loose ends of an exchange.

Like all key phrases, ‘you’re welcome’ will become routine when practiced with regularity. It makes one feel that the ‘thank you’ they have just delivered is appreciated. The exchange of these polite and genuine phrases also means that there is an acknowledgement and recognition of one human being to another. A healthy society thrives on these niceties. And this is one that does make a difference.

Jay Remer is certified by the Protocol School of Washington as a consultant for corporate etiquette and international protocol. He lives in St. Andrews, NB, Canada. E-mail your etiquette questions to jay@etiquetteguy.com and visit his website at www.etiquetteguy.com.