Right Direction Consulting
People Development for Expanded Possibilities at Work
Developed Leaders
Increased Productivity
Greater Synergy
Improved Communication
Reduced Conflict
Engaged Employees
Change Management
More productive meetings
Better Management + Increased Productivity =
Greater Organizational Success
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The Right Direction? Investing in your people.
Right Direction Consulting is a partnership between two highly experienced consultants. We created this organization to assist with all of the 'people' needs you may have in the workplace. We offer workshops, talent management, executive coaching, performance measurement, custom HR consulting and more. Whether you are personally looking to build your people skills, or you are a decision maker looking to improve the success of your oranization, our purpose is to help foster even greater potential, when it counts the most. We believe:It's all about the people. Organizations are groups of people 'organizing' to produce products and services. Executives, managers, employees, units, departments, customers, suppliers, vendors and other key stakeholders are all human systems in action - first and foremost. It's all about the people - productive group dynamics at work really matter and this is the heart of the work we do. Work doesn't have to be a dreaded event every day. Strong leaders and effective managers can help to create engaged employees and this is the key difference between a cohesive and successful organization with minimal barriers to getting work done - and the toxic workplace that employees actively root against. So often, the skills needed to communicate effectively, run productive meetings, motivate and minimize conflict are overlooked in the HR planning process. Over time this skill gap creates deep frustration, walls are erected, and barriers to success become the norm. Investment in people skills provides the nutrients for a healthy and productive organization.Professional learning and employee development increases engagement in work. Are you or your employees motivated to give 110%? Why or Why not? Did you know that an engaged workforce provides an average of 30% more to the bottomline through added time, brainpower and productivity on the job? Managers who build strong relationships with employees, and who understand how to motivate and engage their employees at work are more successful, have less turnover and are more productive themselves -advancing the entire organization forward. Today's employees value continuous learning - and need it to be successful and to stay motivated.. Not only does a small investment in people development arm your employees with needed technical skills, but it also rejuvenates, builds trust, and increases loyalty. Eliminating organizational barriers to success is the only direction to take in a climate that demands doing more work with less resources. The most successful employees are those who have received extensive professional development- and this truly enables the organization to thrive. When managers learn the art of leadership through a solid foundation in human behavioral principles, they are better equipped to foster teamwork, minimize difficulties, motivate and truly inspire others at work - resulting in greater organizational potential and success as a whole. Right Direction Consulting can help you get there.
Right Direction Consulting is a partnership between two highly experienced consultants. We created this organization to assist with all of the 'people' needs you may have in the workplace. We offer workshops, talent management, executive coaching, performance measurement, custom HR consulting and more. Whether you are personally looking to build your people skills, or you are a decision maker looking to improve the success of your oranization, our purpose is to help foster even greater potential, when it counts the most.
We believe:
It's all about the people. Organizations are groups of people 'organizing' to produce products and services. Executives, managers, employees, units, departments, customers, suppliers, vendors and other key stakeholders are all human systems in action - first and foremost. It's all about the people - productive group dynamics at work really matter and this is the heart of the work we do.
Work doesn't have to be a dreaded event every day. Strong leaders and effective managers can help to create engaged employees and this is the key difference between a cohesive and successful organization with minimal barriers to getting work done - and the toxic workplace that employees actively root against. So often, the skills needed to communicate effectively, run productive meetings, motivate and minimize conflict are overlooked in the HR planning process. Over time this skill gap creates deep frustration, walls are erected, and barriers to success become the norm. Investment in people skills provides the nutrients for a healthy and productive organization.
Professional learning and employee development increases engagement in work. Are you or your employees motivated to give 110%? Why or Why not? Did you know that an engaged workforce provides an average of 30% more to the bottomline through added time, brainpower and productivity on the job? Managers who build strong relationships with employees, and who understand how to motivate and engage their employees at work are more successful, have less turnover and are more productive themselves -advancing the entire organization forward.
Today's employees value continuous learning - and need it to be successful and to stay motivated.. Not only does a small investment in people development arm your employees with needed technical skills, but it also rejuvenates, builds trust, and increases loyalty. Eliminating organizational barriers to success is the only direction to take in a climate that demands doing more work with less resources. The most successful employees are those who have received extensive professional development- and this truly enables the organization to thrive.
When managers learn the art of leadership through a solid foundation in human behavioral principles, they are better equipped to foster teamwork, minimize difficulties, motivate and truly inspire others at work - resulting in greater organizational potential and success as a whole.
Right Direction Consulting can help you get there.
who we serve
Not for Profits
Not for profit organizations do important work to build human potential within our society. Employees are often the "unsung heroes" of our working world. Doing more with less, and on tight budgets, training and development is less of a priority and it becomes expensive to send employees to courses designed for corporate counterparts. The same level of care and concern these organizations direct externally, should also be directed within, through investment in employee skills and management development. New learning and staff development is crucial in order to do more with less and be stronger in the new decade.
Our work with not for profit organizations is geared toward strengthening the internal capabilities of staff for increased creativity, productivity and efficiency. We provide facilitation for effective and productive meetings, strategic planning, change management and soft-skill development. We will also work on removing organizational barriers to success and assisting organizations with staff and board development, problem solving and process reviews.
Technical Experts
and Specialists
We frequently hear people comment on the "people skills" of managers or supervisors who are specialists ( in law, medicine, finance or science) or technical experts ( in IT, engineering, architecture etc). Historically, people management and relationship-building at work are not areas given a lot of attention in technical or professional curriculums. So when these professionals are promoted to supervisory or management positions as a result of doing their technical jobs well, they often feel insufficient in terms of their ability to manage people effectively - suddenly people management becomes a good portion of the job, and this requires a different set of skils than what got them into the position.
Right Direction Consulting can help! We offer leadership development, team building, conflict resolution, and other "soft skills" trainings for those interested in improving their people skills and understanding how to manage people with success.
The
Public Sector
Public Sector organizations are unique in that there is not a bottom line profit factor that motivates its employees or its managers. Instead, employees are motivated by a sense of duty and responsibility to the public. In times of fiscal crisis, that fact doesn't change. However, when employers want their staff to "do more with less", staff must be trained how to be more efficient, productive and crucially - engaged and motivated enough to give their best. Research has shown that one of the key factors in keeping employees engaged is the relationship and employee has with his/her manager, so management development becomes extremely important for improving public sector organizations.
Right Direction can help to build strong relationships to increase teamwork and productivity. Our work with the public sector has included team and group facilitation, executive level retreats for strategic planning, organizational consulting, appreciative inquiry, and diversity, conflict resolution, and numerous other trainings.
Academia
Colleges and Universities are unique entities dedicated to the development of the human race through education. Often staff and faculty are faced with the challenge of bringing together diverse groups of people to chart new strategies, courses, business development and other priorities. With academics, business minds, donors, historical protocols, students, governments and international diversity all part of the stew - positive group dynamics and effective decision making can be monumentally difficult. Effective meeting facilitation, conflict resolution, understanding personality types, negotiation and other soft skills can make the difference in how effective a college or university operates. Right Direction Consulting will not only facilitate meetings and assist in bringing diverse stakeholders together to realize the highest potential, but we will teach these skills to staff to build capabilities in-house.
Small Businesses & Corporations
In today's economy, whether you are a small business or a corporate giant, you need well trained professionals working for you. You need processes that are efficient and that yield results. You need every moment spent on the job to be wisely spent. You need productive and engaged staff.
The costs of running a training department can often be unmanageable in today's economy and that is where we come in. No business is too small, or too large - the principles of engagement are human in nature and in this case, size doesn't matter.
Right Direction Consulting provides leadership and management development, team and meeting facilitation, strategic planning assistance, appreciative inquiry sessions to help you determine core values and business priorities, custom consulting and many other affordable services to assist you in moving your organization in the right direction.
Student Governments
Student Governments offer an unique opportunity to learn and practice leadership and team skills before entering the workplace. Unfortunately, not a lot of structured time is spent in developing students that way. For many of the students, if they are not in business or psychology courses, many of the skills around interpersonal behavior in the workplace, as they relate to productivity, are not learned. We offer student governments training in meeting and group facilitation, strategic planning assistance, leadership skills training, and the development of conflict resolution skills.
Angela
Is a management and leadership development consultant with 10 years of experience partnering with business, government, and non-profit leaders to accelerate productivity and establish thriving work environments.Angela facilitates leadership and management courses teaching the hard and soft skills employees need to better understand human behavior in the workplace, become more successful at managing people, and reach their organizational goals. She has expertise in workplace psychology, MBTI personality assessment, conflict resolution, EQ, teambuilding, change management and building employee engagement.
Angela has worked with numerous organizations and hundreds of managers across the globe to date. She is currently on a consulting team within Cornell University's ILR School offering her skills and expertise to government agencies. She received her B.S. in Management from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Lally School of Management, and her M.S. in Organizational & Social Psychology from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Angela DiNisco
Roxanne
Has over 20 years of experience helping organizations to maximize the contributions of their employees, and their overall organizational potential. She is a well recognized trainer, facilitator, and organizational consultant, having worked extensively with school districts, government agencies, and not-for-profit organizations. She worked for New York State government for 28 years - the last 15 as a trainer, facilitator, and organizational consultant- before starting her own consulting firm, Facilitating for Change.
Roxanne is an Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator, a past member of the International Association of Facilitators, and a member of the Capital District Chapter of the National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI). Past clients have included Harvard University, the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA), the State University of New York at Albany, and many local school districts.
Roxanne holds a BA in Political Science from Lincoln University, Pa.
Roxanne Wright
current workshops
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Workshops
This catalog includes workshops that are currently offered by Right Direction Consulting.
Right Direction Consulting is also able to customize any and all of these workshops to the specific needs of your organization. Contact us for specifics about dates and times.
Managing Differences: The Role of Personality and the MBTI
This course will provide participants with a greater awareness of personality types at work and will explore how differences affect the workplace if misunderstood. The workshop is a primer in psychological type and the widely used and accepted personality assessment The Meyers Briggs Type Indicator. Participants will learn the Carl Jungs theory of psychological type, how we perceive and make sense of our internal and external realities, the basics of the MBTI tool. Most importantly, participants will learn the importance of different communication styles in the workplace and how to adjust accordingly as a manager to foster greater teamwork, improve communication and reduce conflict. This workshop can create profound positive changes for participants, as easy-to-apply techniques are learned for improving communication and reducing conflict in all aspects of life.
It is recommended for any employee, supervisor and/or managers.
People & Possibilities: Engaging Employees
This course focuses on the basics of employee engagement, otherwise described as the ability to capture the heads, hearts, and souls of employees to instill an intrinsic desire and passion for excellence. Recent research shows that engaged employees want their organization to succeed because they feel connected emotionally, socially, and even spiritually to its mission, vision, and purpose and engaged employees can be more than 30% more productive than unengaged colleagues. Research has also shown that one of the biggest drivers of employee engagement is an employees relationship to his/her manager. This workshop aims to provide participants with an understanding of how to work with all employees to retain and promote increased engagement, commitment and overall productivity.
Participants will learn effective practices from a host of research sources, and the key leadership behaviors that foster engagement in employees. This workshop is a tool for managers, leaders, and human resource professionals who hope to improve the success of their organizations by using their most important asset: people.
Emotional & Social Intelligence at Work I & II
This course is a primer in Daniel Goleman's groundbreaking work on Emotional Iand Social intelligence. Course topics will include a review of emotional intelligence withfurther exploration into the science of human relationships, how our experiences and emotions shape our brains and affect our lives from birth through adulthood, power dynamics, and easy-to-apply illustrations from the latest research in brain science and social psychology. Specific focus will be placed on how Goleman's theories can help managers and leaders illicit positive outcomes through behavior and emotional awareness in groups.
The Power of Mindfulness
This workshop explores mindfulness and its equally powerful (and destructive!) counterpart mindlessness especially as they relate to our work lives. Topic areas include the nature of mindlessness, its roots, illustrations from the latest and classical research examples in social psychology, and how mindlessness takes a toll on both our psyche and physical body. The course will then focus on mindfulness what it is, and how it can provide us with greater control, a new understanding and orientation to the world, richer life options, increased productivity and improved relationships at work.
Strengths Based Problem SolvingThe best results begin with the best questions. Developing expertise in how to ask the best questions empowers more successful communication, change management, decision-making, problem solving, conflict resolution and innovation. The questions we ask, and where we put our focus of inquiry dictates where our energy goes, what gets done, and it has a lasting effect on the direction and outcome of any endeavor. In this workshop participants will be taught how to ask the right questions in order to discover what works well in their world. Then, participants will be taught how to find common ground, build collaboration in a group, and craft strategies and action plans to create the desired outcomes.Participants will be encouraged to consciously and deliberately shift their personal way of being in this dynamic, enlightening and very practical workshop. The course will teach participants the process of Appreciative Inquiry, a highly successful organizational development tool used in diverse organizations worldwide, as a means to engage their own staff, build collaboration, plan strategically, manage change, and improve.
Strengths Based Problem Solving
The best results begin with the best questions. Developing expertise in how to ask the best questions empowers more successful communication, change management, decision-making, problem solving, conflict resolution and innovation. The questions we ask, and where we put our focus of inquiry dictates where our energy goes, what gets done, and it has a lasting effect on the direction and outcome of any endeavor. In this workshop participants will be taught how to ask the right questions in order to discover what works well in their world. Then, participants will be taught how to find common ground, build collaboration in a group, and craft strategies and action plans to create the desired outcomes.
Participants will be encouraged to consciously and deliberately shift their personal way of being in this dynamic, enlightening and very practical workshop. The course will teach participants the process of Appreciative Inquiry, a highly successful organizational development tool used in diverse organizations worldwide, as a means to engage their own staff, build collaboration, plan strategically, manage change, and improve.
Facilitation Skills
If you ask many people about attending meetings, you will hear that they dread them. Most say that it is because of various things: certain people always dominate, people don't feel listen to, the content is always the same, with no visible movement forward on the issue, they don't understand why they are there, and a host of other issues that point to poorly run and ineffective meetings.
Facilitators focus on process, not content and are able to deal with and correct all of the issues mentioned above.
This course teaches tools and techniques for achieving well run, and productive meetings. Participants are taught about the importance of ground rules, expanded agendas that specifically state the outcome for each discussion topic, decision-making styles, methods for achieving true consensus, and many other skills essential for effective meetings.
Change ManagementChange Management involves making changes within an organization in a planned, managed, and systematic fashion. The aim is to more effectively implement new methods and systems in an ongoing organization. While the changes to be managed are within , and are controlled by the organization, the reason for these changes may have been externally triggered. As such, another aspect of change management involves how to respond effectively to changes over which the organization exercises little or no control. This workshop provides tools and techniques for skill building in the area of effective change management.
Change Management involves making changes within an organization in a planned, managed, and systematic fashion. The aim is to more effectively implement new methods and systems in an ongoing organization. While the changes to be managed are within , and are controlled by the organization, the reason for these changes may have been externally triggered. As such, another aspect of change management involves how to respond effectively to changes over which the organization exercises little or no control. This workshop provides tools and techniques for skill building in the area of effective change management.
Innovation in Difficult Times
Technically, innovation can simply mean inventing something new. There are, however, different reasons why organizations want to innovate. The need or desire to do so can stem from either being forced to, in order to survive ,or being at the top rung of the ladder and wanting to stay there. Certain scenarios involve an urgency for innovation, while others allow for more leisurely attention to innovating.
This workshop will give participants knowledge about what methods and tools are necessary in order for any innovation initiative to occur, and to be successful.
Business WritingIn the workplace, there is a need for effective written communications. We have all seen correspondence that was not written as well as it could have been,. Even the many advances in technology have not been able to mask the problem of poor writing skills. Poor writing skills reflect badly on the author, limit the credibility and influence of the sender, and steal time away from those who have to try to decipher what the author is trying to say. Sometimes, additional correspondence is needed to lend clarification or to correct miscommunication created by the initial correspondence. This workshop will outline principles to be applied to the whole document (i.e. format), paragraph structure and function, and individual sentence structure. It is a good workshop for any employee who needs some assistance in writing for business purposes.
Business Writing
In the workplace, there is a need for effective written communications. We have all seen correspondence that was not written as well as it could have been,. Even the many advances in technology have not been able to mask the problem of poor writing skills. Poor writing skills reflect badly on the author, limit the credibility and influence of the sender, and steal time away from those who have to try to decipher what the author is trying to say. Sometimes, additional correspondence is needed to lend clarification or to correct miscommunication created by the initial correspondence. This workshop will outline principles to be applied to the whole document (i.e. format), paragraph structure and function, and individual sentence structure. It is a good workshop for any employee who needs some assistance in writing for business purposes.
Diversity: The BasicsDiversity is about all the ways in which we are unique. Organizations need to not only recognize, but value diversity so that employees feel good about working there and customers or clients feel good about doing business with the organization. In an environment where everyone feels respected and welcome, employees are encouraged to reach their full potential while providing products and/or services that make their customers want to maintain their business relationship. Diversity differences are broader than the traditionally held categories of race, ethnicity, and gender and diversity workshops must be expansive enough to include considerations of age, educational level, appearance, speech, and values, just to name a few. This workshop provides an entry into discussions and considerations about the impact of diversity in building and maintaining effective organizations.
Diversity: The Basics
Diversity is about all the ways in which we are unique. Organizations need to not only recognize, but value diversity so that employees feel good about working there and customers or clients feel good about doing business with the organization. In an environment where everyone feels respected and welcome, employees are encouraged to reach their full potential while providing products and/or services that make their customers want to maintain their business relationship. Diversity differences are broader than the traditionally held categories of race, ethnicity, and gender and diversity workshops must be expansive enough to include considerations of age, educational level, appearance, speech, and values, just to name a few. This workshop provides an entry into discussions and considerations about the impact of diversity in building and maintaining effective organizations.
Conflict Resolution SkillsConflict is a normal, and even healthy, part of workplace encounters and relationships. After all, two people cant be expected to agree on everything at all times. Since conflicts are inevitable, learning to deal with them in a healthy way is crucial. When conflict is mismanaged, it can harm the relationship between the individuals and create work environments that are divided. When handled in a respectful and positive way, conflict provides an opportunity for growth, ultimately strengthening the bond between people. By learning the skills you need for successful conflict resolution, employees can keep personal and professional relationships strong and growing and maintain healthy and productive workplaces. This workshop provides tools for recognizing, addressing, and resolving workplace conflicts in the most effective manner.
Conflict Resolution Skills
Conflict is a normal, and even healthy, part of workplace encounters and relationships. After all, two people cant be expected to agree on everything at all times. Since conflicts are inevitable, learning to deal with them in a healthy way is crucial. When conflict is mismanaged, it can harm the relationship between the individuals and create work environments that are divided. When handled in a respectful and positive way, conflict provides an opportunity for growth, ultimately strengthening the bond between people. By learning the skills you need for successful conflict resolution, employees can keep personal and professional relationships strong and growing and maintain healthy and productive workplaces. This workshop provides tools for recognizing, addressing, and resolving workplace conflicts in the most effective manner.
Effective Decision MakingEffective leadership in the workplace requires the ability to make good decisions. Effective leaders can achieve, and inspire others to achieve desired outcomes. Poor decision making can lead to lack of results, failures, and workplaces where employees are dissatisfied, unhappy, and, as a result, unproductive.The techniques provided in this workshop will help participants to learn how to make the best decisions possible with the information that they have available to them. The techniques will enable participants to plan decisions, map out the likely consequences of decisions, work out the importance of individual factors, and choose the best courses of action.
Effective Decision Making
Effective leadership in the workplace requires the ability to make good decisions. Effective leaders can achieve, and inspire others to achieve desired outcomes. Poor decision making can lead to lack of results, failures, and workplaces where employees are dissatisfied, unhappy, and, as a result, unproductive.
The techniques provided in this workshop will help participants to learn how to make the best decisions possible with the information that they have available to them. The techniques will enable participants to plan decisions, map out the likely consequences of decisions, work out the importance of individual factors, and choose the best courses of action.
Workplace Violence PreventionWorkplace violence has turned into a number one priority for today’s businesses and other organizations. On an average working day, three people will be murdered on the job in the U.S. One million workers are assaulted and more than 1,000 are murdered every year, according to the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Homicide is the second highest cause of death on the job, after motor vehicle accidents. These statistics represent a dramatic increase over the last 10 years. Even more shocking than these statistics is the fact that more than half of these cases go unreported. That means that an estimated two million workers are assaulted every year and more than 2,000 people are murdered. In the aftermath of just about every incident, there are news accounts of co-workers and/or supervisors detailing behaviors by the perpetrator that were obviously noticeable. In nearly eight out of 10 cases, killers left behind clear warning signs — sometimes showing guns to co-workers, threatening their bosses or talking about attacking. In the majority of cases, employers ignored, downplayed or misjudged the threat, according to a 2006 USA TODAY analysis of 224 instances of fatal workplace violence. Beyond the human toll, workplace violence costs employers a huge amount of money per year in insurance payouts and lawsuits. In one case alone, the widows of two murdered men were awarded nearly $8 million from their husbands’ employers in a jury trial. As well, the feeling of a safe working environment is never regained once a significant act of workplace violence has occurred in an organization.It is hard to imagine why people would choose to ignore such obvious threats to their lives and the lives of others, not to mention the huge monetary impact on the employer. There are, however, many reasons why people do so, not the least of which has to do with learning to recognize and deal with violence at the earliest possible sign of conflict. If the answer was as simple as firing the offending employee, things would be easy. However, that is not the case.By the end of this workshop, participants will understand the origins of workplace violence, their reporting role and responsibilities, effective methods for preventing it, and in the event that conflict does escalate to the point of violence, what they need to do to be safe. This Workplace Violence Prevention workshop is a 6 hour workshop.
Workplace Violence Prevention
Workplace violence has turned into a number one priority for today’s businesses and other organizations. On an average working day, three people will be murdered on the job in the U.S. One million workers are assaulted and more than 1,000 are murdered every year, according to the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Homicide is the second highest cause of death on the job, after motor vehicle accidents. These statistics represent a dramatic increase over the last 10 years. Even more shocking than these statistics is the fact that more than half of these cases go unreported. That means that an estimated two million workers are assaulted every year and more than 2,000 people are murdered.
In the aftermath of just about every incident, there are news accounts of co-workers and/or supervisors detailing behaviors by the perpetrator that were obviously noticeable. In nearly eight out of 10 cases, killers left behind clear warning signs — sometimes showing guns to co-workers, threatening their bosses or talking about attacking. In the majority of cases, employers ignored, downplayed or misjudged the threat, according to a 2006 USA TODAY analysis of 224 instances of fatal workplace violence. Beyond the human toll, workplace violence costs employers a huge amount of money per year in insurance payouts and lawsuits. In one case alone, the widows of two murdered men were awarded nearly $8 million from their husbands’ employers in a jury trial. As well, the feeling of a safe working environment is never regained once a significant act of workplace violence has occurred in an organization.
It is hard to imagine why people would choose to ignore such obvious threats to their lives and the lives of others, not to mention the huge monetary impact on the employer. There are, however, many reasons why people do so, not the least of which has to do with learning to recognize and deal with violence at the earliest possible sign of conflict. If the answer was as simple as firing the offending employee, things would be easy. However, that is not the case.
By the end of this workshop, participants will understand the origins of workplace violence, their reporting role and responsibilities, effective methods for preventing it, and in the event that conflict does escalate to the point of violence, what they need to do to be safe.
This Workplace Violence Prevention workshop is a 6 hour workshop.
Sexual Harassment Prevention
Regular education and training of your employees on the topic of sexual harassment prevention is essential for your personal legal protection and for your business.
Unless you have taken all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment, your organization may become personally liable for the acts of your employees. You must ensure that you develop a workplace culture that has a zero tolerance to workplace sexual harassment.
The program provides a step-by-step approach for your organization on the prevention of sexual harassment in the workplace.It outlines the responsibilities of employers and employees, supervisors/managers, and contractors, in maintaining a workplace free of sexual harassment.
This program describes the nature of sexual harassment offenses, steps that can be taken to avoid illegal behavior, the correct procedure for dealing with sexual harassment and how to develop a company policy that makes clear the rights and responsibilities of both management and employees.
The program is three hours in length.
Lead Standing Up: Developing Credibility as a LeaderThis course focuses on teaching participants how to clarify personal values on the job, and then how to set an example for staff, by aligning these values with actions. Also known as modeling the way for employees, this course builds competencies in accountability, self-management, professional credibility, and conflict management. By the end of the course, participants will be able to clarify standards and values for employees, provide examples of how to adhere to them, define credibility and develop an understanding of the necessary behaviors for credibility to occur in the workplace.
Lead Standing Up:
Developing Credibility as a Leader
This course focuses on teaching participants how to clarify personal values on the job, and then how to set an example for staff, by aligning these values with actions. Also known as modeling the way for employees, this course builds competencies in accountability, self-management, professional credibility, and conflict management. By the end of the course, participants will be able to clarify standards and values for employees, provide examples of how to adhere to them, define credibility and develop an understanding of the necessary behaviors for credibility to occur in the workplace.
The Innovative LeaderThis course focuses on the importance of creative thinking and teaches participants how to foster innovation as a leader within employees and teams. It will build competencies in creativity/innovation, change management, analytical thinking, and technology management. Participants will learn how to seek innovative ways to change, grow and improve while being challenged to experiment with small wins and learn from mistakes. Empowering Others to ActThis course teaches participants how to foster collaboration through empowerment, delegation, and cooperative relationships. It builds competencies in delegation, fostering collaboration, building teams/facilitation, customer service and decision-making. Participants will learn how to nurture self-esteem through setting cooperative goals and building trust. Participants will also learn how to strengthen others through power sharing and discretion in order to build peoples skills and abilities especially important now, as times become ever more challenging.
The Innovative Leader
This course focuses on the importance of creative thinking and teaches participants how to foster innovation as a leader within employees and teams. It will build competencies in creativity/innovation, change management, analytical thinking, and technology management. Participants will learn how to seek innovative ways to change, grow and improve while being challenged to experiment with small wins and learn from mistakes.
Empowering Others to Act
This course teaches participants how to foster collaboration through empowerment, delegation, and cooperative relationships. It builds competencies in delegation, fostering collaboration, building teams/facilitation, customer service and decision-making. Participants will learn how to nurture self-esteem through setting cooperative goals and building trust. Participants will also learn how to strengthen others through power sharing and discretion in order to build peoples skills and abilities especially important now, as times become ever more challenging.
Every Word Counts: Leading through LanguageThis workshop identifies the key ways in which the language leaders use encourages commitment in their people. Participants will learn how to use the subtleties of positive language with topics including: the connection between language and attitude, the freeing effects of positive language, practical tips to avoid creating resistance, what to say when things go wrong, how to encourage people to accept responsibility, how to focus people on what they can control, how to encourage others to accept responsibility, and words that make people feel effective. In using the skills taught in this workshop, participants will be able to communicate in a more positive, optimistic, and empowering manner and thereby encourage commitment and self-confidence in those around them.
Every Word Counts: Leading through Language
This workshop identifies the key ways in which the language leaders use encourages commitment in their people. Participants will learn how to use the subtleties of positive language with topics including: the connection between language and attitude, the freeing effects of positive language, practical tips to avoid creating resistance, what to say when things go wrong, how to encourage people to accept responsibility, how to focus people on what they can control, how to encourage others to accept responsibility, and words that make people feel effective. In using the skills taught in this workshop, participants will be able to communicate in a more positive, optimistic, and empowering manner and thereby encourage commitment and self-confidence in those around them.
Sticky Situations: Navigating Ethics, Morals & Values at WorkThis course discusses the meaning of, and difference between, ethics, morals, and values in the workplace. Participants will gain a greater understanding of how to analyze and resolve ethical dilemmas, using a widely accepted step-by-step process model. The course will explore values from many perspectives, determine between right vs. wrong and right vs. right moral dilemmas, and provide resolution options based a standard set of ethical paradigms. This class is useful for managers and leaders interested in understanding ethical decision making, for their own purposes, or to be able to assist others through the process of resolving the stickiest of situations. The course provides a wide perspective of ethics and values in the world, and upon completion, participants will have a step-by-step process for navigating workplace dilemmas.Highly recommended for supervisors and managers or any employee interested in the topic.
Sticky Situations: Navigating Ethics, Morals & Values at Work
This course discusses the meaning of, and difference between, ethics, morals, and values in the workplace. Participants will gain a greater understanding of how to analyze and resolve ethical dilemmas, using a widely accepted step-by-step process model. The course will explore values from many perspectives, determine between right vs. wrong and right vs. right moral dilemmas, and provide resolution options based a standard set of ethical paradigms. This class is useful for managers and leaders interested in understanding ethical decision making, for their own purposes, or to be able to assist others through the process of resolving the stickiest of situations. The course provides a wide perspective of ethics and values in the world, and upon completion, participants will have a step-by-step process for navigating workplace dilemmas.
Highly recommended for supervisors and managers or any employee interested in the topic.
Inspiring Others through Leadership: A Journey WithinThis course teaches supervisors and managers how to inspire others, create shared visions and translate the details of work into the big picture for employees. The course builds competencies in: communication, strategic management, and negotiation/influencing. Participants will be encouraged to explore their own vision of the future, through a step-by-process of self-discovery, and to develop the tools for greater collaboration and shared vision within their employees and teams.
Inspiring Others through Leadership: A Journey Within
This course teaches supervisors and managers how to inspire others, create shared visions and translate the details of work into the big picture for employees. The course builds competencies in: communication, strategic management, and negotiation/influencing. Participants will be encouraged to explore their own vision of the future, through a step-by-process of self-discovery, and to develop the tools for greater collaboration and shared vision within their employees and teams.
Heartfelt Leadership: Encouragement and AppreciationWhen people become exhausted, frustrated and disenchanted they are often tempted to give up. This course teaches supervisors and managers how to keep hope and contribution alive through increased encouragement and appreciation in the workplace, for improved productivity and stronger teams. Participants will learn who, what, when, where, why and how of appreciation for the best possible results. This leadership practice builds a spirit of community by helping everyone to know their individual and team heroic efforts are not overlooked. Measured Success: The Leadership Practices Follow-upThis course is open to anyone who has participated in the leadership series and has begun to implement the course material. This workshop is a follow up, to be scheduled at least 3 months after completion of a leadership workshop, and will be a forum for discussion, coaching, questions, and follow up to address challenges, share positive results, and measure the effectiveness of the training.
Heartfelt Leadership: Encouragement and Appreciation
When people become exhausted, frustrated and disenchanted they are often tempted to give up. This course teaches supervisors and managers how to keep hope and contribution alive through increased encouragement and appreciation in the workplace, for improved productivity and stronger teams. Participants will learn who, what, when, where, why and how of appreciation for the best possible results. This leadership practice builds a spirit of community by helping everyone to know their individual and team heroic efforts are not overlooked.
Measured Success: The Leadership Practices Follow-up
This course is open to anyone who has participated in the leadership series and has begun to implement the course material. This workshop is a follow up, to be scheduled at least 3 months after completion of a leadership workshop, and will be a forum for discussion, coaching, questions, and follow up to address challenges, share positive results, and measure the effectiveness of the training.
contact us
ph.(518) 334-1379
(518) 377-3133
rightdirectionconsulting_gmail.com
Critical Insights (aka Things that make you say "hmmmm")
March 29, 2010
Workplace Gossip – Another Form of Workplace Violence
Workplace gossip affects, and infects, the workplace on a regular basis. It is a type of workplace violence that does not get the same attention on the evening news as the other kinds….but is nonetheless, potentially as damaging. What is gossip? Gossip is idle talk, scandal, rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).
A gossiper is defined as a person who habitually spreads intimate or private rumors or facts (American Heritage Dictionary). It is hard to know all the reasons why people engage in its practice, except that workplaces are filled with human beings. An article that I read about workplace gossip stated “gossip, scientists say, is actually hard-wired into us as humans, a sort of evolutionary tool that ensures our survival”. Since we probably have all engaged in gossip at one time or another, we can probably relate to this. However, people (at all levels within a workplace) - let's call them “professional gossipers” - engage in it much more frequently than others.
While there are many reasons why people engage in workplace gossip, they boil down to one thing, “need”. Gossipers often suffer from low self-esteem, and think that talking about others or spreading rumors makes them feel important, or powerful…all without a thought of how their rumors are affecting the person or persons about whom they are spreading, often untrue, stories. Gossipers may have a strong need to “fit in”, and feel that gossip will help them achieve this. The need to feel superior, a need for respect, a need to belong, a need to relieve boredom, a need for security, or a need for greater understanding are also potential reasons for workplace gossip. However, like any unhealthy behavior, gossiping does not increase self esteem or make the gossiper feel more in control.
So, what’s the harm in a little workplace gossip? It can destroy other people's lives and careers. Gossip can result in lost productivity and wasted time, as well as trust and morale issues. People who are being regularly gossiped about find it difficult to face coming to work. It carries over into their personal lives and can affect their relationships with loved ones. There is also increased anxiety among employees as rumors circulate without any clear information as to what is fact and what isn’t, divisiveness among employees as people may “take sides”, hurt feelings and severe damage to reputations, jeopardy for gossipers in their own advancement because they are perceived as unprofessional, and loss of good employees who leave the company due to the unhealthy work atmosphere.
It’s very easy to get drawn in to the gossip circle, and often difficult to resist. A recent New York Times article on rumors contained a quote that was, "when you are looking at truth versus gossip, truth doesn't stand a chance." On a personal level, it’s always a good idea to step back and ask yourself several questions when you are tempted to participate in rumors or gossip. They include “Is what I am about to say true? and do I know that for sure?, Is there a point to it?, Is it necessary for the operation of the organization?, What is my motivation for spreading this? How would I feel if someone said something similar about me? How would I feel if I saw my words quoted somewhere and attributed to me? How am I going to feel later if I say this? (or listen to this)”. Make a decision not to participate in the workplace rumor and gossip mill. It will require discipline to take a principled stand. If coworkers attempt to draw you in to their gossip, let them know directly that you aren’t interested in participating in this type of conversation. You don’t have to be critical or judgmental, but clearly communicate your feelings of discomfort talking about something or someone when you don’t have all the facts, and excuse yourself from the conversation.
To combat gossip from a management position, it is important to create and communicate an organizational intolerance for gossip. It is also important to provide employees with ways of dealing with serious, hurtful rumors, like a confidential suggestion box, an open door policy, or, third-party mediation. Make sure that employees are aware that there is a performance aspect to every job and there is a behavioral aspect to every job. They are separate, but equally important elements. If this clearly becomes an organizational standard, it becomes much easier to discipline someone whose performance is acceptable, but whose gossiping is detrimental to the organization.
Gossip that comes from speculation about an organization’s future or stability is heightened during turbulent economic times. Difficult financial times tend to create a perfect environment for gossip. For gossip that is based in a greater need to understand, talk with employees as much as possible to fill the communication gap that comes from a fear of not having enough information. Gossip will seldom go very far around the office if the answer to "Have you heard the latest?" is always "Yes, I have."
