Tom Borg Consulting

When a conflict in the workplace occurs, many people believe they can’t say or do anything to fix it. Whatever happens is always someone else’s problem (or fault), and if they just lay low they can escape any repercussions.
In reality, nothing could be further from the truth.
Everyone in the organization can and should take ownership of situations – not just the managers or leaders. Turning a blind eye to things or hoping for situations to resolve on their own will only lead to frustration. Here’s how to handle both internal and        external negative situations and turn them around to reduce conflict in the workplace.

Internal Situation
An internal situation could be a co-worker who is continually negative and always dragging the team down. Or it could be someone who is lazy and not pulling his or her weight with the team. Unfortunately, most people think dealing with such internal situations is the manager’s job only. But in fact, anyone can take steps to address such issues.
Simply saying something like, “I know things are tight here right now. That’s why we all have to pull together and stay focused,” can help diffuse someone’s negativity. Granted, you can’t expect to step in and be the super-hero who saves the company from negative people, but you can have courage to step up and state the facts in a Direct with Respect® way.
Some people are so used to negative people or a destructive culture that they don’t want to risk turning negativity around. But it’s a risk you have to take. If you don’t – if you chicken out – you’ll pay the price later.

External Situations
The customer receives the wrong product…the client’s project is behind schedule and over budget…the local newspaper has printed some less-than-flattering information about your company. These are all examples of negative external situation.
During such times, it’s easy for people to play the “blame game.” They waste so much time finger-pointing and trying to discover the cause of the problem that they forget the real task at hand – to turn things around.
Whatever happened has happened. You can’t go back in time and change things. So stop focusing on the past. Now is when you – even if you’re not the leader – need to step up, take ownership, and decide to fix the situation – or at least get the company headed in the right direction. So what if it’s not your job. You’re a part of the team, which means you have a stake in the outcome. Therefore, do something now.

Small Steps Yield Big Results
In the end, whether the situation taking place is internal or external, you must have the courage to take action. You can’t wait for someone else to always take the lead. So commit to a decision and an action plan. Stay accountable for delivering against or acting upon that plan. And then focus on doing what’s best for the team – that’s the only way you’ll achieve the results you want.

© Joyce Weiss Training & Development LLC

Joyce Weiss is an accountability coach and conflict resolution consultant.  She helps her clients improve their working condition by resolving conflict and interpersonal issues.  She is the author of Take the Ride of Your Life!, Communicate with Impact, and Full Speed Ahead.

Check out the FREE Video Series – “20 Tips to Reduce Conflict in the Workplace” and The BOLD Solutions Newsletter at http://www.JoyceWeiss.com.

Discover how you can save hours in your day by taking control of tough communication after taking Joyce’s new on demand- “Communicate with Impact” E-Course at http://bit.ly/MNpR4f

Listen in to this short 5 minute radio interview by Michael Rogers of Small Business Association of MI host as he interviews Tom Borg, expert on small business consulting in MI, on how to determine the purpose of your business.

http://bit.ly/106igbv

Hiring the wrong employee can cost your small business thousands of dollars, stress and aggravation. When you stop to add up the money spent on advertising, interviewing, training, and absorbing on the job errors of a new person, or replacing them; you can’t afford to make mistakes when hiring employees.

In this teleseminar you will learn how to:
* Create the right hiring structure
* Find the right kind of top quality employees
* Use the rule of 3
* Identify what people want in a job
* Successfully hire the right person
* Identify what really motivates them
* Determine how much to pay them
* Retain their loyalty and service

Sign up today to reserve your spot in this powerful program.

Mark your calendar.

Who Should Attend: Owners and  managers
When: 12 noon, Wednesday, May 29 , 2013
Length: 45 minutes
Trainer: Tom Borg, MA
Cost: FREE
This workshop will be provided as a professional courtesy.

To register and receive your calling code and workbook please contact our office at 734-404-5909 or email us at: tomborg@tomborgconsulting.co

Listen in to Part 4 of the radio interview with host Michael Rogers of the Small Business Association of MI as Tom Borg shares some ideas on how to build customer loyalty.

http://bit.ly/12N6Gp6

By Joyce Weiss

Communication woes plague professionals across the board: Supervisors reprimand you in front of others.  Coworkers tactlessly reject your ideas.  Clients lash out at people to get what they want.
Rather than pushing back, getting even, or seething in silence, you can gain control of the situation and diplomatically deal with unkind people and behavior. The solution is called Verbal Aikido, and it’s a communications technique that won’t get you fired. 

Aikido is a Japanese form of self-defense that uses non-resistance to debilitate an opponent’s strength. The aikido practitioner seeks to counter attacks without bringing harm to the attacker in order to create balance. In other words, when pushed, you pull; when pulled, you push.

This technique is just as effective with verbal attacks. It allows you to respond to a verbal attack by accepting the comment, redirecting it, and reaffirming your stance in a positive manner.  Avoid being hostile and building emotional barriers!
Verbal Aikido Basics
The cardinal rule of verbal aikido is to not repeat the accusation. By doing so, you absorb the negative message.

EXAMPLE
If someone questions a business purchase with an accusatory, “Why are you wasting the company’s money?” don’t respond by yelling, “I’m not wasting the company’s money! I need these items to perform my job!”

Such a response reinforces the blame on you. Instead, a verbal aikido practitioner would redirect the comment by saying, “Let me tell you how I invested the company’s money.”
Your verbal aikido response also reaffirms your control over unneeded emotional responses, thus giving the other person nothing to push against.

EXAMPLE
Suppose you’re giving constructive criticism to a male co-worker who tells you, “What I did is perfectly fine. You’re just too emotional. All you women are alike.”

Instead of becoming emotional and reinforcing his claim, say, “I agree. I can overreact at times. Let me explain why I feel this way about the situation.”

This response accepts the basis of the situation without absorbing the negative aspects. However, you redirect the accusation by agreeing. The response also reaffirms the other person’s feelings of frustration. As a result, you diffuse the confrontation and can work toward repairing the situation.

Enhance Your Communication, Enhance Your Career

There’s no doubt that being able to communicate effectively is a major determinant to professional success. Hostile and emotional reactions only add fuel to the discussion … while counter responses restore harmony and balance.

So the next time you’re the recipient of a verbal lashing, analyze the comment. If the other party is pushing your buttons, pull back. If the other party is pulling you in a direction you don’t want the conversation to go, push forward.

Remember these five tips:

1.    Protect yourself from others who try to infect you with their anger and hostility by being Direct with Respect®.

2.    No matter who is dishing out the verbal assault, whether it’s a client, coworker, or supervisor, never repeat the accusation. Doing so will only force you to absorb the negative message.

3.    You can diffuse any verbal attack by dissecting the comment and then deciding whether to push or pull as you accept, redirect, and reaffirm the statement.

4.    When you give the other party nothing to push against, you gain control of the situation. You are able to remain positive during the conversation, not defensive.

5.    When all else fails, have the courage to walk away from someone who is verbally attacking you. Don’t be a willing participant in an uncontrollable negative situation.

The more proficient you become at verbal aikido, the more natural it will become – and the stronger all your verbal communications will be.

© Joyce Weiss Training & Development LLC

Joyce Weiss is an accountability coach and conflict resolution consultant.  She helps her clients improve their working condition by resolving conflict and interpersonal issues.  She is the author of Take the Ride of Your Life!, Communicate with Impact, and Full Speed Ahead.

Check out the FREE Video Series – “20 Tips to Reduce Conflict in the Workplace” and The BOLD Solutions Newsletter at http://www.JoyceWeiss.com.

Discover how you can save hours in your day by taking control of tough communication after taking Joyce’s new on demand- “Communicate with Impact” E-Course at
http://bit.ly/MNpR4f

If you really want to grow you business keep trying new products or services that you can offer to your customers.

Here is a simple formula that can help you be more successful. Jay Abraham suggested this approach and I have tweaked it a little bit for more specific application. 

I call it the TMET formula:

                T-test

                E-evaluate

                M-measure the results

                T-tweak the product or service until it works

You can also use this approach with any type of marketing strategies you are trying.

Remember the main thing is to be consistent.

For more information on how this can work for you, call my office at 734-404-5909.

There is wisdom a small business owner can derive from the title of Johnnie Taylor’s little known musical recording from the 1960’s entitled “It’s Cheaper to Keep Her”. 

One of the best ways to build your small business is to continually market to your present client base. It is cheaper to market to them and keep them, rather then, only focusing on trying to find new ones. Yet, with that said far too many businesses squander their marketing and advertising dollars only trying to attract new clients.

Studies show that it costs 6-7 times more to attract a new client than it does to keep the one you have. While it is important to constantly y be acquiring new clients, it is critical that a business spend the majority of it marketing dollars on its present client base. Jay Conrad Levinson, marketing guru, recommends that breaks down the marketing budget in this way.

10% to the universe
30% to a qualified prospect list
60% to present client base

So if you want to build your business the smart way, I suggest you focus the majority of your marketing dollars and time on your present client base.

By Joyce Weiss
Despite the gloom and doom economic picture presented in the media, now is when we must be most positive in order to persevere.
With this attitude, what results can you expect?

Benefit 1: You’ll Discover Opportunities for Growth
When a challenge comes, people naturally want to focus on the negative event. This is precisely when you must refocus your thinking so you can get back on track.

Are you afraid to spend money? Did you lose a loved one? Is your job in jeopardy?
Now, look at those scenarios from a different perspective. What if you talked with your boss about moving to a new department? What if you rearranged your schedule to spend more time with your family?

The more you attempt to see the challenges in a new light, the more you’ll uncover opportunities for growth.
Benefit 2: Worries About the Future Will Disappear
Rather than let worrying cripple your sense of well-being, take the time to see the good that’s going on around you.

The first step is to take some time for yourself.  While making a living is indeed a vital part of life, enjoying that life and living a fulfilled life are equally important.
Momentarily slow down, see the trees, smell the flowers, and hear the birds. Talk with others and simply enjoy their company. When you take the time to enjoy what’s in front of you now, you release the worry and frustration.

Benefit 3: You’ll Open the Path to New Goals
The most effective way to take action during any challenge is to make changes.  During a time of crisis, change is the last thing you want to experience … but change forces you to grow.

- Take some time to sit down and re-evaluate your personal goals.

- Talk with your family and ask what new goals or dreams they have. Agree as a group on your objectives.

- Outline what you will need to do to make those goals a reality, and then take action.

When you focus on your revised grand plan, you’ll regain your enthusiasm for living and experience a new zest for life.

© Joyce Weiss Training & Development LLC
Joyce Weiss is an accountability coach and conflict resolution consultant.  She helps her clients improve their working condition by resolving conflict and interpersonal issues.  She is the author of Take the Ride of Your Life!, Communicate with Impact, and Full Speed Ahead.

Check out the FREE Video Series – “20 Tips to Reduce Conflict in the Workplace” and The BOLD Solutions Newsletter at http://www.JoyceWeiss.com.

Discover how you can save hours in your day by taking control of tough communication after taking Joyce’s new on demand- “Communicate with Impact” E-Course at

http://bit.ly/MNpR4f

Listen in as radio host Michael Rogers interviews Tom Borg on how to think BIG with your small business.   

http://michiganbusinessnetwork.com/radio/2013/01/09/Business_Next_S6_Tom_Borg

By Joyce Weiss

If you don’t change with the times, then the times will change without you. And that means you could be out of a job fast, with few prospects for new opportunities. The fact is that today’s business landscape is changing more rapidly than it ever has. The rules of yesterday no longer apply, and many people are finding it tough to adapt.
In part 1 of this article series we looked at 4 new workplace realities that you need to adopt. In part 2 we’ll examine 4 more realities that will help you make the most of your workday so you can be on top of the changes as they occur.

•    Hold yourself accountable for outcomes.
You must adopt the mindset that you and you alone are responsible for your outcomes. Even if other people help with a project, tell yourself that the project’s success or failure rests on your shoulders. This is not meant to cause undo stress on you; it’s simply to cement in your mind the idea that you are accountable for whatever transpires. So ask yourself, “What am I doing to show that I am accountable?” and “How are my outcomes measured?”

•    Add value.
You have to go above and beyond the normal in order to stand out. While this is not a new concept, it is more important than ever to abide by it. Therefore, think about ways that you can add value to your current role. And remember that added value does not mean putting in more hours or even doing more work. Sometimes it’s about sharing your expertise with co-workers, connecting key people together, or just doing some self-improvement work that can reflect in your job. So ask yourself, “Why should the company keep me?”

•    Manage your own morale.
Only you can dictate how happy or unhappy you are at work. Regardless of what’s going on around you – the economy, your co-workers, industry changes, etc. – it’s up to you to decide how you’re going to respond to those external factors. You can either respond in a positive or negative manner, and both outcomes are entirely in your control. Always remember that it’s not management’s job to deal with individual morale issues. So ask yourself, “What am I doing to increase morale?”

•    Stay positive during constant chaos.
he reality is that it’s tough to stay positive amidst constant chaos, but it’s something you must do. Often within chaos lie the seeds of endless opportunities. Think about it…how many times have heard that after someone experienced something devastating, something positive came from it? Getting that dream job after being downsized…finding true love after getting a divorce…starting a profitable online business after closing a traditional store…these are just a few examples. Look at every situation as a learning experience, and ask yourself, “What opportunities have come from change?”

The more you adapt your thinking and work style to today’s reality, the happier and more successful you’ll be in all areas of your life.

© Joyce Weiss Training & Development LLC

Joyce Weiss is an accountability coach and conflict resolution consultant.  She helps her clients improve their working condition by resolving conflict and interpersonal issues.  She is the author of Take the Ride of Your Life!, Communicate with Impact, and Full Speed Ahead.

Check out the FREE Video Series – “20 Tips to Reduce Conflict in the Workplace” and The BOLD Solutions Newsletter at http://www.JoyceWeiss.com.

Discover how you can save hours in your day by taking control of tough communication after taking Joyce’s new on demand- “Communicate with Impact” E-Course at http://bit.ly/MNpR4f