Trindel Insurance Fund Presents Keepin’ the Peace at Work Gene Herndon Safety Officer Trindel Insurance Fund Ph. (530)

Why are you here? You and your coworkers are public servants. You and your coworkers are public servants. You provide services deemed essential by society. You provide services deemed essential by society. As a society we are committed to providing those essential services. As a society we are committed to providing those essential services.

The Work You Do Is IMPORTANT! As public servants you have answered a higher calling to provide those essential services. It is your mission and commitment. That’s Why You Are Here!

Yours is a difficult mission! The system is complicated. The system is complicated. It is an exacting system. It is an exacting system. It is a bureaucratic system. It is a bureaucratic system. Your resources are limited. Your resources are limited.

But Wait! There’s more. The rules are ever-changing. The rules are ever-changing. Often the people you are trying to help are difficult. Often the people you are trying to help are difficult. Sometimes the people you work with are difficult. Sometimes the people you work with are difficult. Your efforts often go unrecognized. Your efforts often go unrecognized.

Yet, you must navigate this system to fulfill your mission.

One person cannot fulfill that mission alone. Like a ship at sea, It takes a crew to complete the voyage.

Do we have a contractual employment obligation with the county and the taxpayers? To perform our professional tasks as described in our job description. To perform our professional tasks as described in our job description. To perform those tasks in an honest and ethical manner. To perform those tasks in an honest and ethical manner. To perform those tasks in a productive manner. To perform those tasks in a productive manner. To work with our coworkers in a cooperative, respectful and professional manner. To work with our coworkers in a cooperative, respectful and professional manner.

What is Respect & Professionalism? Respect - Courteous regard for people's feelings Respect - Courteous regard for people's feelings Professionalism - Qualities that characterize a professional person Professionalism - Qualities that characterize a professional person

The “H.A.R.D. Rule” Honest Honest Appropriate Appropriate Respectful Respectful Direct Direct

Who do you spend the most waking hours with? Your family or significant people or Your coworkers?

Your coworkers are your “work family”! Just like at home… Conflicts Happen!

What causes conflicts in your “work family”? Jealousy Jealousy Peer rivalry Peer rivalry Pride and ego Pride and ego Insecurities Insecurities Lack of communication Lack of communication

But wait! There’s more. Failed communications Failed communications Personalities Personalities Beliefs and values Beliefs and values Politics Politics Religion Religion Stress! Stress!

Let’s talk about Stress! What comes first? Conflict or Stress… The chicken or the egg?

Examples of stressful situations at work?

Where does stress come from? Uncertainty Lack of control

Make certain to take control! ( Over those things you can control)

How do we react to conflicts? We look for support for our position. We look for support for our position. Sides can be chosen. Sides can be chosen. Relationships altered or lost. Relationships altered or lost. Can cause organizational melt down. Can cause organizational melt down.

What are the costs of “work family” conflicts… Personally and to our commitment and mission?

To us personally? Increase anxiety. Increase anxiety. Affect health. Affect health. Can go home with you. Can go home with you. Damage us professionally. Damage us professionally.

To the Mission and Commitment? Quality of services suffers Quality of services suffers Failure in the eyes of those we serve Failure in the eyes of those we serve Failure in the eyes of our peers. Failure in the eyes of our peers.

Conflict is a part of life and the work we do. The question is: How do we navigate our way through conflict?

LET’S TAKE A BREAK!

Trindel Intensity of Conflict Scale (T.I.C.) 1-3 on TIC scale - May warrant only a shrug of the shoulders 4-7 on TIC scale - Calls for application of the H.A.R.D. rule on TIC scale - Permanent damage likely, repair unlikely Failure to address a TIC 4 guarantees a growth to a TIC 8 – 10!

Conflict Navigational Tools Communication Communication Respect Respect Empathy Empathy Validation Validation Perspective Perspective Regaining control Regaining control Choosing your own path Choosing your own path Giving and getting recognition Giving and getting recognition

Communication: Hearing vs. Listening Hearing - to perceive or apprehend by the ear Hearing - to perceive or apprehend by the ear Listening - to hear something with thoughtful attention, to give consideration Listening - to hear something with thoughtful attention, to give consideration The exchange of thoughts, messages, or information.

Respect : Courteous regard another’s opinions. Courteous regard another’s opinions. Courteous regard another’s beliefs and values. Courteous regard another’s beliefs and values. Don’t have to agree to respect! Don’t have to agree to respect! Courteous regard for another’s feelings

Empathy: Walking in the other persons shoes Walking in the other persons shoes Looking at the situation from their experience, opinion, feelings Looking at the situation from their experience, opinion, feelings Understanding and entering into another's feelings

Validation: Recognizing the truth as seen from the other person’s perspective. Recognizing the truth as seen from the other person’s perspective. Validating another’s truth is accomplished through empathy. Validating another’s truth is accomplished through empathy. The act of validating; finding or testing the truth of something.

Perspective: How does the conflict relate to the mission and commitment? How does the conflict relate to the mission and commitment? How does the conflict relate to tomorrow, next week, next year, 100 years from now? How does the conflict relate to tomorrow, next week, next year, 100 years from now? A mental view or outlook.

Control: We have control only over our own behaviors. We have control only over our own behaviors. We choose how to respond to the behavior of others. We choose how to respond to the behavior of others. We loose control when we allow others to control our responses. We loose control when we allow others to control our responses. Authority or ability to manage or direct.

Choosing your own path. Is you glass half full or half empty? Is you glass half full or half empty? Do you pour out the glass so your glass is empty? Do you pour out the glass so your glass is empty? You make the choice. You make the choice.

Giving and getting strokes (recognition). What is your “Stroke Quotient”? (Minimum daily requirement for strokes.) What is your “Stroke Quotient”? (Minimum daily requirement for strokes.) Are you getting them? Are you getting them? Are you giving them? Are you giving them? To get them give them? To get them give them?

Let’s try out the tools. Joyce and Bill are discussing a difficult procedural work issue. Ted overhears the conversation and interrupts with his idea on what the solution should be. His solution is based on little or no knowledge of the details of the issue and is totally irrelevant. Is this a TIC 1 – 3, TIC 4 – 7, or a TIC 8 – 10? Is this a TIC 1 – 3, TIC 4 – 7, or a TIC 8 – 10? What could be the cause of Ted’s behavior? What could be the cause of Ted’s behavior?

Keepin’ the Peace at Work… Requires learning how to navigate through conflicts. Requires learning how to navigate through conflicts. Addressing TIC 3s before they become TIC 8s Addressing TIC 3s before they become TIC 8s Applying the H.A.R.D. rule Applying the H.A.R.D. rule Learning and using these tools takes effort. Learning and using these tools takes effort. The choice is yours!