There are a variety of reasons for teams to not function well. The one that many managers (and consultants) find to be the most difficult to address is interpersonal conflict. They simply do not have the skill-set to effectively resolve the issues. Events occur in the workplace that lead to misunderstandings, hurt feelings, defensiveness, and anger, and ultimately reduce trust and erode teamwork. This is what I refer to as "relational injuries." Most consultants provide some form of teambuidling. But, as I often tell clients, you can't "train away" relational injuries. Relational injuries must be addressed through coaching. At RJCG, we are all experienced therapists. We are not afraid of conflict. With our integrated model, we know how to address and resolve relational injuries and get teams back on track! Visist RJCG.org for more details!
How Healthy is your Organization?
Do you feel valued as an employee? Do you feel as if you are part of a well-functioning team of colleagues? Are there unresolved conflict or relational injuries that interfere with trust and collaboration among co-workers? Are there clearly defined values and strategic goals that are communicated effectively across the organization?
To take a quiz to assess your organization, visit RJCG.org. https://www.rjcg.org/needs-quiz
What is "Organizational Health?"
"The single greatest advantage any company can achieve is organizational health" (Lencioni, 2012). I completely agree with this statement. But, what are the elements of "organizationaal health?" Here are a few key ones:
- Minimal internal politics
- Effective organizational structures and processes (e.g., hierarchy, roles and responsibilities, communication, etc.)
- Effective leadership (a behaviorally aligned leadership team and effective middle management)
- Effective use of conflict resolution processes (This is a hard one for many companies)
- Effective orientation and reinforcement of employees to the key values and processes
These elements may sound easy and common sense, but are often neglected by organizations, to their own detriment.
Family/Friend Owned Business
Family and friend owned businesses pose unique challenges. What sounded great over a few beers, gets a whole lot more complicated when money and business decisions come into play. It can be very challenging to negotiate the multiple roles associated with maintaining healthly family relationships and friendships when the stress of running a business heats up. At RJCG, we are experienced marriage and family therapists, with specialized training in organizational consultation and coaching. We know how to address these dynamics and help families and friends navigate these complicated waters. Our unique Differentiated Self Leadership model provides the framework for organizational health. rjcg.org
"It's The Manager"
In the 2019 book, "It's The Manager," Clifton and Harter summarize the findings of a global study done by the Gallup organization. Gallup interviewed nearly 2 million employees and more than 300,000 business units. They found that a company's productivity is largely predicted by the quality of its managers. In what they called "the single most profound, distinct and clarifying finding" in its long history, Gallup found that 70% of a company's productivity is predicted by the managers' ability to inspire employees to feel valued and part of a team. In short, if employees feel valued by their manager and part of their team, they want to stay at their jobs and are much more productive. These findings have immense ramifications for the way organizations should allocate resources to support/train their managers. Middle managers, in particular, are the lynch-pins of organizational success. At RJCG, we specialize in supporting middle managers to resolve conflict and inspire their employees to be part of productive, collaborative teams.
Reclaiming Your Real Self - 10 year Anniversary
Its been 10 years since the publication of my first book, "Reclaiming Your Real Self: A Psychological and Spiritual Integration." After countless presentations and counseling/coaching sessions on the concepts in the book, I still very much enjoy providing group training and working individually with therapy and executive coaching clients to help them integrate the ideas in the book to create more sustainable meaning in their lives. In particular, by integrating a personally-defined spiritual practice, individuals can base their decisions and leadership across their personal and work lives on the intuitive discernment of their Real Self. To mark the 10 year anniversary, I re-initiated my "Reclaiming Your Real Self" blog and uploaded two podcast interviews I did about the book (one for "Progressive Radio Network" and the other for "Shrink Rap Radio") on my website RickJohnsonPhD.com.
To purchase the book on amazon visit Reclaiming Your Real Self
Differentiated Self Leadership
Self Differentiation is the ability to hold onto your Self while staying fully in contact with others. Despite what some say, differentiation is not about distancing from others. Its really about how you can be both true to your Self and be relationally responsive. Sometimes I refer to it as "differentiated attachment," to highlight the balance that is characteristic of higher levels. I have conducted research on the predictors, outcomes, and characteristics of differentiation for over 20 years, including my doctoral dissertation, which assessed the impact of parental divorce and family dynamics (predictors) on the differentiation levels of young adults. Overall, the research is clear: higher levels of differentiation are associated with many dimensions of physical, psychological, and relational health throughout life. Individuals with higher levels of Self differentiation exhibit more personal power, less emotional reactivity, and better interpersonal boundaries. More recently, I have integrated my research with other approaches (most notably, IFS and EFT) and have applied this integrated model to executive coaching and organizational leadership. Differentiated Self Leadership is now part of the cornerstone of the leadership coaching we do at RJCG.
Accidental Culture
An “accidental culture” occurs in organizations when behaviors among employees are not aligned with the core, intentional values of the organization. Instead, behavioral tendencies unintentionally develop over time into organizational culture. Units start to drift and develop their own organizational culture. This happens for a variety of reasons, most notably because the leadership team isn’t clear about their core behavioral expectations, or they are not consistently communicating those expectations across the organization. RJCG can help. We help organizations define and communicate their values and to base their hiring, retention, and reinforcement of employees on these expectations. RJCG.ORG
Workplace Conflict
As a CEO, business manager, or other organizational leader, do you know how to resolve conflict in the workplace? Many organizational leaders struggle to manage interpersonal conflict among employees. Although employees are able to resolve minor squabbles, persistent conflict has a detrimental impact on morale, teamwork, and productivity. And, most leaders don't know what's truly maintaining the difficulties. At RJCG, our experienced consultants, all of whom are talented therapist/coaches, have the skill set to assess the root causes of the conflict and resolve the struggles, restoring trust and teamwork. RJCG.ORG. #workplaceconflict