Search Video Library for: Communication

Case Study: Inside Job (employee)

Using company information for personal gain

Case Study: Short Fuse (employee)

Aggressive and threatening comments on the job

Case Study: The Rivals (manager)

Handling conflict between two employees

Community Outreach

How postings in an office can be considered offensive.

Good Enough

Not meeting expectations on the job

Helping Hands

When there is disagreement on how work gets done

I Beg Your Pardon

Unprofessional hygiene practices

I Deserve It

Not performing up to expectations

Just an Expression

Dealing with disrespectful comments by coworkers

Old Yeller

What to do when a manager loudly insults employees

Promises, Promises

Over-promising and under delivering.

Religion at Work

How to address prayer in the workplace

Shared Resources

When a colleague monopolizes shared resources

Teamwork

What is an "unfair advantage" when you are up for a promotion?

The Assistant

Insubordination and unprofessional behavior

The Concerned Neighbor

Sharing confidential patient information via social media

The High Performer

Coaching high-performers who have trouble getting along with their co-workers

The Little People

When a leader uses demeaning language

Trouble at Home

Workplace privacy and performance

Work-Life Imbalance

Competing priorities and lack of time

Article: Promote Wisely

We often do this dumb thing in corporations. We want to recognize employees who do brilliant technical work, so we reward them with our plum management jobs. Sure, sometimes these people are brilliant managers, too. Far too often they end up cutting a destructive Tasmanian Devil-like swath through the organization as they spin their way up the corporate ladder.

Equal Employment

Understanding the concept of "Equal Employment"; introduces the obligation to treat everyone fairly.

The Future of Work™ Generations in the Workplace

SOLLAH EXCLUSIVE!

Each generation brings its own unique work styles and expectations to the workplace, based on common experiences many of them share. Generational influences - like parenting styles, the pandemic, war, the economy, global impacts, popular culture and other defining moments or events - contribute to generational characteristics that are brought into the workplace. To have an inclusive workplace, you have to be intentional and willing to listen to others, gain perspectives, and make adjustments, with the ultimate goal of staying connected… across generations.

Peer Today, Boss Tomorrow™: Action Steps for Success

SOLLAH EXCLUSIVE!

World-Wide Best Seller! Making the leap from peer to boss is never easy. In addition to dramatic change, new managers frequently struggle to balance their old coworker relationships with their new management responsibilities. Designed to help participants make a successful transition from “coworker” to “manager” or “supervisor,” Peer Today, Boss Tomorrow presents four proven strategies that will help new supervisors navigate changing relationships and prepare for the most difficult situations they’re likely to encounter as they assume their new role.

What Did I Say? (from The Future of Work™)

During a team meeting, you had an employee or staff member who uses a disrespectful word without realizing it. What do you do? Shaming and blaming can get in the way of our learning... and our relationships. That means we need to know how to recognize, respond, and recover when something we say, hear or observe is offensive or has a harmful impact on others. That’s what inclusion in action means… taking intentional actions to stay connected and support belonging.

TrainingBytes® Preparing for the Post-Pandemic Workplace™

Due to the recent pandemic, organizations are navigating a broad range of issues that span from keeping their employees and customers safe to re-configuring business operations and getting things to a 'new' normal. This short video program is a great introduction to what employees might see in the post-pandemic workplace.

ATTITUDE!™ Resolving Difficult Situations in the Workplace

Powerful tools to fix everyday workplace issues! Let's be honest, nobody likes to deal with a difficult attitude... In fact, most of us would rather sit in a dentist's chair before we'd confront one of those bad apples who are making our lives miserable at work. But did you ever stop to think about what kind of price we're paying for that self-imposed misery? This program helps employees and leaders use emotional intelligence skills to recognize the characteristics of difficult attitudes in today’s diverse workforce and sort out the problems when they arise.

L.E.A.D. with Integrity™: Promoting a Culture of Ethical Conduct and Compliance

Digitally Re-Mastered in HD Format! Help managers and supervisors step up to the daily task of promoting ethical conduct and ensuring compliance. Using the L.E.A.D. model, your managers, directors, supervisors and team leaders will develop the skills needed to foster, influence and sustain a culture of ethics and compliance.

M.E.E.T. on Common Ground™ - Speaking Up for Respect in the Workplace

Promote personal responsibility for creating respectful work environments. This program approaches sensitive issues without shame, blame or negative stereotyping and will show your employees where respect for differences makes common sense. Put into practice, this program can help improve the communication and relationships in your workplace.

Generations: M.E.E.T. for Respect in the Workplace™ (For Employees)

With workers from multiple (up to 5) generations now active in the workforce, the potential for misunderstanding, frustration and conflict puts increasing pressure on productivity. To turn that challenge into a competitive advantage, this program applies the M.E.E.T. approach to the complexities of effectively working in and managing a multi-age workforce.

Another Look: Defining Respect in Healthcare™

Providing quality healthcare also includes recognizing that employees and others in the work environment have diverse backgrounds and a desire for respect and understanding as well.

Me Jing Or Ma Jong? Avoiding Stereotypes

A focus on the concept of assistance within a diversity context and the importance of avoiding stereotypes (and bias - conscious or unconscious) in the workplace.

Adversity Creates Inspiration - A Quick Conversation

When diverse teams come together, there can be conflict if there is a lack of understanding and trust among team members. When there is a lack of trust, the team is fighting its differences instead of embracing them. When teams embrace the challenges that come with differences, the differences can be leveraged for inspiration and growth.

Challenge What Needs To Be Changed - A Quick Conversation

There are times when faced with the choice of following the rules or fighting for a principal such as equality, that a fight against the rules is the right action to take. When working in a diverse environment, pay attention for opportunities to fight for the principal of inclusion instead of following the unspoken rule of “that is the way it has always been done.”

Craft Your Message With Purpose - A Quick Conversation

An enduring whimsical tradition that many people are familiar with is the act of placing a written message in a bottle and tossing it into the sea. The composer of the message has no idea who is going to receive the message or when they might get it -or if anyone will at all. Not knowing the end recipient of the message limits the ability to communicate with intention. Communication across differences is often done in a similar fashion.

Create Your Own Opportunities - A Quick Conversation

When working on diverse teams, sometimes you have to create your own opportunities by putting forth new ideas, proposing collaborations, and building networks that will help accomplish your goals.

Differences Create Insights - A Quick Conversation

When working on teams, having a different point of view can provide powerful insight, if people feel respected enough to share that idea. If the team lacks respect for individuals then great ideas won’t be shared. Being respectful of others’ points of view is the first step to developing powerful teams.

Explore Unchartered Territories - A Quick Conversation

America’s best-known Colorado River explorer was John Powell, who lost his right arm in the Civil War at the Battle of Shiloh. In 1869, he started with 10 men to explore the length of the Colorado River. Three months later, six would complete their journey after some harrowing experiences. Powell returned in 1871, to map the river and to conduct geological studies. Powell inspired courage and belief in the men that he led and he never put any limitations on his abilities. While not battling white water rapids, working on diverse teams with divergent points of view, creates opportunities for a different kind of courage.

Invest Your Time for Others - A Quick Conversation

On teams, it is important to be willing to invest time into the lives of other team members. We do this by learning about what they need and what obstacles they face and by then offering our assistance. This investment pays off in greater team cohesion, inclusion, and trust, as well as the removal of obstacles that stand in the way.

See Potential Contributions, Not Limitations - A Quick Conversation

When working on teams, it is important not to look at limitations but instead at the potential contribution that each person can make – regardless of what kind of package that contribution comes in. This will allow you to maximize the skills and abilities of all team members.

Tell Stories to Build a Strong Community - A Quick Conversation

Across the globe, cave drawings thousands of years old have preserved the remnants of ancient civilizations. While the drawings may be scattered over great distances and originate from different cultures, they all have one aspect in common: they tell stories. The drawings recount stories about successes, hunts, trials, and daily life. Storytelling is at the heart of what makes us human and is a universal tool used by groups of people to explain who they are and the experiences that shaped their history. While we might not use cave drawings anymore, we still use storytelling to capture collective histories and lessons learned.

Understand How To Use Your Skills - A Quick Conversation

A guitar in the hands of a novice is simply an object to hold. In the hands of a master, that same guitar becomes an instrument that makes beautiful music. The guitar itself does not change; it just requires well-developed skills to unlock its musical potential. With effective instructions, open communication, and management support, employees are able to unlock and cultivate their natural talents and interests into skills that add to the strength of their team.

Understand Preconceived Notions - A Quick Conversation

Hear the word flour and what comes to mind is probably baking, bread, and pizza crust. The preconceived notion that flour is only found in baked goods can lead to surprise when it is discovered that it can also be an ingredient in: pasta sauce, hot dogs, salad dressing, soup, taco sauce, and even dog food. Having preconceived notions about other people is like assuming that you know all of the ingredients of an item of food just by looking at it.

Understand Your Significance - A Quick Conversation

Both captains and lighthouse keepers have roles that, although different, are important to the navigation of ships. Likewise, each position within a company plays an important role in helping the company to navigate the global marketplace. When employees understand how their role contributes to team success, they are able to take pride in doing their job well and in contributing to the overall progress of the company.

Understanding Context - A Quick Conversation

When a rubber band is stretched taut it has potential energy. This potential energy is only important if the rubber band is released and the band moves towards a target. A diverse team can also have incredible intrinsic potential. However, if team members do not feel comfortable contributing their unique ideas, they will not release their great potential energy towards the target of innovation.

Understanding From Experience - A Quick Conversation

A documentary about life in the sea will provide knowledge about ocean life. However, that knowledge is enhanced when it is combined with the experience of scuba diving. The combined knowledge and experience deepens your understanding of the sea exponentially. Scuba diving augments book knowledge with a visceral experience. The act of learning about people with different cultural backgrounds can be viewed in a similar way. Learning about a culture by reading a book or talking to people from that culture gives you a base of knowledge.

Understanding Hidden Beauty - A Quick Conversation

The majority of the time, a male peacock looks ordinary and small. However, when given an opportunity to showcase himself, he becomes a world-renown beauty. While he has the beauty every day, it is only when he feels duty-bound to be his best, that it is displayed and appreciated. People can be like peacocks. When they are not given opportunities to shine, they don’t let their true beauty show.

Understanding Impact - A Quick Conversation

A single drop of water splashing against a rock may not seem to have an erosive impact. However, there is power in water drops, for over time water has the strength to wear down stone. The Colorado River, which began millions of years ago as a drop of water, carved the Grand Canyon. Positive every day actions are like water drops. While each act may not seem to have much impact, over time, the cumulative impact of many drops of water can wear down fear, negativity, and resistance to help forge a new path ahead.

Understanding Passion - A Quick Conversation

The energy of a “match on the pitch” comes from a group of people sharing in their common passion. Being in the midst of your passion is an energizing experience. It is obvious when people are in their passion: their eyes light up, excitement fills their voice, and they are “in the zone.” Inquiring about a co-worker’s passion is a great way to gain insight into a person that you work with. Demonstrating a desire to understand a co-worker’s passion enables you to build connections and begin to create common ground.

Understanding Perceived Value - A Quick Conversation

During the Revolutionary War, lobster was considered such inferior food that it was used to feed the British prisoners, and even they revolted against it. With the advent of railroads, trains brought lobster to the Midwesterners, who had no cultural bias, and found it to be a delicacy. Gradually, New Englanders came to the same conclusion. Often it takes an outside perspective to realize the inherent value that is already on your team and within your company.

Understanding the Fear - A Quick Conversation

Jumping out of an airplane might seem insane to some people, while to others it is an exhilarating and often repeated experience. What makes one person deeply afraid may not be at all scary to another person. Much of what causes people to react with fear to a situation are perceptions and assumptions about what that situation will be like. After facing their fears, people often realize that the perception of the experience created more fear than the experience itself.

Discussion Card: During the Conversation

We all know that having a difficult discussion can be hard. It's important to watch out for key indicators during that conversation. This includes ground rules, verbal and non-verbal cues, and so much more! These easy-to-use cards provide a simple model (D.U.R.I.N.G.) along with thought-provoking questions on effective ways to tackle the tough discussions with grace and respect. These cards are great for a quick training reminder, reinforcement or as a conversation generator.

Discussion Card: Peer Today, Boss Tomorrow™

Help newly promoted managers, supervisors and leaders navigate their changing roles and have immediate impact! These easy-to-use cards provide a simple model along with thought-provoking questions on better understanding what it takes to truly and successfully lead others. These cards are great for a quick training reminder, reinforcement or as a conversation generator.

E•Z START™ Getting Back to Work After the Pandemic

After the pandemic, organizations are navigating a broad range of issues that span from keeping their employees and customers safe to re-configuring business operations and getting things to a 'new' normal. This E•Z START™ is geared towards all employees within your organization, providing a great introduction to what employees might see in the post-pandemic workplace. Total Discussion Time: 30-60 Minutes

Managing Essentials™ Communicating Plans for a Change

Changes are being made in your organization and employees are going to be concerned. You can’t control the changes but you can help control the employees’ reaction to the changes. What do you do? This video scenario provides the just-in-time information and tools needed to help a manager address the situation while maintaining a respectful workplace.

Everyday Diversity™ I Can Hear You!

People with disabilities live normal happy lives and most of the time are very independent and self-sufficient. Don’t offend someone by assuming that they cannot do something or that they have to have your help, but be willing to offer if it is desired.

WorkSmarts™: How to Get Along, Get Noticed and Get Ahead

Enhance career development by taking initiative and putting common sense into common practice. WorkSmarts™ will encourage employees and supervisors to share ideas, ask questions and interact with others--ultimately promoting job efficiency and satisfaction!

Preventing Workplace Bullying: How to Recognize and Respond to Bullies at Work™

This program is about recognizing and preventing bullying in the workplace. Bullying can happen in any size organization and in any department. Awareness is paramount. It is everyone's responsibility to prevent it.

Direct or Indirect: What's Your Route?

How communication styles differ within cultures and impact decision making and working relationships.

Workplace Bullying via Social Media/Email

An employee shares her story about co-worker bullying by teasing her about her weight.

Sexual Harassment: It Can Happen Here™

Sexual harassment can occur in businesses of all sizes and industries, with potentially devastating consequences. This program presents a series of compelling scenarios to provide the foundation your workforce needs to prevent and address such behavior before it escalates.

Workplace Bullying Example in Healthcare Setting

Female shares her story about the head nurse bullying the newer nurse.

M.E.E.T. Zero Tolerance: Enforcing Zero Tolerance with Fairness and Respect

Enforcing a zero tolerance policy can put managers and supervisors in a tough position. With no gray areas, second chances or margins for error, they must handle each situation properly to avoid legal repercussions for themselves and their organizations. This program adapts the M.E.E.T. approach to help managers and supervisors deal with zero tolerance situations respectfully, legally and consistently.

Open Mind, Open World: Improving Intercultural Interactions™

Boost productivity by developing cultural capability! In a global economy, cultural misunderstandings can have an immediate, negative impact on business productivity. Open Mind, Open World provides a solid foundation for identifying and understanding basic cultural values and behaviors. Employees and managers gain insights, strategies and skills that help minimize cultural misunderstandings and strengthen interactions.

A Masterpiece

Dealing with inappropriate art and pictures in the workplace.

All for One and One for All

Conflict at work? Really? Here's an example of work team conflict: two teams working through differences to make progress toward a common goal.

Cell Phones, Tablets, Etc. (from Fearless Facilitation! How to Lead Effective Training™)

Managing disruptions in meetings. As challenging as it may be, there is a correct way to handle disruptions while in meetings, in discussions, etc.

Challenging a Learning Point (from Fearless Facilitation! How to Lead Effective Training™)

Handling an objection to a key content point during a training session.

Clarify Actions and Outcomes (Interviewing Tips)

Explanation of the probing strategy of clarifying actions and outcomes.

Create a Probe from a Job Task (Interviewing Tip)

Interviewee is asked to describe a time when they were able to get another person committed to an important work goal. This video shows an example of an interview question and candidate response to prompt probing question.

Dealing with Sensitive Comments (from Fearless Facilitation! How to Lead Effective Training™)

Responding to disparaging remarks during a training session

Follow a Verbal or Non-Verbal Lead (Interviewing Tips)

Explanation of the probing strategy of following a verbal or non-verbal lead.

Getting Much Sleep?

Retaliating against an employee who reports misconduct by supervisor.

Handling an Off-Topic Conversation (from Fearless Facilitation! How to Lead Effective Meetings™)

Dealing with an off-topic conversation during a meeting

Harassment & Responsibilities of Supervisors/Managers

Responsibilities of supervisors and managers to investigate all complaints.

I Didn't Understand One Word

Dealing with language barriers in the workplace

Is This Any Way to Run a Hospital?

Dealing with culturally-insensitive remarks.

Life's Not Fair

Retaliating against an employee who reports a safety violation.

Making a Smooth Transition (from Fearless Facilitation! How to Lead Effective Training™)

How to best transition from one topic to the next during a training session

Peer Today, Boss Tomorrow™: Communicate

This video provides an example on how to properly and appropriately communicate sensitive information (like layoffs or organizational changes) that impact a work team.

Perfect Storm

The implications of a manager taking action due to a fear of a claim of retaliation from an employee.

Preparation Pitfalls (from Fearless Facilitation! How to Lead Effective Meetings™)

How lack of preparation can ruin a training session.

Preparation Pitfalls (from Fearless Facilitation! How to Lead Effective Training™)

How lack of preparation can derail a training session. An example where everything goes wrong when unprepared.

Probe Based on Non-Verbal Cues (Interviewing Tip)

Learn how to listen for words or phrases... clues... that will lead you to probe for the information you need. Or, an expression or gesture during an answer can suggest discomfort or conviction. Here you might probe based on non-verbals.

Probe for a Current Work Example #1 (Interviewing Tip)

Explanation of the probing strategy of probing for a current work example

Probe for a Current Work Example #2 (Interviewing Tip)

Example of interview question and candidate response to prompt probing question. Interviewee is asked about a time when they followed procedures when it wasn't convenient to do so.

Probe for a Current Work Example #3 (Interviewing Tip)

Interviewee is asked to describe when they were especially successful in managing several important priorities? Example of interview question and candidate response to prompt probing question.

Probe for a Negative Example (Interviewing Tip)

Another follow-up strategy is to seek contrary evidence. This is a fairly advanced technique for gaining representative skill information. When using the skill, ask for a negative example after you hear a positive answer. And vice versa ask for a positive example after you hear a negative answer. Seeking contrary evidence is simply about looking for representative information on skills ...successes and failures, positives and negatives, achievements and disappointments. Look for a well-rounded picture of the candidate's skills.

Probe for a Positive Example (Interviewing Tip)

A final follow-up strategy is to seek contrary evidence. This is a fairly advanced technique for gaining representative skill information. When using the skill, ask for a negative example after you hear a positive answer. And vice versa ask for a positive example after you hear a negative answer. Seeking contrary evidence is simply about looking for representative information on skills ...successes and failures, positives and negatives, achievements and disappointments. Look for a well-rounded picture of the candidate's skills.

Probe for Actions Taken (Interviewing Tip)

Example of interview question and candidate response to prompt probing question. Interviewee is asked to describe a time when they did a market research that was a meaningful influence on product sales.

Probe for Causes (Interviewing Tip)

Another follow-up strategy involves Clarifying Actions And Outcomes. Sometimes a candidate's answer will refer to what "we" did or what the "team" accomplished. With these types of responses probe for the specific actions taken by the candidate. You'll also hear answers with outcomes that were caused by the economy, a new product, or a financial commitment. You can then ask a follow-up probe to identify the specific causes of the outcomes.

Probe Into Verbal Cues (Interviewing Tip)

Interviewee is asked to describe a recent programming challenge, which required they to be particularly systematic in developing a solution. Example of interview question and candidate response to prompt probing question.

Progressive Intervention (from Fearless Facilitation! How to Lead Effective Training™)

Managing pervasive disruptions

Repeat the Question (Interviewing Tips)

Example of interview question and candidate response to prompt probing question. Interviewee is asked about a time when they had to deal with a difficult customer.

Return to the Target of the Question (Interviewing Tips)

Explanation of the probing strategy of returning to the target of the question

Seek Contrary Evidence (Interviewing Tip)

Explanation of the probing strategy of seeking contrary evidence.

That Hurts! (from Integrity Every Day)

Healthcare workers' role in ensuring quality of care.

The Critique - Sexual Harassment: It Can Happen Here

How inappropriate comments about physical appearance can lead to sexual harassment (male to female).

The Question That Stumps You (from Fearless Facilitation! How to Lead Effective Training™)

Handling questions and generating discussion

Use Generalities as an Opportunity to Ask for a Specific Example

How would you probe when the interviewee gives general responses to your questions? Consider Probes For A Specific Example: "Tell me what you did when you helped a specific person get organized?" "Describe what you did to make one meeting really effective for getting organized?" "Give me an example of a time when a good worker’s complaint helped you improve organization?" "When did you use the computer system to improve organization?"