{"id":63,"date":"2016-07-18T03:20:29","date_gmt":"2016-07-18T03:20:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hartlg.com\/?post_type=avada_portfolio&p=63"},"modified":"2025-05-03T23:37:11","modified_gmt":"2025-05-03T23:37:11","slug":"big-softy","status":"publish","type":"avada_portfolio","link":"https:\/\/www.hartlg.com\/?avada_portfolio=big-softy","title":{"rendered":"Professionalism & Inclusion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Team Building<\/h2>\n<\/div>

A RESPECTFUL WORKPLACE IS HAPPIER & MORE PRODUCTIVE<\/p>\n<\/div>

<\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>

The Need<\/h3>\n<\/div>
<\/span><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div>

The COO of a national firm is committed to maintaining a positive and productive work environment. The company is proud of the energetic high performers that make up their teams.<\/p>\n

But lately there have been tensions. Remarks concerning politics, race, gender, and religion are turning some conversations into arguments, leaving people with hurt feelings; the resulting breakdowns in communication are beginning to affect business interactions.<\/p>\n

The client asks, \u201cHow can we get them to treat each other with more respect?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

<\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div>
  • <\/i><\/span>
    \n

    reports of disrespectful remarks<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

  • <\/i><\/span>
    \n

    team members avoiding each other<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

  • <\/i><\/span>
    \n

    assumptions of racial, gender, other biases<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

  • <\/i><\/span>
    \n

    bad communication dynamics affecting client relations<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

  • <\/i><\/span>
    \n

    competent teams drifting into dysfunction<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>

    <\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    Our Solution<\/h3>\n<\/div>
    <\/span><\/div>
    <\/div>
    <\/div>
    <\/div>

    A Culture-wide Approach<\/h4>\n

    We hold confidential Needs Assessment conversations with as many team members as we can in the east coast headquarters and the west coast offices.<\/p>\n

    Working closely with the COO, we develop an all-day workshop that focuses on identifying and maintaining team strengths, building skills for navigating challenging conversations, and understanding implicit bias. It will be presented in all locations. Our Guided Improv\u2122 method invites participants into scenarios, where they practice communicating respectfully.<\/p>\n

    A Sudden Complication<\/h4>\n

    During one of the workshops a culturally offensive joke by a team leader provides an \u201cin the moment\u201d unanticipated challenge. The company COO hears the \u201cjoke” and feels it is very serious. We agree.<\/p>\n

    \u201cShould we just stick to the program you have planned, and let this go?\u201d he asks.<\/p>\n

    No! We discuss the consequences of avoiding it, and quickly design an adjustment to our planned program. A couple of new improv scenes, and a lively conversation bring up concerns that had been hiding just under the surface. What started out as an awkward moment turned into a learning opportunity.<\/p>\n

    The group practices using our interaction tools (Talk3i\u2122 and 4MPATH) in the new improv scenes to respectfully address the inappropriateness of the \u201cjoke.\u201d We then facilitate a calm and focused discussion in which participants share their reactions.<\/p>\n<\/div>

    <\/div>
    <\/div>
    <\/div><\/div><\/div>
    <\/div><\/div><\/div>
    <\/div>
    <\/div>
    <\/div>
    <\/div>
    <\/div>
    <\/div>
    • <\/i><\/span>
      \n

      culture-wide approach<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

    • <\/i><\/span>
      \n

      confidential Needs Assessment<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

    • <\/i><\/span>
      \n

      custom Guided Improv\u2122 scenarios<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

    • <\/i><\/span>
      \n

      skills for respectful interactions<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

    • <\/i><\/span>
      \n

      learning how to repair damaged relationships<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

    • <\/i><\/span>
      \n

      easily remembered “tools you can use”<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

    • <\/i><\/span>
      \n

      turn disrespectful remark into learning moment<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul>

      <\/div>
      <\/div>
      <\/div>
      • <\/i><\/span>
        \n

        an unexpected, inappropriate joke<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

      • <\/i><\/span>
        \n

        “Should we deal with this now?”<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

      • <\/i><\/span>
        \n

        in-the-moment adjustments to the program<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

      • <\/i><\/span>
        \n

        new Guided Improv\u2122 on dealing with offensive language<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

      • <\/i><\/span>
        \n

        discussion explores hidden issues<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

      • <\/i><\/span>
        \n

        awkward moment becomes learning opportunity<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>

        <\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

        The Outcome<\/h3>\n<\/div>
        <\/span><\/div><\/div>
        <\/div>
        <\/div>
        <\/div>

        Our team has a lot of experience in \u201chigh stress communication\u201d situations; here, we steered away from \u201cthe blame game,\u201d diffused \u201chot emotions,\u201d and explored solutions in a positive way. Some Guided Improv\u2122 scenes (crafted on the spot) helped to further ease tensions. By the end of the day, the group was laughing, and excitedly sharing the individual lessons they had learned.<\/p>\n

        Following up with the COO, we recommended leadership coaching and rotating staff for short projects, to help reinforce company norms and values. Since then, reports have been very good: their strong company culture is back on track.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

        <\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>