ODS Staff Publications
Before Sally Waters came to ODS as a consultant, she was a mediator with UC Davis Mediation Services. During that time, she wrote a column called, “Ask the Mediator.” Below are some of her favorite articles.
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May 21, 2004 TAKING POSITIVE ACTION: If change brings anxiety, look to campus resourcesBy Sally Waters
This column is written by Sally Waters, an organizational development expert in UC Davis' newly formed unit Organizational Development Services. Faculty and staff members are welcome to submit questions to be answered here. Q: We are in the process of a lot of changes in the department I manage, and I'm feeling nervous about how we're going about it. We've had some layoffs that really affect morale, productivity and workload. On top of that, we've got a couple new supervisors who are bringing in different expectations and styles. I don't want to micro-manage the supervisors, but staff seem really stressed out. I'm concerned about our people and our success. How do we work smart as well as hard? A: During change of any kind there are many questions to be asked and answered by management teams and by the entire staff. For instance:
Fortunately, there are several resources within the university that can help you address these types of questions. I'll mention just a few here. For layoffs, there's a Web site on the Human Resources homepage that describes services to assist laid-off staff members: Layoff Information. You'll see specific links to a layoff consultant, who can help explore options available to employees. Also, Staff Development and Professional Services offers terrific career-counseling services to help layoff candidates. And Academic and Staff Assistance Program can provide emotional assistance for staff members who are being laid off as well as staff who have "survived" the layoff and are dealing with guilt, loss of friendships and stress associated with increased workloads. Occasionally, change and stress can lead to increased conflict. When it does, Mediation Services can help people have the difficult conversations that lead to solutions and strengthened relationships. You can also enhance the capacity of the people on your team to provide leadership during the current changes, and future ones, too. Staff Development and Professional Services offers an array of workshops that deal with leading through change, managing technology, facilitation, developing talent in others, and more. Finally, a new unit on campus, Management Consulting and Organizational Development Services, provides internal consulting at a nominal recharge rate to help departments respond to change. Our consultants use a variety of tools and resources to help departments assess, plan and take action to positively address work-related challenges. To assist in improving organizational efficiency, for instance, ODS services include process mapping, individual coaching, project management, strategic planning, technology management and gap analysis. And to help build more effective teams, consultants can design and deliver team-building events or special retreats as well as communication and decision-making protocols for work groups. Submit questions for this column to sewaters@ucdavis.edu. For more information about ODS, call (530) 297-4632 or (530) 754-5199. |
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March 5, 2004 ASK THE MEDIATOR: Holiday-time fun leaves worker feeling left outBy Sally Waters
Ask The Mediator is written by campus mediator Sally Waters in consultation with other UC Davis mediators. Featured are real issues that UC mediators are currently encountering in their mediations. Faculty and staff are welcome to submit questions. Question: It happened again this year. I'm the only non-Christian in my work unit, and I don't celebrate Christmas or the traditional Christian holidays. All year long we don't do a single thing socially as a group, and then at Christmas time there's a flurry of socializing. There are Christmas parties and Secret Santas and decorations and food, and I like the warm feeling, but I don't like that no one thinks about how it might make me feel. I don't understand the traditions, I don't share the religious beliefs that are at the heart of this holiday, and I'm sad that I'm so invisible to my coworkers. If I say something, I'm afraid I'll be stereotyped as a troublemaker or accused of trying to make them all be "politically correct." This doesn't feel like Principles of Community in action. Answer: This is really tricky. On the one hand, it seems perfectly reasonable that you could speak up and say something to your group about how you feel and what you want. On the other hand, you would be speaking up about something that your co-workers probably have strong feelings about, and you might not get the outcome you're after. Let's analyze this. You like the warm feeling when the socializing happens and you don't like the cold feeling of being overlooked. If you tried to put a stop to their ritualized socializing at Christmas, you might lose more than you'd gain. Is there a way for you to keep what you do like (socializing) and get more of what you want (inclusion)? It sounds like this is an opportunity for the entire work group to do some collaborative problem solving. Raising this issue with the group (especially now, with Christmas just past) would be a chance collectively to identify what everyone wants (parties? department traditions? food-sharing?) and how the group might go about getting these things in the upcoming year in a way that feels respectful and inclusive for all. You might look for an ally in your department - someone who celebrates Christmas but who also understands your sense of being excluded. If that person raised the issue to the work group, it might get more receptive treatment than if you alone raised it (you mentioned fearing being labeled a troublemaker). You might talk to your manager about how to raise the issue and enlist his or her support. A mediator might also be helpful to consult. There are ways to talk about these sensitive and important issues, and that's the main way mediators earn their living: helping people to talk about very difficult topics and to solve the consequent problems. Finally, I'd strongly encourage you (individually and as a department) to talk to the Office of Campus Community Relations about additional ideas for how to address this concern. Yours is not the only department where cherished traditions need to share space with new ways of celebrating community in order to live out the UC Davis Principles of Community among people who are as different as they are alike. For more about Mediation Services, call (530) 752-9257 or see http://mediation.ucdavis.edu. |
November 21, 2003
ASK THE MEDIATOR: Supervisor at loss for how to inspire professionalism 101
By Sally Waters
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Sally Waters' column runs twice quarterly in Dateline. |
Ask The Mediator runs twice per quarter in Dateline. Featured are real issues that UC Davis mediators are currently encountering in their mediations, as well as questions submitted by UC Davis faculty and staff.
Question: I supervise an employee who was hired recently to bring specific knowledge and expertise to our operations. Overall, he is meeting expectations and performing some parts of the job adequately (he passed his probation). But I'm getting really frustrated with him. There are certain standards of professionalism and job duties that he should be demonstrating, such as the quality of written reports, providing timely written work products, and so on.
For his position, these are basic expectations of the job. I shouldn't have to explain to someone at his salary and education level about those fundamentals. It is inconceivable to me that he doesn't know about these standards and expectations, so I can only conclude that he is unwilling or unable to perform up to the level I expect.
I've tried supervising him more closely (having him give me his calendar so I can see how he's spending his time, reminding him to put in a full workday, holding weekly meetings) as well as making friendly suggestions for improvements to his writing. But I can't imagine sitting down and explaining "professionalism 101" on something that anyone in his position should know -- I would be insulted to have someone do that to me.
This has been going on for several months, and it isn't getting any better. What do I do? Do I chalk it up to a bad hire and just end up with a substandard performer?
Answer: Okay, let's use the four "reflection questions" to work through this.
(1) What do you feel? You sound frustrated, annoyed and impatient -- maybe mad about hiring this guy.
(2) What do you think? You think he is performing OK in some areas, but his inadequacies are in areas that he should have mastered -- there should be no mystery about this part of his job. You think the employee would be offended to have you speak directly about these performance expectations, and, furthermore, you shouldn't have to articulate them. You think the employee's nonperformance is an expression of his incompetence or disinterest, and, in either case, is bad news.
(3) What do you want? You want the employee to perform up to standard. You want to stop feeling so exasperated with him. You want to stop feeling you have to supervise him so closely.
(4) What will you do to get what you want? As always you have five options -- A. Do nothing (say nothing directly but still be annoyed); B. Change the situation (assign him to other duties -- rewrite his position description); C. Change your thinking (let it go -- life's too short); D. Apply pressure (start corrective action or supervise him even more closely); and E. Engage in problem solving (tell him what you feel-think-want, ask what he feels-thinks-wants, and work out a way to both get your wants).
My guess is that using E at this point is most likely to address all your wants. I encourage you to give the employee the "gift of information" by explaining your concerns clearly and directly and immediately. So far you've only communicated to him about work hours and time management. It doesn't sound like you've told him exactly what's griping you. Don't worry about insulting him. You need to confirm that he really does know so you can tease out whether it's competency, resistance or unawareness of your expectations. And for that confirmation, you will need to be concrete, specific and direct.
If you're experiencing a challenging workplace issue, you can drop in for an informal chat with a mediator (and make arrangements for a private, confidential session, if that would be helpful). Also, mediation brown bags are held monthly noon to 1 p.m. in the MU Fielder Room. Upcoming brown bags are set for Dec. 10, Jan. 14, Feb. 11, March 10, April 14, May 12 and June 9.
Sally Waters is a senior mediator at UC Davis. Call (530) 752-9257 or see http://mediation.ucdavis.edu.
September 26, 2003
Adjustment period has MSO feeling like ‘the bad guy’
By Sally Waters
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Sally Waters is a senior mediator at UC Davis Mediation Services. |
Ask The Mediator runs twice per quarter in Dateline. In it, you will see real issues that UC Davis mediators are currently encountering in their mediations, as well as questions submitted by UC Davis faculty and staff specifically for this column.
Q. I’m a new management services officer in a department where the previous MSO set up some standards and expectations among faculty and researchers that I simply am unwilling to meet. She allowed them to give her unreasonable tasks on a regular basis (like more than once turning in grant proposals late and she would rush them to the airport at midnight!). Now I’m looking like the bad guy because I’m expecting them to adhere to some basic professional boundaries. How do I get them to respect my boundaries and not hate me?
A. It sounds like you want them to use some new behaviors (e.g., meet deadlines) and to understand the reasonableness of your position (not hate you).
How much do you know about the reasonableness of their position and what behaviors they want from you? This sounds like a ripe opportunity for some information exchange and problem solving. I would strongly encourage you to find a way to let them know what you want and why, then to inquire what they want and why. Try to do it face-to-face. E-mail can end up leading to edgy exchanges that don’t communicate good will.
My guess is you’ll be able to come to agreement on solutions that meet all parties’ needs by understanding just what everyone’s needs are. If you’re having trouble making this work, call our office for some more ideas.
Getting more help
Upcoming opportunities to learn more about conflict management and mediation include the monthly brown bags in the Memorial Union’s Fielder Room. Sessions run noon to 1 p.m.; and “Chat with a Mediator” sessions are set for Oct .15, Nov. 12, Dec. 10, Jan. 14, Feb. 11, March 10, April 14, May 12 and June 9.
Mediation Services also offers a Conflict Management Series — providing customized staff training for campus departments. Topics include:
• Listening with presence (three hours);
• Interest-based negotiation (three hours);
• Tools and techniques (three hours);
• Communication protocol for the workplace/ department (three hours);
• Applying mediation to your workplace/ department (three hours);
• Making the best of change (three hours);
• Functional vs. dysfunctional conflict (three hours);
• The Dead Elephant game (three hours); and
• Enneagram Applications to conflict and communication (six hours).
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June 6, 2003 ASK THE MEDIATOR: Don't just ignore the smelly elephant in the roomBy Sally Waters Question: I work in a lab as a technician. I participated in mediation with three of my co-workers (also technicians) recently, and we have tried to develop a way to communicate with each other better. We had been having lots of fights and silent treatment over the last few years and things had gotten really bad. After the mediation it seemed like things might get better. We agreed to try to use a more direct approach with each other when we were mad or upset. The problem is that the rest of the lab staff are still doing what we're trying NOT to do -- gossiping, back-biting, complaining about each other. It's really hard not to participate, especially when it's your work friends. I don't want them to think I've turned snobby. I'm not sure how long our new approach is going to last. Should I complain to the supervisor to make them stop? Answer: What is your desired outcome? I'm understanding that you want two things to happen: A -- to maintain your friendships at work; and B -- to work in an environment that uses a healthy communication style. You're afraid that if you pursue B you'll lose A. Let's analyze this using the "five options" approach. Option 1 -- Do nothing. This approach generally allows prevailing norms to continue prevailing. In this case, the undesirable communication patterns (everyone's habitual behavior) will eventually overwhelm the four technicians' efforts to use different behaviors. You may get A but not B. Option 2 -- Change the situation. Transfer to a different department. Move to a different shift. Win the lottery and retire. You may get A and B by changing the circumstances. But it's not always a realistic option. Option 3 -- Change your thinking. Change your desired goals. Consider whether you really want to achieve both A and B. Decide you care more about A than B, or vice versa, and pursue that one goal. Or stop viewing A and B as mutually incompatible and actively pursue them both, which means you have to get some cooperation from others, leading us to options 4 and 5. Option 4 -- Engage the other with force. Make the others in the department change their behavior to meet your needs. Let's see, what power do you have to do that? You could bring authority down on their heads (e.g., a supervisor, the grievance process, the law). You could bring social pressure to bear (write graffiti about them in the restroom, form a "we hate them" camp, give them the silent treatment). You may get B but I think you'll ruin your chances of getting A. Option 5 -- Engage the other In problem-solving. (Why do we usually try this last?) Let the others in the department know that you want A and B and ask for their ideas in how to achieve it. Find out what they want. Offer your ideas as to how to achieve their desired outcomes. I know, I know. You're thinking, "I can't possibly bring up in a staff meeting that I think our communication patterns are unhealthy. Everybody would hate me for saying that." It's not unusual for people to censor themselves, to feel that it's OK to want something secretly (or tell only a few folks), but not OK to let the world in general know. I say, if you want something then it's OK to discuss it. Granted, you need to be tactful about how you raise the issue, but raising it is useful and healthy. Pretending it doesn't exist is like pretending there isn't a dead, stinking elephant in the corner of the room. Everyone smells it, no one likes it, but everyone is too polite to discuss it. I almost always vote for naming the elephant and joining forces to take care of it. By the way, you can bring in a mediator or facilitator to help your group have an elephant-naming and problem-solving conversation. That's what we do. Ask The Mediator is written by Sally Waters, senior mediator at UC Davis Mediation Services. Faculty, staff and graduate students may send in questions to be answered in this column at abagronis@ucdavis.edu. The identity of senders is kept confidential. For more information about mediation services, call (530) 752-9257 or check http://mediation.ucdavis.edu. |
