by LorraineSegal | May 10, 2010
Is it more helpful to remember or forget past workplace conflict? The famous line from George Santayana, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” tells us remembering is crucial. But in the current issue of Conflict Resolution Quarterly,...
by LorraineSegal | Apr 25, 2010
Ever felt like you or your coworkers or bosses were acting or talking like difficult teenagers? You know what I mean, the sullen shrug, the denial, the endless willingness to argue, the sudden fits of temper? This kind of energy can be challenging and frustrating to...
by LorraineSegal | Apr 9, 2010
We all enjoy recognition from our peers and supervisors, and in an ideal workplace we’d be appreciated for each accomplishment. But, if our only source of work satisfaction is professional awards, we could be setting ourselves up for resentment, conflict, and...
by LorraineSegal | Mar 26, 2010
Computer Engineer Barbie just arrived with lots of publicity, but does this signify the end of gender conflict and discrimination at work? True, Barbie has come a long way since she was programmed in 1992 to say “Math class is tough”, starting a firestorm of protest...
by LorraineSegal | Mar 12, 2010
Can fun be an effective motivator at work? It might, according to a recent psychology study reported by David DiSalvo. In the study, researchers first assessed participants as high or low achievers and then gave them a series of 5 computerized tests. Their computers...
by LorraineSegal | Feb 27, 2010
How do we change behavior at work for the better? A big corporation in Germany started a campaign they call The Fun Theory. They believe that “the easiest way to change people’s behavior for the better is by making it fun to do.” They challenged creative people to...
by LorraineSegal | Feb 15, 2010
If you‘ve ever felt like your managers, co-workers or employees were acting like children, you may be right. For better or worse, many of our habitual patterns of communication and conflict in the workplace come from our families of origin. When people bring these...
by LorraineSegal | Feb 4, 2010
My clients and I often wish we could remake our co-workers and managers in our preferred image. But, the reality is that we generally have little or no control over the words and actions of others, even if there are negative consequences for us. So, I encourage my...
by LorraineSegal | Jan 24, 2010
Is resentment poisoning you at work? I have witnessed clients, parties in mediations, and colleagues filled with resentment toward a co-worker, supervisor, or employee. Sometimes these feelings persist for years, only expressed indirectly, with inevitably negative...
by LorraineSegal | Jan 13, 2010
Unrealistic attempts to control bosses, co-workers, or employees at meetings or individually can be huge sources of conflict in the workplace. When I recently saw this humorous title of a Gilmore Girls episode, Always a Godmother, Never a God, I thought of the...
