Workplace Tension Can't Be Ignored - Part Three

In the last post we touched on Archie, the difficult man or woman who can add to or single-handily creates a tense work environment through their attitude, demeanor or work ethic. What are you to do when faced with the male or female equivalent of a one person wrecking machine?

In the case of my client we had to have a very serious heart to heart talk about the Ripple Effect of this person's actions. True the guy was a producer and was someone who had literally helped elevate the company to the level of success it was currently enjoying but not without real cost. In talking with the CEO it became apparent that the organization had lost some great talent because of this individual; people who could no longer work around him. They had also lost some customers due to the abrasive nature of this individual; though up until that point the CEO had looked at losses as palatable provided Archie brought in new business to make up the difference. But in the grander scheme, the CEO didn't really realize how letting this guy through his actions create a difficult environment for everyone else was actually how he was viewed by his other employees as a leader. Simply put, he was losing the respect of his people by continuing to ignore the situation and leaving it for everyone else to have to deal with.

It wasn't until we got to that point that I got his attention and he admitted something needed to change.

If you own a company, manage an organization, or lead a team, your people take their cues from the top. Many business leaders don't understand or appreciate just how critical a role they play in creating an environment that is either, productive and full of potential, or one that is tense and stressful and fraught with turmoil. Sure some leaders understand it and take some of the steps we talked about in part one but more often than not most ignore it and hope the problem goes away. You and I both know that rarely happens and the only thing that ends up going away are the good people you want there working for you in the first place.

So what can you do to overcome some of the issues that create workplace tension? Here's a few suggestions that may be worth exploring in greater detail (you, me, your CEO, etc.) than what we could possibly cover in a BLOG post. But let's hit some of the highlights.

Committed leadership - You have to people who consciously look at the work environment and are prepared to take whatever necessary action to make the work environment the best it can be. People take their cues from the top and often overcoming workplace tension begins and ends at the top. If you are a leader or work for a leader who doesn't understand this, we should talk!

Committed Communication - We all think we know how to communicate but we are all quirky and our quirkiness can often create problems. An organization that is committed to helping their people work together to be the very best that they can be will spend conscious time helping people identify how they communicate; their style in day to day communications, in stressful situations, when creativity is needed, when there is conflict with a co-worker, etc.. Helping people understand themselves and how they interact and react to others can have a huge payoff for an organization and eliminate a lot of workplace tension and stress.

Have a Communication Sherpa - Every organization I have ever worked with has a "connector/relater" in their midst. Someone who can seamlessly bridge interdepartmental squabbles, fire up the troops on a given issue or understands the rumblings of the company. Formalizing a process to allow these people to become the go-betweens can do a lot to resolve issues that otherwise get swept under the carpet but tend to never go away.

Help People Engage - We spend countless hours at our jobs yet research has shown that most employees feel completely unattached to the people they work with. Disengagement leads to people to view people as objects rather than people. Companies need to take specific actions to make it comfortable and safe for people to get to know one another on an individual basis. Informal coffee chats, connection activities (Hmmmm Team Ripple anyone? -see new video), discovery games, open work environments (get people out of the cubicles), coloring contests (yes...I said coloring contests), and a whole host of other activities to get PEOPLE TALKING and talking about something other "the job." Employee engagement is absolute essential for short circuiting workplace tension (for more on this subject check an earlier BLOG series on this by clicking here).

These are just a few concepts that can help ease workplace tension. In my final post of this series, we will explore a little bit more about how the actual Ripple philosophy can be applied within the workplace to effect change and overcome tension that might exist.

Ripple On!!!


Steve