AboutJoan Schramm Expertise I can answer questions about handling difficult bosses or co-workers, motivation, team-building, and just getting along in an organization. I am also an expert on conflict resolution and communication as well as other issues dealing with business relationships.
Experience Joan is a professional Coach and the founder of Momentum Coaching, www.achieve-momentum.com. Her experience is from over twenty-five years of business leadership, training and coaching.
Organizations Coach Training Alliance, Coachville, Attractionville, 247 Coaching, Solo-E
Publications Many of my articles have appeared in local newspapers and online at sites like www.ezines.com, www.marketingseek.com, www.articlecity.com, www.exactseek.com and others.
Education/Credentials BS in English
MS in Human Resource Management
Certified Coach through the Coach Training Alliance
Question I am a professional civil engineer managing an office of 30 people. We have to floors and a manager on each floor. Over time a barrier has developed between the staffs on the two floors. Each floor believes the other floor doesn't work as hard, they are taking too much time off, and that there is a lack of respect.
For the past five summers my oldest son has worked for the firm. He is an engineering student, now in his junior year. Over the past four weeks there has been an increasing level of teasing by the second floor staff of my son. I was not aware of the situation until my son blew up at one of the staff memebers. It was not a good situation.
I sat them both down seperately to discuss the situation and thought it had ceased. Unfortunately, it has now intensified to where my wife was the butt of a comment toward my son when she stopped by to take him to his car that was in the shop.
My son is a hard worker and likes what he does. He out performs many of the employees who have been with me for years. I cannot get to the root of the problem and I cannot figure out what happened. I am actually thinking of resigning from the firm. I have been there for over 18 years and simply cannot tolerate this.
I really need to figure out a way to try and deal with this so I can stay. I really do like it there but I've got to fix this, now. Can you offer any suggestions?
Answer Well, there's two issues here.
The first one is the verbal attacks on one employee (who just happens to be your son) by other employees. That cannot be allowed to continue. There is no room in a business for harrassment of employees. You need to make it clear, in no uncertain terms, that your employees must keep their personality issues in check and that abusive, racist, sexist or other inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated. Period. Haul in the person who made the comment about your wife and tell him/her that those type of comments are not acceptable. You can say something like, "Bob, I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt in this instance, but you have to recognize the impact your words have on your co-workers -- not to mention the affect they have on me. Are we clear?"
Now, to the more difficult issue. You need to find a way to bring these two groups together and stop the resentment and infighting. Get your two managers together along with the key players from each group and brainstorm. Whatever the issues between the two workgroups, there is undoubtedly some kernel of truth in their viewpoints. You're going to have to make a huge effort to get to the bottom of it, though, especially since it's been going on so long. Remember -- your teams don't have to like one another, but they do need to respect and value one another's accomplishments.
Some suggestions:
1. Make some of the employees switch places and work with the other group on a regular basis.
2. Make absolutely sure that you aren't contributing to the resentment by appearing to value the contributions of our group over another. All your employees should feel that their work is equally important and valued by the company.
3. Each team shares a common goal -- they both want the company to do well. Build on that. Meet with each team separately. Challenge them to come up with a team goal, then have them come up with obstacles to that goal. No doubt some of those obstacles will be the other team. Then ask them to come up with assets the other team brings to the goal.
All this might sound basic, but in this situation I think you need to go way back to basics and start rebuilding rapport from the ground up. It will take a long time, but just think of the benefits you'll be bringing to your company and to your employees.
As a start, I would also recommend that you have all your team members take the DiSC Classic 2 PLUS. The information they learn about themselves will be very helpful, and the information you get as their supervisor will be invaluable in helping you to shape the new behavior you want. There are a number of places you can get DiSC information online, and I can also offer you an excellent DiSC program at a very competitive price. Take a look at http://www.achieve-momentum.com/disc.html for info on the basic DiSC, and if you're interested I can get you a sample PLUS report to look at. I'm also available to work with you and your employees directly -- this area of handling workplace issues is a speciality of mine, and I can do on-site seminars or workshops or one-on-one coaching via telephone.
