http://www.ChacoCanyon.com Tips, techniques, insights and inspiration on topics like person-to-person communications, project management, workplace politics, and workplace conflict. http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/images/life-at-work-logo.gif http://www.ChacoCanyon.com Tips, techniques, insights and inspiration on topics like person-to-person communications, project management, workplace politics, and workplace conflict. 72 141 en-us Business/Management Copyright 2009 Richard Brenner http://backend.userland.com/rss Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT In high performance teams, cooperative behavior is a given. But in the experience of many, truly cooperative behavior is so rare that they believe that something fundamental is at work -- that cooperative behavior requires surrendering the self, which most people are unwilling to do. It's another teamwork myth. http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/pointlookout/090701.shtml http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/pointlookout/090701.shtml Business/Human_Resources rbrenner@ChacoCanyon.com (Rick Brenner) Life at Work: People, Projects, Politics and Pressure Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:30:00 EDT In virtual or global teams, conversations can be long, painful affairs. Settling issues and clearing misunderstandings can take weeks instead of days, or days instead of hours. Here are some techniques that ease the way to mutual agreement and understanding. http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/pointlookout/090624.shtml http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/pointlookout/090624.shtml Business/Management/Communication_Skills Business/Management/Project_and_Program_Management rbrenner@ChacoCanyon.com (Rick Brenner) Life at Work: People, Projects, Politics and Pressure Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:30:00 EDT For many teams, conflict is uncomfortable or threatening. It's so unpleasant so often that many believe that all conflict is bad -- that it must be avoided, stifled or at least managed. This is a myth. Conflict, in its constructive forms, is essential to high performance. http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/pointlookout/090617.shtml http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/pointlookout/090617.shtml Business/Human_Resources/Employee_Relations/Conflict_Resolution Reference/Knowledge_Management/Knowledge_Creation/Problem_Solving rbrenner@ChacoCanyon.com (Rick Brenner) Life at Work: People, Projects, Politics and Pressure Wed, 17 Jun 2009 04:30:00 EDT In virtual or global teams, where remote collaboration is the rule, waiting for the answer to a simple question can take a day or more. And when the response finally arrives, it's often just another question. Here are some suggestions for framing questions that are clear enough to get answers quickly. http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/pointlookout/090610.shtml http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/pointlookout/090610.shtml Business/Management/Communication_Skills Business/Management/Project_and_Program_Management rbrenner@ChacoCanyon.com (Rick Brenner) Life at Work: People, Projects, Politics and Pressure Wed, 10 Jun 2009 04:30:00 EDT Sometimes management practices have unintended consequences. To reduce costs, we keep staff ranks thin, but that leads to split assignments for those with rare skills. Here's one way split assignments can lead to higher costs. http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/pointlookout/090603.shtml http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/pointlookout/090603.shtml Business/Human_Resources rbrenner@ChacoCanyon.com (Rick Brenner) Life at Work: People, Projects, Politics and Pressure Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:30:00 EDT Much of the conventional wisdom about teams is in the form of over-generalized rules of thumb, or myths. In this first part of our survey of teamwork myths, we examine two myths about forming teams. http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/pointlookout/090527.shtml http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/pointlookout/090527.shtml Business/Management/Project_and_Program_Management rbrenner@ChacoCanyon.com (Rick Brenner) Life at Work: People, Projects, Politics and Pressure Wed, 27 May 2009 04:30:00 EDT In workplace politics, some people always seem to be seeking information about others, but they give very little in return. They're pumpers. What can you do to deal with pumpers? http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/pointlookout/090520.shtml http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/pointlookout/090520.shtml Business/Human Resources/Employee Relations Business/Human_Resources/Employee_Relations/Conflict_Resolution rbrenner@ChacoCanyon.com (Rick Brenner) Life at Work: People, Projects, Politics and Pressure Wed, 20 May 2009 04:30:00 EDT Group decision-making usually entails discussion. When contributions to that discussion include vivid examples, illustrations or stories, the group can be at risk of making a mistaken decision. http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/pointlookout/090513.shtml http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/pointlookout/090513.shtml Science/Science_in_Society/Skeptical_Inquiry/Critical_Thinking Science/Social_Sciences/Communication/Rhetoric/ rbrenner@ChacoCanyon.com (Rick Brenner) Life at Work: People, Projects, Politics and Pressure Wed, 13 May 2009 04:30:00 EDT In organizational politics, one class of toxic tactics is framing -- accusing a group or individual by offering interpretations of their actions to knowingly and falsely make them seem responsible for reprehensible or negligent acts. Here are some strategies framers use. http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/pointlookout/090506.shtml http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/pointlookout/090506.shtml Business/Human Resources/Employee Relations Business/Human_Resources/Employee_Relations/Conflict_Resolution rbrenner@ChacoCanyon.com (Rick Brenner) Life at Work: People, Projects, Politics and Pressure Wed, 06 May 2009 04:30:00 EDT In organizational politics, one class of toxic tactics is framing -- accusing a group or individual by offering interpretations of their actions to knowingly and falsely make them seem responsible for reprehensible or negligent acts. Here are come communications tactics framers use. http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/pointlookout/090429.shtml http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/pointlookout/090429.shtml Business/Human Resources/Employee Relations Business/Human_Resources/Employee_Relations/Conflict_Resolution rbrenner@ChacoCanyon.com (Rick Brenner) Life at Work: People, Projects, Politics and Pressure Wed, 29 Apr 2009 04:30:00 EDT Links to articles from Point Lookout that touch on Personal, Team and Organizational Effectiveness. http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/pointlookout/effective.shtml http://www.ChacoCanyon.com/pointlookout/effective.shtml Business/Human_Resources/Employee_Relations/Conflict_Resolution Business/Human_Resources Business/Management/Ethics Business/Human Resources/Employee Relations Business/Management/Organizational_Change Business/Management/Project_and_Program_Management Science/Social_Sciences/Communication/Rhetoric/ Business/Management/Communication_Skills Computers/Internet/E-mail Computers/Internet/Etiquette/E-mail Reference/Knowledge_Management/Knowledge_Creation/Problem_Solving Science/Science_in_Society/Skeptical_Inquiry/Critical_Thinking rbrenner@ChacoCanyon.com (Rick Brenner) Life at Work: People, Projects, Politics and Pressure Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:30:00 EDT