peaceatworkday

Building Trust

peaceatwork — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 19:09:30 +0000

Trust plays a major part in the foundation of interpersonal relationships. Trust is necessary to help build and maintain relationship wellness, whether it is between parents and children, friends, lovers or co-workers. Some things we do can make it just as easy to build trust as it is to break it down on a daily basis. If your interpersonal relationships are plagued by that deadly element called “ambiguity, suspicion, and fear” then you may want to begin some trust-building steps.
Trust is an act, I refer to it as a verb rather than a noun and encourage those I work with to remember to take actions towards building and maintaining trust in their interpersonal relationships. We learn to trust, as we learn to love. Trust is something that is developed by taking action either to let ourselves trust or to earn trust through consistent actions. Sometimes trust is also lost or destroyed by a single act. This is why we should be good interpersonal relationship stewards and ensure that we are making wise choices about whom we trust.
How do you go about deciding who to trust and when to trust them?

The Meaning of War

peaceatwork — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:45:28 +0000

Would it shock you to learn that some people fight wars everyday and their job description is not that of a soldier? What if by reading this article you see yourself, your co-worker or your loved one’s reality?
The dictionary describes war as: an organized violent conflict engaged in by two or more separate social entities with the sole purpose of domination, part of which includes eradication of the other. Psychological attempts to dominate another are often described as bullying. These are often manifested as negative competition, contention, inappropriate comparisons, hostile criticism and isolation.
Though we are often saddened by thoughts of soldiers going away to war, many families surrender their loved ones to the battlefield of work daily, without the slightest idea of what they have to endure. One manager was heard referring to his employees as a herd of cattle. Imagine being one of his direct reports. The pain of those enduring abuse at work in whatever form, be it harassment, discrimination, or bullying, is just as acute as those in physical battle.
I very often encounter individuals in the workplace whose motives and actions are orchestrated for the sole purpose of dominating or eradicating a colleague. These acts of psychological harassment are as emotionally destructive as physical combat. They create anxiety, stress, and illnesses in all forms. Researchers are beginning to draw a correlation between the increasing growth of mental health diseases in the employed population and these war-like experiences at work.
War-like experiences have a rippling effect on employees, creating a long term negative impact on the social and economic reality of families and communities. Those who are away on stress or sick leave are incapable of contributing to their families and communities, leaving a void that is both social and economical.
The cost of these acts is devastating to our health and economy, resulting in billions of dollars of lost productivity annually. They are also contributing to the rising cost of health care, employee benefits and insurance.
Very often those affected by violence at work resign their positions, down grade their employment, or relocate in order to leave the intolerable work situation. Because people’s lives function as a system of interrelated parts, we know that this does impact other areas of their life wellness. Some areas often overlooked are their spiritual wellness, intellectual wellness, social wellness, environmental wellness and emotional wellness. With this many impact, it is time to declare peace@work.
I am contributing my time and energy over the next two months to declaring peace@work. What if all of us focus on peace and fewer of us think of war and war-like acts? I believe if you join me in this endeavour we will be successful in increasing peace@work.

Coaching to Improve Emotional Wellness

peaceatwork — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 20:25:43 +0000

Coaching is one of the fastest growing approaches being used to help improve and maintain emotional wellness. There are a number of reasons for the explosive use of coaching. I would like to investigate just one of these here – the art of changing perspectives by investigating thoughts. The coaching process allows for the individual to do a very in-depth self assessment that can shed light on growth opportunities and wellness in several areas of life. This allows for the coachee to take action steps to expand their lives and their thinking to a whole new level something not always possible in other processes. In addition, coaching is a very dynamic process that inspires the coachee to think differently about their thoughts and to question their own thinking. This often results in them being able to shift their perspectives. This technique when learnt is very easily applied, therefore allowing the client (coachee) to become more self-aware and self-correcting (many clients then able to self-coach).
This process helps the coachee to reduce stressful thoughts, and prepares them to be more skeptical of their thoughts and more scrutinizing of their beliefs. This does not mean that the coachee will no longer have stressful thoughts; rather, it means that the coachee becomes better equipped to search for truth, enabling them to change their perspective to one that is less stressful. This process helps clients to better manage their emotional wellness, their health, wellbeing, and longevity.
If you haven’t explored coaching as an outlet to improving your emotional wellness, then it’s time you do so. As mental health diseases like depression increase in our society, there is no time like now to invest in your own emotional wellness. Don’t forget that although coaching has benefits for those who have mental health diseases, coaching works best when you are functional and well, thereby allowing you to reap greater benefits from the process.

I would love to hear what other methods you are using to manage your emotional wellness as you strive to maintain peace@work.

What is Your Contribution to Peace?

peaceatwork — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 19:53:27 +0000

It’s okay to talk about peace but it really is different acting and living in peace. So many times our egos get in the way of us really doing the peace “thing” or giving of ourself towards peace, except when we have a deep conviction. I believe that peace begins with our relationship with ourself first and then with others.

often folks think that peace initiatives are boring and no fun. In the next ten weeks I will do everything fun, interesting, exciting and absolutely innovative I can think of to help encourage peace here: www.peaceatworkday.com Will you join me? Start by answering this one question – What are you doing for peace?

I wish you peace and wellness
Joyce

Your Professional Conduct Can Improve Peace at Work

peaceatwork — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 16:18:34 +0000

Are you tired of encountering unprofessional conduct at your doctor’s office, the bank, your local grocery store or your workplace?
Unprofessional conduct is ugly and unpleasant, regardless of the provocation. It makes everyone feel bad and it reflects poorly on the organization or business represented.

Unprofessional Conduct

Unprofessional conduct is any behaviour that is offensive, disrespectful, coercive, harassing, bullying, and exclusive, or that makes another person feel demoralized and abused. There are times when we are all provoked beyond measure, but this does not justify unprofessional conduct. This kind of conduct robs the atmosphere of positive social vibration, detracts energy, and makes others feel hurt, abused, or at times powerless.

I would like to challenge you to dig deep to uncover your best self in spite of what’s going on around you. The result will be improved personal commitment, efficiency, responsibility, accountability, reduction in interpersonal conflicts, and a higher level of interpersonal wellness in your workplace and your relationships. Let this be your contribution to peace this week.

Sign-up your workplace to win six months of Interpersonal Wellness coaching FREE through the Peace@Work Drive beginning this week!

Get Strategies to Address Workplace Issues

Join us this week as we go live with free coaching, great guests, stories and inspiring messages on Blog Talk Radio to help you maintain your peace@work. Learn more here: www.peaceatworkday.com

What is Your Contribution to Peace?

peaceatwork — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 22:51:36 +0000

You can contribute to Peace by joining with me to declare May 11, 2011 Peace@Work “Armistice Day”.
This is my contribution to creating peace in the world. Will you join me? This Peace@Work Armistice Drive is my attempt to encourage peace, by connecting with people where they spend the most of their time – at work. My Peace@Work Armistice drive starts on March 11, 2011 and will continue till May 11, 2011. My shows during this time will include stories, poems, meditations, readings and a live call in and chat during the show every Tuesday morning from 10:00am to 11:30 am CST. Since everyone needs to work and many of us spend time daily with challenging personalities, I hope this show will give you a safe place to refresh your life. I hope to bring you inspiration, motivation and encouragement to create and maintain your own peace. Employees and listeners can call in live or access archived shows. Don’t forget you are the master of your own destiny. It is my hope that those organizations that participate will see a reduction in bullying, harassment and interpersonal conflicts during the Peace@Work Armistice drive. Whatever your role in the organization you are welcome to embrace this initiative. I know leaders, managers, supervisors and employees all experience stressful situations and personalities at work. Don’t forget to register here Don’t forget registered workplaces get to enter a draw for a chance to win 6 months of workplace coaching support with me – Joyce Odidison.
I wish you Peace and Wellness. I will host my test show Live tomorrow, how about joining me? www.blogtalkradio.com/connections-coach

Blog Talk Radio Show – Live Chat and Coaching

peaceatwork — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:06:27 +0000

Join the live Blog Talk Radio Show via Live Chat or call in and access coaching to address an interpersonal challenge at work that’s robbing you from your personal peace. Between March 11th to May 11, 2011. Call in to share with me about your challenges and success. Let’s remove the obstacles to you experiencing peace at work.

Join us here:
Connections Coach on Blog Talk Radio

Peace@Work Day Drive is Amazing!

peaceatwork — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 19:11:47 +0000

Through this peace@work drive, I want to help create opportunities for employees to make healthy connections at work. I embark on this peace drive to honour my clients and to support those who are distraught, overwhelmed and conflicted by their workplace dynamics. Do you ever feel that you would like to wave a magic wand and create peace? I believe that each of us have the ability to contribute to peace through our thoughts, choices and actions on a daily basis.

Though one single act may seem meaningless, consistency on the part of one person can go a long way toward influencing change. If we look at our legends for change in history, their initial actions seemed almost fruitless, until we look at the accumulative impact.
My clients often tell me that they find the work we do on their Interpersonal Wellness plan helpful; what catches my attention is that they want their fellow co-workers to also go through a similar program. When I ask them why, they explain that they fear that their efforts alone will not be enough to influence the changes they feel are necessary at work. I often respond with a question – what if all you had to do was this, would it be enough for you to do your part? Most times they ponder this question and at times we engage in further inquiry.
They often come to realize that what really matters is what each person brings to the workplace. Each of us has a certain capacity to contribute to wellness. Sometimes our capacity is greater than other times. It remains our responsibility to be self-aware and apply the proper self-management strategies, to ensure that what we contribute is adding something good to the workplace dynamic. If you are concerned about your work environment, what are you contributing to the process? Are you equipped to do more? Throughout the drive, this show will strive to help you fill up and get answers and strategies to make a difference and help create peace at work.
My Goals are to provide virtual support and resources over the Peace@Work drive that will:
• Inspire peaceful thoughts and dialogue
• Encourage collaboration and Interpersonal Wellness at work
• Motivate peaceful acts, generosity and civil gestures at work
• Engage employees in planning activities that fit with their workplace culture
What to Expect:
Resources such as short snippets of videos, meditations, readings, tele-seminars, interviews, blog talk radio coaching programs, encouraging quotes and more through our Facebook page, YouTube, blog, and Twitter. We are inviting guests such as authors and celebrities to contribute.
Registration:
To register as a participant, download the Interpersonal Wellness Audit to help you decide on your peace initiative, then sign up on our Facebook page or blog to register your group and activity.
Celebration:
On May 11, 2011- Peace@Work Day we will acknowledge and celebrate all the initiatives, activities, individuals and organizations who took part. Sharing will take place virtually or otherwise. Plan to join us now.

Peace Links

peaceatwork — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 18:01:33 +0000

We are privileged to live in the age of technology where we can connect with others around the world by the click of a button. I also see this as an opportune time to connect with organizations around the world and say hey, it’s time to Declare Peace@workday. I will gather links where you can read of peace efforts around the world to help motivate you as you strive to maintain peace in your own world of work each day. See below:
http://crinfo.com
http://peace.stanford.edu
http://peace.dalailamafoundation.org/dlf/en/dlcenter.jsp
http://www.wiserearth.org
http://www.internationalpeaceandconflict.org
http://www.peaceatworkday.com

If you know of a good site, please add it below.

The Meaning of War – Why We Need Peace

peaceatwork — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 16:04:50 +0000

The Meaning of War

The dictionary describes war as:

an organized violent conflict, engaged in by two or more separate social entities, with the sole purpose of domination, part of which includes eradication of the other.

I very often encounter individuals in the workplace whose motives and actions are orchestrated for the sole purpose of dominating or eradicating a colleague. Psychological attempts to dominate another are often described as bullying, which can be manifested as acts such as negative competition, contention, inappropriate comparism, hostile criticizism and isolation. These acts, also known as psychological harassment are as destructive as any form of physical assault. These acts cause stress and illnesses in all forms. Researchers are beginning to relate the increasing growth of mental health diseases and symptoms among employees to these war-like experiences at work- the cost of which has resulted in billions of dollars of lost productivity annually, and in the increasing cost of health care, employee benefits and insurance.

Though we are often saddened by thoughts of soldiers going away to war, many families surrender their loved ones daily to the battlefield at work, without foreknowledge. They find themselves later caring for family members who are on stress leave or depression or other stress related illnesses as a result of workplace war. Their resulting pain is just as acute as those of families facing loved ones returning as casualties of war from the army.
Similar to warfare, effects of hostile experiences on employees have a rippling effect and long-term negative impact on the social and economic reality of families and communities. Those who are away on stress or sick leave become incapable of contributing to their communities and families, leaving a void that is felt by all.

It is very common to find individuals affected by violence at work off on stress leave, resigning their positions or at times downgrading their employment in order to leave the intolerable work situation.
The level of interdependence between one’s occupational wellness and overall wellness in other areas of life suggests that it is time to declare peace in the workplace. It is my wish that every workplace will participate in declaring “Armistice Day” and join our 90 Day Peace@workday Campaign between March 11, 200 and May 11, 2011.

What is your workplace doing to create peace at work?