Many organizations have considered trying to resolve disputes with mediation by using internal resources and staff rather than external fully independent mediators. Proponents argue that the cost will be lower, that mediators will know more about the organization’s operations and will therefore be able to assist disputants more easily (for instance with information about internal […]
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The modern Human Resources (“HR”) department keeps a company running by implementing crucial aspects of company policy, while managing day-to-day business activity. HR personnel are involved in the hiring of new employees, termination of employees, administration of benefits such as health insurance, and administration of payroll. In addition, they ensure the company’s compliance with wage […]
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NOTEWORTHY CASES Supreme Court of Canada Rules on Arbitration Clauses in Web-based ContractsDell Computer Corp. v. Union des Consommateurs2007 SCC 34 – July 13, 2007 Web-based contract – Arbitration clause – Dell’s website had an error in pricing on it for 2 types of handheld computers – When Dell became aware of the errors, it blocked access […]
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“God gave us two ears and one mouth. We should use them in proportion.” So much can be learned from listening. So much conflict can be avoided by hearing, understanding and letting others know that you have heard and understood. By listening I mean more than the type of listening that allows you to hear […]
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Workplace leaders have a unique responsibility to manage and prevent employee conflict whenever possible. Employees may develop conflicts between each other as a result of cultural differences, competition, or a toxic culture that has been neglected by leadership. Many of these conflicts develop unintentionally, so it requires a conscious effort from workplace leaders to prevent […]
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Poor communication can be costly for organizations. When employees and leaders are not communicating effectively, it can have a number of negative impacts on organizational culture and profitability. In a recent study, 93% of business leaders agreed that communication is the backbone of business. The ability to share ideas within the organization and with your […]
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Getting to the root of problems means understanding everyone’s strengths and weaknesses, including one’s own Originally published in:Canadian HR ReporterNovember 8, 2004 Dealing with office conflict is one of those management tasks with high risks, low rewards and seemingly no end in sight. Negative patterns can develop despite a manager’s best efforts. Standard approaches become ineffective, and breakthroughs […]
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Effective management is essential for any organization’s success. Yet, one common issue that can undermine this success is the tendency to raise one’s voice in stressful situations. It’s not that people necessarily want to yell, but it rarely has the desired impact. Yelling not only damages professional relationships but also creates a hostile work environment. […]
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Many companies engage in conflict resolution training for their managers, executives, and human resources professionals. The businesses that spend the time and energy preparing their workers to solve problems do so for many different reasons. Not only does conflict resolution make for a happier company, but it also saves money in the long run. The […]
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One of the topics that we discuss in our workshops is negotiation styles. Most of us engage in some sort of negotiation on a daily basis, whether it has to do with working out the details of a complicated contract, roles and responsibilities within the workplace, or something as simple as who is responsible for […]
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Being an introvert according to the MBTI is not always all fun and games. So I thought I’d share a few my internal musings for those of you who also need time alone to recharge your batteries. What I’ve come to realize over the many months that I have been studying personality types, negotiation styles, […]
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Wedding Imagine you have a wedding booked for May 2020. You’ve been planning for over a year, dealing with all the different vendors so that you aren’t having to last minute plan for your big day. You booked the venue more than a year in advance, the only way to ensure the dates. All your […]
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A challenge that is currently facing many people in the world is how to persuade others to come around to their way of thinking. Many people who attend Stitt Feld Handy Group online conflict resolution training ask about effective ways to bring other people around to their way of thinking. This can be especially true […]
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As an instructor who is used to teaching workshops in-person, I initially had some concern about transitioning to Internet-based teaching. When making the decision to take the workshops in that direction, my colleagues and I wanted to make sure that the classroom experience could be effectively replicated in an online conflict resolution training platform. As […]
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Have you ever walked out of a 2 hour meeting with the feeling that you’ve just wasted two hours of time and accomplished next to nothing, or that something was accomplished but no-one is sure what? Even when we pride ourselves on being effective or experienced negotiators, we may be less successful than we’d like, […]
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INTRODUCTION and BACKGROUND Marketing boards and their counterpart in the U.S.A., co-operative associations, are constantly subject to political review, administrative tinkering, litigation, and challenge. Their existence confronts many assumptions that are made unconsciously in a society that values private enterprise and private ordering. The way marketing boards make decisions on terms and conditions of commodity […]
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Published by Human Resource Director Written by Emily Douglas Dec 10, 2018 https://www.hrmonline.ca/hr-news/corporate-wellness/the-warning-signs-of-a-difficult-employee-251679.aspx The workplace is a rainforest – a delicate ecosystem that needs to maintain a balance in order to flourish. If one element is out of sync with the rest, the whole environment suffers and may collapse. Difficult employees are the bane of […]
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Stitt Feld Handy Group provides training and education for busy professionals in the areas of negotiation, mediation, arbitration, alternative dispute resolution, and communication skills. Several key methods have been developed for teaching this material, however, experience has proven that courses offering interactive education provide the most applicable skills. Through the use of role-play exercises, students […]
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This article was originally published in the December 7, 2012 issue of the Lawyers Weekly published by LexisNexis Canada Inc. Barry Leon & John Siwiec In this, our companion piece to “Seven tips for faster, more cost-effective arbitration” (The Lawyers Weekly, September 14, 2012, page 13) we focus on what in-house counsel who negotiate arbitration clauses […]
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Whether in a negotiation or a mediation, one should consider the psychology of persuading the other parties involved, rather than just plowing ahead with a rights-based focus. Coming up with a theory of the negotiation can hone one’s preparation and engagement in the negotiations in question. To truly persuade someone to say ‘yes’, we need to tell a […]
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