How Engineers Can Resolve Conflict and Save Their Business

How Engineers Can Resolve Conflict and Save Their Business How Engineers Can Resolve Conflict and Save Their Business How Engineers Can Resolve Conflict and Save Their BusinessMark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin. Jamie Dimon and Sandy Weill. Lennon and McCartney.Each of these successful business lebensabschnittsgefhrteships broke up, bedrngnis because of philosophical differences, but because of interpersonal conflict. How can savvy business partners prevent their conflicts from devastating their businesses before its too late?Hal and David, two founding partners of a fast-growing engineering startup, approached us to help them resolve their conflicts. They claimed they would dissolve the firm if they couldnt reduce the tension between them.Hal tried to convince us that Dave was trying to take over the firm because Dave callumineszenzdiode a few large clients when Hal was on vacation. Then Dave tried to convince us that Hal was plotting against him by discussing sensitive topics with their staff before weekly meetings.There are three critical steps that business partners and other senior leaders can take to reduce unnecessary flashpoints and get on with building their businesses.For You Engineers Fighting Depression Shouldnt Go It AloneMara Goldberg, a co-founder of Marigold Mediation, a consulting firm dedicated to helping organizations build healthy relationships. Image Marigold MediationBefore dealing with sensitive interpersonal issues, its crucial to isolate the areas of friction and improve those processes and systems that become flashpoints for conflict. For instance, Hals and Davids client intake procedure hadnt changed despite the firm doubling in size in a short time. Whoever answered the phone got the client and the credit. This caused competition and confusion. So, we established a more equitable process.They also struggled with decision-making around marketing and staff supervision. We clarified their roles to fit their natural strengths Hal took t he lead on marketing, while Dave took the lead on staff supervision. This helped the staff know which partner to come to for what issues.Clarifying processes and roles lowers the temperature, enabling antagonists to more safely address the deeper part of conflict management personality tension.We asked Hal and Dave to each tell a story about something their partner did that upset them. Both stories mirrored each other, where one was victim, the other villain. Each revealed an underlying fear of losing control.We all laughed together when they realized how much they had in common it was only when their feelings of control were threatened that they became upset. Over the next month, they shared their stories when they became annoyed by the others behavior. We also explored different narratives of the same event.At our next meeting Hal and Dave were more relaxed. They had learned to separate their observations from their judgments, and own their stories. They said it felt like the good old days.But their optimism was short-lived.Difficult conflicts fester over time when they arent dealt with directly. Expecting them to disappear overnight is unrealistic. People backslide when negative events trigger old feelings.Predictably, Hal and Dave had some quarrels to discuss in our next meeting. But in contrast to earlier sessions, their demeanors were calm and they were open to understanding their partners perspective. This conversation led to an agreement to meet every Friday to provide ongoing feedback.That was when we knew they were on the right path.They are still having those weekly meetings, and are still in business 10 months later.Hal and Dave are like many executives well-intentioned people who react strongly when they feel threatened. But unlike many other leaders, they didnt sweep their conflicts under the rug until it was too late.The first step to sustainable conflict resolution is to remove the underlying friction points. This lowers the temperature. Second , to reveal that the stories we tell ourselves when we are upset are mostly self-serving and often inaccurate. And finally, to ensure that two-way feedback mechanisms are in place to sustain the renewed, healthy relationship.Read More Artificial and 3D-Printed Skin Advances for Robots, Humans The Rise from BattleBot to Corporate Robot 3D-Printed Cement Improves Crack Resistance

The one question you should ask before doing anything

The one question you should ask before doing anythingThe one question you should ask before doing anythingI recently developed what I would consider a healthy obsession with the poetry ofNayyirah Waheed. Ive never been a poetry-reading person- making room only for the occasional Rumi- which is somewhat ironic since my first name (Ozan) is Turkish for poet. Yet, the simplicity of Waheeds poems- and her healthy disregard for poetrys traditional rules- struck a deep chord with me.Consider this onewouldyou still want to travel tothatcountryif you could not take a camera with you?Theres a broader way of posing the same question. Would you still do that thing youre thinking about doing if you couldnt deutsche post dhl it on social media, if you couldnt showcase it for friends and family- if no one else would ever know about it?We often fall in love with a destination, but not the path.We dont want to climb a mountain. We want tohaveclimbed a mountain.We dont want to write a book. We want t ohavewritten a book.We dont want to landsee India. We want other people to see us see India.In high school, I took two years of reluctant German. This past year, we spent nearly six months living in Nuremberg, and I thought Id pick German back up. I slogged through Duolingo lessons, trying to parse the intricacies of German grammar and memorize the articles that go with each word. But halfway through the summer, it hit me I had no interest in learning German. I wanted tohavelearned German. I was like a marathoner who hated running but craved the high of the finish line. So, I saidAuf Wiedersehenand stopped.Theres a question that frequently shows up in self-help booksWhat would you do if you knew that you could not fail?This is the wrong question to ask. Instead, doas Elizabeth Gilbert does, and flip the question on its head What would you do even if you knew that you might very well fail? What do you love doing so much that the words failure and success essentially become irrelevant ?This requires pivoting our focus from the outcome to the process. If you want to climb a mountain, imagine training with your backpack on, hiking at high altitudes to get used to the low-oxygen environment, climbing stairs to build up muscle, and running to improve cardiovascular endurance. If you want to write a book, imagine sitting in front of your computer every single day for two years putting one awkward word after the next, writing one ghastly draft chapter after another, polishing, tweaking, and retweaking- even if you dont feel like it- with no recognition or accolades.If you go through this exercise, and the idea seems less like a picnic and more like a medieval torture technique, then stop. If any of this seems strangely fun to you- as writing does to me- then by all means, go for it. With this reorientation, you also condition yourself to derive intrinsic value from the process rather than chasing elusive outcomes.I love this quote from Andrea Dworkin Does the sun ask i tself, Am I good? Am I worthwhile? Is there enough of me? No, it burns and it shines. Does the sun ask itself, What does the moon think of me? How does Mars feel about me today? No it burns, it shines. Does the sun ask itself, Am I as big as other suns in other galaxies? No, it burns, it shines.Youll know youre on the right path when burning and shining is good enough for you- even if no one can see you in all your bright glory.Ozan Varol is a rocket scientist turned law professor and bestselling author.Click hereto download a free copy of his e-book, The Contrarian Handbook 8 Principles for Innovating Your Thinking. Along with your free e-book, youll get the Weekly Contrarian - a newsletter that challenges conventional wisdom and changes the way we look at the world (plus access to exclusive content for subscribers only).Thisarticlefirst appeared onOzanVarol.com.

3 Elevator Speeches for the Job Hunt

3 Elevator Speeches for the Job Hunt3 Elevator Speeches for the Job HuntThe elevator speech - everybody says you should have one when youre on the job hunt. But what exactly are you supposed to say to make your pitch memorable and effective?At the one moment when your words matter most, its all too easy to get tongue-tied. The best way to overcome nervousness is to plan your elevator speech and practice until you can deliver it effortlessly. But before you start crafting the perfect pitch, you need to find ways to tailor it to your current job search. Analyze the type of role youd like and the kind of company you feel would be most ideal.Also, keep in mind that while its called an elevator speech, youre most likely not going to be in a small confined space when you need to use it. You may be at a conference, a networking event or even a weekend barbecue. You never know when you might bump into a hiring manager or potential employer. Get ready now so you wont be left speechless when opportunity knocks. A persuasive introduction delivered with skill might just pave the path to your next interview.Here are three elevator speech examples to consider the next time someone opens a conversation with the question What do you do?Robert Half has been helping job seekers find great career opportunities since 1948. Enlist our placement specialists to find the right job for you.GET HELP FINDING WORKElevator speech example 1 Explain your benefitsThe benefits-focused elevator pitch is structured something like this I do X for Y to achieve Z.All you need to do is fill in the blanks. How you fill them in depends on your career and the type of role you want. Just make aya youve crafted the pitch so that the benefit, Z, sounds as strong and compelling as possible. Show that you are a proven problem solver. Keep it simple and steer clear of buzzwords and jargon that could muddle your message.So, a senior accountant meeting a financial executive might start out by saying, I overse e the accounts of medium-size retailers to give them the information they need to make the right business decisions.Elevator speech example 2 Tell your storyPeople not only enjoy stories, they are also mora likely to retain the information later on. A short storytelling elevator pitch is delivered in three concise acts What you did, what youre doing now and where you want to go next. Use each part to express your most relevant professional experience and ambitions in the context of how they relate to your job hunt.Dive into this brief blog post with storyteller Paul Smith, who explains the importance of crafting a nutshell narrative - professionally speaking.For example, an experienced data specialist might say, I fell in love with technology after winning a programming contest in eighth grade. That led to a degree in computer science, and Ive now worked in IT for eight years. I recently wrapped up a contract as a senior data analyst with a big bioinformatics company, and Im now lo oking for opportunities with other large medical data organizations.Elevator speech example 3 Target your marketOne thing youll want to include in your pitch is a clear message about the job market niche that interests you. In our first example, the target niche was accounts in medium-size retailers. In the second example, it was data analyst and a large medical data company.To bring your target market to the forefront of your elevator pitch, try this example I work with Y organizations by doing X to achieve Z. A graphic designer might begin with something like I work closely with clothing designers to create original graphics to make their marketing and advertising programs more effective.Once youve prepared your 30-second speech around the role and company profiles you want to target, start practicing. You might even record yourself on video to time yourself and make sure you come across as confident and relaxed. Asking friends or family members for feedback is another good idea.U pdate your speech or subtly tailor it as your career interests change. Doing so will help you to make a great impression, expand your opportunities and, eventually, bring your job hunt to a successful ending.Robert Half can help you stay up to date on the latest job market trends, spot opportunities and dodge obstacles in your professional path. Read our blog.