Celebrate Labor!

Although meant as an annual celebration of U.S. Workers and their achievements, Labor Day now often marks the end of the summer vacation season and children’s return to school. It was first celebrated Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City. Some 10,000 workers, who took unpaid time off, assembled and marched from City Hall, past reviewing stands in Union Square.  It was organized by the Central Labor Union, an umbrella group made up of representatives from many local unions. Not unlike today where Labor Day festivities include parades, parties, barbeques and fireworks, the workers and their families in 1882 gathered in New York City for a picnic, concert and speeches.

There is still some doubt as to who first proposed the holiday for workers. Some records show it was Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, was first in suggesting a day to honor workers. He had witnessed an annual labor festival in Canada prior to suggesting a similar holiday in the United States. Many people believe that it was Matthew Maguire, a machinist and later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., who proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. 

Nevertheless, by 1884 similar organizations in other cities followed the example of New York and celebrated a "workingmen's holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country. Oregon made Labor Day a legal holiday in 1887, becoming the first state to do so. In 1894, Labor Day was established an official national holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September, by President Grover Cleveland and the U.S. Congress.

This first celebration of U.S. workers originated during one of American labor history’s most dismal chapter. At the time, most employees worked 12 hour days, 7 days a week in order to make a living. Although some states imposed restrictions on the age of workers, in some other states children as young as 5 or 6 years old were working in mines, factories, and mills, earning a fraction of their adult counterparts’ wages. Children, the elderly, the poor, and recent immigrants often worked in unsafe working conditions with insufficient access to fresh air, sanitary facility and breaks.

Instrumental in making changes to these conditions was Frances Perkins, the U.S. Secretary of Labor from 1933 to 1945, and the first woman appointed to the U.S. Cabinet. She accepted the offer from then President-elect, Franklin Roosevelt by setting forth items she wanted to address and change: a forty-hour work week, a minimum wage, worker’s compensation, unemployment compensation, a federal law banning child labor, direct federal aid for unemployment relief, Social Security, a revitalized public employment service, and health insurance.” During his first term, Roosevelt accomplished all of these goals, except national health insurance.

This year, Labor Day is next Monday, September 4, 2017. Enjoy it and take a moment to remember its origins and honor all workers.

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Stuffing Envelopes & Other Lessons on Leading

While having breakfast the other morning with our friend, Ralph, in one of our favorite places, we were telling him how much we admire the manager. When he’s there, he’s very visible and always greets the customer. That particular morning, while serving plates of food, he was taking direction from the cashier who was letting him know where the customers were seated. We often talk with him as he walks around the restaurant and chats with customers – but he’s not just wandering around aimlessly. He’ll clear dishes that he sees on tables and tend to other necessary tasks while he takes the time to engage with customers. He’s not afraid to get his hands dirty. The staff tells us that things run so smoothly when he’s there. As one person put it, “He doesn’t stay hidden in his office like other managers – he’s out here with us.” He’s also out and about with us, the customers. One of his most admirable leadership traits is his willingness to work side by side with his team and do any task that they do. What a great example he sets!

Ralph remarked that this type of behavior is simply intuitive to some leaders. Something needs to be done and you just do it. He shared the story about a time when his staff was engaged in a process that included stuffing thousands of envelopes – a process that was later automated at his staff’s initiative. He joined them in the conference room and started stuffing envelopes right alongside them. They were amazed. Talk of it spread all over the organization and when he retired, the story was retold. What a great example he set!

At a doctor’s appointment earlier in the year I overhead the doctor talking with a staff member out in the hall. Apparently someone had spilled coffee on the carpet and the staff member was cleaning it up. I couldn’t see what was happening, but his words caught my attention. “Do you want me to do that?” he asked. He wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. Not only did he set a great example, but he sent a powerful message to me, his patient. He had a great amount of respect for his staff.

Management text books are filled with examples and case studies of leadership theories. All three of these examples fit the Blake-Mouton theory that describes leadership behavior along two axes: concern for people and concern for task. All three of these are clearly team leaders ranking high on both axes. They lead by positive example, foster a team environment, and encourage individual and team development.

We don’t have to look very far to find positive examples of leadership behavior. Often these examples are right in front of us. They will vary by company size and industry. Not all examples are visible to customers or clients – but they are all visible to employees. Leaders who set a positive example for their teams go a long way in building trust and respect!

Words Matter

The words in the letter which was laying on my desk leapt out at me. “It’s imperative that you complete and return the enclosed form as soon as possible. Failure to do so will have [dire consequences].” Okay, I’m exaggerating just a bit, but the appeal to provide certain information and a particular form struck me as somewhat harsh. It was more of directive than a request. Even though the information request was reasonable, my immediate reaction was to retreat and say no! I knew that wouldn’t have solved anything. However, I couldn’t help but thinking that the message would have been much more positive had the writer said “We appreciate your attention to this and please return the form as soon as possible.” 

Have you ever been in this situation where someone’s words don’t meet the situation or elicit the wrong response or reaction from you? Have you ever been in the situation where the right words don’t come to you, or they just come out wrong? We certainly have. So when our publisher approached us about writing another book – The Conflict Resolution Phrase Book – it didn’t take us long to say yes.

There are so many positive ways to say things, even in a negative situation. At times, you may only have one opportunity to ask a question or share your opinion or solution, but no matter how hard you try, you don’t know what to say—so you don’t say anything at all. That’s when you just need a prompt to help formulate your thoughts and help the words come out right.

No, you can’t plan for every conversation or confrontation. There are times when something unexpected happens, but there are also many times you initiate or anticipate a difficult conversation and that’s where The Conflict Resolution Phrase Book can help.

Nobody wants to go into a potentially difficult situation fumbling for words. Instead of shying away from such a conversation, you can use The Conflict Resolution Phrase Book to prepare for a situations or conversations you suspect will be difficult. Becoming familiar with phrases can spark a useful thought or give you the words you need to feel more confident and prepared. It can help you be ready with your own words and language – words with which you’re comfortable and which feel right to you. 

Words really do matter. Having the right words on hand empowers you. The more you use and practice using positive language, the stronger the habit will become and it will be less likely that you will want to flee from a difficult situation. 

The Conflict Resolution Phrase Book is now available for pre-order from Amazon – http://tinyurl.com/y7je7z9l – with a publication date of September 18, 2017. We’re excited about this new book which is a natural complement to The Essential Workplace Conflict Handbook. We know you’re going to find it to be a valuable resource. 

Cornelia & Barbara

What Do You Notice?

An article I was reading recently in Writer’s Digest magazine had a great suggestion for sharpening your writing skills. In essence, it said to train your eye to notice things and then write about them. It suggested that at odd moments throughout your day – in public transit on your way to work or at a restaurant during lunch – notice and jot down your observations – snatches of conversations you may overhear, gestures or expressions you notice on other people – then write a few sentences about these observations. The purpose is to deepen your awareness and keep you focused. 

The passage caught my attention not just because it was an easy and effective exercise, but because it reminded me of a book I’d just read in my book club, The Noticer’s Guide to Living and Laughing, by Margery Leveen Sher. She wrote a whole book about the amazing things she notices – things about nature, the seasons, the city, art, books. You name it, she’s noticed it. In a world where everyone seems to be staring at their phones, it was refreshing to read about someone who took the time to look up, down and all around. 

When people become too self-absorbed and don’t pay attention to what’s going on around them, they can miss great opportunities. It reminds me of an encounter that I had over breakfast one morning at a small neighborhood café. It was crowded and the space was tight. We ended up sharing a table with another couple and struck up a conversation. Someone else couldn’t help overhearing us and it turned out she had a possible job opportunity for the woman in the other party. A connection was made because someone was listening and paying attention.

Ideas and opportunities arise when you least expect it, but you’ve got to notice them.

• Do you pay attention to the action around you?
• Do you listen to the stories people are telling?
• Do you listen to ideas from people throughout the organization?

Pay attention to how ideas flow in your organization. Do they flow freely? More importantly, do team member have the freedom to either act on good ideas or at least bring them forward? If communication channels are rigidly defined, you may be stifling creativity and productivity.

I've been in organizations and heard of situations where directors only talk to directors and if you’re not at that level, you cannot pass an idea up (or worse answer a question or provide information) to a person at a "higher level".  I once served on an industry/government task force.  A good idea had been presented and I asked if it could be taken back to the appropriate agency.  "That's above my pay grade" was the response I got.

You gain a great deal if you encourage open communication channels. How you communicate reveals much about your culture.  Open communication leads to problem solving, creativity and innovation and it will keep your team members motivated, engaged, and in your employ.