January Chapter Luncheon: Curiosity, Conflict, and Communication.

Stress is especially high these days! If you believe that miscommunication within your project team is a source of stress, this interactive online workshop will help.

Conflict is both common and uncomfortable. Even the most close-knit teams will encounter conflict on occasion. In some workplaces, conflicts are resolved quickly and easily; in others, it seems like disputes and arguments happen all the time - and fester, contributing to distrust and more conflict, in a vicious cycle.

There are multiple steps project managers can take to create a culture where conflicts are minimized. Just as important, there are simple tips managers can follow to handle the stress of a conflict with grace and fairness, and model curiosity to help teams build a more collaborative culture.

We will cover:

• The benefits of adopting a curiosity mindset to help in clear communication
• A go-to list of questions to use when faced with conflict
• Special mediator skills, like active listening
• When you might need to call in a mediator to resolve a conflict
• While slides are not available for participants to download, there will be a downloadable PDF notes page to help you continue your learning.
  

Host: Gina Weatherup

Gina Weatherup believes we spend too much time working to not be happy at work. She founded Chantilly Mediation and Facilitation because she thrives when working with small groups to improve communications. She quickly found out that while no one wants to talk about conflict, most managers have concerns about employee engagement, with little understanding of what role emotions and communications play in engaging employees.

Gina has 15 years of professional experience, with the federal government, non-profits, and small businesses. Her roles have ranged from community organizer to complaints processor in equal employment opportunity to online content writer. The common thread in all of her jobs (and several personal roles) has been active listening.

Gina is a trained mediator, holds a Master of Arts degree in Women’s Studies from The George Washington University, and a Professional Certificate in the Science of Happiness at Work. Gina is a member of the Virginia Mediation Network, the Mid-Atlantic Facilitator Network (MAFN), and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

Gina is available for speaking engagements and trainings on a variety of topics dealing with emotions in the workplace, including emotional intelligence, empathy, civility, resolving conflict, and employee engagement. She can also be hired as a neutral party to mediate workplace conflicts, including performance management problems. Mediation can also be a positive way to approach communication problems between coworkers that may not be rooted in a specific dispute.

Gina grew up in Queens, New York City; she loves to read and take nature walks. She is married with two children and currently lives in – you guessed it – Chantilly, VA.

You can learn more about Gina and the work of Chantilly Mediation and Facilitation at www.chantillymediationandfacilitation.com. Gina’s LinkedIn profile is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginadandreaweatherup.