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WORKPLACE BULLYING

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Classy Crucial Conversations That Count

Have you ever wondered how to say what you need to say… not at the expense of yourself or another? Most people would rather stick a fork in their eye than have to address a conversation that might carry some form of uncertainty. But what is the alternative? IT might be in your best interest to study how to express yourself clearly…and who knows, it just might be better than holding in all of your thoughts. Here is some information for you to decide:

How To Have a Classy Crucial Conversation that Counts:

Classy: Respectful, win-win, seeking the best for all.
Crucial: A needed conversation to move an issue forward for what’s “best” for the organization.
Conversation: A dialogue where all parties are engaged and exchanging ideas and information.
Counts: Be sure that the conversation ends with a resolution or shared agreement.

Keys for a Classy Crucial Conversation:

  1. In order to have more control, the target should decide when the conversation will take place. Do not react to when a bully attacks you; decide when you are ready to converse in order to get the best outcome.
  2. As a target, a bully is hoping you do not have the strength to stand up for yourself. They feel better when you are down.
  3. By attempting, or seeing if there is an interest for a classy crucial conversation, you will be starting to set stronger boundaries, which will protect you and help to avoid future conflicts.

How to Proceed:

  1. Define clearly what the situation is – something you wished was different e.g. a behavior, or a circumstance.
  2. What would you like to see happen instead of the stated situation above?
  3. Use the Classy Crucial Conversation Planner to assist you.

Using the Classy Crucial Conversation Planner:

1. Start with a Classy Question to create an invitation:

Example: “Can I share something with you?”  

2. Add another Classy Statement to show your good intent as opposed to a demand.

Example: “My desire is to support you as best as I can”.

3. The conversation:

“When (behavior) happens…” (share your issue/situation/what happened in your perception):

Example: 

“When you believe the customer over me…”

“I feel/think…” (how it affects you personally): “I feel invalidated and hurt.”

“What I would like is…” (your expectation): Just be clear and say it…
“What I would like is for you to consider my view of what happened and also believe that it did happen.”

Then ask: “Can you do this?” Yes or No. (Pause and wait for their yes or no)!
• If yes – confirm agreement: “Just so I’m clear, our agreement is….”
• If later the agreement is broken: “I thought our agreement was…”
• If no – Ask “Why?”. You may need more information (i.e.) maybe they have a good reason or a different understanding.

Note: Remember to test for interest FIRST before proceeding. Asking questions and seeing if they are interested or not will tell you wheather or not to keep talking.

 

*Note: Your name and email will not ever appear, it is strictly used to prevent spam comments.

6 responses to “Classy Crucial Conversations That Count”

  1. Aj says:

    Bcfhm. Well I’m 61 years old I told my 69 years old sister in law to keep her daughter off my back. And just kept repeating it when she said something to me like oh she’s not doing anything to you. Just keep her off my back. She knows what she is doing to me Then she looked at me and said are you going to hit me. I think you are going to hit me. No I’m not going to hit you Keep her off my back. Not sure if it was that she thought I was going to hit her or what. But what ever No more stink eyes and scoffs. No name calling. Or other harassment. From the daughter Yeah.

  2. SAIKAT DASGUPTA says:

    Hello,

    Your articles are extremely helpful.

    I have observed that in workplace newcommers and Juniors are given more rewards and authority over old workers and are recognised more even though wok has been done by old workers.How to confront this.

    Regards
    Saikat

  3. […] You can make a clear confident request, and perhaps you’ll be heard. For some ideas about setting up a conversation, check out our post on Crucial Conversations: https://www.bullyfreeatwork.com/blog/?p=62 […]

  4. Janey says:

    Just keep supporting yourself any way you can, read, talk to supportive people, do reality checks, know that it is not your fault.
    Take care of you and talk to your mind, pray, do whatever you have to do.
    Fight, fight, fight, and that means constant action inside of yourself, join toastmasters, public speaking and speak about your experience, go to bookstores and talk to strangers, only take the comments internally that support you and disregard the rest, write to your polititians, sometimes taking action can put you back in control, by doing all of the above for yourself, talk, talk, talk, no matter what anyone says, write articles for magazines, write a diary.

    I pray for you in Jesus Mighty name that you are completely healed from this and the rest of your life is happy and fullfilled.

    God Bless you, remember to JESUS, you are his beautiful creation and he loves you very much, tell him about it and he will work a mighty work to take care of the situation for you.
    I Knew of a girl being harassed by her boss for one year, and she prayed for a year and the boss went on a skiing trip and broke both her legs she could not work for 1 year and when she came back, she was nice to the girl. Let Jesus do what you cannot.

    Hugs.

    Jan

  5. Janey says:

    Just keep supporting yourself any way you can, read, talk to supportive people, do reality checks, know that it is not your fault.
    Take care of you and talk to your mind, pray, do whatever you have to do.
    Fight, fight, fight, and that means constant action inside of yourself, join toastmasters public speaking and speak about your experience, go to bookstores and talk to strangers, only take the comments internally that support you and disregard the rest, right to your polititians, sometimes taking action can put you back in control, by doing all of the above for yourself, talk, talk, talk, no matter what anyone says, write articles for magazines, write a diary.

    I pray for you in Jesus Mighty name that you are completely healed from this and the rest of your life is happy and fullfilled.

    God Bless you, remember to JESUS, you are his beautiful creation and he loves you very much, tell him about it and he will work a mighty work to take care of the situation for you.
    I Knew of a girl being harassed by her boss for one year, and she prayed for a year and the boss went on a skiing trip and broke both her legs she could not work for 1 year and when she came back, she was nice to the girl. Let Jesus do what you cannot.

    Hugs.

    Jan

  6. Dawn says:

    I attempted to have a classy, crucial conversation with a bully. I was careful to be respectful, professional and to use “I” statements. She was not agreeable to the idea that I had certain rights that I wanted her to honor. She would not commit to anything and relayed that she felt that she was being attacked. There is a long history of her not being able to take responsibility for her impact on working relationships. The saga continues.

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Valerie Cade, CSP is a Workplace Bullying Expert, Speaker and Author of "Bully Free at Work: What You Can Do To Stop Workplace Bullying Now!" which has been distributed in over 100 countries worldwide. For presentations and consulting on workplace bullying prevention and respectful workplace implementation, go to http://www.BullyFreeAtWork.com

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