Martin Luther King Jr's - What is equality

To resolve conflict we need to celebrate our similarities and differences.


In honor of Martin Luther King Jr's life, I'd like to
invite you to embrace this paradox -

You and I are equal.
You and I are different.
You and I are the same.

This combination moves mountains, shifts cultures,
and makes heroes for the ages.

You and I are equal. My dreams are as important as yours.
Your pain is as vivid to you as mine is to me. My differences
from you do not make me inferior. You may not understand me.
You may not feel what I feel, but what I feel is just as important.
Sounds easy, actually difficult. All human children have an instinct
of "me first." It's a survival instinct. But how do you mature out of that?

You and I are different. "Equal but different" can be difficult to process.
When we find people equal to ourselves, we tend to assume that they
are the same. But they're not. That's the paradox. You and I are each individuals,
with our own experience, our own needs, and our own freedoms.
Appreciate that I am different from you, and that the way I see the world
is different from the way you see it.

You and I are the same. Once you appreciate someone's difference
and their equality to you, with what emotion, what energy do you act
on that insight? Is it simply an intellectual observation? Or does it change
the way you live? This is where Dr. King became a leader for all ages.
He insisted not only on equality, but on brotherhood. In other words,
there is an underlying passion and love for the other's being. It's not
just about tolerating differences. It's about appreciating them, relishing them,
and protecting your brother's or sister's right to be who they are. Beneath
the difference and equality, there is universal love.

Organisations at Risk of Huge Costs who do not Protect Lone Workers.

Employers must consider every possibility when assessing the risk to Lone Workers including the impact risk to business. 

Safety has been pushed to the top of the corporate agenda by newly introduced legislation that threaten grave legal and financial consequences for those not exercising an adequate ‘Duty of Care' for staff exposed to risk whilst operating as Lone Workers. The potential cost to UK business is far more than the current £20 billion loss in productivity caused by 34 million work days caused as a result of sickness and accidents in the UK annually. It is important to note that fines imposed after prosecution are not covered by insurance and any public prosecution also results in a full and very public investigation process that carries associated additional losses to management time, increased stress on directors of prosecuted organisations, and a serious impact to staff morale. Furthermore if a case of inadequate protection was found to be successful large fines (estimated to be between 2.5% and 10% of turnover) and the resulting adverse publicity that could potentially be handed down by the courts to both companies and individuals could quite easily result in companies becoming overwhelmed forcing them out of business.

 

There is an additional hidden risk and cost to businesses in the form of legal expenses and out of court settlements required to meet compensation claims brought by staff on the increasing emergence of a risk -free, ‘no win, no fee' arrangement.

The new law which applies to every organisation within the UK, provides an effective route to securing a conviction in the event of a fatality, if it can be proved that a company was in breach of the ‘Duty of Care' owed by the organisation to its workers by virtue of the way in which its activities are managed or organised. The new Act aims to examine in detail the underlying culture of the organisation and its approach to assessing the risk to workers whilst at the same time providing a comprehensive and far reaching description of what ‘Duty of Care' is required to be provided by organisations. Organisations must take seriously that in scrutinising an organisation's implementation of its ‘Duty of Care' where there is alleged non-compliance, direct comparison to peer organisations would be used as a tool to assist the authorities in securing a successful prosecution. 

The penalties for breaking the new law are onerous including; unlimited fines, a Remedial Order to change working practices and a far reaching Publicity Order whereby convicted firms would be directed to publicise their own short comings and guilt for the benefit of the rest of the community!

Employer responsibilities to protect lone workers:

1. Robust Lone Worker Policies and Operating Procedures.

2. Lone Worker Trail - Tracking and Accountability.

3. Lone Worker Training Programme (including regular refreshers).

4. Continuous Risk Assessment Reporting.

5. Incident Reporting Process.

Do you have a question about any of these elements? Contact us today.

Avoid & Defuse Conflict 1-Day course

3rd November 2011 - Charnock Richard M6 J27/28

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Learn how to manage conflict naturally, without needing to think about it, who ever you are dealing with.

At the end of this course you will notice that you have increased your ability to…

•   Master unique techniques to avoid and defuse conflict
•   Use skilled language patterns that defuse situations
•   Identify ‘the bait’ and respond skilfully
•   Employ a staggeringly effective ‘fear control’ technique that will enable you to stay calm       
•   Manage conflict to achieve better outcomes
•   Stop aggressive people in their tracks
•   Verbalise your needs and gain respect
•   Resolve staff issues quickly and effectively
•   Pass on easily learnt techniques to your team
•   Exude confidence when dealing with situations

This course is a rare opportunity for you to learn something special. These skills will become an integral part of your process so that you can deal with situations more effectively.   

Session	Knowledge	Benefit
BC dynamic circle ™	Flexible options model	Creative solutions
Catch up stream	The bigger picture	Avoid escalation
Identify the ‘Bait’	Notice the triggers	Proactive methodology
Environmental Risk	Tactical awareness	Stay safe
BC assertion model ™	How to verbalise your needs	Direct communication
Language Patterns	Language skills to defuse	Calm negotiation
Fear control	How to remain calm at all times	Stay calm & in control
Practical application	Real-life strategies	Take away solutions
Future development	Options to increase personal skills	Accelerate learning

Training venues 

We hand pick all our training venues for the high standard of facilities and corporate hosting. We understand the importance of the training environment. Refreshments and a light lunch is included.

Schedule

All courses run 9.30am to 4.30pm

 
Fees - Special Early Bird Price! Save £60*

(Contact us for special rates when booking two or more delegates)

£238.00 + VAT  * when prepaid before 30th September 

How to book your place  Book

PMVA TRAINING Provider to NHS/Private  Health Care- PMVA Level 1,2 and 3 _________________________________________________________

Blue Concept Training provide the full range of PMVA Training (Prevention and Management of Violence and Aggression). All our trainers are qualified and accredited by the General Services Association (GSA). PMVA training delivers both de-escalation skills and physical breakaway techniques. The GSA training model is the chosen vehicle to train NHS staff in all the skills they require to remain safe and have the confidence to manage conflict situations. This training is also highly appropriate to private care providers. PMVA Levels 2 & 3 include physical restraint techniques that are all fully risk assessed and suitable for a wide range of patients. Blue Concept Training can provide anything from individual courses to complete programmes. This represents a flexible and cost effective approach to PMVA delivery; that does not place an additional burden on clinical staff. Contact us for more details here

Bullying at Work in the Public Sector

Six out of 10 public sector workers across the UK have been bullied, or witnessed bullying, over the past six months.

The survey of 6,000 staff for trade union Unison, also found one in four workers say that staff cutbacks have led to workplace bullying - double the number from two years ago - and around half say they would be too scared to raise concerns during the period of cuts.
A third (35%) of employees are being bullied at work across the UK, with many more witnessing it (a further 27%). London had the highest number of workers, who had been bullied, or witnessed bullying - at 83%.
The impact on the health of staff is revealed, as the bullied workers say it has led to mental stress, anxiety, anger and lowered motivation. However, more than half say they will stay in their jobs and suffer in silence - compared to only a quarter of staff in 2009.
Just under three in 10 (28%) said it was because of a change in line manager, 18% said it was a change in senior line manager and 21% thought it came as a result of a recent change in job. Just under a quarter (23%) said it was because new employees are coming into the section. Only 39% are confident their organisation will take cases of bullying seriously.
The top reactions of workers who had been bullied were anger, lowered motivation, feeling undermined, anxiety or mental stress, powerlessness and isolation. More than four out of 10 (43%) of the bullied workers have looked for another job with the employer, 58% of the bullied workers have considered leaving their jobs, 53% have considered staying in their job and doing nothing about the bullying and 23% have considered legal action.
In 2009, 25% said they would stay in their job and do nothing. Of the 27%, who have witnessed bullying at work in the last six months - 47% did something directly to help the bullying stop, 23% were worried about becoming a target themselves, 18% say fears for their job security hindered their helping, 30% say it lowered commitment to their manager and 40% say it lowered commitment to their organisation. 99% did not think the bullying was justified.
Dave Prentis, Unison's general secretary, said: "Workers are stuck in a living hell, as they are faced with a double whammy of cuts and bullying.
"Our results show that bosses are failing to clamp down on workplace bullying and staff are too scared to raise concerns in the current climate of staff and job cuts. There is more pressure than ever from management and the levels of stress are soaring.
"The survey shows that in the last six months the Government's cuts agenda is hitting people hard. We fear that bullying will only continue to rise, as the cuts bite further, leading to long-term mental and physical health problems. Staff will be unable to carry out their jobs and will be pushed into taking sickness absence, so it makes economic sense for employers to clamp down hard on the bullies.
"This survey goes a long way to dispel the myth the Government is currently peddling, that there is no need for health and safety legislation. We need legislation to put a stop to millions of workers suffering in silence.
"The Government must rethink its savage cuts agenda, or see workers' health and efficiency deteriorate. It is more important than ever that workers join a union, as this may be their only point of call for help." T
he survey was carried out by the Centre for Organisation Research and Development (CORD) at Portsmouth Business School during May 2011.
The highest sector groups for bullying:

• 36% of local government workers
• 32% of higher education workers
• 33% of further education workers
• 31% of police staff
• 35% of school staff 

Source: http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk

Blue Concept Training deliver Bullying & Harassement Training and Conflict Management Coaching for Managers and Team members

Managing Difficult Telephone Conversations 1-Day course

 Contact us for our next course - Charnock Richard M6 J27/28

Book

Context

Conflict Management Training is essential for people who communicate predominantly via the telephone. This training will develop the skills of your staff; the techniques that they will learn will enhance customer care while maintaining the professional branding of your organisation. Our Managing Difficult Telephone Conversations training recognises the important differences between face-to-face interactions and the limited sensory environment that communicating on the telephone presents.

Target audience/roles

Call centre staff, reception staff, switchboard personnel, customer service agents, customer complaint departments, enforcement officers, benefits and housing sections.

Blue Concept Training programmes focus on developing the skills to manage real life situations. Our experience is that participants are looking for effective tools and proven responses to deal with the common situations that they face every day. During the training we will look for what you already do that already works and make it better.

• Key skills that participants will learn:  
• How to manage aggressive and hostile callers
• How to structure the call in order to remain in control
• Staggeringly effective technique to remain calm
• How to create empathy and rapport
• Positive resolution of all calls

Session	Knowledge	Benefit
Communication medium	The challenges this presents and why	Reduce barriers to communication
Best practice for inbound calls	Step-by-step process that works	Review existing practice
Customer behaviour reasons	Understand the drivers	Develop appropriate response
BC dynamic circle ™	Flexible options model	Creative solutions
Catch up stream	The bigger picture	Avoid escalation
Identify the ‘Bait’	Notice the triggers	Proactive methodology
Strategies to respond	Explore a range of strategies	Answers at fingertips
Recognise state	Acknowledge the customers’ state	De-escalation of conflict
BC assertion model ™	How to verbalise your needs	Direct communication
Working within standards	Understand expectations and application	Consistent approach
Language Patterns	Language skills to defuse	Calm negotiation
Voice control	How to use good tonality	Empathy and lead customer
Fear control	How to remain calm at all times	Stay calm & in control
Dealing with the verbal bully	Why and how to effectively respond	Remain in control
Call debrief	Stress management	Focus on the good aspects
Incident reporting	Corporate & personal responsibility	Manage customer expectations
Practical application	Real-life strategies	Take away solutions
Future development	Options to increase personal skills	Accelerate learning

Training venues 

We hand pick all our training venues for the high standard of facilities and corporate hosting. We understand the importance of the training environment. Refreshments and a light lunch is included.

Schedule

All courses run 9.30am to 4.30pm

Fees

£250.00 + VAT  (Contact us for special rates when booking two or more delegates)

Preparing your team for difficult telephone conversations...

The Pay and Benefits Review -  'The Single Status Agreement' has taken councils across the country a significant amount of time to implement due to its size and complexity and many are still not at the implementation stage.

The aim of the review was to ensure that schools and the council:

• have a modern, affordable pay and reward strategy

• have open and transparent pay systems

• have a harmonised set of terms and conditions for all employees

• provide fair and equitable pay for employees

• do not treat any employee groups unfairly

The practical out-spinning of this process on an individual employee level may mean a change in rates of pay, hours, terms, how expenses are calculated and other benefits.

We have recently worked with a Pay and Benefits team who as part of their preparation decided to equip everyone who might take calls with additional skills to manage emotionally charged conversations. The employees who experience changes to their pay and benefits will very often feel concern, anxiety and frustration. Our client wanted to be sure that any calls were handled in a calm and professional manner. The training provided the team with skills to remain in control of the call, to deal with everyone equally and not to be browbeaten by senior employees on higher grades.

The training was also designed to empower the call takers and give them the confidence to do their job to the very best of their ability.

Our client’s aim was to ensure that even those internal customers who did not like the information they received that they would at least feel that they had been treated in a fair and professional way.