Conflict Managed

The Ongoing Effects of COVID at Work

Today on Conflict Managed we are joined by Tracey Mebane, Human Resource Administrator & Special Projects at Lane College. We discuss the continuing effects of COVID on the workplace, adapting to change, sharing knowledge, and the importance of listening and caring for our co-workers.
Tracey has more than 20 years of experience between the field of finance, banking, and human resources. She received several awards from First Tennessee Bank, now First Horizon and Citigroup, recognizing many of her accomplishments, particularly in leadership.
In 2014 Tracey re-entered higher education at the non-profit HBCU, Lane College. Planning, directing, developing, coordinating, training, thinking strategically of the welfare of the college so that the college can continue to grow and educate is only a small part of her duties.
Tracey has been a part of some amazing projects that took Lane College from paper to electronic processing, and she contributed to other cost saving projects. She led the development of the benefits and retirement committee that gives the faculty and staff a voice in decision making regarding health insurance and retirement benefits options. She is currently leading Lane College’s retirement transformation project. Tracey facilitates wellness lunch and learns focusing on balancing all aspect of life from spiritual, to financial to wellness and more.  She previously led the team that revised the employee handbook and she sits on the president’s leadership team.
Tracey is a member of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and currently volunteers on the West Tennessee SHRM executive board and is on her second year as Community Outreach Director, raising over 10k for different community outreach projects in 2022. She is also a non-medical emergency volunteer for West Tennessee.
Tracey attended Airline School in Pompano, FL and worked at Memphis International after high school. She has an Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology from Jackson State Community College, a Bachelor of Science from University of Tennessee at Martin and a MBA with distinctions from Grantham University who as now joined the curriculum at the University of Arkansas.
Please like and subscribe to Conflict Managed wherever you listen to podcasts.
Conflict Managed is hosted by Merry Brown and produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services. Contact us at 3PConflictRestoration@gmail.com. Our music is courtesy of Dove Pilot.

Institutional Betrayal and Workplace Bullying

How do you feel on your way to work?
Today on Conflict Managed, we are joined by Jonathan Wilson. Jonathan has over 28 years’ experience working for the Metropolitan Police (United Kingdom) with much of that time in senior leadership roles. 
Jonathan’s police leadership required him to work with diverse communities, businesses, local authorities, across a number of government departments including the Home Office and Mayor of London’s office and internationally. 
He has considerable experience in prevention strategies, legislative changes, working with vulnerable groups, and partnership work.
During his police career Jonathan obtained a law degree at the University of Westminster Law School and an Economics with Cultural Studies degree at the School of African and Asian Studies, University of Sussex.
Jonathan recently retired from the Police Service in 2020 after a traumatic experience of workplace bullying, a period of his life that impacted on him considerably. He now dedicates much of his time to education and challenging workplace bullying behaviors which he says is entirely preventable and creating positive workplace culture.
Jonathan now talks widely across social media and to businesses in person about psychosocial safety at work.
He says, “Psychosocial safety is a leadership issue, and how you interact with people impacts their whole lives. It is therefore the most pressing issue of the contemporary workplace to master. Teaching your leaders interpersonal communications skills that empower not diminish. At the heart of bullying is always complex human dynamics and often unethical behaviours, corruption, discrimination, and harassment will emerge as the reason. Look deeper.”
Jonathan lives in Cornwall and has also established a business running holiday cottages which allows him to pursue the many outdoor activities he enjoys both on and off the water.
You can find Jonathan online at linkedin.com/in/jonathan-wilson-51a1407b
Resources mention on this podcast:
The Bullied Brain: Heal Your Scars and Restore Your Health by Dr. Jennifer Fraser
Bully-ology: How to use Martial Arts to Stand Up for Yourself, Defeat Bullies and Show the World What You Can Do by Ryan Johnson
Stop Hurt at Work: https://www.conductchange.co.uk/stophurtatwork
 
Please like and subscribe to Conflict Managed wherever you listen to podcasts.
Conflict Managed is hosted by Merry Brown and produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services. Contact us at 3PConflictRestoration@gmail.com. Our music is courtesy of Dove Pilot.

Autonomy & Freedom at Work

Today on Conflict Managed, we are joined by Courtney Echols, Director of Weakley County Prevention Coalition. Courtney tells us what it felt like to work for a boss that gave her both the guidance and autonomy to make significant decisions and execute her plans. Courtney encourages us to focus on what is in our control at work, such as taking care of ourselves. We also discuss the importance of clear communication, having a growth mindset, creativity, and the power of silence.
Courtney Echols, a Jackson, TN native, graduated from the University of Tennessee at Martin in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology. She served as the WCPC Program Coordinator from 2015-2018 before assuming the director role. Her top goal is to ensure the coalition remains a well-known resource to community members and implement effective strategies to reduce substance misuse and abuse among youth and young adults in the county.  She has extensive experience in planning, leadership development, team facilitation, and cross-sector collaboration and engagement. She also is a certified Responsible Beverage Service instructor, Certified Prevention Specialist, and graduate of CADCA Academy. She lives in Martin, TN, with her husband, Kameron, and their two children, Jaylen and Allie. She serves on various civic and volunteer groups and is passionate about helping others and making the community safer.
You can reach Courtney at director@wcpcoalition.org
Please like and subscribe to Conflict Managed wherever you listen to podcasts.
Conflict Managed is hosted by Merry Brown and produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services. Contact us at 3PConflictRestoration@gmail.com. Our music is courtesy of Dove Pilot.

People Need to be Seen

Who should solve your workplace conflict?
Today on Conflict Managed, we are joined by D.G. Mawn, president of the National Association for Community Mediation (NAFCM). He reminds us individuals involved in conflict should be the ones to resolve their conflict, rather than outside parties. If we want to really address issues at work, we need to not only listen to those in conflict but see them.
D.G. Mawn has served NAFCM in several roles, first as a member of the Board of the Directors (2012-2014) then as the JAMS Foundation Mini-Grant Program Manager (2014-2016), and currently serves NAFCM as the President of the membership association. He is an attorney licensed in Illinois and Kentucky.D.G. co-developed the Cultural Intuitiveness process and provides consultation and coaching to state, public and community-based organizations on human services/system development and effectiveness, leadership development, strategic planning and communication, cultural intuitiveness, sustainability and evaluation.D.G. has worked in the local, state and federal level health systems interweaving his background in anthropology, religion and law in a manner that connects well within the political setting as well as the community setting. Through-out his career he has sought to appreciate the culture and systems of community and follow empathetic processes that strengthen both the individual and the system in order to facilitate the creation of sustainable positive impacts.
 
Please like and subscribe to Conflict Managed wherever you listen to podcasts.
Conflict Managed is hosted by Merry Brown and produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services. Contact us at 3PConflictRestoration@gmail.com. Our music is courtesy of Dove Pilot.

The Magic of Appreciation

Today on Conflict Managed, Carolina Vela shares the impact of the best boss she’s worked for. He treated her as a leader, and that’s what she became. We discuss the power of appreciation, the reciprocal nature of leadership, and the importance of communicating and leading to produce self-confidence.
Carolina Vela, from León, México, is a 23-year-old international student with a bachelor’s degree in International Business from La Universidad de La Salle Bajío, and an international exchange experience in France, at IÉSEG School of Management. Vela, moved to Tennessee last year to start her MBA at UT Martin, and to immerse in her father’s small business, Marias Mexican Restaurant in McKenzie, TN. Vela is currently working for the UT Martin REED Center as a Graduate Assistant with hopes to learn, improve, and keep acquiring experience in the business field for the future. Vela is fluent in Spanish, English and French, and loves to travel the globe, facing new experiences and challenges, personal, cultural, and professionally.
You can find her online:
https://www.instagram.com/caro_vela/?hl=en
https://www.facebook.com/carolina.velarodriguez?mibextid=LQQJ4d
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolina-vela-rodriguez-6a73381b2/
Please like and subscribe to Conflict Managed wherever you listen to podcasts.
Conflict Managed is hosted by Merry Brown and produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services. Contact us at 3PConflictRestoration@gmail.com. Our music is courtesy of Dove Pilot.

Reflective Leadership

With so much to do, where should you focus your energy?
Today on Conflict Managed, Dr. Erik Nordberg shares his 10-year leadership journey and what he has learned along the way. He offers strategies for working with people we find difficult and the importance of really embracing DEI.
Erik Nordberg is Dean of the Paul Meek Library at the University of Tennessee at Martin. He holds an MSLS degree from Wayne State University and earned his PhD at Michigan Technological University. He was employed as a professional archivist at Indiana University of South Bend, Michigan Tech, and is former director of the Walter Reuther Library at Wayne State. Nordberg was dean of libraries at Indiana University of Pennsylvania before beginning his current role in February 2021. Nordberg was part of the 2022 cohort for Leadership Weakley County and is a member of the Weakley County Historical and Genealogical Society and the Friends of the Martin Public Library.  He and his wife, Jane Nordberg, live with their two cats in Martin, Tennessee.
You can find Erik online at https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-nordberg/
Please like and subscribe to Conflict Managed wherever you listen to podcasts.
Conflict Managed is hosted by Merry Brown and produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services. Contact us at 3PConflictRestoration@gmail.com. Our music is courtesy of Dove Pilot.
You can also find us on TikTok @3pconflictrestoration 

Work Together

Today on Conflict Managed, Lisa Tilley encourages us to look for ways to bring teams together. Lisa recalls a simple and effective activity she employed to bring her team together to meet (and exceed) goals and celebrate milestones along the way. Lisa talks to us about the demoralizing and costly consequences of poor management and encourages us to invest in coaching and leadership training for the health and wellbeing of the people we work with as well as for the longevity of the organization.
Lisa Tilley, Coach and Leadership Trainer LT Leadership, LLC, Founder and Owner Lisa earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Education from the University of Tennessee at Martin. She started her career in the Public Health space conducting community outreach programs to promote health education in communities and school systems throughout West Tennessee. For the past 15 years, she has worked as a business development, sales, and marketing professional in the senior industry, which includes hospice, senior living, and in-home senior care services. Her most recent position was Area Manager of Hospice Outreach.
Lisa is certified with New Life Leadership and the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team as a speaker, leadership trainer, coach, and DISC behavioral analysis trainer. She is licensed to present John Maxwell curriculum and offers workshops, trainings, mastermind groups and coaching to aid in personal growth and professional development to individuals, companies, schools, and organizations. She is passionate about influencing and adding value to others to help reach their goals.
Lisa founded LT Leadership, LLC, in the spring of 2022 and has worked with companies such as Touching Hearts at Home in Milan, Home Instead Senior Care and Hub City Tax Services in Jackson. She has also contracted with the Small Business Administration to conduct lunch and learns. Lisa has been married to Joey for 6 years. They are a blended family with 3 children and reside in Medina, Tennessee.
You can find Lisa online at  http://www.johnmaxwellgroup.com/lisatilley.
Please like and subscribe to Conflict Managed wherever you listen to podcasts.
Conflict Managed is hosted by Merry Brown and produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services. Contact us at 3PConflictRestoration@gmail.com. Our music is courtesy of Dove Pilot.

You Can Act

Have you ever felt trapped at work, focusing on how you’re limited and what you can’t do?
Today on Conflict Managed, Stephen Adams, Founder and Director of Inspirational Coaching Limited, encourages us to reframe our disempowering self-talk, and ask ourselves, “What can I do?”  
After 26 years working for a well-known UK retail bank, Stephen Adams took redundancy in the autumn of 2019. Despite working in the finance sector for most of his career, his roles & responsibilities primarily focused on supporting people rather than dealing with money. Stephen’s extensive exposure to numerous organizational changes led him to quickly learn that addressing staff and management issues swiftly, efficiently and fairly was paramount to leading a successful and harmonious team.
Subsequently, Stephen was fortunate to find a 3-year appointment at an established consultancy that offered him an opportunity to hone everything he had learned to date. During his tenure, Stephen partnered with a broad mix of British and international clients, whom each gave him an insight into a spectrum of problems that occur in their respective industries.
It became clear that irrespective of the nature of their businesses, many companies shared common scenarios which needed professional support. For each and every situation there was a series of steps to follow in order to establish the cause of a problem and implement a variety of proven techniques to bring about a positive result. Reviewing and assessing a deep-rooted employee concern without the necessary experience and adequate tool set will not remedy a challenging situation. But with a well-considered program of Mediation, Authentic Leadership and Modernizing of HR policies, as well as some essential guidance on how best to apply it, there will be a solution.
You can find Stephen Adams online at:
www.inspirationalcoachinglimited.com
Linked In - linkedin.com/in/stephen-adams-9149738
Youtube - Inspirational Coaching Limited
Please like and subscribe to Conflict Managed wherever you listen to podcasts.
Conflict Managed is hosted by Merry Brown and produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services. Contact us at 3PConflictRestoration@gmail.com. Our music is courtesy of Dove Pilot.

Optimism for the Future

Today on Conflict Managed, Brooke Simmons challenges us to choose optimism. We discuss the impact of bosses who encourage and empower their teams, the value (and difficulty) of listening to feedback, and the importance of being agile and flexible to stay competitive.
Brooke Simmons is Community Relations Director for the Obion County Joint Economic Development Corporation. In her role, she is an active member of the Obion County community and spends her time working to improve quality of life for citizens. She is involved in organizations such as Main Street Union City, Carl Perkins Center Advisory Board, Union City J’Cettes, Obion County Junior Auxiliary, Fall Fest Board, and MORCEA Regional Alliance.
Brooke enjoys leadership programs and is a graduate of Adult Leadership Obion County, Delta Leadership Institute, and Harvard Kennedy School of Government Authentic Leadership Program. She now serves as a board member for the Obion County Leadership Program and enjoys serving as a mentor the those going through the class.
Brooke is a local small business owner to Lillian’s Marketplace. She has a strong passion for growing entrepreneurship in her community and hopes that she can help cultivate other young entrepreneurs through her business. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband, Beau, and their 2 dogs.
Please like and subscribe to Conflict Managed wherever you listen to podcasts.
Conflict Managed is hosted by Merry Brown and produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services. Contact us at 3PConflictRestoration@gmail.com. Our music is courtesy of Dove Pilot.

Red Flags

Today on Conflict Managed, Natasha Pennington, HR professional, talks with us about what to do when we feel stuck at work or see red flags. Natasha shares with us personal stories of both toxic and wonderful work environments, and the juxtaposition of being minimized vs being invested in, supported, and cared for. She also offers advice on how to deal with difficult and sensitive problems at work, such as hygiene issues.
Natasha Pennington currently works for ATA Employment Solutions as an HR Client Manager and has been there for almost 5 years. Natasha moved to Tennessee from Southern California in 2017. She has been working in human resources since 2011. She is a member of SHRM, the West Tennessee SHRM chapter (WTSHRM), the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO) and is a SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP).
Natasha earned a Master of Science degree in Human Resources as well as a Graduate Certificate in Organizational Leadership and Human Resources Management. She also earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Industry Analysis. Natasha received the Volunteer of the Year award in 2016 for her active involvement with Canine Support Teams and their Pawz for Wounded Veterans program. She served on the Obion County Chamber of Commerce board in 2021. She is a graduate of the Class of 2019 Adult Leadership Obion County and currently serves on the board. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, fishing, and hiking.
Where to find Natasha online:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-pennington-58a577214/https://www.facebook.com/natasha.yeates.7/
https://www.facebook.com/ataemploymentsolutions
 
Please like and subscribe to Conflict Managed wherever you listen to podcasts.
Conflict Managed is hosted by Merry Brown and produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services. Contact us at 3PConflictRestoration@gmail.com. Our music is courtesy of Dove Pilot.