How to Prevent Workplace Violence

Violence in the workplace has long been an issue for managers to deal with. Unlike other workplace safety issues, the dramatic nature of the events makes them difficult to prepare for.

The causes of workplace violence are many and varied. However, the chances of having a workplace violence incident in your facility will be greater when there is a hostile atmosphere. High stress workplace environments also lead to work place violence issues.

Often domestic disputes and other outside influences such as drug deals and other outside interests play out in the workplace. While these outside factors may be out of our direct control, there are ways of reducing their impact on the operation.

One precursor of workplace violence that needs to be carefully controlled is horseplay. While workers need to have freedom to express themselves, horseplay can quickly get out of hand and have dangerous if not fatal consequences. I suspect injuries due to horseplay are severely underreported due to the nature of the interpersonal relationships.

In order to reduce the chances of a workplace violence incident, you need to create a safe and empowering work environment. Employees who feel good about themselves will not feel the need to increase their self worth by bringing down others. Workplace bullying and workplace violence go hand in hand.

Promoting good team work where each person’s value in inherent in the system will help everyone feel better about themselves. A quality employee performance system will also help aid employees self esteem. The better and more valuable employees feel about hem selves the less likely they will be to attack others in a effort to improve their status. Also, people who feel good about them selves will not attract violence into their lives.

A belief in some form of lack is usually the basis for workplace violence. When people feel that there is not enough money or not enough time or more often not enough recognition to go around, they begin to attract violence to themselves so that they can become a victim. Or they may lash out at others in defense of some supposed injustice.

Many workers feel that intimidation is the only way they can feel good about themselves. They like to harass other workers, especially new hires. If these people are rewarded for teaching and training new or slower workers, they will get the self esteem boost they need with out resorting to the hazing that leads to violence.

As managers, we can find ways to boost the self esteem of our workers. I once had an electrician who, while very intelligent, had difficulty getting along with his fellow workers. He would get belligerent when people questioned his intelligence and the other workers become fond of finding ways to make him look bad. I put him in charge of developing our lock out tag out plan. He felt self worth because he had been asked to perform sun an important task. Other people were forced to work with him because the procedures he developed they would have to follow for posterity. They also began to respect him because they saw the amount of time and research he had to put into each procedure. After only a few days into the project the hazing and arguing peacefully disappeared.

Another worker I had liked to harass new workers. He had been with the plant from the day it opened and loved to show off his expertise. He refused to follow new safety rules and generally made life miserable for a lot of people. My boss wanted to find a way to early retire him and the union even tried to get him fired.

I put him in charge of training new workers. He got the recognition he deserved. He began to feel good about himself and his contribution become valued to both the company and his fellow workers. He could be the hero trouble shooter without having to cause problems in the first place. Through this simple job restructuring, both the company and the employee benefited. So did all his co workers.

When dealing with specific problem employees, you need to get to know them and make an effort to understand their values. The need to feel valuable and important is universal. Finding ways to help people feel good about themselves will not only help reduce violence in the workplace, but will benefit productivity as well.

By creating a safe and validating work environment, employees will feel good about themselves. Make sure they know what is expected of them and be consistent in the response when employees fail to meet expectations. Expect only the best from your employees and do what you can to remove the blocks to their best performance.

Good, solid policies and procedures are critical to maintaining a safe work environment. When everyone knows what is expected of them and knows how to do their jobs, every one will feel better about themselves. They will inherently know when they are doing a good job without the need for constant supervision. People who feel good about themselves will not act violently toward others nor will they attract violence onto themselves.

While the causes of workplace violence are varied and complex; preventing workplace violence is as simple as addressing these key areas. Make sure employees are rewarded for working well together. Make sure employees feel they are making a valuable contribution and make that value known to others. Make sure people know what is expected from them in the workplace and be consistent in the implementation of the policies and procedures.

To learn more see Straw Solutions Safety Coaching program.

XJ List Spring Fling 2009

May 2009 Trip to Harlan, Ky

The semi annual meeting of the Yahoo Groups XJlist was held once again in Harlan, Ky.

We began the trail runs Thursday afternoon by doing some exploring. Even though the group has been to the park many times before, there are still places we have not been. We began by looking for some places that we had seen on YouTube. First we went in search of Pinball and Railbed. Our maps were somewhat hard to interpret and these trails were not marked but we soon figured out which ones were which.

Still being a bit cautious after Adam’s tumble at the end of the last trip, the group decided to avoid the steeper climbs and try Railbed. Railbed begins with a vertical water fall and then proceeds up the hill in a boulder filled gully. No mud, just a lot of rocks. Neal tried the waterfall in his XJ with lockers and 35 inch swampers. There just was not enough room to get his XJ into the correct position to climb the steep slick face of the waterfall.

We all took the bypass and headed up the rocky trail. The loose large rocks made lockers a must for the climb. We each tried different lines and eventually we all made it up the trail. This was one of the most fun climbs of the trip. We noticed the big piece of rail road track buried in the dirt beside the trail. This is where the trail gets its name.

We moved up to the nearby lower rock garden where we have played many times before. While I was waiting and watching I was surprised when a fellow in a Chevy Avalanche showed up. After talking with him for a few minutes, I discovered he was in charge of parks and recreation for Harlan County and is basically the guy in charge of the park.

We discussed the future plans for the park and I learned his goal is to make Harlan County the premier off road destination on the east coast. The new permit money goes directly to the park maintenance and improvement fund. The permitting system was instrumental in getting the land owner to agree to the long term lease needed to get grant money to further improve the park. Turns out he is a avid off roader himself and has personally carved out many of the trails on the mountain. I feel good about having him in charge.

We did some more exploring and learned how some of the trails interconnect. Not a bad warm up for day one.

On the way back down the mountain to camp, I noticed my voltmeter suddenly drop. Back at camp, I tested to find that sure enough my new alternator had quit charging. Ironically, I bought it right there in Harlan last fall. I quickly pulled it off the Jeep while my burger was cooking on the grill.

After a quick snack, I borrowed Jenny’s Jeep and drove into town for a completely no hassle swap at Advance Auto. It was sprinkling rain when I got back so Jenny draped a tarp over my Jeep so I could keep working. Just as I was trying to align the bolts, I heard a loud noise and felt something stinging my legs. I realized it was not just raining but hailing. I quickly dove into my Suburban and waited out the storm.

When the rains finally slacked off, I hurried to finish the job before dark. Long summer days are nice. I got it all back together and tested before settling in by the fire to catch up with my friends who I only see twice a year.

Friday morning, we awoke to find very slick and wet conditions. Harlan gets very slick form these sudden thunderstorms. Even the road up the mountain, Trail 45, becomes a serious obstacle when it is wet like this. We took time to remind each other of the danger and agreed to have fun anyway but to watch out for each other on the trail and pay close attention to our radios.

Our fist challenge was trail 15. This is fondly know to our group as the Slip and Slide after we had to come down it late one evening after getting caught in a sudden thunder storm. We headed up the slip and slide hill.

The second climb of trial is punctuated by a small two rock step. It really does not look that intimidating. However, because of the steepness of the climb the near ninety degree turn just before it, it is difficult to arrive that the first rock with enough momentum to get over it. The rocks are also deceptively simple looking.

Neal, after having quite an interesting time there last trip, decided to winch up. Evan and Kevin made the climb using lots of throttle and even with out the benefit of lockers made the climb easily. There was plenty of drama associated with the speed but his Bilstein shocks served him well as he hopped over the last two rocks. I thought I had plenty of momentum to make it over the crest but to my complete surprise, I simply bounced off the first rock and stopped between them. Even flipping the switch to the front locker was not help and I found myself in a very scary slide backwards just as Neal had done last year.

I quickly regained control and backup for another run. Again I bounced on the first rock and slid backwards. Knowing a unlocked Jeep had just made it up just aggravated me more. I backed up again and using all the traction my Maxxis Buckshots could find and the torque of my Titan Stroker, I blasted up the hill with plenty of speed to carry me over both rocks. I was glad the stock lower control arms were up to the task of continuing to locate my front axle.

We did a bit more exploring of the park and made another trip up Railbed just for fun. We had planned to get in Mason Jar before dark but when we arrived there was a large group of Toyota Truggies there. We really expected them to make short work of the gate keeper at Mason Jar with their large bead locked tires and flexible suspensions.

However after nearly an hour of watching and waiting, they had only one truck past the gate keeper and it was stuck at the second rock. We decided to call it day and try Mason Jar the next morning.

The story of Mason Jar will continue in the next post.

[phpbay]Jeep Cherokee, 5[/phpbay]

Limiting Beliefs

While we were off roading in Harlan, Ky this weekend we met some very interesting other people on the trails.

It was interesting to see how their beliefs about what they were capable of effected their results.

On the Mason Jar trail we met three different groups. The first group we encountered had very nicely built rigs. They all had bead lock wheels and very large tires. They all had exo cages and big axles. We expected them to easily run up the trail that we had run before in our XJs.

However, they seemed to have lots of trouble. The first rig had an electrical failure before the first rock. The second one had a bit of trouble getting over the first few rock in the entrance but came to complete stop at the second set of rocks. We waited a long time to see how he got over. He was pulling winch line when we left but it did not seem like he was going to get over even with the winch.

We left to try again the next morning.

Based on what I saw there, I was a little worried about whether we could make it at all. But I was committed to giving it my best shot.

Adam and Neal made it in just fine and after some work at finding the right line made it over the second set of rocks just fine. See the video of Neal here.

After seeing the XJs make it over, I once again believed I could do it also. I knew that I had expert spotting and caching from my friends. I also knew if all else failed, I had my winch.

With a little spotting from Jim, I made the first rock easily even using what Jim called “a less than optimum line.”

When I got to the second set of rocks that had stopped the buggy on 37 inch tires and bead locks, I trusted my spotters and after some maneuvering to get properly lined up, I was able to hope my Jeep right up on the rocks. My 33″ Buckshots scrambled for traction and then pulled the back of my Jeep right up the rock. Then I scooted up the muddy hill afterwards. My belief in my abilities grew quite a but after that climb.

Another group that we met along the trail really impressed me. I don’t really know the best term to describe them. Lets just call them old codgers. These two Wranglers were piloted by some guys with some miles on them. One of them seemed to be a bit hard of hearing because when Neal told him he could go around us he laughed and said he though we called him a “gourd head.” They were each accompanied by a female of similar vintage in the passenger seat.

What struck me was that they were sprinting up and down the rock as fast as the youngest and fittest of our group. They certainly had not limiting beliefs about their age.

When it came time to watch them drive their their rigs, they really impressed me. They had no doubt at all that they could make the climb. They obviously had years of experience and made the climb look easy.

They certainly were not ready for a rocking chair in a retirement home. They were playing and having a great time. I hope to be doing that when I get their age.

Charles Filmore suggested that the way to stay young was to stop thinking old thoughts. I did not see any evidence of old thoughts among that group.

Many times we limit our progress due to our beliefs. Today I am working on a proposal for a client that at fist I did not see anyway I could do. But after thinking about this weekend off road, I decided to think differently. I have emailed the client to see if there are options that will make it possible for me to fulfil his specs with the resources I have at hand.

I am setting larger goals. I am doubting my limits instead of my abilities. I am moving forward to face even bigger obstacles.

“If you can do one thing you thought was utterly impossible, it causes you to rethink your beliefs.” Tony Robbins

Phone Call from Norway

I love the Internet! This morning I got a phone call from a guy in Norway who was having trouble with his 242 Transfer case in his Cherokee.

He was having trouble with it popping out of gear when backing up. This can be a really annoying problem when off road. He found my article about the NP242 and called to talk through his problem.

I think he had already diagnosed it as a shift fork problem. At least that is what we agreed he should look at next. I also suggested that for off road he might just want to swap for for a 231 and get an extra inch of clearance.

I am really glad I was able to help him talk through his problem.

Teamwork

Lessons from off the road

Teamwork

One of the most valuable lessons I have learned from the sport of off road driving is teamwork. I have seen many examples of how people working together can accomplish so much more than people competing.

I did not see much if any teamwork in the sport of autocross racing. I guess there is a very good reason why SCCA calls their series Solo racing. It was very much a every man for himself sport. My competitors were very secretive about what tire pressures worked for them and I even heard them give false and misleading information to beginners.

Road rally taught me a little more about team work. There was the interrelationship between the driver and co driver that was critical to the success of a rally team. My navigator, Jeff Ballinger was fantastic at dong the math and complex mental gymnastics necessary to keep us on time and recover from my inevitable mistakes. We worked very well together as evidenced by the trophies in my collection.

Where the teamwork concept failed in Road rally was in the cut throat competition between teams. Often Jeff and I would win a rally on the road and then loose the rally in claims after the event. I saw many teams use complex arguments that were not beneficial to the sport just to win a single event. They caused complex rules to be written and pushed a lot of fun out of the sport for Jeff and me. I suspect the drop in participation in the sport overall may be the result of this win at all cost mentality.

RallyCross and Rally racing taught me a bit more about team work. There seemed to be more a spirit of friendly competition in the events I attended. In the service areas, competing teams shared tools and parts with one another. They swapped driving and navigation tips openly. There was still a spirit of fierce competition, but the winners really only wanted to beat the people who were running at their best. Beating a team with a broken car did not mean as much as winning when the competitor was at his best too.

The sport of off road driving has been a very different experience for me. First of all, it is not competitive. There are no points or trophies, just bragging rights for who got over the rocks. There is a group spirit that wants every one to succeed.

The first thing I observed when I met the group that I go with on the side of a trail at Windrock was the way every one pitched in to help someone fix an electrical problem with his Jeep. Every one there offered tools, advice and spare parts to assist in getting him back on the trail.

Later that day when some one rolled his Jeep, again the group worked together to quickly and safely recover his Jeep from a precarious situation. Back at camp the mood was the same as every one pitched in to make the dinner and campfire circle as pleasant as possible for every one. Including me who they had just met.

On one trail in Ky, there was no real safe way for us to enter the trail. Maybe one or two of our vehicles were capable of climbing the big rock at the entrance, but most were not. Working together we developed a plan to use straps to stabilize the vehicles on an off camber bypass. Each driver had to trust the group and his spotter to keep his truck balanced on the tricky maneuver. Thanks to excellent teamwork, everyone made it onto the trail safely and got to enjoy the trip.

Sadly not everyone who has attended these trips has been a team player. However, when a disruptive element has been introduced, the group leaders have taken action to ensure that those who do not play well with others are not invited back. Such action protects the integrity of the group and makes it more fun for every one.

While the group I normally wheel with has become very close through the years I have observed that compete strangers often work together for the good of all when off road. On one recent trip we met some people who were entering the woods at the same time as us. We banded together. As the day progressed our group grew from four trucks to six or eight as we exited the woods in the dark. We all worked together to tug, winch, spot and guide each other through the challenging conditions.

I have learned far more about teamwork and building a strong working relationship with others from off roading than I ever have in any of the corporate teamwork classes I have attended. Off road, people quickly adapt to the challenge of getting every one through the obstacles. They share resources and skills to make sure every one is successful. Business could learn a lot by taking their work teams off road.

If your business or volunteer organization could benefit by working better together, let me talk to them. I will be happy to share what I have learned off the road to help you improve your organization.