Win at Work!: The Everybody Wins Approach to Conflict Resolution

Chapter 12. Teaching Others Without Being a Teacher Introducing The Working Circle at Work

Once you change your behavior, it takes practice to maintain it and then improve further. It is especially hard when those around you seem to be exhibiting the same behavior as always. It was Mahatma Gandhi who told us that we must be the change we want to see in the world.

Therefore, I recommend you take The Working Circle to work. At first, you can even do this under the radar. Demonstrating new, positive behavior before you try to teach others increases the chances that they will change, too. No matter what your conflict resolution style is, you can become a problem solver, as opposed to a problem maker. Being a problem solver makes you independent, professional, and in demand. And being in demand means that you will have more and better choices relating to your career. In good times, you will reap outstanding benefits; in hard times, you are more likely to remain employed. And, once employed, to get the job and the rewards you deserve.

I want to expand on what I mean by taking the Circle to work under the radar. That is, don't broadcast the Circle; instead, use it. Use the questions as a way to open new perspectives from which to examine issues. Use the language—in particular, the terms "negotiable" and "nonnegotiable." Introduce the concept of learning from the past (Question 4)—but note, do this with caution. Here are some examples of how you can ask this question without alienating others: ...