Special Services
Conflict Resolution Consultant
- A few years ago I was contacted by a German film company that was working on a documentary and needed to set up an interview with a French expert on the subject they were filming. One of their staff members had tried to arrange an interview but somehow had upset the expert to the point where he wouldn't talk to them anymore. They contacted me to resolve the conflict.
The first thing I did when I reached the expert on the phone was to speak to him in French. (My mother was from the Alsace, I lived in Paris as a schoolboy and later attended university there.) I let him vent his anger at the film company, supported his views, slowly calmed him down, and then began to persuade him of the benefits to him if he granted the interview. After a long careful conversation I was able to get him to agree to talk to the film company again. I called my contact at the film company, determined that he was a good choice to talk with the expert, and suggested he use a certain approach with the expert that I felt would succeed.
He called, the interview was successfully arranged, and the film project was completed.
- The first thing I noticed at the beginning of this project was a lack of respect caused by poor communication between the works council and management. This had caused resentment and anger, leading to misunderstandings on both sides. It was possible to see this partly by their closed, tense body language and hurt, angry tones when they spoke about the conflict situation to me.
I sat down separately with each party and listened to their grievances while I identified the person in each group who would best represent their side. I made this choice based on their willingness to listen and negotiate.
I then made my recommendations to these representatives individually and gained their trust and approval for my ideas for a solution to the conflict. I helped the representatives identify their goals and how best to reach them in a spirit of compromise. I arranged a meeting between the two parties after preparing the ground rules with them individually.
Their meeting was successful - each group's primary goals were met - and I then brought them together for a face-to-face wrap-up meeting and congratulated them on their successful teamwork. They get along a lot better now and have learned how to talk to each other with mutual respect. This should help them to negotiate together effectively in the future.
Career Development Consultant
For some years now at different times I have advised an American mid-level manager who has been working for various international companies here in Europe as a logistics expert on possible directions his career could take.
Our first discussions helped him decide to stay in Europe rather than follow the normal career path that had been set out for him by his then upper-level management team to return to the USA after a two-year visit to the German operation.
When the opportunity arose I encouraged him to take the chance to work in Shanghai for a year when he was still a relatively low-level manager. He agreed with this suggestion and gained valuable experience in international logistics and customer relations as well as broadening his cultural outlook, with the additional advantage of increasing his value as a global business player.
We regularly communicate with each other and share ideas concerning current trends in international business. He'll be an upper-level manager some day and it pleases me to be a small part of that success.
Hotel/Restaurant Management ConsultantOur first discussions helped him decide to stay in Europe rather than follow the normal career path that had been set out for him by his then upper-level management team to return to the USA after a two-year visit to the German operation.
When the opportunity arose I encouraged him to take the chance to work in Shanghai for a year when he was still a relatively low-level manager. He agreed with this suggestion and gained valuable experience in international logistics and customer relations as well as broadening his cultural outlook, with the additional advantage of increasing his value as a global business player.
We regularly communicate with each other and share ideas concerning current trends in international business. He'll be an upper-level manager some day and it pleases me to be a small part of that success.
My wife and I were in an upscale restaurant in a local hotel for lunch one day and I noticed that the English language version of the menu needed some work.
I notified the restaurant manager and we set up an appointment to discuss my suggestions for improvement. Working with him and his assistant we proofread and edited the menu to bring it in line with International English standards.
In the meantime I have identified at least two other area hotels which would benefit from the same assistance.
