I was six weeks into my new job when the HR Director came to my desk and told me, “You need to join the union. They’ll be taking 1% of your salary.”
What union, I wondered? And why am I hearing about this now?
I explained reasonably that if this were necessary, then I would need a 1% increase in pay. After all, I was never told about this while negotiating for the position.
Long story short: there would be no 1% increase and if I wanted to stay employed, I would need to sign and pay. I was angry.
After venting about the issue privately, I was able to initiate a calm conversation with my boss. I offered creative options and by the end of our talk, I felt 100% better.
How was it done? By using a technique I call O-A-C-A:
Observation
Affect
Compassion
Ask
O-A-C-A is a template for saying what needs to be said in a way that honors both people.
Want to learn more? This week I completed a free interactive class where I describe it in detail. You are invited to enjoy it and share it by clicking on the picture below. I’d love to hear what you think.
Click the photo above to start the interactive video.
That’s your note for this month!
Jean Keeping-a-Cool-Head Franzblau