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It is hardly new news that organizations have been restructuring their work groups to be more responsive to competitive as well as stakeholder pressures. Most everyone has personally felt an increase in their workload; a lessening of available staff to share the tasks, and a continuing barrage of change in the way their organization conducts business. Among other outcomes, this condition has dramatically increased the volume of workplace conflicts and the resultant impact on interpersonal relationships and productivity.

This session focuses on the sources of conflict and how they can be harnessed productively without causing long-term damage to the organization and its people. Conflict will not disappear from the business landscape, but with the right tools it can be effectively managed to yield a positive result for all concerned.

Program Topics:

Participants will learn how to:

• Assertively handle confrontations
• Respond effectively to negative criticism and blame
• Keep poised when others around you are "losing it"
• Understand how disagreements escalate and how to head them off
• Repair relationships previously damaged by earlier conflicts
• Adjust to the hectic pace and rapidly changing priorities
• Maintain a positive work environment in the face of uncertainty
• Uncover "hidden" resentments that are undermining interactions

Bob is the principal of a management and training consulting firm, "Human Performance Solutions" located in Johnson City, N.Y. established in 1997. They provide organizational development and change initiative strategies, as well as leadership and supervisory skill enhancement, customized to increase productivity at retail, manufacturing and service companies throughout the United States.

Bob's prior experience spans over two decades within the retail industry covering virtually every discipline: sales, marketing, H.R. and training and merchandise. He has held a wide range of leadership positions from front line through corporate staff. His most recent position was Vice President-Store Operations at Endicott Johnson Retail Corp., after several senior level assignments with Brown Group Inc., St. Louis, MO.

He has had extensive experience designing and delivering workshops and speaks on a wide range of business-related issues. His area of expertise is in the field of work group process improvement, focusing intensively on effective interaction between people and systems in the pursuit of organizational objectives. He is known for his engaging and enthusiastic sessions that are tailored to meet the unique needs of a wide range of clients.

He has worked with companies such as Mead Consumer and Office Products, At-A-Glance, NYS Office of the State Comptroller, IBM, Steuben ARC, NYSARC, Visions Federal Credit Union, Procter & Gamble, Lockheed Martin, Raymond Corp., Corning, Inc. [Photonics Division and Museum of Glass] Rockwell Museum, Family Enrichment Network, City of Binghamton, Catholic Charities, Broome County and Delaware County Department of Social Services, Binghamton University, Corning Community College, Elmira Savings Bank, Chemung Canal Trust Company, United Health Services, Upstate Medicare Division of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Western New York, and Universal Instruments.

Bob is a Summa cum laude graduate of Binghamton University with a BS in Applied Social Sciences.

Bob is Past President of the local ASTD (American Society of Training and Development) Chapter and is a member of National Speaker's Association and the Broome County Chamber of Commerce.