NEW MCA Construction Education Institute Webcast Available to BA Members

Dr. Russ Rogers, Mechanical Contractors Association of Chicago education advisor and DePaul University professor of applied behavioral science, is one of the Team of Experts featured in the webcasts covering topics essential to staying ahead in today’s construction market. In this "Conflicts" webcast Rogers addresses the key components to managing conflict:

•    Acknowledge that conflict is inevitable
•    Plan for conflict
•    Focus on the larger outcome instead of just being right

"Jobsites are often brimming with arguments," Rogers said. "In my own practice, I have to pay attention to when I’m getting argumentative, when I’m raising my voice, when I’m talking faster and catch myself. Our thought process at some level is right/wrong. I’m trying to be right and you’re also trying to be right, and in the process I’m trying to make you wrong and you’re trying to make me wrong. There is a better process."

Rogers recommends taking a step back and thinking to yourself, "In two hours when the spat is over, what would be a better outcome other than I won and you lost?"  Rogers also has practical advice for the everyday blood boilers, such as walking onto the jobsite to find the crew goofing off.  "The first step is noticing, I’m hot, I’m angry," Rogers said. "The next step is determining, what is my sought outcome? What do I want to happen? The way in which I then move toward that is worth everything. If I bark out a reaction – I’m the boss and I get to yell – I might get you to stop what you’re doing, but I've also created public humiliation and it has got some after effects, some collateral damage."

Please contact Stacey Kelly to access log-in credentials for this and other Team of Experts webcasts.