As experts in our respective fields, we are often called as consultants or coaches to help managers in our organizations manage through an ever-changing, diverse workforce. It’s usually in these situations that you discover a basic challenge: most managers oversimplify the diversity issue and forget that diversity without inclusion can hurt an organization. We’d like…
If think being an investigator may be a good fit for you, more likely than not, you’re trying to decide what to do next. Knowledge is power, so we have developed this list of information to consider in your exploration: Understand what goes into an EEO investigation. EEOC’s Management Directive 110, Chapter 6 is a great…
Being an EEO investigator can be a lucrative endeavor for the right person. Those of us who are already contract investigators or in the Federal government know it can be difficult, but with the right set of skills, it is quite rewarding. There are many individuals who begin a career investigating after they retire from…
We are delighted to announce that we have formed a group on LinkedIn called EEO and Diversity Professionals. We created this group as a virtual gathering place for EEO, diversity, conflict management (i.e., ADR) and human resources professionals to exchange perspectives and learn about the latest developments in our fields. The group is founded on the…
We are very excited to announce that today, Friday, January 30th, our much-anticipated Art of Resolution 32-hour online Federal EEO Investigator Certification Course is available. This self-paced course meets all EEOC certification requirements. The course has a number of best-in-class features that enhance the learning experience and differentiate it from other online offerings. Chief among…
In our last post, we discussed how to defend non-selections from a selecting official’s perspective. In this post, we’ll discuss this issue from an investigator’s perspective. Those of us trained as EEO investigators, are familiar with the shifting burdens of proof outlined in McDonnell Douglas v. Green. Of specific note is management’s burden to articulate…
In part 1 we talked about recruiting for the best applicants; in part 2 we talked about making the right selections and now, in this 3rd and final part, let’s talk about defending the selection. By doing the work upfront that defines how the selection process will be handled, you have already laid the foundation…
Last week in part 1, we discussed the importance of having an accurate position description and the need for it to describe the skills needed to be successful in the position. The next thing I do is work with the manager to ensure a plan is in place that differentiates among applicants and to gets…
Those of us who have been managers (especially in the Federal government) have all been there—you make a selection and you hold your breath while you wait to see if someone challenges the decision. While there is no way to prevent complaints or grievances, there are ways to reduce your vulnerability if your decision is…
This is a continuation of our last post, Manage Conflict Effectively and the conclusion in our series Improving Your Influence. We’ll use the example we started in the last post (link here) to illustrate the next strategy: focusing on interests, rather than positions. To summarize our example, Jim tells you he’s unhappy that Mike, his…
