In Episode 40, Meredith talks about how to win a fight. For some people, transforming conflict into creative solutions, safety, and support for our work is important. Other people like to fight for fighting’s sake (Eris Conflict Resolution is named after the goddess of discord, after all!). For other people, winning matters. This becomes a problem though, when we believe we need to persuade biased, unreliable, and dangerous people to change their minds in order to win. Meredith talks about the three steps to making a win inevitable in any situation and practical examples of how to do exactly that. How Toxic Is Your Work Environment? Take the quiz here: https://erisresolution.com/healthquiz Check out the app here to track your progress creating a better work environment: https://eris.passion.io/ Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/empowered-communication/donations

In Episode 39, Meredith talks about physical and verbal violence. What does it mean to be violent? Is there ever a space for violence? Some people say violence is never necessary, and that is a good general rule, but often that blanket statement is weaponized to say that people in power may use violence, but people who the system exploits may not be physical in service of creating safety. This episode explores why engaging with violence participates in cycles of violence, but that there are nuances beyond that blanket statement. How Toxic Is Your Work Environment? Take the quiz here: https://erisresolution.com/healthquiz Check out the app here to track your progress creating a better work environment. https://eris.passion.io/ Sister Helen Prejean https://www.sisterhelen.org/ Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/empowered-communication/donations

In Episode 38, Meredith talks with sex coach Sarai Johnson about taboo topics at work. Why do we call it “unprofessional” to talk about sex, religion, politics, and even money? What are the benefits or risks of having rigid definitions of professionalism? Often in workplaces, blanket prohibitions on talking about certain topics can create the dangerous and unsustainable situations that they are trying to prevent. Meredith and Sarai talk about practical strategies for what workplaces and individuals can do instead to create safe, healthy, and effective environments. How Toxic Is Your Work Environment? Take the quiz here: https://erisresolution.com/healthquiz Check out the app here to track your progress creating a better work environment: https://eris.passion.io/ Work with Sarai: https://saraijohnson.com/ Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/empowered-communication/donations

n Episode 37, Meredith dives into a topic that is close to her heart: Personality! This episode gives an overview of the personality assessments and frameworks we have seen work (or not work) in workplace settings. This episode also covers the number one, most simple indicator of conflict in workplaces and the simplest way to resolve it through assessment and understanding of instincts. How Toxic Is Your Work Environment? Take the quiz here: https://erisresolution.com/healthquiz Check out the app here to track your progress creating a better work environment: https://eris.passion.io/ Kolbe Assessment: https://www.kolbe.com/ Human Design Natal Chart: https://jovianarchive.com/ Astrology Natal Chart: https://www.astro.com/horoscope Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/empowered-communication/donations

In Episode 36, Meredith talks about labor, wages, and slavery. This week it was Labor Day in the U.S., and this episode celebrates the important contributions workers and labor unions have made in the country. The topic of slavery has also come up a lot in the news, and so this episode does an overview of paid and unpaid, forced labor in the U.S. and the importance of fair exchange for work. If you are someone who is uncomfortable with money but thinks you should be paid more, this is for you. Paid labor is important for balance and balance creates thriving systems and institutions. When we coerce or even persuade people into unpaid labor, it creates imbalance that leads to bankrupt organizations and institutions. How Toxic Is Your Work Environment? Take the quiz here: https://erisresolution.com/healthquiz Check out the app here to track your progress creating a better work environment: https://eris.passion.io/ 1619 Podcast: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/23/podcasts/1619-podcast.html Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/empowered-communication/donations

In Episode 35, Meredith talks about harassment. What is it? When is it illegal and when is it something we need to work on privately? Meredith again relies on her knowledge and experience as a civil rights litigator, and someone who has helped hundreds of employees related to toxic work environments, to deep dive into the topic of harassment. Harassment can be illegal in criminal and civil contexts, but once it has gotten to the point of a lawsuit or a criminal charge, the harm has already gone very far. Many forms of harassment steal from our organizations and our personal experiences of life before the law intervenes. This episode provides practical perspective and general structures for evaluating whether harassment is stealing from your work experience. As always, this episode is not intended as legal advice and if you want to know how the law might apply in your situation, we encourage you to talk with an attorney in your area. How Toxic Is Your Work Environment? Take the quiz here: https://erisresolution.com/healthquiz Check out the app here to track your progress creating a better work environment: https://eris.passion.io Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response Course: https://erisresolution.thinkific.com/ “How Rude” episode of the Hidden Brain Podcast: https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/how-rude/ Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/empowered-communication/donations

In Episode 34, Meredith does a deep dive into what discrimination really is and why we have made some forms of discrimination illegal in the United States. Meredith uses her background as a civil rights lawyer and also general principles of discrimination to explain why most discrimination is not illegal, but sometimes the law does provide a remedy for harmful discrimination. You might be surprised to hear it, but every human discriminates, and the majority of the time that is not bad, but discrimination errors can cause very serious harm. Have you ever wondered if you’ve experienced discrimination? Has someone ever told you that you’re discriminating against them? Are you worried that your workplace could be harmed by discrimination or false allegations? This one is for you. As always, this episode is not intended as legal advice and if you want to know how the law might apply in your situation, we encourage you to talk with an attorney in your area. How Toxic Is Your Work Environment? Take the quiz here: https://erisresolution.com/healthquiz Check out the app here to track your progress creating a better work environment: https://eris.passion.io Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response Course: https://erisresolution.thinkific.com/ Me and White Supremacy, by Layla Saad: https://bookshop.org/p/books/me-and-white-supremacy-a-guided-journal-the-official-companion-to-the-new-york-times-bestselling-book-me-and-white-supremacy-layla-saad/15150627?ean=9781728238555&next=t Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/empowered-communication/donations

In Episode 33, Meredith addresses false allegations of harassment, discrimination, and other wrongdoing. She discusses the statistics around unreported wrongdoing in workplaces and the statistics around false allegations, what causes them, and strategies anyone can use to handle allegations, even false allegations. She also talks about how to have more effective conversations, whether you are reporting harm or someone is telling you that something you did was harmful. Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response Course https://erisresolution.thinkific.com/ How Toxic Is Your Work Environment? Take the quiz here: https://erisresolution.com/healthquiz Nonviolent Communication https://bookshop.org/p/books/nonviolent-communication-a-language-of-life-life-changing-tools-for-healthy-relationships-marshall-b-rosenberg/10180253?ean=9781892005281&next=t Difficult Conversations https://bookshop.org/p/books/difficult-conversations-how-to-discuss-what-matters-most-douglas-stone/11726324?ean=9780143137597&next=t Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/empowered-communication/donations

In Episode 32, Meredith looks at the impacts of losing a job or career, whether it is a loss created by a major national event like economic downturn, or a very personal event like misunderstandings, harassment, discrimination, or even false allegations. While many of us may just want to get into a new job, pick ourselves up by the bootstraps, move on, and prove our abilities, there is one thing that we see get in the way in almost every situation: Grief. It is very difficult to move on, even with a rebound job, before grief has processed, and people are often surprised at how much grief can interfere with the process of moving on. This episode contains some practical tips for processing grief to move on intentionally (and even more quickly). More on Elizabeth Kubler-Ross https://www.ekrfoundation.org/elisabeth-kubler-ross/ Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving https://www.pete-walker.com/complex_ptsd_book.html Motherless Daughters https://bookshop.org/p/books/motherless-daughters-the-legacy-of-loss-hope-edelman/16616486?ean=9780738217734&next=t How Toxic Is Your Work Environment? Take the quiz here: https://erisresolution.com/healthquiz Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/empowered-communication/donations

In Episode 31, Meredith shares some of the most common reasons that we may want to stop communicating our boundaries in the workplace. If you’ve ever thought you were good at understanding your boundaries and enforcing them but still have people walk all over you, this episode should help you understand why and what you can do instead of continuing to explain why you deserve better treatment. Even if someone else is unable or unwilling to respect our boundaries, we still deserve to be in the environments we want, and this episode focuses on exactly how to do that. How Toxic Is Your Work Environment? Take the quiz here: https://erisresolution.com/healthquiz Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/empowered-communication/donations

In Episode 30, Meredith goes into simple strategies for influencing other people in toxic workplace situations, conflict, and pressure. Often we think that if we share our perspective or our expertise, other people will listen and learn from that, but the realities of having true impact or influence are often much different. In this episode, Meredith talks about the three strategies we can all implement that make a difference to de-escalate and engage people in ways that lead to true influence. If you’ve ever felt like you were being completely reasonable in clarifying your experience and seen it lead to a conversation you had no idea was coming, this one is for you. How Toxic Is Your Work Environment? Take the quiz here: https://erisresolution.com/healthquiz Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/empowered-communication/donations

In Episode 29, Meredith talks about common workplace situations that undermine confidence and what we can do about them. Externally, no-win situations that are repeated and chronic can undermine our confidence at work, and there is also an internal factor of the thinking that we absorb that can erode confidence. While most of us think of confidence as being available once we’ve built so many skills and so much experience that we are certain about what the outcome of our actions will be, this episode questions that definition and provides and alternative definition that we’ve seen help build unconditional confidence. How Toxic Is Your Work Environment? Take the quiz here: https://erisresolution.com/healthquiz Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/empowered-communication/donations

In Episode 29, Meredith talks about how to build allies in a conflict situation and find supports. We often believe that conflict is resolved through convincing other people to change their minds, but this episode goes through a few reasons that does not work. After we create safety in a conflict situation, understanding the resources, leverage, and supports we already have can help us identify the gaps that could ultimately transform the conflict into something safe and healthy. How Toxic Is Your Work Environment? Take the quiz here: https://erisresolution.com/healthquiz Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/empowered-communication/donations

In Episode 28, Meredith talks about the common narrative that people need to “toughen up” at work and stop being so sensitive. What is the balance between toughening up and creating more safety in a workplace? In order for us to fully show up and even access all of our brains to find creative solutions to conflict, we need to be able to establish some safety. On the other hand, sometimes we do make intentional choices to compromise our boundaries because it’s worth it. This episode dives into those situations and how they commonly play out in workplaces. For more information on the rudeness study, visit the NIH page here https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7358519/ How Toxic Is Your Work Environment? Take the quiz here: https://erisresolution.com/healthquiz Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/empowered-communication/donations

In Episode 27, Meredith talks about the Dark Triad and how dealing with Dark Triad dynamics can impact toxic workplace conflict. The Dark Triad is a psychological theory of personality, first named by Delroy L. Paulhus and Kevin M. Williams in 2002. It describes narcissism, sociopathy, and Machiavellian behavior. When Dark Triad dynamics are involved, simple conflict alchemy process does not work, and so we have to engage the pillars of Empowered Communication to transform toxic conflict dynamics into safety and support for our careers. How Toxic Is Your Work Environment? Take the quiz here: https://erisresolution.as.me/healthquiz More on the Dark Triad here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_triad More on Internal Family Systems Therapy here https://ifs-institute.com/ More on shadow work here https://tobemagnetic.com/what-is-shadow-work-therapy Check out Us, by Terrance Real, for more on Relational Life Therapy here https://bookshop.org/p/books/us-getting-past-you-and-me-to-build-a-more-loving-relationship-terrence-real/17238972?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=16243514117&gbraid=0AAAAACfld40UWe6mXMECF-42cmqstdNJX&gclid=CjwKCAjwruXBBhArEiwACBRtHb3TMCe3R6zlyFwt3S0mQteRlgfZZVP1xm0-N6faC8cQsS7QKO2EchoCySwQAvD_BwE Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/empowered-communication/donations

In Episode 26, Meredith describes the concept of Conflict Alchemy. Most people are raised to believe that our options in a conflict situation are to prove that we are right, avoid conflict, defend ourselves, explain our intentions, or bully people into siding with us. While explaining ourselves and clarifying can work in misunderstandings, when there is true conflict based on different perspectives, it can often lead to cycles of argument or even abuse. Conflict Alchemy is the process of transforming toxic conflict into something supportive and safe for our lives and careers. How Toxic Is Your Work Environment? Take the quiz here: https://erisresolution.as.me/healthquiz Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/empowered-communication/donations

In Episode 25, Meredith talks with leadership coach Amy Latta about the principles of coaching. Both Amy and Meredith have had experiences of coaching being incredibly powerful and even life-saving, but also seen coaching weaponized. Is coaching toxic or healthy? Anti-Racism resources mentioned: Caste, by Isabella Wilkerson https://bookshop.org/p/books/caste-oprah-s-book-club-the-origins-of-our-discontents-isabel-wilkerson/15481820?ean=9780593230275&next=t White Feminism, by Koa Beck https://bookshop.org/p/books/white-feminism-from-the-suffragettes-to-influencers-and-who-they-leave-behind-koa-beck/16221234?ean=9781982134426&next=t So you want to talk about race, by Ijeoma Oluo https://bookshop.org/p/books/so-you-want-to-talk-about-race-ijeoma-oluo/7214637?ean=9781580058827&next=t Get involved with the NAACP here: https://naacp.org/ Anti-racism educators: Weeze https://louizadoran.com/about Trudy LeBron https://trudilebron.com/ Rachel Cargle https://rachelcargle.com/ Ashani Mfuko https://ashanimfuko.com/ Follow Amy Latta: Amy’s Website: https://www.amylatta.com/ Follow her on Instagram: @iamamylatta Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amythameslatta Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/empowered-communication/donations

In Episode 24, Meredith talks with acupuncturist and healing expert, Luke Adler, about toxic masculinity and male loneliness. When issues of gender discrimination in the workplace come up, “toxic masculinity” can be a buzzword, but what does it mean? In this episode Meredith and Luke explore what causes toxic masculinity and toxic femininity and how we can encounter gender in a healthier way. How Toxic Is Your Work Environment? Take the quiz here: https://erisresolution.as.me/healthquiz Check out the Luke Adler Healing Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/luke-adler-healing-podcast/id1724483037 Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/empowered-communication/donations

In Episode 23, Meredith interviews equity investigation expert, Andrea Bibee, about workplace investigations, alternatives to investigation, and what to expect if you are thinking about engaging in a workplace investigation. How Toxic Is Your Work Environment? Take the quiz here: https://erisresolution.as.me/healthquiz To learn more about whether an investigation is right for your situation, download a copy of Meredith's book, The Inclusive Leader's Guide to Healthy Workplace Culture here: http://healthyworkplceculturebook.com/ Episode Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/WHOEB000ru8uZGj9hvRrCQQEMso?utm_source=copy_url Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/empowered-communication/donations