Suicide and the Workplace – Part I, Statistics and Warning Signs

The workplace is a reflection of its surrounding community. Inevitably, issues in the community like addiction, depression, and family conflict have a direct impact on the workplace. Among these issues there is no topic more emotionally charged, or more important, than suicide. Suicide prevention warrants our attention in the workplace because the feelings of despair, isolation and hopelessness associated with …

Disagreement in the Workplace: Shifting From Dread to Appreciation

We tend to focus on resolving conflicts and not on what happens much farther upstream.  Forget about resolving conflict, what about those of us who have a hard time facing conflict at all, and when we are forced to, feel furious and awful. For many of us, due to a complex mix of upbringing, temperament, and experiences, disagreeing with someone …

Asperger’s Disorder in The Workplace

Usually when we speak and think about tolerance and compassion for those with Asperger’s Disorder, it is in the context of children at school.  Educators and parents emphasize the many strengths of these individuals and request kindness and understanding from their classmates.   However, these efforts, and sometimes our own eagerness to model compassion, frequently dissipate when we enter the workplace …