Services
| Coaching for Conduct Issues Targeted coaching for offenders and all involved demonstrates prompt, effective action. The completion of an investigation may bring to light inappropriate conduct by a manager and/or employee, which while serious, does not rise to the level of unlawful conduct. We can provide specialized coaching for all involved as one part of the employer's prompt, appropriate and effective response to a complaint. Our targeted coaching helps the employee understand the boundaries of appropriate conduct and increases awareness of his/her conduct and its impact on others. We have a demonstrated track record of success in helping valuable employees move forward successfully in their role. We can also provide a written report for the employer's files to document the work and the employee's responsiveness to the coaching. |
| Employee Misconduct Investigations Expert, experienced investigation into allegations of discrimination, harassment, and other misconduct Over the past 20 years, The Washington Firm has conducted over 200 investigations into allegations of employee misconduct including: -Allegations of unlawful discrimination and/or harassment -Creation of a hostile work environment based on the complainant's sex, race, disability, national origin, age, or religion -Allegations of other types of misconduct, including bullying and favoritism Our experienced, thorough investigators are also skilled organizational consultants, giving them the perspective and insight to help identify the organizational issues that often accompany these types of complaints. We understand the urgent nature and legal implications of these issues and work hard to minimize the disruption to the organization during the investigation. |
| Harassment & Discrimination Prevention Training Interactive, engaging and demonstrably more effective than online-only training Harassment Prevention Training: Creating a Respectful Workplace The Washington Firm has delivered more than 2,000 sessions of this engaging, highly interactive workshop. Content is customized to meet all regulatory requirements of each jurisdiction. -New York City and State Tri-State area -Seattle and Washington State -National including California While online-only harassment prevention training may meet regulatory requirements, it has been our experience that live, interactive workshops are the most effective at creating a better workplace and reducing business risk. Participants consistently report that they learned important information for today's work environment and actually had fun! Our trainer's style ensures participants are comfortable and fully engaged in this important topic. These topics can be very emotional, engendering fears both reasonable and unreasonable. This is particularly true after recent events publicized in the media. Therefore some participants attend workshops with great reluctance. Some are concerned that they will be "caught," even though their intent was honorable. Others feel that the law has gone too far, protecting the over-sensitive. Our experienced trainers are well equipped to deal with all of these challenges. We help participants take responsibility for communicating their boundaries to others and communicating clearly when those boundaries are crossed. We also emphasize the responsibilities of those who may have offended, however unintentionally. We ensure that everyone understands the choices they have to get assistance in stopping unwelcome conduct. Participants leave this session with new skills and confidence to deal with potentially difficult situations and the knowledge they need to avoid behaving inappropriately. Managers will be able to increase the probability that complaints will be resolved in-house. Bystander Training The Washington Firm can also include a module on the responsibilities of bystanders. Studies have shown that organizational culture is best supported when bystanders speak up when needed. This additional section includes tools for speaking up, and responding appropriately when you have unintentionally made someone uncomfortable. Interactive Technology The Washington Firm uses interactive technology that lets participants anonymously answer questions without fear of being seen as "wrong" or "insensitive." It has proven a powerful tool to keep participants engaged and curious about how others are seeing the same issues. |
| Interim and Outsourced HR Services Supplement your in-house resources with senior HR professionals Whether you need extra HR capacity or help through an organizational transition, our senior consultants can supplement your in-house team. Sample HR Projects:
Coaching for HR Professionals We are experienced in coaching and mentoring internal HR professionals, to help them grow with your company's needs. Our consultants have been in their shoes in organizations of all sizes and understand the practical issues they face. Interim and Outsourced HR Leadership Whether your HR organization is in a leadership transition or does not yet have a senior HR professional on staff, a Washington Firm consultant is ready to step in. With one of our leaders at the helm, your HR function will continue undisrupted and emerge stronger. Organizational Transitions Change comes to every organization. We'll help you navigate and manage it successfully. Layoffs: As workforce needs change, we help organizations prepare for layoffs with a smooth, respectful, and caring transition for employees. Our consultants help plan and implement changes; including separation plans, manager training, communications toolkits and outplacement support for affected staff. On-site support is provided as needed. We also provide Change Management support and design retention strategies to retain key staff and moving forward. Mergers & Acquisitions: When combining organizations, success often depends on integrating the people. We help you plan for changes affecting employees and the integration of organizations. We have proven experience in acquisitions of all sizes, all over the world. We provide practical strategies and tactical support to achieve the best outcome for your combined organization. If your own company is being acquired, we can help you identify the right questions to ask, develop effective ways to approach integration, and take an active role in planning for and managing your company's future. Global HR: Opening a new office in another country? It's an exciting time to go global, but the myriad of issues involved can be confounding. Our consultants have helped clients open new offices and hire employees in Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, and throughout North and South America. We can provide the information, resources, and employee processes you'll need to get your new location up and running. |
| Leadership Training A full suite of trainings in the core skills your managers need to lead. Representative topics include: Interviewing Skills: Hiring the Best Hiring the right person can make many problems easier to solve, or never happen in the first place. This module identifies a process that greatly enhances the probability of hiring candidates that are right for the organization. Legal issues, including appropriate interview questions, are also covered. Coaching for Performance This module teaches managers how to coach for performance improvement while continuing to support and motivate employees. Essential for managing any workforce, these skills are especially important for working with highly intelligent, creative team members. Role-playing and peer feedback help participants develop and improve their coaching skills. Conflict Management While conflict is a natural outcome of differing opinions and styles, it can hide real issues and keep leaders from achieving optimal results. This module teaches leaders to identify issues at the source of conflict, determine alternatives, win support from others, get to win/win solutions, and give constructive feedback. Diversity Training: Challenges & Opportunities of Cultural Collision This workshop focuses on increasing awareness of issues that tend to be sensitive for people in today's workplace, including stereotypes, cultural assumptions, and how easy it is to offend, even unintentionally. It also addresses how to communicate in situations where either you want someone to behave differently, or someone else is asking you to do so. Delegation Sometimes what stands in the way of managers being truly effective is their ability to delegate appropriately. This module helps managers identify what they can and should delegate, and identifies tools and strategies to avoid feeling (or being) out of control. Discipline & Discharge Building on the skills developed in previous trainings, managers learn a variety of techniques to accomplish this most difficult of all managerial tasks while maintaining everyone's personal dignity. We also review the legal issues involved in discipline and discharge. Performance Management This module provides a step-by-step overview of the performance management process, including developing performance expectations, writing effective performance reviews, and conducting the review conversation itself. Customized case studies can be used to provide relevant examples for discussion and practice. |
| Executive Coaching Arm your leaders with coaching programs individually designed for their development goals. Our coaches are business leaders who have been senior executives in fast-paced organizations in multiple industries and have lived the challenges, not just studied them. As a result, we can work closely with your leaders to provide candid feedback, support development of critical leadership skills and ensure alignment with organizational goals and priorities. Our clients consistently report that they achieved insights into their impact on the organization and learned how to scale their leadership along with the organization. |
| Services for the Legal Industry Support your leaders with coaching programs individually designed for their development goals The American Bar Association has identified a crisis of well-being and impairment in the legal field and has announced an initiative to acknowledge and address this crisis. In this context, it is crucial for firms to understand what creates an environment that supports all lawyers to thrive and excel, and to avoid the common mistakes that undermine well-being. Dr. Kyle Forrest and Dr. Carolyn Mangelsdorf offer six specialty workshops and executive coaching for individuals. SPECIALTY WORKSHOPS FOR LAWYERS Six individual workshops are offered on a stand alone basis or as part of an overall firm-wide plan to address lawyer well-being. Each workshop can be presented in half day or full day formats, depending on the depth of content and level of practice desired. Lawyer Well-Being Introductory Workshop At the heart of any attempt to enhance wellbeing and creative engagement is a clear understanding of human nature. Certain elements and experiences reliably produce the sense of safety and encouragement that inspire excellence. Other elements and experiences reliably impede investment and engagement. Explore the concepts and practices that support maximal achievement. Spotting the Iceberg Many of the most destructive forces in any workplace are hidden under the surface. Learn to identify the signs of employee disengagement at the individual and organizational levels, and to evaluate and address their origins. Navigating Difficult Conversations Organizations often regard difficult conversations as a necessary evil. When done well, these discussions offer organizations remarkable opportunity to define core values and support employees. Learn the principles and practices that avoid the common pitfalls and embrace the potential that difficult conversations offer. Changing Course Corporate culture is often implicitly created. It becomes the lens that colors perceptions in a firm, rather than a force that is explicitly examined. Identify and address the elements of a culture that directly impact engagement, well-being, and productivity. Resilience in the Eye of the Storm To be successful, organizations and individuals must be able to respond to change and challenges with energy and initiative. Define the factors that support effective engagement, creative involvement, and resilience under evolving and often difficult circumstances. Stress Management The most effective management of stress comes out of a thorough understanding of the stress response, how it works and what affects it. This workshop teaches both the universal and personal elements of stress and ways to respond. EXECUTIVE COACHING FOR LAWYERS Dr. Kyle Forrest and Dr. Carolyn Mangelsdorf offer coaching for individuals and organizations interested in targeted assistance in applying the model and principles presented in the Lawyer Well Being workshops. |