| Are you a manager concerned about workplace | | | | But, how can we approach the idea of self defense |
| violence? As well you should be. With the state of | | | | training in a different way? What can we say or do |
| the economy and the current mindset of | | | | that will get the decision-makers to allow us to |
| dependency and expectancy held by more and more | | | | institute an effective self defense program that will |
| people in our society, workplace violence has become | | | | do more to prevent workplace violence from |
| a greater epidemic than the Swine Flu! | | | | happening in our facility than all of our "zero |
| Let me ask you a question: Have you tried to get | | | | tolerance" statements, banned weapons lists, and |
| self protection and personal safety training instituted | | | | threats of punishment combined? |
| in your company but keep encountering resistance? | | | | We can begin with the understanding that your |
| Well, this article offers a simple suggestion that may | | | | superiors - and their lawyers - make the common |
| help you to navigate and get around the excessive | | | | mistake of equating self-defense as "fighting." Once |
| "lawyering," fears, and objections that stand in the | | | | we know this simple truth - that people see two |
| way of protecting yourself and your employees from | | | | very different concepts as being the same thing - |
| a dangerous attack. By understanding how your | | | | we can see where they are coming from and why |
| superiors think, you can take a different approach | | | | they're making the decisions that they are. |
| that may yield the results that you want - and the | | | | So, my suggestion to you - if you REALLY want to |
| training that you and your employees need! | | | | get this training into the hands of the people who |
| It's no secret that upper-level management is | | | | need it - your employees - then you... |
| concerned more with preventing a problem from | | | | ...STOP USING THE TERM "SELF-DEFENSE!" |
| occuring than in having to expend additional time, | | | | If your higher-ups can't see beyond the phrase, and |
| money, and effort in dealing with one that is | | | | see the concept that your trying to convey, then |
| happening in the moment. It just makes good | | | | you must take a different approach in your proposal. |
| business and financial sense. But, what if their | | | | Here are 3 ways that you can "repackage" your |
| decision-making process is flawed? | | | | proposal. If one doesn't work, go to the next. But, if |
| What if the way they are thinking about the problem | | | | you're serious about protecting yourself and your |
| is backwards, and therefore causing the potential for | | | | people, you owe it to yourself, your employees, and |
| more harm than good? | | | | your company to keep trying until you find the one |
| Well, this is exactly the case when it comes to | | | | that works! |
| dealing with workplace violence. | | | | Instead of suggesting "self-defense" training: |
| I know this because I talk with managers just like | | | | 1) Replace your use of the term "self defense" with |
| you, every day, who are encountering not only | | | | others, such as: "self protection," "personal safety," |
| resistance to the idea of providing self defense | | | | "escape and survival," or anything else that you can |
| training to employees, but the mistaken belief that | | | | come up with that sounds different and less like |
| such training will create a bigger problem. The belief is | | | | "fighting." |
| that, "if we teach our employees how to fight, then | | | | 2) Suggest a "speech" or "presentation" by an expert |
| we increase our risk of having violence in our | | | | at a meeting or manager's training event. In place of |
| workplace." | | | | a live presentation, having a video presentation on |
| Does this sound familiar? | | | | the subject may be more welcome due to the lower |
| Trust me. You're not alone in your frustration. Literally | | | | cost and flexibility involved in arranging for it. |
| thousands of security, HR, and crisis management | | | | Unfortunately, the truth is that often hearing about |
| directors and managers are dealing with the same | | | | the type of training being described by an outsider - |
| kind of ignorance everyday! | | | | an expert in the field - may go further than a |
| So, what do you do? Do you... | | | | suggestion from someone your boss sees as his |
| 1) Accept the decision? | | | | "junior." |
| 2) Keep beating a "dead horse" - hoping that | | | | 3) Suggest beginning with a non-aggressive program |
| someone will eventually say "yes?" | | | | first - one where there is little to no chance of your |
| 3) Distract yourself with other projects and hope | | | | employee "fighting back." An example of this might |
| that nothing ever happens? | | | | be a program that teaches employees how to |
| Or, do you... | | | | effectively hide from, shield against, or escape from |
| 4) Find another way to approach your superiors so | | | | gunfire or other thrown objects. This way, the |
| that they are not only willing to say "yes," but they | | | | program can both stand-alone as a training topic, and |
| are happy to do so? | | | | open the door for additional training as your own |
| I'm going to assume that, if you're still reading, your | | | | managers will be re-framed by the experts discussion |
| answer was to "find another way." And that tells me | | | | about exactly what is, and what is not self defense... |
| that you really are serious and this isn't just a passing | | | | ...and the difference between self defense and |
| idea that you'll forget about until the shooting starts! | | | | fighting! |