High Conflict Workplace Investigations with Guest Host Cherolyn Knapp and Guest Bob Stenhouse
Mar 2, 2023
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Guest co-host Cherolyn Knapp and guest Bob Stenhouse, founder of Verita, discuss high conflict workplace investigations, challenges posed by people with high conflict personalities, building rapport with interviewees, use of BIFF in investigations, DARVO concept, and recommendations for employers to address bullying and harassment.
Identifying high conflict personalities is crucial for effective mediation in workplace investigations.
Workplace investigators must build rapport with interviewees and utilize the BIFF approach for successful resolution.
Deep dives
Importance of Recognizing High Conflict Personalities
Identifying high conflict personalities is crucial for mediators to effectively handle challenging cases. Training offered by the High Conflict Institute has shown significant success in increasing settlement rates in such cases, emphasizing the necessity of specialized skills for working with high conflict individuals. The new mediation model created by Bill Eddy has demonstrated a success rate increase from 75% to over 90% in high conflict cases. By offering a combination of on-demand and zoom training, mediators can enhance their ability to manage high conflict personalities effectively.
Experience and Expertise of Guest Co-Host Bob Stenhouse
Bob Stenhouse, a highly decorated investigator, shares his extensive experience from working with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to his current role as a corporate trainer and consultant. His background in undercover investigations and expertise in workplace investigations highlight his innovative approach to handling complex human resource risks. Bob's transition from law enforcement to corporate investigations underscores the importance of applying determination, emotional intelligence, and innovation in resolving workplace conflicts effectively.
Role of Workplace Investigators in Addressing High Conflict Personalities
Workplace investigators play a critical role in addressing allegations of bullying, harassment, and discrimination, particularly involving high conflict personalities. Investigators must remain impartial, thorough, and fair gatherers of information to evaluate and resolve workplace conflicts effectively. The challenge lies in recognizing and managing high conflict individuals who may exhibit behaviors like gaslighting, manipulation, and lack of self-awareness. Building rapport with interviewees and implementing the BIF approach, brief, informative, friendly, and firm, can enhance the investigation process.
Recommendations for Remedying Workplace Conflicts with High Conflict Personalities
To effectively remediate workplace conflicts involving high conflict personalities, accountability, support for targets of harm, and establishing clear boundaries are essential. Holding individuals accountable for misconduct, addressing harm caused to targets, and implementing checks and balances to prevent recurring conflicts are key recommendations for workplace resolution. Training and coaching tailored to individuals' willingness and ability to change behavior can facilitate positive outcomes, emphasizing the importance of setting limits and fostering a supportive work environment.
Workplace investigations. If you’ve been through one, it may have been easily worked out with assistance from the professionals involved or it may have been a nightmare if someone with a high conflict personality was involved.
Whether you are an employee, a manager, in human resources, or a workplace investigator, you will want to listen in as two workplace investigators discuss high conflict investigations.
Megan is joined by guest co-host Cherolyn Knapp and guest Bob Stenhouse, founder of Veritas Solutions and highly decorated and nationally recognized serious and organized crime investigator with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, to discuss:
what a workplace investigator entails
how people with high conflict personalities show up in workplace investigations
what types of challenges do people with high conflict personalities pose for investigator teams and what workplace investigators need to do to build rapport with anyone they interview to be able to gather the information they need
training for workplace investigators
using BIFF as part of the structure of a workplace investigation
challenges faced by workplace investigators in relation to high conflict
building high conflict skills and techniques into your workplace investigation
what workplace investigators need to know about the DARVO concept
types of recommendations for employers on how to remediate situations where they may be findings of bullying, harassing or discriminatory behaviour or misconduct by an employee who has high conflict personality traits