 By Dr. David Marine Mabry Encompass Executive Director Every workplace has its quirks—inside jokes, unwritten rules, and yes, even the occasional debate over who moved the stapler. But if you’ve been following our blog series this month, you know those surface-level irritations point to something deeper: the quality of our workplace relationships.
Whether it was a moment of tension like the one shared in Theresa’s lighthearted story about Greg, or Cindee’s reminder of the power of words, or Lavern’s call for clarity, safety, and morale, one truth echoed throughout: our work lives rise or fall on the strength of our relationships. And yet, in most workplaces, relationship skills are the least trained and least resourced.
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 By Theresa Mabry Encompass Director of Operations It was 8:03 AM when the mild-mannered accountant named Greg walked into the office, ready to start his day. But something was off—his favorite stapler was gone. Not missing. Moved. Just a few inches to the left on his desk. What seemed like a harmless gesture to one coworker sent Greg into a minor tailspin. “Why can’t people respect my space?” he muttered as he rearranged his desk for the third time.
We've all been there—those little moments in the workplace that spark confusion, frustration, or even conflict. But more often than not, the root of the issue isn’t the stapler or the coffee pot or even the group chat that won’t stop buzzing. It’s a misunderstanding of personalities—our own and others’.  By Cindee Johnson Relationship Champion and Encompass Partner “If you can’t say anything nice then just don’t say anything at all!” That firm directive flew from the front seat to the back one summer as my family traveled out west. I was probably 10, and my little sister and I were arguing, again. Neither of us using nice words about the other as we tried to get our parents to choose sides.
Then Dad’s words and his tone settled it once and for all: “I said…if you can’t say anything nice then just don’t say anything at all!” Nice words. You know the ones. The kind that build others up. You likely know the opposite, too. Harsh ones. Words that tear people down. Most of us have experienced in our lives some of each. Words have proven time and time again to be a powerful influence in our lives. They are a significant force in forming our attitudes, beliefs, self-image, behaviors, thoughts, self-worth, even our relationships. They can soothe a soul, spark creativity, bring a smile, motivate, encourage, lift spirits. They also can crush a heart, trample self-esteem, cause great divides, create conflict. Whether we are in conversation with family or friends, at play or at work, words hold power. Have you ever been in an environment where words didn’t matter? What was that like? How did it make you feel?  By Lavern Nissley Encompass Relationship Facilitator Most of us spend way more time in the workplace every week than with our spouses or families. In some ways, workplace relationships can become more complicated and complex than family relationships because of different power, financial, and legal environments. Yet, there are similar dynamics in all settings where humans interact: communication, conflict resolution, stress, emotions, and expectations.
For the past 48 years, I've experienced many workplace settings both as an employee as well as a supervisor/overseer of others. Thankfully, most of these settings have been healthy, with only a handful of "nightmare co-workers" to deal with. I've also served as a consultant/facilitator to several dozen organizations during the past 5 decades, and unfortunately have observed workplace dynamics that literally suck the life and joy out of people. Not good! What follows are three overall criteria for a healthy workplace. Each could be "drilled down" for even more depth and specificity. But this is a brief blog, so here goes!  By Kermit Rowe
Encompass Relationship Facilitator This month’s blog theme is “more than words.” So let’s take those three words and put them at the end of the following sentence to “explore the more” of a time-tested relational truth: Communication is more than words. How do we communicate besides talking? Well, we should know because we certainly do it a lot. A Psychology Today article famously reported that only seven percent of our communication happens through words. That means 93 percent of your intended message is left up to tone and non-verbal cues. Other estimated percentages may vary a bit, but one thing is clear: When it comes to communicating in relationships, it’s more than words can say.  By: Joe Kowalski
Owner/CEO Empowered Community Services Most everyone can remember the panic, sudden jolt, and jarring pain of hitting the ground after their friend jumped off the teeter totter when we were kids. Or that time when you were in a hurry to get home with the groceries. You’re late, it’s raining, and instead of making three trips into the house with the groceries in the rain, you try to carry all 37 bags at one time, only to slip on the pavement sending a week’s worth of groceries all over the garage floor. What about this one? You are up against a deadline at work, going on 4 hours of sleep and you get a call at 5:30p from your spouse demanding “where are you?” With everything going on, you forgot to update your calendar with the kids’ recital that you are now going to miss. These lessons on gravity, imbalance, and regret are hard to forget. Unbalanced objects, whether they be playground equipment, people, or the expectations of others, will always fall. My wife and I have four children (3 high schoolers still at home,) a new grandson, 3 dogs, and I run my own small business. The demands on my time are many and balance becomes more and more difficult to maintain. By my own admission, I have a lot of work to do when it comes to balance in my life, but the following are a few pieces of advice I’ve come to cherish on this exceedingly difficult subject.  By: Ronda Nissley Many of us are familiar with the biblical story of Daniel who was a high ranking administrator in ancient Babylon. Daniel is often hailed for his wisdom and courage in the face of adversity. But did you ever wonder how Daniel was able to not only survive but thrive in what was likely a hostile work environment? Likely, he faced many things that conflicted with his faith and culture.
Another inspiring look into the Holmes family business through the eyes of Kevin, Carisa and Brian who transitioned into primary leadership in 2007. Their sibling chemistry and healthy relationship values shine forth brightly!
Starting in March we've been alternating blog posts and "our stories" videos on Tuesdays. Blog posts will appear on the 1st/3rd Tuesday and videos on the 2nd/4th Tuesdays. Everything we post here is under the umbrella of practical tips & insights for your relationships.
We're so excited to feature a fun Our Story video featuring Kevin, Carisa and Brian from Holmes in Springfield. They are siblings who assumed primary leadership of a their family business in 2007. In the process they sought a more team friendly workplace culture.  By Ellen Dudney
(Ellen served with the Pregnancy Resource Clinic in Springfield from 2008 through 2018, beginning as a Nurse Manager, then leading as Executive Director from 2011-2018.) Yes, Virginia, there is life after the working! I do not like the word “retirement”. It focuses on things ending, but it says nothing about the future. And, it makes me sound old – which I most certainly am not! How about if we call it “transition” instead. After all, I’m still the same person, with the same skills, interests, and passions – I’ll just be pursuing these in a different way, as will you. |
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HostsDr. David Marine and Theresa Mabry are Co-Directors of Encompass since June 1, 2024. TOPICS
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Program content is the sole responsibility of Encompass Connection Center and does not necessarily represent the views of the funders.
Encompass Connection Center services are provided to all eligible persons on a non-discriminatory basis. Encompass Connection Center complies with all applicable laws and regulations concerning discrimination does not discriminate on the basis of the potential participant's race, gender, gender orientation, age, disability or religion.
Registered 501(c)(3). EIN: 37-1485217