GUNS IN THE WORKPLACE?

Working in the oilfields of Houston, Texas, an HR manager came up to let me know he had to settle a dispute in another plant.

So curious me, I asked him what approach would he use.

"Alan, my first approach is to be armed."

Huh!?

Seems Texas law allowed concealed weapons at work...beyond the rifles on the gun racks of pick up trucks.

The most important thing we needed to do on this assignment was build a culture of collaboration. Stakeholders at all levels needed to be involved in projects from the beginning to cause ownership on an individual basis.

Were guns every pulled at this plant? Yes.

Why? Because mangers needed better awareness of how they disconnect from their people. That awareness, alone, leads to more effective collaboration, not power struggles