Kim Baker Awarded Workplace Mediator and Trainer in Conflict Resolution Certification

    ST. LOUIS, MO, April 20, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Kim Baker, a highly respected corporate team builder/designer, speaker, and owner of Vivid Performance Group, has been awarded certification as a Workplace Mediator and Trainer (CMT) in Conflict Resolution from Eckerd College and its Mediation Training Institute (MTI).

The certification is also accredited by the International Mediation Institute (IMI), a non-profit public initiative that drives transparency and high competency standards in mediation worldwide.

The specialized training will enable Baker to offer new conflict management related solutions including mediation and assessment and debrief of the Conflict Dynamics Profile®-CDP, an instrument which measures an individual's conflict behaviors and hot buttons. This tool aids individuals and teams in understanding how they respond to conflict, what triggers can escalate conflict and how to manage conflict more effectively. In addition, she will be able to provide two workshop options, Successful Conflict Conversations which addresses the ability to resolve conflict with others and Third-Party Resolution which trains supervisors or managers on how to resolve low level conflicts between others. Baker will also address Conflict Coaching providing specific types of coaching support for those in a conflict related situation.

"Conflict is on the rise with workers reporting they spent 4.3 hours in conflict in 2022, a 54% increase since 2008," Baker said. "Academics studying the effects of the pandemic note personality-linked levels of conscientious-the tendency to be organized, disciplined and responsible, and agreeableness-the tendency to be trusting and straightforward-decreased in the workplace from pre-Covid dating May of 2014 to February 2020 vs. Covid in 2022."

"They also found decreases in extraversion and openness while noting a significant increase in neuroticism, the tendency to experience negative emotions and responsiveness to stress, especially with those 30 years and younger."

Baker added if employees care less about the quality of their work AND getting along with others AND they respond more frequently in emotionally counter-productive behaviors THAT conflicts will occur.

"Conflict lessens productivity in four key areas including wasted time, lower motivation, increased turnover and disruptive restructuring. The key to conflict is to stop it before it starts or at its lowest level," she said. "Communication tools are available to stop conflict situations before they escalate."

Baker emphasized, "Conflict in organizations is inevitable. But once we become aware of the solutions available for conflict management, suffering the emotional, physical and financial impacts in, during and after conflict becomes a choice."

ABOUT KIM BAKER AND VIVID PERFORMANCE GROUP
Kim Baker is a team builder/designer, corporate consultant, and speaker. She and Vivid Performance Group help you build happy, trusting, get-it-done employees and teams. They bring value to help businesses optimize their talent and accomplish their mission. Their unique methodology assesses root cause and develops actionable and workable solutions. The goal is for everyone to work better, together. Visit https://vividperformancegroup.com.

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