Tag: Managing people
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Maintaining motivation throughout your career
Maintaining motivation throughout your career Andrew* comes to my office to discuss an issue of concern. After I remind him of the working principles of the Ombud – confidentiality, informality, impartiality and independence – I invite him to explain what is worrying him. Andrew chooses to start with: “I have only six more years to
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How the Ombud can help Doctoral Students
How the Ombud can help Doctoral Students A very interesting article published in 2022 in the Journal of the International Ombudsman Association (JIOA) caught my attention as it examines the specific role that ombuds may play in supporting doctoral students. For each of the past two years, CERN has hosted more than 230 doctoral students*,
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From lone wolf to inclusive leadership (Act III)
From lone wolf to inclusive leadership (Act III) In this article, we again meet Stefano*, an experienced leader in the Organization who has decided to move from being a lone decision maker to an inclusive, open-minded leader. As a first step, Stefano reflected on why he was so attached to his former authoritarian management style.
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From lone wolf to inclusive leadership (Act II)
From lone wolf to inclusive leadership (Act II) In the previous issue of the Ombud’s Corner, we met Stefano*, an experienced leader in the Organization who is reflecting on whether the authoritative management style that he has cultivated for years is still working for his career and, above all, for the well-being of his team.
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From lone wolf to inclusive leadership (Act I)
From lone wolf to inclusive leadership (Act I) Stefano* has extensive experience as a leader. He has been deploying a management style that is authoritative and leaves little space for collaborative decision making. Stefano has been successful for many years, but he realises that the members of his team may be more competent than him
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Managers and burnout – put your own oxygen mask on first!
Managers and burnout – put your own oxygen mask on first! One of the new trends observed in the Ombud’s Office in 2022 was supervisors feeling a lack of support. As the CERN Ombud Annual Report for 2022 highlights: “The few managers who come to discuss challenging managerial situations with the Ombud complain of lack
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No, don’t do anything!
No, don’t do anything! My first duty as Ombud is to listen actively to the visitors who, in my office, explain the challenging situation they’re facing. Listening actively to them enables me to understand the situation, measure the impact that the problem is having on them and get a sense of what their goals are.
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A brain-friendly approach to providing feedback
A brain-friendly approach to providing feedback Much has been written by my Ombud predecessors, at this time of the year when performance reviews take place, on how to approach these discussions and how to provide feedback, whether top-down or bottom-up. You may wish to have another look at their analysis and advice, which remain very
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Mutual learning: let’s give it a chance in 2023!
Mutual learning: let’s give it a chance in 2023! As 2023 starts, let me wish you all a great year and assure you all of my support! The CERN community is very keen – and rightly so – to underline that collaboration is in our DNA. This is something that I am particularly proud of,
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Need to step in to defuse a conflict?
Need to step in to defuse a conflict? The core of the Ombud’s mandate is to help resolve interpersonal disputes in a consensual and impartial manner. To this end, the Ombud offers mediation services, which can take the form of a facilitated conversation, shuttle mediations (good offices) or more in-depth, structured mediation. Mediation may seem