We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alisha Brown a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Alisha , thanks for sitting with us today to chat about topics that are relevant to so many. One of those topics is communication skills, because we live in an age where our ability to communicate effectively can be like a superpower. Can you share how you developed your ability to communicate well?
Landing a specialist role in human resources in the labor and employee relations aspect surely provided me the tools to communicate effectively. This area of expertise requires you to have two different skillsets in order to survive – ability to listen to comprehend and the ability to know when and what to respond. Prior to coming into this role, I used the listen to respond concept and I’ll just say I have had my fair share of negative results using this method of communication. However, I thoroughly appreciated the experiences that came along with my listening to respond actions because I was able to embrace the listening to comprehend easier. Here’s when I knew my skills switched. I was actively engaged in a very robust discussion about a specific employee who filed a grievance against management and I was the specialist assigned to the case. My role was to provide advisory to management so that a resolution could be sought as it was clear that management violated the employee’s rights. Initially, I entered the situation using the listening to respond concept because the employee provided documentation of the supervisor’s responses and they were clearly out of line. When it came time for me to meet with the supervisor, I had already made up in my mind what the resolution would be and did not give the supervisor a clear opportunity to explain their side. After ghost-writing the grievance decision letter was when I found there were actually some pieces missing that only the supervisor could answer. So, I tucked my tail, called the supervisor, apologized and requested to meet again. This time around, I gave the supervisor the floor and let me just say I am so glad I did that. If I would have moved forward with my own perception and refusal to hear what the supervisor presented, the agency would have been held to an agreement that could have caused grave damage. It was this situation that showed me that I needed to change my listening skills so that my communications came across more professionally and sound-minded. I took a few trainings, both internally and externally, participated in role playing and shadowed a more seasoned specialist to gain some pointers. The habit of listening to respond has not returned since this situation and I am very thankful I was able to see my shortcoming and take the necessary actions to polish my communication skills.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am the very spoiled wife of a fellow Navy veteran and we have three very dynamic young men ages 3, 16 and 22. I live a simple yet flourishing life in that I love to travel, read and make memories with my family. My professional background is human resources with a speciality in labor and employee relations. I started my business, Alisha D. Brown Career Consulting, LLC, as a federal resume writer and career developer for transitoining military and veterans. Presently, I am migrating my business to focus on labor and employee relations, dubbing myself as “The Workplace Doctor” because I have 15 years experience advising management officials on ways to increase their employee engagement to result in a better production of work. My focus is now increasing my reach with my knowledge to give employees the same access to learn how to interpret federal law, rules and regulations.
The most exciting part of being a labor and employee relations consultant is having the opportunity to assist multiple individuals work through conflict. It’s an art and skill that comes with time, patience and practice. With the transition to labor and employee relations consulting comes new services such as the “Figure It Out Consultation” servicing employees who have or have had a workplace issue that hinders their ability to perform their job successfully and they want to bring it to their supervisor’s attention; however, they need assistance with setting up the case to be presented. This is where this consultation comes in handy because we cover items that may be needed to address a situation properly. The service that goes hand in hand with the “Figure It Out Consultation” is known as the the “Professional Response Consultation”. This service provides an employee the option to either receive guidance on drafting their written correspondence or providing the necessary documentation and information to have their response written for them. That’s right – I am a true Ghost Writer and can establish a sound foundation for just about any workplace situation – so long as I have all the necessary information.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The three skills/qualities that are most impactful in my business journey is the power of networking with like-minded individuals, listening to comprehend and researching. Reading, listening and effective communication, in other words, have been my staples in this career field because without the reading I am no good to my clients. It is imperative that I stay abreast of current trends in labor and employee relations so that I can guide and advise my clients to sound spaces in their careers.
The advice I would give to people who are early in their journey is to never stop reading and learning. It is best to know where you can go to get information than not. Nothing says you have to be a know-it-all just be resourceful and be able to back up what you say with documentation. This will help steer those who look to you for advice in the right direction. Be a research vessel!
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
Collaboration is a big deal to me. Gone are the days of me trying to start multiple projects from scratch. I don’t have the capacity to do that mentally anymore, so I live and long for collaborations. I am best suited in a collaborative relationship with people who already have an audience and they need content. This could be podcast hosts, radio shows, TV shows, or magazines. I am open to provide my expertise at any given time.
Those interested in collaborating with me can find me on LinkedIn as AD Brown Consulting; Instagram as @adbrownconsults; Facebook as Alisha D. Brown, ER Consultant; website www.alishadbrown.com and via email at [email protected].
Contact Info:
- Website: www.alishadbrown.com
- Instagram: @adbrownconsults
- Facebook: Alisha D. Brown, ER Consultant
- Linkedin: AD Brown Consulting
- Other: Please also search the hashtag #adbrownconsults on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Image Credits
Photos: LaShay Price Photography Studio Columbia, SC
