What it Takes to be an Employer of Choice with Alison Crooks

In this HRChat company profile, we focus on the recent Top Employers Institute’s 2021 Top Employers award-winner, the Paramount Group. Paramount is an African-based global aerospace and technology company, who is a leader in defense and security innovation, and a trusted partner to governments around the world, providing products, services and consultancy, including support for peacekeeping missions. Our guest is Alison Crooks, CEO at Paramount Industrial Holdings/

Blended Leadership: How to Have a Difficult Conversation with a Coworker

In my experience, there is a tendency to lean too heavily on one side of the spectrum or the other. For example, when approaching difficult conversations, most leaders are prone to being too soft or too aggressive. Like my coworker, Mary, we can be so empathetic that we take on the pain or discomfort of others, which limits our ability to speak directly and openly. Or we can choose to emotionally disconnect from others so that we may speak directly with less concern for their feelings, leaving us at risk of sounding harsh and even uncaring.