January 5th, 2010 | 
Author: Managers often make the mistake of assuming that once a change is started, that employees will see that it is going to take place, and get on side. This is rarely the case. Because change causes fear, a sense of loss of the familiar, etc., it takes some time for employees to a) understand the meaning of the change and b) commit to the change in a meaningful way. It is important to understand that people tend to go through stages in their attempts to cope with change. Understanding that there are normal progressions helps change leaders avoid under-managing change or over-reacting to resistance. Read the rest of this entry »
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They stand tall in the saddle, and they ride in on white horses announcing to one and all they can change people’s lives. Or at least boost their levels of motivation to get work done. Sometimes quirky, almost always charismatic, and proclaiming themselves as gurus, experts or even geniuses, they are the motivational speakers who travel around, getting huge dollars from companies to magically tweak their employees. And beyond a day or two at best, they contribute almost nothing to the organization except to lighten the corporate bank account. Read the rest of this entry »
When change is imposed (as in downsizing scenarios), clearly the most important determinant of “getting through the swamp”, is the ability of leadership to…well, lead. The literature on the subject indicates that the nature of the change is secondary to the perceptions that employees have regarding the ability, competence, and credibility of senior and middle management. Read the rest of this entry »
We would not be understating the case if we said that orienting employees to their workplaces and their jobs is one of the most neglected functions in government. Countless horror stories exist about how a new employee has received a ten minute talk with the manager, and directed to his or her office position, with no further guidance or instruction. Not only is this exceedingly stressful for the employee, but it virtually guarantees a very long period of unproductiveness for the employee. Read the rest of this entry »
Downsizing…Right-sizing, lay-offs or workforce adjustment, whatever the current “correct” terminology, the fact remains that it is the most difficult thing that managers will deal with in their careers.
There are two (only two?!) issues regarding downsizing. First, the period of downsizing brings with it incredible anxiety for everyone. Both managers and employees have to “get through” this period where downsizing is announced and individuals are notified. While this is the period of greatest short term stress, it is an acute situation. Read the rest of this entry »
One of the least mentioned effects of change relates to how it affects the manager leading that change, and his or her ability to undertake the leadership role. We have already talked about the effects of change on the individual employee, and of course managers are subject to the same reactions, resistances and strains. Some types of change, such as restructuring, or downsizing can put considerable strain on the leaders of an organization. Read the rest of this entry »
Is not the fact that they obtained work in an arrangement, technology or funding, but it’s become a basic necessity for every person in the apply area of job competition. No matter what type of work you are doing computer skills and cognition to this machine is simply a serious job. Working in a modern organization cannot be changed without a convert in a changing technological and increase the need for calculating power training.
Principles of Defusing Hostility
Follow these principles when dealing with an angry person to succeed! (see BOTH parts)
If You Lose Control, You Lose, Period!
Manipulative nasty behaviour is designed to affect you emotionally so that you will become aggressive or defensive. When we lose our cool and defend ourselves or become aggressive we actually end up doing what the other nasty person wants us to do…and we lose because we enter into an ugly game where nobody can win. Self-control is critical, and that has a particular meaning. It means that we control our behaviour. You are entitled to be angry or upset if you choose but you can learn to control your behaviour and the way you express that anger or upset so something good comes from it. Here are some tips: Read the rest of this entry »
Principles of Defusing Hostility
Follow these principles when dealing with an angry person to succeed! (see BOTH parts)
Deal With Person’s Feelings First
An angry person needs to have the issue AND their feelings addressed in order to start interacting constructively. The angrier the person, the more important it is to acknowledge their anger through the use of empathy statements and listening responses FIRST, before moving on to the issue. Problem solving with angry people often results in wasted time unless they are ready to participate calmly. Read the rest of this entry »
The Responsiveness Paradigm outlined elsewhere in this newsletter is applicable at a number of levels. For example, it applies to organizations in general, and the ability of the organization to respond to the needs of customers, staff and other stakeholders (eg. politicians, etc). It applies to non-supervisory staff, and their ability to respond to the needs of their managers, customers and co-workers. This month we are going to look at responsiveness as it applied to managers, leaders and/or supervisors. Read the rest of this entry »