| Turbulent TwistersYou've read about it in the | | | | was also a fitness instructor, to arrive at my |
| headlines and experienced it first hand... rapid | | | | sessions around 2:30, announce "I hear there are |
| change and constant stress. We're talking about | | | | people falling asleep in here and lead the group in a |
| mergers, acquisitions, downsizing, lean and mean, | | | | work out. You can also harness the skills and |
| working harder not better, work and personal life | | | | creativity of your people to incorporate music and |
| completely out of whack! These all too familiar | | | | movement into your corporate culture.Bringing |
| realities reflect the turbulent nature of corporate | | | | music and movement into your corporation |
| life. Against this backdrop, motivation, satisfaction | | | | doesn't have to be a big ticket item. It can be as |
| and fulfillment can seem like remote, faint | | | | simple as:- playing relaxing music at the beginning |
| recollections of how things were supposed to be | | | | of a meeting and doing some gentle stretches- |
| and how they used to be.When turbulence | | | | taking shorter but more frequent breaks during |
| sweeps through your life whether it is wind | | | | meetings so that people can stretch their legs (5 |
| storms at work or hurricanes on the home front, | | | | minutes once an hour) |
| fear and uncertainty dominate. Joy is probably the | | | | playing upbeat vacation videos during breaks- a |
| last emotion you feel capable of expressing.But, | | | | two minute workout during notoriously low |
| it's important to laugh for "laughter is the best | | | | energy periods such as 11:00 A.M., after lunch or |
| medicine". By re-discovering the joy that often | | | | 3:00 p.m.For our final lesson from the Tin Man, |
| eludes us we can:- re-charge our batteries | | | | contrast the image of a bright and shimmering |
| - relieve stress | | | | rainbow with the drab and dismal surroundings in |
| - renew hope and optimism | | | | which some employees work. Research has |
| - release the energy to generate creative | | | | shown that colour and lighting levels have an |
| solutions to the challenges that confront usThe | | | | impact on our moods. Your facilities group needs |
| Magic of Myth and MetaphorAs a member of the | | | | to take this into account when designing office |
| senior management team, you play a critical role | | | | space and establishing corporate standards for |
| in fostering a climate of renewal and hope in your | | | | work locations. Companies like Xerox have used |
| organization. One rarely used strategy that you | | | | this information to create a colourful, upbeat and |
| have at our disposal is the magic of myth and | | | | positive working environment for their |
| metaphor.For example, The Wizard of Oz is a | | | | employees.You can get the same results, without |
| powerful story filled with important lessons for | | | | spending a dime to paint offices, purchase new |
| modern corporations.At the beginning of the | | | | furniture or upgrade fixtures. How? All you have |
| story, Dorothy struggles with her own turbulent | | | | to do is encourage employees to add a personal |
| twisters, literally and emotionally. As she visits | | | | touch to their work areas with colourful posters |
| each character in the story, she learns, grows and | | | | and photos. Personal objects that remind them of |
| develops the resources to cope with her | | | | the things they enjoy can help them boost their |
| turmoil.What lessons can YOU learn from The | | | | spirits during periods of turbulence and change.Of |
| Wizard of Oz? | | | | Witches and WizardsJoy and laughter can never |
| Lessons From the Wizard of OzIdeas From the | | | | thrive in the midst of negative interactions. As |
| ScarecrowIn many companies, expressing your | | | | Dorothy discovered, some of the people around |
| feelings is a taboo. When employees are | | | | us can sap our energy due to their negativity, |
| pressured into a repressing their emotions, it is | | | | harsh criticism and well meaning but discouraging |
| difficult for them to find the energy to generate | | | | advice. Others can disappoint us time and time |
| new ideas and solutions. Movement, music and | | | | again by failing to honour their commitments. To |
| authentic emotional expression stimulate our | | | | maintain your creative edge, it is important to |
| senses and makes it possible for us to take full | | | | reduce the frequency and intensity of these |
| advantage of the power that lies within the | | | | relationships that empower drain you. As a |
| brain.We tend to take our brain power for | | | | member of the senior management team, it is |
| granted but, from the first time we meet the | | | | important to remember that, when volatile and |
| Scarecrow, it is evident that he views the brain | | | | aggressive individuals are placed in leadership roles, |
| as a marvelous gift from our creator.The brain | | | | they can cost your company in terms of poor |
| contains an array of tools and resources to help | | | | morale and stress-related short term disability |
| us resolve problems and develop new strategies | | | | costs.Equally destructive are the insecure "know it |
| for addressing customer and employee concerns. | | | | all" wizards who can kill the creativity and |
| At one end of the spectrum is our right brain, the | | | | innovation organizations need to thrive and remain |
| storehouse of our creative faculties. At the other, | | | | competitive. By refusing to be open to the |
| is our logical left brain.With the right brain, you can | | | | feelings and ideas of employees and customers, |
| paint vivid pictures of your vision for the | | | | some of the best ideas are never |
| company. You can also harness the creative | | | | harnessed.Spending time with negative individuals |
| energy of employees to generate ideas about | | | | can cause employees to feel disempowered, |
| how to improve translate that vision into reality. | | | | vulnerable, even ill. This can make it difficult for |
| For example, by incorporating relaxation exercises | | | | them to cope with change and stress. When your |
| and guided imagery into strategy and project | | | | organization is facing turbulent times, you can't |
| planning sessions, you can begin to take | | | | afford to subject employees to critical managers |
| advantage of the creative sparks generated | | | | who demoralize, discourage and demotivate them. |
| through the right brain.With the powers of analysis | | | | As senior executives, we need to use tools like |
| available through the left brain, you can use a | | | | behavioural interviewing to ensure that we place |
| logical, linear and step-by -step approach to | | | | people in leadership positions who can create a |
| formulate a concrete and detailed implementation | | | | positive climate . A focus on the technical or |
| strategy.You can increase the effectiveness of | | | | financial aspects of leadership is not enough to |
| the executive forums we described earlier by | | | | ensure that the right people are "minding the |
| involving some of your customers and suppliers. | | | | store".In their ground-breaking research, Bill |
| After your presentation and question period, small | | | | Catlette and Richard Hadden, authors of |
| facilitated groups can provide an opportunity for | | | | Contented Cows Give Better Milk: The Plain Truth |
| employees, customers and suppliers to express | | | | About Employee Relations and the Bottom Line, |
| their concerns openly and generate possible | | | | established a connection between the quality of |
| solutions. Brain storming tools such as | | | | employee relations and organizational |
| storyboards, mind maps and collages unleash the | | | | success.They identified the following "best |
| power of both sides of the brain.During these | | | | practices" in employee relations:- Get people |
| sessions, you can recruit volunteers to serve on | | | | committed- Show them you care- Enable them |
| small cross-functional, multi-level teams to which | | | | for the performance of a lifetimeIt may not be |
| you assign the mandate of addressing some of | | | | rocket science but it works.For Dorothy a |
| the most pressing issues that employees and | | | | HomeIn contrast to the "witches" and "wizards" |
| customers have identified.To function effectively, | | | | who erode organizational effectiveness, there are |
| the brain needs constant stimulation. Looking for a | | | | other relationships that encourage and inspire |
| low cost way to provide stimulation and release | | | | employees. Some individuals have a knack for |
| brain power? Encourage employees to place | | | | saying the right thing and helping us find humour |
| colourful objects such as stress balls, cube or | | | | and hope no matter how bleak the circumstances. |
| metallic puzzles, play dough and slinkies on their | | | | They add a sparkle to everyone's day and serve |
| desks. Allow them to "fiddle" with these objects | | | | as excellent role models of how to smile in the |
| during meetings or periods of reflection. If you | | | | face of adversity.When emotional reserves are |
| start the ball rolling and lead by example, you'll help | | | | low, it is important to increase the frequency of |
| eliminate some perceived taboos and send a clear | | | | your interaction with positive individuals. Spending |
| signal about what is permissible.Lessons from The | | | | time with supportive and positive friends relatives |
| Tin ManThe Tin Man learned that emotions help us | | | | and colleagues is therapeutic. It can help you |
| deal effectively with change and uncertainty. They | | | | recover from the toxic effect that some of the |
| impel us to take action to reduce our pain or | | | | pessimistic individuals with whom you have to |
| increase our level of satisfaction.In many | | | | associate during the course of your business |
| corporations, there is a taboo against expressing | | | | day.Like Dorothy, we often overlook the most |
| emotions. Employees are encouraged to walk | | | | supportive individuals around us. Why? They are |
| around like the proverbial clown, laughing on the | | | | usually too involved in doing their work and |
| outside and concealing the pain within. "Pay no | | | | making a difference to engage in the political |
| attention to that man behind the curtain" seems | | | | gamesmanship that has become a part of moving |
| to be the company slogan. In fact, departing from | | | | up the corporate ladder.Through employee |
| the party line or expressing concerns about | | | | recognition programmes, we need to be |
| management decisions is definitely a career limiting | | | | proactive, search for these individuals and turn |
| move.It's time to put the "heart" back into | | | | them into corporate heroes and heroines.We need |
| corporate life. There is no need to fear the | | | | to give these individuals a higher profile within the |
| expression of genuine emotion. Even negative | | | | organization. With their support, you and your |
| emotions are not a threat if we view them as | | | | employees can find the courage to take the risks |
| signals that employees need opportunities to | | | | that can make your vision of corporate life a |
| re-energize and renew their emotional states. If | | | | reality.Conquering Fear Through Risk-Taking: The |
| we recognize the need for change early, we can | | | | Legacy of the Cowardly LionAs the Cowardly Lion |
| make adjustments before the onset of crises.Like | | | | discovered, our fear of the unknown can be the |
| the Tin Man, we can cultivate a healthier and | | | | greatest obstacle to our effectiveness. Even |
| more relaxed environment through music and | | | | though we realize that our corporations need |
| movement. Music is like a magical elixir that | | | | renewal and our employees are badly in need of |
| restores spirits that are dejected and discouraged. | | | | refreshment, we cling to the security of the |
| It stimulates the brain and refreshes the body. | | | | traditional.Five years into a new millenium and we |
| You can use music before meetings, at break | | | | still find it difficult to shed the outmoded |
| time, during training programmes, and as a part of | | | | paradigms and management practices that we |
| brainstorming and project management sessions. | | | | inherited from the previous millennium. What will |
| Some companies even allow employees to bring | | | | other executives think of you if you introduce |
| small radios or CD players into their work areas. | | | | some radical new ways of doing business? Will |
| Others offer opportunities for movement by | | | | your Board of Directors support you if you step |
| providing fitness and recreational activities on | | | | out, take some risks and experiment with a few |
| company premises. IBM, for example, has teamed | | | | of the ideas presented in this article? It's risky but |
| up with the Governor General's Horse Guards to | | | | you'll soon discover that "the only thing to fear is |
| make a riding club for their employees on | | | | fear is fear itself". Your employees will thank you |
| weekends and evenings. Team leaders in many | | | | for creating a more relaxed and humane work |
| Japanese companies lead their employees in gentle | | | | environment. Every risk you take will help you |
| streching exercises or Tai Chi once a day. If you | | | | transform your company and equip employees to |
| can't do it, maybe one of your team members | | | | face the challenges that lie ahead. It will also bring |
| can do it. When I was at Bell Mobility, I used to | | | | you one step closer to re-discovering joy and |
| invite David Roth, a marketing professional who | | | | laughter in your workplace. |