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