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May 2012 Newsletter (The Change Issue)

In This Issue
:: Increasing Engagement in the Aftermath of Change
:: Coaching Employees Struggling to Cope with Change
:: Give Employees a Role to Play in Support of Change
Greetings!

Over the course of my 20-year history developing leaders, working to build strong teams, and creating optimal work environments, I've learned many simple, practical and cost effective ways to help individuals, teams and organizations thrive.  The purpose of this newsletter is to provide a forum where I can share some of the practical tools that can shift your culture forward.
Carlson Paving Products

Testimonial   

 

"Gary worked with the entire staff in our manufacturing plant. He quickly won over the skeptics, and helped us break down barriers between departments and between management and staff. Gary definitely helped bring our company together in a positive way."

 

Becky Pudists, 

HR Manager, 

Carlson Paving Products

 

 Asphalt Paver

Increasing Engagement in the Aftermath of Change

Current Offering

Forest Fire Aftermath
Do your managers know how to re-engage their staffs in the aftermath of change? This highly interactive workshop will provide your managers with practical tools to increase employee engagement in your downsized, re-organized, and change-compromised organizations.

 

In this 4-hour workshop, your organization's leaders will:

 

     Experience first hand the traits of 

      leaders who know how to energize 

      employees.

     Explore practical tools to tap into the 

      staff's intrinsic motivation.

     Identify strategies that will shift your  

      demoralized employees into a more

      positive mindset. 

     Apply best practices for coaching 

      employees who are struggling with

      change.

     Learn simple ways to re-engage high 

      performers.  

 

To bring this workshop to your organization, contact GLFord Consulting.

 

ChangesCoaching Employees Struggling to Cope with Change

Quick Tip


During times of significant organizational change, employees struggling to cope can shut down and productivity can take a nose dive. It's an organization's managers that are the key to getting productivity back where it needs to be. Managers need to be watching for signs that individuals are struggling and intervene quickly. A 20-minute one-on-one conversation early on can save an organization months of lowered productivity. Here are some key questions to explore with employees who aren't coping well with change:

 

     What are you telling yourself about the 

      changes that have taken place? 

     Do you feel like you've lost anything in 

      this change? What might you gain?

     Are your fears based on rumor? 

      assumption? fact?

     What do you want from this situation? 

      What do you want to gain?

     What steps can you take to make it 

      possible?

 

The first questions explore the self-talk the employee has been engaging in, and tries to clarify how much of it is based on speculation. The last questions get the employee to start thinking about actions they can take to improve the situation. Conversations like these are the workhorses of management. 

Give Employees a Role to Play
Quicker Tip
Helping Hand
Management frequently has an easier time dealing with change than the general population, and there's a good reason for that: they usually have a clear role in making the change happen. One example of how you can make change easier to cope with for your employees is to give them a role to play in the change. If there's no clear procedural role they can take on, task them with looking out for one another. "If you see a colleague struggling with the changes happening in the organization, reach out to them. The stronger our connection to one another is, the easier it's going to be during this transition."

For more articles and information about offerings visit www.GLFordConsulting.com.  I hope the information in this newsletter sparked an idea or action that will make your work environment more productive and more nourishing.  Feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone in your network who you think might benefit from the content. 

Please forward this newsletter to anyone in your organization who makes decisions about engaging external facilitators, soft skills trainers, and HR consultants.  Thank you!
 
Warm regards,

Gary Ford
GLFord Consulting