August 23rd, 2010 by Admin
US-bestselling author Dr. Spezzano, a visionary in business, interviewed by Stefan Götz / Fresh Ideas TV, passionately describes how we open up inspiration in our business and why competing doesn’t get you better results and what instead will. Watch the entire film on www.fresh-ideas-world.com
August 23rd, 2010 by Marcia Xenitelis
When transformational leaders implement change, motivating employees who are tired of change is quite challenging. The traditional approach has been to bridge communication gaps or to do activities to enhance teamwork and organizational management but now this is not even enough. When companies communicate changes that will occur, they do it through media that relays what changes will happen, when and who will make the changes. Instead of getting the full effect, this process only serves to de-motivate staff and cause uneasiness on their side. Ultimately, staff members want to see how the given changes will benefit them and not just the company productivity alone. Until the staff member experiences the change and benefits firsthand, whether you exhibit new products, have management motivate through online exchanges, meetings and announcements about the changes; no real change will actually occur.
It is actually possible to spend less money on very effective methods in transformational leadership and leadership communication to motivate the workforce to implement real change which is best seen the following real life examples.
In this instance we are looking at a car manufacturing plant. Whilst this is an old story about energising employees the principles remain the same. The Saturn Motor Company in the USA was after many years coming out of, yes you guessed it budget cuts, a poor economy, sliding car sales. Employees were proud of the company they worked for, but were fatigued and tired of hearing of new visions for the company and strategic reviews. The company decided to hold a three day event for customers and staff and they called it “The Saturn Homecoming.” The rest of the story is incredible, not only for the way it energised employees but also the fact that thousands of customers drove all over America to learn more about how their car was made and because they felt connected. I have attached a link to a brief video overview; the story is one to be seen to be believed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHpSsf9AeJU&feature=related
The second story is about a company that was also going through organizational change in industry direction and was experiencing huge cuts in the budget. The company planned to change offices to try and change the working environment to energise employees, and this included computer and technology systems dealing with the business needs and customer service. It was vital for them to do this because of the competition they were facing from nine other companies in the same kind of industry. Instead of redesigning everything the managers improved the communication process and brought in designers to design things around employee needs, they were asked to see the difference between the old designs and the new. They went a step further to provide the staff with an environment equipped with the simulated changes, which was delivered through computer LCDs that showed how much productivity could increase and how customer service could improve because of the new workflow. They changed the concept of classic organizational management of removing employees from their present environment to show them organizational change by bringing the change straight to them instead. They wanted the staff to feel, compare, and see the experience, rather than just be given the information to process only.
Many people who hear of the Saturn story would speculate how such a strategy is short lived, which is true, especially since there are still issues of leadership turnover and strategic decision-making different transformational leadership styles. However, it is important to realize that the main focus is what is happening now and how best to motivate a company workforce to allow them to see that whatever motivated feelings they have now can only bring about the necessary change that is needed in the company’s future.
Marcia Xenitelis is a recognized authority on the subject on transformational leadership and change management and has spoken at conferences around the world. For access to case studies and more information on the types of strategies you can implement to engage employees visit www.transformational-leadership.com for a wealth of free informative articles and resources.
November 30th, 2009 by Marty Dickinson
If you want to dispel the anxiety growing in your workplace, build a foundation of trust built on communication. When times are tough, the workplace rumor mill swings into action act quickly. Therefore, managers need to communicate openly and honestly with employees to stop rumors in their tracks. Here are five tips to help managers ease employee anxiety.
1. Be Accessible
As a senior leader, you need to be accessible and visible to your employees. When there is a problem, don’t wait until all the details of the solution have been fleshed out before informing your workers. Instead, inform them of your progress along the way as the decisions are being made. In uncertain times, it is more important than ever to be accessible. You’re not just there to share information with the workforce, but to build trust with them along the way, and dispel rumors as they spring up.
2. Don’t Hide From Bad News
Your employees know that times are challenging and that the company will need to evolve in order to be successful, so you have no reason to keep bad news from your workforce. It will become even harder to communicate with a distrustful workforce if you try to imply that all is well when it obviously is not. Keeping your employees in the loop and informing them as soon as you know changes are necessary is the best antidote for workplace gossip. When a workforce has faith in their management, they will trust they will heard bad news from the source and stop spreading rumors amongst themselves.
3. Stress Face to Face Communication
All too often, leaders communicate bad news via e-mails and memos. All leaders are busy, but your first priority must be the productivity of your workforce. Research has shown that face-to-face or voice-to-voice conversations build up trust in a relationship and also improve the clarity of your message. You may find yourself stumped by a question that you didn’t expect, but don’t worry. Your people don’t expect you to be perfect, but they will appreciate the time you took to talk to them.
4. Hear Your Employees
The two-way conversation in face-to-face communication is a huge advantage. Many employees will be able to give you solid suggestions to resolve the challenges the company faces, but this is not the only advantage to listening to your workforce. The mere knowledge that senior management values their ideas and reactions to the situation enough to listen and speak with them can propel your employees to re-commit to the company and to you as a manager.
5. Admit You Don’t Have All the Answers Yet
It is important to be honest when talking to your employees, both about what you know and about what is still unknown. Because people understand that no-one can know everything, it will build conviction and understanding if you can detail what is still unclear. If you are unsure about the future, it is better to discuss the prospects for the company and probabilities for success rather than making promises that might not be kept.
Communication is the foundation of a good management team, and the only way you will get your employee’s best performance. Above all else, make it a priority to communicate truthfully, candidly, and without hesitation.
Wendy Mack is a professional mentor, trainer, and author focusing on leading and communicating change. Contact Wendy at, or get her free e-book, Transforming Anxiety into Energy at www.WendyMack.com.
