Title: Debra LeClair, Psy.D.

Author: Jennifer

Date: April 01, 2009 3:37:16 PM or Wed, 01 April 2009 15:37:16

Summary: Platinum Principle Training & Development; Topic: Effective Internal Communications

Body: Debra holds masters' degrees in both clinical and applied psychology and earned her doctorate in applied psychology from Rutgers University in 1998. She is a licensed psychologist in New Hampshire as well as a certified life coach and Peoplemap trainer.

 

Based on her commitment to human potential, Debra co-founded Full Spectrum Wellness LLC, a holistic health and learning center that has thrived since opening in 2002 by offering services and classes to the public along with workplace wellness programming to local organizations.  She has served on the board of directors for the Women's Business Center and on the business committee for the Manchester Young Professionals Network. In 2007, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) awarded Debra the NH Women in Business Champion of the Year.

 

Through Platinum Principle Training and Development, LLC, Debra provides training, coaching and consultation to business leaders, corporations, nonprofit agencies, and public schools.  Debra specializes in communication skills and leadership training to improve employee retention, morale, teamwork and the interpersonal aspects that impact productivity. She can be reached at 603-391-2395 or mailto:info@platinumprinciple.com.

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Rallying the Troops:  Focusing Your Internal Communications Effectively in the 2009 Work Environment

Communication breakdowns and conflicts exist naturally even in the most optimal of work environments.  Throw on the tension of restructuring and the magnification of economic stressors and you get a recipe for lowered morale and a drop in organizational effectiveness.  Believe it or not, that moment can be a turning point, as things can either accelerate further into a downward spiral or the opportunities unique to a crisis situation can be harnessed positively and effectively. 

 

The Psychology of This Crisis

Signs of downward spiraling include people having more of a tendency to "look out for #1" while disconnecting from the mission and heart of the organization.  One indication that this is happening is employees interpreting the behaviors of others and maybe even the organization as a whole with greater mistrust.  Also, conflicts increase---some get loud while others result in withdrawal and communication shut down.  These all ensure a drop in productivity and job satisfaction, not just for the employee but often for those that are interdependent on him/her.  In a good economy, these people are more than likely to leave.  Right now, they may just be planning their future escape.  This can and does happen to the best and most valuable of employees.  It's a phenomenon that may offer feedback about how well the company is maintaining its end of the bargain to its own workforce.  It speaks to the idea that maybe the leadership itself is also straying from honoring the organization's heart and mission, especially in regard to its commitment to its own people. 

Turning it Around

As mentioned above, crisis can also shift people into working together. This happens when people realize they absolutely need each other "to get through ok". Here, fear transforms into group resolve. This scenario will happen when employees are engaged, which is simply defined as when they feel valued and see their impact on the big picture. 

But what if everyone is in a downward spiral state of mind, how can you turn it around?  The key is perception, which is something that leadership and management can impact profoundly.  Keep in mind the negative feelings that arise originate from the recognition that things as we know them are coming to an end, so in a sense it is the onset of mourning.  That mourning is compounded by the basic human condition that speaks to the fear of the unknown.  These feelings can lead to a need to "predict" the future in order to survive.  Even preparing for the worst while hoping for the best still leaves you in a state of scarcity and scarcity leads again to downward spiral mentality.  So it is important for leadership to grow their consciousness about this dynamic and then decide where the focus needs to land.  Will the communication be that the glass is half full or half empty...and are we going to focus on how it might start leaking any minute now or are we going to put our attention on ways we can help each other fill the glass?

Positive shifts within an organization start with the messages that are shared from the top down but it is maintained in the daily exchanges of communication that happen between managers and their departments as well co-worker to co-worker.

In fact, the research overwhelmingly shows that the biggest factor related to employee engagement is the quality of that employee's relationship with his/her manager.

Practical Strategies for Employee Engagement

 

• Recognition:  Start with a shift in focus---place attention on what is going right and then express appreciation on a consistent basis.  By modeling appreciation, a positive chain reaction can occur. The psychological impact of this is significant as it can shift the "feel" of an environment away from fear and negativity.  Do take note that praise should be specific and timely. Telling employees that they are doing a "good job" may be too vague. Telling them that they handled a customer complaint with professionalism and in reflection of the company's value of enhanced customer satisfaction is much more effective. Why? Because you let them know exactly what behaviors are appreciated and how what they do, impacts the whole of the company, therefore increasing the likelihood of repeating that level of performance in the future.

 

• Telling the Truth:  Some organizations choose to not disclose much of what's going on while others promote projects that are touted as one thing when employees can see the true writing on the wall.  Being straight about possible threats to an organization's bottom line can actually work to unify people when it is also followed by solutions that are clearly explained in terms of how they consider the interests of the whole.  Giving employees or departments input into how to implement solutions or even coming in at the level of generating ideas to create solutions deepens buy-in and connection.

 

• Honoring The Rules of a 2-Way Street:  Recognizing positive effort and giving employees a stake in decision-making both show them that they are cared about, which is another crucial ingredient to employee engagement.  If you want your employees to come together, they need to see that their needs and efforts matter.  While this may sound like fluff, it is anything but as research has shown these "softer" less tangible pieces show up profoundly in the hard numbers in everything from retention to absenteeism to productive output.

 

• Providing Manager Supports:  For employees to be engaged, they first need to see that their managers are engaged.  Managers are also the ones who will be providing employee recognition, hearing out ideas and directly meeting needs.  But, these managers need to receive support in order for any of this to be implemented effectively and efficiently.  Mentoring and training on delivering recognition, working with different personality types and understanding group dynamics are investments that can make all the difference when we talk about truly rallying your troops.

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