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Tight markets+Tight Resources=
Uptight Personnel
What Leaders Should Speed Up When Times are Slow
© David Woodward, 2001
In down markets, business slows, resources get tight, and organizations try to do more with less. These complications and difficulties add more weight to those that power the "train," causing it to slow down as well. Speeding up one's awareness of those people still on board, is critical to maintaining an effective pace and achieving goals. Below are The 5-A's of AwarenessSM for organizational leaders to practice for reaching goals on time and creating long-term positive impact.
- Allow. Allow that clients, vendors, employees, managers, owners, and investors are all under more pressure to make the best decisions. The trust and confidence shared during expanding opportunities are often replaced with fear and a tendency to slow down and protect what we have. Allow that everyone is under more stress than before.
- Accept. Accept that it will take more time than you want or would like for people to make decisions take action, and get things done. Accept that maybe, the more we push and force things to happen, the less we may actually accomplish.
- Acknowledge. Acknowledging people's feelings of fear and frustration is a key practice to effective leadership in difficult times. Denying the emotions of employees that remain after layoffs and downsizing, is a major mistake to building trust and confidence. Acknowledgment of people's reality, in the face of goals and expectations, helps build stronger communication links going forward.
- Appreciate. Appreciate efforts made, energy spent, and the commitment shown as often as possible. Simple gestures of "thank you" and "job well done" require no more investment than honest attention to those that produce the results versus just focusing on the results themselves. Appreciating people in the short run can go a long way to reinforce and improve relationships for the long run.
- Act! Action based on full awareness is in demand now, more than ever before. Where apologies for abrupt or insensitive behavior may have been tolerated during good times, the long term consequences of unaware action can be more damaging to a company's health than the overall economy.
David Woodward is a professional speaker, organizational consultant, facilitator and coach. He delivers ideas, solutions and support for motivated people and organizational leaders dealing with personal, professional and organizational challenges. To learn more about his services, programs and solutions contact....
David Woodward @ 703-560-8150
davidw@bigsteps.com
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