Leadership Beyond The Recession
When he stated "Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we can be." , Ralph Waldo Emerson was describing extraordinary leadership. What he said then is exactly what is needed today. Organizations are obviously suffering from the economic fallout. The dynamics of business are in a state of change. Workers and managers alike are struggling to make sense of what they must do to survive the recession..
In 2009, some organizations may consider reducing or eliminating training as a way to reduce expenses, but the reality is that training is the last thing organizations should cut. It is the one thing that can help current and future leaders adapt so they can emerge from the recession sound. Training is about leveraging the present in order to build a future. The recession may be the best time to focus on leadership training.
Positioning for the Recovery
A main theme in this message is the idea that organizations should be positioning themselves for recovery. Studies reveal that firms that come out of the recession in a more advantageous position will be more likely retain that position far into the period of recovery.
Strategies for building leadership talent should be embedded throughout your organization. Train your managers and supervisors to help employees understand where the company is going and how they fit in with the company goals. Employees then are more likely to apply the proper decisions and skills in their day-to-day jobs.
Leading employees effectively helps avoid the economic distractions and keeps them engaged in the business of serving customers, remaining proactive and performing as a productive member of the team.
Leadership to Recession-Proof the Culture
Another theme on which employers must focus is communication. When times are tough, leaders should openly discuss the issues and challenges employees face. Leaders should do this often and in many ways to reduce anxiety, stabilize the environment and support positive morale. Communication becomes the glue that binds together the culture of the organization, making it more resistant to the pressures of recession, such as unwanted turnover, the ability to achieve more with less, disenfranchised teams and loss of productivity --- or what I call "recession overload."
Do your managers have the adaptability they need to lead their teams through the economic downturn? Look to your training organization and training professions now for flexible and adaptive programs. Programs such as a blended learning program can transform your managers and supervisors into recession-proof leaders. Check out our Essential Skills of Communicating and Essential Skills of Leadership for excellent programs to train your employees. These as well as our other programs are available in classroom , on-line and blended learning format.
Please do not forget that this is the best time to focus on world class customer service as a competitive advantage while your competition may be cutting back and leaving the bad taste in customer's mouths of poor customer service.
Communication Strategy is a consulting firm based in New York City with affiliates through out the United States which assists its clients in the areas of Leadership Development , Team Building, Customer Service , Performance and Meeting Management, Communication Skills and Employee Engagement.
To contact us : call 212 362 5215 or e- mail info@communicationstrat.com
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Contact: David Hellman (info@communicationstrat.com)
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