This month, I had the great pleasure of talking with Leanne Edwards of Leadership Management International. Leanne is a leading industry expert in talent management, development and strategy. . . and it shows.

Tabitha: Leanne, you have such a large spectrum of clientele; I would love to know your perspective on hiring in the months to come. What kind of employee do you think employers will be looking for as we come out of this recession?

Leanne: I think that companies are going to be looking for several different things:

• One is somebody who can look at what a company has and make the most of it. Someone who can have a broad perspective and say “Here’s what we’ve got; now how do we leverage what we have?” I think that is going to be needed for quite a while.
• Two, is someone who can think strategically. This is another leverage point – As we add to our workforce, as we add to our company’s portfolio – as we continue to refine what we do, what gives us the biggest pay-off? Being creative and innovative with what’s there, but then also being able to look forward and strategically make decisions and make good choices about what will propel the company forward on a limited budget, time, people whatever resources are there. That type of person will be highly valuable.
• Another thing that I think is going to be valuable is the ability to work across teams, work across divisions, and leverage the people that are there. There are people across an organization that have skill sets that are not being used at this point. We have had to get rid of people, unfortunately, that had [specific] skill sets. So now, being able to pull teams together, cross divisions, across the company to make up for the missing skill sets is important.

Tabitha: Let me ask you this while we are talking about this – do you think as we move forward that companies are going to have more team-based, flat structures rather than hierarchical?

Leanne: I do, and I also think that the scrutiny on compensation packages is going to create that demand as well. Because right now, there is so much negativity surrounding high-level compensation that I think that shareholders are not going to want to add to the top level. I also think that they are not going to want to bonus and compensate out as they have done previously, so I think that business owners and shareholders will be more likely to add in towards that mid-level, mid-upper level as opposed to the upper level. For several reasons. You can get more people, obviously, for the same dollar, but you avoid the whole scrutiny from your shareholders on the high-level compensation packages.

So, [companies will be looking for] the person who can leverage what they’ve got, and strategically position people and resources across the company to accomplish objectives, and be able to see the talent that people have that may not be used and pull that together in team structures across the company. I think all of those things are huge and create value. And there are people out there that can do that.

Tabitha: What about people who can really get people to engage in the company vision?

Leanne: Right. So, if you have a couple of strong leaders, or one strong leader at the top of the company that’s able to impart the vision and strategy and continue to espouse the company direction – Then, a lot of the higher management structure isn’t needed, because the work is being done at the mid or lower level. So, when you have a couple of strong leaders that keep that focus going, then the middle and the lower levels are the important ones. There have been a lot of corporations that I have been in that – the upper 20% of the company could be gone for three months, and they wouldn’t even notice that. But the lower 20% could not be gone for two or three days without them having a hit to the bottom line. So, I do think that we will be more flat.

Tabitha: So, what can people do to get ready for the jobs that will be opening in the next couple of years as we come out of this recession?

Leanne: One of the things that I think that workers can do now in preparation for openings that are coming up is to read books like the one you were talking about [Linchpin]. You know , go to a Barnes and Noble and look through books on innovation or creativity. You know, we are all born with 100% creativity. We all have that ability to be creative. It is over time that it is squelched.

Tabitha: Let’s say I’m managing a team of people who are entry level. And I’ve hired them all, they are all on board, they are all doing a fairly good job, but I know they have the potential to go farther. How do I, as a manager – engage people who plan on being here for a couple of years and moving on – How do I engage them in the larger company vision?

Leanne: First off, you have got to be a mid-manager that respects your people, so they can respect you. You’ve got to give people the respect and the time to get to know you and establish a rapport with your team. Once you’ve got that going on, and they actually like who you are – That’s so much of the battle – People (especially entry people who are just coming into a company) like being a part of a community – part of a team. Engaging them in an activity or a task that is at a higher level and gaining their contributions automatically makes them start to feel that they are a part of the organization. They matter.

So, don’t treat them as a short-term employee. Don’t treat them as somebody temporary. Engage them just like they are a long-term employee. Because you want to get the most out of them no matter whether they are there for 6 months or 5 years. So often we have a tendency to look at those people who are entry level, or moving on in a couple of years in a different way, and we leave them out of the more strategic, visionary things.

I recently was in an organization that was 2,000 people, multiple levels. And it was a paramilitary organization. From the very start, as a consultant there – I said, “You know we need to engage everybody in the process.”

We were really looking at the future years, you know, the next ten years and diagnosing: What do we need to do more of? What do we need to do less of? Where are the gaps we need to fill? We actually went down to the bottom line level of employees that were just coming in to be trained (they may not even have a position in the future, but they were going through a training program; some of them would drop out). And I got questioned. People were asking, “Why do we engage way down to that level?” Because you want everybody in the organization to drive what happens today and in the future. And it was very interesting what these people’s reaction as they would come to these meetings, and there would be VP’s all the way down to – some of them were 19 years old. But those people contributed, and it was a real growing experience for those who were entry level to really understand and support what was going on, the decisions that were happening. I saw those same people volunteer for committees, you know volunteer for projects that were outside of the work hours. Why? Because they were a part of things at that point – they understood – they formed relationships with other people, they felt valued.

My time with Ms. Edwards seemed to fly by. I have several more pages of notes from our interview that simply won’t fit into this article, and I came away with a better picture of the people and organizations that will be valued in this new economy.

In this new economy, people are expected to bring more value to the table than they did before. Employers are looking for people who will contribute in new and creative ways that will help the company to innovate and create strategies for the future. With this need for innovative and resourceful gamechangers, employee engagement at every level will be essential in the days to come. Companies would be wise to engage all levels of employees in order to let them know where they fit in the bigger picture of the company vision. After that, employees will need permission to innovate and be creative – which sometimes means failure before success. As we move forward, fear-based hierarchical structures are on their way out, and if left unchanged, will create future employee gaps as people look to work for companies that value their people. The strongest organizations among us will be the ones that pay the price to hire the key players that can make a difference – and invest in them.

Generation Y. What picture comes to your mind when I use that phrase? Do you have visions of skateboards and laptops dancing in your head? Do you have preconceived notions of what they want, who they are, and how they operate in the marketplace? Whatever your perception of Millennials, you can be sure that they will challenge it.

I’m a part of Generation X – and frankly, for the most part, I like Gen Y. Millennials exude confidence, they understand and demand the need for work-life balance, and they speak their minds. That being said, I decided to sit down with a Millennial, and get the story straight from the generation that has caused such a buzz recently.

This week I had the opportunity to talk with Alec Johns of Absolute Development, a real-estate development company founded by Johns and partner TJ Frank in early 2006. Alec is a great example of Generation Y. He is an entrepreneur, creating his own destiny rather than having dictated for him. He is intelligent, financially savvy, comfortable with technology and not one to be boxed in either intellectually or in business. Alec has his hands in several businesses including a food company, and another company that produces a clinical laser device. Not only that, but he consistently donates time and resources to the non-profit organizations that interest him. He makes ya wanna get off the couch, doesn’t he?

Tabitha: Alec, thank you for taking the time to meet with me. So, tell me a little bit about what you do and how you got into it.

Alec: Well, I am an entrepreneur. I went to college for about three semesters and decided that I would rather work. My dad had his own homebuilding company, and I went to work for him. He put me through all of the departments in the homebuilding company, (through warranty, accounting, all of them). . . and as I was going through them he said, “Pick the one you like and run with it.” So I did.

I chose land development. Eventually, I took over the Land Development Department for the company and started developing land for my dad. After a year and a half I started buying my own deals, and I ran both his company and my own.

Tabitha: Now, I know that you have other businesses…what made you decide to expand from land development into other things?

Alec: I am the kind of person who likes to have my hands in a lot of things – and I like opportunity. You know, when the real estate market slowed down, I was fortunate enough to be able to weather the storm. (I am still weathering the storm – it isn’t over for real estate.) When it slowed down, my income for real estate went down, so I had to find other things to keep me busy. That was the major thing – I had the free time, because people were not buying land. I had to find something to keep me busy – because I can’t just sit still.

Tabitha: I understand! So, let me ask you about this restlessness – A lot of people are saying that Millennials won’t stay in one position for very long – or that they are always looking for the “next thing”. Why do you think so many of the people in your generation exhibit that pattern? Do you think you all have a certain level of confidence or is there an open-mindedness in your generation that allows you to do that? I mean, what do you think brings that dynamic?

Alec: I would hope that we are confident. It’s true, I see my friends stay in a job for a year, and then they are on to something else. You know, though, I think that the workplace has changed in our generation. People used to learn a trade and stay in it for the rest of their lives. I mean, I know people who have been doing the same thing for 60 years….and they are still working. As for my generation, I hope this pattern is because of open-mindedness, and not short attention spans or some kind of generational ADD.

Tabitha: Whatever it is, Millennials are on the move, and they are moving to the companies and the positions that are able to attract them. There are companies out there that want to acquire them because they are tech savvy and innovative. Can you tell me a little bit about how your generation would innovate as opposed to how a boomer might innovate?

Alec: Well, yes. I think you are right about our relationship with technology. [I think that is a tool that we would use to innovate.] I know a hairdresser who is 27 years old, and built his entire business and clientele through Facebook and MySpace.

Tabitha: So, If I were a company that was seeking out new grads, or Gen Y employees what would I do to attract them? What would make a Millennial want to work for me? What kind of benefits would attract someone like you?

Alec: You know, I think strong leadership would attract me, personally – someone that is going to be innovative and at the cutting edge of their industry.

Tabitha: So, let’s say you accept a job with an organization. What kind of things would keep someone like you there?

Alec: A healthy work environment where thoughts and ideas can be exchanged freely… A company that is all about responsibility. A boss with a “buck stops here” policy, that doesn’t blame all mistakes on the rookies, and I think a financially sound company. I like to see a company that runs their business as debt-free as possible. Debt really bothers me.

Tabitha: Let me ask you about that. I am discovering that a lot of people in your generation are truly financially astute. Millennials are getting their first jobs, and signing up immediately for a 401K. What do you think makes your generation respond to their finances with such competence?

Alec: You know, I think there are resources out there that are really starting to wake people up. I think that people have seen their friends or family members who have struggled. And I know that Dave Ramsey is huge all over the States because people are starting to see that credit card debt is pointless and that you can live within your means.

Tabitha: Let me ask you this – you grew up in a generation where there was a lot of turbulence. I mean, if we look back, it probably started with the Challenger explosion, and then school shootings, the Lewinski scandal, and 9-11, then Hurricanes Katrina and Rita – I mean the list could go on and on… How do you think that has affected your generation? I mean, has it made you more cynical or more aware of things? And how do you think that affects your approach to work from day to day?

Alec: Well I noticed in my social circle, that a lot of us were getting out of high school and college right around September 11th. The country joined together, and put political preferences aside for a while. I think it has helped our generation. I think we kind of got thick-skinned coming out of college. I mean a lot of people spent $75,000 on a good college education, and came out to find that there were no jobs. We went through a tough time, but I think that we are getting through it, and I think my generation is coming along.

Tabitha: So, how do you think that has changed your perspective on work-life balance? Is your work your life or does your life take precedent over work – or is it a combination? Do your work and your life intertwine or is there a definitive line between your work and your life?

Alec: A lot of people that know me say that I am a workaholic. I like to work; I enjoy working. But I don’t lose sleep over work. I mean, I leave try my personal emotions at the door when I come into work and I leave my emotions from work at the door when I leave the office. I try not to mix the two, because in order for me to stay mentally healthy – I have to try to separate the two.

Tabitha: One of the reasons I chose you, Alec, is because of the kind of person you are, and because of your success as an entrepreneur. Is there anything else that you would like to say about your own generation?

Alec: Well, truthfully, there are a few things that frustrate me about my own generation. We have all of this relationship with technology – and I think that sometimes that my generation abuses it. I think that sometimes between texting and emails, we are losing some of the English language. I think that people start to become slaves to their email box, but I think that as long as people in my generation have a purpose, and stay anxiously engaged in good causes, I think that we are on the right track.

I enjoyed talking with Alec. It was encouraging. His generation has truly grown up in a new age. A turbulent age that has made them tough. Now, I won’t deny that there are Millennials that are late for work, dress poorly, are selfish or argumentative, but every generation has a few of those, right? (I can feel a few Gen X’ers looking away.“Come as you are” – wasn’t just a song, right?) The truth is, that if the multi-generational workforce that exists today has been presented with a challenge in Generation Y. If we are going to focus on the future with this generation or even the generation after them – we will have to know them well enough to do business with them, to work with them, and to innovate with them.

Tabitha Woods is Marketing Coordinator for Delta Dallas. Reach her at 972-788-2300 or twoods@deltadallas.com.

An Interview with Dr. Beverly Kaye, Founder and CEO, Career Systems International

Every once in a while you are presented with an opportunity that requires little other than a simple and resounding YES on your part. This was the case last week when I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Beverly Kaye, author of Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em. (If you recall, Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em was the subject of last month’s book review in Hire View Magazine.) Through that review, I was connected with Dr. Kaye, and discovered that she would be in Dallas for a presentation. After a few emails to her team, I was not only permitted to interview her, but she invited me to an intimate preview of her new HR training product CareerPower 3.0. It was fascinating.

Not only is Dr. Kaye an individual with over 30 years of experience in the HR training industry, but she is also a woman with her finger on the future of training and employee retention. I asked Dr. Kaye, during our lunch together, what direction she saw employers and employees moving in as we come out of this recession.

Tabitha: I guess my first question for you, Dr. Kaye, is where you believe this market is going. Are employers going to start hiring again? Do you think we are moving deeper into recovery?

Dr Kaye: (Laughing) My thinking is too influenced by what I want it to be . . and I don’t know that I can separate it. But, yes, I think we are. I also think we will see hiring again; in fact, some of the research that I’ve read is that we are going to rehire at least 25% of the people that we have let go.

Tabitha: So let me ask you this, what about the employees that remain? You call them the “Kept On Workforce”**. These employees who have absorbed additional production expectations from lay-offs, and have lost some work-life balance – do you think they will look to move when the recovery ramps up?

Dr. Kaye: Yes, people are getting ready to move on. We [the employers] need to ask people, “What do you want and can you find it right here?” Because the moving on doesn’t help anybody. It doesn’t help corporate America, because they will have to retrain, retrain, retrain – and it doesn’t help the person that is exiting. In other words [when you stay with a company] you build up all kinds of equity. You build up not only your financial equity, but you build up your influence equity. (For example, “I know how to get this done because I know the assistant to…”) You also build a kind of skill equity. (To Tabitha) In other words, you, Tabitha, could look at a marketing job in another organization, and even though it said “marketing” [in the job description] and you have been in marketing for all these years, the very way that they do it causes you to use your skills differently. So, I think the issue is: Is the “greener pasture” actually Astroturf, or is it real?

Employers need to ask their managers, “Have you told your people recently that you appreciate them? That you care about them?”

I write a Year-End note to every single solitary person in my organization. Something personal. I say to many people, “I want you to stay. I want you with this organization.” We know that we would be less without them.

Tabitha: When people start to fill out their teams again, what kind of person do you think that they will be looking for in this new economy?

Dr. Kaye: I think that people are asking, [everyone is saying this] “Can this person deal with ambiguity?”  Employers want to know, “If I give you a job, and I don’t quite define it all, how comfortable are you dealing with the ambiguous parts?” This is a part of the self-powered careerist. (A new term coined by Dr. Kaye in her latest work.) The self-powered careerist will say, “Oh – wow, I can make this job match me.” Whereas some people will say, “I need more definition, more definition, more definition.” The truth is that some leaders are not going to be able to give the definition that some employees crave. They want them to discover and create it.

If I am not innovating, I am dead. So [as an employer] maybe one of the new characteristics I am looking for is “employee as innovator.” And perhaps one of the interview questions I will ask is: “How innovative did you get back when you were out of work?” Did you decide to learn, learn, learn everything you could through this period no matter what?

Tabitha: Do people find creative ways to deal with their situations?

Dr Kaye: I think that some do and some don’t. The people that I have talked to – the out of work people – respond differently. Some get in the “woe is me” stage and stay there, and some are re-inventing themselves. Some have gone back to school, some are going to every networking meeting that they can, and some are taking on small projects – from anywhere. When this is over, perhaps they will be able to thread the small projects together and give themselves a new way to showcase themselves.

Tabitha: What do you think employees will be looking for in an employer? If, say, they have been out of a job for six months, and someone offers them a job, will they jump on it? Will they care if an employer has a good reputation or not?

Dr. Kaye: My advice to those people is: Look before you leap. There are so many ways to find out about a company nowadays, on the net. But you know, there are going to be those people [self-powered careerists] who get a job, and then make it what they need it to be. The self-powered careerist will come into a company with more of a game plan.

Generalizations are so hard to make. Some workers will stay bitter, they might come back with a chip on their shoulder, or they will be eager, or over-eager. But they are not going to buy in to the “vision, mission, and values” easily, and maybe that’s a good thing. They are going to look at your vision statement and mission statement and say, “How does this play out – really?” And they are going to listen to what’s “corp-speak” and what’s real. What are the words that I know you are just using because you use them with everybody and they sound good?

Those on the recruiting end have done a lot of targeted interviewing and probe for examples of the competencies we are looking for. I think they [potential employees] are going to target interview employers. So, if in an interview, you [the employer] say, “Yes, we develop people.” They are going to say, “Well, tell me how you would go about doing. . .” and you are going to have to talk about cases and talk about stories within the organization in detail.

One of the most valuable take-away’s from my meeting with Dr. Kaye was her eye on the future. She is connected, to be sure, worldwide. But I had an opportunity to watch her interact with some of her clients first-hand. She has her finger on the pulse of what is going on in employment through her variety of connections in a wide-range of industries in a myriad of locations. That being said, I think the best gift we can all give ourselves at the moment, employers and employees alike is to pay attention. I think that as we search, view, and work to understand the ever-changing landscape of the employment world, that we will need to constantly re-tool our skills and our organizations to stay relevant. I appreciate the opportunity to have met someone like Dr. Kaye who has done so for over 30 years.

**Recommended Reading: The Kept On Workforce of 2009 by Dr. Beverly Kaye.

Tabitha Woods is Marketing Coordinator for Delta Dallas. You can reach her at 972-788-2300 or twoods@deltadallas.com.

Volume. The mere mention of volume when it comes to hiring can produce sweaty palms in most hiring managers. When I think of doing anything in volume, an unforgettable picture comes to mind. I think of the “I Love Lucy” episode in which Ethel and Lucy go to work for a chocolate factory. They struggle to assemble the few chocolates they are given, and then their supervisor increases the quantity of chocolates they have to make. Eventually, they crash. They can’t handle the volume.

High-volume hiring is also intense. It can be challenging and overwhelming in any industry. To top that off, our present economy leaves little room for expensive mistakes when it comes to human capital decisions. No pressure.

Employers that hire high volumes of employees have specific challenges to face when it comes to hiring. One of the greatest concerns in a high volume environment is safe hiring. High Volume Employers (HVE’s) know that if they don’t take measures to conduct pre-employment screening and exercise due diligence in hiring, it is a statistical certainty that they are sitting ducks for expensive litigation, workplace violence, false claims, theft, embezzlement and economic loss. On the other hand…most HVE’s are facing budget restraints. A balance has to be met.

The Danger
Let’s look at the facts. Just one bad hire can cost a firm literally millions. Studies show that screening reveals criminal records for up to 10% of job applicants and at least one-third of all resumes contain material falsehoods. For food establishments, manufacturers, hotels and other businesses that have a national brand, one negative employee-caused event can result in significant damage to the company brand. Who has the time or the money for that?

The Cost
Large hourly employers face enormous financial and logistical challenges in implementing safe hiring programs. Screening large numbers of candidates can be expensive and time consuming. HVE’s tend to work in industries with large numbers of hourly, seasonal, temporary or contract workers and/or significant turnover. With that in mind, how can these employers protect themselves without breaking the bank?

The Balance
The answer is probably less complicated than it first appears. One way to bring costs down is to add weight to the front-end of the hiring process. Many firms make the mistake of believing that in order to show due diligence, they need to spend a great deal of money to perform background checks and criminal record research. It doesn’t have to be. Employers can train their hiring managers to weed out potential problems at the beginning of the process by implementing a thorough screening strategy that includes:

• a company-structured application
• a phone screen
• thorough behavioral interviews with at least two hiring managers
• in-house skills testing
• reference checks

By intensifying the front-end of the process, you can eliminate most candidates that could have been a problem, anyway. Only when the candidate has passed the front end of your process, do you need to perform a background check. You can save screening costs by only doing a background check on candidates you are ready to hire. Finally, be sure to keep several qualified candidates in your pipeline in case some of your final choices fall through.

All Aboard
The most important thing you can put into place for this strategy is a system. If you recall, Lucy and Ethel were pushed into a room with no training, and given no set strategy for getting the job done. They had the tools, but no instruction. Make sure that your entire hiring staff is on board with the new strategy and are trained to interpret applications and conduct interviews with high perception and efficiency.

Evaluate
After your system has been in place for 30-60 days, plan to evaluate the efficiency and efficacy of your program. Check and re-check attrition rates and causes, and begin to adjust your plan to improve in weak areas. Most importantly, communicate any changes to your plan quickly and clearly, company-wide. Let your hiring managers know that a portion of their compensation and advancement will be based on the attention they pay to the hiring process. Organizations typically thrive in areas that are measured, audited and rewarded.

We are heading into 2010, and everyone is looking forward to continued recovery. However, we have to prepare ourselves for the new expectations that accompany a downturn of the magnitude we have just experienced. Corporations are already beginning to hire again, but with the cost of turnover presenting at 1.5 times the salary for a position…we don’t have the time or the money for hiring mistakes. Now is the time to innovate new screening strategies with your team. The team you build now will be the team that evaluates and trains the new hires once this recovery speeds up. Prepare them for success.

Melissa Johnson is Assistant Vice President with Delta Dallas Call Center Staffing. Reach her at 972-788-2300 or mjohnson@deltadallas.com

Do your employees have an acute case of “Stickitothemaniosis”? If you have never heard of this term, it was coined by Jack Black in the movie School of Rock. Stickitothemaniosis is a disease characterized by the uncontrollable urge to “stick it to the man”. Most often this disease can, in fact, be found in rock bands and is easily cured with a very loud and distorted guitar solo. Today, however, this terminal disease has mutated, spread to corporate America and is affecting the workforce in epidemic proportions.

Right now, employers are functioning with a survival mentality. Jackets are off, sleeves are rolled up, and company leaders have been laboring twice as hard as they ever have in order to press toward company goals in this economy. However, many leaders have not been paying attention to their constituents during this recession; and their constituents’ commitment levels are dropping. They have “Stickitothemaniosis” and they have got it bad.

Do your employees view you as “the man” or do they view you as a leader that is worth following all the way to company goals? Are they inspired by your vision of the future at your company or are they looking around for other options?

What if they knew that you were doing your best to keep them on, and that you too were hoping for better times that haven’t come yet? You wouldn’t be “the man” anymore. You would be the head of a team that is engaged, interdependent, and invested in the future of your organization.

During times of economic stress, your company brand can suffer in the eyes of your employees – even with the best of efforts. Why? Jack Welch, in his recent article, Winning Back a Wary Workforce asserts that the employment climate has changed. He says that the American workforce has experienced a fundamental shift in attitude toward working for “the man” and that future trends will make hiring even harder for big business.

Think about it . . . In the past two years, employees have seen their co-workers get laid off; those lay-offs have shifted work onto remaining workers, and in an effort to cut costs, some employers have begun to shave benefits. So even if you are an employer who has done everything you know to do for your employees in this environment – the increased pressure created from the realities of a recession can leave workers with a bad taste in their mouths. They can become disengaged, and could leave just as soon as the economy begins to move forward. With that in mind, leaders need to take action now to ensure that their employees are committed and feel valued.

Trust Begets Employee Engagement
Trust is one of the most essential and intangible factors of a fully functioning team. Teams that can stay cohesive in this economy are poised for success when recovery begins to build. It’s a simple fact: Employee trust produces employee engagement and employee engagement produces higher production levels. Conversely, employee disengagement leads to a self-focused rather than team or company-focused attitude, and production can suffer. A disengaged workforce affects your bottom line. (Who needs that in a recession?)

The beginning of this much-needed trust begins with confidence in current leadership. In their book, Credibility, authors James Kouzes and Barry Posner place honesty, the ability to be forward-looking, competence, and a talent to inspire at the top of their list of qualities that credible leaders possess. These qualities are even more vital in today’s environment. Begin now to build trust with your employees by being transparent. Consider the following:

BE HONEST
Be honest with your employees about the state of affairs at your organization and where they stand.

BE FORWARD-LOOKING
Give your employees insight into your vision and plans for your company’s future and/or the future of your department. It will let them know that they considered a part of that future and give them direction.

BE COMPETENT
Let your employees know what you are doing to make a difference right now. Tell them your plans for organizational and departmental success. Most of all, let them know how they are included in those plans. Execute those plans and include your constituents in your successes.

BE INSPIRING
Replace your team’s microcosmic view of their individual roles by inspiring them with a wide vision of your company’s future. Give them the big picture. This will engage them in the company’s goals, and once they are engaged – they can invest themselves in the company’s future. No one wants to work toward a future that fails to inspire.

Now is the time to position your team for recovery. Transparent and forward-thinking leadership will help to develop wider perspective in your teams. “Stickitothemaniosis” can be eliminated when you and your constituents build trust. Mutual respect, honest communication and shared vision will bring out the best in your employees. Press through to company goals by inspiring your employees to high engagement. Engaged, productive, inspired and committed employees are worth the effort.

Kim Follis is Vice President for Delta Dallas. Reach her at 972-788-2300 or kfollis@deltadallas.com

“When people honor each other, there is a trust established that leads to synergy, interdependence, and deep respect. Both parties make decisions and choices based on what is right, what is best, what is valued most highly.” Blaine Lee