These are challenging times. The unraveling of the stock market, the freezing of the credit markets, combined with an economy that is in a recession, have created headwinds that are making it much harder for organizations to profitably do business. Industries that are finding this environment incredibly difficult include: retail, auto, financial, and travel, just to name a few. Even cities and counties who rely on sales and property taxes are finding that this year, they no longer have the income to fund the programs they have in past years.

The impact of these changes is having significant ramifications on many organizations, both large and small. Leaders are struggling with increased pressure and their accountability for the performance of the organizations. Many employees, especially those close to retirement, have watched their 401K or IRA accounts decrease by 50% or more in a few short months. Some have lost hope, faith and trust in the future. More than ever, in these times of challenge and uncertainty, employees are looking for leaders who can successfully guide them through the turbulent white waters of change to a better place.

As a leader, what can you do to keep your employees fired up in this down economy? Today we offer ten tips to help you improve morale, increase productivity and make these difficult times just a little bit better.
 

Strive for excellence, not perfection,

Peter B. Stark and Jane S. Flaherty

2. Ensure everyone is clear on the goals.

Having a clear compelling vision is not enough. Every organization, every division, every department and every employee needs clear goals of what needs to be achieved in a specific time frame to achieve the vision. We recently conducted interviews at an organization where less than 20 percent of the respondents could identify the organizations top three goals. As one employee we interviewed told us, “I like reading mysteries. But, I would prefer not to work in one.” When goals are clear, employees are motivated to take the right actions to create success in the organization. Ensure that each of your team members has a clear understanding of their own specific goals, as well as how their goals align with your team’s goals and ultimately how your team’s goals support the organization's overall goals, or strategic plan.

3. Take Action.

Focus on what you can do. In bad environments, people tend to blame things on others when things are not going well. We could blame the economy. Better yet, we could blame the President. Steve Forbes likes to blame the Administration’s monetary policy. Almost always, when people place blame, they are focused on what they can’t control. Ensure that each team member has a list of what they are going to accomplish. It would be easy for a sales team member to say that because of the economy, it is not even worth making cold calls or going out to meet prospective customers. Not taking action will only reinforce what you currently believe about the economy.

4. Meet often.

 In difficult times, people don’t like to meet because it is hard to find good things to talk about. People would prefer to hide in their offices or cubicles, heads buried in work, than sit down and talk about reality. When you meet, review what actions you have taken to improve your situation since the last time you met and build the new goals and actions you will be taking the following week. People feel emotionally better and more motivated when they are moving forward. When people are not taking action, they tend to sit around telling each other how bad things really are. The most negative employees usually predict things will get worse.

5. Create a sense of urgency.

Some organizations are going to come out of this economic downturn stronger than others. We now have the time to do all the things we need to do to improve our organizations, taking actions that we could never take when the economy is strong and we are busy. If your organization is going to emerge stronger than ever when the economy improves, you need to start now! Move fast. Make it happen.

6. Value, appreciate and recognize your employees.

In tough times, it is easy to be focused on what is wrong and what is not being done. In challenging times, a significant portion of your leadership team will be focused on solving problems, and for some leaders, fighting for the very survival of their organizations. During these tough times, it is important to value and appreciate your team members. Recognize them for the significant contributions they are making to ensure your success. When almost everything people are hearing is bad, when someone speaks positively, it really stands out. Don’t ever underestimate the power of genuine recognition for a job well done.

7. Ensure that every employee is learning and growing. During the down times when you don’t have all the business you once did, use the time to build the skills of your workforce. Refine processes, learn new technologies and increase efficiencies. When the economy does improve, your organization is going to be stronger than ever. Most employees feel more positive and motivated, (and like you better as a leader) when they are learning and feel like they are becoming an even more valuable employee.

8. Accountability counts.

More than ever, in tough times, we need performance to rise to a level that it has never been before. When business slows, there are some people who feel that this is the time to take a breather. Exactly the opposite is what we need to happen. We need everyone to step up to the plate and deliver more results than they have ever done before. If there are not enough customers to serve, you have more time to coach and mentor so that your employees’ skills are continually improving. Today is the time to address any lingering performance issues, so that when the economy changes, we emerge the strongest of our competitors with a focused, highly productive, motivated group of employees.

9. Get out of your office.

During times of uncertainty, people talk. When employees don’t have information, they speculate, often creating a worse-case scenario. Outlaw gossip, particularly about potential layoffs, business closures, salaries and bonuses. Instead, get out of your office and be in touch with employees on a daily basis. Ask them what they want to know. Keep them updated with your most current information, even if you have to preface it with, “Based on what I know today, which could change in the future . . .” Ask them what they need from you to ensure their success. While you may not be able to completely eliminate gossip, you can certainly trump speculation with reality.

10. Be optimistic.

This too will pass. Every employee is looking for a leader who truly believes that tomorrow is going to be better than today….and has the vision, goals and plan to turn optimism into reality. You can be that leader!

Need help? Peter Barron Stark & Associates has been building organizations where employees love to come to work and customers love to do business for more than twenty years.

Our Services Include:

• Leadership Engagement (Leadership Training, 360° Evaluations, Coaching)

• Employee Engagement (Surveys, Training, Coaching)

• Executive Engagement ( Strategic Planning, Meeting Facilitation)

• Customer Engagement (Surveys, Training)

• Negotiation  and Persuasion Training

Please visit our website, www.pbsconsulting.com, contact us via email, peter@pbsconsulting.com or call us toll free, 877.727.6468.

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