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Are managers ignoring their employees? - A new study

Six Pillars for dealing with your emotions in hard times - Prof. Ben Bryant, IMD Switzerland

1. Mindfulness. One of the dangers of excessive anxiety is losing track of  our surroundings. The impact of stress can lead to a vicious cycle of mindless action. In a crisis we must be aware that we are experiencing thoughts and emotions in response to temporary uncertainty.
2. Empathy. When the environment creates uncertainty, we as leaders more than ever need to tune into understanding other people’s emotions.  Maslow’s hierarchy of needs can help to underpin at what level people’s  emotions are. Emotions are an expression of people’s needs not being met. The downturn can raise fears that capabilities are no longer valued.
3. Be a container for others. Let people feel your presence when they need you. You need to be grounded, absorbing some of the uncertainty otherwise people can get into a “wobble”.  Just be there for them.
4. Dialogue is Critical. Expect people to argue more and even lose it with each other in a downturn. Just as people need to be contained they also need to be given opportunity to talk to ventilate what is going on inside of them.  Dialogue is essential to help people vent their deeper down emotions.
5. Action rather than inhibition. Inhibition is one of the common consequences of  increased  levels of anxiety. As anxiety starts to dominate the situation, inhibition becomes the enemy of action and the enemy of leadership. Use small steps, taking action as the leader to ensure that you and others focus your energy purposefully. In a downturn people often interpret actions as unpleasant, they misinterpret or see it in a amplified way beyond it’s original meaning.
6.  Self-Renewal. In a downturn it could be a good time to ask questions of ourselves and others, because now we have an opportunity to confront things we take for granted. With your team take time to question personal and team assumptions. Understanding and allowing people to vent their internal responses, is an essential part of being an effective leader.
   

Falling in love again... all over... again!

Annie Coetzee reporting on the 15th Annual Creativity Conference

It has been said that when you are in love, it shows. This is not just true about loving your soul mate. It’s also true about loving your life! There is an energy that shines around you that money cannot buy and everybody needs!

I recently returned from the 15th Annual International Creativity Conference in Africa and explored with other creativity champions the value and fun of falling in love with the creative spirit inside all of us. The question is: Have you ever fallen in love with it!?

"If you want to glow, then discover your own creativity and explore all the possibilities and make things happen. It start in the mind."

Living a creative life,  is only a little less exciting than falling in love with your partner. It begins somewhere in the head and the heart. It keeps moving and behaves like molten steel,  the shape is forming very quickly and, once cool, is hard to change. Like a dizzy spell, you can’t tell how much time it took out of your day – however – it leaves you with a perfectly clear image of what is possible if you allow the creative spirit to really move in you and connect you with people who are willing to help you and build into your life, greater dreams and a brighter future.

I discovered that highly creative people open up their feelings, are sensitively aware of themselves and others, and definitely have a heart! We’re living in exciting times: a time where the brain is happy when the heart with all its intuitive powers, become part of the creative team. Yes, the mind-body-connection has finally come to acknowledge that the heart also thinks, feels and communicates. The heart has become a formidable partner in living the creative life.

People from across the world gathered and shared around the HUB the magic of living a creative life. We discussed our stories, experiences and most of all how we grow and are becoming more of what we truly can. We mostly agreed that it’s like falling in love with life….all over again! I believe the world needs more happy people. I also believe the world needs people who are willing to share and connect and enrich others’ lives.

One of the most valuable pointers I brought back from the conference, was a question we all had to ask ourselves: “HOW do you spend the first 15 minutes of the day?” What are you doing or thinking?’

Studies have shown that those first 15 minutes pave the rest of your day! I was overwhelmed with the truth of that! And I’m still walking around with a big smile on my face: Life is really beautiful! We must simply live it!

Annie Coetzee was one of the presenters at the conference and her workshops were titled: ‘Maximizing your emotional energy NOW!’ More about Annie on www.anniecoetzee.co.za

ASTD Membership

Thank you for all individual members and corporate members for your ongoing support. Our current Corporate Gold members (20 plus members) are:  Sasol, BHP Billiton, Goldfields, Telkom and S.A. Post Office. Our current Silver members (6 – 19 members) are SARCC, Unilever (new member), S.A.Development Bank, First Rand Bank, Petro S.A., Postillion, S.A. Blood Services, Nestle and Standard Bank.  Please help by paying dues on time. For new members wishing to join see details on www.astd.co.za under membership.

2008 State of the Industry report is now available on CD or electronically -  R350 for non-members and R300 for members (VAT excl). Contact Juanita on juanitapro@mweb.co.za. If you need to bench mark against what other companies are doing in the Training and Development field, this is the only annual research report in S.A. which gives you these important insights.