I don’t know the origin of the term “all hands meeting.” Sometimes people refer to it by the acronym AHM.  Just a little advice — AHM can also refer to:

• Automated Hacking Machines
• Adaptive Handoff Management
• Airline History Museum
• Airport Handling Manual
• Anterior Hyaloid Membrane

…and over a dozen other terms, so personally I would avoid it.  Could be confusing.  As acronyms usually are.

Anyway, I would venture the All Hand Meeting term originated with the maritime phrase “all hands on deck.”  Picture the ship captain (that’s YOU!  Or the EXECUTIVE TEAM!), charting a course (the BUSINESS STRATEGY), and then calling the crew (EMPLOYEES) up top for a hearty kick in the wooly britches.  The captain urges the swashbucklers to toughen up for the voyage (NEXT QUARTER), brace for the next storm (STRUGGLING GLOBAL ECONOMY, NEW COMPETITIVE CHALLENGES), and fortify themselves for a long stretch without provisions (BUDGET CUTS), not to mention and stingy meals of stale bread and water (LOUSY RAISES AND BONUSES).   Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum! 

Ah! The All Hands Meeting.  What will you say when you get up to speak about the state of the organization?  How will you stand and deliver a talk that perfectly frames the current issues, challenging people to move forward and redouble their efforts?  

The purpose of the all hands meeting is quite simple.  Think of it as the President’s State of the Union Address.  You may not get 40 standing ovations on live TV, but your talk should stir genuine emotion from your employees.  Strive to speak eloquently, succinctly and clearly about the current and future state of the enterprise.  Paint a vision of where you have been and where you are going.  Get out the compass, set a course, and tell us how we get to that distant shore.

So, your AHM is coming up soon.  Where should you begin?

May I suggest that the first step is NOT to pull out the musty, old slide deck from the LAST quarter’s all hands meeting.  Think about starting from scratch, and preparing a fresh, new, “killer” presentation.  

What you say matters.  Every word.  Take time to make it great.  Getting people together isn’t logistically easy, and it’s expensive.  And your own professional reputation is riding on this.  You’re evaluated as a leader every time you get up to speak.  Make it count. 

One thing about this fall that’s worth noting - people are still feeling “at sea” because of economic uncertainty.  You would think they would be more motivated to work hard.  But people are actually  paralyzed by fear.  Clear the log jam and get that ship sailing.  

I do everything in my power to shut out the drumbeat of negative economic news, as I know you do.  But  most people don’t.  So it takes a toll.  They need leaders who will stand up and lead. People are only human; they’ve been resourceful for a long time, projects are demanding, and they are tired.  They need to be inspired.

My advice? To inspire, you have to BE inspired.   Ask yourself these questions and then answer them for your team: 

1.        Where are we going? And why is it the right course?  How do you know?

2.       What makes you believe it can be done?  

3.       How do you know that our team can do this?  

4.       Where can we course-correct?   

5.       How do you know we can do it? 

6.       What’s cool about our company? (Tell them how brilliant they are)  

7.       How will we know when we’ve arrived?   

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In Chinese philosophy the concept of Yin Yang, often referred to in the West as Yin and Yang, is used to describe how seeming disjunct or opposing forces are interconnected and interdependent, giving rise to each other in turn. Dark and light; male and female; low and high are all manifestations of yin and yang.

In leadership one of the yin and yang principals that I see at work are confidence and humility.  As I’ve said in past articles, great leaders have both.  More accurately, the best have a perfect balance of both. 

Last night a CEO approached me after my speech to a Chief Executives Club.  He’s been through a tough year and is feeling beaten up.  He has lost his passion for the work, isn’t connecting with his customers, and his business is faltering.  His confidence has taken a beating.  Just a guess - he probably had good balance to start.  He seemed sincere, authentic, and thoughtful.  But without the confidence he appeared tired and depressed.  It is taking a heavy toll on his personal and professional life.  

The pendulum can swing the other way - sometimes we can become full of ourselves when confidence rears ahead.  We’ve all met people who start to “believe their own press releases” and think they deserve all the credit for their own success.  We stand on the shoulders of our colleagues, teams and mentors as well as the leaders who came before us.  If we forget to praise, thank and reward people eventually it will catch up to us and have the same destructive effect.

How’s your balance of confidence and humility?  With confidence, you are able to make decisions, take risks, move ahead, deal with setbacks, and tip the balance in your favor.  With humility you’re able to open up to learning, see where you can improve, learn from your mistakes, appreciate others and keep perspective on success.

Given all that’s happened in business, it wouldn’t be surprising if many of us have fallen out of balance.   But an improving economy won’t cure that.  We have to rely on our inner resources.  Geting the balance right, finding the yin and yang of confidence and humility will make us better leaders.  How will you balance these two traits in your professional life?  

I welcome your comments as always and also wonder whether this is a topic worth exploring further in a Teleseminar or Webcast.  Let me know about other topics that interest you, too.  Click on “leave a reply” below or email me at info@bates-communications.com  

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The Wall Street Journal’s Cari Tuna reports today that the companies are returning to a process of planning and preparing responses to imagined changes or conditions.  This practice, pioneered by the US military during the 1950’s, helped Shell Oil weather oil supply and price shocks better than competitors during the 1970’s.  It’s not about predicting the future but thinking through the best and worst case scenarios.  

Of course the recession has heightened interest in preparedness.   While we’re all hoping and expecting the economy will rebound at least in 2010, even the most optimistic leader has to think about the unthinkable and plan for it.  Shocks, disruptions, unanticipated consequences, new legislation, geo political forces, even good news that results in huge orders can create stress. 

As you talk about scenarios with your team, I would encourage you to include a communications plan in your scenario building exercises.  Communication plans are often an afterthought and not well executed.  A communications plan it will provide some structure in a stressful time.  

I would also encourage you to sit down with your team and get them involved in the scenario conversation.  In this situation or that, what would they expect in their part of the business?  How would they recommend the company respond?  You will probably hear stuff you hadn’t considered.  Ask them, “What should I be thinking about?”  Get the best minds on your team focusing now, when they can consider it rationally and thoughtfully. 

One reason so many companies have fared poorly these last 12 to 18 months is that they’ve been scrambling to make up responses and communicate in situations they never anticipated.  In crisis communication breaks down; people don’t receive information well, they don’t process it well, and they don’t articulate their ideas clearly.    

I would also resist the temptation to make predictions to your team.  Provide insights about what you think might happen in the coming months and help them see what you see.  You don’t have to have all the answers.  Ask the questions and get other people to help you figure it out. 

To read the WSJ article click here.

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If you subscribe to the idea that workplaces operate a lot like families (the personalities, the relationships, the challenges) then you might be interested in some information I found while researching the long term impact of crisis on a family.  This information came from the Head Start program model for assessing crisis.

As you read these, ask yourself how it might apply to your team or organization.

During a crisis, people tend to:

Have difficulty thinking clearly.  People in crisis may quickly skip from one idea to another in conversation, making them difficult and confusing to follow.  They may have trouble relating ideas, events and activities to each other in a logical way.

Dwell on meaningless activities.  In an attempt to combat anxiety, people in crisis may become overly involved in activities that are not productive.  They are likely to need considerable help in focusing on activities that bring the crisis to an end.

Express hostility or numbness.  The feeling of loss of control and vulnerability experienced by most people in crisis may be expressed through hostile words and actions directed toward anyone who intervenes in the situation.  Others may withdraw or experience depression; they seem not to care about the crisis or its outcome

Act impulsively.  Although some people become immobilized in crisis situations there are others who react impulsively without any regard to the consequences of their behavior.  This makes a complex situation even more difficult to resolve.

Feel incompetent.  A crisis presents a threat to one’s sense of personal competency and self-worth.  To counter low self-esteem, people in crisis may assume a façade of adequacy or arrogance.

How can you counteract the impact of a prolonged state of crisis in your organization?  Here are 7 steps you can take immediately to help you take the pulse of individuals and the organization as a whole, and get people focused and on track:

1.    Schedule meetings with individuals on your team

2.        Ask them about projects they enjoy or would enjoy doing

3      Facilitate ways for them to do work they enjoy that has an impact on the organization

4.      Schedule the next meeting in two to three months to check in on how they’re doing

5      Talk about the big picture people long to work for a purpose greater than themselves

6.      Focus conversation on the future – exciting opportunities ahead – this is one of the most important tenants of crisis communication – help people see what is possible

7.      Talk about it in your meetings, your conversations and your emails – a steady flow of positive, future focused communication will alter the din of bad news

For more tips on how to lead during crisis, go to the articles section of our web site:

www.bates-communications.com/articles and click on leading in crisis.

Or go to our bookstores and order a copy of the booklet: The Power of Adversity, How to Communicate with Confidence, Make Powerful Connections, and Thrive in Challenging Times

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Here’s our latest press release - just  out this morning - on motivating employees.  Please read on, it may alter some of your assumptions about how to retain top talent and motivate people –through this economic recession and beyond.

The Top 5 Myths About Motivating Employees

Dangerous in a recession, deadly in a recovery

MEDIA CONTACT:
Sal Vittolino
Phone: (610) 359-8773
mailto:salvitt@comcast.net

In a typical workplace, only 29 percent of employees are actively motivated and engaged in their jobs, while 71 percent are unmotivated and disengaged - either not engaged at all (54 percent) or are actively disengaged (17 percent) - according to the Gallup Management Journal’s Employee Engagement Index.

“While there has been a slight uptick in employee motivation in recent surveys, this may be only temporary because it’s based on survival. As the pendulum swings back, employers should watch out - because employees will look at their jobs and their companies differently,” said Bates.

The Top 5 myths about motivating employees, according to Bates and “Motivate Like a CEO,“ are:

Myth #1: Money is the number one way to motivate employees. “Salaries and bonuses have been the staple of motivation. Most companies relied primarily, even completely, on monetary rewards,” said Bates. “Money is only one of many factors in motivation. Yet companies have become lazy about motivating people instead of giving them what they really crave, which is recognition, praise, and the opportunity to learn.”

Myth #2: If you want to motivate people, don’t let them in on the bad news. “This is a particularly damaging myth. Bad news always gets out to employees. They hate it when you hide bad news; they consider themselves partners in the company, and they long for a chance to contribute and make a difference, especially in tough times,” said Bates. “The surest way to motivate people is to empower them even with terrible news, so they can come to terms with reality, think their way through the crisis, and contribute to creative solutions going forward,” said Bates.


Myth #3: Most employees know what motivates them. “Many people are searching for a larger purpose, and they are not finding it in their work,” said Bates. “In challenging times, employers can become a powerful source of motivation and pride among talented people. In a downturn, leaders must talk to employees and help them discover who they are and what motivates them. Spend time with them; ask them why they enjoy the work, what they enjoy most, how they want to contribute, and where they see themselves in the future,” said Bates.

Myth #4: You simply cannot motivate everyone. “This was true in boom times, when organizations were bloated and some people you hired were marginal. Those days are over,” said Bates. “Now that companies have downsized and are arguably leaner and meaner with the best talent, this is a damaging assumption. It is a leader’s responsibility to motivate employees. It’s time to stop blaming employees, and start looking to leaders to ignite the spark,” said Bates.

Myth #5: People are just grateful to have a job, and this attitude will survive the downturn. “Top talent will always have a place to go, and while they may have had less mobility during the recession, your competitors are already looking around to see who is unhappy and ready to leave,” said Bates. “Employers who keep believing their people are just grateful to have a job will be blindsided when their top talent walks out the door because they don’t have leaders who are engaging them, praising them, recognizing them, and giving them opportunities to grow.”

If you are member of the media and would like to schedule an interview or set up a time to speak with Suzanne, please contact: Sal Vitollino - salvitt@comcast.net

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The turnaround is coming.  You may already feel it.  The phone is starting to ring. Customers are coming out of their caves.  They’re talking about new projects and purchases they’ve been putting off, things that they just don’t want to delay any more.  Yes, budgets are tight, but you sense things beginning to happen.  It’s in the air.  And, you may think you’re more than ready– it’s been a long, cold winter.  But is your organization ready for the upturn?  Are your leaders ready to lead in this new world?   

Let me give you an example of where some companies may get tripped up.  Let’s say you’ve completed anticipated layoffs but the restructuring is midstream; there is still a lot of confusion within businesses or groups, as people try to figure out roles, responsibilities and priorities.  Leaders who are new in their roles are just locking in on strategic objectives and have not yet communicated those to their teams.  

A round of musical chairs at the top – with new people in key positions, creates a tremendous amount of uncertainty.  If they were promoted from the ranks to take their boss’s place, they may have the raw talent, but lack the preparation and training.  Sure you can watch them sink or swim, but you need everybody swimming right now.  They have to be effective immediately.  This means learning to think and act strategically, and also being able to effectively communicate a plan and get people moving in one direction.

A leader’s role is really not to do the work, but to motivate and inspire others to do the work of the enterprise.  And these workers have been through the ringer over the past 12 to 17 months.   Many employees are still stressed out.  Their spouses may still be unemployed, they’ve taken pay cuts, their former colleagues and friends may still be out of work, and they may not be certain the other shoe isn’t about to drop. 

This means your leaders must manage the emotional side of their organizations, create a positive, productive atmosphere.  They need to listen well and develop a strong feedback loop so they know what’s really going on deep in their organizations, where the creativity lives.  They need to be able to cull the best ideas and energize their teams to innovate and find solutions.  This requires a level of communication skill that many leaders have not yet developed.  They’re excellent technically and have good business minds, but now they need to communicate as leaders.

In addition, there’s the issue of attracting and retaining the best talent.  If your company grew leaner over the last six months, that’s probably a good thing; however, if you had cut with an ax instead of a scalpel, you’ve had some brain drain.  This may leaves gaping holes that you need to fill – talent you need to hire.  That’s exciting.  But also daunting. 

One secret to attracting new talent is to have leaders in place who are known for their ability to develop people.  Talented young people want to go to work for leaders they admire and respect.  Knowledge workers and high potentials are looking for a boss who appreciates them, engages them and understands their value.  So getting ready for the upturn is something your organization needs to take seriously.  In the new world, leaders have to be very good at connecting top talent to the organization and creating a strong culture.  

We’re not there yet.  We’re poised for the return of the buyer.  The Business Roundtable First Quarter 2009 CEO Economic Outlook Survey found CEOs actually expect a decrease in sales, capital expenditures and employment.  However, it’s coming soon.  Harold McGraw Hill III, Chairman of the group, as well as Chairman, President and CEO Of the McGraw-Hill Companies, said, “Fortunately, both U.S. and foreign governments have recognized this need (for economic stimulus) and taken significant steps to spark demand. And while recently implemented Administration policies will take time to have an impact, they already have begun to restore confidence in our markets, which is a critical first step.”

Six months is no time…in business … everybody knows you need to be ahead of the curve.  That means preparing your leaders to lead.  There is nothing more valuable than the ramp up time you have right now to develop their talents and skills.  When business returns, the companies that invested in their leaders will be the ones poised to seize the day.    

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