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    • Contact:  Danna Beal

For:  Immediate Release 

AMERICAN BUSINESSES  FACE THE ENEMY WITHIN

Seattle, WA, Fear and Rivalry in the Workplace Are Causing Disengagement in America’s Companies–What Executives Must Do to Reverse the Trend

While most observers blame the current struggles of America’s business community on externals:  1. Tough competition, flat or saturated markets,  or 2)unusual sources – war,  consumer spending and a corruption in large corporations,   – one author offers some clarity and insights to the workplace culture.  According to Danna Beal, U.S. businesses are not reaching their full potential because the workplace environments are filled with internal competition and fear, which make responding effectively to external challenges all but impossible.

The recent Gallup Report states that 70% of Americans are disengaged at work and the number one reason cited is “the boss from hell.” Businesses unwittingly promote and then fail to train those people in management positions.  In addition, top leaders of the company often do not understand how to engage, motivate, and lead their own employees. They fail to value and respect the very people chosen to carryout their company mission and drive the company’s financial goals.

“Businesses are suffering from within – not without,” Ms. Beal says.  ”Enployees have never been so disheartened with more to do in less time, with less compensation. And even as the unemployment rate has dropped, compensation has not risen–and in fact by comparison of the percentage of inflation, is less than previous decades. Yet, top leadership positions, according to all reports, are increasing at exorbitant levels.”

In her book, The Extraordinary Workplace:  Replacing Fear with Trust and Compassion, Ms. Beal describes the modern workplace as a scene of fear, mistrust, ego drama and rivalry. “The average worker is insecure and highly stressed right now,” she says. “They’re fearful of being laid off, they’re anxious about the economy even though indicators are that it is rising, they’re worried about providing for their  families, and they are worried about their future. Even those who have survived layoffs are fearful the other shoe will drop. Businesses who utilize fear management and top down leadership fail to reassure, value, and motivate their employees. The result – the fears grow, workplace tension increases, people are emotionally depleted and businesses falter from within rather than external forces. Few leaders or managers know how to restore trust and compassion so that the business succeed  from teamwork, innovation, and engaged employees.”

It’s time for a shift in thinking. The top down leadership style that exerts pressure and fear to those down the line is making the environment even more dissentious. Internal competition prevents teamwork and, ultimately, impacts the customer.  Ms. Beal has noticed the problem is occurring in all industries and her audiences at her on-site training sessions and her national keynote addresses confirm the problem.

“Executives are bottom-line types.  In the past, when I’ve spoken about workplace conflict, dealing with egos, handling employee’s fears, leaders were aware of the environment but didn’t consider it a priority. They were interested in increasing production and profits, and didn’t have time for what they considered ‘touchy-feely’ approaches,” she says.  “But now, more and more leaders are discovering that the web of intertwined egos cannot be ignored and that it does impact the bottom line.”

What’s happened lately to cause more concern?  “The reports are identifying the lack of leadership skills is undermining the employees’ personal engagement, commitment and contribution–ultimately–the bottom line” she says.  “This is an exceptionally important time and there are steps business leaders can take.”

According to The Extraordinary Workplace,  symptoms  of a toxic workplaces are gossip, back stabbing, cliques, fear, greed, power and ego which deplete energy, productivity and profitability.  “Business leaders have two choices. They can recognize and acknowledge  the current workplace situation and then take the steps needed to remedy the problem. Or, they can ignore the cancer that’s growing within their companies and face the consequences.   Workplaces can be restored, and companies can thrive, even in tough times. But it starts with leaders being willing to look at themselves.”

Some of the healing steps business leaders can take include:

  • Provide leadership training throughout the organization including taking a fixed look at their own egos, fears, and weaknesses.
  • Express appreciation for employees–both privately and publicly.
  • Replace fear with trust, integrity and compassion.
  • Understand the source of ego dramas, and take steps to unravel them.
  • Increase personal responsibility for workers at every level.
  • Giving up the need to demonstrate power and superiority.
  • Identify ego driven managers that drain resources and limit creativity.
  • Show a public willingness to be wrong, and to listen to employees.
  • Take aggressive steps to end cliques, office gossip and personal agendas.
  • Reward and create opportunities for employee contributions and teamwork.
  • Establish broad two-way employee/management communications systems, including the opportunity for confidential expressions of concerns and fears.

Would you like to interview Ms. Beal about this vitally important topic?  Would you like to see a review copy of The Extraordinary Workplace?

Call 425/785-2862 or e-mail danna@dannabeal.com