What’s a Leader to do to Create a Fantastic Work Environment?

Part 1: Relentlessly Share a WOW Vision

Below is an excerpt from an interview with Deb Boelkes by Tyler Gallagher, CEO and Founder of Regal Assets, featured in Authority Magazine.  This is the first installment in a 5-part series.

What is the first thing that managers and executives should be doing to improve their company work culture?

Make sure everyone in the chain of command understands the organization’s mission, vision, and values. Each and every team member needs to find purpose and meaning in what they do.

It’s difficult for employees to get excited about the mission, vision and objectives of an organization if they don’t know what these things are. It’s impossible for managers to align team members’ personal visions of success with the organization’s vision for success if such things are not made crystal clear and readily understood.

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Four months into the Pandemic: Insights and Words of Wisdom from Author and Performer, Mara Purl

Question #1: As of now, how has the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the various work, community, and travel-related restrictions being set in place impacted your life, personally and professionally?

The entire world has shifted to a different paradigm. I don’t believe any person on Earth has been left unaffected by the pandemic. Some of us have the resources to adjust fairly well. But many are suffering tremendously either directly because of the virus, or indirectly because of the economy lockdown—or both. With communities of color being especially hard-hit, I’m listening both to protestors’ legitimate complaints, and to leaders earnestly looking for solutions. I’m heavy-hearted over the suffering, and spend more time than before on investigating resources for my followers and reaching out to help where I can.

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Lessons Mama Taught Us

By Deb Boelkes

One of the lessons my mama drilled into me more than any other, a lesson which shaped my life and how I later raised my own children, was this:

Privileges are granted only to those who honor and uphold their responsibilities. 

Mama taught me this lesson when I was very young and she reminded me of it quite often as I grew up.

Now, I understand some readers may feel strongly that some people automatically have “privilege” because of the color of their skin. I get that. I find it sad that in this day and age such beliefs and biases continue to prevail.

But in the home where I grew up, we were taught that any “privileges” we had were because of the content of our character, because of our behavior. A privilege had nothing to do with ancestral heritage.

In our house, responsibility came first. Privilege followed … but only if.   This lesson from my mama meant:

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What Do You Do When the World Stands Still – Three Months In? Insights and Words of Wisdom from Author and Co-Founder of Heartfelt Leadership, Deb Boelkes

Question #1: As of now, how have the evolving coronavirus pandemic-related restrictions impacted your life, personally and professionally?

Since I do virtually all my writing from my home office, that aspect of my work life hasn’t changed much. In fact, I’ve actually had more time to write articles and begin my third book.

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WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THE WORLD STANDS STILL? WORDS OF WISDOM FROM HEARTFELT LEADERSHIP’S OWN MARK GOULSTON, M.D.

by Mark Goulston, M.D.

Imagine it's a year from now and that we're through this. In looking back, think about whom and for what you will be most grateful.

Begin doing unto others now what you would be most grateful for a year from now if those things were done unto you.

How to conduct a Heartfelt Layoff - Part 4

What do heartfelt leaders do after the lay off?

By Deb Boelkes

Commit to each team member to help them find their next dream job.  After you break the bad news, roll up your sleeves and make yourself an ally to the employee as they begin envisioning their future.

To get the ball rolling, ask, “What is important to you in life, and what makes you excited about your career?” Listen closely to each response.

Offer … and make it a top priority … to be available to them in the days or weeks ahead to discuss what they would really love to be doing going forward. Make yourself available whenever they are ready to brainstorm with you about the type of jobs they would love to have. Together, review the companies in the local region or elsewhere that might have good opportunities for them to do the things they really want to do. Suggest customers you may have where they might be able to work. Call around to any contacts you have and inquire about potential job opportunities for each member of your staff. Give referrals freely.

Again, assure the employee that you will do everything in your power to help them land their dream job. Encourage those who wish to explore the entrepreneurial option to start their own business.

If the budget permits, offer outplacement assistance to help them write resumes, coach and counsel them through the job search and placement process.

Coach them yourself through the interview process. Touch base with the team member throughout their interview process at other companies. Make yourself available to run mock interviews and check in often to see how they are doing. They will appreciate having a friendly mentor through this challenging process.

It may seem unorthodox to keep in touch with employees after you let them go. But if you truly care about them, you will want to. And who knows? Perhaps someday, when things turn around, you might be able to hire them back as an employee or contractor.

How to conduct a Heartfelt Layoff - Part 3

How should you communicate when you let people go?

By Deb Boelkes

Now, more than ever, keep in mind these individuals will want and need to hear validating recognition from you. You must deliver the message in a way that is authentic, from the heart, and honest. Do your utmost best to act with compassion, candor, and integrity.

As you plan for what you might say to each employee, assess how much and why you honor, respect and admire each team member. The positive characteristics of each person may be somewhat different.

When the time comes to have the conversation, if you can’t be by their side, physically—you can at least be there emotionally.

As I discuss in the book, Heartfelt Leadership, when I had to lay off my entire department at AT&T, I personally asked each employee, one at a time, to come into my office. As each individual entered my office, I motioned for him or her to sit down on the sofa, instead of in one of the chairs on the opposite side of my desk. I immediately came out from behind my desk and sat right next to my team member, turning toward them. I was right there next to each employee as I laid out the details of what was going to happen.

Obviously, this physical closeness may not be an option now due to social distancing. But leaders can and must ...

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How to conduct a Heartfelt Layoff - Part 2

What do some companies do wrong when laying people off?

By Deb Boelkes

I’ve seen countless mistakes over the years, starting with an experience early in my management career at AT&T in 1987, when the company was the first of several major corporations to undergo a significant downsizing. I talk about this experience in detail my latest book, Heartfelt Leadership: How to Capture the Top Spot and Keep on Soaring, but in a nutshell, here’s what happened:

It was on a Friday afternoon when I was told by my own manager I would have to lay off my entire department the following Tuesday morning. Not seeing it coming, I was completely stunned. I was given no instructions on how to go about it.  I felt as though I had been told to lead my team to the guillotine. The way the senior leaders handled it was heartless, yet I did my best to mitigate the negative impact on my team members.

Over the years, I have seen a number of other companies keep everything a secret until the last moment. In one client account, which I personally observed, a large number of people spanning many departments...

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