Newsletter 3/2005

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• Australian Innovation Festival
• Getting People To Help You Innovate
• Webpage Update
• Disengaged Workers Cost Australia Billions
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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"The idea of leadership...is based on five pillars. The most important of which is the fundamental need to create among your followers a strong and enduring sense of purpose. You must create the culture, work hard at keeping things simple, remember to never put yourself above the foibles of human nature and always celebrate life".
Lieutenant General D.M.Mueller.  Leadership Victoria eNews March 2005

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Australian Innovation Festival

Email: admin@positivechange.com.au

Download a Registration Form

Check out the Australian Innovation Festival: www.ausinnovation.org

 Getting people to help you Innovate Are your staff like the so many people out there in workplaces - kicking and screaming with resistance at your new business ideas? Driving you mad with frustration. The thing is, innovation means change, which often means for staff “Can I do this new work?”,”How long will it take me?” or Will it mean job losses?”. Fear means stress and resistance!

 Try these ideas for building commitment.

•  Explain to them where you want to go with this idea, what it will mean. Expect to do this more than once.
• Explain why - share your story and enthusiasm, why it is important to you
• Let them know why their involvement is important to you, to the project
• WIIFM – Don’t dismiss the WIIFM factor as selfish- that you pay them so they should do the job. The WIIFM for you is abundantly clear; the WIIFM for staff is so often the fear of what changes might bring.
• Show your appreciation all the way. You need help and they probably don’t need much more than a thankyou.

Case Study

The management of a country aged care facility called us for help with staff problems – bickering and general unrest. Management argued that staff should be grateful for their jobs because there wasn’t much else going, and gave us 30 minutes of their time before we ‘sorted out’ the staff. We went prepared with a full program to help staff consider their responsibilities but within an hour it was obvious that their jobs were challenging, the facility was understaffed, residents were in most cases highly dependent, which demanded huge time and skill from the existing staff and, several were attending this workshop, without payment, on their rostered day off. A common practice too. And what was their main complaint? They had all worked overtime, often in their own time, to help get the facility through its accreditation. When the certificate of registration was delivered it was simply stored in the directors office, without acknowledgement of staff effort. That’s all they wanted – a thankyou. Management didn’t acknowledge our report.

Disengaged Workers Cost Australia Billions

This was the headline for an article from CCH on April 4th - the actual cost $31.5 billion pa. The Gallup Australia study found only 18% of our employees are engaged - being productive, loyal, giving great customer service and profitability. Again managers can change that: "Great managers are those with the highest performing work groups, address employees' core needs, select for talent rather than skills or experience and focus on employee strengths."

Webpage Update

We've updated the website,a long overdue task, so we welcome you to browse and give us feedback. Click here

Positive Change Consulting
PO Box 543, Carnegie
Victoria, Australia 3163

E.admin@positivechange.com.au

W.www.positivechange.com.au

The purpose of this Newsletter

Positive Change Consulting shows people how to build great leadership, manage change, improve teamwork for business productivity – and restore balance to your life.

In this newsletter we aim to alert you to the latest research into leadership, report people-related workplace news, suggest ways for encouraging staff involvement to improve your business and alert you to the things we are doing and the services we can offer you.