Diversity in The Workplace

Why are we having so many challenges in the workplace? work is suppose to be good for us, it provides us an opportunity to feel valued and important. Yet time after time we have staff fallout's, this one not liking that one, this manager giving all the graveyard shifts to one person and on and on...


If we truly want to develop effective working relationships we must start with what we have in common, our similarities, and not our differences. People have more in common than they realize. We must stop looking to find differences to justify our dislkies of collegues, and become comfortable with what we have in common. Diversity in the workplace will pose challenges, maybe even special challenges, but it also adds a diverse richness to an organization. What organizations need are people centred leaders to manage the great resource.


This means that all managers, supervisors, CEO'S must build trust in their teams. Trust isn't given by virtue of the leaders position, trust must be earned by the leader demonstrating competence, character, and a connection to people. People will forgive and overlook occasional mistakes, but a flawed character that slips, no way!!!! This means that the traditional name calling and wreckless comments about team members by leaders must stop. Secondly, leaders should know that you don't use your authority for sexual favors. In this area even an occasional slip is lethal.


Leaders must embrace their team members and their diversity of gifts and talents. When you are competent, you are not easily intimidated by talent, you welcome it and the best ways of using it. Leaders must honor the diverse skills around them. This creates a starting point for understanding and appreciating diversity in the workplace. 

What Are You Prepared To Die For

"I submit to you that if a man hasn't discovered something he is prepared to die for he isn't fit to live."Martin Luther King Jr. Today we see that people in the middle east have found out that human beings have some universal rights that should not be silenced by threat or by power.

Knowing this and doing something about it is like night and day. When the people do however decide to wake, change will come and leaders who are operating in the stone age will find themselves running for cover, no doubt with several containers of depends. The question we must ask is why has it taken so long for the people to wake up? It is due to ignorance.

Corrupt, morally bankrupt, and creatively bankrupt leaders strive for ignorance to be blanketed over the people through control. Firstly, they love controlling what you think. When you find yourself constantly being challenged to change your thinking to theirs, to change your ideas to theirs, to always see it the way they want you to see it, you are following a bankrupt leader. These persons are so fixated that they become almost antisocial outside of their domain.

A new day is dawning in the middle east, the people have woken up from their slumber and they are prepared to die for something that is noble. Now they will usher in a new day that will not allow a select few to be the only voice of wisdom and knowledge. 

The Caribbean is in need of sweeping changes but those changes will not come until the people learn to stop the ignorance of hating and backbiting one another. This is what governments in this region thrive on, getting the people to hate the opposition rather than the corruption. For centuries the middle east told their people that the west is a devil and wants to destroy our way of life and the people bought it, hook line and sinker. But they eventually woke up and turned their hatred to the corrupt bankrupt government systems.

Find something worth dying for then start truly making a difference in your world. Stop making up the number, stop being a jelly belly. Many people think they are broad-minded just because they are too lazy to form an opinion. The lazier a man is, the more he is going to do tomorrow. Boy sounds like a Bahamian eh!!! 

Being Creative Comes With Being Misunderstood

"Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted."Martin Luther King Jr. Human beings are extremely comfortable with keeping things the same old way. It becomes a trademark, a badge of honor to wear proudly.

With the onslaught of technology we see where leaders are being challenged to go beyond the usual, the regular, the maintenance...  we have coined a phrase,"if it isn't broke don't fix it." This has become the mantra of most leaders to their detriment and the detriment of their organizations, their countries. Well we have a new phrase for you today, "if it can improve, improve it." Can you imagine if we were satisfied with the fan, ceiling fan. We would not have air conditioning, by the way, the fan still works. Can you imagine if we were satisfied with the "out house" we would not have the bathroom today, by the way, the out house still works.

The key to the future is tied to being creatively motivated by why not!!! Leaders who keep things the way they met things are not really leaders, they should be called managers. Managers keep things just as they are, when opening a new account we make six copies, why? because that how it was when I came and by George that's how am going to leave it!!!

Persons who need the approval of others will never venture beyond the shore. True leaders are confident and self assured so that they do not need the approval of others. This means then that you must be different, and oh boy watch out! why? because people will do everything in their power to disapprove, to maintain the status quo.

Dare to be different, dare to allow the creative juices to flow, dare to swim up stream while others are going down stream. Be joyous in your differentiation and do not allow others to stifle your creative flow. In the end they will respect you but may not like you. No wonder why they hated Jesus, he was different, he was radical he was victorious. You can be victorious as well.

Leadership, The Will To Confront And Challenge

"He  who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.”Martin Luther King Jr.  Evil defined is wrong, it is contrary to conscience, morality, or law. Humanity is now plagued with evil on every side, and what is most disheartening is that leadership in every echelon of society is tainted with it. Leaders all see the dark elephant in the room but none have the will to confront it.

In the political arena it is, see no evil, hear no evil. In the church it is, the Lord’s work, take it to Jesus. In the corporate world it is, honor amongst thieves. As a result of the pass the buck syndrome, the people have lost hope in leadership and leaders are frustrated that the people are not simply bowing to their wishes. What leaders must realize is that people are no longer impressed with the traditional denial response, and that they have a right to seek an alternative.

Leaders must become comfortable with all types of situations, gone are the days when blowing people off and making them feel inferior because they differ in opinion. Leaders are not afraid of breaking new ground, real leaders are not controlled by systems but step outside of them when they are no longer useful. Leaders must have thick skin because change does not go down well with most people.

Good leaders look in unusual places for ideas because they recognize that they don’t know it all. Good leaders don’t argue with their team they listen attentively, why? There may be an idea behind the expression. Bad or redundant leaders do not listen and they argue every point by those on the team, simply because they are in charge and want everyone to listen to them. I guess they forgot, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” If leaders fail to recognize the value in the people around them they will put them down rather than lift them up.

The next time you are in close proximity to your leader see if you are being put down or encouraged to grow and develop. If you find that you are being put down it means that your leader is stuck on himself and hasn’t matured sufficiently to value those around him. Let this be a lesson to not replicate the same mistakes in your family, in your work, and in your community. Develop the will to speak out, you won’t be liked but you will be respected.   

  

Leading With Humility

As we forge our way deeper into the twenty-first our organizations must be filled with leaders who lead with humility. With our insatiable appetite for power and prestige during the past century we change the meaning of leadership. What we came to know was that power must be taken first of all, secondly, it must be used to invoke fear to the followers. This attitude lead leaders into believing that they have the right to treat people as they please.

Today we would do well to take a different approach to leadership, and am bold enough to say that the life of Christ gives us a perfect example. In the Sermon on the Mount the master started with the Beatitudes, to ensure that the disciples got the message he took them into the mountains away from the multitudes. The Beatitudes are the attitudes or traits that should be in all those who aspire to lead. The first one says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Poor her means humble, in other words, blessed are the humble in spirit. Leaders who wish to lead must be humble in order to reach the destination. Humble does not mean weak, it does not mean that you are a push over. It means that you recognise that power is a destructive force and must be carefully managed and used appropriateately. This means that good leaders, humble leaders use the influence method through inspiring others rather than the actual force of power.

This does not mean that times may arise when it is necessary to use actual power, but when the time does, power would be clearly seen as the right choice. When a leader has humility he is patient, long suffering, always ensuring that all the facts are clearly known before speaking. In an organization staff must have confidence in the ability of the leader to not be hoodwinked or quickly sold on misinformation. For once who made a poor judgement your legacy will become tarnished and team members will begin to second guess your ability to lead.

Humility gives us an opportunity to make all team members feel like somebody, and when you can do that for the team your team will go the extra mile for it's leader. Humility gives the leader an opportunity to demonstrate how much he cares, when team members see that the leader is caring, they will move mountains. Why don't we try a humility today. 

What Kind of Leadership are You Under

"Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed." Martin Luther  King, Jr.

It appears that the world has come to recognise that many of its' leaders are truly blinded to the reality that what they see as inhumane and oppressive leaders tend to view as good and acceptable. What is presently going on in Egypt sends a clarion call to leaders world wide that, "the people of planet earth wish no association with oppressive leadership" Wayne H.Thompson. Freedom is not a gift from some man to mankind, but rather a gift from the creator to all mankind.

The time has now come for leaders to stop pretending to be gods and accept that they are no different from any other human on the planet. The selfish arrogance that has been allowed will no longer be tolerated by the masses. The persons who wish to serve now must be cut from a new mindset that has no affiliation to the dogmatic styles the world has come to know.

In the shifty game of politics where there are no clearly defined lines rogue leaders exploit the system to their benefit, The foolish ideology that we must be tolerate of everything suggests that anything goes. Humanity has become so tolerant that it had given away it's right to dignity, morality, humanity, integrity, hoping that perhaps things would get better. Now we find ourselves fighting for the basic things that make us human. Our world needs leaders that have backbone, everything cannot be acceptable, everything cannot be right. What has happen to moral leadership, doing what is best for humanity.

We have become so weak in the western world that leadership is viewed as nothing more than an opportunity to enrich oneself at the expense of empty promises, all one seems to need now is a super jelly back with the capacity for months of brown-nosing without taking a breath. Oh yes and lets not forget, the capacity to say yes to everything single thing!!!!

Have you ever worked for a company where ideas are discussed in a meeting and they die there. Belong to an organization where excitement is high and follow through is zero. Watch crooks and thieves thrive while the innocent suffer. Where supervisors stroke management into being clueless. If you have answered yes to any of the above, you are in an archaic system that is just as blind as the leadership in the eastern part of the world where they silence the voices of the masses through fear. In the west, they give you the grave yard shift, passed you up for promotions, then finally they invite you to bend  or simply move on.

Change is like freedom, it must be taken, not violently but with an aggressive commitment toward truly making the organization a better place. You will be viewed as a bully, you will be called names that are insensitive, yet for the sake of the organization you must continue, for the sake of the customer you must continue!!! satisfaction doesn't come from position but from doing what bis in the best interest of both organization and public. If you are under the kind of leadership that is not moving progressively towards change, maybe you just got your new assignment, CHANGE AGENT.  

When Trust is Broken, Where do You Start?

When trust is broken in a relationship it is like an earthquake taking place. What was once stable and secure becomes unravelled, what was once tranquil has been disrupted. This is what people experience when they have been hurt by someone they have given their trust to. The simple truth is, it does not go away easily. It is deeply sickening to find in these enlightened days that people are very comfortable abusing relationships and expecting things to go as if all is well. Leaders today seem to have disconnected themselves from the purpose to which they wanted to serve. This is clearly visible in all sectors of leadership. In government, in business, in church, in marriage.....

During the twentieth century our world saw more than it's fair share of despots wanting to viewed as leaders, gaining the trust of the people only until they have wrestled power for their selfish means then use that power to enrich themselves and abuse humanity. I find it very interesting that an oil rich nation like Egypt can the levels poor and borderline poverty in it's boarders while the few who took power live off what belongs to the people. This is no different from the British Monarchs who conquered foreign lands and then all the land belongs to the monarch. The history of relationships between government and the people have reached an impasse. The people no longer trust the governments, as a result the relationships are breaking and the carnage could topple the stability we once new and accepted.

To heal this breach, we need new leaders who are prepared to operate in true transparency, who understand that leadership is an awesome responsibility to serve, and not to take. The present turmoil in Egypt is indicative of an abuse of power, people may become subservient for a season, but when the God given right to dignity and humanity kick in leaders will find themselves running for cover.

When trust is broken, you must go back to the beginning, not the middle. Too often in the relationship between government and people governments assume that people would just go along with anything. In the corporate world, we see the same ugly style of leadership. While the leaders gorge themselves like a pride of lions on a buffalo with an insatiable appetite for greed  they think that some fluky press conference would appease the ignorant public. Now the public looks on CEOS' like a plague of locusts, and what about the honest staff who worked hard and honestly and was promised the promotion, and now find themselves seeking employment elsewhere.

New leaders must earn the respect of their staff, no longer will the position automatically give respect, the applies to the president or prim minister, and yes it also applies to the prelate. Starting over is not as difficult as it appears to be. Our perception is in need of change, real change. Not the traditional lip service change, or cliche rhetoric, but a going back to basics of honesty, integrity and service. 

Government and The People

For too long many societies felt that the old adage, "who has the most gold rules" is still acceptable in these enlightened days. Gold here refers to either money or power. In any relationship that is going to survive we must accept that both parties are equal in humanity. Neither may possess the same gifts, one may good at sewing and the other good at cooking, yet as human beings, both have the same value.

Today we seem to think that value is external, so we endeavor to use all our might and power to gain positions of power and authority. When we do this we have abused the very foundation of the relationship. Too often people smile in the beginning, go along while formulating an ulterior motive. The end result being the destruction of the relationship. When people have lost trust in leadership they can become very wreck less in their decision making, and actually go from the frying pan into the fire.

Today as we look at Egypt it is clear that the issues affecting one side of the relationship has been falling on deaf ears for too long, now anger has raised it's ugly head in a very volatile part of the world. This anger can cause the entire region to become completely unstable. What I find deeply disappointing is that things did not have to go this far, however, when one party in the relationship has been attempting to be heard over and over to no avail the result is usually a potent response that can destroy both parties.

It is truly time for us to understand that those who serve in positions of authority are given our adoration, not because of who they are, but because they desire to serve their people. Today, the public has become somewhat leery about heaping praise upon those who take the lead because of the misconception that they feel they are superior to the rest of us and as a result need not give consideration to policies and the lack there of affect the wider population.

The world needs leaders who are drunk with compassion, humility, and sobriety, so that position does not cause them to become corrupt and self-centred. The same principles that apply in a husband/wife relationship also apply in the relationship between government and the people. If you are full of yourself, please leave leadership alone. If you are thin skinned please leave leadership alone. If you are insecure and plagued by jealously please leave leadership alone.

Character Driven or Emotionally Driven

Character defined in this article is, "the inherent complex of attributes that determines a persons moral and ethical actions and reactions." Emotion defined, "any strong feeling." Just from the definitions alone it is abundantly clear that we need leaders in the corporate world to ensure that they are not acting on emotion alone. This can result in the random bullet syndrom, you never know what reaction is coming forth.

 

Some of the strong feelings that are displayed in the work environment by leaders are detrmental to team synergy. Some of those negative expressions are; annoyance, vexation, indignation, outrage, fury, madness, anger, rage....  These types of expressions are not conducive to team building, and to simply say that one has the right by virtue of ones' position to express however they feel in whatever manner because of the position and title they hold.

 

Persons that led from that perspective are not what organizations need in order to be effective in building committed valued team players. At the same time, line staff need also to know that they can destroy team unity with the same negative expressions; fear, insecurity, jealousy are some of the more prevelant expressions from this group.

 

Leaders that are character driven have morals that are embedded in ethical reasoning. They do not jump to conclusions, they seek to understand what is affecting team members, they are very good listeners. Character driven leaders do the right thing by the organization, they allow their actions to control their attitude. They create momentum, and are very steady and dependable.

 

Are you someone that your team can depend on, or are you like the weather? Do you wait for momentum or do you create momentum? Do you allow attitude to control your actions? Do you have to be asked to perform or are you always performing? Here is an opportunity for you to decide what you will be driven by. If you choose to be driven by character, then you can lift your head high, if you choose to be driven by emotion, then you are a loose canon that cannot be trusted.    

Be Driven By Character

What are you driven by? This is a vital question that must be answered. Do you have to be seen in order to perform, if you are not seen what do you do. Over and over we hear the cry about a lack of productivity. i feel that productivity is not an issue with persons that possess character.

Character driven people are motivated to do what is right, they do not require the bright lights to perform. They get their fulfillment in the process of doing what is right, it makes them feel good. Eemployees who possess character are commitment driven people, their word is most important to them. On the other hand, employees who are not character driven tend to respond to work based on how they feel, so they are never consistent with their performance.

Character driven employees make decisions on principle, while employees that are not character driven base decisions on feelings. If the business hours of the establishment are from nine to five, character driven people get to work on time, then work up to five, and if an additional hour is needed to complete the assignment they do it. Those who are not character driven rarely arrive to work on time and very often have shutdown and packed up to leave work before the five o' clock hour.

This new year we wish to encourage employees to reevaluate themselves as to weather they are character driven or not. Be honest with yourself, make a commitment to improve in this area of your life. You will find work and life more enjoyable, and you will find yourself complaining a lot less.   

What are you waiting for? The time is now!!

How often have we said to ourselves soon, I just need to get pass this issue first. As soon as the baby gets three. Then before we know it the whole year has passes us by, then we become sadden, angry and frustrated. You need to respect your relationship with yourself, failure to do so will result in everything becoming a priority except your desires, your dreams, your goals!!!! 

Many people do not realise it but the way in which they think has profound consequences on their outcome. Too often we blame persons who appear to be where we would like to be as part of our obstacle, when in reality, out thinking is the real culprit. You need to ask yourself, what is dragging me down? what is really stopping me from moving to the next level.

Here are a few ways of thinking you may wish to consider.

• Defeatist Mentality - always expecting defeat
• Vindictive Mentality - always in get even mode
• Jealous Mentality - Always pulling down team members
• Wishful Mentality - stop dreaming it and do it
• Feeling Mentality - can't move until it feels right

These are a few ways of thinking that will stifle our ability to achieve. And as a result, make us become difficult people to work with. Each of us should ensure that we rid ourselves of all negative and counterproductive ways of thinking so that we can begin to achieve. 

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corporate relationships: What Drives You

corporate relationships: What Drives You

What Drives You

"The man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder-a waif, a nothing, a no man."Thomas Carlyle

No matter who you are, you are driven by something, the word driven is a verb and a verb is doing word. To be driven means to propelled by. to be motivated by, an instinctual need. What is the real driving force in your life? As we venture into uncharted waters of this new year we should all ensure that we being driven by positive things. We do not wish for any person to be driven by negative things. Here are some of the things that have been driving our lives in the past that we must put an end to immediately.

Many persons are driven by guilt. These individuals live in the past, yet are constantly running away from the fruit of their guilt, shame and disappointment. They wished they had the courage to go after the new client that their colleague got; they wished they had the ruthlessness that the new VP had, then the position would be theirs.

 These individuals do not need any enemies, they constantly punish themselves and allow negative thoughts and perceptions to overtake their mind. They cannot take advantage of the new opportunities in front of them because they are engulfed with memories of yesterday. As a psychologist we often tell persons that they are a product of their past, but we often forget to remind them that we don't have to become prisoners of our past.

Many persons are driven by bitterness, resentment, anger and rage. These individuals are sick and tired of being overlooked, they are tired of getting the crumbs while others get the whole cake. They are tired of filling in for others with no reward at the end of the day, they are tired of being overlooked for promotions. These persons replay painful thoughts over and over in their minds all day long. They become sour to the internal customer, so God help the external customer.

Many persons are driven by greed. These individuals have an appetite that cannot be quenched. The more they get the more they want. They quickly befriend new employees that appear to be ponds that they can use for personal goals. These persons surround themselves with loyal incompetent individuals, thus creating a company within the company. What these persons don't understand is that  possessions are things, and things cannot build relationships, people do, however people who measure themselves by things are blinded to how destructive GREED can become.

Remember the housing crisis that toppled the global economy, it was fueled by greed. What we need to remember is that success is not individual, no one person is an island. If organizations are going to improve for the long haul we must create a positive team oriented environment that has as part of its culture, "All team members have the same value." Personal goals must not come before team goals. Also critical to this process is that all team players must take responsibility for addressing personal issues that have the potential to derail them and their teammates.

What Are You Looking Forward To This New Year

Here is the reality, many of us see several things that we know are important to us and our employer that must improve in this new year. The question is, how do we get these things to improve; how do we get these things to become transformed. If only we could just wish it into existence, all would be well. Why do we constantly say what needs to happen, and be passionate about it and then slowly recline into the proverbial "lazy boy" mentality. As a psychologist am often asked about crazy people, and my first response is that there are more crazy persons on jobs than all the mental institutions on the planet. When people can comfortable do the same things they did last year in the new year and sincerely look for change, that is the working definition of insanity!!

Change cannot take place unless we begin doing things differently. The first thing we need to change is our perception of ourselves. Secondly, we must change how we perceive others. Thirdly, we must change how we view obstacles, and lastly, we must embrace change by not being resistant to new ways of doing things.

Becoming comfortable with one way of doing things can lead an organization out to pasture prematurely. Setting the organizations sail in the direction of change can mean new and exciting possibilities. Happy sailing my dear friends!!!

Jurassic Style Leadership Should Be Extinct, Is It? Part Two

From the dawn of time man has found himself on a quest to subdue and control everything and everyone in his sphere.If we were to look back on the days of Attila the Hun, the Egyptian Pharaohs, the Roman Caesars, and in our more recent times the Kings of England and Adolf Hitler we can clearly see the foundations of this destructive style of leadership. Only one person was fit for leadership, it was them assumed that  all others were mere subjects, Less Than,  meaning that they had nothing to offer in the way of leadership.

To ensure that no person would dare open his or her mouth these leaders would publicly humiliate and sometimes kill  subjects to ensure that persons would not contemplate thinking for themselves and believing that they had something to offer. How is it in your organization? are you given the freedom to demonstrate your gifts and abilities? are you punished after making a good observation that shows up your boss?

Have you ever felt rejected and avoided before even being known because you appear confident? Chances are you are working with an extinct style of leadership that has no place in the twenty-first century. One of the most important things you should never do in a relationship is assume. Unfortunately, too many CEO'S and top executives assume that all is well and middle managers who realise that the top brass only relies on them for input as to how staff think and feel take full advantage of the situation.

This will then result in the general staff,  assuming,  once again the wrong perception is accepted. We must remember that to the individual perception is ninety percent of their reality. This cancer is causing serious problems in organizations today.

 The solution, two fold; stop denying the reality that is in front of you, and secondly, have the will and the gumption to transform the environment into a level playing field. Meaning that if all team members have equal worth and value as individuals let it be seen and not heard!!

Stop bragging about your suggestion box and find out why it is viewed as a complete waste of time by your staff. I find it amazing how organizations constantly talk about customer service but never seem to realise that customer service is firstly internal before it is external.  Until the style of leadership is realigned to reflect mutual respect for all team members the organization will continue to suffer from an absence of trust.

Where there is no trust, there is also no respect. 

Jurassic Style Leadership Should Be Extinct, Is It?

As we move into a new year with an array of thoughts and feelings we wish to ensure that all business entities are leaving the negatives behind and are embracing the possibilities that exist in the future.  It should become clear to all that are engaged in the business of people that unless the staff feel as if they belong; unless they feel a part of the organization, the goals set out cannot, and will not be achieved.

The environment must be set by the leaders. Too often we assume that people should be thankful that they have a job, and this thankfulness would translate into excellence in attitude and performance. The reality is NO! people by and large do appreciate the job, but more importantly, they need to feel respected by the leadership directly above them. If they don't, they tend to judge the entire leadership of the organization as uncaring. The end result, low to no commitment, poor attitudes, and the list goes on.

The question is then, how do we get rig of the dinosaurs. They are creating a serious stink! First of all we must become aware of the traits of these destructive leaders. These leaders are extremely good at saying the right things in public settings, like general staff meetings, giving an annual report to the board, president, or senior vice president. However, immediately after the meeting they quickly revert back to a style of leadership that thrives on dividing and intimidating team members.

These leaders (managers) really have little interest in the organization changing and transforming itself. They have established a system within the system that serves their own selfish goals and objectives. Yet amazingly these individuals seem to have the capacity to pull the wool over top leadership, thus consolidating their power. This then allows them to control subordinates to the point where they feel hopeless, frustrated, and disconnected from the organizations goals.

The end result is lack of commitment, lack of productivity and poor customer service. Most managers today still seem to operate like managers in the seventies. What they need to know is that business is moving at the speed of light today, and as a result of that many business find themselves dragging a broken anchor into the future that impedes their progress. Here are some of the broken anchors;

• High level of lateness or calling in sick
• High levels of theft
• No clear system of addressing employees grieves
• Threats being used as motivation
• Zero participation in department meetings
• Not having any meetings at all
• Failure to encourage and praise staff

Does your organization have the gumption, the will to challenge this monster?