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Update From Eileen

For the first time in nine years, I didn't begin my New Year's retreat until February. What a difference a month makes! The grounds of the Immaculate Heart Center in Santa Barbara, CA are remnants of an 1833 citrus orchard. Already orange blossoms fill the air, narcissus bloom, and pink ice plant glows in iridescent splendor. Most of the U.S. is still shrouded in deep snow. It makes me grateful.

The massive stonework house with intricate hand-carved teak ceilings, Italian tile bathrooms, and walnut floor speak of its first 1933 wealthy owners. Who could have foreseen that 10 years later, Rancho del Bosque would be sold to the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart as a novitiate for their growing community and now, over 70 years' later, serves as a place of gentle silence for guests. What has not changed: my mountain still beckons behind the house and the ancient oak trees still stand as silent witnesses to history.

The latter is important because, for the first time in nine years, my "mountain" was the call to begin writing a new book. I needed to climb into that rather than take the four-hour hike up to the summit. Still, sitting for long stretches demands that I must at least run or walk at intervals It was such a diversion that brought me to a part of the oak grove I had never been. Before me was a posted essay on the background of this forest that once held giant species of oaks stretching clear to the ocean. To the Druids of Scotland and the ancient Celts of Ireland, the oak groves held special significance. I learned that the words "truth", "trust" and "tree" come from a 4,000 year-old Proto-Indo-European word "dorw" which means "oak". If you ever tried to cut into oak, you know the sturdy truthfulness of its making.

I read that sign and gasped. It was as if a spark flew from those words to my head and heart. Here's why: As I continue to refine McDargh Enterprises, I asked my clients to tell me what they thought were some of the unique benefits I brought to an organization or individual executive sessions. One of the consistent threads that appeared was, "you speak the truth with compassion and clarity. We trust the value we receive."
Truth and trust. McDargh. "Darra" is Celtic for oak!

I went back to that grove at 3:00 a.m. the next morning. I stood in the center with moonlight filtering through thick branches and protected from the wind by the dark outline of these immense oaks. Grounded. Centered. Calm. A shooting star flashed over my head.

And that's the truth. Trust me.

P.S. Visit www.immaculateheartcenter.org or call 805-969- 2474. Just save a place for me next year.

Employee Trends Predicted in Drake Beam Morin Survey

According to a survey released by the outplacement firm of Drake Beam Morin, human resource issues in 2004 reflect concern for both the engagement and retention of talent. Note that these are "predictions", but as the trite but true phrase goes: "To be forewarned is to be forearmed."

Here are the potential trends that hold specific interest for me:

* Continuation, and possible increase, in "offshoring" of white-collar jobs to Asian markets in an effort to meet budget constraints (Bummer!)
* Consistent organizational change (Talk to me about our RESILIENT CHANGE MASTER Program.)
* Increased hiring (Good news for many.)
* Exodus of employees to new job opportunities in an improving job market (Communication and climate are critical in keeping talent. Talk to me about engagement strategies.)
* Emphasis on succession planning as the growing aging worker population considers retirement and consulting opportunities (You can't create next generation leaders if you aren't keeping them!)
* Concentration of hiring in potentially "hot" industries such as: healthcare, pharmaceuticals, finance, and professional services
* Increased investments in leadership development (Yahoo for our work!)

Regarding the last prediction, this DBM survey states, "Organizations need to consider how to retain employees as the economy improves. Corporate investments in professional and leadership development programs will go a long way when workers are weighing future employment options."

You Asked... We Finally Did It

I heard what you said: "We want your work on CDs so we can listen in the car." And you also told me what your issues are:

* working more and enjoying it less;
* seeking meaning and purpose in life;
* finding too much to do and too little time.

So, here it is: our NEW, 4-CD series, Sailing from Burnout to Balance. You can find it at our store along with a PDF download that gives you Life-Work Ledger Sheets for analyzing the flow of your life and the "profit" to be earned. Let me know if you got what you wanted!

Must Read Books

I have always thought of Spring as a season for love. Maybe it's the perk of new buds on the tree, the return of birds into their nests, and lambs frolicking in the fields. Whatever the reason, I am recommending two very different books from my normal business models.

Choose Peace & Happiness: A 52-Week Guide by Susyn Reeve (2004, Red Wheel Publishers, ISBN 1590030591). This insightful book offers 52 weeks worth of ideas about small things that can help us reclaim peace and happiness in our lives. She melds her own "juice" with wisdom from Robert Fritz, author of the classic book, Path of Least Resistance. And here's the good news: Susyn is giving away her book, to the first three readers of this newsletter who send in their Peace & Happiness tip and an example of how they used it to Susyn@susynreeve.com. Put Eileen McDargh Peace & Happiness Tip in your Subject Line. For autographed copies, go to http://susynreeve.com/html/choose_peace_happiness.html.

A Short Course in Kindness by Margot Silk Forrest (2003, L.M. Press, ISBN 0970804903). Don't dismiss this title as one of those sappy, mushy books. Margot challenges the reader to see "kind" as a deed that requires courage AND vulnerability. "Nice" is not the same as kind and can actually be manipulative and destructive to the self. (Now, are you interested?) Margot was a former top-ranked manager at Hewlett- Packard and a news editor for the San Jose Mercury, the Dallas Times Herald and the Philadelphia Bulletin.

Funnies To Ponder

* My husband and I divorced over religious differences. He thought he was God and I didn't.
* If raising children was going to be easy, it never would have started with something called labor!
* Brain cells come and brain cells go, but fat cells live forever.
* I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

Work/Life Balance Programs Influence Employee Productivity and Retention

Being passionate about this issue for 23 years, it's rewarding to finally see some statistics that back what I have always felt— namely, that engaging talent must include addressing work/life balance issues.

An S&MM/Equation Research survey found that 46 percent of sales and marketing executives had lost team members because their jobs didn't allow for enough work/life balance!

On the flip side, Hewitt Associates announced that clients have seen improved retention as a result of instituting work/life programs, with "one insurance firm's unit reduced turnover from 40 percent to 23 percent by offering flexible work weeks." Another unit reduced turnover from 40 percent to 23 percent by offering flexible work weeks; another client, a financial company, found that those associates who exercised at their onsite fitness center not only stayed with the company longer, they were also more productive."

Something to think about!

Welcome To The McDargh Clan

Procter & Gamble West Women's Network
NRECA Board Of Directors
Tropicana
NRECA CEOs
Speaking of Women's Health
U.S. Senate Administrators
Child Health Corporation of America

Pass Along The Newsletter—FREE A couple of clients posed this question to me: "Eileen, how can we get your newsletter in the hands of our employees and management team?"

Great question! Here's the answer. You can send out an e-mail blast, asking if they'd like to receive a BRIEF, practical yet fun e-newsletter four times a year. If they say yes, just have them go to http://www.eileenmcdargh.com and viola! Thanks for asking!

Subscription Management:

You can now manage your subscription to The Energizer on the web! Just e-mail us at eileen@eileenmcdargh.com and let us know what you need. All new subscriptions are by e-mail only.

MISSION STATEMENT

McDargh Enterprises—Energizing the Human Spirit since 1980

Our mission is to transform the life of work and the work of your life.

We work with and speak for organizations that want people to create meaningful relationships with all their stakeholders and to develop a resilient leadership capacity for living a life of balance, engagement, productivity, and meaning in a changing world. We value laughter, life-long learning, and leadership through service.

Archived Newsletters

Testimonials

"Eileen—I want to REALLY thank you for a wonderful presentation Monday in Miami. The message was on-target, humorous, and appropriate for the audience of CEOs. They were talking about your presentation for the next two days, and I suspect they will when they get back to their offices. THANKS for making my last conference at NRECA a BIG SUCCESS."

- NRECA