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I am leaving tomorrow to deliver an address at a major college on the East Coast. In my pre-program survey, resiliency questions abound related to organizational change, annual re-orgs, shifting focus, competing demands—and so much more. And the attendees are befuddled, bemused, bewitched, and bewildered. Five tips for leaders who want to create a resilient workforce: Level with everyone. Change happens. Period. All organizations, individual, plants and animals experience change. The question is: how do we reframe it from being painful to possible, A leader reframes that vision.It’s not move to a new building (ye, gads!) The reframe is: Yahoo, we get to throw out whatever cutter we have been hoarding, meet new people, and have a different view from our window. Work through scenarios of what the “new world” will look like and what behaviors will be required of the staff.Perhaps the staff will need to think on their own without the presence of a manager.Perhaps the staff will need to self-organize depending upon the individual project. Perhaps the staff will need to learn new tools and methodologies. Identify the “guard rails”. If there were behavior models that worked in the “old world” that will not work in the new, what are they, How will you models those new behaviors? Let people know how they are doing with the change.Celebrate performance. Celebrate little shifts. Don’t wait for the 180-degree change.Be the change YOU wish to see.Not my quote: Gandhi’s. You model the behavior that you want to see in the new world. Accept that not everyone can’t make the change. Mary Jane has been with the company for 25 years. But today, her performance is slipping. The technology and speed are too overwhelming. Understand. Provide training, guidance, encouragement. And, at some point, keeping low performers in a changing world hurts everyone.Allow people to leave with their dignity intact and valuing what contributions brought them to this place in time. Everyone will thank you.

The day always comes. The one you don't want. When your great team member leaves for 'greener' pastures. In my case it was to one of the Big 4 multinational accounting and advisory firms. I can't compete with that. It's great experience. I did my stint at one myself. So, Tuesday was the last day with Leya the Intern. Endings always make me sad. When Leya first came on board I wasn't sure if it was going to work out or not. We both took a risk. From my PhD research, I knew the first day would be critical. The welcome you give makes a surprising difference to their success. So I put aside the whole first day for Leya. Explained her role, answered all her questions, went through how things are done around here and got her started on some meaningful work. I also asked Leya what she was interested in. What she hoped to gain from the internship and then did what I could do craft her role with that in mind. She told me she wanted to learn to be a great coach. So I arranged for her to sit in on some coaching sessions and directed her to some great books on the topic. She later told me how grateful she was that I took the time to welcome her. Here are my tips for getting the onboarding process just right. Put aside plenty of time, even an entire day nothing says welcome like someone dropping everything to show you the ropes. If you put in the time upfront, to answer questions and get them settled, you'll save yourself many hours and headaches down the track. Do your homework. There's no point in putting an entire day aside to answer questions you don't have answers to yourself. Prepare and be clear about what you expect. Anticipate the questions they might ask. When parts of the role remain unclear to you, instead of giving a vague answer, tell it like it is. "Listen John, to be frank with you, this part of the role isn't clearly defined yet. It's something we'll need to tackle together." Give them hope for the future. Find out what they want and show them the way to get it. Sometimes, you'll need to stick your neck. Like I did for Leya with a couple of my coaching clients. You may be thinking: "What? Stick my neck out for someone I've never met before?" You bet. It's what makes all the difference. Having faith in them before they've earned it. If you start the relationship on this note, it sets you up for success. Think of onboarding as welcoming a guest into your home. Your time and care will pay off in spades. It's the end of an era. And I will miss Leya. With more than 25 years experience working with senior and middle managers in business, Executive Coach and Organizational Psychologist Dr Michelle Pizer is an expert in the management of people at work. Click here to visit her website and learn more about her.

Networking is something that's often undervalued and overlooked. Networks tend to grow organically through education or through work. Opportunities for developing networks within the workplace are generally limited, with people typically only connecting with those they directly work with. Naturally the strength of the relationship correlates with how close people work together. The problem with this, is that it limits career development while also perpetuates a stale mentality or group think within teams. Without looking beyond your team, do you think you can really know what's going on and where you need to go? Broadening your network means broadening your vision and greater resiliency. Most organizations are aware of the benefits of networking and run dedicated events. Some organizations get a little more creative. One notable example is how Steve Jobs strategically placed meeting rooms, the cafeteria and even bathrooms in the centre of the building. The goal of this was to generate interactions between people as they passed each other in the workplace. Steve Jobs highly valued the face to face interaction and firmly believed this generated innovation. This creates great opportunities for individuals to promote themselves a little more than typical. As people progress in their careers, their network begin to grow and communication within these relationships are not necessarily about specific work but broader business conversations. But what comes first, the network or career development? Under the organic network growth model, it's clearly the career development that drives a broader network which then reciprocates back into further career development as it opens opportunities. Knowing that, wouldn't it be better to proactively grow your own network? What does Networking do for your career resiliency? A quick search on the internet shows a myriad of studies, blogs and other business publications that discuss how networking correlates with career advancement. A key argument is that individuals can share ideas and knowledge. Two things result from this, the recognition for putting yourself out there and also gaining a broader perspective of your environment. Both of which lead straight into resiliency. By getting together with different people to discuss work, individuals can gain a lot of insights and different perspectives on the work that they're doing. This friction is what sparks innovation. It can be quite easy for individuals to get lost in their own work and failing to see the bigger picture. Networking means individuals can validate their ideas or get feedback for further refinement. Individuals can begin to tailor their work for the internal customer and align better with the broader business direction. Building your personal brand are another valuable step for resiliency. A common school of thought is that "who you know" matters more than "what you know", but "who knows you" trumps both. Being active and voicing an opinion ensures you can actually deliver value rather than simply develop it. A lot of individuals will point out how they already share work and ideas through various communication channels. With the pace of technology it can feel like there's almost one channel available for every piece of work. However the most important and richest medium of communication will always be face to face interaction. There is simply no substitution for this. When people sit down together and talk, individuals can be sure someone is listening and thinking about what is actually being said. It also allows for high quality discussion. The trend in communication platforms contributes to cognitive overload and eventually form a graveyard of thoughts and ideas. Active face to face communication always wins. What does Networking do for a company? The modern corporate is based on a hierarchy. While there are a lot of efficiencies with this type of structure, there are some limitations. Poor corporate cultures will mean communication rarely permeates between these silos. While a lot of communication and broader directives come from the top, most of this is lost through the several layers of middle management. A more interconnected and social corporate culture allows a freer flow and exchange of knowledge. This is the type of culture that fosters real innovation. Organizational Learning is another key benefit for improved internal networking. Despite the prominence of knowledge management systems, most knowledge and especially complex knowledge resides within individuals. Documenting complex knowledge can be time consuming and in some situations virtually impossible. When someone has a problem, it's far easier to tap someone on the shoulder for help. As new connections are made, the flow of information speeds up and more complex ideas begin to better understood by more and more people. The organization become even more self-aware. What do you need to do? If you're looking to build up the resiliency of your career, having a great network is a critical component. Proactive networking can be challenging particularly early on, but practice is certainly valuable. A lot of individuals will find that it's often very difficult and time consuming. Although there are a number of great channels out there to build networks such as Meetups, they can be incredibly intimidating. Making that first approach feels awkward for most. Having a great network means you get a better idea of what's going on, a better personal brand and also numerous contacts to tap into in times of help or simply when you're looking to pursue opportunities. It's not a big commitment but you can be sure you're on your way to a more resilient career.

His surgery went much longer than anyone expected so I ended up sort of sleeping in the hospital waiting room much of the night. My friend was unexpectedly grouchy as he went in and out of a nap once he was returned to his hospital room. But, his irritability paled in comparison to the night nurse who stormed into his room and slammed his chart down on the bed stand. “Is he going to be wanting breakfast?” she barked at me with a sound that was both cynical and too loud. When I indicated I was not sure but that I would ask him when he stirred awake again. She continued her diatribe. “Well, he’d better hurry it up. I am done with my shift in fifteen minutes and he might not be so lucky with the day nurse who will be coming on.” Visions of ogres and trolls danced in my head as I shuttered to think what monster disguised as a day nurse might be following Nurse Ratchet. The bad boy in me came out of hiding as I asked her if she had endured a particularly rough night. With a look that could have frightened Superman, she said:  “Honey, they’re all rough. I see people at their worst, the docs here are all cranky, the staff is terrible, and I have to work all night long.” With that, she thundered out of my friend’s room. As the sun was starting to come up, I left the hospital wondering what miracle it would take to transform into a nice person, a nurse who was obviously only interested in getting on the other side of the time clock. I stopped at an all-night diner for my breakfast on my way home from the hospital. I had called my wife from the hospital parking lot and suggested we rendezvous at the diner. We walked in the front door and were welcomed by four people, each doing their specific job. There was no need for a greeter—everyone had proudly won that role. An upbeat waitress got our drink order as we studied the colorful menu. When my wife indicated to me she did not see the precise entree she was hoping for—a BLT on whole wheat with a yolk-less fried egg on top—the waitress at the next table remarked, “Mam, we can create whatever you can imagine!” After we placed our “let’s break all the rules” breakfast order, two different waitresses checked to make sure all was well. It was as if we were the responsibility of every employee in the restaurant. Finishing our great breakfast I stepped to the cash register to pay and instantly heard, “I got it!” as a waitress completely unrelated to our table took time to ring up our order.  As we made our way to the front door to leave, I asked one of the employees if she had just started work.“Oh, no sir,” she responded with a smile, “We have all been here all night. In fact Susie over there (Ms. BLT) has been here about 12 hours.” Recalling my cross nurse encounter an hour earlier, I asked: “How are you all so upbeat? Aren’t you tired?” She smiled, “Of course we are. But, we all love our customers so much we decided it was not fair to them for us to ‘do tired.’  I will ‘do tired’ when I get home, but not here. It would spoil this happy place and you wouldn’t want to come back again.” Notice the juxtaposition -  Nurse Ratchet had zero patience and zero energy. The diner staff still found the energy to serve. According to my colleague Eileen McDargh, author of a great new book, Your Resiliency GPS, energy is the capacity to do work and is a critical element for resiliency. McDargh believes that resiliency is a life skill—a learned way of GROWING through work and life by focusing on adaptability, intelligent optimism, agility, laughability, and alignment. Nurse Ratchet had none of these skills, focusing only on her miserable lot in life. Our waiters choice a different response, one that was far more empowering for everyone. Innovative service takes resilience. It means showing the courage to be imaginative when the easy route would be delivering ho-hum routine service.It means using your creativity and extra effort to thrill a customer when the safe route would be simply to satisfy the customer. Service resilience is about the demonstration of unexpected zeal and over-the-top optimism despite the fact that your physical body is sending signals to slow down, lay down or hunker down. Resilience is the lemonade stance in a lemon situation. How do you explain the difference between the nurse and the waitress? It might be solid supervision, a noble purpose, a wholesome home environment, or a good day on the stock market. But, it is more likely a determined, purpose-driven attitude that is chosen, much like you choose to introduce yourself to a stranger. Resilience comes from the heart of a person determined to be the source of joy, excellence and worth. Service with resilience arises from a commitment to serve and dedication to make a difference in the life of another.  McDargh would call that alignment: finding meaningful moments that matched their values. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” The nurse in the hospital was angry because someone was not making her happy. The staff in the diner was finding their happiness by making a difference in the welfare of everyone who crossed their threshold. Chip Bell has helped many Fortune 100 companies dramatically enhance their bottom lines and marketplace reputation through innovative customer-centric strategies that address the needs of today’s picky, fickle, and vocal customers. Dr. Bell reveals the best practices from the organizations leading the customer loyalty charge, giving audiences powerful cutting-edge ideas and unique strategies they can put into practice the minute they leave his keynote. Always customer-centered, Bell customizes his presentations to meet unique organizational needs through a detailed background study and phone interviews to better understand specific audience challenges. Please visit his website to learn more.

This past week, I was the closing keynoter for the Council of Multiple Listing Services.  The course for a dense, information-packed conference was set by the opening keynoter, Michael A Rogers, former futurist-in-residence for NY Times, columnist for MSNBC, and head of Newsweek.com. Technology and innovation are advancing at hyper-speed. Today, there are more users on Facebook than people in China! By 2020, a three-year old will talk more to a tablet than to his Mommy. Eyeglasses will have an embedded chip that send signals to your ear, telling you things like the name of the person approaching you. For Boomers who have trouble with memory recall, you’ll now have facial recognition. Privacy is dead.  Data will be more than big—and cheap. In 2000, a terabyte of data storage cost $80,000. By 2020, that same amount will be $4. What does this all mean? Human interaction will become priceless and precious as a rare commodity. The trick will be to tap into the virtual world and bring it into the real world. Our brains will need to become more astute at deciphering truth from fiction and meaningful information from random garbage.  (Actually, considering all the political posturing and slanted campaigns, we need that skill right now.) Possibilities for new ventures will require collaboration and cooperation. Competitors can become colleagues. Adaptability and agility? You bet—all prime resiliency skills. PS. Technology gathers refined information to make better decisions. Example: the new Airbus 380 has hundreds of sensors to measure fuel usage. If they can save 1% of jet fuel, the airlines can save $2 billion. (Maybe then we won’t be nickled and dimed for luggage?)

The genteel voice over the phone asked, "Will you volunteer to speak at Los Padrinos?" "Is this a society group and a special fund-raiser?" I asked. A funny chuckle burst across the phone line. "Well, it IS a special type of society and you might say it’s a ‘fun’ raiser for the girls who are students." Since it was local, I was in town, and she was the employee of good client, I agreed to meet her at the school. "School". Nothing was further from the truth... The heavy metal door slammed behind us. The dirt and patchy grass campus had seen better days. Oh, what had I gotten myself into? Why had I ever agreed to spend two hours in this place? Los Padrinos turned out to be LA County's answer to juvenile prison: a combination school-dorm and time-before-doing-Big-Time facility. "We have to hurry and get to the class, Eileen. We're going to the high risk side." "High risk?" I gulped hard. "What's that?" "Girls from ages 12 through 17 who are here on convictions for murder, rape, gang assaults, prostitution, drug sales... you name it they've done it. Some will go from here when they are 18 to the state prison. Others will be sent back home. But remember, they are still just kids." "But what am I going to tell them? I deal with corporate types." "You talk about communication and difficult people and conflict. These kids could use that. You'll know what to say when the time comes. Above all, it's just important that you cared enough to meet them." My heart sank even further. Cynthia had more faith in me than I did. By what right did I come here? From my background to my education to my home life, I had nothing in common with these kids. Or did I? In single file, hands behind their backs, they trooped into the classroom and flopped down on chairs too small for many of them. At first, all I saw were baggy orange pants, gray oversized sweatshirts, and eyes registering everything from curiosity to sullen boredom. There was tiny Nan* with eyes like a fawn, splinter-thin arms, and a tattoo on her neck. Marie kept jumping up: street-smart, sassy, funny. Monica told us about suicide. And 13 more whose faces I still see at night and whose names I whisper in a silent prayer as I mentally circle that schoolroom. For what happened in the next two hours was the biggest learning and grace in my adult life. "I want to know your names. Go around the table and tell me." The litany of names circled and I repeated each until I matched face and name. Eyes brightened. Heads nodded. I discovered no guest to that room had ever wanted to know their names. "Tell me the things that people do on the outside that get to you. Tell me what you do in response. Tell me how you feel." My learning and theirs began. Somehow we connected. And the asphalt persona dropped and in its place were children and teenagers... afraid, hurt, angry, bewildered, and alone. Their words spoke volumes of abuse, incest, abandonment and a despair that there was nothing they could do to change it. They didn't want to be like their parents.... fathers in Folsom, mothers on the street. They didn't want their brothers and sisters to be like them - nor their children. And I heard more: "Do you know what it's like where I live? And your daughter has a chance for a job! Where do I go? If there are no jobs and everything is so expensive, what else is left but to steal, or run drugs? I hate it. I feel bad. I don't like me." "I want to go to college, but I can't read. And I have to go with a guy with money and do what he says. Do you know how much Pampers cost? We'll do anything not to take welfare." "Everyone says I'm bad. Maybe that's why my mother threw me in the trash can as a baby." And on they talked. Some cried. I listened. Two hours vanished and almost in mid-sentence they trooped out, many reaching for hugs as they left. I felt depleted... drained... and helpless. I turned to Cynthia in despair. "What happened? Whatever did we start? I feel terrible!" "Oh, Eileen," cried Cynthia, tears also running down her cheeks. "Don’t you see? For the first time since I’ve been coming here, they felt that someone really wanted to listen to them instead of lecture. They felt permission to be vulnerable and real. It all starts with sincere listening." I take no credit for that day at Los Padrinos. I think it was the lesson that I, as a professional speaker, most needed to learn. But my sense is that I’m not alone. How many times do any of us really listen to our office mate, our spouse, our neighbor, our vexing teenager? No, I haven’t been back. Cynthia has gone on to other projects and I’m on the road much more. But I haven’t forgotten her words. The girls at Los Padrinos are a broader-life, more dramatic version of our greatest need: to feel that someone cares enough to really listen... that someone cares enough to take a-never-to-be-regained-again minute from life and be truly present for us. It is a precious present. *Name changed to protect identity.

With Congressional approval at an all time low, candidates could learn how Pope Francis has achieved a 60% approval rating according to a recent survey by the Public Religion Research Institute. Considering that many Americans have no religious affiliation, it’s worth exploring just how this has happened. To stay in the race and be resilient, presidential hopefuls can learn from him. Remember, there is much Pope Francis has in common with members of Congress. He was elected. He has taken over a very dysfunctional institution with layers of management, powerful underlings, and members who actively oppose his agenda. Like Congress, the Vatican is a billion dollar organization marked by arrogance and corruption. While Congress doesn’t share the criminal abuse of children and adults, it has refused to handle the white collar crimes of financial institutions who pay literally billions to settle criminal charges of malfeasance. First: Refuse to flaunt how much money you have and forgo the trappings of the 1%. The Pope’s lack of flamboyance has allowed a large population to feel a connection with him. In fact, if you want to really understand how the middle class and below feel, try renting an apartment in Los Angeles on minimum wage. Second: Stop making sweeping generalizations that condemn entire blocks of people. Instead, seek first to understand rather than be understood. Bubble-wrapped politicians who have been protected from the realities of life have little hope of gaining support from a majority. Third: Shut up and listen. And when it is time to speak, remember that simplicity is far more compelling than bombastic pronouncements and calling people stupid. Oh yes—don’t claim that God is on your side. As Francis said, “Who am I to judge?”.

Little did I know I would have the opportunity to practice that mantra at my last presentation. Here I was: the closing keynoter for a major media company. The presentation was going to be live and streamed to six locations throughout the United States. I was speaking at their corporate campus. We checked out all the audio visual components while the group was at lunch. Yes, the embedded music worked on cue and pumped up the room with energy. The slides transitioned perfectly. I opted for the handheld microphone with better sound quality. All systems, GO! Not. “Please welcome the author of six books and the lover of all things dark chocolate, Eileen McDargh.” The music that should have jumped in never happened. I asked the audience to imagine Tina Turner singing ‘Simply the Best'. Suddenly the music could be heard albeit faintly. I think up a quick interaction. Then, the remote suddenly decides to be taken over by some NASCAR driver and all the slides starting appearing and disappearing at high rates of speed. AAARGH. What can I do but talk about the aliens that have inhabited the show computer. We march on. Forget the slides. But then, probably two-thirds into the program, the microphone began cutting in and out as I walked across the stage. It took FOUR different mics handed to me in the moment before we found one that worked. And… and being able to roll with whatever happened. The irony: Karen Hough, author of Be The Best Bad Presenter Ever, and a former member of Chicago’s famed Second City, had addressed the group in the morning on the value of improvisation. Little did I imagine I would became her poster child! Every glitch became a teaching moment about improvisation. Lesson #1: Accept what is given. Lesson #2: Say “Yes and..." Lesson #3: When things don’t work, acknowledge and go on. Karen also said that in her long acting career, she practiced most for improvisation. She practiced flexibility — a hallmark of resiliency. Flying back to California, I replayed her words. That was what saved me. I had practiced that speech for days. I knew what point flowed to the next. Had I not been prepared, the entire thing could have been horrid. It reinforced what I believe: presilience(TM! is practicing resiliency BEFORE you need it. PS: I think I am going to take up yoga now. My body needs to become flexible too.

This past week, the skies darkened in the hills behind my home in Southern California. What first looked like a cloud-filled sky quickly became dark and ominous. Wind whipped my wind chimes, blew over potted plants and scattered my deck chairs like matchsticks.And we were thrilled.RAIN coming in drought-decked California. Parched. Dying. And then. Nothing. Not a drop. The plants remained parched. Dry. Lifeless. Reminds me of folks we all encounter—particularly in this political season.Lots of hot air, blustery bellows, windbags without any moisture content and NO real relief in sight. It’s easy to get excited when feeling threatened, anxious, and worried.It’s what happens in my state with no substantial rain for five years. But when it comes to selecting leaders, caution is the byword.Big winds might look promising but without real depth—well, it’s just windbag.

On Wednesday, Shirley, almost 88 years’ old, walked out of her assisted living residence, crossed a street, and went into a parking lot. A woman in a car saw her pass and suddenly disappear. Startled, this Good Samaritan hopped out of her car and discovered Shirley had fallen face down and had a broken nose, fractured jaw, and various cuts and bruises. She carried no ID and it was only by the persistence of this stranger that Shirley was identified and her niece called to come to the hospital. Shirley’s new friend, Joni Correia, an employee with the Navy Federal Credit Union, even came by the hospital to check on Shirley and bring her flowers. I think Joni Correia is an angel, an unsung hero who instinctively went to help a stranger and to even follow up. It wasn’t her job. It was her day off. Yet Joni modeled what we all need at times: angels around us. What’s fascinating is that sometimes we jump to the aid of a stranger before we jump in to help the colleague in our department. This week, with the official end of summer and many starting back to work... perhaps we might look for a way to be an “angel;” among us. I think that spontaneous assistance to another might even help us fly.

Remember the pack of crayons with all sharp points and colors? I can still smell them. How about the new book that cracked when you opened it? Or maybe, if you were lucky, either new shoes or new pants - maybe both? How about the anticipation of seeing old friends and the anxiety over which teacher you’d get? The locker was clean at least for the first few days and the PE room didn’t smell sweaty... yet! Anticipation. Fear. Excitement. And something new! Why should kids have all the fun? This September, decide something you would like to learn. Find someone who will be your playground buddy. You can either learn together or at least cheer each other on. There has to some element of trepidation AND it also has to be NEW. Don’t make it so big and hairy that you’ll never do it. My new thing to learn: how to use the app Periscope. Pegine Echevarria is my playground buddy. What will you learn? PS: Oh Yes - might as well clean your “schoolroom” while you are at it. Photo credit: ©DollarPhotoClub/BillionPhotos

I could be writing about our just-completed vacation on a 4-masted clipper ship. That will come another time.   With the exception of parents eager to send their rowdy kids back to school, we all know how fast vacations fly. Right now, however, I want to focus on this precious thing called life. Resiliency is all about growing through each moment of life… life which is too short. Within two days after being home from vacation, a friend was killed in a car accident on Interstate 5 and a dear author and colleague, Jaime Showkeir, died on his birthday just 13 months after his diagnosis with ALS.  Yesterday, my neighbor told me that her diagnosis after steady chemo for rare thymic cancer is not good.  She’ll take a break with her husband and her two children, ages 5 and 9, in Maui, before going for her last hope: The City of Hope. Life. Precious. Singular. And over too soon. Whose hand will you hold today? Who needs have a hug and/or to hear the words, “I love you?”  Does your face radiate joy in the moment?  Or is your face a mirror of discontent, complaint, or disgust? There were two such unhappy folks on the Star Flyer ship. One man never smiled, his face well worn into a deeply creased frown.  He’d cut short any greeting.  If someone said, “Amazing - the work of Valencia architect Santiago Calatrava”, he immediately responded, “I hate Calatrava.”  Sigh. The other woman was his mirror image. She cornered any ship attendant and would proceed to yell and raise her arms, gesturing wildly.  Clearly, there was nothing about this trip that made her happy. Sadly, their partners seemed to follow suit.  Passengers gave them a wide berth. Are you one of those people who bring joy when you enter a room?  Or when you leave it?  Find out now.  Enjoy the moment. It is over too soon.