The most significant word in employee retention is “engagement”.  Too many workers are present but their imagination, spirit and creativity have departed out the door with disillusion. Don't make these five mistakes when dealing with employees: 1.  Be a know-it-all and discount the input of others. A new senior level manager was brought into an organization. When department heads met with him, he proclaimed “lower cost, higher quality, more sales”. He asked for their input and then immediately dismissed whatever they said. The fact that he had never worked in this particular industry had already prompted skepticism. The department heads, whose support and knowledge are critical for a turnaround, have departed in droves while those who are staying just shrug their shoulders and say they’ll hunker down until they find something else. 2.  Never admit mistakes. The worn phrase from the old movie Love Story proclaimed, “Loves means never having to say you’re sorry.”  As wrong as that advice is for intimate relationships, it is just as stupid in business.  When ego and arrogance replace the realities of a decision, employees watch in dismay. The operating plan becomes mired in finding ways to justify action rather than admitting error and looking for a new, more promising direction. The cost overruns on building a large golf course were huge because the senior manager refused the input of his department heads and then spent thousands trying to cover up design flaws. 3.  Act first and think later. The ready, fire, aim approach of shoot-from-the-hip-and-think-later is all too common in our 24/7, do-it-now world.  The results can be disastrous - particularly if the vehicle for action is e-mail.  E-mail now stands for escalation and error. The person who blasts off a response without carefully considering the tone and the names on the distribution list can find himself spending time and energy undoing collateral damage. The more critical the relationship and/or the outcome of the action, the greater wisdom is in carefully measured actions and more likely than not, face-to-face conversation. 4.  Create an inner circle that thinks alike. Howell Raines, executive editor of the NY TIMES, was the subject of a 17,000-word article that appeared in the NEW YORKER. It was a brutal expose, painting a documented story of him as an arrogant bully who played favorites, listened only to a few people and pummeled far too many. When folks outside of his inner circle tried to tell him their concerns regarding Jayson Blair, the now infamous fabricator of new stories, Raines ignored them.  5.  Say one thing and do another. A high-tech manufacturing company in Southern California announced significant layoffs because of poor performance. Every budget item was to be scrutinized. The following weekend, the CEO took the top management team away to the Ritz Carlton in Monarch Beach so they could ponder these new realities. Care to guess how fast the employees got wind of this “cost-saving” move?  Or how about the professional services firm that proclaimed mandatory attendance and then repeatedly ignored a senior consultant who only showed up when he “felt like it”. If you want to model truth and trust, ask the people around you how often you engage in these behaviors. And if you are not happy with the answers, DO something different. You might also need to bring in an external coach to help you with the process. The results: you win and the organization wins.

Welcome home!  These two small words carry potent possibilities for creating a connection that evokes loyalty and teamwork.   Yet, one seldom thinks of "welcome home" in the context of work.  In fact, it is only through recent incidents that I have become acutely aware of the power this gesture holds. Scene ONE: a world away in the remote regions of the western Himalayas. Our team had been warned of the dangers in crossing the white water rivers fed by glacier melt. The crossing would be on foot and had to be done as early as possible in the day-before the sun would begin to melt the ice pack and the rivers rise within minutes. Our team of locals had gotten us up before dawn-sending us briskly on our way after a hot breakfast. They stayed behind to pack up gear, tent, and load the mules.  We made it across the frigid water by forming a human chain. Our team was too late. They had to spend the night on a rock pile, in below freezing temperatures, and cross at 5:30 am the next day. My husband and I were up early that morning with the head guide. Suddenly, we heard a shout and in the distance saw the figures of our team coming down the slope. We cheered, waved, hollered and wrapped them in an embrace with the words, "Welcome Home."  We stood around beaming at each other. For the rest of the trek, this team seemed even more helpful, solicitous and full of extra effort for those of us who welcomed them home. I frankly had not made the connection until another incident happened. Scene TWO: a combination assisted living and memory care facility in Southern California. Mom, age 93, had fallen and broken her hip. Now, two months’ from the time an ambulance sped her away to the closest hospital, I wheeled her back through the front door. Her mind and body had taken a terrible assault coupled with embolisms and a decreasing ability to emotionally or mentally cope. She would not be going back to her upstairs studio but rather into the rooms behind the locked door. As soon as we entered, the receptionist jumped up to give Mom a big hug and said "welcome home." Other care managers came up and knelt down and hugged her. When we walked down the hall toward the locked doors, residents who had known Mom were sitting in the activities room. They shouted to her and applauded.   As I pushed her down the hall to her new room, more care managers came up to us Lastly, at the door of her new room were balloons and a big sign, "Welcome Home, Mary."   I cried. Any lingering doubt about the wisdom of this move vanished.  Despite the fact Mom can’t remember them and alternates in moods that range from pleasant to belligerent, this team of caregivers continues to serve with compassion and care. They come from different parts of the facility to tell me they are so glad our whole family has come home. Funny. The first day I left her, the security guard at my building hollered out "welcome home." I swear I had never heard that. Welcome Home Insights for Leaders How do you make employees feel as if they are welcomed home?  One surgeon was overheard telling a custodian, "Hey, Frank. Glad to see you this morning. I never worry about the cleanliness of this hospital when I see you here."   Don’t you think the employee felt as if he was, "welcomed home"?  I do. Do you notice when employees are absent-whether for illness, travel, or even vacation?  And when they come back, do you welcome them home? Sounds trite, but I am beginning to think it is the small things that help us feel valued. As the economy turns around, you might very well want to bring back employees who have been laid off.  How will you welcome them home? What about your customers or clients?  How do you welcome them home? One bank teller not only didn’t welcome a long-time customer "home" but insisted that he could not validate a parking ticket unless the customer made a transaction. The customer was so angry, he made a transaction: closed an account that had several thousand dollars in it. Welcome Home Insights for Employees There are some people who bring joy by entering a room and others by leaving. Which one are you? If we had not cared for the staff at Mom’s residence and if she had not been kind, trust me-they would not have welcomed her home. Watch out for negativity, mean-spirited comments, and "all-about-me" behavior.  Behavior like this, even if one is a solid performer by way of numbers, will not generate a "welcome home" feeling. In one law firm, the top rainmaker was fired because the managing partners determined that his behavior so undermined the office that they were better off without him. Always leave well. Should you leave for another company, another career or even retirement-make sure you leave speaking only well of your employer. Who knows-you might want to return someday. Remember:  home is not given but made. What will you do to make your work a place in which people feel welcomed home?

Beginning in 2001, Pepperdine University marketing professor Roy Adler began tracking the profitability of more than 200 FORTUNE 500 companies.   Adler found that the 25 organizations that most aggressively promoted women to executive positions had 34% higher profits as a share of revenue. Furthermore, ten firms with excellent records for promoting women (Google, Apple and Johnson & Johnson) posted much higher profits that even firms whose records were considered very good.  These results have been confirmed in studies running for the past five years.  Yes—promoting women with talent makes good cents and sense!

The day dawned cool and clear along the California coast when I went for my early morning run on the beach.  In the distance, a large shape became visible on the sand looking like a white box with long antennas pointed to the sky. As I approached, my white box turned into a 43-foot yacht with outriggers. Yellow caution tape stretched from rock outcroppings to its bow and stern and two men from Vessel Assist were digging around its beached hull. “Must have set it on autopilot and fell asleep,” answered the digger to my question. “Autopilot  doesn’t know about the headlands and the surge that will pull a boat to shore if you’re not watching.” What a perfect Labor Day weekend lesson: autopilot! Pick up a newspaper and you have to wonder about leaders in industries that are literally grounded. The wind didn’t just suddenly shift. Nope--asleep at the wheel. Business as usual with few course corrections.  You can name the names of companies and entire industries. Made me wonder how often we also lead our lives from autopilot? Surely the investors with Bernie Madoff put their financial ships in his hands, never once asking about how this single individual could steer a course with amazing returns while the rest of the world floundered Sometimes, it takes the getting grounded (or close to it), to jar us awake from autopilot.  Personally, dealing with my Mother’s broken hip at age 93 and handling all the legal paperwork has awakened me to more carefully scrutinize what papers, procedures and people I have lined up to help me and my husband.  From a professional standpoint, I am willing to bet I am not the only  consultant who auto-piloted her way in marketing, betting that articles and videos would continue to bring in new clients.  Not so.  Delivery mechanisms are changing and so must I. As our children start back to school, perhaps we all might think of September as OUR new year.  Get out of autopilot. What course might we steer in this new world?  I am looking at the map I am making of my life. Course correction is definitely in order. Where are you headed?

Imagine a crusty group of seasoned professionals standing, applauding, and cheering a 28-year-old leader turned a same-old-same-old product into something fresh and exciting! This does NOT happen—particularly when the professionals are members of the Israel Philharmonic. But under the baton of Maestro Gustavo Dudamel, orchestra members did just that. Now, since 2009, Southern California music lovers continue to witness the same magic of a man who started as a tot playing in El Sistema, the publicly funded program for children in Venezuela. Talk about teamwork. Talk about taking an old product like Beethoven’s Fifth and turning it into something that has young and old talking. (In how many ways can we say “Detroit - get a clue!”), I was struck by an interview I read when Dudamel first came to my area. Dudamel’s leadership genius jumped off the page as something that leaders in all industries can practice. The secret: love the music and the musicians who play it! Dudamel makes every player a star, asking them to play their best and then—just a little more and still more. He is a persistent and disciplined communicator. This means he delivers the same message, evoking over and over again the possibility of amazing outcomes and a belief in the individual strength of each player that only become better when joined with others. He uses the power of words to express the results he seeks. It’s not the language of bottom line and shareholder return, but rather words that turn a symphony into human terms: blood, meat, happiness, magic. Every player can sense an emotional component to the end result. Imagine what would happen if leaders could translate a product or a service into something that resonates emotionally with team members. I can make a case for software technicians as surely as a team of surgical nurses. According to close observers, Dudamel’s eyes radiate joy and energy when working with the orchestra. He admits that having fun with the “product” and the players is what allows him to create a musical experience that brings the “buyers” of the product and the “makers” of the product to their feet. Fun. Energy. Joy. These aren’t words that one normally associates with work. Results without joy, fun (however one defines it) and energy create a disengaged workforce and a perfunctory leadership style. In a competitive arena, where every orchestra can select the same product, imagine the great difference a leader makes. Its why lines have formed to buy tickets for Dudamel’s first concert in October in Los Angeles. What would happen when lines formed to buy a company’s product or service because the leader’s behavior showed the world that he loved the “music” and the “musicians” who made it? Let the trumpets swell on that final note! How’s that for a lesson?

Look at companies like Oracle, Novartis, State Farm, Procter & Gamble, Intel, and Cobalt and you’ll find one trend that is consistent despite being radically different firms: a commitment to the development of women’s leadership skills through networks and conferences. When it comes to employee acquisition, retention and engagement, these firms know that: women represent 60% of university graduates in Europe and North America (and 52% in China, 70% in the United Arab Emirates) a majority of the jobs lost in both the US and Britain in this recession have been lost by men, not women of the 8 million jobs created in Europe since the year 2000,  75% of them have been filled by women 2009 may also be the year that women become the majority of the American labor force for the first time When it comes to customer loyalty and buying decisions, these firms  also know that: Women purchase more than 51% of all new cars and influence the purchase decision of 85% of all new cars sold in the U.S (Jody DeVere, CEO of ASkPatty.com) 76% of women identify themselves as the principal shoppers Women also play a large role in non-routine expenditures. Of  the $200 billion spent at retail on CE products in 2007, roughly $90 billion (45%) was made by women at the checkout counter or online. (Catalyst). Bottom line: For productivity, profitability, and performance, it just makes good sense to hold conferences and training sessions to encourage the development of women as business leader.

What makes the difference between an average presentation and one that rocks your world?  What makes the difference between a memorable speech and one that fades into oblivion as soon as the presenter steps off the stage?  The answer sits in four building blocks that are essential for crafting a speech into a work of art rather than hum-drum blather. Building Block Number One:  Add context to your content. Every word we utter, every gesture we make take its nuance and meaning from the context of the moment.  Consider context to be the background or the stage setting for what is being spoken.  Small wonder that Congress recoiled with the Big Three Automakers arrived in individual corporate jets to ask for money.  The context made their mode of travel ludicrous. If  Astronaut Neil Armstrong had said, "One small step for a man; one giant leap for mankind"  while standing on the 16th hole of Pebble Beach with a #3 wood in his hand, that statement would have been destined for locker room chatter rather than heard as a defining moment in placing the U.S. on the moon.  Context is everything. While this is a rather silly scenario, every speaker faces an audience with a background that brings them together.  To connect with an audience,  a speaker must state the context for the gathering, the context for the message.  If President Obama had failed to summarize the concern, anger, and frustration of the average American as a preamble to his major addresses given during the long election process, he might very well have never been chosen to lead this nation.   When a speaker sets the stage by providing a context for his words, the audience settles in to listen, believing "Ah. He understands what I am going through." Often, the speaker can put into words what the audience has been experiencing yet is unable-for political or personal reasons-to express. In one keynote address, I summarized the anxiety and uncertainty the group faced with an unprecedented spinoff.  Being able to put a humorous twist by way of an analogy also got the group laughing and nodding.   Now, we can get down to business! Building Block Number Two:  Remember facts tell but emotion sells. Statistics, flow charts, and diagrams belong in handouts. What brings data to life is the emotion behind the information.  If  Martin Luther King had given his "I have a dream speech" but recited all the facts and figures behind segregation, the audience would have gone to sleep. Instead, he painted a picture and portrayed his own emotion about seeing races sitting beside each other.  You saw and felt his intensity. If you think this only belongs in political or religious arenas, think again.  Rita Davenport, president of one of the most profitable direct sales organizations in the world, Arbonne,  never addresses her audience in terms of dollars and cents.  She talks about individuals and what happened in their lives as a result of having their own business. I've watched this petite and very funny woman bring crowds to their feet because she captured the emotion of success-not the facts. Imagine the buy-in when an executive stands up, relays her story about what it is like to be a female executive in an 98% male organization. Facts about organizational life?  Yes.  But also plenty of emotion that captured the attention of everyone at the conference.  Big stuff. Building Block Number Three: Share what's behind the curtain. In The Wizard of Oz, the little wizard created a persona that was basically a sham. He projected a larger-than-life image on a curtain that both awed and scared the folks in the Emerald City. He thought that in order to lead others, he had to be something he was not. In the end, the curtain was pulled away and we saw him manipulating an image of himself.  In truth, by ripping aside the curtain, the wizard turned out to be a wise man with keen powers of observation and the "audience" of Dorothy and her friends ended up listening to him. What was an incident of fiction is exactly what Pine and Gilmore, authors of The Authentic Economy, insist is the exactly what consumers and employees are looking for: authentic people!  We're tired of phony baloneys.  We're tired of slick and silly. We're tired of speakers who act as if they have all the answers and then behave off stage in a manner totally opposite to their presentation. We are hungry for REAL people. If a presenter can build in personal examples of failure and success, or emotional high and lows-as fitting the topic-the audience also relaxes into a listening mode. One of the best-and shortest speeches-I ever heard would have had 300 people up in a standing ovation were it not for the fact we were held fast by seat belts. United Flight 1180 left Denver for New Orleans. Denver was snowbound.  De-icing was easy. New Orleans --- another matter as huge thunderstorms kept rolling in from the Gulf of Mexico.  Diversion and diversion. All the while the pilot kept us updated on our progress.  We learned that he had been a pilot in Vietnam. And when he finally announced after many futile attempts to land, "I am an old pilot. Not a bold pilot," the cabin erupted in cheers.  He shared what was behind the curtain and in the end, we knew he didn't like the situation any more than we did. Building Block Number Four: Practice storytelling instead of telling. "Man cannot live without story any more than he can live without bread." - Dr. Warren Bennis Since ancient times when humanity gathered around a fire ring, painted on cave walls, marked tombs, or wrote on hides and papyrus, we've been enamored by the stories these drawings tell.  The drawings captured what our ear can no longer hear. All of human history has, at some point, been summarized through stories that reveal everything from creation mythology to Biblical lessons to exploits in outer space. We just plain love story. We like detail, action, and words what SHOW us what happens rather than TELLS us what happens.  In coaching executives for presentations, our challenge is to constantly ask "what story would show this point?"  When I want to make a point about the potential downfall of knee jerk reactions, I tell the story (and act out) cutting down the WRONG fire alarm from the ceiling. I wiped out a perfectly good piece of equipment because I did not stop to THINK! That story captures the imagination, makes the point, and becomes memorable because it also shares what's behind the curtain. We've all made the too-fast-dumb move.  So now, we also have an emotional response as well! By incorporating these four building blocks into a presentation, you'll not only be heard but remembered.  This makes you stand out from the herd.  And that's no bull!

Training is an on-going and key component to better business and happier employees.  Many companies are looking for inexpensive ways to keep their employees skills updated.  I have several ideas for meeting that objective: Bring in a professional speaker or trainer and share the expensive between several departments. Ask nearby businesses to split the cost of training in return for a number of seats for their employees or have your vendors sponsor training throughout the year as a way of keeping their services and products top of mind with your employees. Talk to your favorite training and consulting company about creating a series of recorded webinars that employees can access at any time at their convenience. Have a series of training podcasts created and have employees download them to their MP3 players. Ask vendors to supply free training on their products and services to employees. If you'd like more cost effective ways of training employees send me an e-mail at Eileen@eileenmcdargh.com.

Tip #10: Stop re-arranging the deck chairs. The greatest problem with change is that no one wants to admit that it can happen to them. Be honest about potential downturns and get ready. Don’t create the doomsday, hand-wringing scenarios but ones that are well thought-out with a plan of action in your back pocket. Contingency is the name of the game. It’s rather like a fire drill. If you don’t have a plan, you can burn up! Tip #9: Go with what “brung ya.” My great-grandfather always said that what he knew was “shoes”. He didn’t know how to publish books, how to sell pigs feet, or how to make a car. He stuck to what he knew: shoes. Since 1880, Reineberg’s Shoe Store has served the folks of York, PA. In an era where companies come and go, my family has stuck to what they know: shoes! It’s a simple testament to focus, to listening to the customers, to not speculating about acquisitions and mergers that make no sense from a resident knowledge base. Build your core and play to win from that strength. Tip #8 Stop reading and listening to “the news”. A steady dose of downturns, depressing statistics, gloomy forecasts, and shrill broadcasters can have anyone running for cover. Beside, it’s a waste of productive time to constantly be checking stock prices. Find one trusted source, listen or read it once, and then—GET ON WITH IT! What will you chose to do now to advance today? So much of resiliency is a mental trip—a mindset that says “Yes I can” regardless of all the “No you can’t” pundits. Positive presumption has moved football teams and armies. It can move you. Tip #7 Fire up. Don’t flame out. Exhausted teams can’t carry a ball, a race, or an Olympic flag. Make sure that what you ask yourself and your team to do has clear implication for the future—and not just some exercise in futility that is done “because it’s the way we’ve always done it.” This is a great time to streamline, to examine procedures, to throw out and to straighten up. Fire people up with possibilities and stories of hope. Can you make a vision real? Meaningful? Everyone needs that picture. No one hops out of bed to give shareholders a greater return on their investment. As Seth Godin writes, “Can you imagine Apple founder Steve Job showing up for a paycheck?” Not a chance. He showed up for something he believes in. Tip #6 Court and carry your valued customers. It is far too easy to lose valued customers if price and financial returns are the only basis for building a long-term relationship. Protect your customers now by asking what you can do to help them. Maybe they can’t buy your product or services now—but you might be able to offer something else. Or maybe, throw in a lagniappe—a little bit more. Tip #5 Communicate without ceasing. In the absence of information, people often connect the dots in the most pathological way possible. Transparency and honesty are keys in keeping people connected and calm. How much better it is to know what we face together and what is being done than to guess and gossip about situations. Tip #4 Celebrate small wins. When times are tough, we need a daily dose of encouragement. What would happen if you ended each day on a positive note? What would happen if you closed by mentally congratulating yourself on what you did do? Tip #3: Do what others are not willing to do. Look for innovation. Train employees. Yes, spend money. Wisely. That’s what your competition is not doing. If you focus on quality instead of cutting corners, you will be poised to come out on top. Let any pain be felt from the top first. Too many organizations and government agencies solve budget deficits by going after “the little guys” first. Big mistake. Remember when Chrysler CEO Iacocca took $1 in salary? Employee and customer admiration and loyalty resulted. Tip #2:  Upsize your way to greatness. This is definitely what few will do. But cutting into muscle and bone only makes the corporate body ill equipped to re-enter the business arena when the economy improves. While others must build back bench strength and start from scratch, you are ready because you have been training and hiring for this moment. Consider encouraging older employees to take half-time retirement so they can pass along knowledge to newer and younger employees. It might be the perfect time to upgrade your skills. Tip #1: Say thank you. Nothing attracts supporters like positive energy. When times are tough, staying positive seems like a hard battle. Gratitude is the key. The work conducted at the University of Pennsylvania by Dr. Martin Seligman underscores the value of expressing gratitude on a daily basis. Studies of character strength in tens of thousands of people across the U.S. have shown that feeling and practicing gratitude is the single strongest predictor of satisfaction with life. Find three people each day and tell them why you are grateful for them. Write down three “gratitudes” each night in a journal. You’ll sleep better. In the words of philosopher Howard Zinn, “To have hope one doesn’t need certainty, only possibility.” Here’s to the possibility of a transformed and brighter tomorrow. If you need support for getting through tough times read my book “Your Resiliency GPS: A Guide for Growing through Life" at https://www.eileenmcdargh.com/your-resiliency-gps-book

If you’re in the unfortunate place where you’ve had to let some folks go, be aware that the phrase “well, you’re lucky to have a job” will get you NO where.  Left unchecked, employees often suffer anger, guilt, anxiety, maybe even envy if someone got “a package”. Fail to address this and you could have a survivor epidemic on your hands. Here are some practical steps: Let employees know that employee cutbacks were done as a last measure and why. Let employees know that everyone—including you--is having a difficult time with the transition. Deliver a very clear, visual message of what you see is the PURPOSE of the organization that remains regardless of the economy. (And the purpose is NOT to increase shareholder value.  What is the VALUE of the product or service of what the organization does?) Clearly outline a PLAN for moving forward, indicating exactly what senior leadership will be doing.  Employees need to have comfort that someone is guiding the ship. Relate what is the PART employees will play in the new world. Don’t be vague and mushy.  People need to know exactly where the fit and what is expected of them Open yourself to hearing what expectations employees have of you. Be candid about what you can and cannot do.

I wrote this as the sun slowly sets behind the Channel Islands that loom out from the Santa Barbara coast. From my desk on the second floor of this retreat center, I see the mountain behind me turn into deeper shades of gray green and black. Soon, an almost full moon will rise and create havoc with my star gazing from the bench in the ancient oak grove. So far… looks like nothing has changed but… For the first time in 13 years, I couldn’t take the 4-mile trek to the top of my mountain. Mountain lion sightings are posted and the warnings read “Don’t hike alone. No small dogs. No children. Carry rocks in your pockets.” Rocks? The climb is hard enough!! Go with someone? Never found anyone crazy enough to come with me. No children? Ummm—I might be an entrée size for the big cat. CHANGE of plans! It felt strange, uncomfortable, and somewhat silly to substitute power walks up winding roads for the hidden beauty of live oaks, creeks, and hardscrabble rocks. But there was an alternative. I saw plants I had never seen, smiled at folks I would never have encountered, and still felt reasonably justified in my exercise to sit the rest of the day and write. CHANGE. For most of us, we enter 2021 facing massive change. The routes we thought were safe for our investments have been severely compromised. Our jobs might have vanished or been reduced. Industries are shattered. We pin our hopes on a new Administration to lead us out of this horrid mess. Truth be told, unless we remember the Depression, we’re faced with a never-before-seen-scenario that feels uncomfortable, strange, and –if we let it—downright frightening. What do we do about this? Yes—WE. WE all hold some small piece of a solution. No one person is going to hold our hand and take us another route. We must find alternatives to what had become so routine. We must greet each other on the way and share whatever we’ve learned. We must stop dwelling on the past, on blame, on wistful thinking, on wayward mountain lions and instead focus on what CHANGE can be made. Won’t feel the same. Won’t look the same. But if we face CHANGE together, the walk into the future might astound us with amazing possibilities.

Despite an economic slowdown and widespread layoffs, companies cannot afford to lose the talent war. In a knowledge-based, talent-centric global economy driven by ideas, the company with the best talent wins. Period. Jettisoning employees in financial tough times can very well result in losing industrious producers, top talent, longtime workers, and top managers. Such shortsightedness can be costly on many fronts. The cost of recruiting talented workers typically runs 70-200% of their annual salaries. A loss of sales staff can hurt a company's bottom line. Lose productive people and the customer might be penalized. And the resulting morale decline can take a toll on employee engagement-being fully connected with producing great results for an organization. A company doesn't make profits. People do. So here's the operative question: are job eliminations, workforce realignments strategically driven, designed to foster long-term growth? Do these practices allow organizations to reposition themselves competitively and take advantage of new opportunities? If so, than this is the message that must be spoken, written, lived from the top down. And retention-re-engagement-efforts become imperative. It's too late to undo the layoffs that have already happened. Let's focus on how to rebuild the broken communities that are left behind.