Why Free Agent Thinking Is Good For Your Company
It's no secret! Day after day the news is riddled with companies who are moving operations to other countries or completely closing their doors. Those who remain must transform themselves to lean, mean, businesses with a constant eye on reducing costs.
For the first time, the baby-boomers are finding themselves in an unpredictable work environment. They are shaken by the instability of what the future holds...and with good reason.
Company messages are mixed. On one hand, they talk about wanting to be "an employer of choice" with a reputation for retaining talent. On the other hand, they need the ability to be fluid...fluid enough to restructure and reorganize to meet the constantly changing needs of the market.
How then, do you walk the fine line between wanting to retain without implying promises for the future?
Encourage "free agent thinking". In other words, release the golden handcuffs.
* At every opportunity tell them you know they have many employers to choose from, and thank them for choosing you.
* When you communicate change, send a message that change is the "norm" in today's economy. Replace "message spins" with truth and hard facts.
* Teach them to embrace the mindset of personal branding and how to approach their work as if they are in business for themselves.
* Make sure every employee at every level understands the state of the business. Be sure they know how their performance contributes to the business results. Tell them what the business needs from them to be more successful.
* Help them be prepared by offering resources and encouragement to keep resumes up to date.
If you were thinking this is a little radical and you would be crazy to take this advice...THINK AGAIN!
* People who think like free agents act as if their future depends on every thing they do, or don't do. They have a sense of personal responsibility and personal power.
* Free agent thinkers understand that every person they encounter is a potential customer, or can lead to a customer...so they treat everyone like a valued customer.
* Free agent thinkers anticipate change and understand that the competition is tough. They learn to take the good with the bad, but they rarely consider themselves victims of circumstance.
Do your employees a favor. Encourage free agent thinking. As a company, yes, you'll have to work harder to keep the talent you want to keep. And yes, you'll probably lose some. Which is better for your business...people who are actively engaged and appreciate the opportunity, or people who are just waiting for their next paycheck? You decide!
About The Author
As the owner of Essential Connections, Lora Adrianse is a catalyst for clients who aspire to achieve optimal results. She is accomplished in developing employees at all levels, a seasoned business manager, and is passionate about helping clients build extraordinary business relationships with colleagues and customers. Her natural instincts enrich her ability to get to the heart of the real business issues people face today. She can be reached through her website www.connectionscoach.com, coach@connectionscoach.com
 Google News Updated : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:05:39 GMT PIECING TOGETHER A PLEA How the deal got done - Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press - BY JOE SWICKARD • FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER • September 5, 2008 Prosecutors rolled Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's plea deal into court Thursday praying the wheels wouldn't fall off. Detroit Mayor Acknowledges 'Poor Judgment' Detroit mayor pleads guilty, to leave office Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 07:57:24 GMT In Long-Awaited Maps of Cancer, The Breakthrough Is the Problem - Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal - By GAUTAM NAIK After struggling for years to improve the treatment of cancer, scientists now hope to fight the disease with the help of the same techniques that deciphered the human genome eight years ago: mapping it. What You Need to Know About Mapping the Cancer Genome Data on defective genes make tailored remedies possible Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:01:28 GMT Reviews of McCain's speech - MSNBC
MSNBC - The AP’s Ron Fournier says McCain “preached bipartisanship and unity from a stage retooled to carry him out to the Republican faithful. McCain: I work for you ‘Change is coming,’ McCain tells GOP in speech Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:35:16 GMT Lebanese ruling majority accuses Syria of interfering in Lebanon - Xinhua
Xinhua - BEIRUT, Sept.5 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese ruling majority accused Syrian President Bashar Assad of interfering in Lebanese internal affairs and not recognizing Lebanon's sovereignty, local press Naharnet reported Friday. Video: Sarkozy in Syria : the press is divided Editor's Notes: A losing battle, so far Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:59:29 GMT Lavrov rejects Cheney's attack on Russia - CNN International
CNN International - By CNN's Matthew Chance MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- Russia on Friday rejected sharp criticism by US Vice President Dick Cheney that its intervention in Georgia raises doubts about Moscow's reliability as an international partner. Video: Cheney Slams Russia for War Against Georgia Russia says Cheney fanning Georgian aggression Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:45:40 GMT Dell looks to sell factories worldwide - CNNMoney.com
CNNMoney.com - By Scott Moritz Dell (DELL) is getting more serious about trimming costs and is exploring plans to sell its PC manufacturing plants, according to a news report Friday. Dell said to consider sale of factories Ahead of the Bell: Dell may sell plants, WSJ says Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:15:09 GMT Nokia Forecasts Drop in Third-Quarter Market Share (Update1) - Bloomberg
Bloomberg - By Juho Erkheikki Sept. 5 (Bloomberg) -- Nokia Oyj, the world's biggest maker of mobile phones, forecast a drop in third-quarter market share after competitors slashed prices and a new handset was delayed. Nokia Sees Market Share Slipping in Third Quarter Nokia Lowers its Third Quarter 2008 Mobile Device Market Share Outlook Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:50:07 GMT Amazon Associate Feed |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... Second thought! Just in case. YOU or someone you personally... Read More How can you make the best use of your energy... Read More Have you ever hired the wrong person? If so, perhaps... Read More In these days of takeovers and mergers, of downsizings and... Read More Here's a brief story I encountered while leaving Newark International... Read More As a small business owner, entrepreneur or independent professional, it's... Read More The CultBecoming a part of the Cult, consists of being... Read More One of the keys to success is to have successful... Read More What is factoring?Accounts receivable financing, also known as factoring, is... Read More Here's a scary statistic. According to four prominent research firms,... Read More The characteristics of job applicants have a strong influence on... Read More It is vain to do with more what can be... Read More 1. What is an Issue?An issue is an incident, circumstance,... Read More Here are seven dangers of outsourcing your software development. They... Read More How do you convert outsourcing leads into clients? You may... Read More Traditionally, in American businesses, the same person occupies the role... Read More When economic conditions turn tough or when the heavy work... Read More GROUP DECISION MAKING -- IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM: Tell specifically what... Read More Sometimes, I harbour a suspicion that Dante was a Financial... Read More International business is more complex than ever before. Success in... Read More What IS assertive communication? Assertive communication is the... Read More Everyone wants to succeed yet everyone has a different perception... Read More Nearly all leaders I've encountered are underachievers. They're getting a... Read More Is building your own inventory management solution really your best... Read More What is Neuro-Linguistic Programming?Neuro-Linguistic programme is nothing but the study... Read More
Adsense
websites
DIVERSITY is a BIG word -- With A HUGE Business IMPACT
Increase Productivity: Five Powerful Actions
Interviewing Candidates: 3 Ways to Avoid Snap Judgments
When Change Is In the Wind...Heads Up!
First Things First -- Process BEFORE Technology
How To Get What You Really Want
The Walmart Cult
The Power in Praising People
Factoring Financing: How to Grow Your Business Without Debt or Loans
What To Do When Your IT Project Is Late, Over Budget, and Looks Like It?s Never Going To Work
Hiring Productive Employees: A Checklist for Assessing Their Appeal
A Man and His Razor
Issue Management Methodology for Tracking Project Issues
Avoid These Seven Deadly Dangers Of Outsourcing
Four Ways To Make the Case For Outsourcing
Rethinking the CEO-Chairman Split
Morale Boosters: Feed the Troops First
How to Approach Group Decision Making
The Inferno of the Finance Director
What Cross-cultural Training Can Do for You
Assertive Communication - 6 Tips For Effective Use
Leadership: Stoking The Success Train
The Leadership Imperative: Making Your Leadership Your Life
The Top Six Reasons to Buy Rather Than Build an Inventory Management Solution
How to use NLP for Business?
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
The Punitive Approach to Marginal Performers
MANAGING A MARGINAL PERFORMER: Often a marginal performer, even after... Read More
Doing More With Less
This is a bottom-line environment.Decreasing the downtime of revenue producing... Read More
Multiple Channels, Multiple Times
I've just been reading about the frustrations of a Human... Read More
Appraisal Interviews: What To Say & How To Say It
STEPS TOWARDS A GOOD APPRAISAL INTERVIEW:Don't say: "You just don't... Read More
Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Employee Ideas Achieve Work Life Balance
This article relates to the Work/Life Balance competency, which investigates... Read More
Managing People - No More Mr Tough Guy
I believe the media and our culture sends the wrong... Read More
Three Foundation Stones for Building Organizational Integrity
When the stock market crashed in 1929, there were a... Read More
Strategic Outsourcing: Testing the Outsourcing Waters and Staying Afloat
Before Gertrude Ederle began her historic swim off of Cape... Read More
Designing Your Healthy Administration - A Management Overview
Management or Leadership?Simply stated, management ensures that things get done,... Read More
Managing Group Meetings
MANAGING SMALL MEETINGS: Keep the size of the meeting as... Read More
Are You in AWE of Your Employees?
Employers have become so concerned about seeming "unfair" or worse... Read More
Einstein, The Universe, And Leadership
Every since serving a hitch in the military, I have... Read More
Indiscretion Can Kill Your Business
The quickest way to cancel out all the thought, work,... Read More
Procrastination and JDI!
In a management role procrastination can seriously hold back progress... Read More
Whatever it Takes!
I have a sign on my office door. It pretty... Read More
A Rare Leadership Skill: Dealing With People Who Want Out By Offering Crowns For Convoy
As a leader, you'll inevitably be faced with people wanting... Read More
Productivity Through Positive Reinforcement
Most people just want to be appreciated. If you're a... Read More
Hire Winners: Ask the Right Questions
How do you as a manager, supervisor or team leader... Read More
Nine Vital Lessons For Avoiding Training Fads That Waste Time, Money and Enthusiasm
Unfortunately, at least two thirds of much of the training... Read More
The 3rd Plan Missing from your Business
If you're like most people, you probably started with wonderful... Read More
Forget The Sandwich Technique
Do you remember being told to use the "sandwich" technique... Read More
10 Resolutions For The New Year!!
Each year many people create a list of resolutions designed... Read More
Better Management Performance - The Easy 3-Step Way
Managers make three mistakes when they try to run businesses.... Read More
Learning To Let Go
If you have the entrepreneurial spirit (which clearly you have!),... Read More
Dialogue: the Four Dialogic Principles For Successful Communication
"But you don't understand!" exclaimed the manager, "this new initiative... Read More
Business Management |