CoatingsPro Magazine

JAN 2009

CoatingsPro offers an in-depth look at coatings based on case studies, successful business operation, new products, industry news, and the safe and profitable use of coatings and equipment.

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ment to change and a decision to act rather than simply feel and experience. Second, it requires managers to help employees move forward into a new, unknown, uncharted reality, no matter how scary that may feel, in order to formulate a plan. Assess where you are. t t Determine what changes need to be made (e.g., cut back on expenses, reduce waste, secure additional revenue sources). t With a clear head, begin to create strategies to achieve these goals. Suggest to your employees that just as management occasionally has to develop a new strategic plan for the workplace when major surprises occur, they, too, may need to develop a new strategic plan for their personal lives. If your workplace offers employee assistance program (EAP) services, perhaps your EAP repre- sentative or HR person can work with your employees one on one. Task 4: Reinvest Your Emotional Energy in the New Reality When it is time to put the new plan into action, the intense emotional energy generated by crisis can actually help. The escalating tension and anxiety that accompanies fear is the result of the mind's attempt to make sense of two conflicting realities — the one that we wished still existed, and the one that now is. This mental tension, called thrustra- tion, is a cross between frustration and thrust, the energy behind movement or activity. Crisis brings us to a point where we must do something different. Thrustration provides the momentum to propel our decisions into action. When we get thrustrated enough, we do something. Encourage your employees to recognize and use the energy of thrus- tration; it is the "opportunity" side of crisis. After formulating a new plan, encourage them to: Commit to an action. t t Move forward accordingly. Everyone grieves when they experi- ence loss, and grief adversely affects the workplace. By helping your employees focus on the tasks at hand as well as the feelings they are experiencing, you can help them remain calm during a crisis and think their way toward a solution. And this will likely have a positive effect on your bottom line, as well as theirs. CP RITA MILIOS, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, is known as "The Bereavement Buddy" for her innovative workshops conducted nationwide. A psychotherapist and author of numerous books and articles, Rita can be reached through her publisher, Quality of Life Publishing, at www. QoLpublishing.com or (877) 513-0099. Write in Reader Inquiry #216 January 2009 J www.coatingspromag.com 25

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