Media Release

Media Release-Business

AMERICAN BUSINESSES  FACE THE ENEMY WITHIN

Seattle, WA, Fear and Rivalry in the Workplace are Destroying America’s Companies–What Executives Must Do to Reverse the Trend

While most observers blame the current struggles of America’s business community on external or unusual sources – war, terrorism, decreased consumer spending and a corruption in large corporations,   – one author offers some clarity and insights to the workplace anxiety and uncertainty. According to Danna Beal, U.S. businesses are failing because the workplace environments are filled with internal competition and fear, which make responding effectively to external challenges all but impossible.

“Businesses are collapsing from within – not without,” Ms. Beal says. “Our nation has been through challenges before, other wars, other recessions, other fears, but business has managed to pull through. There’s something very different in play right now, and it threatens the future of our economy.”

In her book, The Extraordinary Workplace:  Replacing Fear with Trust and Compassion, Ms. Beal describes the modern workplace as a scene of fear, mistrust, ego drama and rivalry. “The average worker is insecure and highly stressed right now,” she says. “They’re fearful of being laid off, they’re anxious about the economy, they’re worried about loved ones, and they are worried about the economy.  Even those who have survived layoffs are fearful the other shoe will drop. The result – the fears grow, workplace tension increases, people are emotionally depleted and businesses collapse from within rather than external forces. Few leaders or managers know how to restore trust and compassion during this time.”

It’s time for a shift in thinking. The top down leadership style that exerts pressure and fear to those down the line is making the environment even more dissentious. Internal competition prevents teamwork and, ultimately, impacts the customer.  Ms. Beal has noticed the problem is occurring in all industries and her audiences at her on-site training sessions and her national keynote addresses confirm the problem.

“Executives are bottom-line types.  In the past, when I’ve spoken about workplace conflict, dealing with egos, handling employee’s fears, leaders were aware of the environment but didn’t consider it a priority. They were interested in increasing production and profits, and didn’t have time for what they considered ‘touchy-feely’ approaches,” she says.  “But now, more and more leaders are discovering that the web of intertwined egos cannot be ignored and that it does impact the bottom line.”

What’s happened lately to cause more concern?  “Top executives are now just as scared as their employees. They see that no one is safe in the current environment and, most importantly, they are beginning to be personally impacted by toxic workplaces. The fractured businesses we read about everyday are only extreme examples of the fear and subsequent collapses occurring.” she says.  “This is an exceptionally important time and there are steps business leaders can take.”

According to The Extraordinary Workplace, toxic workplaces are the end result of gossip, back stabbing, cliques, fear, greed, power and ego which deplete energy, productivity and profitability.  “Business leaders have two choices. They can recognize and acknowledge  the current workplace situation and then take the steps needed to remedy the problem. Or, they can ignore the cancer that’s growing within their companies and face the consequences. That’s why I consider what’s happening to be a tragedy – it doesn’t have to be this way.  Workplaces can be restored, and companies can thrive, even in tough times. But it starts with leaders being willing to look at themselves.”

Some of the healing steps business leaders can take include:

•       Replacing fear with trust, integrity and compassion.

•        Understanding the source of ego dramas, and taking steps to unravel them.

•        Taking a hard look at their own egos and facing their part in the dysfunction.

•        Increasing personal responsibility for workers at every level.

•        Giving up the need to demonstrate power and superiority.

•        Identifying ego driven managers that drain resources and limit creativity.

•        Showing a public willingness to be wrong, and to listen to employees.

•        Taking aggressive steps to end cliques, office gossip and personal agendas.

•        Rewarding and creating opportunities for employee contributions and teamwork.

•        Establishing broad two-way employee/management communications systems, including the opportunity for confidential expressions of concerns and fears.

Would you like to interview Ms. Beal about this vitally important topic?  Would you like to see a review copy of The Extraordinary Workplace?  Call 425/785-2862 or e-mail danna@dannabeal.com