Preface


by James E. Lukaszewski

The failure to adequately address the victims and the emotional dimensions of corporate problems is what changes adverse events into crises and catastrophes. Buildings can be replaced ; machines can be fixed; products can be reengineered and re-marketed; but leaving the needs of victims unmet , denied , or trivialized, and failing to address the emotional impact of events and behaviors can cause permanent damage and often defines careers.

EMOTIONAL TERRORS IN THE WORKPLACE: PROTECTING YOUR BUSINESS' BOTTOM LINE is an interesting, comprehensive, and constructive approach to adding this key management ingredient to the manager's role. This book's goal is to arm the individual with enough information and structure to persuade the boss to take a shot at adding this skill and knowledge that will help managers and leaders preempt or at least begin to recognize the signs of corrosive emotional distress.

Two great weaknesses of today's business and management education are the intentional de-emphasis of the emotional component of work and working life, and only the flimsiest, most circumspect teaching of integrity and workplace ethics. These concepts are, in reality, connected. When a boss has difficultly managing or even acknowledging the emotional dimension of problems, the first response of observers is to question the ethics, humanity, or empathy of the manager faced with the problem. From the perspective of the victim of such behavior, the thoughtless, dollar-driven manager seems more like a perpetrator, rather than someone who is uncomfortable with the circumstances of the problem.

Management, as the author cites from time-to-time, hates this stuff. It's the fuzzy, mushy, sissy-type, right-brained stuff managers have been trained to ignore and, in fact, remove from their management skill set from the instant they begin their graduate school training. This aversion is powerful. Management remains unwilling to learn even though there are important and fairly frequent publicly embarrassing circumstances, which one might think would help business leaders "get it." I refer to this as the "General Patton Syndrome." During World War II, Major General George Patton slapped a soldier in a field hospital because the soldier ran from battle. Patton called the man a "coward," a "sissy," and a "sympathizer." His single act struck like thunderbolt throughout the military. General Patton was disciplined and made to publicly apologize. Did it change the views of military leaders and commanders about cowardice in battle? Probably not, but military leaders don't go around slapping solders anymore, at least not in public.

Today's business managers still approach emotional issues and questions more like General Patton ” if you get emotional, you are disloyal, or malingering, or distracting yourself and others from important efforts, and even, heaven forbid , sabotaging management's best efforts.

One of the most powerful concepts explored by Vali Hawkins Mitchell in this book is the difference between arrogance and empathy. Today's managers are taught to be arrogant , that is, to make decisions based on criteria that are totally objective (read "non-emotional") and totally measurable and justifiable (read "fit a kind of dispassionate formula or structure"). This results in behaviors and attitudes that are cold, hard, and so seemingly callous as to be driven only by success measured in dollars, bonuses, and options.

What is management's excuse ? Management has such difficulty answering this question that they conduct a reactive exercise I call "Death by Question." How can you measure emotion? How do you quantify empathy? How do you calculate the value of an apology? It's the old and false notion that management is science. In fact, management is far more than science.

Arrogance is making decisions for others without their participation or permission. Empathy , on the other hand, is frequently confused with sympathy , which is the verbalization of concern or recognition that someone else is about to or is suffering something that the sympathetic observer had no hand in and cannot help with. Empathy, in reality, is what is done to alleviate, replace, or be the substitute for someone else's pain, suffering, agony, or emotional distress. Saying we are sorry or that we recognize someone else's pain is meaningless and often comes across as superficial and insincere.

Empathy is all about doing something for that individual, relieving the pain, solving the problem, soothing the emotional distress, or even standing in the victim's place to suffer the potential for danger or threat. This book is about being an empathetic manager ” a manager who acts with emotionally sensitive certainty then lets those actions speak for themselves . The reader will find a variety of quizzes and self-analyses sufficient to determine their management archetype : cold, arrogant, intrusive , abusive , reclusive; or, warm, effusive, helpful, or empathetic.

This book is an eye- opener . There are many case histories with frequent efforts to connect the type of manager and management behavior to forecast success or the need for more effort. There is an interesting methodology for calculating the cost of emotional distress and disturbance. There are lists and descriptions of all types of employees and managers, and how to recognize the destructive emotional dislocations that category can cause.

This book and your guidance can help your boss prepare for changes in their personal behavior and concept of management, fill a serious gap in their experience and training, and truly become an "empathetic manager."

  • James E. Lukaszewski , ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA
    Snug Harbor, Danbury, Connecticut USA
    September 2004

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JAMES E.LUKASZEWSKI is Chairman and President, THE LUKASZEWSKI GROUP INC . ( www.e911.com ).

THE LUKASZEWSKI GROUP (White Plains, New York) provides strategic guidance to the managements of major U.S. and international businesses and organizations on the most sensitive reputation and ethical problems ” the kind that can redefine the reputation of an organization, executive, company, or brand. They help organizations manage tough, touchy, sensitive communication problems. They focus on issues and situations with enormous organizational impact. Clients engage them to work across the spectrum of management communications and operational issues, reduce reputation risk, make things happen, move issues forward, provide second opinions , and resolve conflict and controversy.

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Emotional Terrors in the Workplace. Protecting Your Business' Bottom Line. Emotional Continuity Management in the Workplace
Emotional Terrors in the Workplace: Protecting Your Business Bottom Line - Emotional Continuity Management in the Workplace
ISBN: B0019KYUXS
EAN: N/A
Year: 2003
Pages: 228

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