Two: endorsement of your needs for change

The best way to do this is find a fellow believer inside (top management is the place to look) and then quickly move to reinforce your views from the outside. It is a very strange thing, but most CEOs like to open a door, just occasionally of course, to the outside world. It makes them feel in touch with reality (even if that ˜reality' is in the shape of a $10,000 a day consultant).

Suggesting external confirmation of the changes that are taking place, the vulnerability of the workforce and the need to alter how you manage the employer/employee contract will, most likely, be agreed to with alacrity.

I would attempt to achieve this by first involving one or two external business commentators and researchers (possibly in presentations and discussion with the managing board). From there I would push hard to have the lifestyle/workstyle equation and how to manage the engagement process as the centrepiece - the theme - of your next management meeting: even better if you can get the top 50, 100 or 200 managers singing the same tune and hearing the same concerns (in numbers as well please !).

All this will build momentum, the theory will take on a life of its own and become part of what the business does. The concept of employees who are themselves at work, who bring who they are to work and want a lifestyle/workstyle pattern can then be embraced. The best way to do this is to develop an ˜engagement index' that regularly (every six months is good) ˜ polls ' employees on their attitudes to work, allowing you to track their levels of commitment.

Obviously, more is involved. It takes energy to sustain the concept, it takes time and, yes, it takes some money. But most of all it takes a change in attitude.

The rules of engagement have changed. Help your business to recognise that and then do something practical about it.