These are uncertain times. People are wondering what bank is going to fail next. We're questioning how our industry and job will be impacted. We're confused about what action to take. Unfortunately this uncertainly creates what I call a VOID and my theory is that where there is a VOID negativity will fill it.

AS WE ADVANCE deeper into the knowledge economy, the basic assumptions underlying much of what is taught and practiced in the name of management are hopelessly out of date.

General Russel Honoré, who headed the U.S. military’s response to Hurricane Katrina, offers blunt advice on surviving organizational disaster

A management expert explains why organizations initiate change initiatives, the best ways to implement them, and who should participate in them

How a Thai bank picked up the pieces -- and moved to the front of the pack

Getting people to change their behaviour is considered difficult and many believe it takes a long time. I can understand this belief when there are so many examples of change being so slow. Yet I am aware that we like to defend our beliefs and look for evidence to support them. We know that whatever we believe we will seek to make true. TV debating programmes are based upon this principle and it’s what causes so many arguments between people and groups. So what stops people from changing quickly and easily? Is it their deep in-grained habits, or is it their beliefs? Or is it a mix of the two?

Change has been occurring since before the beginning of man, so it is a fair bet that it will not stop soon. Whether organisations like it or not, they will change.

As the saying goes, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This is very true with regards business coaching. For every change attempted in life, there will be resistance of equal magnitude and thus begins the game of change and resistance.

Sometimes you just get stuck for ideas. Your mind is a blank. It makes it even harder to come up with the goods if your present or future business rests on your ideas. A little help and inspiration for a new article, a new product, or a completely new business wouldn't go amiss in these circumstances.

The purpose of the ideas in this series of articles is to get your brain thinking.

Sometimes you just get stuck for ideas. Your mind is a blank. It makes it even harder to come up with the goods if your present or future business rests on your ideas. A little help and inspiration for a new article, a new product, or a completely new business wouldn't go amiss in these circumstances.

The purpose of the ideas in this article is to get your brain thinking.

At one time or another, organizations develop an over-abundance of  "negative energy" or attitudes.  Sometimes they can be linked to  organizational trauma, like down-sizing, budget restraints or workload  increases, but sometimes they evolve over time with no apparent triggering  event.  The negative organization is characterized by increased  complaining, a focus on reasons why things can't be done, and what seems  to be a lack of hope that things will get better.  It feels like the  organization in stuck in treacle.  And, it's contagious.  Negativism can  affect even the most positive employees.     

What can you do? 

One of the least mentioned effects of change relates to how it affects the manager leading that change, and his or her ability to undertake the leadership role.  We have already talked about the effects of change on the individual employee, and of course managers are subject to the same reactions, resistances and strains.  Some types of change, such as restructuring, or downsizing can put considerable strain on the leaders of an organization.

When change is imposed (as in downsizing scenarios), clearly the most important determinant of "getting through the swamp", is the ability of leadership to...well, lead. The literature on the subject indicates that the nature of the change is secondary to the perceptions that employees have regarding the ability, competence, and credibility of senior and middle management.

Managers often make the mistake of assuming that once a change is started, that employees will see that it is going to take place, and get on side. This is rarely the case.