By Mike Benbow
Herald Writer
Want to feel better about last week’s terrorist attacks? Then get back to work.
That’s the advice from Michael O’Brien, executive coach.
"We need to focus on a better future," O’Brien said in a telephone interview from the Cincinnati, Ohio, offices of Executive Leadership Solutions. "The way we get to that is we get busy and we start doing stuff. The worst thing we can do is sit home and watch television 16 hours a day."
O’Brien is author of the book "Profit From Experience: A Handbook for Learning, Growth and Change." He said business executives have an important crisis management role to play these days.
"Leaders need to help people," he said. They need to feel and acknowledge the emotions people are having — fear, anger and desperation — and help people talk about these things.
"Then they need to offer people some hope. They need to create a bridge and some hope to a better future."
They can do that, he said, by being visible and by listening to people.
They may also need to make some accommodations, for example, for people who are now afraid of getting into an airplane for business travel.
"There are a lot employees very concerned about flying," he said. "You may need to extend some kind of a grace period where it’s OK not to fly. You may want to have more telephone conferences and video conferences. You may need to shift schedules or shift some responsibilities to people who are not fearful."
O’Brien said that barring another attack, those travel fears will subside for most employees. "In the meantime, you need to make allowances for people that are very concerned and to find another way to get work done."
Buckling down at work isn’t only beneficial for your company, O’Brien said. It’s also good for you and good for the country.
"People need three things: somebody to love, something to do and something to look forward to," O’Brien said. "We need to get up and go to work. To contribute our skills and our intelligence to the bigger picture — our work team, our department, our business and our state."
O’Brien said people don’t have to contribute directly to the relief efforts.
"Take a clerk on the West Coast. If he or she does his or her job brilliantly today, I say that contributes to the strength of our country," O’Brien said. "The best thing we can do is live our lives with integrity and do our jobs and know that contributes to the strength of all of us."
You can call Herald Writer Mike Benbow at 425-339-3459
or send e-mail to benbow@heraldnet.com.
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