"Most people don;t want to just punch a clock.  They come to work to find meaning and dignity."

 These words from Jack and Suzy Welch (BusinessWeek, July 28, 2008) strike at the core of a problem that is too prevelant in today's workplace, it's the problem of mismanaging the emotions of the workplace.  because it's these emotions that are at the foundation of your organization's morale and productivity.

Without your leadership, groups of people can easily fall into such dysfunctional behavior as gossip, ganging up, paranoia, according to the Welch's.  They believe all it takes is an active commitment from managers to remove uncertainty from the organization, and to nip these bahaviors before they become entrenched.

Part of this stems from conducting honest and regular performance appraisals, including regular one-on-one conversations about ongoing projects and assignments. People want to succeed, and they are open to constructive coaching to improve their performance.

For more insight into managing people, examine section 2 (Recognizing People as Assets) in our first book, Positioning Success.  You can order it from our Home page.