Last week my wife noticed that Home Depot was having a big spring sale on mulch. Since we had a lot of mulching needs, we were happy she found this information with 2 days left in the sale. It’s good to get a deal, especially when it involves buying something that you throw on the ground and let it rot.

Instead of privately enjoying her discovery, she decided to share this information. A quick Facebook update alerted all her gardening friends to this opportunity. One of her friends then did the same to her Facebook friends and before long there were a lot of people talking mulch and buying it on sale at Home Depot.

It’s so easy these days to bring a little happiness to others. Social networks have given us a vehicle for providing others with information that they will value, requiring only the smallest effort from us. Of course, we have to be on the lookout for useful information. Then we need to remember to share it.

Building a network with lots of contacts isn’t in itself useful. Adding value to that network is. Sure you have accounts on LinkedIn and Facebook. Maybe you are way edgy and even use Twitter. Want to bring these tools to life? Find a way to add value.

If you think this little article added value to your day, you can start by sharing a link to it on your social networks. Do it now before you forget.

Powerful employees are successful employees.  And it’s successful employees that create organizations that thrive, even in tough times. Imagine your organization filled with people who…

• Take an active interest in the organization and are able to voice their thoughts, concerns, and ideas in a manner that is timely, effective and respectful.
• Are filled with confidence that they will complete the tasks and goals they have been assigned.
• Are connected to others who can provide the support they need when it is needed.
• Can respectfully and quickly work through disagreements with coworkers.
• Manage their stress when times are tough.
• Remain productive during workplace transitions.

If you want employees who behave in this way, you’ll need to use a multi-pronged approach.  The first involves increasing skills for employees.  This is usually accomplished with workshops and webinars.  The second is changing the environment in a way that allows the desired behaviors to flourish.

For years the past 13 years I’ve presented thousands of seminars focused on developing skills in employees.  Recently I completed a new series of management workshops focused on changing the environment.

Currently there are six workshops in the series.  Each can be delivered as a two hour mini workshop for leaders in your organization or expanded into a more robust organizational improvement planning sessions.   Here’s a brief summary of the topics.

Speak Up:  Helping Employees Say What Needs Saying

How many employees see problems that could create serious issues for the organization, but say nothing because they don’t want to be viewed as complainers?  How many employees are angry about a coworker’s comments but don’t talk to that person about their concerns because the conversation might get ugly?  And what about all the great ideas that are going unmentioned because of the perception that nobody listens?  Powerful employees speak up.  In this workshop we will explore ways to help employees with a passive communication style be more assertive with coworkers and managers to improve organizational effectiveness.

Mission Accomplished:  Increasing Confidence with Productivity

Think about how good it feels to go home at the end of a long day knowing you accomplished some important work, contributing to your organization’s success.  Do this day after day, and your confidence and self-esteem will rise.  You will not only feel like, but also become a powerful employee.  Today many employees report that they have too much to do and not enough time to get it all done.  As a result they often end their day filled with frustration at how little they have to show for their efforts.  The purpose of this workshop is to identify strategies employers can use to help employees feel more productive and confident in their ability to accomplish their goals and recognize the contributions they make to the organization.

Making Connections:  Building a Networked Organization

If you believe the adage “It’s not what you know but who you know,” than it follows that helping employees know more people is good for the organization and the individual.  Powerful employees build strong networks of people both in and out of the organization that they can draw on for support and ideas.  We all need people we can lean on when faced with tough obstacles, unfortunately most people don’t think about developing this support network until they actually need it.  This workshop will show employers ways they can encourage employees to build networks and help them develop the skills necessary for effectively networking.

Working it Out:  Making the Most of Interpersonal Conflict

Conflict doesn’t have to be a bad thing.  Unfortunately too many organizations treat it as a problem rather than an opportunity.  Unresolved or poorly managed conflicts are a huge source employee stress.  Organizations cannot and should not eliminate conflicts, but they can become great at managing them.  This workshop will explore ways organizations can help people become powerful employees by more successfully working through their differences at work.

Stress Busters:  Working Through Crazy Times

The pressure is building and employees aren’t handling it well.  People are behaving badly and it’s affecting the results.  While we want to tell everyone to chill, that isn’t likely to help much.  When things are tough at work, powerful employees know what they can do to manage their own stress so that they can remain effective in spite of the less than ideal situation.  In this workshops we will look at the three major stress management strategies and explore specific actions the employer can take to help employees implement these strategies in their lives at work.

Navigating Change:  Succeeding During Workplace Transitions

Organizations are always changing, and from the employee’s perspective, these changes often viewed negatively.  The negativity surrounding the change increases stress and lowers productivity throughout the organization.  There are plenty of ways an employer can make transitions easier for employees.  There are also skills and ideas that when introduced into the organization will create powerful employees who are resilient, flexible, and optimistic about the future.  This workshop can’t stop change from occurring, but it can help your organization be more equipped to deal with it.