HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR ORGANIZATION IS DEPRESSED

Depression is the number one emotional problem for people in the United States," says Dr. Lois Frankel, President of Pasadena-based consulting firm, Corporate Coaching International. It shouldnt be surprising that entire organizations or departments within certain companies experience the effects." With this in mind, Frankel suggests that there are specific symptoms, causes, and cures for organizational depression.

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HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR ORGANIZATION IS DEPRESSED

Depression is the number one emotional problem for people in the United States," says Dr. Lois Frankel, President of Pasadena-based consulting firm, Corporate Coaching International. It shouldnt be surprising that entire organizations or departments within certain companies experience the effects." With this in mind, Frankel suggests that there are specific symptoms, causes, and cures for organizational depression.

The symptoms of organizational depression are not unlike individual symptoms. The most obvious is a general feeling of lethargy -- people do the minimum required and little more. You can feel it when you walk into a company," Frankel claims. Other clues are low creativity, productivity and communication but high absenteeism and delayed decision-making."

Factors contributing to organizational depression are as varied as the organizations themselves. A few that Frankel has noticed are clinically depressed managers and executives, prevalent substance abuse (drugs or alcohol) among managers and executives, tolerance and reward for mediocrity, and highly controlling executives.

10 Tips for Adding Vitality to Your Workplace

1.   Recognize organizational depression and commit yourself to taking positive action to resolve the problem.
2.   Conduct a climate survey. The caveat is that once you ask, you are obliged to act on the findings. Otherwise, youll make the situation worse.
3.   Include all levels of staff in solving the problem of organizational depression. Although they may at first be reluctant or distrustful, involving them is the ideal way to ensure buy-in to outcomes.
4.   Identify specific goals and objectives for a healthy workplace. This may include public statements about diversity, rewards for healthy behavior, or communications related to creating a healthy culture. Although these may at first be viewed as simply slogans," eventually they will become institutionalized.
5.   Provide coaching to senior executives who may require it. At the risk of sounding self-serving, coaching is the ideal way to prepare executives who may be unwittingly contributing to the problem of turning around a depressed organization.
6.   Hold managers accountable for the emotional climate of the organization. Remember the maxim, what you measure is what you get. Not only should they be responsible for contributing to the solution, but for their personal behaviors as well.
7.   Increase communication at all levels. Whether its through a newsletter, townhall meetings, or regular communications from the CEO, information is key to overcoming organizational depression.
8.   Create a system for airing legitimate concerns. The GE Workout process, where small groups come together and are empowered to solve problems on the spot, is just one great idea for how you can do this. Avoid suggestion boxes -- physical or on-line. They only increase the likelihood of complaining rather than focus on problem resolution.
9.   Implement an incentive program. The system need not be complex or expensive, merely one that recognizes and rewards behaviors consistent with goals. Pick up a copy of Bob Nelsons book, 1001 Ways to Reward Employees. It will stimulate your thinking in this direction.
10.   Expect and work through resistance. Change isnt easy and almost always takes twice as long as youd like it to. Just keep in mind, youre in a marathon, not running a sprint.