Healing the wounds
Featured in the Using Emotional Intelligence at Work training manual
By Mike Bagshaw
Category: Emotional Intelligence
Credit price: 4 download credits (Single user)
Changing market demands, mergers and acquisitions, and the need to reduce costs will continue. This means that downsizing and major restructuring will be part of our working lives for the foreseeable future. This has a major impact on the morale of the survivors. There are decrements in performance that can last a surprising amount of time. This training activity gives an overview of the key issues involved. The focus is on the emotional fall-out, how to minimise the adverse effects and make a success of restructuring.
You start this training activity by telling a story that becomes a powerful metaphor for all the emotional reactions involved in change that results from downsizing. The story is followed by a discussion of how each one would feel at the news of job loss. Following this is a presentation on the effects of job loss, and a description of the job loss cycle. This model is used in an exercise to explore experiences of loss. The question is then posed, ‘If you were given the news that you no longer had a job, how would you prefer the news to given?’ This is followed by a presentation on best practice in giving news of job loss, and a short role-play exercise for participants to practise the skills. The effect on those left behind is discussed, followed by a brainstorming exercise on how to re-motivate people after a downsizing change. The training activity is rounded off with an exercise to review learning.
Who is it for: This training resource is intended for use by trainers to enable participants to play a positive part in change caused by downsizing.
- Themes:
- Managing change,
- Leadership,
- Management development,
| Resource Type: | Activity |
| Min Group Size: | 4 |
| Max Group Size: | 12 |
| Typical Duration: | 02:45:00 |
| No of Pages: | 28 |
Resources: View standard resources for Fenman training activities
Purpose: This training resource is intended for use by trainers in programmes dealing with, and managing, change, particularly change brought about by downsizing. It is a useful example of how people react to significant change generally as it provides a good overview for managers who will have the direct responsibility of giving the difficult news of job loss to their team members.
Download the training activity, Healing the wounds as featured in the Fenman training manual; Using Emotional Intelligence at Work