Well, my move to points south in the spring of 2003 set many wheels in motion, one of which led to my involvement with a number of old friends and colleagues resulting in the birth of a new collaborative, Full Circle Consulting Group. Core competences of this dynamic team include training for cultural diversity, building business acumen and technical staffing. Please visit the site, www.FullCircleCG.com, for a deeper look into what Full Circle has to offer.

As I finish my twelfth year in private practice, I realize I've come full circle in many ways, as my work load of late has focused more and more on helping businesses grow, not only through reflective, strategic, measurable planning, but, by performing the market research, market planning and straight-up business development relationship building that keeps organizations growing and healthy . It's been an eclectic mix of organizations, all with one common goal — to build the systems that promote profitable, sustainable growth. From an electronics, medical equipment contract manufacturer, to a high-tech IT consulting firm, to a pewter manufacturer branching into the retail arena, and all kinds in-between, we're helping businesses grow, based on who they are, leveraging their strengths and opportunities.

Thanks for visiting our site. Your feedback is always greatly appreciated. You can always reach me at peter@coleconsultinglc.com, at 914-763-9530 or at 802-660-3100. Hope all is well on your end. I look forward to connecting with you in the near future.

All my best,

Peter

Cole Consulting Associates

Dee Johnson & Mary Powell - GMPworks
Dean Lea, Tim King & Bonnie Walker - The Tupelo Group
Marlene Dailey - Cornerstone Consulting
Nolan Fischer, Bill Taylor, Eric Vinson, et al - Full Circle Consulting Group

Associate Profile

Nolan W. Fischer

Experience – Twenty-nine years of management experience primarily in Pharmaceutical Sales Management, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Management and Corporate Leadership and Management Development. Recently, he spent eight years as a Senior Consultant with the Franklin Covey Company.

Leadership- Twenty years experience as Northeast Zone Manager of Sales, Manager for Sterile, Clinical and Gelfoam Packaging, Corporate Management and Leadership Training. Has expertise and knowledgeable in identifying and developing high potential leaders from manager through executive levels. Has developed and mentored managers in individual development, management and leadership development, change management and executive coaching.

Training – Master Certified Facilitator in Quality Improvement Process, Philip Crosby, Quality Improvement Transformation, W. Edwards Deming, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Principle Centered Leadership, & Time Management Stephen Covey. Master Certified Facilitator in Zenger Miller Professional and Management Development Workshops. Master Certified to do Train-the-Trainer Workshops in courses listed above.

Background – Prior to starting his own company as an organizational development consultant, Nolan was employed at Franklin Covey a global leader in effectiveness training, productivity tools and assessment services for organizations and individuals. During his tenure at Franklin Covey as a Senior Consultant he worked successfully creating compelling solutions with many Fortune 500 Companies domestically and internationally

Preventing Employee Burnout

This article was adapted from an interview with Peter Cole of Cole Consulting in the June 1999 edition of HRfocus.

Certainly there are lots of things an organization needs to pay attention to in order to both retain key employees and to ensure that they are personally and professionally productive. Ultimately, what is best for the individual will generally also prove to be what is best for the organization. This assumes of course that you’ve hired good people and that you’re committed to keeping them. As an outside consultant, it is usually easier for me to see things an organization needs to do to succeed at both retaining key employees and in leveraging their leadership strengths.

Here are four basic steps I recommend for Employee Rejuvenation & Retention:

1. Show your Gratitude. First, realize that there are three very different kinds of appreciation. Show personal Appreciation for a specific job well done – the proverbial pat on the back. Next, periodically display public Recognition for a specific job well done – the ‘employee of the month’ thing. Finally, extend Acknowledgement, best done privately, for the specific role, attitude and/or values that an individual brings to his or her job every day, which makes everyone’s job easier, more rewarding and more fun. All of these must be absolutely genuine, especially the Acknowledgements.

2. Practice Integrity, in everything. If any of the acknowledgements mentioned in point #1 are anything but 100% sincere, they’re not worth offering. Everyone wants to feel that the organization that they’re ‘killing themselves for’ has the commitment to honesty and integrity that help make it all worthwhile. More than compensation or professional advancement, this aspect of our workplace is rated as “most important” to key employees in nearly all HR studies. It comes through in almost everything that senior management does. It is the “talk the talk,” and the “walk the walk.”

3. Create a Culture Where Rejuvenation is Required. Stephen Covey calls it “sharpening the saw,” and considers it the most important of his “7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” Every management guru has a name for it, but what it means to your organization is that EVERYONE needs to refuel their energy reserves in their own way. Whether it’s taking long walks, reading a good book, playing hoops or formally meditating on a yoga mat, everyone has to do it in the way that works for them. And, EVERYONE needs to do it regularly! Create a work culture that supports this value by modeling it yourself, and by encouraging others in your organization to regularly take care of themselves. It makes good business sense.

4. Reduce, Reuse & Recycle. Just as communities around the country are realizing that it pays to take steps to ‘reuse’ our valuable resources before taking the more expensive route of ‘recycling’ them, the same concept holds true for employees. And, the same three steps work with employees. First, Reduce the amount of stress employees are under by making sure that meetings are productive, roles are well defined, communication is clear, and goals are achievable. Then, Reuse employee efforts from the past, rather than always starting from scratch with the ‘strategic planning flavor of the month.’ Finally, if an employee is feeling burned-out in spite of all these efforts, try Recycling them. Have them work in a different department, doing something entirely new. Many organizations find that these ‘new’ employees are very productive, very quickly, because they already know your products and services, they are excited about learning something new, and they often view the change as a promotion, even without raises or fancy titles.

Follow these four basic steps and you’ll not only find your retention rate rising, you’re bound to find yourself enjoying work more as well.

Change, the only constant…

Cole Consulting Associates

Dee Johnson & Mary Powell - GMPworks

Dean Lea, Tim King & Bonnie Walker - The Tupelo Group

Marlene Dailey - Cornerstone Consulting

Nolan Fischer, Bill Taylor, Eric Vinson, et al - Full Circle Consulting Group

Nolan W. Fischer