Can you begin to imagine the fear that the staff felt when they found out their boss was sacked by an incoming executive committee. They wanted a change and the staff got a rude shock!

A step forward
The staff had closely monitored the progress of their leader as he worked his way through the system, spending a great deal of time fostering a positive environment for all to be a part of. In time the team were delighted to have him take on the top job. The executive committee at that time saw his efforts over the years and when the last person moved on the move up was an easy decision.

A step backward
They knew he could do the job effectively and as time went on he proved himself at many levels. Then came the bombshell, sacked. Paid out for his efforts but sacked. The committee was looking for a new direction in the organisation and pulled the rug from this key player, a leader with the backing of the staff.

The committee reported to the staff that the move was a one off event and they regretted any inconvenience, however the new person that was to take on the role had vast experience and would work closely with them to get good results.

The calming words did little for the team that felt betrayed and would now keep their mouths shut to avoid any chance of being forced out themselves. Fear was the order of the day. As time went on and the new boss took over, there was an extended period of unrest.

The new boss soon built rapport and trust, things seemed to go on as usual. However the executive committee were not in a position to see the full impact of their actions. The staff were talking, and had decided to give the new boss a go, however there were a few things the new boss did differently that they did not agree with.

Idle chatter
The staff would talk amongst each other and the time taken on worrying about their own positions mean a loss of productivity, absenteeism was up and before long they had sunk to new levels of desperation.

On the home straight?
The tables eventually turned and things picked up, however all of this could have been avoided with a better system of communication between the executive committee and the staff. They neglected to get input from the staff. Sure they made an impact and gave the general public a sense that they meant business however it really did cause more problems than they had bargained for.

Old memories die hard
Even two years on from the event, some of the staff still recall how they felt that fateful day. Some still feel as thought the workplace they work in will never be the same. For others it caused them to rethink their goals and before long had moved on. This inevitably cost the organisation time and effort in recruiting new staff, which equals dollars and cents in the long term.

The family
If you think of a busy workplace being a place where teams will spend many ours together, in effect forming a ‘family’ of people. Families have times of joy, sorrow will get along well and fight. Through time they will love and hate each other to varying degrees, parents with boisterous teenagers will certainly relate to this!

If your family is not able to work together then the outcome is now recognised as being dysfunctional. The same can be said of the workplace, as people have to get along for a high percentage of the time to be truly effective.

So before you decide to sweep clean and start with a fresh new approach, consider the benefits and the downside in true perspective, you might just be surprised at how you rethink your actions.

Stumble it!