Are People Problems
Draining Your Organization?

Do you have a team in conflict or a “high-maintenance” employee?

Teams are the heart and soul of our organizations. When teams do not function to their maximum potential, it costs your organization in lost productivity and missed deadlines. When you do not take action to correct a poorly functioning team, you run the risk of losing business, disappointing clients, and frustrating your highest performing employees.

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“Lin helped refocus the organization on the workings of diverse points of view and successful teamwork. Lin’s style is down-to-earth and practical. She uses advanced tools and personal expertise to help people recognize their strengths and weaknesses not only as employees and supervisors, but also as colleagues and leaders.”

Segment Manager, Entergy Corporation

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Just about every organization has high-maintenance employees: the ones who require special levels of attention and time, who like to debate every assignment or instruction, who blame others for their mistakes, and who fail to meet their objectives. You want to sigh when they are headed in your direction! High-maintenance employees are a “direct hit” to the bottom line.

The good news is that it’s entirely possible for teams in conflict and high-maintenance employees to become high-performing organizational members. With the right action strategy, the conflict, stress, and costs can be turned into harmony, productivity, profits, and even fun.

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“Lin does the very best Coaching, Team Building, and Organizational Development work. Lin accomplished great feats with a medical doctor and his team; then led a reorganization team with an Engineering Firm.”

Consultant (Retired HR Executive, Northrop Grumman)

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Futures Consulting has transformed hundreds of teams in conflict and high-maintenance employees into productive team members. Through warmth and sensitivity for the individuals and organizations involved, Futures Consulting teaches clients to empower themselves and others while driving results, encouraging creativity, resolving conflicts and reaching closure.

STRATEGIC PLANNING

All decisions are strategic.  Whether or not they “line up” to produce desired results and Vision realization…that’s the real question.

An often seen Strategic Planning mistake is to totally separate the Strategic Plan and/or the Strategic Planning Process from the day-to-day business/business processes.  For a strategy to be realized at the cellular level of the organization, it has to get into the drinking water of the organization.

Lin O’Neill’s approach to Strategic Planning:

• Begins with the Vision
• Includes Strategic Plan DEVELOMENT and Strategic Plan IMPLEMENTATION
• Is based in Business Best Practices
• Always emphasizes Profitability & Productivity
• Is Inclusive
• Incorporates both Theory and Pragmatism
• Requires consistent Monitoring
• Often involves Coaching & [positive] Conflict Resolution
• Elicits “real time” Feedback
• Builds a Team for the “long haul” that is in search of Personal & Professional Success

Examples of Strategic Planning Experience:

1. 1. As a Vice President and Corporate Officer, [with my Team] designed and implemented a Strategic Plan that successfully took an operation of 3,300 employees and a $300MM P&L through a Chapter 11 Filing, Replacement of 4 Unions and Sale of 3 businesses.  The RESULT:  Return to profitability, Successful Union recall, 500% growth in Customer Commendations.

1. 2. As a Consultant, guided the Strategic Planning Process (from development through and including implementation) a working unit for a major international agricultural firm where the Vision was to become profitable through cost containment and employee engagement.

1. 3. In 2009 and again this year, I have been selected to lead a group of 15 CEOs with gross revenues of $400K – $30MM through a 6-month process of Strategic Plan Development.  This is a prescribed process that specifically addresses Operational Strategy, Finance, Sales & Marketing and Resources (including H.R.).  The Deliverable is presentation of a 3-year Strategic Plan for their business by each of the 15 CEOs.

1. 4. Continue to Develop and Implement the Strategic Plan for Futures Consulting (opened in 1980)

1. 5. Facilitated the Strategic Planning Process for more than 12 cross-functional teams in industries as diverse as:  manufacturing, professional services, sales and marketing, new product development and utilities.

1. 6. Assisted 6 CEOs over the years with organizational restructuring planning to ensure infrastructure design to support Strategic Plan.

1. 7. Participated as a Member of the Strategic Planning Teams for 3 Divisions of a Fortune 100 company.

1. 8. Facilitated [at some points], Participated [at some other points] in the Strategic Planning Process preceding major contract negotiations.

Coaching – High Maintenance Employees

Just about every organization has high-maintenance employees. You know them as employees who require special levels of attention and time.

They like to debate every assignment or instruction. They blame others for their mistakes. They fail to meet their objectives. You want to sigh when they are headed in your direction!

Involvement in the coaching process enables a downward spiral to be corrected prior to freefall.

Coaching can also provide enhancement for even the most effective styles.

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“I would like you to know that I do believe that your class helped get me a new job! I answered an ad and got to the interviewing process, when the Director of the program began asking me personality questions that sounded as though they had been taken out of your chapter! So I used my most recent knowledge and experience and answered them honestly….and a week later I was job offered! My title will be Senior Program Director [and my new office will be] THREE miles from my house!!! The interview process was one I have never experienced before. So I would like to personally thank YOU from the bottom of my heart! It was great having the knowledge to discern her motivation for certain questions. Thank you again! I will stay in touch.”

Social Worker

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A number of things can make an employee “high-maintenance.”

• They could be in the wrong position.
• They may lack a connection to the vision or mission of the organization.
• The company’s recognition system may be ineffective for this employee.

The high-maintenance employee is likely to think that negative attention is better than no attention.

High-maintenance employees are a “direct hit” to the bottom line of a business. Each one can cost your organization from $20,000 to $100,000 or more in lost productivity, disruption, turnover, and employee dissatisfaction.

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“Your manner of handling people and issues is truly professional. Never judgmental, but real humorous and so positive. We all came away with so much insight and knowledge.”

Board Member

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Futures can help you turn high-maintenance employees into productive team members. Futures utilizes a proven action strategy that has worked in hundreds of organizations.

Contact Lin O’Neill at Futures Consulting to discuss how we can transform your high-maintenance employees. Call us at 214.557.6555.

Team Building

Teams are the heart and soul of our organizations. When teams do not function to their maximum potential, it costs your organization in lost profitability from reduced productivity and missed deadlines.

Many groupings of people that are labelled Teams are simply not demonstrating high performance. These people are often thrown together under stressful conditions and are expected to succeed without any further instruction.

The first Team of which we’re a member is our family. Determining how well our family functioned in this respect will, in large measure, forecast our own Team Behavior … particularly when we’re under stress.

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“You made a difference for our Board and helped us in our quest to make a difference.”

E.D., LMP

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Futures Consulting’s core strength is transforming teams in conflict into high performance teams who work together effectively. We have done this for hundreds of teams in hundreds of organizations.

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“Lin accomplished great feats with a medical doctor and his team; then led a reorganization team with an Engineering Firm.”

Consultant (Retired HR Executive, Northrop Grumman)

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Futures Consulting is expert at:

• Assessing whether your teams are functioning at an optimum level
• Moving dysfunctional teams to self-managing teams which lowers costs and greatly enhances employee satisfaction
• Measurably reducing turnover
• Ensuring the healthy spread of intellectual capital
• Creating new teams
• Dissolving less-than-effective teams
• Re-energizing teams and team spirit
• Meeting and exceeding your goals

Contact Lin O’Neill at Futures Consulting to discuss how we can transform your teams. Call us at 214.557.6555.

Training

Exceptional Supervision
Managing High-Maintenance Employees
Why Employees Leave
Facilitating Successful Meetings
Leading Through Conflict and Chaos

Exceptional Supervision

a “best practices” workshop

Whether or not “Supervisor” is in your title, if you have responsibility for others’ work performance, you will benefit from this class. Topics include:

Employee drawing on whiteboard in meeting

* Communication
* Delegation & Accountability
* Planning
* Coaching & Mentoring
* Team Building
* Recognition
* Counseling & Discipline

Includes Personal Communication Style Analysis
Program length: 2 days

“What a joy it was to work with you yesterday. You are a super star trainer and I’m totally in awe of you. I’ve been in the training/education business for 39 years and, in my not-so-humble opinion, you’re as good as it gets. Many thanks for sharing your wisdom and skills with us. You made a difference for our Board and helped us in our quest to make a difference.”
E.D., LMP

Managing High-Maintenance Employees

a one-day solutions program

High-Maintenance Employees represent soft-dollar losses to a business. They siphon off time and energy. Learn how to cure this frustrating organizational condition. Topics include:

* The cost of High-Maintenance
* Components of High-Maintenance Employee Profile
* Script for the “High-Maintenance Conversation”

“I really wish I had taken this class several years ago (though it’s never too late). Filled with practical steps and useful resources. I’ve paid more than a thousand dollars for workshops and received far less useful information.”
Corporate Vice President

Employees in meeting
Why Employees Leave

Retention Secrets & Mysteries

Research suggests a 6-18 month learning curve for new employees…even if you’ve hired the best and the brightest. No matter how you look at this, losing an employee is costly. If you want to learn more about keeping your valuable employees, this class is for you!

Program length: 1 day

“I have found all of your classes not only pertinent, but so helpful in understanding the “office dynamics.” I am grateful!”
City Employee

Facilitating Successful Meetings

Capable facilitation is one of those skills-like resilience-that often determines career success. The most effective meetings use both leadership and facilitation. This class combines theory and, even more importantly, practice of this valuable skill. Topics include:

* Style
* Resolving Conflict
* Staying on Point
* Who does What? When?
* Why Facilitate?

“I would like you to know that I do believe that your class helped get me a new job! I answered an ad and got to the interviewing process, when the Director of the program began asking me personality questions that sounded as though they had been taken out of your chapter! So I used my most recent knowledge and experience and answered them honestly….and a week later I was job offered! My title will be Senior Program Director [and my new office will be] THREE miles from my house!!! The interview process was one I have never experienced before. So I would like to personally thank YOU from the bottom of my heart! It was great having the knowledge to discern her motivation for certain questions. Thank you again! I will stay in touch.”
Social Worker

Leading Through Conflict and Chaos

A one-day solutions program

Conflict is natural…and, in order to effect positive change, often required. Most of us don’t like to hear this fact. Learning to use conflict and chaos to further progress is a prime leadership trait. Learn how to effectively incorporate this real world aspect of leadership into your life. Topics include:

* Keep Your Eye on the Prize
* Seeing Systems
* Your Conflict Resolution Style
* Involvement is Key
* Solving the Problem

“I am thrilled with the real world examples you use to illustrate topic points. I want action steps I can put to work immediately and that’s what I’m getting. This is very much appreciated.”
Financial Services Manager