Gordon Graham on "In the Game!"

Gordon Graham:   In the Game! 

As the transition from Gordon Graham & Co. to Instar Performance evolves, I want you to know that G.G. is still in the game. I’m healthy and involved in assisting individuals and organizations to improve relationships and managing changes that contribute to a better world.

Next week Cat and I will be at a Ford Motor plant in Kansas City. We’re working with a management team that’s intent on keeping jobs in their community. It’s critical that we maximize our skills and abilities to be the best that we can be in this global economy. The strategies that were once considered “soft skills” are now understood to be a critical component in keeping jobs in our plants. It’s the collective habits, attitudes, beliefs and expectations of the work force that make us competitive. It’s the ability to engage the hearts and minds of individuals on the line that will help keep jobs in our communities. A non-threatening learning experience creates the awareness that each of us plays a vital part in this goal.

It’s important that when we ask people to change we offer new tools. Each of us needs to see the W.I.I.F.M. (what’s in it for me?). We all work for our own reasons; perhaps it’s building a better life for our families, vacation property, a new car, keeping jobs in the plant, etc. It could also be as basic as “just” making a positive difference in the world. Every day brings new opportunities, so stay in the game!

Be at peace,

Gordon Graham

www.ggco.com

Gordon Graham on Change in a Global Economy

Gordon Graham:  Change in a Global Economy

Change is the only constant in our world. With the increasing impact of a global economy and the explosion of technology it’s easy to feel out of control. Over the past 30 years I’ve worked with both labor and management, especially in industrial plants. This may be the hardest hit work force in the country. There is no simple solution for men and women who have spent their adult life working in a plant that now has no future. When a plant closes the whole community suffers. It’s hard to imagine the devastation that occurs until you visit a city that was thriving and is now surrounded by empty factories and boarded up storefronts. Automobile plants with 17,000 employees where fathers, grandfathers, sons and daughters worked are now vacant shells.

How do people recover from this kind of setback? The steps a company takes in order to compete are out of the individual’s control. The game has changed! The abilities and skills of the American worker are as good as or better than any in the world; however the playing field is not level. We have companies and organizations competing with others that are not saddled with health care and legacy costs, and that pay workers a quarter of the wages of the American worker.

The good news is that we can still compete by producing quality products and by engaging the hearts and creative talents of our employees. We can develop constructive, high performance cultures that can counteract the seeming disadvantages we face. In order to do this we need to engage the creative ideas and energy of the work force. This requires a compensation system that is more equitable and is transparent. Giving huge corporate bonuses to CEO’s when the company is losing money is unconscionable! When times are tough everyone needs to share the burden, and when times are good everyone should share in the rewards.

A final thought on trust: We need to build a culture where trust is the bedrock. We have gone through a period where greed and corruption have destroyed our trust in financial institutions and in corporate leadership. Talk shows, politicians and the media bombard the airways with character assassinations and accusations of every kind based on someone’s political views. It’s out of control and embarrassing to most average Americans. When “Joe the Plumber” gets more airtime than health care, we need a reality check!

Peace,

Gordon Graham, Change Agent

www.ggco.com 

Gordon Graham: Daily Affirmation

Daily Affirmation: "Today is the first day of the rest of my life and I feel grateful and fortunate for each new day."

Daily Affirmation:

Daily Affirmation: "I am open to new ideas and eagerly seek out ways to improve my business and personal life."

Gordon Graham: New York! New York!

New York! New York!
by Gordon Graham

I love New York! However I learned this week that it is so much more enjoyable when you’re not fighting a major head cold! My colleague and I were consulting in a specialty paper plant near Saratoga Springs. I spent the day speaking to all the employees in the plant, starting at 5:30 a.m. eastern time. Do you realize that is 2:30 a.m. in Seattle? The final group session ended at 4:30 p.m.

With this client, both the company and the union recognize that they need to be the best they can be to survive in today’s economy. There’s no room in these challenging times to allow a ‘disconnect’ between union and management leadership. Leadership must find a way to engage their people, keeping their energies focused on turning out the best end-product possible in order to keep jobs in our communities.

I flew out of Albany and met Cat Crosslin, my long-time associate, in New York City. New York is a city that will capture your heart if you like a fast-paced, high energy environment. Sure enough, the city got Cat! She had an opportunity to see the play, “Wicked,” on Broadway while I was hard at work in Albany. We then met with writer and publicist Judith Katz, who is a very talented, innovative and energetic woman. I was very impressed with both her talent and her heart.

Gordon Graham & Company is going through a major transition here in Seattle presently, not unlike many companies. However, we will still be doing our best to assist individuals and organizations in managing the changes these challenging times are demanding. The letters, phone calls (my style of communication), e-mails, texts, etc., that we receive keep us motivated to continue to make a positive difference in the world. Thanks for your continued support, and thanks for the contributions you are making to your communities.

Peace,

Gordon Graham
Gordon Graham & Co.
www.ggco.com

Gordon Graham: Common Ground

Common Ground

I was in Memphis, Tennessee last week at a conference that brought management and unions together to explore ways to improve relationships and increase competitiveness in our rapidly changing world. This conference was a collaborative effort by the University of Tennessee, state, federal and local governments, as well as labor organizations and corporate leaders. It offered an open forum for sharing ideas, plus a variety of workshops and speakers brought in to unlock awareness and investigate avenues to becoming more competitive in the international arena.

The sponsors of the conference were overwhelmed with the response and participation and overall, it exceeded everyone’s expectations. People were able to take back new ideas and a renewed sense of hope to their organizations and agencies.

Although several groups have been able to keep this energy alive in spite of tough economic conditions, we need more of these activities. Only with a concentrated effort by both labor unions and management teams will we be able to keep well-paying jobs in our communities. Organized labor has a major role to play in improving workplace culture and this conference was a great start to a complicated challenge. The days of “us versus them” needs to take its place in history and it will take the ingenuity and commitment of all parties to keep jobs in this country. The men and women on the line need to be engaged and allowed to bring their creativity and energy to the party, while management needs to open communication and solicit input from hourly employees.

My thanks go to the sponsors and coordinators for inviting me to participate in such a valuable event.

Peace,

Gordon Graham
Gordon Graham & Co.
www.ggco.com

Gordon Graham: Corrupt Judges

Corrupt Judges in Pennsylvania
by Gordon Graham

A recent article exposed two judges in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania who were getting financial kick-backs for sentencing young people to private prisons. For more on the article check out this link: http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/02/13-3

This outrageous and unjust activity is yet another example of just how corrupt people in power can become. It’s also an example of how vulnerable people are when they are caught in the web of an unjust system. Young people are especially at the mercy of the system when they are without competent representation.

Fortunately the Pennsylvania situation is not the norm. Most Judges are honest and administer their duties in honorable ways. However it causes concern and raises the question; “How many young men and women have been unjustly sentenced by these two corrupt judges?” If I was serving time in prison I would want a review of my case. The criminal justice system has never really been “just!” This case just exposes how unjust it can become when we blindly trust in the integrity of those in power.

I feel empathy for my friends in Pennsylvania who play by the rules and work to demonstrate that the criminal justice system is, in fact, just. Corruption by people in power should carry the maximum penalty, administered by judges who realize that the damage done by these two will have a negative impact in prisons, jails and courtrooms for years.

Gordon Graham
www.ggco.com