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Leading Your Workforce During Times of Terrorism By Gregory P. Smith, President, Chart Your Course International 10 Steps Management can use to "TAKE CHARGE" of your employees during these difficult times. It could shape the future of your company.

1) - Target fears and anxiety. Employers who address the concerns of the workforce will go a long way to provide a safe, secure, and productive workplace. People traverse through a span of emotions during threats of terrorism beginning with concerns over their individual safety, their family, their friends, their job and finally their financial security. Managers should have plans to address each of these concerns in order of importance.

2) - Accept the fact performance and productivity will drop. People respond differently in crisis situations. Expect to see lower attendance, difficulty concentrating, refusal to fly on airplanes, requests for sick leave and increased absenteeism--all normal responses. People will need to talk more, a natural aspect of dealing with the threat. The more they talk the healthier the organization becomes.

3) - Keep communication open. Information is powerful—an energy source. Meet with staff members at all levels to identify concerns, as well as to promote resources and other services. Use focus groups and town hall meetings to help people deal with the threat. Keep websites updated with crisis plans and provide a place for people to watch or listen to the news at the workplace.

4) - Educate managers and supervisors. Front-line supervisors and middle management are the backbone of the organization and the first-line of defense. Training should include how to identify and reduce stress, as well as how to refer individuals to professional assistance if needed.

7) - Activate crisis plans-Ensure your organization has plans that correspond with the Homeland Security Advisory System.  Employees need to know what they are supposed to do when Threat Conditions increase. Plans should include how you will communicate these conditions to your workforce. (The Threat Conditions are Green = Low, Blue = Guarded, Yellow = Elevated, Orange = High, Red = Severe.)

9) - Get people to focus on a higher calling. War and terrorism creates psychological damage on individual self worth. It violates them and attempts to rob them of control over their life. Management’s role is to help give control back to people to focus, to motivate them toward a cause where they can make a difference.