In the days and weeks since

the terrorist attacks, the American work force has been on an emotional

roller coaster.

People have fallen to terrible

lows of fear, grief and depression, risen to mountain top experiences

of national patriotism, and fallen again.

How can business leaders lead

in the wake of this tragedy? No two people will respond to these events

in exactly the same way. Some may seem unaffected, others may exhibit

out-of-the-ordinary behavior, still others may react in dramatic ways.

In offices across the United

States, employees have walked off the job out of fear. One person e-mailed

me and said his employer fired him because he failed to show up for work

the day after the attack. The employee's excuse? He was depressed. What

a terrible thing for an employer to do.

Managers have a critical role

to play in these uncertain times; indeed, how managers treat their employees

today will continue to resonate tomorrow. Just as the United States is

forming a strategy to combat terrorism, managers need a strategy for helping

their companies get through the current crisis.

I offer the following 10 steps,

organized under the acronym TAKE CHARGE for managing, motivating and leading

your employees in a radically changed work environment:

T Target fears and anxiety.

Employers who act appropriately and provide a supportive workplace will

go a long way to improve retention and loyalty after work life begins

to return to normal.

A Accept the fact performance

and productivity will drop. People respond differently in crisis situations.

Expect to see lower attendance, difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness,

and requests for sick leave and increased absenteeism all normal responses.

People will need to talk more,

a natural aspect of dealing with tragedy. The more they talk the healthier

the organization becomes.

K Keep communication open.

Information is powerful as an energy source. Meet with staff members at

all levels to express grief, as well as to promote available resources

and other services.

E Educate managers and supervisors.

Frontline supervisors and middle management are the backbone and the first

line of defense. They should be equipped with the resources, information

and authority to assist employees as close to the front line as possible.

C Calm, confident and reassuring

leadership style. Don't underestimate the importance of your personal

leadership style. In times of crisis a heroic style leadership becomes

important. Managers should attempt to compartmentalize their own personal

fears and feelings.

H Help those in need first.

First and foremost, make no assumptions on how people feel in time of

crisis. Some individuals may need professional assistance so insure they

understand how to access the employee assistance program.

A Allow people to display their

emotions. People are as diverse as their emotions and they display them

in different ways. Allow them to display flags, mementoes and other forms

of patriotism.

R Restrict negative behavior.

Even though anger is part of this process, make sure you draw the line

to prevent actual abuse, harassment and verbal venting of their anger

on other people.

G Get people to focus on a

higher calling. The purpose of terrorism is to impact on the greatest

number of people. When people go through terrorism it creates psychological

damage on people's self-worth; it violates them and attempts to rob them

of control over their lives.

E Expect and plan for recurrences.

With military deployments and the possibility of war facing Americans

and forthcoming media sensationalism will further heighten the psychological

trauma.

Remember, in the opening scene

of the movie "Gladiator," how Maximus rallies his soldiers with

the words, 'What we do in life echoes in eternity?'"

Well, the same is true in the

work place. Your employees will remember how you treated them during this

highly emotional time.

If you want your organization

to be a place the best and the brightest will want to work in the future,

you must be very careful what you do in the here and now.

Gregory P. Smith is the author

of the book "Here Today Here Tomorrow: Transforming Your Workforce

from High-Turnover to High-Retention." He is formerly a lieutenant

colonel in the Army.

He speaks at conferences, conducts

management training and is the president of a management consulting firm

called Chart Your Course International in Conyers, Ga. Phone him at 770-860-9464

or visit his Web site at https://www.ChartCourse.com .

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