The new workplaces of the future are on the cutting edge of many exciting opportunities. As the roles for many senior executives transform and management structures shift more steadily, the possibilities to positively impact the employee, customer and share holder experience are exponential.

Leading organizations like DaVita Inc., Whole Foods Market, Herman Miller Inc., GE, Google, SAS, Southwest Airlines, 3M, Cisco, Johnson & Johnson, and many others have strategically challenged their core assumptions about talent and the value of relationships within their companies. In the fast changing business environment where the only constant is change, leaders must accept that changes or pebbles may be thrown into the otherwise calm waters in which they operate. The key to leading in an environment of change is not to try to prevent the change or minimize its role and impact on the company, but rather to proactively change the ripple effects that the change itself creates. In order to prevent a ripple or tidal wave of fear to emanate from the pebble of change, leadership is now called to action. Will your company demonstrate deliberate leadership that communicates a clear focus on the future and the commitment to support the company and the very employees that are its core and future? Have you built upon a foundation of trust and open communication with your employees? Are leaders truly ready to lead and assume the responsibilities that change calls for and what employees deserve from those they follow?

Strategic intent remains pro-active in changing the ripple effects that occur when small pebbles are thrown out into a workplace. Rather than allow any pebbles of unhealthy workplace behaviors that send ripples of fear throughout their cultures and risk becoming tidal waves, top leadership is diligent about calibrating a clearer focus for the future supported by committed action.

From survival mode to transformation where employee talents are optimized to work more effectively across the enterprise, maintaining a collective focus toward meeting the meaningful needs of customers and shareholders is central. The focus on meeting the needs of others is especially important if the U.S. realizes a double-dip recession in the near future. The deep relationships and shared experiences that are created when facing organizational trials and the unspoken connectedness that comes from an energized and highly focused team will determine how your company handles the pebbles or tidal waves of the new economy. It is the foundation of strong relationships and the sense of connectedness that will produces a liberating experience in the workplace that results in a positive effect through generating bonds of loyalty among customers and employees.

It is critically important for companies to manage, monitor, and measure relational capital as well as its financial capital. Though mounting financial pressures may build and the temptation to adopt a "bunker" mentality may look attractive, employees, especially pivotal talent, can continue to position your company from where it is today to extraordinary heights. Harnessing the intangible assets of creativity, ideas, and high-quality relationships can lead to exponential growth and dynamic strategic advantage.

Talent can not flourish if organizations do not continually reassess their first level core capability system, leadership. What kind of leaders are in place within your company? Do they embody the company's core beliefs, emphasize consistent behavior of integrity, and encourage employees to think creatively as well as strategically? When the ripples of change do come, how will your leadership respond? Will they respond with a sense of urgency in communicating the company's position and strategy in navigating this new change? Will they foster an environment of fear or an environment of security? Are leaders communicating based on logic, compassion, and sound reasoning? Can your leaders effectively lead? Do they convey, embody, and instill the trust that will continue to build positive relationships and grow relational capital? Are your leaders equipped to lead the necessary change forward?

Strategic Advantage

Back in 1993, when Sears almost went bankrupt and began the long process of analysis of understanding what was truly driving their financial performance, they discovered 22 months following the correlation analysis that from an initial 70 possible performance indicators that two clearly drove revenue growth: employees and customer impression. Interestingly, during their journey of analysis, one of Sears's well-known competitors, Wal-Mart was on the cutting edge of innovation and empowered leadership to create (JIT), the just-in-time inventory system. Leveraging relational capital both within their organization and among their vendors, allowed Wal-Mart to lead strategic change and revolutionize supply chain management.

How might organizations begin to liberate the new workplace and break free from traditional boundaries? Below, are a few thoughts I invite you to consider:

1. Authentic Leadership - Having the right blend of leadership capability is essential to adjusting your culture toward a more open and adaptable environment. Assess your current leadership capabilities for strengths and weaknesses, including emotional intelligence competencies, against future business goals and move forward to close the gaps.

2. Understand the Financial & Non-Financial Drivers of Success. - In the new workplace, everyone is responsible for strategy. When strategic planning is well integrated with a balanced scorecard and talent management, it helps to provide a clear framework for linking vision, strategy and people; transforming the organization's attitude and way of conducting business. When the organization is closely linked and leaders are empowered, talent becomes enabled to move rapidly throughout the organization as priorities shift.

3. Share Information & Share Ownership - Rather than focus on which department owns what, begin asking how each division can create shared ownership for high-performing results that impact the organization's ability to deliver extraordinary results. Release competent leaders across boundaries to establish a collaborative and open monitoring system. An environment of inclusion, transparency and collaborative ownership will develop.

Link to Financial Results

Over the last 10 years, the top 20 best companies for leadership outperformed total return by 3% as compared to the S&P 500 with total returns of a minus -1.4%, according to the Bloomberg Business Week/Hay Group 2009 Leadership Survey.

As leaders continue to move toward a three dimensional view of employees, customers, supply chains and alliance relationships they will begin to increase and harness the knowledge flow that builds broader relational networks and increases opportunities to build trust and multiply performance.

Has your company begun a three dimensional view of employee talents? How is your workplace culture empowering this to happen?

©2010 All rights reserved. Judy White, SPHR, GPHR, HCS is the President of Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina based The Infusion Group ^TM LLC, a next generation people management consulting and executive coaching firm. For more information, go to www.theinfusiongroupllc.com
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