Since putting in my resignation, I’ve been faced with the question of “why?” quite a bit.
“Why are you leaving?”
“How could things be different?”
“Why are others not happy here?”
“How can we change the organization for the future?”
On one hand, I’m glad they are asking. On the other, I can’t help but think that the only way I really prompted this much care or interest was by quitting my job. Maybe that was the point…I had to lose my job so that others can have greater happiness here. I’m okay with that. I guess what my favorite prof, Dr. M, said was true, “Sometimes the only way you can be heard is with your feet…”
So now that I’m being grilled on how to make things better, I’m struggling with one question:
How do you teach “soft skills”?
Balancing budgets and making sure student behavior is well monitored is one thing, and they are very good at that. But how on earth do you teach the warm and fuzzies that are actually very crucial to management?
I am looking at the Human Nature at Work website and am a big fan of the book Growing Great Employees but translating all of that into tangible concepts that this organization will grasp? Well, I don’t know if that’s going to happen.
Ideas? Anybody?
My Library Ideas 
I was in a very similar situation — good company, great potential, old ideas, and glacial pace of change. I quit too, last year. Best thing ever. I think you’ll be thrilled w/ your decsion too!
After years of trying I found that you can’t “teach” anyone those “soft skills” — or anything that they are not interested in understanding. You can lead the horse to resources, but you cannot make it drink.
That said, one person out there does a wonderful job of explaining to OPEN-MINDED mangagers how to make employees happy and how much those happy employees can improve the company and add to customer satisfaction. Check out the books & videos by Barbara Glanz at http://www.barbaraglanz.com.
Barbara has been doing wonderful things around the world for years! Great lessons for anyone…
Kathy – thank you for that great link. That is exactly the type of thing I needed to see!