Sociometry teaches teams to work well together, their individual and collective creativity is at its peak, they get along well and respect each other, they always meet their deadlines and their work is highly profitable.
Sociometry, a science developed by Dr. JL Moreno allows us to look at the underlying connections in a group, as well as the covert, often unspoken words that can inhibit productivity within a workplace. Through sociometry, these conflicts can be weeded out, unspoken connections can be identified and nurtured, work teams can be realigned and the organization can function at a higher level, allowing for more productivity and increased morale. The more satisfied people are at work, the more work they do. They more the staff gets done, the more successful the business.
Most teams are formed without any thought of how well they will work together. Someone retires and leaves a spot in a particular department. The next in line is often promoted from within and steps in to take over the job. But do we ever question if he is the right fit for that group?
Do we ask questions such as:
Does he have a similar work style and ethic as those in his department?
Does he have a similar way of communicating?
Does this department know him and trust him?
Is he good manager material?
CRISIS INTERVENTION
Often when there has been a crisis within an organization, employees are expected to just carry on as though nothing has happened. This could manifest as a death, a downsizing, a move, termination of a top-level employee (either through quitting or firing), loss of a major account, or any a number of other scenarios.
Studies in work environments have demonstrated that if the staff?s anxiety and loss have not been attended to, productivity and morale fall sharply, and the use of sick days and personal days rises. Therefore, it is in a company's best interests to encourage employees to have their process and get to the other side of the crisis.
Through the action methods of sociometry and sociodrama, the staff can be assisted in doing just that, so that together, they can work through this big loss or shift, and be assured that the company - and they - can survive it.
WORKSHOPS ON THE "ENERGY OF MONEY"
How do your employees see money and how does this affect the outcome of their personal lives and affect your organization?
SKILLS TRAINING THROUGH ACTION
More often then not, when an employee joins an organization, or is promoted to a new position, s/he is given a job description and a list of expectations, but little or no coaching or guidance for how to do his/her job. This scenario can result in an employee excelling as s/he steps into this new and challenging role and/or it can result in the revealing of his/her growing edges, that is, those areas where the employee requires professional development.
But how does an employee or supervisor learn this new role and address those growing edges, without jeopardizing the health of the company?
In skills training seminars, employees will be specifically guided through a process of practicing specific work-related skills to allow him/her to master what it takes to do his/her job. Whether it?s a manager learning how to coach an employee, or a customer service representative learning how to speak with an irate customer, skills training through action will allow the employee the opportunity to try out a number of different responses in a safe learning environment. Because s/he has worked out the ?kinks? in a ?professional laboratory?, when the situation arises on the job, the employee will be well prepared to handle the challenge, feel empowered and confident, and do a better job.
STRATEGIC PLANNING
When a company is planning its future, it is often done by sitting around a conference room table and tossing out ideas. That setting certainly doesn?t inspire creative thinking - but action does. If a company is preparing a 5 year plan, why not have staff members experience a future projection, where they can step into the organization 5 years hence and speak from that place? With well thought out interviewing, this process will allow for increased spontaneity and creativity, which will elicit ideas that are outside the box? It also will increase excitement for the future of the organization, thus increasing morale and a sense of teamwork.
CONFLICT RESOLUTION
In work environments, there is often unresolved conflict that not only is not processed, but is rarely even spoken about. Moreover, most managers are not trained in how to resolve these types of conflicts, or worse, may be in the midst of one of them with a staff member. The proverbial "elephant in the middle of the room" impedes employees' ability to concentrate on their work, and thus affect productivity.
Anxiety and spontaneity are inversely related. The more anxious a person is, the less spontaneous he or she can be. Therefore, when there is conflict within an organization, or poor communication, or a crisis of some kind, everyone's spontaneity and creativity suffers. As a result, morale suffers, people are afraid to take creative risks at work, the staff feels disconnected from each other, and they don't feel bonded towards a common goal.
It doesn't matter at what level the anxiety exists - on the Board of Directors, amongst managers, between managers and employees or between employee and employee. That anxiety or conflict affects the mood in the organization, and that negativity is contagious.
Through the process of a classical encounter, employees can be helped to state their concerns in a mutually-respectful way, and work through them productively. Each staff member will benefit from such a process, because they have all been feeling the negative effects of the tension.
This process can also be an opportunity to educate the staff on effective communication, such as being assertive vs. aggressive, thus allowing for a greater environment of mutual respect.