A common managerial problem is restoring optimism during or after a downturn in the business. Achieving this is all about managing emotions and you cannot do this by numbers. You can only do it face-to-face and preferably one-on-one. In tough times, people feel a little helpless, unsure either of what is expected of them or of what they should do. Above all else, they need help.
The paradox is that, in tough economic times there is a tendency for managers to distance themselves from their interpersonal, social and emotional activities and, responding to the pressure that they feel, become more like policemen, administrators – cops and bosses.
