WWW.AGRM.ORG MAY/JUNE 2017 51 THE NEW ‘MELTING POT’ The U.S. is home to 75 million Millennials. The Nielsen Company reports that 42 percent of them are multicultural, of African-American (14 percent), Asian- American (6 percent ), and Hispanic (22 percent) heritage. These young people are bridging gaps between their own generation and also connecting to generations both older and younger than them. Multicultural Millennials are also fully ambicultural, effortlessly bridging the gaps between their birth culture and other cultures. It’s important to note that what was once considered “multicultural” is now mainstream, and that shift will only accelerate over the next several decades. EMPLOYEES EMOTIONS The World Health Organization estimates that 35–45 percent of workplace absenteeism can be attributed to mental distress, reports Quickbooks. Here are five things you can do to better care for your employees’ emotions. 1. Pay attention to body language. Train managers to be more in tune to other people’s feelings by teaching them to be consciously aware of body language. 2. Provide privacy. When tough conversations need to happen, it might be best to take the meeting off-site. Consider asking someone from HR to attend the meeting as they often have training in handling emotionally charged employees. 3. Emotional recovery post-disaster. Have a plan to help employees with emotional trauma that often occurs after a natural disaster or act of workplace violence. 4. Don’t tolerate gossip. Instead, encourage empathic actions and lead by example. 5. Practice engaged listening. This involves giving the person your full, undivided, empathetic attention. Note that this strategy could backfire if you don’t follow through with genuine assistance, which can cause the employee to feel abandoned. BE A JONATHAN Kids and teens are struggling like young Davids in the American urban wilderness, attempting to fight the giant of poverty. The presence of a “Jonathan” in their lives would offer the support they need to survive and thrive. In The Jonathan Effect: Helping Kids and Schools Win the Battle Against Poverty (IVP Books), author Mike Tenbusch builds off of his own story to show how relational connections can help these youth overcome their circum- stances. If you have ever wondered how you, your organiza- tion, or your church can be a part of the solution to extreme poverty, this book will inspire you. GET ON BOARD Buy-in is at the heart of creative and collaborative cultures. When people are fully on board, they bring their full selves to a project. You achieve better results when peo- ple go along with your ideas because they want to, not because they have to; the key is knowing how to build that kind of commitment. Work with Me: How to Get People to Buy into Your Ideas (Wiley) by Simon Dowling is a how-to guide for achiev- ing buy-in. It’s not about using power and authority; it’s about building sup- port and commitment to your ideas and initiatives. QUOTED… “Leadership isn’t some sort of manipulation. Real leadership depends heavily on integrity and it has extraordinary power. It alone can make the difference between success and fail- ure in anything you do for yourself or any group you belong to.” —William Cohen