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to create a "bubble" around your team. A bubble is the perceived separation from the companies distractions and your goals as a team. A tactic that I use to create a bubble is by creating clear and achievable goals within your own group despite the outside distractions. You have to give people something to focus on, if you don't, then they will focus on rumors and gossip. The goals should be weekly and easily achievable.

2. Be open and honest.

Being open and honest seems like a no brainer. However, I have seen countless occasions in which Supervisors and Managers keep information from their teams in hopes that if they deny it, then their teams won't get wrapped up in the changes. The problem is this doesn't work.

The reason it doesn't work is that often times my team will find out about things before I do; and usually these rumors or gossip often turns into fact. Therefore denying the existence of change you know is coming - will create distrust in the future. I am usually told not to talk about organization restructure or change when it is being planned. However, I am also told to be ethical and honest. So I do both. Often times I will hold a call in which I allow my team to spill out all the rumors and gossip they have heard. Then I will either confirm that I have heard something similar or I will tell them that I haven't heard that, yet. First, it allows me team the ability to know all of the rumors and gossip going on, so I can address it at one time. Second, everyone being able to talk about it in a team environment cuts down on individual conversations. The best part is that it shows my team that I will find a way to share what I know. It creates trust and helps people move on.

3. Keep it Real

I really have an issue with Managers who forget that their employees have families, obligations, and lives to maintain outside of work. There is a denial that seems to lurk when layoffs are being announced and that denial can often lead to the swift termination of employees that have not been given the "real" story. Therefore, I am a big believer in creating a contingency plan and keeping it real with my team. If layoffs are being announced then I proactively help each and every member of my team update their resumes and, I also start sending them job posting that they qualify for; some people might thing it is pre-mature. However, in all the layoffs I have been through, I have yet to layoff a 'single' person. The reason I have not had to terminate an employee is that

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