Teamwork

Remembering Don Carew

/ Ken Blanchard

On January 28, 2025, I lost one of my dearest friends and colleagues, Don Carew. Not only was Don one of the original founding associates of our company, but he was also a very special human being. More than anyone I have ever met, Don Carew embodied kindness.

I first met Don at the University of Ohio in 1966, where he was teaching courses in human relations, and I was teaching business leadership. Don introduced himself to me on the sidewalk in front of the student union building, and we became instant friends. I loved Don’s gentle spirit and welcoming personality. We also shared a passion for making a positive difference in people’s lives through leadership. It wasn’t long before Don and his first wife, Jody, became an integral part of my wife Margie’s and my social circle.

Don had profound empathy for others and was a passionate supporter of civil rights and social justice. Back in 1963, he took a group of his students to the March on Washington, D.C., where they heard Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. deliver his historic “I Have a Dream” speech.

It was Don who urged Margie and me to join him at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1970, where he had relocated and become an enormously popular professor. During the years we taught together at UMass, Don and I forged a deep friendship. We led weekend classes together. Don would share his expertise in working with teams and groups, while I would focus on a situational approach to leadership. Eventually we began consulting with external groups.

Margie and I left Amherst and relocated to San Diego in 1976 for a one-year sabbatical that turned into a permanent move. But I continued to teach weekend courses with Don several times a year at the University of Massachusetts.

After Margie and I launched our company in 1979, Don joined us as an associate. He had the intellect to work effectively with the C suite as well as the empathy and respect to connect with frontline workers as they transformed their cultures. I had a wonderful time collaborating with Don and Eunice Parisi-Carew on our bestselling book, The One Minute Manager Builds High Performing Teams. Don’s and Eunice’s expertise in teams and group development was a key factor in our decision to change the original Hersey-Blanchard model and develop SLII®.

I will miss Don’s warm voice and loving presence. His spirit of integrity and inclusiveness lives on in our culture at Blanchard and for that, I am grateful.

Leading in the New World of Work

/ Ken Blanchard

Just when we were beginning to adapt to all the changes at work due to the pandemic, things are changing again as people head back into the office. You might be tempted to say that everyone is returning to business as usual, but in many ways, that term no longer applies.

As Scott Blanchard, president of The Ken Blanchard Companies, explains, “We’re not going home to whatever work was like before. We’re pivoting into the future and reorganizing ourselves in a way that takes advantage of new realities.”

How are you navigating this transition to the new world of work? If you are a leader, you’re probably feeling torn. On the one hand, you have concerns about people’s safety. On the other hand, you feel the pressure of financial commitments and marketplace demands. How do you resolve these seemingly opposing forces?

Communication Is Key

The first step is to communicate, communicate, communicate! It’s always important to keep information flowing, but it’s crucial to do so during times of transition.

People appreciate hearing from their leaders. For example, at the beginning of the pandemic back in March 2020, Scott began sending out a weekly email to everyone in the company. These weekly emails expressed everything that was on Scott’s mind—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Even when the news was dire—such as having to cut back on staff and services—Scott was candid and compassionate. He gave people information with as much advance notice as possible and explained the leadership team’s thinking behind every major decision. On Zoom calls with the company, people could see the pain and anguish on Scott’s face as he discussed some of these decisions.

The response from the company was an outpouring of support for Scott. People empathized with the difficult position of being a leader in such a tough time. When we had our People’s Choice Awards earlier this year, people chose Scott for the top award—the Most Values Led Player—even though his name wasn’t officially on the ballot.

Whatever decisions you and your leadership team make about the return to work, inform people about your decisions with candor and compassion.

Adapting to a Hybrid Environment

Leaders can smooth the way for a successful transition back to work in several ways.

First, recognize that the pandemic caused a major shift in the way people think about work. Today’s workers don’t think of work as a place they go; they think of work as something they do.  According to a recent Gallup poll, 35 percent of full-time employees say that, given the choice, they would continue to work remotely as much as possible. This means that your workplace will probably be a hybrid space designed to accommodate people who come to the office as well as people working remotely.

Second, create conditions that make it easier for people to get work done. “People don’t want harsh lighting and cubicle farms with no places to rest and relax,” says Blanchard Senior VP Shirley Bullard. “Give people motivation to come to the office by creating areas that are comfortable and inviting.” For example, people coming back to Blanchard’s offices will find a new hobby room, massage room, meditation room, and lots of places to gather on comfortable sofas and chairs. While it may seem counter-intuitive, changes like these increase employee engagement and productivity.

“Coming to work is a way to beat the virtual fatigue,” continues Shirley. “Socializing with others at the office breaks up the monotony of back-to-back Zoom meetings.” People are more brilliant when they have a sense of autonomy and are not fatigued.  Plus, bumping into people at the office leads to impromptu conversations that can spur innovation and motivation.

Third, meet with the people you lead. Get together in person at least once a month, if possible; more often is even better. Ask them how they’re doing in their new, hybrid work environment. Let them know that your organization’s policies might be changing as the situation evolves. Understand each person’s circumstances, listen to their concerns, and help them resolve any issues.

Learn More in Our Seminar Series Starting June 16

To explore more ways to create a successful return to work strategy, join us for a complimentary, five-part webinar series on Returning to the Workplace: Exploring a Hybrid Model. Register for any single event—or all five—using this link: https://www.kenblanchard.com/Events-Workshops/Returning-to-Workplace-Series.