Peacemakers Training

This is Fred Ball for Zions Bank, speaking on business.

Terry Bragg told me he learned the hard way. As an engineering manager for a semiconductor manufacturer, he used to try to motivate others by being authoritarian and dictatorial. However, mid way through his career he says he reached a crisis point where he either had to change his managing style or get fired. The crisis sent Terry on a quest, which included attending seminars, taking college courses and reading books on self-improvement. He learned that managers could increase their employees' performance by treating people well and creating workplaces that people enjoyed working in.

When the semiconductor plant he worked for closed, Terry decided to take what he learned and teach others. He now owns and operates Peacemakers Training.

Through his company, Terry travels all across the nation sharing with businesses and managers what he knows about achieving excellence in the workplace and getting people to work together more productively. Terry tells me that during his seminars and training sessions he stays realistic and tells clients about a lot of the mistakes he personally made.

The lessons he teaches revolve around three key areas: personal skills, management skills, and business systems and structures. For example, reward systems often promote conflict in the workplace. Companies should monitor how they reward managers and employees so they are not rewarding or encouraging unproductive behavior. Also, Terry says that employees who feel good about themselves do better work. And managers should pay attention not only to their employees' self-esteem, but also their own.

Terry has done training for all types of companies. Some of his clients include Federal Express, AT&T and American Express. With Peacemakers Training, Terry hopes to prevent the business world from making the same mistakes he made, and to help them create workplaces where people really enjoy working.

For Zions Bank, I'm Fred Ball. I'm speaking on business.