Companies in heavy industry and construction operate in some of the most demanding environments in the country. From workforce safety and regulatory compliance to benefits administration, risk management, insurance, cybersecurity, and technology infrastructure, their challenges are high-stakes and constantly evolving.
To help these organizations navigate that complexity, one of my clients—a leading business services provider in the HR, benefits, safety, insurance, cybersecurity, and technology space— supports construction and industrial companies nationwide with the essential services they rely on.
Although this provider excelled at serving its clients, internally the organization was facing a major transformation of its own: They were preparing to unify five distinct product lines under one cohesive brand identity.
Their Entire Executive team knew that for the rebrand to succeed, every employee needed to understand the new brand, speak about it confidently, and recognize how each division connected to the whole.
That’s when our team was brought in help to guide the organization through a brand and communication alignment effort.
The Challenge: Five Silos, One Mission
Each of the five service divisions provided tremendous value, but they operated in separate silos. Employees were comfortable discussing their own division’s services, but many were far less familiar with the other four—and some were completely unaware that certain divisions even existed.
This led to challenges with:
Leadership wanted more than a unified brand. They wanted a unified team anchored by the organization’s core values:
Help the entire organization speak with one voice, represent one brand, and understand one unified mission.
The Process: How the Organization Gained Clarity and Alignment
The process began with a company-wide survey sent to every employee. The goal was to understand what staff members knew about the organization, how they viewed the different divisions, how they felt about the new brand direction, and how confident they were communicating the company’s value to clients. The results provided a clear picture of where confusion existed and what areas needed the most attention.
Next, several key executives and stakeholders were interviewed to gather their perspective on the rebrand—its purpose, its goals, and the kind of unified message they wanted the entire organization to communicate moving forward. These conversations helped shape the direction of the alignment work.
With this foundation in place, the entire staff participated in a two-day interactive experience.
Employees from every level—client-facing teams, administrative staff, technical specialists, and leadership—worked through practical, easy-to-understand exercises designed to clarify the brand, improve communication, and show how all five divisions support one another.
By the end of the process, the team had a shared understanding of the brand and felt more confident and aligned in how they communicated it.
The Breakthrough: Unified Brand → Unified Team → New Opportunities
Once the team adopted a clear, unified brand message and began listening to clients with an understanding of all five service lines, not just their own, everything started to shift.
The new revenue wasn’t the goal. It was the natural outcome of a team that finally understood the brand, the value they provide, and how their divisions work together.
Client Testimonial:
“Dennis’ ability to drive clarity, unify teams, and uncover hidden value is exceptional!
Our company hired Dr. Dennis Cummins to support us as we unified five product lines under a single brand umbrella. Over the course of just two days, Dennis guided our entire staff through a powerful, collaborative process that resulted in a clear and compelling brand statement that truly reflected the commitment, care, and excellence we deliver to our clients every day.
What impressed me most was Dennis’s ability to help every employee, both client-facing and behind the scenes, fully understand and communicate the value of what we do.
Through one of his communication processes, Dennis helped our team identify more than $4.1 million in previously unseen revenue opportunities. That was remarkable to witness.
Even more impactful was seeing how empowered our people became once they understood not just what to say, but what to listen for when engaging with clients. It elevated confidence across the organization and strengthened how our five product lines work together.
Hiring Dennis was a significant investment. He told us upfront that he probably wouldn’t be the least expensive option, but he also told us that none of his clients have ever regretted hiring him. Now I understand exactly why. His ability to drive clarity, unify teams, and uncover hidden value is exceptional. It’s clear why Dennis is such a highly sought-after keynote speaker and sales messaging strategist.
By the end of the engagement, the organization accomplished:
A unified brand message shared by all five divisions
Stronger communication across every level of the company
Clearer understanding of how each division supports client outcomes
A culture that reflects the organization’s core values
A team that speaks confidently and consistently
And as a result, more than $4.1 million in potential new revenue opportunities
The organization became one brand with one voice, better equipped to serve heavy-industry and construction clients nationwide.
About Dennis:
Dr. Dennis Cummins is a sought-after keynote speaker and sales communication strategist who helps leaders and teams nationwide sharpen their message and inspire action. As founder of Pro Speaker Academy and Co-Chair of the C-Suite Network Corporate Speakers Council, he teaches organizations how to communicate with clarity, confidence, and purpose. Known for his practical, relatable approach, Dennis helps professionals articulate value, earn trust faster, and create messaging that drives results. A bestselling author and respected thought leader, he speaks at conferences and corporate events across the U.S., helping audiences turn ideas into impact.
]]>Kelly Coffey, founder of StrongCoffey.com, is a coach and consultant who helps women build confidence, self-esteem, and sustainable success through personal transformation. Her mission and message were powerful—but despite consistent audience interest, she was struggling to convert interested leads into paying clients.
Kelly wanted to feel more confident promoting her work, but traditional sales tactics felt pushy and inauthentic. That’s when she decided to work with Dr. Dennis Cummins and learn his Invitational Selling System, also known as the Six-Figure Sales Talk Formula—a proven communication framework that helps entrepreneurs inspire action through authentic connection.
Kelly’s challenge wasn’t her message—it was the delivery.
Her original webinar was packed with valuable insights, but it didn’t clearly lead her audience toward taking the next step. The transition from “helping” to “inviting” felt uncomfortable.
She wanted a presentation that:
Felt natural and aligned with her voice and mission.
Authentically guided her audience to invest in themselves.
Created consistent conversions without feeling salesy or forced.
In a focused private session, Kelly and Dr. Cummins worked together to completely redesign her webinar using the Invitational Selling framework.
Together they:
Clarified the emotional journey of her audience and the transformation she delivers.
Crafted a new webinar script and story flow built around audience connection.
Integrated Dennis’s Six-Figure Sales Talk structure to position her offer as the natural next step.
Practiced conversational transitions to build trust and invite commitment confidently.
Within days, Kelly had internalized the system, re-shot her webinar, and put it live.

formulato grow her herself by 600% in one weekJust one week later, the results were astounding.
“One week after working with Dennis, I created a new webinar using all the things I learned.
My sales increased 600%!
I’m making 6X more money and helping 6X more women than before—and… having 6X more fun.
Thanks for taking the fear out of self-promotion and teaching me your system.”
— Kelly Coffey, Founder, StrongCoffey.com
By applying the Invitational Selling system, Kelly transformed not only her sales numbers but also her confidence. She now speaks to her audience with ease, knowing her message genuinely serves—while also creating remarkable business growth.
When sales are built on invitation instead of persuasion, transformation happens—for both the client and the coach.
Through Dr. Dennis Cummins’ Invitational Selling / Six-Figure Sales Talk Formula, coaches, consultants, and entrepreneurs can design presentations that connect authentically, inspire trust, and convert with integrity.
This case study is adapted from a verified client testimonial publicly shared by Kelly Coffey, Founder of StrongCoffey.com.
If you’re ready to elevate your influence and turn authentic communication into measurable results, connect with Dr. Dennis Cummins and Pro Speaker Academy today.
www.ProSpeakerAcademy.com
Schedule a call: www.speakwithdennis.com

system.Dr. Dennis Cummins is a sought-after thought leader, keynote speaker, and the founder of Pro Speaker Academy. He empowers organizations and sales teams navigating the AI era to design authentic, relatable messaging that drives buy-in and delivers results. As co-chairman of the C-Suite Network Corporate Speakers Council, Dr. Cummins helps leaders communicate with impact, connect with confidence, and inspire lasting performance.
]]>
While the concept of teamwork, team building, and the importance of teamwork as a whole is not new to the business world, changing times need to see a change in thinking. Most managers have been trained to see teams as being sensibly designed static groups of individuals. It is this thinking that needs to change.
Newer studies on the idea of teaming, deem it to be a dynamic entity with a life of its own. Unlike a baseball or football team, where players are allowed ample time to practice interaction for cohesion and success. Often a team in the workplace is changed or divided to form new teams before they even have the opportunity to prove to themselves that they gel. It is these factors that make them dynamic units as opposed to static ones.
Corporate teams can literally change, grow, decrease or disband in a New York minute. One moment they exist, and the next minute individuals have been relegated to entirely different tasks with a whole set of new faces and new personalities. It is important to organizational learning that managers are taught to understand that what might one moment exist in a team, could change at any given moment.
The ability to deal with such change demands both cognitive, and affective skills. That is cognitive – the ability to think, and affective – the ability to feel. Distributed leadership in teaming has the effect of expanding both expertise and knowledge, which is essential for the complexity, and volatility of the modern business environment. The aim of the game is to communicate and collaborate more than ever before in order to respond to potential opportunities.
Teaming is about doing – it is a verb. The word team is a noun that defines individuals that are generally located in the same place physically, in order to interact statically. It does not matter that the Baseball team is running all over the pitch during a game, they are still together physically for practices as well as games.
Today’s businesses face more challenges than ever before. Competition is intense, success is unpredictable, and innovation is king. Responding positively to these challenges often means bringing together teams that are not in the same department, building, or even geographically situated on the same continent. Fortunately, technology has made teaming in this way possible. When talking about teamwork, the Harvard Business Review says:
Today’s teams are different from the teams of the past: They’re far more diverse, dispersed, digital, and dynamic (with frequent changes in membership). But while teams face new hurdles, their success still hinges on a core set of fundamentals for group collaboration.
Individuals no longer need to be bonded in the same room, in order to hash out strategy, communicate or collaborate. It is managers who need to understand that formative concepts for managerial effectiveness are ready for change. Synergies can be created without the advantage of the frequent drilling sessions which are enjoyed by sports teams or musical groups.
Teaming is the answer to creating these synergies. It is teamwork on the run so to speak, and its success is determined by the mindset of teamwork, and not by its structures. Organizations often demand flexibility where staffing is concerned, which demands for coordination and collaboration without the stability of a static design. Traditional team compositions are rarely found in organizations such as hospitals and other labor-intensive organizations.
In effect teaming is a vital skill in a working environment where people need to move fast. It is teamwork without the foundation of familiarity, where interdependence, trust, and synchronization still apply. Sharing important knowledge needs to be done quickly, and organizations need people with these skills because business also needs to learn how to thrive in a world where continuous change has become the order of the day.
]]>
Knowledge is the key to wealth in knowledge based communities. Therefore, professionals should constantly learn and develop to stay ahead of the pack. When the spirit of entrepreneurship is married with the learner personality, a new kind of professional is developed.
Typically, entrepreneurs are people that manage and facilitate a business, or multiple businesses and adopting risks that are greater than normal. Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, Pierre Omidya of eBay, Peter Thiel of PayPal, Niklas Zennstrom of Skype, Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Michael Dell of Dell Computers, and Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines are among some of the most well-known entrepreneurs.
Adult learning is most often thought of as a formal or informal self-directed, on-the-job process which is created to enhance adaptive potential. Learning can result from a variety of interactions. Coaching, mentoring, e-learning, blended learning, job rotation, experiential learning, and job shadowing can bring a wealth of educational experiences.
Then when combing the entrepreneur and learning professional, a new kind of educator is created. This is a creator of learning and development opportunities. Entrepreneurial learning professionals typically demonstrate the following characteristics: a defined curiosity, passionate about learning, a high motivation to design and create own learning, identifying opportunities to learn, adaptive learners, experiential learners, able to learn, relearn, and unlearn; engages in fun and play in peer relationships, viewed as an energizing partner, demonstrated experience with technology, and thrives in knowledge and creatively bases workspaces.
Does this sound like you? Learning and development in organization can easily migrate to opportunities to craft and create learning and development. While entrepreneurship may not be on your radar screen, if you exhibit several of the aforementioned qualities there may be a great opportunity resting at your fingertips. Challenge yourself to create more than just learning opportunities, and anticipate great things happening.
]]>
What is Active Listening?
The ability to listen and truly hear what is being said is an essential skill. Primarily we listen to absorb information, to get pleasure, to understand and to learn. However, research indicates that only 25 – 50% of what we hear, we remember – that is basically less than half of a conversation or presentation. Obviously the more we hear and remember, the better our communication skills will be, which is better for personal relationships, as well as working relationships.
Actively listening to others in the correct way takes a good deal of self-awareness, as does actively communicating with others. Get these skills right and lasting impressions will be what we leave others with. Productivity improves when active listening skills are fine-tuned, as does the ability to negotiate, and influence. Conflict literally flies out of the window!
Fine-tuning active listening takes every sense we possess. We make a concerted, conscious effort to hear not only what is being said, but consider body language, tone, and other nuances to get the message behind the words. It takes presence, understanding, or at the very least concentration to not lose focus or become bored.
It often helps to repeat in our minds what the other person is saying, and tell them that you are listening. For example, I have a colleague who needs to repeat themselves several times to ensure for themselves that they have gotten the message across. I often become quiet on the telephone while I am listening to him. He will ask “are you there?”, I reply “I am listening to you”, and he can complete his repetition, but that reassurance that I am quiet, but “listening” reassures him that I have actively listened to what has been said, and taken it in.
Acknowledgment that one is listening does not even necessarily mean using the words. An affirmation of attention can be as simple as a nod of the head (use positive body language), or say “I understand”, or even just “yes”. By continuing to affirm that one is actively hearing what is being spoken, it reminds the listener to stay focused too. Even a hand gesture can affirm that the listener is still on track.
An occasional question or comment will also not go astray. The main thing is not to try and take over the conversation. Remember this is an exercise in active listening. Comments or questions should be relevant to the conversation, and the listener may even like to ask “is this what you are saying”, and briefly recap. This communicates that the message is being understood.
There are so many techniques available to improve active listening skills. Just like there are many techniques available to improve just about anything. Non-verbal communication “speaks” just as loudly, as do positive, comfortable eye contact (don’t stare the speaker down). Tips such as these can be found everywhere on the World Wide Web.
Just remember that it is not cool to make up rebuttals along in the mind as the speaker continues to regale you with whatever the subject matter. Your opinion does not count in active listening. Everyone has an opinion like everyone has a crack in their butt, but there is an appropriate time and place to share this – not during an active listening exercise.
Become a better listener, communicator and team member, both at work and at home, by working one-on-one with Dr. Dennis Cummins
]]>
Classroom or audience management is a very necessary skill for public speaking professionals. We expect to be listened to with respect, and engaged with eagerness. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Therefore, it is best to be prepared for the difficult audience participants with an arsenal of tools to extinguish even the most distasteful behavior.
Learning is a social experience, and recent research reveals that over 75% of all learners prefer to learn as a group. Social dynamics can be very unpredictable, and may include some of these personalities: the elder, the prisoner, the skeptic, the latecomer, the preoccupied, the know-it-all, and the sleeper. There are easy strategies to counter all of these personalities, and use them to the classroom’s advantage.
A myth of classroom management is never involve students in the teaching process or allow them to talk amongst themselves as you will ultimately lose control of the class. When you adopt a participant-centered training technique, they students are so engaged in class that there is little opportunity for disruption. That is your first tactic to dealing with difficult participants.
By leading a participant centered training, you will maximize the involvement of each participant, significantly reduce difficult participant behavior, increase the self- esteem of participants, and increase the retention of information. Small groups can also manage poor behavior through peer influence.
The Elder – Lean on their experience and wisdom for a more enriched classroom experience. This will let them know that you respect their experience, and value their input. While keeping yourself in the driver’s seat by managing the elder’s comments.
The Latecomer – Do not start your session late in anticipation of latecomers. This will negate the importance of the session, and reinforce bad habits with the latecomer. Rather, start the session as scheduled with some soft-opening activities. This will keep the audience occupied, and will never notice the impact of the latecomer. This will also encourage the latecomer to be on time for future events.
The Preoccupied – This person may be the chronic smartphone checker, or could just be zoned out. Bring them back to reality by engaging them with a task. Have them turn down the lights, suggest a ground rule for the session, or distribute session materials. This will passive engage them, and let them know to take you seriously. Auto-pilot does not fly in your class.
The Sleeper – Unexpected movements in class can wake up sleeping beauty. For example, have participants stand once a task is completed, or have them participate in a “high five review”. Review the last section of class with another participant, and finish with a “high five”. All of these movements can break the monotony of a lecture while engaging participants without them realizing you are just waking them up.
Give these tips a try to experience an energized class experience.
]]>
There was once a time where communication skills were measured by simply having the ability to speak and understand a particular language. Orders were barked in the workplace, even in the home, and this was believed to be “communication”. While we actually know better today; that true communication is a two-way-street. No-one truly enjoys a one-sided conversation – except perhaps people with particularly stubborn egos, who enjoy the sound of their own voice.
There are obviously different ways of communication according to circumstance, or the person we are communicating with – for example in the workplace. Here it is best to be as straightforward as possible, being vague does not get the job done. It is necessary to spell out “what, where, when and why”, in as concise, and clear manner as possible; while still giving the employee in question, 100% of your attention, and the freedom to ask questions too. However, communicating to a child, means taking a different approach.
It is not easy to communicate with a child, simply because they are a child. They have a different outlook on the world, and need quality communication, and attention from parents, and other adults. While it is fine to communicate – have you cleaned your room, done your homework, brushed your teeth and so on; this is not true attention. When communicating we need to listen more, really give the child attention – be there 100% – listen while they speak, rather than tell them what to do.
A good ability to communicate is therefore not deemed to be one particular skill-set. It is a circumstantial skill which is adapted to various types of situations. But the one thing that great communicators do have in common, is the ability for that person to offer absolutely 100% of their attention to the other person, or persons with whom they are communicating. These are the types of people who know that the world does not revolve around them.
Great communicators are people who believe in the concept that if you can’t say something nice, don’t bother saying it at all. But they also do not mince words when there is bad news to deliver. Quality “no’s” are easier to accept, than wishy-washy maybe’s. They take responsibility for the words they deliver, and often display the best leadership skills.
Good interaction skills are vital in every-day life, where emotional intelligence also plays a huge role. Women, not always, but often, tend to embrace emotion more naturally than men, and we all know that with women a little conversation can go a very long way. This is where women with good communication skills also know when to drop a conversation, it can always be re-visited later. Emotional fatigue comes easily to men, but this does not mean that they are disinterested, simply needing to take a break. Timing is as important as attention for communicating couples.
Fundamentally what we have come to understand about communication, is that good skill is required for virtually every facet of life. If we cannot walk into our hairdresser and tell her that we hate the way we look in bangs even though we know that hairdresser loves the way bangs look on us, we are destined to spend the rest of our life wearing what we dislike the most.
]]>
Who are the “Millenials?” They are often referred to as Generation Y, or Generation “Why” according to Eric Chester who defines them thus – as being “better educated, more techno savvy, and quicker to adapt than those who have come before them, they refuse to blindly conform to traditional standards, and time-honoured institutions. Instead, they boldly ask, “Why?” They are also the next generation of boomers on whom businesses will be depending to carry the baton.
The age category of Generation Y is not clearly defined, some say – teenagers to 20-somethings born between 1982 and 2000, while other experts say – between 1978 and 1995. They are the younger siblings of the X Generation who born between the early 1960’s and 80’s, and are the offspring of Baby Boomers.
They are a larger group than X, also referred to as the Peter Pan or “Boomerang” generation. Why Boomerang? Because they went back home to mommy and daddy due to economic difficulties, were loath to get married, or start careers, and delayed traditional adult rites of passage. In comparison to a 75 million strong group of Millenials, Generation X is a mere 40 million, while Baby Boomers were a contingent of 80 million. It is easy to see by the numbers, why this group will be prominent on business workforces, and why it is important to understand how they work.
Also known as the Digital Generation, Boomlets, and Generation Next (amongst other synonyms), the term Generation Y was first coined during the Ad Age – around 1993 – but did not stick. They are defined by Deloitte to be “positioned in history as the next Hero generation”. Some life defining events during their time, that may see heroism bear fruit have been; 9-11, the Iraq War, the Columbine High School shootings, nuclear threat from North Korea, and the experience of China and India come out as emerging nations.
Never having experienced life without computers, the negative consensus is that Millenials are lazy, inconsistent, narcissistic, unrealistic, coddled, and impatient. On the positive side they are entrepreneurial, optimistic, connected – 24/7, independent, goal oriented, both Global and civic-minded, diverse, liberal and inclusive. Interestingly 38% of all “Whys” identify themselves as non-white, believe education is good, parents are role models, value guidance, work well with mentors, and appreciate integrity.
These are the generation that loves a challenge, wants to make a difference, and with whom businesses will be required to engage with, in meaningful communication. It is natural for them to work together in teams (whether with friends or work situations), be innovative thinkers, and thrive on flexibility. However, after a decade of solid generational sociological research, there are some things that the modern business is going to have to come to terms with. Millennials are politically disengaged, and focused on extrinsic values. This means image, money and fame, which leads to another less than complimentary – a.k.a – “Generation Me”.
It is not fair to make judgement anyone, or generalize about an entire generation, especially one which is destined to have the “Y” impact on the World. But it is becoming as clear as day that we need to understand them, in order to communicate in a way in which is meaningful to all concerned.
]]>
Be clear
Whatever needs to be communicated ensure it is stated clearly and simply and repeat it many times. Avoid acronyms, technical jargon and flowery language which all cloud the key message. It is very important that you know what your key message is before you start to communicate so be sure to spend time fine tuning the exact wording. Spending time creating a good key message that flows through all future communication can save a great deal of extra effort over the long term.
Get to the point
If the message is a good one, do not make the audience wait. Give it to them straight and then repeat it through all following communication. Too much build up or background will lose the impact and bore the audience before they reach the good stuff. If the message is bad news do not try to dress it up as anything else. The best way to deliver bad news is directly followed by a great deal of listening and reassurance if necessary.
Be truthful and transparent
It takes a great deal more effort to win back trust than to build and keep a trusting relationship from the start. Be truthful with all communications and you can build trust and confidence continually with those you are communicating with. Hiding from the truth or trying to masquerade a situation as something other than the reality will create more problems and distrust further down the line.
There is a big difference between being direct and truthful or being rude and tactless. Do not use the first three of these headings as an excuse for being too brutal, insensitive or just plain offensive in communications. Communication with people at every level of a business and in every part of society should be respectful, courteous and appropriate. Remember that people often tell others about how they have been treated, spoken to or communicated with so do not communicate in a way which may be a source of embarrassment later.
When communicating with people it is impossible to separate culture from the situation. This does not just mean when dealing with people from different ethnic or linguistic backgrounds, it can also apply to different workplaces and working environments. If the culture of an organization or person seems unfamiliar to you then ask for help and get a translator or guide to help you understand the audience better. It is far better to ask for help than to run into problems and spend unnecessary effort trying to rebuild trust and improve dialogue later.
]]>
Workplace communication, in fact any communication skill was once considered to be a ‘soft’ skill. How and why this ever happened we have absolutely no idea; but any business in today’s world that considers communication to be a ‘soft’ skill, could be in for some very hard knocks. Surveys consistently indicate that workplaces with ineffective communication practices have problems with poor employee moral. We have all had that feeling at some time or other surely – you know the one – where you look at your boss and say to yourself *sotto voce* “ok, so just treat me like a mushroom why don’t you; keep me in the dark and feed me s#*t…”!
The repercussions of poor employee moral have a direct result on business results, because it affects all performance indicators, which means it ultimately affects the bottom line. Everyone in the business hierarchy needs to have effective communication skills. Gone are the days where the qualification for a management position was the ability to be able to say “shut up and just do as I say, or your jobs on the line”. Anyone seen the movie Horrible Bosses?
So, executives, managers, supervisors and anyone communicating with employees, with regards to the business, need to know how to get the message across, and how to do this the right way. The measurable impact of poor communication with employees in any business includes but is not limited to the following, all of which are bad for business:
Doesn’t paint a very pretty picture does it?
When an employee is treated in a transparent and open manner – essentially kept informed of the aspects of their job in a genuine and professional manner, they have been found to put in an extra “discretionary effort”. This means they are also self-motivated, because they believe their own needs are being taken seriously, their opinion and input matters; they are being heard, appreciated and not merely ‘listened’ to.
Workplace communication should satisfy three basic needs for employees. These are:
To Know That …
Herein lies understanding of the organization, what the business is, knowledge of the product, who the customers are, where everything can be found for them to effectively manage their job.
To Master That…..
Herein are the practical abilities they need to be taught or equipped with in order to do their job well.
To Feel That …..
Herein are the interactions which allow the employee to feel a sense of belonging, value, trust and self-worth.
Many managers concentrate on number 1. above predominantly; whereas communication is not only on a ‘need to know’ basis. While the second basic need …Master Skills is very important, the third is the most important of them all. We have to remember we deal with human beings, just like you and I, and “To Feel That…” is what defines us as human. It is this need that drives employees, and in fact drives people, to drive themselves to outstanding achievements.
It is also the most important need where feedback is required, and yet this is the dimension where some management fears to tread. Developing a constructive communication culture “To Feel That…” in the workplace is what satisfies employees and ultimately keeps them engaged in their work productively.
]]>