People Management: Developing, Coaching and Mentoring

MIDDLE MANAGEMENT & MIDDLE CLASS CRISIS -- Are you prepared to address this immediate concern?

 

The article "Time on their Side" from the December edition of ASTD T&D Magazine  set the stage for discussion into how we can support and position Middle Managers to accept greater management and leadership responsibility--while the middle class itself in under seige during this current economic maelstrom?

Time on Their Side is a retrospective of the transition of the American workforce 1980-2000.  During this time the American Middle Class grew and made great strides while the number of Middle Managers in the country increased proportionally -- becoming the largest single group of employees in our firms today.  As blue collar union workers moved to white collar middle management jobs, significant changes occurred: employees were better educated, strikes were replaced with litigation, and the workforce itself began to represent the global population. 

The effects of the current economic depression have created turmoil for Middle Class Americans – and the strain is seen today on the Middle Managers in our corporations and businesses. 

Approximately 80 NJOD members attended the first NJOD Community event for 2009, held as an Open Forum discussion for member on February 5. The topic was “Supporting and Developing Middle Managers” during this difficult economic time.  The following are my notes from that presentation:

  .

Middle Management & Middle Class Crisis:  What new transitions will evolve from the current economic situation?

Middle Management grew as the Middle Class developed in America.  Due to the economic situation, a new period of transition is occurring that will change our culture and worklife. 

the role of Middle Manager is evolving, just as the role of the Middle Class in America is being reformed.We often talk of a corporate 'culture' -- that culture is primarily created by the energies of our Middle Managers.

Today's changes are occuring at phenomenal speeds and now affect the way we work and the way we live: personally challengng and complex issues that intersect forming often unexpected connections. To address the issue I  provided a 20-year retrospective of the growth of Middle Managers in the US using examples from my work as a consultant to Fortune 100 firms globally.

Then I shared my personal story, following the NJOD sharing model.  As I do when speaking in public or offering a workshop, I offered my personal career experiences to illustrate how those of us in the role of OD practioner can accept an important role to guide this group. 

To emphasize the significance of the role of middle managers,  I opened the program with the reminder that this is an extraordinary group of individuals, both in sheer numbers and diversity:

“…in most US firms today Middle Managers compose the largest single group of employees.  As the American Middle Class grew and became better educated, the role of Middle Management in American industry grew. Right now the middle class is trouble, and so is middle management.  They  -- we – are the heart of most businesses and are in need your support.”

The first task assigned to the attendees was to define the people and level we referred to as “Middle Managers”.  It was quickly determined that job title was inadequate: at financial institutions, a Middle Manager might have the title of Vice President while at a manufacturing plant, the Middle Manager could be a Front-Line Supervisor.  

The consensus indicated that Middle Managers were employees whose job was to function between two key groups:  those performing the immediate labor tasks and those creating the strategic long-term plans.

A key element of my presentation was to acknowledge the changes that occurred as the role of Middle Manager in US companies grew in accordance with the growth of the American Middle Class.  As this influential group in numbers and financial power they achieved a higher level of education and made an impact on corporate culture.

“We replaced work boots and blue collars with power suits and white collars.  Without unions we gave up our negotiating power in favor of individual rights.  With a better educated workforce, authoritative management styles were replaced with participative management.  And it worked: Middle Managers were valued and prospered. 

We formed consensus and teams – time consuming group efforts that inspired greater creativity and hopefully commitment to the task.  Our companies showed ethical pride by publishing Mission Statements: and we all became aware of Middle Management’s influential role in creating and maintaining corporate culture.”

I challenged the group to share their expertise, commitment and knowledge to begin a dialogue that we can continue within the NJOD Community and take back to our firms to support the heart of our companies:  Middle Management.

What are you doing to address this significant transition in American society and workforce?  Please contact me with your innovative ideas, or to learn more about the projects I offer to engage and support Middle Managers as both the creators and guardians of American business culture.

Lucille Maddalena, Ed.D.. With an interdisciplinary doctorate in Human Communications and Labor Education Dr. Maddalena’s work bridges interpersonal communication and practical business management. Her innovative LINKS communication model for corporate priority populations, reminds Senior Managers of their value by connecting them with internal and external support for personal, team and business development.  Best known for her series of TRANSITION TO MANAGEMENT seminars, she has supported thousands shed by the American Management Assoc., she was a Guest Editor for Jossey-Bass, and Technical Editor for the OD Journal. Her new book STUCK IN THE MIDDLE is due out in November. Contact her at.www.mtmanagement.net.

to read about ‘Time on Their Side’

BRANDING YOUR BUSINESS by Lucille Maddalena, Ed.D.

WHAT IS A BRAND?

Your company’s brand is much more than its name, logo, or the services it offers. It is what others think, share and feel about the organization: it is the impression people have of your work that influences their response to every message sent, action undertaken and project supported by your organization.

The well-known phrase “perception is reality” may best describe the concept. There are two very important and possibly conflicting realities at play here because there are two different perspectives. First, we may try to control the way others view our organization by what we say or what we do based upon our definition of what we “really” do and how we strive to benefits others. Second, by comparison, others will perceive us by how they interpret and accept what we “really” do, based on their past experiences and current situation. We cannot control how others perceive us, just as we cannot control what they believe. When we set out to develop a brand, our task is to try to influence the perception of others. Brands are influenced by all sorts of things and everything you do and say and what others say about you. This includes logical things, such as your sales materials or press articles about you. It also includes things that may not be so rational – the color your choose for your published materials, how an employee sounds on the phone, the fact that you sales rep looks like George Bush.

For example, during a conference on the topic of branding , the example was used comparing two similar nonprofit organizations: the World Wildlife Fund to Greenpeace. Although each organization may do similar things, each has its own brand. In the example, it was noted how the WWF brand  has a more encompassing image of what they do to protect wildlife by being politically savvy, whether we respect everything they do is not relevant.  By comparison, Greenpeace  seems to be perceived by many based on the actions of its members, typically less conservative, more prone to political actions.

How do we influence the perception of others and get them to focus on what we do well? Before we explore how to create a brand, let’s dig a little deeper into what it takes to build a brand that will have meaning and substance, supporting our company’s growth and stability.

In this article I will take you through the steps of employing your company's business plan and Mission Statement as a foundation for your new brand. Most importantly, you will learn how to ask the right questions to clearly define the purpose and scope of your brand, and then develop a set of best practices that will guide the implementation of a unique and sustainable brand for your business.

THE FOUNDATION FOR YOUR BRAND

It is easy to recognize the value of a sound business plan and the importance of a quality service or product. Once these two key factors provide the foundation, the next step is to package your company to be effectively marketed. As many have learned the hard way, once you begin to the process of defining your brand, you will quickly discover the soundness of your business plan and the true quality of your service or product. The value gained from this thorough analysis of what you have to offer and who will most benefit most will have long-reaching applications toward achieving a sustainable and well-functioning organization.

There are many excellent resources available to help you create your  company’s brand. One of the more famous openings to a book on Branding is by DK Holland when he quotes from Bart Crosby, a brand designer:

"Cowboys all know you can't brand nuthin' till you tie three of its legs together,

 slam it to the ground, and sedate it."

Holland easily makes the point is that you have to master the subject to before you create and stamp your brand. By organizing a set of criteria and best practices according to sound principles and guidelines that align with your Mission Statement, you will be able to effectively implement a branding process for your business. Your organization’s Mission Statement provides the foundation and focus to develop your brand.

A working Mission Statement clearly illustrates the congruencies between three key elements of the business: (1) plans, (2) people, (3) products/services.

THE COMPANYS MISSION AND PHILOSOPHY

Developing the branding to help your business stand-out and display its unique role, starts with understanding the business's reason for existence and the goals you want to achieve. To align all activities of the company in a unified, focused effort, the company's goals and vision should be clearly described in the Mission Statement. By defining the scope, resources and value of the company’s mission, a Mission Statement reminds employees and the public of the sustainable value of the business and that every task is focused on a specific targeted group with the long-term implications of this to on-going success.

A Mission Statement is both a tool to establish a direction and to evaluate success. When considering your investment into branding, remember:

“The opportunities to accomplish your goals already exist; you need only to identify them.”

Although it may seem easier for franchised businesses and affiliated companies of large, national organizations to obtain vital resources, history and financial support do not guarantee continued success. Established as well as new businesses have one vital factor in common: the passion of the business owner to provide leadership and gain momentum to offer unique services and value-added services.

Small and mid-size business are flexible and able to grasp opportunities to serve the public, offer new products or provide new programs change rapidly as unexpected needs arise. Successful business leaders are able to recognize opportunities that fall within their areas of expertise, meet the criteria described in the Mission Statement, and align with the company’s philosophy to consistently and effectively respond to new and ever changing needs.

We live in a world of instant communication. Your organization already has a brand: the public’s opinion and the perception of current and former customers. Do you know how others view your organization? Does the public’s perception of the company’s mission align with its actual Mission Statement? It will take some investigation as well as an organized effort to create the brand that will enable your business to carry out its mission and achieve the profitability goals you seek.

 HOW TO INFLUENCE THE PUBLIC’S PERCEPTION

When creating a brand for your business, the task is to inform the public of the purpose, plans and programs of the organization. You will successfully complete this task when you have enabled people to understand the organization’s mission and engaged their confidence in your ability to perform to your set standards.

There is one analogy I often use to explain the importance of communicating with the public by presenting your words and understanding of an event or an entire business. Think about a situation in which you are joining a new group of people. You don’t know anyone in the group. How are these people going to learn who you are and, more importantly to them, how your presence will affect them? The typical reaction to a stranger is to gain some information, evaluate it against what we know and how we feel about the data, and then come to an opinion, no matter how arbitrary.

An interesting study was conducted a few years ago on this topic. During the study, those participating in the test were divided into the role of interviewers or candidate for a prospective job. The first interview was precisely a half hour with each candidate. The second interview with each candidate was limited to one minute. After repeating the process with hundreds of interviewers and applications, it was found that the initial impression of the interviewer of the candidate was the same – regardless of the time spent with the candidate.

What does this tell us about how we judge others and how we form our perception of people, events, and even entire organizations? Those who study selling techniques have long suspected that feelings of the ‘heart’ often over-ride logic of the ‘head’. Some researchers clearly state that we first decide with our ‘heart’, then use rational logic from the ‘head’ to confirm or support our decision.

CREATING YOUR BRAND

Whatever the reason, the public’s perception of your business will contain as much emotion, passion and unsubstantiated opinion as it will logic and knowledge of the history of service, quality and reponsiveness of your company to changing needs and the value of the services or products offered to your customers.

The purpose of influencing the opinion of others is to align their thinking with the stated mission of the organization. Of course this means that every action, every published statement, service, sale, flyer, brochures and public presentation must be aligned and in total support of your Mission Statement. Any false move in conflict with or action not consistent with stated goals by a staff member of representative of your business that ignores your Mission Statement will create distrust for the entire enterprise – and trust once lost may never be regained.

To prevent distractions and deviations from your Mission Statement, begin to create your brand by involving your staff to work together as a Branding Team. To focus their effort, introduce the goal of the team by employing the ‘smart’ goal criteria. In the list below, I have provided one typical question for each of the elements of a smart goal. The questions your team explores are vital to get the answers you need. Modify, add to or change the questions to fit your specific business, and then build your list in alignment with your company’s Mission Statement.

In the process of building your brand, challenge yourself and your assumptions by questioning past practices and future plans, perceived needs and current issues: include key events, common reactions, experiences as well as hopes, dreams and wishes. Capture a picture of where you want the business to go, explain how it will benefit every member of your team, and decide what must occur to guide, invigorate, grow and bring the company to fulfill those expectations. By developing a set of factors to describe how you envision your organization, your Brand Team will identify the criteria to define the best practices and benchmarks against which you will build your organization’s Brand:

 • Specific: How should others describe the company?

• Measurable: How will we know when we are successful?

• Aligned with the mission statement: How will we know when the description by others aligns with our Mission Statement?

• Results-oriented: What how will our success at creating a brand be measured in our business growth?

 • Timely: How will we use our time and what is the desired completion date?

The Branding Team’s task is to create a process that promotes creative thinking and engages others to offer their insight and perspective when considering each of these questions. The team that requests feedback and ideas from customers, vendors, and the general public will significantly broaden its understanding of how others view the company, its past and its future. The responses gathered during careful study of each of the identified questions will be a set of unique and compelling statements that can only be applied when describing your brand. This description of your brand will provide the guide for every phase of your communications effort, all public documents and statement, as well as your company’s future plans. The combined wisdom expressed in these descriptions will allow you to convey the heart and passion of your business in a consistent and sustainable manner.

Once your Brand Team has completed their work by answering the questions, use those answers as a set of standards to define and apply your Brand. Continually seek available opportunities to present your Brand and influence the perception of others to create a positive and sustainable impression for your business.

The effectiveness of your new brand is now in the hands of every employee: from the accounting staff to sales and customer relations employees: anyone who answers the phone, takes orders or speaks to a customer or a vendor, is your company’s ambassador. The process of sending out your message and engaging others to accept the brand is the task of every member of your company.

INFLUENCING TOOLS

The people who offer and use your services, as well as products themselves represent the company’s brand. Any visual image or repeated phrase that directs someone’s attention to your business is a reminder of what your company means to that person/customer/vendor. Logo and Tag Line. Most companies have invested in a visual image of their organization – a specific piece of art that is immediately identifiable as representation of the organization, often used in conjunction with the business’s name.

Once you have created and introduced a logo to the public, do not change it. Set standards for its use and limit the temptation to tinker with it for a special event or project. It should always appear in approximately the same size in comparison to other text on the page, in the original format, and in an assigned position on the page.

A tagline often accompanies a logo. A tagline is a short phrase that precisely states in as few words as possible the ‘heart’ or essence of the purpose of the organization. It is the Mission Statement in a nutshell and may be the hardest single sentence you will ever write. It doesn’t have to be a complete and accurate sentence – it may simply be a few key words – and should not include superlatives. For example, Nike’s famous tag line “Just Do It” is short, specific, and packed with meaning.

When selecting the words for your tagline remember that each word you choose will resonate beyond the context in which it is presented and does send a message that may be interpreted in many different ways such as:

• formality/informality

• hipness/olde time

• friendliness/structured

• sincerity/boastfulness

Thesis Statement.

In addition to your tag line, you will want to create what I refer to as a ‘Thesis Statement’ for your website, correspondence, publications and proposals. A ‘Thesis Statement’ is a 60-word statement, somewhat akin to an elevator speech, that succinctly describes the organization and its services in a manner that engages the interest of the listener.

Your thesis statement presents your Mission Statement and your Vision Statement combined into current, active terms that entice the listener to want to learn more about what you are doing and how you are doing it. To accomplish this in as few words as possible, your Brand Team will first determine what images the phrase should evoke and what feelings about the organization are being conveyed to listeners or readers.

Because different aspects of the business and its services or products should be called to mind at different times and junctures, it is wise to have several Thesis Statements prepared for use as needed. Website. Your website is often the only contact visitors will have with your organization. Does it present the image you are seeking? Have you incorporated your logo, tag line and Thesis Statement consistently throughout its pages and does it align with your Mission Statement?

As with any marketing effort, maintaining a website is an on-going expense for your company. The branding process is an excellent opportunity to evaluate if this tool is doing its job. Using the five unique set of statements you created to describe your brand, you can evaluate the effectiveness of your current website by conducting a survey.

There are two types of surveys easily available to test the value of the expenditure as well as the quality of the website’s ability to influence the perception of others:

(1) On-line survey. There are several very inexpensive and free survey tools available on the internet. You can create a survey that is initiated after someone has visited the site for a select period. The questions on the survey should be designed to gauge the user’s feelings about the organization, ability to recall what they read on the website, and general reactions the content, graphic presentation and design of the site.

(2) Customer survey. Using the same type of survey described above, you may choose to focus on existing customers or users of your service.

 a. For customers you work with on-line, send an email to the target survey group explaining the importance of assessing the current website and directing them to follow a link to complete the survey.

 b. For in-store customers, assign one individual to greet shoppers and ask them questions, recording your answers on prepared copies of the survey. When conducting live interviews, be quick:

•  Do not ask unnecessary questions or seek personal information such as name, telephone number, etc.
•  Obtaining the individual’s zip code will provide you with knowledge of where your customers are based. To motivate recipients to invest the time to complete the survey, it is wise to offer a reward for their participation. The reward may be as simple as providing them with a description of the results, free coupon, or early notification of up-coming events.

COMMUNICATE YOUR BRAND

Similar guidelines to those you have created for your website apply to every news release, speech or public announcement made by a representative of your organization. Utilize your Thesis Statement in particular to broaden your image and improve your Brand. For example, it is unfortunate that many business owners only hear from their customers when the customer has a complaint. Your communications with your public must be year-round in the same spirit of giving as the services or products the company provides.

Build your customer base by identifying a new way to employ an existing service or by linking services with established products. Your business offers a necessary product or service. Your brand will tell your company’s story best when presented in a positive environment of giving and trust.

©L. Maddalena. All rights reserved. To reproduce, please send an email to info@mtmanagement.net.

To learn how MTM can help your develop your personal brand or your businesses' brand, contact us at www.mtmanagement.net/contact.html.

What is Business Coaching?

Before you hire a Business Coach, here are four things to consider as you interview prospective coaches: 

 

(1)  It's all about relationships.

        Most companies are relationship-driven --  and relationships are the keys to success. Consider how well the potential coach gets along in the 'real world'.  Is he or she a respected part of the community and is their 'foot print' large enough to encompass the culture and exposure necessary to recognize and respond to the unique aspects of your business?

 

(2) Real world Experience.

        To make those relationships work you need real world, proven business expertise by someone who has ‘been there, done that’.  The fact is that to be a Business Coach, the individual should have undergone strident training to become a certified coach, building upon the knowledge and experience gained by having owned and successfully operated  a successful businesses.  Look for someone who has 'been there, done that' -- although not necessarily in the same business you are in as a fresh perspective can be valualbe.  You want someone with vision and an understanding of the processes that work.  It is experience that enables a qualified Business Coach to see through weak and theoretical approaches to analyze the essential factors of business success. 

 

 

(3) Bottom-line Goals.

    You began your business to earn a living. To make money. To make a profit. There is nothing wrong about wanting to be successful and make more money.  Business Coaching is not social work:  this is business—profits in terms of dollars and sense. Look for a coach that understands P & L responsibility and know the difference between net and gross profits.

 

(4) Fiscal and management training.

    A good question to ask you coach is where they receive on-going fiscal and management training. 

     An Accounant is not a Business Coach: the account's goal is to monitor where you have been and to give you an accurate reading of your past effort. You need to look at what needs to be done today and tomorrow to achieve your goals.

    A Financial Planner is not a business coach:  your CFP will deal in investments and maximizing your money -- he is she is not prepared to help you make the day to day decisions that bring in that money.

    A qualified and well trained Business Coach will have a proven system  that brings years of experience to help you increase net profit. At the same time you will work on maintaining consist growth by strengthening the personal and business relationships necessary to produce a sound product or service year after year. 

 

 

    Your Business Coach should offer unlimited and guaranteed support to get to the heart of your business and nurture its expansion to reach its potential –  freeing your time as a successful entrepreneur to enjoy the rewards of a successful business. For more information, contact us at www.mtmanagement.net/contact.html.

Rutgers Center for Management Development (CMD) offers programs with impact

The Rutgers University Center for Management Development (CMD) recently announced new offerings to support management development in small and mid-sized firms as well as business and industry.

The popular five-day Advanced Leadership Development Program is a well-respected program to enable staff to expand and utilize their leadership strengths.  The new progam Leadership Enhancement series provides two-day subject-specific training. Current offerings include Business Writing, Business Presentations and Project Management.

As an instructor in the Advanced Leadership Development Progam I have been permitted to offer a 10% discount  if you have an interest in attending or sending any of your employees to a Leadership Enhancement Program.  For further information see www.cmd.rutgers.edu or send an email to pgrant@cmd.rutgers.edu.   

SEEKING EUPSYCHIA: Maslow's 'Good Mind'

At this year's Annual Sharing Day held by the NJ Organization Development Network on May 1, I offered an early morning workshop titled SHARING YOUR STORIES OF PERSONAL FULFILLMENT AS A LEARNING MODEL --SEEKING EUPSYCHIA.  The title aroused interest and speculation about the program content. 

The core of the workshop was based on my published article STORYTELLING TO PRESERVE A LEGACY which is available on this blog.  The article explores the work of futurist David Thornburg, Ph.D. and his article CAMPFIRES IN CYBERSPACE. For those who missed the presentation, the following are the key concepts based on the illustrated power point slides.

The workshop opened with an understanding of Maslow's concept of EUPSYCHIA: he imagined an island of a thousand people who were all self-actualized. Studies have long proven that employees who were contended in their jobs, who achieved personal goals and who felt their work had value tended to contribute more, have higher levels of performance and retained their jobs.

As a group, the workshop respondents expressed an interest in these concepts as many were in the field of talent management: managers, HR, coaches or OD professionals. To study our work and its value to others, the discussion turned to how our experiences and our life learning is reflected in our actions and interactions.  We focused on Thornberg's four primordial learning spaces: Campfire, Watering Hole, Cave and Life and shared our personal histories as well as experiences in three exercises. 

Topics such as the necessary foundation of trust, the ability to be authentic and the emotional wake we leave behind us inspired open discusion and sharing.  Quotes of well-respected individuals in history were used throughout the presentation.  Possibly one of the most memorable was presented under the heading THE CONVERSATION IS THE RELATIONSHIP:

"If you want to build a ship, don't call your people and ask them to provide wood, prepare tools, assign tasks.  Call them to together and raise in their minds a longing for the endless sea." Antoine de Saint-Exurpery.

The issue of job satisfaction as personal fullfillment was addressed by presenting a twenty-year study of over 4,000 upper-level pharmaceutical executives.  The top job satisfaction factors among this group were;

1. Pride in value of contribution to society
2. Opportunity to grow, learn, expand
3. Benefits, steady income, security

The workshop ended with a gift and a task:  each member was given a compass and asked to present it to one other member of the day's program.  They were to meet someone new and in passing, to leave them with a small gift to follow their personal trail.

To learn more or schedule a free presentation at your site, contact www.mtmanagement.net/contact.html.

Executive Coaching

Today’s executive coaches support a businesses’ top producers. Coaching is no longer a tool relegated to help correct underperformance: it is a crucial step to retaining good employees. By helping employees to succeed, the individual becomes more fulfilled by their work and achieves greater job satisfaction, typically resulting in reduced turnover.

FAST COMPANY’s Jim Bolt recently posted an article on coaching:    http://www.fastcompany.com/resources/learning/bolt/041006.html

Mr. Bolt says: “Our findings in my firm's executive development surveys (mentioned in the last column) indicated a dramatic increase in the use of coaching: In 2004, 56% of the companies said that executive coaching would be a major learning method they would emphasize. Then in a 2006 follow-up survey, 51% said the use of coaching had actually increased”.

He offers these suggestions for making the most of your coaching experience:

• Work hard, and smart.
• Make sure your boss is supportive, and keep her/him involved.
• Look for a great coach, but not your mirror image.
• Measuring ROI: It’s about you.
• Don’t drag it on.

Blot concludes his article with the statement:”one leader told us, “I would say if you have coaching done well, it can change your life, and your life as a business leader.” Well it’s crystal clear from comments like that, and this study, that for some leaders coaching provides a rich and unique development opportunity. For sure, it’s here to stay.”

WHO SHOULD BE COACHED?

Determining who will benefit from a coach requires an impartial evaluation of the individual and the environment. The individual must be willing to make the time commitment and accept the responsibility of working with the coach.

The fist step is to identify a goal for the coaching endeavor.  Those I coach often address issues such as developing interpersonal relationships, improving their ability to communicate, learning how to influence others, positioning themselves in a group and gaining respect from all levels in the organization.

But simply having a clear purpose won't guarantee coaching value, says Michael Goldberg. "You have to be open to feedback and willing to create positive change. If not, coaching may not be the answer."

Marshall Goldsmith, coach and author of nineteen books states that executives should seek coaching "when they feel that a change in behavior—either for themselves or their team members—can make a significant difference in the long-term success of the organization."

COACHING TOPICS

I find coaching most effective for an executive that is in transition and change, recently promoted, relocated or on-boarded. The task is focused on learning new approaches, developing new skills and evaluating old attitudes.  My clients state that they most appreciate being able to confidentially explore sensitive and personal key decisions with a trusted individual.  There is often a feeling that once an admission or declaration has been verbalized, even if only one person has heard the statement, it no longer carries any weight, dispelling any fear and allowing the individual the freedom to advance.

In addition to working with those in challenging new assignments, several of those I coach are seeking to expand their understanding and knowledge base.  For example, working with a young new hire forced one experienced manager to realize that what worked in the past was not working now.  As part of our process together, I recommended books, articles and programs that would bring the executive up-to-speed, and provide a basis for our discussion.

TRUTH TELLING

Within a coaching experience, we typically reach a point where we share our personal stories.  Whether it is a series of life events that describe where we are today and who we are, we find a way to uncover how we recognize and accept what can only be described as the truth.

From this point of strength, we can evaluate our risks, determine our next steps and proceed to take the action that will bring us along the path to achieve our goals.

Learn if Executive Coaching is right for you or your staff. Contact us to discuss options and trends:www.mtmanagement.net/contact.html.

 

MUST READING: A few books of interest...

A few new titles as well as some old-stand-by books should be on your shelf to start 2008.  Listed here are only a few of the many authors you will want to be certain are available.

Please take a moment and add your favorite reading and reference material to this page.

MUST READ BOOKS:

Play to Win  by Larry and Hersch Wilson.  The authors have identied and presented the work of some of my favorite thought-leaders and added a few new ones.  Each concept is presented in an engaging and concise manner encouraging the reader to immediately apply the perspective to everyday events.  I particulary appreciated the application of Maslow and McLuhan in our search for self-fulfillment. 

The Consultant's Calling by Geoffrey M. Bellman.  Geoff will be on of the speakers at this years' NJOD Annual Day of Sharing -- for more information go the www.mtmblog.net or directly to the www.njodn.org website.  Geoff addresses the importance of 'bringing who you are to what you do." He accents self-knowledge as essential to powerful action.

What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter. His new book describes how successful people become even more successful. To get to the next level, high achievers often need to get over self-aggrandizing beliefs such as thinking that they control everything, believing that all their success is due to their individual efforts, and assuming that future achievements are there for the taking.

Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton.  This is one of those books you should buy and give as a gift to anyone who missed it during the five years it has been in print. It opens with a quote from Peter Drucker: "Most Americans do not know what their strengths are. When you ask them, they look at you wih a blank stare, or they respond in terms of subject knowledge, which is the wrong answer."

Retain Good Employees – Six Steps to Create an Engaging Work Environment

    

    DO YOU KNOW HOW TO KEEP THE EMPLOYEES YOU WANT?

    If you are a Senior Executive at a major firm, a business owner, or the head of any organization with paid staff, you know exactly what I mean when I talk about "good employees". Those staff members that fall under this exalted classification are typically the people you trust to do what is expected of them. They are dedicated to their work, motivated by accomplishment and proud to contribute to the company's success.

    What percentage of your employees could be called 'good employees'? Are all members of your team 'good employees, is or is more like half your staff, or even less than half? To determine how valuable a particular employee is to the firm, consider what it would take to replace that person. Evaluate the option to form an ROI: what return on investment would you derive following the financial and production loss during the replacement process. Does the long-term investment justify the effort? How can you be certain that every new employee you bring into your organization will be an asset and contribute to your bottom line? Obviously, there are no guarantees, but you can develop strategies and practices that engage the right talent to meet your businesses' growing needs.

    During the past twenty years I have supported thousands of corporate executives to transition into a management career. In addition, I have worked with senior level management, CEO's and business unit heads to reduce the loss of good employees by successfully assimilating and then retaining the high-contributing staff. Often my work starts after the on-boarding process: once the new manager has completed the company's orientation programs, met his or her new staff, and the new manager has 'learned the ropes'—and perhaps a few things you would prefer they didn't learn from others.

    Over the next few weeks I will explore Ten Keys that will help you retain the employees you want and need to grow your business. Please feel free to return to my website, www.mtmanagement.net if you would like to read any case studies or contact me directly.

    Before we introduce the Ten Key Processes you can employ to retain good employees, it is important to step back and be certain you have created an environment in which those processes will thrive and bring about the changes you want. To be certain you are ready to implement new programs and initiatives, here are Six Steps to Create an Engaging Work Environment.

SIX STEPS TO CREATE AN ENGAGING WORK ENVRIONMENT

By Lucille Maddalena, Ed.D.

Step 1. ACKNOWLEDGE THAT STAFF IS A MAJOR INVESTMENT $$$$

    Determining the need for a new employee is an important decision that has long-term implications for your firm. You can estimate what it cost to locate a prospective employee for a position at your firm, as well as the actual cost of recruiting, placing and on-boarding. Add to that the loss incurred due to lack of productivity while the position is unfilled, plus the time it will take the newly hired manager to be able to fully function in the new role. This is an investment. Are you standing behind your investment? Do you have the processes in place to make certain that you receive full value? Have you ever determined the ROI on a new hire?

    The newly hired manager is also making a huge investment as well. The individual's income and family security is on the line, as is his or her career and reputation. If relocation was involved, the entire family must go through cultural changes following uprooting from families and friends, leaving behind all that was comfortable, familiar and routine. The affects of a new job, a new home, and a new work environment can be mentally draining as well as produce a physical strain from the process itself.

    The reality is that good employees are constantly sought after by recruiters. If you want a new staff member to willingly stay, you must do something to warrant the individual's loyalty. A few simple initiatives on your part can go a long way to keep the talent you need for business success.

    Your new employees want to succeed. It is your responsibility to stand behind your managers, provide the opportunity for them to grow, engage their initiative and build their enthusiasm while supporting their assimilation into the environment you created.

    Step 2. RECOGNIZE THAT YOU MAY NOT WANT TO KEEP ALL NEW HIRES

    From my experience it appears that a new employee will determine if he or she is committed to the job within the first two months. At that point they will have to make a decision to leave or to stay. What would you recommend? Leaving after only two months can be a real problem when seeking future employment: some may see it as a black mark on the resume. The alternative is for the individual to reconcile to wait it out with the new company until they can legitimize another career move. Lacking motivation and commitment, these are the new hires that are less innovated and not dedicated to their job:. Employees who are simply not motivated, earning a pay check while waiting for the time to pass before safely seeking a new position with a new firm.

    In the meantime, you have an unproductive member of your team, on your payroll, making decisions, and responsible for managing others. In the role of manager, they are a role model. Is this the type of manager and role model you want for your existing and future new employees? Unfortunately, when a new manager falls into the de-motivated category, the firm's loss increases significantly because formerly satisfied employees will become unhappy and seek work else where. A department or division that was stable at one time will appear to fall apart under the tenure of the un-committed manager.

    What do you do to remedy this situation? You have options available to you that begin with the on-boarding and orientation stage. Individual and group coaching, team building and realigning job responsibilities by investigating the expectations can uncover the problem to create a new level of job interest on the part of the new hire. You can maintain your investment and develop an environment of mutual support and growth.

    

 

Step 3. TRACK HOW YOUR NEW MANAGERS BEGIN THEIR NEW JOB

    Many of the new managers I've observed or coached through their first days in the new role experience similar situations.. The fact is that most professionals who were selected for promotion to manager were chosen because they were the most creative engineer, the scientist that consistently achieved results, a productive IT professional, or possibly the successful as a customer service, marketing or sales representative. Unfortunately the technical expertise that made them successful in their functional role did not prepare them to assume the role of manager of others.

    What are you doing to help them succeed?

    A typical new manager will jump in the role quickly, often making a few effective and unique starts on the bumpy journey and at the same time hesitating or mimicking the poor practices of others. Instead of this 'sink or swim' approach that does little to guide or support your new manager, you can initiate practices that will help a new hire to develop the knowledge and skills to perform the new duties. With a few simple initiatives from you, your new managers will learn to make the most effective decisions and to accept the new role as a leader.

    Step 4. PREPARE FOR THE SURVIVORS SYNDROME

    Has your company undergone recent downsizings or layoffs as a result of business change, mergers or acquisitions? Selecting which talent stays and who will remain is a tricky business. Quite often, as soon as the rumor of a downsizing breezes through your organization, your better workers will begin to seek positions elsewhere.

    An often unrecognized cause for poor performance by those remaining after the downsizing has been completed is called 'survivors syndrome'. Many good managers will experience depression at the loss of former colleagues and begin to wonder why they were able to stay when someone they respected is now unemployed.

    Depression is anger turned inward and is a key phase of the change cycle. You can support your employees to work through this phase and seek a positive next step by initiating a few simple options. Ignoring the situation may or may not work: are you prepared to lose the productivity of your remaining staff while you sit back and observe? If you want to take action, create a win-win environment.

    Step 5. DEVELOP AN ENVIRONMENT OF TRUST, RAPPORT AND EMPATHY

    What does trust, rapport and empathy have to do with successful management? They represent the foundation, ethics, attitude and complexion of every individual I have ever met that meets our definition of a leader. Your managers must be able to distribute the work as well as serve as a role model to your staff. Leadership skills encourage innovative thinking, taking responsibility and accountability as well as developing the confidence to work as a contributing member of a team.

    I was called in by a Fortune 100 firm to respond to the needs of new managers they described as having high leadership potential. This team of new recruits was termed 'fast trackers' and scheduled to visit sites globally to learn how the different operations functioned. The problem was that when the team visited a site, the managers at each location were eager to show them what was going right, and often hid the problems or mistakes. The new leaders were unable to learn what was needed and lost a valuable opportunity to monitor the issue as well as contribute ideas to rectify problems. The site managers, however, did not trust the team and were concerned that if they revealed problems, their performance review would be negatively impacted.

    Do your employees come to you with a problem situation before it gets out of hand? Do they detect problems early and reveal possible mistakes before they become major incidents? The work environment you create must encourage staff to recognize and acknowledge potential problems immediately. You can develop your staff's trust in management and enable them to not only locate possible issues –but more importantly, to present a variety of options to solve the issue before it gets out of hand. To reduce problems, low productivity and lack of initiative, you must create an environment of trust, rapport and empathy.

    Remember, as each employee gains in competency, skill and knowledge, he or she becomes a more invigorated and committed member of your staff.

    Step 6. EXPLORE THE SUBJECT: 'WHY DO PEOPLE WORK'?

    During every training session for nearly twenty years I have conducted some type of exercise or game to encourage members to tell me why they work and why they think others work. The results are as revealing as they are phenomenal!

    Once you are able to identify what motivates a person – what truly makes them want to come to work every day –and understand that you can satisfy both their need to grow and yours, you will be on the way to successfully building your business. The talent you hire is your biggest resource. You need to employ their creativity and build their dedication to form a relationship that is mutually beneficial and of lasting significance.

    Physiologists have identified the true motivators behind any individuals need to grow and develop. By understanding your employees and recognizing that each person is different, you will be able to create initiatives that acknowledge their values, interests and expectations.

    If you want your employees to perform their work with the enthusiasm and dedication necessary to produce a quality outcome, you have to do your homework.

Here are the Ten Keys to Retaining Good Employees

1. COMMUNICATIONS
2. RECOGNITION
3. POLICY
4. CONFLICT
5. MEETINGS
6. RELATIONSHIPS
7. NEGOTIATIONS
8. DELEGATION
9. DECISION MAKING
10. LEADERSHIP

    To learn more and discuss programs tailored to retain your employeee, motivate better performance, and save the time and costs of rehiring, contact www.mtmanagement.net/contact.html  today to learn your options and choices.  

©L.Maddalena, 2007. All rights reserved. Duplication, reproduction or distribution without written consent is reserved. Quotations must include the authors' name, copyright date and www.mtmanagement.net.