“If they could just function as a team” often seems to be the perceived solution to many business challenges. Who among us has not wished that our direct reports or peers or superiors work better as a team so that strategies become easier to execute or problems more readily solved? But if you were to speak with most employees, the common perception they would have is that the managers in their department, division or, for that matter, in the company do not function well as a team. They often see individual goals, petty differences, and conflicting objectives as getting in the way of their managers acting as one mind, with one objective without regard to personal gain. Moreover, they would shake their heads incredulously at the notion that their managers could ever develop into a cohesive team on a consistent basis!
THEY HAPPEN TO BE RIGHT. The entire workforce of any large and complex organization can never function as a team, but think about how often executives refer to their company as such. And even more important, it is not necessary or even desirable to a group of managers to always function as a team. Now I know this idea goes against the mind set of most Human Resources professionals and enlightened line management. But this is certainly not a new concept; others have effectively argued this very notion. To better illustrate this concept, we need to first consider how a manager’s job, whether it is an executive or first-line one, is generally structured.
In practice, the overall goals of a corporation are segmented into compartments for maximum efficiency. A company organizes managers to take full advantage of their experience and skills. Manufacturing executives generally only focus on production issues, R&D executives generally focus on research and development efforts, etc. Of course there has to be activity and coordination between departments (R&D has to develop products that can be manufactured on a volume scale), but the reward systems are structured more to stimulate individual, rather than group performance. As manager become more efficient and productive, they become more valuable. They are then given better raises and responsibility for more people and company assets.
This structure is desirable because abstract goals such as “maximize the company’s or “implement the company’s strategy” are too broad to provide the appropriate focus or mutual accountability that is necessary for a real team effort. Without this type of structure, companies, their divisions and their departments would get very little accomplished. Deciding on strategy, getting things done in a timely fashion, taking maximum advantage of specific expertise and skills would all suffer. The company over time will cease to exist or will be gobbled up by another because of poor execution and efficiencies.
On the other hand teams are usually defined as a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, set of performance goals, a group approach for which they are held mutually accountable and where rewards are given out on a group basis. The structure of a team is often diametrically different to the traditional Corporate construction.
Several ingredients must be present for a group to be truly labeled as a team:
A specific, tangible goal or purpose that the team itself obtains
Shared leadership roles
Mutual accountability
Group incentives and rewards
Collective work products
Yet no one is understating the importance of team efforts. In fact, as companies are confronted with the need to manage change across their organizations to successfully compete on a global level, the need for more teamwork will be necessary. Teams will become the driving force for success because they can cut though the established bureaucracy, resistance to dynamic change, and limited diversity in skills and knowledge of a homogeneous group.
But this does not mean that teams will or should crowd out individual opportunity, performance or formal hierarchy and process. Rather, teams will enhance existing structures, effort and leadership, rather than replace them. A team opportunity exists anywhere traditional structure, hierarchy or organizational boundaries inhibit optimum results.
Thus, for example, product innovation requires preserving functional excellence while eliminating functional limitations through cross functional team efforts. And first line productivity requires preserving directional and guidance through hierarchy while drawing on the benefits of teamwork. Specific goals, such as getting a new product to market in less than half the traditional time, resolving customer complaints within 24 hours, or reducing error rates by 1/3, trimming costs by 15% are all appropriate for team efforts.
On the other hand, when teams lack that specific, singular purpose, they rarely are effective. This waste of time, energy and talent can be seen in instances such as “quality circles” that could never identify specific quality improvement goals.
The challenge for all executive and human resources leaders is to preserve the traditional hieratical corporate structure where the benefits of individualism, specialization and command control are realized while taking advantage of the vital and discrete work products and results that can only come about through the joint contributions of their teams members. For a company to be successful in this ever increasingly competitive environment, it must do both well!
Company officials must ensure that both hieratical and team groups are structured and function in a manner to allow its individuals to truly feel engaged and motivated to maximize their contributions. And they need to create an environment where individuals can seamlessly migrate from one group type to another.
For More Information:http://www.gatewayinternationalgroup.com/
http://www.larrymaglin.com/
http://www.lawrencemaglin.com/
http://www.joekran.com/
http://www.josephkran.com/
Staff Review by:
Joseph (Joe) Kran,
Lawrence (Larry) Maglin,
Walter Sonyi, Jr. and Rick Spann
Monday, August 25, 2008
Nailing It
How to Cement Your Success in a New Leadership Role
So you're starting a new job soon. It seems like a great opportunity-a good fit between your skills, goals, and the organization's needs. That alone should increase the likelihood of your success, right?
Perhaps. For new leaders, the stakes are very high. A recent study by The Center for Creative Leadership revealed that about 40% of new management hires fail within their first 18 months on the job. Corporate expectations of new leaders are high as well, and are often unclear at best. Or conflicting. Or hidden altogether. Walking into a job in a new organization is like traveling to a foreign country-one where you don't speak the language or know the laws. As an outsider, you are at an extreme disadvantage. Even the best due diligence in your research before taking this job will do little to prepare you for the realities you face once in position.
What can you do to "nail it?" To build a solid foundation for your success, you must be intentional about your On Boarding process. Build and continually adapt a strategy for successful assimilation from the moment you become interested in the organization.
Successful On Boarding is a study in paradox. To be effective in your transition, you must focus on learning, rather than demonstrating your worth. Build alliances while not becoming overly political. Seek to improve the organization without devaluing what already exists. Gain the credibility to be allowed to enact decisions that should, by rights, be yours to make. Even, or perhaps especially, if you mandate is to bring about radical change, you must approach your On Boarding with the sophistication of an anthropologist studying a foreign culture (and the caution of someone who is unsure whether the natives are armed and dangerous).
Be clear about one thing. With or without an On Boarding process, your fate in a new leadership role is, for better or worse, typically sealed within your first three months. If you fail to establish a toehold for yourself, it may take 12 - 18 months before you know it. But the organization knows it. You are being observed and evaluated from the moment of your first interview. Organizational members are judging whether or not you "get it", and making decisions about the ways they will work to either support or undermine your success.
A recent Gateway International Group survey of 826 Human Resources leaders identified ineffective peer relations, role confusion, lack of internal political skills, and failure to meet key objectives as the four strongest predictors of new leader derailment. What is the best way to get out in front of organizational judgment and avoid those pitfalls? The obvious answers - build strong peer relations, get role clarity, be savvy about the political climate, and meet your performance goals - are not as easily accomplished as they sound. If you're lucky, your new organization will have a structured Executive On Boarding process that can assist you - one that guides you through the series of transitions you will experience within the unique context of your company's business climate.
Importantly, Executive On Boarding is not the same as employee orientation. A typical orientation process is event-based and short-lived (often totaling no more than eight hours of training), providing a high-level company overview and access to basic information. An effective Executive On Boarding process is different in several important ways - it is broader in scope, interactive, more structured, covers a longer time period, and is customized to focus your learning on the areas of greatest import to your new role. With a structured Executive On Boarding process, your chances of successful assimilation increase, and you are more likely to be happy and effective in your new job. Without it, your learning process as a new leader will be marred by the fallout of highly public trial-and-error learning.
Whether or not your organization uses a structured approach to Executive On Boarding, build a plan for your transition and enlist support for it. In partnership with your boss, you need to gather and integrate information to smooth your assimilation at four levels: your corporation, your business unit, your function, and your personal/family life. In doing so, you will achieve greater role clarity, develop an understanding of the organization and its expectations of you, and build a topographical "map" of the new land you are exploring.
In learning about your corporation, strive to build an in-depth understanding of the history of the company (both public and private knowledge), its key initiatives, and the results achieved. Identify the short- and long-term priorities of the leadership team. Immerse yourself in the Brand. How was it conceived? Communicated? To what extent do you think the brand image the company projects is aligned with how it is perceived in the marketplace? Meet the key leaders, especially those in areas related to your own. Much as an anthropologist would, study the culture. What are the norms (both stated and unstated) for leadership and other behavior? What is forbidden? Why? What differences do you notice between successful and unsuccessful leaders in your new corporation? How does the company measure and talk about success?
In your business unit, many of your On Boarding activities will mirror the things you've learned at the corporate level. The primary difference here is the level of detail. Study the business decision-making processes. Identify and become fluent in the financial language of your business unit. Attend all senior-level business cycle meetings, and then whittle down a list that you should regularly attend. If you're studying past initiatives, ask for post-mortems from people who led those efforts. Glean their lessons learned. Learn about the work done by their functional areas, the handoffs to your areas, and their assessments of your area and team. Ask their advice, speaking both generically and specifically. Importantly, during this process, you need to share and test your impressions with your boss, gaining mid-course corrections that will support greater long-term success in your role.
Your functional On Boarding is where you will roll up your sleeves and really dig into the work processes used in your area. Again, learning about context and history is key. Be cautious about forming and sharing a vision for your team until you have gained enough information to make others feel valued (and you feel well-grounded) in your decision-making. Resist the temptation to "fix" things until you truly understand the underlying issues. Size up your team and their capabilities (and aspirations). Ask to see samples of their work. Find out what they'd do to improve the effectiveness of your area. Visit with key vendors and external partners, and learn from their perspective. Slowly, after several sounding board sessions with your boss, formulate the beginnings of a plan for your group. Put accountabilities into place. Monitor progress and make adjustments as needed.
Finally, do not overlook the importance of personal On Boarding. Most executive transitions require relocation, and poorly handled relocation can have devastating consequences for executives and their families. Spend the time to find a neighborhood that meets the needs of all family members. Search out churches and clubs that provide social support and a sense of community. Align yourself with charitable organizations that match your personal values, and accept leadership roles where offered. Additional, well-planted family roots can help you weather the vagaries of a demanding executive role. Recognize that it is a transition process, and that your family may not truly feel at home for a year or more. Do all you can to make your new house a home.
By focusing your On Boarding at these four key levels, you will be demonstrating real commitment to your success in your new role. And you will be greatly enhancing your chances of "nailing it". When doing so, please remember to frequently consider the paradoxical nature of On Boarding. Don't worry about demonstrating that you are worth the six-figure hiring bonus-be concerned about developing the knowledge and ability to really add value long-term.
For More Information:
http://www.gatewayinternationalgroup.com/
http://www.larrymaglin.com/
http://www.lawrencemaglin.com/
http://www.joekran.com/
http://www.josephkran.com/
Staff Review by: Joseph (Joe) Kran, Lawrence (Larry) Maglin, Walter Sonyi, Jr. and Rick Spann
So you're starting a new job soon. It seems like a great opportunity-a good fit between your skills, goals, and the organization's needs. That alone should increase the likelihood of your success, right?
Perhaps. For new leaders, the stakes are very high. A recent study by The Center for Creative Leadership revealed that about 40% of new management hires fail within their first 18 months on the job. Corporate expectations of new leaders are high as well, and are often unclear at best. Or conflicting. Or hidden altogether. Walking into a job in a new organization is like traveling to a foreign country-one where you don't speak the language or know the laws. As an outsider, you are at an extreme disadvantage. Even the best due diligence in your research before taking this job will do little to prepare you for the realities you face once in position.
What can you do to "nail it?" To build a solid foundation for your success, you must be intentional about your On Boarding process. Build and continually adapt a strategy for successful assimilation from the moment you become interested in the organization.
Successful On Boarding is a study in paradox. To be effective in your transition, you must focus on learning, rather than demonstrating your worth. Build alliances while not becoming overly political. Seek to improve the organization without devaluing what already exists. Gain the credibility to be allowed to enact decisions that should, by rights, be yours to make. Even, or perhaps especially, if you mandate is to bring about radical change, you must approach your On Boarding with the sophistication of an anthropologist studying a foreign culture (and the caution of someone who is unsure whether the natives are armed and dangerous).
Be clear about one thing. With or without an On Boarding process, your fate in a new leadership role is, for better or worse, typically sealed within your first three months. If you fail to establish a toehold for yourself, it may take 12 - 18 months before you know it. But the organization knows it. You are being observed and evaluated from the moment of your first interview. Organizational members are judging whether or not you "get it", and making decisions about the ways they will work to either support or undermine your success.
A recent Gateway International Group survey of 826 Human Resources leaders identified ineffective peer relations, role confusion, lack of internal political skills, and failure to meet key objectives as the four strongest predictors of new leader derailment. What is the best way to get out in front of organizational judgment and avoid those pitfalls? The obvious answers - build strong peer relations, get role clarity, be savvy about the political climate, and meet your performance goals - are not as easily accomplished as they sound. If you're lucky, your new organization will have a structured Executive On Boarding process that can assist you - one that guides you through the series of transitions you will experience within the unique context of your company's business climate.
Importantly, Executive On Boarding is not the same as employee orientation. A typical orientation process is event-based and short-lived (often totaling no more than eight hours of training), providing a high-level company overview and access to basic information. An effective Executive On Boarding process is different in several important ways - it is broader in scope, interactive, more structured, covers a longer time period, and is customized to focus your learning on the areas of greatest import to your new role. With a structured Executive On Boarding process, your chances of successful assimilation increase, and you are more likely to be happy and effective in your new job. Without it, your learning process as a new leader will be marred by the fallout of highly public trial-and-error learning.
Whether or not your organization uses a structured approach to Executive On Boarding, build a plan for your transition and enlist support for it. In partnership with your boss, you need to gather and integrate information to smooth your assimilation at four levels: your corporation, your business unit, your function, and your personal/family life. In doing so, you will achieve greater role clarity, develop an understanding of the organization and its expectations of you, and build a topographical "map" of the new land you are exploring.
In learning about your corporation, strive to build an in-depth understanding of the history of the company (both public and private knowledge), its key initiatives, and the results achieved. Identify the short- and long-term priorities of the leadership team. Immerse yourself in the Brand. How was it conceived? Communicated? To what extent do you think the brand image the company projects is aligned with how it is perceived in the marketplace? Meet the key leaders, especially those in areas related to your own. Much as an anthropologist would, study the culture. What are the norms (both stated and unstated) for leadership and other behavior? What is forbidden? Why? What differences do you notice between successful and unsuccessful leaders in your new corporation? How does the company measure and talk about success?
In your business unit, many of your On Boarding activities will mirror the things you've learned at the corporate level. The primary difference here is the level of detail. Study the business decision-making processes. Identify and become fluent in the financial language of your business unit. Attend all senior-level business cycle meetings, and then whittle down a list that you should regularly attend. If you're studying past initiatives, ask for post-mortems from people who led those efforts. Glean their lessons learned. Learn about the work done by their functional areas, the handoffs to your areas, and their assessments of your area and team. Ask their advice, speaking both generically and specifically. Importantly, during this process, you need to share and test your impressions with your boss, gaining mid-course corrections that will support greater long-term success in your role.
Your functional On Boarding is where you will roll up your sleeves and really dig into the work processes used in your area. Again, learning about context and history is key. Be cautious about forming and sharing a vision for your team until you have gained enough information to make others feel valued (and you feel well-grounded) in your decision-making. Resist the temptation to "fix" things until you truly understand the underlying issues. Size up your team and their capabilities (and aspirations). Ask to see samples of their work. Find out what they'd do to improve the effectiveness of your area. Visit with key vendors and external partners, and learn from their perspective. Slowly, after several sounding board sessions with your boss, formulate the beginnings of a plan for your group. Put accountabilities into place. Monitor progress and make adjustments as needed.
Finally, do not overlook the importance of personal On Boarding. Most executive transitions require relocation, and poorly handled relocation can have devastating consequences for executives and their families. Spend the time to find a neighborhood that meets the needs of all family members. Search out churches and clubs that provide social support and a sense of community. Align yourself with charitable organizations that match your personal values, and accept leadership roles where offered. Additional, well-planted family roots can help you weather the vagaries of a demanding executive role. Recognize that it is a transition process, and that your family may not truly feel at home for a year or more. Do all you can to make your new house a home.
By focusing your On Boarding at these four key levels, you will be demonstrating real commitment to your success in your new role. And you will be greatly enhancing your chances of "nailing it". When doing so, please remember to frequently consider the paradoxical nature of On Boarding. Don't worry about demonstrating that you are worth the six-figure hiring bonus-be concerned about developing the knowledge and ability to really add value long-term.
For More Information:
http://www.gatewayinternationalgroup.com/
http://www.larrymaglin.com/
http://www.lawrencemaglin.com/
http://www.joekran.com/
http://www.josephkran.com/
Staff Review by: Joseph (Joe) Kran, Lawrence (Larry) Maglin, Walter Sonyi, Jr. and Rick Spann
Leadership Best Practices for Human Resource Professionals
The results of a recent global study of 1770 human resource professionals identify key leadership practices tied to effectiveness.
Effective Practices for Human Resource ProfessionalsAlthough Human Resource professionals play a vital role in organizational development and growth, little actual empirical research on the characteristics of effective HR professionals actually exists.
We, Gateway International Group, Inc., a global leader in assessment-based individual and organizational development, thought it would be helpful for our clients to consider this kind of data. In a recent global study of leadership effectiveness among human resource professionals we found that a number of leadership behaviors reliably distinguish superior leaders (the superstars) from less effective ones.
The Study
1770 HR professionals from over 670 organizations were included in the current study. Each leader completed 360TM leadership assessment and development tool that measures 22 dimensions of leadership practice (what leaders actually do) and 22 dimensions of leadership effectiveness (how effectively they're perceived by their bosses, peers, and direct reports).
A number of key practices were identified that significantly predicted higher leadership effective ratings.
The FindingsIn order of importance (starting with the most important) superior HR leaders:
" Analyze the future impact of their decisions and understand the impact of these decisions throughout the organization.
" Maintain in-depth knowledge and expertise in their area.
" Demonstrate an active concern for others and form supportive relationships.
" Energize others, getting thementhusiastic and involved.
" Clearly express their thoughts and ideas, keeping others informed of their expectations.
" Are comfortable being the one in charge and seek out opportunities to be influential. They know and accept the fact that they will be under constant scrutiny.
" Use effective persuasion to build commitment to their ideas and initiatives.
" Challenge the perceptions and mandates of superiors.
Study Details
Each participant was evaluated during ongoing developmental programs, by their bosses, peers, and direct reports. Participant breakdown by geographic region, management level, and industry are presented below.
A weighted mean procedure was employed to combine the rating of bosses, peers, and direct reports for each participant. An overall measure of leadership effectiveness (based on the summation of 22 effectiveness scales) was regressed on ratings of 22 common leadership practices. As a set, the 22 practices accounted for 59% of the individual variation in overall effectiveness.Relative importance measures were calculated for each predictor and are displayed in the figure below. Bars indicate the percent of the variation accounted for by each predictor. Light bars indicate an inverse relationship (i.e., higher levels of the practice were associated with poorer effectiveness ratings.
For More Information:
http://www.gatewayinternationalgroup.com/
http://www.larrymaglin.com/
http://www.lawrencemaglin.com/
http://www.joekran.com/
http://www.josephkran.com/
Staff Review by: Joseph (Joe) Kran, Lawrence (Larry) Maglin, Walter Sonyi, Jr. and Rick Spann
Effective Practices for Human Resource ProfessionalsAlthough Human Resource professionals play a vital role in organizational development and growth, little actual empirical research on the characteristics of effective HR professionals actually exists.
We, Gateway International Group, Inc., a global leader in assessment-based individual and organizational development, thought it would be helpful for our clients to consider this kind of data. In a recent global study of leadership effectiveness among human resource professionals we found that a number of leadership behaviors reliably distinguish superior leaders (the superstars) from less effective ones.
The Study
1770 HR professionals from over 670 organizations were included in the current study. Each leader completed 360TM leadership assessment and development tool that measures 22 dimensions of leadership practice (what leaders actually do) and 22 dimensions of leadership effectiveness (how effectively they're perceived by their bosses, peers, and direct reports).
A number of key practices were identified that significantly predicted higher leadership effective ratings.
The FindingsIn order of importance (starting with the most important) superior HR leaders:
" Analyze the future impact of their decisions and understand the impact of these decisions throughout the organization.
" Maintain in-depth knowledge and expertise in their area.
" Demonstrate an active concern for others and form supportive relationships.
" Energize others, getting thementhusiastic and involved.
" Clearly express their thoughts and ideas, keeping others informed of their expectations.
" Are comfortable being the one in charge and seek out opportunities to be influential. They know and accept the fact that they will be under constant scrutiny.
" Use effective persuasion to build commitment to their ideas and initiatives.
" Challenge the perceptions and mandates of superiors.
Study Details
Each participant was evaluated during ongoing developmental programs, by their bosses, peers, and direct reports. Participant breakdown by geographic region, management level, and industry are presented below.
A weighted mean procedure was employed to combine the rating of bosses, peers, and direct reports for each participant. An overall measure of leadership effectiveness (based on the summation of 22 effectiveness scales) was regressed on ratings of 22 common leadership practices. As a set, the 22 practices accounted for 59% of the individual variation in overall effectiveness.Relative importance measures were calculated for each predictor and are displayed in the figure below. Bars indicate the percent of the variation accounted for by each predictor. Light bars indicate an inverse relationship (i.e., higher levels of the practice were associated with poorer effectiveness ratings.
For More Information:
http://www.gatewayinternationalgroup.com/
http://www.larrymaglin.com/
http://www.lawrencemaglin.com/
http://www.joekran.com/
http://www.josephkran.com/
Staff Review by: Joseph (Joe) Kran, Lawrence (Larry) Maglin, Walter Sonyi, Jr. and Rick Spann
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
The Honeymoon's Over
The Honeymoon's Over
If starting a new job makes you nervous, don't relax-it should. How you manage your first weeks in a new executive position can carve a path toward success or mark the beginning of your inevitable demise.
"There is no honeymoon. Once you're on board, you're on display," said Dory Hollander, founding partner of Wise Workplaces, an Arlington, Virginia-based executive coaching firm.
Just as you need a strategy for getting a new job, you should have a good strategy for starting one or your early missteps may come back to haunt you. Here are pointers from executive consultants and coaches for ensuring a smooth and successful transition into a new position:
Check your assumptions at the door.
Before you begin, remind yourself that you are entering a new corporate culture, which might be radically different from the one you left. For instance, you may have worked in an office that thrived on confrontation, but that kind of aggressive style may not be acceptable in your new job. Or perhaps the earnest, self-effacing approach that was effective in your past might be mistaken for a lack of resolve at your new company.
"You need to understand the nuances of the new culture and let go of the nuances of the culture you came from," said Hollander. It's more difficult than it sounds, as it could mean adapting ingrained work habits, especially if you spent several years in your previous position.
Get with the program.
You probably have a good sense of your job responsibilities. But do you understand how your job fits in with the overall mission and strategy of the company? If you don't, sit down with your boss and find out how your results affect the bottom line.
A surprising number of executives work without that knowledge, which makes it difficult, if not impossible, to prioritize effectively, said Caela Farren, president of Mastery Works, an Annandale, Virginia talent management firm. "I always ask them how they make decisions without knowing. How do they choose what to focus on?" Farren said. "Especially these days, when we're trying to up performance and do more with less, it's more and more important that people are really hooked in to what's important to the organization."
And don't assume that those reporting to you understand how their jobs tie into the company's mission. If you make sure they know, you will not only help them focus, but you will empower them. "Knowing the mission and strategies gives people a great sense of pride, meaning and commitment," Farren said.
Identify your network of support.
Your first days on the job should be spent getting to know the people upon whom you will rely, as well as those who will rely upon you. In the first few months on the job, you should meet face-to-face with these people. If you manage people in different locations, start traveling. Find out how they work, what stumbling blocks they face, what they need to succeed. What do they expect of you? Build an organizational chart if there isn't one, and create a plan for communicating regularly with the members of your team.
Devote extra time to establishing good relations with the administrative assistants of anyone whose ear you hope to have, including your own boss. Administrative assistants, who often have more power than assumed, are sometimes the confidantes not only of a top executive but a whole group of executives. If you are sarcastic or dismissive with them, they may give you a negative review when a higher-up asks them, "What do you think of the new guy?"
"Never think going into an organization that you are too big or too powerful or too important to pay attention to this very critical group of people," said Hollander. "They may be the watchdogs of the culture."
Listen and learn.
One of the best ways to start a new job is to be open about what you don't know and to use your newness to ask questions. For many executives, displaying ignorance is difficult to do, but it's essential. After all, you may know your field, but as a newcomer to a specific company, there's no reason you should know everything about the way it operates.
Confront the legacies of your hire.
One of the stickiest challenges of starting a new job is dealing with the internal candidates who were passed over for the position you got. Ask your boss for the background, and then approach those people directly.
"Incite the dialogue rather than try to ignore it," said Michael Shahnasarian, president and founder of Career Consultants of America, Inc. in Tampa, Florida. "You can't go in there like a bull in a china shop. You have to be very knowledgeable of all these little dynamics that could undercut your effectiveness."
Soon after starting in a new management position at a brokerage firm, one of Shahnasarian's clients ran into difficulties with a subordinate who had been passed over for his job. The subordinate not only was angry; he had the sympathies of his co-workers. Shahnasarian counseled his client to befriend the man and look at ways to help him advance his career goals elsewhere in the organization. The client did, and ultimately, the subordinate was transferred to a different department, where he got the promotion he had wanted.
If you were hired at a particularly high salary for your company, you should be careful not to mention a fancy vacation, a new car or anything that will suggest you're flaunting your hefty compensation.
Approach change carefully.
A common mistake of new executives is to make a change that is less rooted in strategy than in a desire to flex one's muscles. Those changes often backfire, as they don't take into consideration what is actually needed or how the employees will react to the message.
"Changing the wrong thing, or changing things too soon, is worse than not changing anything at all," McKay said. "You need to know what the impact of the change is going to be. You have to know enough about the organization to know what change is going to be effective in bringing about the desired results."
Limit your promises.
New executives often make too many promises about the things they are going to change. This tendency is often motivated by enthusiasm for the job or a desire to win over new colleagues, career counselors say. But you'll do better to hold your tongue until you know not only what needs changing, but also the most effective way to achieve those changes.
Develop an exit plan.
It seems counterintuitive, but developing an exit plan before starting a new job-or even before accepting a new position-may be the best thing for your career, according to Hollander of Wise Workplaces.
Hollander counsels her clients to develop an exit plan that includes how long they will stay in the job, when they will leave and, most important, what they want to leave with. What skills do you want to acquire? What kind of contacts do you want to have? What kind of new knowledge?
"That's a developmental plan that has teeth in it," Hollander said. "If you just say, 'I've got some goals', those goals will be blown away the first month you're there. They'll evaporate because there will be so much on your plate. Your exit plan won't evaporate because it has got dates and timelines of what you need to learn by what time. It compresses your developmental approach."
Said Hollander, "You will be a better executive, a better entrepreneur, if you start with the exit in mind."
After all, your overall goal is not simply to start a great job, but to build a stellar career.
For More Information:
http://www.gatewayinternationalgroup.com/ http://www.larrymaglin.com/
http://www.lawrencemaglin.com/
http://www.joekran.com/
http://www.josephkran.com/
Staff Review by: Joseph (Joe) Kran, Lawrence (Larry) Maglin, Walter Sonyi, Jr. and Rick Spann
If starting a new job makes you nervous, don't relax-it should. How you manage your first weeks in a new executive position can carve a path toward success or mark the beginning of your inevitable demise.
"There is no honeymoon. Once you're on board, you're on display," said Dory Hollander, founding partner of Wise Workplaces, an Arlington, Virginia-based executive coaching firm.
Just as you need a strategy for getting a new job, you should have a good strategy for starting one or your early missteps may come back to haunt you. Here are pointers from executive consultants and coaches for ensuring a smooth and successful transition into a new position:
Check your assumptions at the door.
Before you begin, remind yourself that you are entering a new corporate culture, which might be radically different from the one you left. For instance, you may have worked in an office that thrived on confrontation, but that kind of aggressive style may not be acceptable in your new job. Or perhaps the earnest, self-effacing approach that was effective in your past might be mistaken for a lack of resolve at your new company.
"You need to understand the nuances of the new culture and let go of the nuances of the culture you came from," said Hollander. It's more difficult than it sounds, as it could mean adapting ingrained work habits, especially if you spent several years in your previous position.
Get with the program.
You probably have a good sense of your job responsibilities. But do you understand how your job fits in with the overall mission and strategy of the company? If you don't, sit down with your boss and find out how your results affect the bottom line.
A surprising number of executives work without that knowledge, which makes it difficult, if not impossible, to prioritize effectively, said Caela Farren, president of Mastery Works, an Annandale, Virginia talent management firm. "I always ask them how they make decisions without knowing. How do they choose what to focus on?" Farren said. "Especially these days, when we're trying to up performance and do more with less, it's more and more important that people are really hooked in to what's important to the organization."
And don't assume that those reporting to you understand how their jobs tie into the company's mission. If you make sure they know, you will not only help them focus, but you will empower them. "Knowing the mission and strategies gives people a great sense of pride, meaning and commitment," Farren said.
Identify your network of support.
Your first days on the job should be spent getting to know the people upon whom you will rely, as well as those who will rely upon you. In the first few months on the job, you should meet face-to-face with these people. If you manage people in different locations, start traveling. Find out how they work, what stumbling blocks they face, what they need to succeed. What do they expect of you? Build an organizational chart if there isn't one, and create a plan for communicating regularly with the members of your team.
Devote extra time to establishing good relations with the administrative assistants of anyone whose ear you hope to have, including your own boss. Administrative assistants, who often have more power than assumed, are sometimes the confidantes not only of a top executive but a whole group of executives. If you are sarcastic or dismissive with them, they may give you a negative review when a higher-up asks them, "What do you think of the new guy?"
"Never think going into an organization that you are too big or too powerful or too important to pay attention to this very critical group of people," said Hollander. "They may be the watchdogs of the culture."
Listen and learn.
One of the best ways to start a new job is to be open about what you don't know and to use your newness to ask questions. For many executives, displaying ignorance is difficult to do, but it's essential. After all, you may know your field, but as a newcomer to a specific company, there's no reason you should know everything about the way it operates.
Confront the legacies of your hire.
One of the stickiest challenges of starting a new job is dealing with the internal candidates who were passed over for the position you got. Ask your boss for the background, and then approach those people directly.
"Incite the dialogue rather than try to ignore it," said Michael Shahnasarian, president and founder of Career Consultants of America, Inc. in Tampa, Florida. "You can't go in there like a bull in a china shop. You have to be very knowledgeable of all these little dynamics that could undercut your effectiveness."
Soon after starting in a new management position at a brokerage firm, one of Shahnasarian's clients ran into difficulties with a subordinate who had been passed over for his job. The subordinate not only was angry; he had the sympathies of his co-workers. Shahnasarian counseled his client to befriend the man and look at ways to help him advance his career goals elsewhere in the organization. The client did, and ultimately, the subordinate was transferred to a different department, where he got the promotion he had wanted.
If you were hired at a particularly high salary for your company, you should be careful not to mention a fancy vacation, a new car or anything that will suggest you're flaunting your hefty compensation.
Approach change carefully.
A common mistake of new executives is to make a change that is less rooted in strategy than in a desire to flex one's muscles. Those changes often backfire, as they don't take into consideration what is actually needed or how the employees will react to the message.
"Changing the wrong thing, or changing things too soon, is worse than not changing anything at all," McKay said. "You need to know what the impact of the change is going to be. You have to know enough about the organization to know what change is going to be effective in bringing about the desired results."
Limit your promises.
New executives often make too many promises about the things they are going to change. This tendency is often motivated by enthusiasm for the job or a desire to win over new colleagues, career counselors say. But you'll do better to hold your tongue until you know not only what needs changing, but also the most effective way to achieve those changes.
Develop an exit plan.
It seems counterintuitive, but developing an exit plan before starting a new job-or even before accepting a new position-may be the best thing for your career, according to Hollander of Wise Workplaces.
Hollander counsels her clients to develop an exit plan that includes how long they will stay in the job, when they will leave and, most important, what they want to leave with. What skills do you want to acquire? What kind of contacts do you want to have? What kind of new knowledge?
"That's a developmental plan that has teeth in it," Hollander said. "If you just say, 'I've got some goals', those goals will be blown away the first month you're there. They'll evaporate because there will be so much on your plate. Your exit plan won't evaporate because it has got dates and timelines of what you need to learn by what time. It compresses your developmental approach."
Said Hollander, "You will be a better executive, a better entrepreneur, if you start with the exit in mind."
After all, your overall goal is not simply to start a great job, but to build a stellar career.
For More Information:
http://www.gatewayinternationalgroup.com/ http://www.larrymaglin.com/
http://www.lawrencemaglin.com/
http://www.joekran.com/
http://www.josephkran.com/
Staff Review by: Joseph (Joe) Kran, Lawrence (Larry) Maglin, Walter Sonyi, Jr. and Rick Spann
The Permission Paradox
The permission paradox is one of the great Catch-22s in business. "You can't get the job without the experience and you can't get the experience without the job." Many people are confident in their abilities to if given the chance to perform. But the hard part is getting permission to demonstrate these skills and to gain new experiences. This is the Permission Paradox.
You may want to become a CEO, move into general management or make a bigger impact in your company but unless you have permission to take on a broader role, you won't reach your goals. How do you go about getting permission to make a big impact?
"Big jobs usually go to the men who prove their ability to outgrow smaller ones."Ralph Waldo Emerson
The permission paradox can be a paralyzing obstacle to overcome and is often a self-fulfilling prophecy. Successful executives, unlike a large number of their peers, rarely have trouble gaining access to the most critical opportunities in their careers. They know that the secret is finding some way to get the experiences they need to get ahead.
Forms of permissionBefore formulating your strategy to get the permission you need to advance your career, you first need to understand the two primary forms of permission:
Direct Permission: You can do it because somebody says you can
Implied Permission: You can do it because no one says you can't
One way to identify successful professionals is to look at their job descriptions when they arrived and compare those to the jobs they were actually doing when they left. Among extraordinary executives, you will find a consistent occurrence that the scope of their responsibilities, including the things they have direct permission to do, increases over the tenure of their jobs. These professionals view their job description merely as a starting point - a platform on which to build.
This expansion of permission is often accomplished through implied permission, performing well and then ultimately being granted direct permission.
Permission StrategiesSuccessful executives gain permission and take charge of their experiences in several ways. There are eight strategies for gaining permission.
The direct approach: if you want something, you can always ask
Demonstrate Competence in areas that form the building blocks for new roles
Clean Slate: when you join a new division or company you have a relatively clean slate from which people will grant you permission
Get Credentials: one of the most logical ways to gain associative or expert permission is to get relevant credentials
Barter: you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours
Masquerade as the leader: a risky but sometimes effective strategy also referred to as the 'stealth land grab'.
Two-way mentoring: the key is for both parties to get something from the relationship
Paying politics: not a success pattern followed by extraordinary executives
Each strategy has unique characteristics and outcomes, and situations where they are most appropriate. Some permission strategies are more effective for gaining direct permission and others are better for gaining indirect permission. Some can be used for both.
By understanding and implementing the strategies for resolving the permission paradox, you should be able to get the permissions that are critical, putting you in the best position to perform.
For More Information:
http://www.gatewayinternationalgroup.com/ http://www.larrymaglin.com/
http://www.lawrencemaglin.com/
http://www.joekran.com/
http://www.josephkran.com/
Staff Review by: Joseph (Joe) Kran, Lawrence (Larry) Maglin, Walter Sonyi, Jr. and Rick Spann
This extract is taken from The 5 Patterns of Extraordinary Careers by James M. Citrin and Richard A. Smith, published by Random House.
You may want to become a CEO, move into general management or make a bigger impact in your company but unless you have permission to take on a broader role, you won't reach your goals. How do you go about getting permission to make a big impact?
"Big jobs usually go to the men who prove their ability to outgrow smaller ones."Ralph Waldo Emerson
The permission paradox can be a paralyzing obstacle to overcome and is often a self-fulfilling prophecy. Successful executives, unlike a large number of their peers, rarely have trouble gaining access to the most critical opportunities in their careers. They know that the secret is finding some way to get the experiences they need to get ahead.
Forms of permissionBefore formulating your strategy to get the permission you need to advance your career, you first need to understand the two primary forms of permission:
Direct Permission: You can do it because somebody says you can
Implied Permission: You can do it because no one says you can't
One way to identify successful professionals is to look at their job descriptions when they arrived and compare those to the jobs they were actually doing when they left. Among extraordinary executives, you will find a consistent occurrence that the scope of their responsibilities, including the things they have direct permission to do, increases over the tenure of their jobs. These professionals view their job description merely as a starting point - a platform on which to build.
This expansion of permission is often accomplished through implied permission, performing well and then ultimately being granted direct permission.
Permission StrategiesSuccessful executives gain permission and take charge of their experiences in several ways. There are eight strategies for gaining permission.
The direct approach: if you want something, you can always ask
Demonstrate Competence in areas that form the building blocks for new roles
Clean Slate: when you join a new division or company you have a relatively clean slate from which people will grant you permission
Get Credentials: one of the most logical ways to gain associative or expert permission is to get relevant credentials
Barter: you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours
Masquerade as the leader: a risky but sometimes effective strategy also referred to as the 'stealth land grab'.
Two-way mentoring: the key is for both parties to get something from the relationship
Paying politics: not a success pattern followed by extraordinary executives
Each strategy has unique characteristics and outcomes, and situations where they are most appropriate. Some permission strategies are more effective for gaining direct permission and others are better for gaining indirect permission. Some can be used for both.
By understanding and implementing the strategies for resolving the permission paradox, you should be able to get the permissions that are critical, putting you in the best position to perform.
For More Information:
http://www.gatewayinternationalgroup.com/ http://www.larrymaglin.com/
http://www.lawrencemaglin.com/
http://www.joekran.com/
http://www.josephkran.com/
Staff Review by: Joseph (Joe) Kran, Lawrence (Larry) Maglin, Walter Sonyi, Jr. and Rick Spann
This extract is taken from The 5 Patterns of Extraordinary Careers by James M. Citrin and Richard A. Smith, published by Random House.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Key Employee Retention in the 21st Century
70 million baby-boomers will retire in 10 years and the next generation workforce will only supply 45 million new workers. The competitive battle among companies for skilled employees will only become fiercer. Employment managers will be in for the fight of their careers in attempting to find and attract needed talent. Of course, this problem is even further exacerbated by today's strong economic climate. With unemployment hovering around 4.8%, competent employees know that they can fairly easily find comparable, if not better, employment with reasonable effort.
Every time a key employee quits, it costs that company 18 months of salary. And when the hidden costs such as lost sales, customer defections, lower productivity and morale are factored into the equation, the loss of a key employee is extremely expensive.
Effectively retaining needed employees will become the most competitive long-term advantage that a company has over its competitors. If a company cannot accomplish this, it will eventually cease to exist. Lowering the turnover rate among key employees will (if it is not already) become the most important priority of the Human Resources function for this century. Pressure will invariably increase from the Board of Directors, the CEO, and the business unit heads to retain valuable personnel. This burden rightly will fall squarely upon the shoulders of Human Resources!
Although salary usually ranks lower than other important reasons as to why key employees leave in any exit survey, a company can always throw more money in the form of increased salaries, bonuses or benefits at this problem. A company can try to make it too expensive for its key employees to leave. Of course, this strategy is untenable because these key individuals only remain because they cannot afford to go to a more satisfying work environment; their productivity and enthusiasm levels will certainly not be commensurate with their costs. Moreover, here is a more practical reason as to why this practice is doomed to failure. The company simply cannot afford to pay these higher wages and still make a profit.
Human Resources is often great at coming up with the latest tactics to combat this problem. A company picnic, employee appreciation day, flexible benefits, a well-defined mission statement, day care centers, etc. are all positive steps that have been implemented to try and stem the tide of key employee turnover. Yet, in current surveys, 6 out of 10 employees state that they are or will be looking for a better position within the next 24 months.
Clearly these well-intentioned programs are not achieving the desired results. These efforts are often fragmented, no more than shots in the dark. They lack a fundamental strategy.
This is not surprising since the long-established implied contract with employees that produced strong company loyalty is no longer in force. Lasting job security and a good pension afterwards are not benefits that corporations can promise its employees anymore to maintain their commitment to stay. And throwing nice-sounding perks at them are not as effective as hoped because they lack cohesiveness.
A fundamental change in how executive management and Human Resources views its employees is needed to generate cost-effective measures to lower its key employee turnover in this current area where employee loyalty cannot be based upon the old retention/ loyalty model.
Employers must now see their employees in the same way as they do their customers. Customers have choice and so do employees, especially those with valuable skills. Customers are not bound to buy and employees are not bound anymore through job security and pensions to stay.
Any good marketing department knows that many factors come into play regarding customer retention. Price, product features, quality, service and promotion are key ingredients. The more that marketing understands the needs and wants of a client, the better the firm can develop and promote products that addresses them. And, therefore, the company has a greater chance of keeping the client. But a good marketing department does not attempt to do this in a piece meal fashion, but rather as part of a systematic process that entails research, product development and promotion.
Key employee retention in this modern era requires no less of a systematic marketing effort! Human Resources must attack this problem as a complex product marketing endeavor. The company is the product and its employees are its customers.
Historically, Human Resources has confined its marketing efforts generally to the employee newspaper and attitude surveys. Those feel-good employee articles and pictures and meaningless messages from the President are about as sophisticated a marketing promotions effort as Human Resources have ever done. Employee surveys generally lacked the comprehensiveness to ascertain really useful information. And when pertinent data was collected, there existed little structure to ensure appropriate follow-up and corrective action.
This must change now. Human Resources must transform and greatly expand its basic employee communications effort into a full-blown "Employee Marketing Department." The primary functions of this unit would be no different than those of any good marketing department: systematic employee (customer) research, long-term strategy development, tactical employee program initiatives and comprehensive company promotion.
No additional funds would be needed to make this re-orientation successful. Companies are spending the money anyway. The only major difference is that company funds for employee programs and benefits would be spent as part of a well thought out, systematic process. And the promotion of these products would be with all the sophistication and intent of ensuring that employees, especially those groups designated as key, know the true value of what the company provides.
If you would like further information about key employee retention, please contact Walter Sonyi at 1-800-376-8176 or walter.sonyi@gigincmail.com.
Staff Review by: Joseph (Joe) Kran, Lawrence (Larry) Maglin, Walter Sonyi, Jr. and Rick Spann
For More Information:
http://www.gatewayinternationalgroup.com/
http://www.larrymaglin.com/
http://www.lawrencemaglin.com/
http://www.joekran.com/
http://www.josephkran.com/
Every time a key employee quits, it costs that company 18 months of salary. And when the hidden costs such as lost sales, customer defections, lower productivity and morale are factored into the equation, the loss of a key employee is extremely expensive.
Effectively retaining needed employees will become the most competitive long-term advantage that a company has over its competitors. If a company cannot accomplish this, it will eventually cease to exist. Lowering the turnover rate among key employees will (if it is not already) become the most important priority of the Human Resources function for this century. Pressure will invariably increase from the Board of Directors, the CEO, and the business unit heads to retain valuable personnel. This burden rightly will fall squarely upon the shoulders of Human Resources!
Although salary usually ranks lower than other important reasons as to why key employees leave in any exit survey, a company can always throw more money in the form of increased salaries, bonuses or benefits at this problem. A company can try to make it too expensive for its key employees to leave. Of course, this strategy is untenable because these key individuals only remain because they cannot afford to go to a more satisfying work environment; their productivity and enthusiasm levels will certainly not be commensurate with their costs. Moreover, here is a more practical reason as to why this practice is doomed to failure. The company simply cannot afford to pay these higher wages and still make a profit.
Human Resources is often great at coming up with the latest tactics to combat this problem. A company picnic, employee appreciation day, flexible benefits, a well-defined mission statement, day care centers, etc. are all positive steps that have been implemented to try and stem the tide of key employee turnover. Yet, in current surveys, 6 out of 10 employees state that they are or will be looking for a better position within the next 24 months.
Clearly these well-intentioned programs are not achieving the desired results. These efforts are often fragmented, no more than shots in the dark. They lack a fundamental strategy.
This is not surprising since the long-established implied contract with employees that produced strong company loyalty is no longer in force. Lasting job security and a good pension afterwards are not benefits that corporations can promise its employees anymore to maintain their commitment to stay. And throwing nice-sounding perks at them are not as effective as hoped because they lack cohesiveness.
A fundamental change in how executive management and Human Resources views its employees is needed to generate cost-effective measures to lower its key employee turnover in this current area where employee loyalty cannot be based upon the old retention/ loyalty model.
Employers must now see their employees in the same way as they do their customers. Customers have choice and so do employees, especially those with valuable skills. Customers are not bound to buy and employees are not bound anymore through job security and pensions to stay.
Any good marketing department knows that many factors come into play regarding customer retention. Price, product features, quality, service and promotion are key ingredients. The more that marketing understands the needs and wants of a client, the better the firm can develop and promote products that addresses them. And, therefore, the company has a greater chance of keeping the client. But a good marketing department does not attempt to do this in a piece meal fashion, but rather as part of a systematic process that entails research, product development and promotion.
Key employee retention in this modern era requires no less of a systematic marketing effort! Human Resources must attack this problem as a complex product marketing endeavor. The company is the product and its employees are its customers.
Historically, Human Resources has confined its marketing efforts generally to the employee newspaper and attitude surveys. Those feel-good employee articles and pictures and meaningless messages from the President are about as sophisticated a marketing promotions effort as Human Resources have ever done. Employee surveys generally lacked the comprehensiveness to ascertain really useful information. And when pertinent data was collected, there existed little structure to ensure appropriate follow-up and corrective action.
This must change now. Human Resources must transform and greatly expand its basic employee communications effort into a full-blown "Employee Marketing Department." The primary functions of this unit would be no different than those of any good marketing department: systematic employee (customer) research, long-term strategy development, tactical employee program initiatives and comprehensive company promotion.
No additional funds would be needed to make this re-orientation successful. Companies are spending the money anyway. The only major difference is that company funds for employee programs and benefits would be spent as part of a well thought out, systematic process. And the promotion of these products would be with all the sophistication and intent of ensuring that employees, especially those groups designated as key, know the true value of what the company provides.
If you would like further information about key employee retention, please contact Walter Sonyi at 1-800-376-8176 or walter.sonyi@gigincmail.com.
Staff Review by: Joseph (Joe) Kran, Lawrence (Larry) Maglin, Walter Sonyi, Jr. and Rick Spann
For More Information:
http://www.gatewayinternationalgroup.com/
http://www.larrymaglin.com/
http://www.lawrencemaglin.com/
http://www.joekran.com/
http://www.josephkran.com/
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
An Alarming Trend in the Outplacement Industry!
An Alarming Trend in the Outplacement Industry!
Bulletin to Our Friends and Clients:
Pricing that seems too good to be true, might be… understand the services you are getting.
In recent years the outplacement industry has matured and, as often happens, conglomerates from outside this industry have bought established firms to broaden their product portfolios. Because of shareholder demands, these mega-companies enter the outplacement industry with significant pressure to increase both market share and profit margins. It is obvious that they are lowering their prices in an attempt to increase market share. But what they are trying hard to disguise is that they have also decreased the services that they provide in order to maintain or increase profits. Although reducing prices may meet the need of the corporate clients who have tighter budgets, it comes at the expense of the individual who most needs the service!
Gateway International Group has always tried to meet the needs of both the corporations who pay our fees and individuals that we help. We understand the reality of tighter corporate budgets and are successful at being price sensitive and competitive. But we have accomplished this without compromising the services which we provide to the individuals going through our programs: a true win/win scenario.
What are most firms selling as STANDARD in the industry?
As we talk to our clients and individuals who are using the services of some of the these conglomerates, the following has become apparent as to what they are calling "Individual or One on One" outplacement:
Career counseling with a counselor…….. means group sessions instead of personalized counseling with a counselor who works with you exclusively.
One on one counseling…….. means "The Counselor of the Day", someone who provides general advice but may not know the individual and likely changes frequently.
Access to a counselor…….. means when a counselor has an opening on his or her schedule and individuals may get 30 minutes once every several weeks.
Professional advice……. means someone to listen to you and offer their solutions whether or not they have experience in finding a job, changing careers, or starting a business.
Access to our technology…….. means the individual gets a password to a web-site so they can teach themselves the job hunting process.
An outplacement program…… means a standard process which everyone goes through regardless of an individual's level or unique circumstances.
Gateway International Group has always believed that "One on One or Individual Outplacement" means exactly what it says: personalized coaching that is customized to each individual, their level and needs.
What should corporate Human Resources look for and demand in outplacement services?
Make sure when comparing firms, programs and pricing that you are comparing apples to apples and are getting your monies worth.
Specifically:
Ask if your people will receive only individual coaching or will it be done in groups.
Ask what is the counselor/candidate ratio.
Secure bio's on the counselors to understand their background and experience.
When a candidate is having a hard time getting on track, ask the firm exactly how they respond.
Tell the firm that you will do periodic checks with the individuals going through outplacement to ensure that the services sold are being delivered.
Ask for a guarantee on the service. If the individual is not happy, a refund should be issued so that the person can go to another firm.
Gateway International Group believes that you should get what you have contracted for and to accept any less hurts the individual, your reputation and the outplacement industry as a whole!
Staff Review by:
Joseph (Joe) Kran,
Lawrence (Larry) Maglin,
Walter Sonyi, Jr. and Rick Spann
For More Information:
www.gatewayinternationalgroup.com
www.larrymaglin.com
www.lawrencemaglin.com
www.joekran.com
www.josephkran.com
Bulletin to Our Friends and Clients:
Pricing that seems too good to be true, might be… understand the services you are getting.
In recent years the outplacement industry has matured and, as often happens, conglomerates from outside this industry have bought established firms to broaden their product portfolios. Because of shareholder demands, these mega-companies enter the outplacement industry with significant pressure to increase both market share and profit margins. It is obvious that they are lowering their prices in an attempt to increase market share. But what they are trying hard to disguise is that they have also decreased the services that they provide in order to maintain or increase profits. Although reducing prices may meet the need of the corporate clients who have tighter budgets, it comes at the expense of the individual who most needs the service!
Gateway International Group has always tried to meet the needs of both the corporations who pay our fees and individuals that we help. We understand the reality of tighter corporate budgets and are successful at being price sensitive and competitive. But we have accomplished this without compromising the services which we provide to the individuals going through our programs: a true win/win scenario.
What are most firms selling as STANDARD in the industry?
As we talk to our clients and individuals who are using the services of some of the these conglomerates, the following has become apparent as to what they are calling "Individual or One on One" outplacement:
Career counseling with a counselor…….. means group sessions instead of personalized counseling with a counselor who works with you exclusively.
One on one counseling…….. means "The Counselor of the Day", someone who provides general advice but may not know the individual and likely changes frequently.
Access to a counselor…….. means when a counselor has an opening on his or her schedule and individuals may get 30 minutes once every several weeks.
Professional advice……. means someone to listen to you and offer their solutions whether or not they have experience in finding a job, changing careers, or starting a business.
Access to our technology…….. means the individual gets a password to a web-site so they can teach themselves the job hunting process.
An outplacement program…… means a standard process which everyone goes through regardless of an individual's level or unique circumstances.
Gateway International Group has always believed that "One on One or Individual Outplacement" means exactly what it says: personalized coaching that is customized to each individual, their level and needs.
What should corporate Human Resources look for and demand in outplacement services?
Make sure when comparing firms, programs and pricing that you are comparing apples to apples and are getting your monies worth.
Specifically:
Ask if your people will receive only individual coaching or will it be done in groups.
Ask what is the counselor/candidate ratio.
Secure bio's on the counselors to understand their background and experience.
When a candidate is having a hard time getting on track, ask the firm exactly how they respond.
Tell the firm that you will do periodic checks with the individuals going through outplacement to ensure that the services sold are being delivered.
Ask for a guarantee on the service. If the individual is not happy, a refund should be issued so that the person can go to another firm.
Gateway International Group believes that you should get what you have contracted for and to accept any less hurts the individual, your reputation and the outplacement industry as a whole!
Staff Review by:
Joseph (Joe) Kran,
Lawrence (Larry) Maglin,
Walter Sonyi, Jr. and Rick Spann
For More Information:
www.gatewayinternationalgroup.com
www.larrymaglin.com
www.lawrencemaglin.com
www.joekran.com
www.josephkran.com
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Executive OnBoarding: A Secret Weapon in the War for Talent
Executive OnBoarding: A Secret Weapon in the War for Talent
You have won the War for Talent—at least for now. After an extensive (and costly) search, your company is delighted to welcome a new executive—a talented, visionary leader. You are confident that you have chosen well, and that this heavy-hitter will help the organization attain critically important goals.
You have brought this new leader on board expressly to bring about organization change. He has an extensive record of success in his career, including a stint at a top competitor known for its innovation and marketplace agility. Your company also has a long history of success, but you see the need to upgrade your products, services, and processes. This new executive is a sure bet to get that accomplished, right?
Maybe. And that is a qualified maybe.
It is extremely difficult for new leaders, especially those brought in as change agents, to develop the complex knowledge base required for success. It is imperative that they understand the organization (and the people in it) well enough to implement and sustain real, lasting change. New leaders must also pace their entrance into the organization in a way that will emphasize this learning process while simultaneously allowing them to start making important decisions. In doing so, they must temper the understandable desire to quickly prove themselves with the awareness that this sense of urgency may ultimately cause their undoing.
There is a lot at risk. The War for Talent has only begun with this strategic hire. It is not enough to bring an incredible new leader on board—your organization must learn how to hang onto him and optimize his impact.
What if you had a way to dramatically increase the odds of this new leader’s short- and long-term success? A thoughtful and intentional approach to the assimilation of this new leader? Increasingly, organizations are developing structured, organization-wide Executive OnBoarding processes to ensure leadership effectiveness and longevity. A formalized OnBoarding process can cement a new leader’s success. The lack of one can lead to his failure. Abject failure.
Extremely costly failure. One large financial services organization calculated that the cost of hiring a new officer-level leader is at least $380,000. For a top leader in a large corporation, that cost can approach (or exceed) seven figures. Not even considered in these calculations is the cost of intangibles such as the skepticism that develops when a leader and his/her initiatives fail. The cost and difficulty associated with starting up a new change project to replace the failed one. The financial impact that missed opportunities could have on your organization, both short- and long-term.
Recent research in a 100,000+ employee retail organization also demonstrated several other tangible benefits of their Executive OnBoarding process above and beyond their considerable financial savings. They found that their OnBoarding process predicted executive effectiveness on a variety of fronts:
Thorough understanding of business culture and objectives
Increased collaboration and exchange of information among senior leadership team
Effective integration of executive into a leadership role in the functional team
Focused identification and implementation of critical organization initiatives
Increased job satisfaction; and
Decreased likelihood of job turnover.
Without more information, you might be inclined to think that OnBoarding is just an orientation process. In some ways, it is. Effective OnBoarding does help new leaders learn the rules—but in this case, it’s the unwritten rules that they learn about. How to get things done. Who can help (and can’t, or won’t). What to do, and, more importantly, what not to do. However, OnBoarding is about much more than the rules.
A well-structured OnBoarding process helps new leaders develop a deep understanding of, and respect for, the organization as they enter it. It is not a training class. OnBoarding is a six month (or better), systematic approach to developing a strong foundation for future success. In a perfect world, we would let new leaders spend six months just learning about the organization. Unfortunately, we rarely have that luxury. We must ask new leaders to learn about the organization as they do their jobs.
Typically, an ideal OnBoarding process is non-linear and non-sequential. And it is not easy. Effective OnBoarding requires a significant commitment of time and energy. It must be supported organization-wide, and championed by the boss as well as the new leader. As a new leader is assimilated into the organization, OnBoarding simultaneously supports an effective transition at a number of levels: Organizational, Business Unit, Functional, and Personal.
Organizational OnBoarding is an opportunity for new leaders to meet with top executives to learn about organization history and culture, brand identity, strategic direction and initiatives to support current priorities. One organization created such a powerful OnBoarding process that they decided to “retrofit” all 200+ VP-level and above leaders—the bosses released that their new direct reports knew things about the organization of which they were unaware.
Business Unit OnBoarding provides a balance between strategic thinking (as it pertains to the business unit) and the mechanics of organizational functioning. This part of the process creates understanding of the cycle of business meetings and their purpose, provides awareness of business workflow and handoffs, identifies organizational resources and decision-making processes, and facilitates formation of important collegial relationships among top business leaders.
Functional OnBoarding is where new leaders roll up their sleeves and really begin to lead their teams. They assess the function’s capabilities and effectiveness, meet and size up their team, learn from key stakeholders, participate in a structured team assimilation process, and begin creating and implementing initiatives.
Finally, Personal OnBoarding addresses the non-work side of the leader’s life. Many, if not most, high-level hires require relocation of the leader and his/her family. To increase their long-term commitment to your organization, you need to help them put down deep roots in your community. To feel like they belong there. They need help identifying resources. Feeling welcomed by the organization on a personal level.
By addressing the needs of new leaders on these four levels, your company has gained an important business advantage—fully-integrated leadership. If you save one at-risk executive, your process has already paid for itself. And you’ve managed to sidestep the organizational wreckage that can accompany that derailed or failed leader.
Importantly, in addition to the other clear benefits of On-Boarding, it can also become a valuable recruiting tool for your organization. A way to let key candidates know how important they are to you in a way that your competitors can’t. It can become your organization’s secret weapon in the War for Talent.
If you would be interested in how we have helped other organizations assimilate their new management talent,
Please contact;
Walter Sonyi, Jr
1-800-376-8176
walter.sonyi@gigincmail.com
www.gatewayinternationalgroup.com
www.larrymaglin.com
www.lawrencemaglin.com
www.joekran.com
www.josephkran.com
Staff Review by: Joseph (Joe) Kran, Lawrence (Larry) Maglin, Walter Sonyi, Jr. and Rick Spann
You have won the War for Talent—at least for now. After an extensive (and costly) search, your company is delighted to welcome a new executive—a talented, visionary leader. You are confident that you have chosen well, and that this heavy-hitter will help the organization attain critically important goals.
You have brought this new leader on board expressly to bring about organization change. He has an extensive record of success in his career, including a stint at a top competitor known for its innovation and marketplace agility. Your company also has a long history of success, but you see the need to upgrade your products, services, and processes. This new executive is a sure bet to get that accomplished, right?
Maybe. And that is a qualified maybe.
It is extremely difficult for new leaders, especially those brought in as change agents, to develop the complex knowledge base required for success. It is imperative that they understand the organization (and the people in it) well enough to implement and sustain real, lasting change. New leaders must also pace their entrance into the organization in a way that will emphasize this learning process while simultaneously allowing them to start making important decisions. In doing so, they must temper the understandable desire to quickly prove themselves with the awareness that this sense of urgency may ultimately cause their undoing.
There is a lot at risk. The War for Talent has only begun with this strategic hire. It is not enough to bring an incredible new leader on board—your organization must learn how to hang onto him and optimize his impact.
What if you had a way to dramatically increase the odds of this new leader’s short- and long-term success? A thoughtful and intentional approach to the assimilation of this new leader? Increasingly, organizations are developing structured, organization-wide Executive OnBoarding processes to ensure leadership effectiveness and longevity. A formalized OnBoarding process can cement a new leader’s success. The lack of one can lead to his failure. Abject failure.
Extremely costly failure. One large financial services organization calculated that the cost of hiring a new officer-level leader is at least $380,000. For a top leader in a large corporation, that cost can approach (or exceed) seven figures. Not even considered in these calculations is the cost of intangibles such as the skepticism that develops when a leader and his/her initiatives fail. The cost and difficulty associated with starting up a new change project to replace the failed one. The financial impact that missed opportunities could have on your organization, both short- and long-term.
Recent research in a 100,000+ employee retail organization also demonstrated several other tangible benefits of their Executive OnBoarding process above and beyond their considerable financial savings. They found that their OnBoarding process predicted executive effectiveness on a variety of fronts:
Thorough understanding of business culture and objectives
Increased collaboration and exchange of information among senior leadership team
Effective integration of executive into a leadership role in the functional team
Focused identification and implementation of critical organization initiatives
Increased job satisfaction; and
Decreased likelihood of job turnover.
Without more information, you might be inclined to think that OnBoarding is just an orientation process. In some ways, it is. Effective OnBoarding does help new leaders learn the rules—but in this case, it’s the unwritten rules that they learn about. How to get things done. Who can help (and can’t, or won’t). What to do, and, more importantly, what not to do. However, OnBoarding is about much more than the rules.
A well-structured OnBoarding process helps new leaders develop a deep understanding of, and respect for, the organization as they enter it. It is not a training class. OnBoarding is a six month (or better), systematic approach to developing a strong foundation for future success. In a perfect world, we would let new leaders spend six months just learning about the organization. Unfortunately, we rarely have that luxury. We must ask new leaders to learn about the organization as they do their jobs.
Typically, an ideal OnBoarding process is non-linear and non-sequential. And it is not easy. Effective OnBoarding requires a significant commitment of time and energy. It must be supported organization-wide, and championed by the boss as well as the new leader. As a new leader is assimilated into the organization, OnBoarding simultaneously supports an effective transition at a number of levels: Organizational, Business Unit, Functional, and Personal.
Organizational OnBoarding is an opportunity for new leaders to meet with top executives to learn about organization history and culture, brand identity, strategic direction and initiatives to support current priorities. One organization created such a powerful OnBoarding process that they decided to “retrofit” all 200+ VP-level and above leaders—the bosses released that their new direct reports knew things about the organization of which they were unaware.
Business Unit OnBoarding provides a balance between strategic thinking (as it pertains to the business unit) and the mechanics of organizational functioning. This part of the process creates understanding of the cycle of business meetings and their purpose, provides awareness of business workflow and handoffs, identifies organizational resources and decision-making processes, and facilitates formation of important collegial relationships among top business leaders.
Functional OnBoarding is where new leaders roll up their sleeves and really begin to lead their teams. They assess the function’s capabilities and effectiveness, meet and size up their team, learn from key stakeholders, participate in a structured team assimilation process, and begin creating and implementing initiatives.
Finally, Personal OnBoarding addresses the non-work side of the leader’s life. Many, if not most, high-level hires require relocation of the leader and his/her family. To increase their long-term commitment to your organization, you need to help them put down deep roots in your community. To feel like they belong there. They need help identifying resources. Feeling welcomed by the organization on a personal level.
By addressing the needs of new leaders on these four levels, your company has gained an important business advantage—fully-integrated leadership. If you save one at-risk executive, your process has already paid for itself. And you’ve managed to sidestep the organizational wreckage that can accompany that derailed or failed leader.
Importantly, in addition to the other clear benefits of On-Boarding, it can also become a valuable recruiting tool for your organization. A way to let key candidates know how important they are to you in a way that your competitors can’t. It can become your organization’s secret weapon in the War for Talent.
If you would be interested in how we have helped other organizations assimilate their new management talent,
Please contact;
Walter Sonyi, Jr
1-800-376-8176
walter.sonyi@gigincmail.com
www.gatewayinternationalgroup.com
www.larrymaglin.com
www.lawrencemaglin.com
www.joekran.com
www.josephkran.com
Staff Review by: Joseph (Joe) Kran, Lawrence (Larry) Maglin, Walter Sonyi, Jr. and Rick Spann
You're in Charge - Now What? Aligning expectations
You're in Charge - Now What? Aligning expectations
Whether you’re coming into a company from the outside or being promoted you’ll have certain expectations about your colleagues, the organizational culture, quality of products and services, relationships with shareholders and competitors and the operating processes. These will help shape your agenda.
Each of your stakeholders also has an idea of what should be accomplished in the first 100 days and how you should go about doing it. If these perspectives don’t align on fundamental points, you’re in for a rocky ride that is likely to end in failure.
Ideally you would have a chance during your candidacy to make sure there is common understanding as to the important issues the company faces, but in reality that’s often not possible. There may not have been the time, especially if you’re entering a company in crisis.
Aligning expectations is crucial. Failing to do so is one of the top 10 traps for the new leader. Agreement on the main issues forms the basis of your future success.
Managing expectations, finding common ground
Managing through a mass of expectations means reassessing your own expectations of success; how things work; your colleagues; problems and how to fix them. This takes skill, insight and patience and the ability sometimes to admit you were wrong, as Tom Ryder, CEO of Reader’s Digest discovered: “I walked in and thought I knew exactly where the problems were and what I was going to do. I turned out to be wrong.”
You also have to align others’ expectations of you. Your reputation will have preceded you and, when you’ve come into a company from outside, others will be weighing you up and comparing themselves to you.
Internal promotion also creates tension. Just because you may have been the heir apparent, this doesn’t mean everyone will accord you credibility.
It’s not only colleagues and employees who’ll be watching you but also the board, wanting to ensure that they made the right choice. Suppliers, too, will want to know how you will affect the status quo while the financial community will vote with their trades. You have to set appropriate expectations for you and your employees and align those expectations to the market.
Assimilation
Many companies provide formal assimilation for new leaders allowing their colleagues and co-workers to exchange concerns and expectations. This offers the new leader a chance to discuss his/her background, leadership style and agenda.
Remember that first impression lays the foundation for future interaction. You should take note, too, of four other precepts:
You don’t have all the answers – and no one expects you to
Address doubts and fears
Neutralize lingering resentment
Don’t disrespect your predecessor
Defining the new reality
As you gather information, your own picture of reality will sharpen giving you a better sense of what the problems are and who you can depend on to help you fix them. At the same time, your actions and decisions will help colleagues form their reality. The two will sometimes differ and a leader who makes decisions on the assumption that his or her reality is the only one, could be in for a shock.
The new reality should be a process of getting agreement on what needs to be done, how to do it and who will be involved.
Without a shared reality, “you’re in the ditch” says Amgen CEO Kevin Sharer. You need to get buy-in for your reality to get the support of the organization behind you.
At first, just listen
When you assume a new role you are in a state of temporary incompetence – you don’t have all the answers and your responsibility is to help produce them. Your most important tool is a questioning mind. Learn about the issues people want you to deal with; the people who can help you; how things work. In the process, your colleagues will learn about you: how you work; how you make people decisions; how you communicate; your strengths and weaknesses; and how you can help the organization’s success.
Before you do anything, listen. Former CEO of Lucent Technologies, Henry Schat: “The first thing you should do if you’re the new person in charge is nothing. Resist the temptation to hit the ground running. It is almost certain to be wrong.”
The initial adrenalin rush makes this difficult but it is important to process information, integrate it with your prior understanding and then cycle it.
Even in a crisis situation, take as long as you can to find out exactly what you need to be doing and to secure the commitment of the people you’re going to need.
Question others on what they think are the real issues – these will typically boil down to a few major concerns. While you listen, you also have the opportunity to build a rapport. Take your questioning outside the company to suppliers, customers, business partners, regulators and the financial community – and the board.
Your questions should cover the market, product, finance, people and processes and the answers will help you refine your understanding of the issues the company faces and what needs to be done.
Conclusion
It may be reassuring to note that studies show that it is not so much what people do that leads to success but rather, that they create certain conditions that allow for the successful execution of that change.
The pace and sequencing of change is considered far less important than the creation of an environment in which change can thrive. In other words, assess your expectations, measure them against reality and then find the common ground that will create the conditions to nurture success.
Walter Sonyi, Jr.1-800-376-8176
Staff Review by: Joseph (Joe) Kran, Lawrence (Larry) Maglin, Walter Sonyi, Jr. and Rick Spann
For More Information:
www.gatewayinternationalgroup.com
www.larrymaglin.com
www.lawrencemaglin.com
www.joekran.com
www.josephkran.com
Whether you’re coming into a company from the outside or being promoted you’ll have certain expectations about your colleagues, the organizational culture, quality of products and services, relationships with shareholders and competitors and the operating processes. These will help shape your agenda.
Each of your stakeholders also has an idea of what should be accomplished in the first 100 days and how you should go about doing it. If these perspectives don’t align on fundamental points, you’re in for a rocky ride that is likely to end in failure.
Ideally you would have a chance during your candidacy to make sure there is common understanding as to the important issues the company faces, but in reality that’s often not possible. There may not have been the time, especially if you’re entering a company in crisis.
Aligning expectations is crucial. Failing to do so is one of the top 10 traps for the new leader. Agreement on the main issues forms the basis of your future success.
Managing expectations, finding common ground
Managing through a mass of expectations means reassessing your own expectations of success; how things work; your colleagues; problems and how to fix them. This takes skill, insight and patience and the ability sometimes to admit you were wrong, as Tom Ryder, CEO of Reader’s Digest discovered: “I walked in and thought I knew exactly where the problems were and what I was going to do. I turned out to be wrong.”
You also have to align others’ expectations of you. Your reputation will have preceded you and, when you’ve come into a company from outside, others will be weighing you up and comparing themselves to you.
Internal promotion also creates tension. Just because you may have been the heir apparent, this doesn’t mean everyone will accord you credibility.
It’s not only colleagues and employees who’ll be watching you but also the board, wanting to ensure that they made the right choice. Suppliers, too, will want to know how you will affect the status quo while the financial community will vote with their trades. You have to set appropriate expectations for you and your employees and align those expectations to the market.
Assimilation
Many companies provide formal assimilation for new leaders allowing their colleagues and co-workers to exchange concerns and expectations. This offers the new leader a chance to discuss his/her background, leadership style and agenda.
Remember that first impression lays the foundation for future interaction. You should take note, too, of four other precepts:
You don’t have all the answers – and no one expects you to
Address doubts and fears
Neutralize lingering resentment
Don’t disrespect your predecessor
Defining the new reality
As you gather information, your own picture of reality will sharpen giving you a better sense of what the problems are and who you can depend on to help you fix them. At the same time, your actions and decisions will help colleagues form their reality. The two will sometimes differ and a leader who makes decisions on the assumption that his or her reality is the only one, could be in for a shock.
The new reality should be a process of getting agreement on what needs to be done, how to do it and who will be involved.
Without a shared reality, “you’re in the ditch” says Amgen CEO Kevin Sharer. You need to get buy-in for your reality to get the support of the organization behind you.
At first, just listen
When you assume a new role you are in a state of temporary incompetence – you don’t have all the answers and your responsibility is to help produce them. Your most important tool is a questioning mind. Learn about the issues people want you to deal with; the people who can help you; how things work. In the process, your colleagues will learn about you: how you work; how you make people decisions; how you communicate; your strengths and weaknesses; and how you can help the organization’s success.
Before you do anything, listen. Former CEO of Lucent Technologies, Henry Schat: “The first thing you should do if you’re the new person in charge is nothing. Resist the temptation to hit the ground running. It is almost certain to be wrong.”
The initial adrenalin rush makes this difficult but it is important to process information, integrate it with your prior understanding and then cycle it.
Even in a crisis situation, take as long as you can to find out exactly what you need to be doing and to secure the commitment of the people you’re going to need.
Question others on what they think are the real issues – these will typically boil down to a few major concerns. While you listen, you also have the opportunity to build a rapport. Take your questioning outside the company to suppliers, customers, business partners, regulators and the financial community – and the board.
Your questions should cover the market, product, finance, people and processes and the answers will help you refine your understanding of the issues the company faces and what needs to be done.
Conclusion
It may be reassuring to note that studies show that it is not so much what people do that leads to success but rather, that they create certain conditions that allow for the successful execution of that change.
The pace and sequencing of change is considered far less important than the creation of an environment in which change can thrive. In other words, assess your expectations, measure them against reality and then find the common ground that will create the conditions to nurture success.
Walter Sonyi, Jr.1-800-376-8176
Staff Review by: Joseph (Joe) Kran, Lawrence (Larry) Maglin, Walter Sonyi, Jr. and Rick Spann
For More Information:
www.gatewayinternationalgroup.com
www.larrymaglin.com
www.lawrencemaglin.com
www.joekran.com
www.josephkran.com
YOUR CAREER IS A BUSINESS—SO RUN IT LIKE ONE!
YOUR CAREER IS A BUSINESS—SO RUN IT LIKE ONE!
Hopers and floaters are everywhere! I see them nearly every day, and I feel for them. What are hopers and floaters? Those are the folks who come into my office wondering what’s happened to their jobs and careers. They've been downsized out, or let go because of personality clashes with supervisors, or their management styles weren't right – and now they're on the outside looking in.
Hopers and floaters have gone through their entire careers hoping they would get a raise, hoping they would get a promotion, and simply floating through their working lives. They've never taken control of their careers and run them like the businesses they are. In short, they didn't become the CEOs of their careers, and do for themselves what CEOs do for companies – assess their strengths, strategically plan their futures and market themselves like a product or service. Thus, on the day of dismissal, or at the end of their working years, they wonder what's happened to what was supposed to be a promising career.
So, how can such a calamity be avoided? Well, there are eight keys to running a career like a business, and thus not becoming a hoper and floater.
Realize your career is your own small business – don't turn it over to anyone else to run. Take control of your own working life. Don't assign its management to your boss, your boss' boss, your spouse or a human resources department. If you hand it over to others, they will run it to their best advantage, not yours. Instead, turn it over to YOU, INC.
Define who you are and what you can offer. This means discovering your interests and strengths. It's certainly what any successful business does. There's an old saying, "you do best what you best like to do." In other words, you must find your passion – what you really love to do – and go do it. Your strengths probably help you accomplish your interests; they are “how” you get things done. For example, those who love selling or acting have persuasive strengths. Accountants who love what they do are good with numbers and detail. Graphic artists who are passionate about their work can see interrelationships of size, color and shape.
Know your customer/employer. If you run a business, you'd better know your target customers, as well as their needs. So it is with employers. You must decide to whom you will sell your expertise and for how much money. Obviously, you'll choose an employer that has a problem you can solve, or a situation or issue you can help resolve. Then you must decide what that's worth. However, when that task is finished, either find another, or find another organization with a problem you can help fix.
Understand your "value added" issues. Why should a customer buy from your business? Is it high quality you offer, low price, great service? An employer will buy from you on the same basis. What are the qualities that make what you offer unique? These are what you probably do better than most other people. You must become articulate in marketing these features to those hiring.
Quality and customer/employer satisfaction are paramount for your success. If customers are not satisfied with your product or service, as well as with the buying experience, they will go elsewhere. An employer also will shop elsewhere if your service isn't up to expected standards. And that goes for a boss or others in the organization with whom you work. A cooperative attitude, timely delivery, quality of work, ethics and all the other aspects of "a good experience" add up to whether folks want to come back to you again. If they don't, you'll be out of business as an owner, or out of work as an employee.
Know what's happening in your industry, as a business owner or an employee. Is your industry growing, shrinking or stagnant? Individual businesses and careers can boom in any one of these scenarios, but only if they are carefully planned. Thus, strategic planning is a must, whether you are a business owner or an employee. For example, if industry growth is occurring, go to the area of fastest growth. If shrinkage or stagnation is the story, businesses and careers can prosper if small niche sectors can be found to provide growth, or if problems causing the shrinkage/stagnation can be solved.
Be your own R&D department – keep your skills at cutting edge at all times. If you own a business, you must constantly bring out new, better, higher quality products and/or services. The same is true with managing your career. You must go back to school continually to learn new skills, methods, techniques, strategies and tactics. This is true whether you’re a senior manager, a security guard, or any function in-between. Always remember, be as good as you can be, because there's always a competitor behind you that may have more and better skills.
Always be able to change direction. This means be ready to start a new business or career when the time is right. If a business is failing and it can't be saved, get out! Sell what you can and start something new. If you're an employee in a failing organization and it can't be saved, don't go down with the ship, get out! If your career is soon to be outmoded due to technology, get retrained and move into a growth industry and function. If a reorganization and/or a downsizing is coming, and you aren't absolutely indispensable (and very few of us are!), begin looking for opportunities elsewhere. This way, you'll have some choices available should the ax fall.
If you follow these eight keys to running both a business and career, and if you truly become your own CEO, you'll never be a hoper and a floater. Instead, you'll be using solid business practices to successfully manage YOU, INC.
We at Gateway International take great pride in providing Coaching services to assist individuals in successfully managing their careers. If you would like to discuss these issues, please contact;
Walter Sonyi, Jr.1-800-376-8176walter.sonyi@gigincmail.com
For More Information:
http://www.gatewayinternationalgroup.com/
http://www.larrymaglin.com/
http://www.lawrencemaglin.com/
http://www.joekran.com/
http://www.josephkran.com/
Staff Review by: Joseph (Joe) Kran, Lawrence (Larry) Maglin, Walter Sonyi, Jr. and Rick Spann
Hopers and floaters are everywhere! I see them nearly every day, and I feel for them. What are hopers and floaters? Those are the folks who come into my office wondering what’s happened to their jobs and careers. They've been downsized out, or let go because of personality clashes with supervisors, or their management styles weren't right – and now they're on the outside looking in.
Hopers and floaters have gone through their entire careers hoping they would get a raise, hoping they would get a promotion, and simply floating through their working lives. They've never taken control of their careers and run them like the businesses they are. In short, they didn't become the CEOs of their careers, and do for themselves what CEOs do for companies – assess their strengths, strategically plan their futures and market themselves like a product or service. Thus, on the day of dismissal, or at the end of their working years, they wonder what's happened to what was supposed to be a promising career.
So, how can such a calamity be avoided? Well, there are eight keys to running a career like a business, and thus not becoming a hoper and floater.
Realize your career is your own small business – don't turn it over to anyone else to run. Take control of your own working life. Don't assign its management to your boss, your boss' boss, your spouse or a human resources department. If you hand it over to others, they will run it to their best advantage, not yours. Instead, turn it over to YOU, INC.
Define who you are and what you can offer. This means discovering your interests and strengths. It's certainly what any successful business does. There's an old saying, "you do best what you best like to do." In other words, you must find your passion – what you really love to do – and go do it. Your strengths probably help you accomplish your interests; they are “how” you get things done. For example, those who love selling or acting have persuasive strengths. Accountants who love what they do are good with numbers and detail. Graphic artists who are passionate about their work can see interrelationships of size, color and shape.
Know your customer/employer. If you run a business, you'd better know your target customers, as well as their needs. So it is with employers. You must decide to whom you will sell your expertise and for how much money. Obviously, you'll choose an employer that has a problem you can solve, or a situation or issue you can help resolve. Then you must decide what that's worth. However, when that task is finished, either find another, or find another organization with a problem you can help fix.
Understand your "value added" issues. Why should a customer buy from your business? Is it high quality you offer, low price, great service? An employer will buy from you on the same basis. What are the qualities that make what you offer unique? These are what you probably do better than most other people. You must become articulate in marketing these features to those hiring.
Quality and customer/employer satisfaction are paramount for your success. If customers are not satisfied with your product or service, as well as with the buying experience, they will go elsewhere. An employer also will shop elsewhere if your service isn't up to expected standards. And that goes for a boss or others in the organization with whom you work. A cooperative attitude, timely delivery, quality of work, ethics and all the other aspects of "a good experience" add up to whether folks want to come back to you again. If they don't, you'll be out of business as an owner, or out of work as an employee.
Know what's happening in your industry, as a business owner or an employee. Is your industry growing, shrinking or stagnant? Individual businesses and careers can boom in any one of these scenarios, but only if they are carefully planned. Thus, strategic planning is a must, whether you are a business owner or an employee. For example, if industry growth is occurring, go to the area of fastest growth. If shrinkage or stagnation is the story, businesses and careers can prosper if small niche sectors can be found to provide growth, or if problems causing the shrinkage/stagnation can be solved.
Be your own R&D department – keep your skills at cutting edge at all times. If you own a business, you must constantly bring out new, better, higher quality products and/or services. The same is true with managing your career. You must go back to school continually to learn new skills, methods, techniques, strategies and tactics. This is true whether you’re a senior manager, a security guard, or any function in-between. Always remember, be as good as you can be, because there's always a competitor behind you that may have more and better skills.
Always be able to change direction. This means be ready to start a new business or career when the time is right. If a business is failing and it can't be saved, get out! Sell what you can and start something new. If you're an employee in a failing organization and it can't be saved, don't go down with the ship, get out! If your career is soon to be outmoded due to technology, get retrained and move into a growth industry and function. If a reorganization and/or a downsizing is coming, and you aren't absolutely indispensable (and very few of us are!), begin looking for opportunities elsewhere. This way, you'll have some choices available should the ax fall.
If you follow these eight keys to running both a business and career, and if you truly become your own CEO, you'll never be a hoper and a floater. Instead, you'll be using solid business practices to successfully manage YOU, INC.
We at Gateway International take great pride in providing Coaching services to assist individuals in successfully managing their careers. If you would like to discuss these issues, please contact;
Walter Sonyi, Jr.1-800-376-8176walter.sonyi@gigincmail.com
For More Information:
http://www.gatewayinternationalgroup.com/
http://www.larrymaglin.com/
http://www.lawrencemaglin.com/
http://www.joekran.com/
http://www.josephkran.com/
Staff Review by: Joseph (Joe) Kran, Lawrence (Larry) Maglin, Walter Sonyi, Jr. and Rick Spann
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