Quick Tuesday Musings – Managerial Pitfalls

I’ve been poring over a lot of information recently on the traps waiting to ensnare your managers and supervisors.  In every study, report or book read recently I keep running across the problem of poor communication and interpersonal skills.  So I thought, why not talk about some of the symptoms that your managers may be showing if they indeed have this very common management problem.

The “at risk” manager always seems to be feuding with someone in your organization.  Have you met this type of supervisor very often?  They’re working on personal grudges or that blasted accounting department that they just know has it in for them and them alone.  I know it’s not rationale, but they seem to honestly believe someone has it out for them and they need to keep up their defenses.

The polarizing manager is also a key symptom of poor communication or interpersonal skills.  Other employees either love this manager or hate them, there is no middle ground.  They can have a real reputation for being authoritarian, cold, aloof, arrogant, insensitive, or the type that plays favourites.

What about the hermits?  You know the type, they avoid direct communication or interaction with other employees and peers at all costs.  Do you have managers who would rather deliver any type of news, both good and bad, through an email instead of face to face communications?  This type of manager will go to great lengths to avoid direct contact and becomes unapproachable and perceived as less supportive or understanding.

What about the hostile manager.  This symptom can be most commonly observed in relationships with co-workers that share interdependent goals and are competing for resources or time.  These managers can become the targets of subtle or blatant sabotage efforts from their co-workers and will be a real morale killer.

So what can you do if some of your managers and supervisors are showing these symptoms?  There is good news, there are remedies you can employ to turn things around and help them become more effective.

First, try to understand the true root cause of conflict.  Does your manager have a personal or political problem with a couple of people, or are they having problems with a large group?  If it only involves one or two people this is something you can nip in the bud quickly.  But you’ll have to act immediately, don’t let these problems fester and begin to include more people.

If it is more serious, you may have to dig deeper into the manager’s management style and motivations.  More often than not, mangers just don’t know what they don’t know.  Very few managers and supervisors have the self-awareness to know if they are coming across as insensitive or aloof.  It is very important for them to understand their natural management style and how it impacts others, but until they get the feedback and information necessary to develop this self-awareness improvement remains elusive.

Many studies have found that an effective manager spends up to 75 – 80 % of their day communicating with the employees they are expected to lead.  Managers with poor interpersonal and communication skills cost you in many ways.  They are generally not happy in their work and this tends to impact the engagement and morale of your workforce.  Make no mistake about it this has a tremendous bottom line impact on your business.  But by getting involved and spending some valuable resources on developing your managers, you will see tremendous returns.  Don’t rely on your managers or supervisors to try and heal themselves, be on the lookout for these symptoms and then get them the help they need to be the best they can be.

The Importance of Hiring and Selection

What a beautiful morning.  An early morning bike ride in the glorious southern Alberta foothills is one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had.  This morning was truly inspiring, and it may have had something to do with the company on the ride.

Accompanying me on this ride was one of my favourite training mentors, Brian Tracy.  Brian has spent years starting and operating successful companies throughout North America and has compiled a tremendous library of knowledge.  He has accomplished a great deal and then become world-renowned in his ability to teach the knowledge, skills and attitudes that helped him reach the top.

This morning I was listening to him talk about the importance of hiring and selecting the right people for your business.  In Brian’s words, this is the single most important task that you will face as a the owner or manager of a business.  Jim Collins in his landmark book “Good to Great” said that one of the hallmarks of great companies was their ability to hire the right people and put them in the right positions.  He said, “get the right people on the bus, put them in the right seats on the bus and the bus will take you wherever you want to go.”

How much time, effort and resources do you currently devote to your hiring process?  Would you be surprised to learn that, without fail, research shows that organizations which invest more in the hiring process have a clear track record of hiring more successful, productive and loyal employees.  Studies clearly show that reactionary, intuition based hiring decisions cost North American businesses billions of dollars each year yet this is still by far the main way people are hired.

When I say reactionary, intuition based hiring, I mean hires that are made too quickly and are most often based on a gut decision.  Did you know that these types of hiring decisions have a less than 15% chance of working out over a six to twelve month basis?  Think of the consequences, every bad hire has a cost associated with it.  In strictly monetary terms it is estimated that bad hires end up costing your company three times the position’s yearly salary.  Even if you’re hiring entry-level people at $30,000 a year, that’s still a $90,000 hit for every bad hire.

Hiring and selection is a process that can’t be rushed.  An old saying states that we should “hire slow and fire fast”, but isn’t that often reversed?  We are so quick to fill a position that we don’t take the necessary steps to make certain that this person is fitted for success in the role.  And if they aren’t fit to have success we are setting them, and ourselves up for failure down the road.  The question is – how much of our time, their time, and our companies resources will we waste before we admit it.

The good news is that there are steps that we can take to develop best in class hiring and selections systems that will greatly increase our success in this area.  For starters we can develop a hiring and selection system.  Be honest, how many of us have a standardized system in place for our hiring managers to follow.  If we do, how often do the hiring managers get training and feedback on how they are doing at using the system?  Do we provide tools that can help make better decisions; like assessments, reference and background checks, training on behavioural interview skills.

Improving the accuracy of our selection processes have very tangible benefits.  We can already see that there is a very real monetary return on investment that can be realized.  Consider also the improvements in productivity, engagement and employee morale that careful hiring and selection leads to as well.

I personally believe that one of the main reasons we resort to the fast, gut hire is that we are making hires on a reactionary basis instead of proactively.   Most often we don’t think about the process until someone leaves or we have a pressing need for that position.  This need weighs on us doesn’t it?  It causes us to rush through the process and put someone into the position too quickly.  Think about that for a minute.  Wouldn’t it be better to have an unfilled position than the wrong person in the position?

I have met many people who truly dread the hiring and selection process, it is a very painful process that they would prefer to avoid or accomplish quickly to be done with it.  Don’t take this the wrong way, but I love meeting people who feel this way.  I love it because we have developed programs and systems that can help.  We can help them numb the pain and turn weaknesses into strengths.  Strengths that will help them achieve the prosperity and happiness their business was supposed to provide.  If you’ve been experiencing pain from your hiring and selection process, why not get a hold of me for a conversation?  It won’t cost anything more than a few minutes of your time, and we may be able to help.  I hope we can.

Pro Sports and Talent Management

One of my favourite books is “Hiring Secrets of the NFL” by Isaac Cheifetz.  Cheifetz is a corporate recruiter specializing in advanced technology, and obviously a big football fan.  The book is all about how to increase the odds of bringing in the right talent for the right position, with the right cultural fit and building teams that can deliver world-class performances.

I was initially intrigued by the book, and probably bought it, mainly because I am also a huge football fan.  However, while reading it, I began to see the parallels between successful sport franchises and successful organizations in respect to talent strategy.

Whatever sport you follow, think about how your favourite team operates.  On a typical professional football team there may be up to a dozen or more coaches.  In fact each position on the team has their own full time coach.  Players and coaches spend over ninety percent of their time during a week just preparing to perform at the highest level possible.

Let’s talk for a minute about the selection process a pro football team goes through.  In the NFL, teams employ scouting departments that scour North America for the best talent they can find.  And they look specifically for players that can fill specialized roles on their teams.  Reams of video footage are pored over on each player.  At scouting combines players are measured in every way possible, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

And all professional sports teams are constantly looking for what they call depth at every position.  In football especially, you never know when a player’s career could end.  Injuries take a tremendous toll, but all too often players just can’t keep performing at the same physical level for long.  Teams need to have reserves at every position who are capable of stepping in and stepping up to the challenge.

I have often been surprised at how closely top performing organizations conduct their talent management strategy in a manner that is almost identical to a successful sports team.  Top companies are constantly on the lookout for the best talent with an eye on the future.  They never know when a superstar manager or leader might be gone, and so they are developing depth in the ranks to step in.

The best organizations are doing all they can to develop the leaders they have and cultivate employees with potential to succeed them eventually.  In sports succession planning is critical.  A quarterback or goalie can’t keep going forever and will have to be replaced eventually.  Your leaders will need to keep improving during their careers but will not be around forever.  Retirements, new opportunities, or simply diminished performances are all problems to watch out for and you need to have replacements ready to go.

Top organizations carefully evaluate and scrutinize potential employees just as carefully as any NFL team.  Interviews are designed to uncover as much information as possible about future potential.  And top companies subject candidates to as many assessments and tests as needed to make sure that these candidates are put into positions where their natural strengths allow them to succeed.  They also carefully measure new hires to make sure they have the skill and talent to fit, but also that there is a cultural fit with the organization.  This is a key, but often overlooked component to talent management, can they do they job and will they want to do it here?

Lastly, pro football teams are constantly evaluating and assessing their organization and the talent within it.  They are quick to cut those who don’t work out and let them move on.  Think of how much more productive your organization would be if effective performance reviews were held often and taken seriously.  Are you measuring employee engagement and satisfaction on a regular basis?  Remember that these are two separate issues as well, some of the most disengaged employees you have are quite satisfied with their paycheck.

One final comment.  Remember what happens to football general managers who do a poor job of managing their talent.  The NFL can be very harsh on managers that don’t produce results, those results are wins and championships.  A lack of talent or the mismanagement of talent will find a GM on the unemployment line in no time.  Mis-managing the talent in our business could lead to the same situation for us, or worse.  In business or in sports results count, and those results are impossible without the right people in the right positions.

Do You Rely On Accidental Learning?

Over the last couple of months I have seen a rise in stories and reports about the looming war for talent.  This shortage of talent has been eased slightly by the economic downturn but it hasn’t eliminated it.  All signs point to even fiercer competition for the best and brightest in the years ahead.

So in the face of killer competition for leaders, how are you developing your current and future leadership stars?  Unfortunately many organizations are hoping their leaders somehow find the skills and competencies they need to excel.  This is called accidental learning, and if it’s the cornerstone of your leadership development plan you should have some cause for concern.

‘Accidental learning’ relies on the hope that people have acquired, through trial and error, the skills they will need to keep advancing to more senior levels of leadership.  But that just doesn’t happen.  Sure there are many managers who pick up just enough knowledge and skill to get by, but in the long run they won’t be properly prepared to truly lead without careful planning.

One of the biggest problems with accidental learning is that it provides very little of the feedback necessary for proper development.  Leaders need to hear feedback from many different sources to develop all of the competencies needed for real excellence.  And they also need to hear critical feedback as well.  This is the real problem, we have set up our organizations in large part to eliminate criticism and this deprives our future leaders of important learning opportunities.

No one likes to be criticized.  But if we never hear anything critical we assume that things are going great and we don’t need to develop.  We can’t hope that people will pick up the skills and competencies they need to be great leaders.  We need to plan ways that they can receive meaningful feedback on their strengths and weaknesses and then provide personalized development plans to address them.

One proven, effective tool for providing feedback are 360 degree assessment programs.  These types of feedback programs, when done right, will give the aspiring leader input from bosses, peers, direct reports and themselves.  Effective 360′s will help individuals and their senior leaders align themselves with the goals and expectations of the organization.  They will also dispassionately outline strengths and weaknesses that can be addressed with targeted learning opportunities.

When it comes to 360 programs there are a world of possibilities.  You can develop your own instruments, but be warned, this is a very time consuming process and takes time to find the right balance.  You also run the risk of cultivating some wariness or distrust among employees as they wonder just how candid they can be with their feedback.

Fortunately there are several extremely good 360 programs that can be provided by external consultants.  I recommend these because they lend more anonymity to the process and allow respondents to really say what’s on their mind.  This is good.  You want people to be as candid as possible to provide the most realistic feedback.  That is how you learn the areas that you need to focus on developing in each individual.

There are specific competencies that your current and future leaders will need to have to guide your organization successfully into the future.  Don’t rely on accidental learning to hope they find them and improve them.  Instead, plan ways that your leaders get the feedback and development they need to really excel.  Imagine how much more productive they will be with such targeted and focused training.  This is too important to leave to chance, you must be proactive, it will not happen just by hoping or wishing it so.

Evaluating Training – What’s the Big Deal?

A few random thoughts on Training and Evaluation at the end of the week.  I have spent some today working on an evaluation strategy for a client and had a few thoughts I wanted to share.  Specifically I want to talk about the process of evaluating training programs, and why everyone assumes they are evaluating their training, but rarely are.

I facilitate training sessions quite frequently for other organizations.  Hey, you’ve got to keep busy and keep the cashflow positive.  Over the years I have noticed that almost 100% of these programs only evaluate one level training, by no small coincidence this is universally the most frequently evaluated aspect of training.

Of course I am speaking of the universal reaction sheets that go hand in hand with every off the rack program ever sold and delivered to the corporate community.  The most amusing description I’ve ever heard of these universally used instruments was “enter-trainment”, thanks Bill.  The reaction sheet handed out at the end of every training session known to man, trying to gauge how well the facilitator managed to keep people from nodding off or wanting to leap out a window.

Ok, I’m not being entirely fair.  How the learner felt about the course is important feedback.  Over the years I have been able to improve my facilitation skills in numerous ways by honestly accepting feedback received from these forms.  But we miss out on so many other truly important aspects of measuring a training sessions effectiveness by only evaluating this level.

According to Kirkpatrick, and I’ll go with his theories because I think they are still the most valid out there, there are four different levels of evaluation when it comes to training.  There are reaction, learning, transfer and impact.  Let’s take a quick look at the other three and why their important.

Learning level evaluation involves the actual learning that takes place in a course.  What did the learners actually learn?  This seems pretty basic, we should be measuring if training participants learn what we are trying to teach right?  But think about how many courses, workshops, or programs you’ve attended where you’re level of learning is not measured in any way?

Transfer evaluation is a key part of measuring the effectiveness of any training program.  This level looks at whether or not the learner was able to transfer what they learned in the program into the real world.  Was their a real change in behaviour or attitude after the completion of the program.  This level of evaluation should be critical to both learning providers as well as those paying the tab.  If there is no transfer, then what were you writing the cheque for in the first place?

And finally comes evaluating the impact of training.  For the person or organization investing in the training this is the most important level of evaluation.  Unfortunately it is also the most difficult type of information to obtain and assess.  Impact level measurements focus on the results that improved performance, or changed behaviour and attitude has on the organization.  Did the training make a difference?  Any training program should fundamentally make a difference, and that difference should in some way impact the bottom line of your company.

The next time you’re thinking about getting some training for your employees, managers or volunteers – ask yourself this question.  How will I determine the effectiveness of the program at these four different levels.  Not only will you most likely end up with a much more effective program, you’ll be able to better calculate the return you get on your investment dollars.

Training and development is quite possibly one of the best things you can do for your organization and your employees.  But if you aren’t targeting the right issues and carefully evaluating your results, it quickly becomes an expense that gets cut when times are tough.  And that, can be one of the worst things to happen to your company, your people and your bottom line.

Leadership Development – A Good Overview

OK, one last good one for today.  This is an article on Leadership Development from Self Improvement Blog, I completely agree with most of the points that they make, especially about the critical need for leaders to have self-awareness about the strengths and abilities they have in relation to leadership.

What makes a good leader?  Leadership development…  Are leaders born or made? Can you use management leadership training to give leadership skills to someone who isn’t leadership material? How is it done?

Read the rest here.

Performance Reviews That Work

I know, nobody likes performance reviews, yet they can be one of the most effective performance enhancement tools out there.  IF, and it’s a big if, if they are done right.  A great,quick article on the important nuts and bolts of the process here by Joyce E.A. Russell in the Washington Post.

The Best Investment for Your Business?

What area of your business is the best to invest in? Well, if you’ve ever read this blog before at all, you know where I’m going. I ran across this great article by shaylafrazier35@aol.com on management development and training.

The success of any company lies in the correct management training of its employees. Most companies do not fail because their product is not better than competitors or their marketing is not that effective but because their employees are not trained enough to handle the dynamic market changes.

Read the rest.

Executive Coaching for Leaders – Why Developing Emotionally Intelligent Leaders is Good Business

by Leo Skillman

Although most executive coaching has occurred at the CEO and President level, companies are now beginning to realize the value provided at all executive management positions. Finally, develop a sense of “learning agility”. Well, I have learned to rapidly dissolve large clouds, manifest small items rapidly, bend conversations, predict people’s future, know things about people, etc.

Three recent surveys of managers who had completed Executive Coaching in Fortune 1000 companies reported that the benefits they received were between two and six times the cost of the coaching. Companies are finding that coaching is essential for creating change and evolving people towards their highest productivity and potential. In our executive coaching programs, we co-create leadership development action plans based on requisite competencies to grow future leaders.

Executive management coach and client collaboratively create an Action Plan that includes strengths, developmental targets and effective strategies for change. Research supports one-on-one coaching to be the most successful method for developing high performing leaders. We offers a diverse selection of cutting edge leadership, sales performance and personal development programs aimed at accelerating the performance of companies and individuals in every area of life.

The top reasons often cited for offering coaching include:

1. When you create a motivational, inspirational, and visionary environment, you are sharpening your own leadership skills.

2. Correcting management behavior problems such as poor communication skills and developing

emotional intelligence.

3. If you want to increase your success rate, double your failure rate.

4. Improving employee relations problems such as poor communication skills, disorganization,

demeaning or arrogant behavior by developing better social intelligence.

5. The difference between management and leadership The distinction between management and leadership skills can be summarized briefly as follows: Management is about exercising control.

Do you think you or other company leaders might benefit from working with a seasoned executive coach?

Leo Skillman runs price comparison shopping site. To find great deals online please visit www.pricebonus.com.

Article Source: http://www.leadershiparticles.net

Nurture Your Future Leaders

by Gen Wright

They are the fast-rising and upcoming superstars of the organization. Young and talented, these entry level managers have excelled in their academic years and are looking to duplicate their success in a working environment.

On a smaller scale, they have already shown what they can do. Now, they are in search of more challenges. It is time for them to take bigger risks and make things happen. As your newest batch of managers, they are ready to rumble!

Connect them to the organization

Use the organization’s core values to connect with upcoming superstars of the organization.
On their first day, pick a respectable senior leader in the organization to inspire them with a short talk on the importance of core values. Let the senior leader tell them stories of his or her past experiences to illustrate how the company’s core values have guided him/her to success. The aim is to let new young managers understand that as leaders, they represent the core values of the organization. This gives them a connection to the identity of the organization – an alignment of their personal values with the organization’s core values.

Allow new young managers to cross-train for a short period of time (4-6 weeks) with teams led by more senior and experienced managers who consistently demonstrate a high regard for what the organization believes in. This way, new young managers get to fully understand the meaning of the organization’s core values as it is being practiced on a regular basis.

As an extended practice, new young managers can be given responsibility for values orientation among newly recruited people across the organization. This will give them a greater sense of accountability.

Develop their Emotional Quotient

Although high IQ levels count, let them know that developing their EQ is as critical as mastery of their chosen profession. Workers value a leader’s abilities to control their emotions such as anger, to withstand difficult events and stressful situations, to be fulfilled with what life can give, and to be a cooperative member of the team.
As early as possible, let your young superstars participate in a leadership development program that includes topics such as enhancing self-awareness and self-reflection skills.

Encourage them to practice and seek on-going feedback from co-workers to identify and monitor inappropriate emotional behaviour. This will help young managers learn how to control their responses and quickly recover from any setbacks. Developing their EQ is an investment that will reap rewards in the area of relationships and personal growth once they assume more senior leadership roles.

Keep them Interested

Your new young managers will definitely find it exciting if their job descriptions say: implement change, multi-task, and solve problems. Multiple tasks and challenges are never a problem.

Gradually increase their responsibilities as they show capability to keep them challenged and interested with what they are doing. Give them regular feedback about their past six months’ performance and update them about what’s going to happen next.
New young managers are particular about structure – a clear hierarchy in the organizational chart, a well-defined scope of work, and an outline of their career path is critical if you wish to motivate them.

Special projects are also a welcome responsibility particularly if the assignment is related to the latest in communication technology or social networking. Encourage new young managers to strengthen informal bonds and create solid teamwork by setting up a networking system that allows them to communicate and collaborate.

Give them a life

Work-life balance is a must for long-term career growth. Managers of this generation lead multi-activity lives. They work hard but they also value time for sports, adventure, and recreation with family and friends.
Create fun and let friendship bonds be formed across various teams in the workplace through lunch break celebrations and socials in the office.

Encourage young managers to join clubs or teams that promote wellness or any team sport that they are interested in.
Allow them to spend enough time with their families on weekends to re-charge and re-energize their week.

New young managers are not threatened by job security or big pay checks. They want to learn from their senior leaders, be successful with their teams, and earn the respect of the whole organization. Nurture them early to create well-balanced individuals who will surely be productive as professionals and as respectable leaders in the organization for a long time.

Mel Mendoza is a virtual assistant for whatdoyouwantfromthem.com – an informal network for managers. Create a
private social network for your management recruits.

Article Source: http://www.leadershiparticles.net