20 Tell-Tale Signs – If You’re Under-Performing as a Manager

 

Whether new or experienced, managers can often struggle. Poor management, of course, leads to poor performance.

As red flags, under-performing managers share one of two common traits with ineffective employees. Such managers aren’t fully aware of their shortcomings. Even if they are aware of deficiencies, they’re afraid to admit it.

Either way, nothing is done about the shortcomings. Accountability suffers. There are 20 typical warning signs.

Here’s a list of questions – 20 tell-tale signs – if you’re under-performing as a manager:

1. Is your department underperforming? It can be attributed to ineffective management.
2. Are you getting positive performance reviews from your boss? If not, that’s an indicator.
3. Do you have a strong image ? If you don’t enjoy employee loyalty or if peers are snubbing you, those are omens.
4. Are you a stress carrier? Whether its personal stress caused by conditions at home or career challenges, it can adversely affect your work relationships.
5. Do you engage in self-doubt? Weak decisions prompt actions leading to poor results.
6. Do your employees communicate well with you? Sometimes employees are distant because they’re unhappy with your style.
7. Are you careful to surround yourself with great employees? You don’t want a lot of yes-people. You want thinkers who will take ownership of their work.
8. Are you clear with your expectations of employee performance? If you’re nebulous in day-to-day interactions, instructions or in formal reviews, employees won’t deliver.
9. Do you make good investment for short-term and long-term success? Whether it’s technology or human resources training, good managers take productive steps and make insightful investments.
10. Are you a go-to person? Does your boss look to you for solutions and projects, or are you overlooked? This means you’re not viewed as being a valuable resource.
11. Are you open-minded? Do you step outside your comfort zone? This means being able to be innovative and assertive, and you don’t settle for mediocrity.
12. Are you a big-picture manager with strong potential for the C-suite? A manager who is good CEO-material has knowledge and ability in all areas of the business, not necessarily a doctorate-level expertise in any particular segment of the business.
13. Are you constantly looking for ways to improve? The best managers are voracious readers, and look for sources of good ideas and processes.
14. Do you instill a customer-focused organization? Task-oriented managers who are not focused on customer needs will not maximize profits.
15. Do you meet goals? If goals aren’t being met – whether it’s your department or your individual employees – performance will not been enhanced.
16. Do you have weak links on your team? It’s possible to have high-performing workers, but prima donnas are a liability if they don’t work well with others.
17. Are you ensuring company policies and values are upheld? If not the culture will be endangered and profits will suffer.
18. Are you on top of budgetary matters? In this business climate, it’s imperative to have a clear view of your department or company finances.
19. Do you regularly assess your business strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats? This is crucial for goal-setting and strategic planning.
20. Do you recognize employee and company success? Celebrations are good for everyone’s morale.

From the Coach’s Corner, for effective management, here are more resource links:

Leadership Strategies to Profit from Employee Respect

Human Resources – Power Your Brand with Employee Empowerment

Management Best-Practices Include Solid Operations Checklists

21 Quick Tips to Avoid the Dark Side of Management

“The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”

-Theodore Roosevelt

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Terry Corbell is a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?

 

Human Resources – Power Your Brand with Employee Empowerment

 

Are you investing in marketing, but not getting the anticipated return on your investment?

If you’re disappointed by your ROI, remember marketing may or may not be the problem. Why? Consider there are two basic reasons for poor profits – again, that’s profits not revenue. The reasons include failure to adapt to a dynamic marketplace and failing to solve the internal factors that impede the control of costs, performance and quality.

To research the problem, assess each of the following:

1. Marketing and sales approach
2. Human resources management
3. Operations and processes

Naturally, if you conclude marketing isn’t the problem, this means that your company isn’t managed at optimum levels.

A  lesson I’ve learned as a management consultant: Marketing doesn’t work when a company isn’t well-run. Two symptoms are poor company image and low customer satisfaction. Therefore, look internally. You need for your employees to be productive. But in such cases, they’re not.

So consider a University of Iowa study, “Antecedents and Consequences of Psychological and Team Empowerment in Organizations: A Meta-analtyic Review.” Published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, it was co-authored by researcher Scott Seibert, professor of management and organizations in the Tippie College of Business; and UI doctoral students Gang Wang and Stephen H. Courtright. They reviewed the results of dozens of other studies.

The report’s conclusions about employee-empowerment:

• Morale is higher
• Performance is stronger
• Job satisfaction is enhanced
• Less turnover
• Reduced stress

“Empowerment is an effective approach for improving employee attitudes and work behaviors in a broad range of industries, occupations and geographic regions,” said Profess Seibert.

To summarize, he recommends:

• Managers sharing information
• Including employees in decision-making
• Providing HR training
• Paying well
• Recognizing employee contributions
• Showing leadership
• Providing good feedback
• Helping workers to find meaning in their work with challenging responsibilities

“Managers in these studies reported that empowered workers were more innovative and more willing to take the initiative to solve problems on their own,” said the professor. “Employees said they were more engaged in their work when empowered, that they felt like they had an influence and an impact on the business around them.”

My sense about empowerment:

Empowerment is a lot more than lip service. Give it sufficient consideration.

Employees deserve an opportunity for empowerment. But always remember it’s a privilege, not a right. Trust is important. You need employees who demonstrate initiative and performance. Recruit for such attributes.

Give your employees parameters, not a blank check to do whatever they feel like doing. Explain your expectations – paint a picture they can visualize. Show them the big picture facing the company and their department – then, explain operational costs and why their roles are important. Set reasonable goals and deadlines. Understand the difference between micro-managing and hands-on managing. Continually monitor and recognize everyone’s progress.

Don’t forget to make work fun.

Be assertive and thorough. Avoid the dangers that result when managers poorly implement empowerment initiatives. Yes, when it works, empowerment leads to profits. Remember you’re the boss and ultimately responsible for organization’s performance.

From the Coach’s Corner, here are more resource links:

21 Quick Tips to Avoid the Dark Side of Management

Boss Checklist: 16 Strategies for a Competitive Edge

 

“I’ve always found that the speed of the boss is the speed of the team.”
- Lee Iacocca

 

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Terry Corbell is a business-performance consultant and profit professional.  Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?

 

 

Human Resources: The Future of Performance Reviews

 

Here’s an interesting dilemma: Should performance reviews be fired? That’s the title of an article published by the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School in April, 2011. It’s an informative article and its premise is thought-provoking.

Interestingly, it states 97.2 percent of American firms conduct reviews compared to 91 percent of businesses globally.

As you might expect and in my HR practice for clients, too, I’ve witnessed many workers are tormented by the very thought of performance reviews. That goes for many supervisors, too, in giving and receiving them. Some employees respond well to comments about their work. Many don’t.

In many cases, such workers have justification — especially, when the supervisor is biased, shows errors in judgment or is guilty of poor timing. Often, supervisors make up to 12 errors in evaluations. If it’s an unfair process, the resulting cost — individuals’ morale, teamwork and poor organization performance — is quite high. (Note: there are 20 tell-tale Signs – if you’re under-performing as a manager.)

The article astutely points out how some companies are successful because they prevent hostilities from occurring in annual reviews. They perform multiple reviews during the year when projects are completed instead of surprising employees at the end of a 12-month duration.

That’s also what millennials have come to expect from their upbringing – instantaneous comments about their work. The trick is to be balanced with adequate positive and negative feedback.

Red flags

So, performance appraisals can be unproductive. Bosses have a propensity to give better ratings to people they have personally hired. And there are other biases.

The article mention one disconcerting statistic from research by Sibson Consulting: Too much emphasis is placed on quantity, not quality of performance reviews. Because many managers aren’t professionally trained in the art of giving reviews, 58 percent of HR managers give their processes an average or failing grade.

This leads to a lack of trust between non exempt and supervisors. That’s why we experience debacles in oil spills, automotive recalls, and nuclear reactors.

Properly implemented performance appraisals are also tools to prevent cultural problems. (If helpful for your organization, here are six steps to implement a cultural change for profits.)

Approaches of successful companies are also cited. Sibson Consulting conducts reviews at the conclusion of projects, and semi-annually with a focus on employee talents and how to put them to best use. A Toronto-based social software company, Rypple, makes it a practice to have real-time discussions, and executives seek feedback. As you might expect, employee appreciation and recognition, and coaching are a big part of the company’s HR approach.

The article also mentions the concept of “performance previews.” That’s the art of dialogues between managers and workers before the work starts on projects.

Additionally, there are profit drivers to consider. It’s beneficial to know how and why to partner with your employees. Your human resources department can actually develop a reputation as a profit center with 15 HR strategies to improve your business performance.

360 reviews — pros and cons

It also discusses the pros and cons of 360 reviews – reviews by peers, subordinates, bosses and sometimes.

My sense: I’ve never recommended 360 systems to clients. The 360 system discourages congeniality and teamwork, and serves as a catalyst for tension from unwarranted competition.

Also, my experience suggests that performance reviews should not be fired. Companies are successful when evaluations are productively implemented.There should be informal real-time feedback. Bosses should immediately correct problems and recognize strong employee performances. I’d also suggest that bosses walk the floor twice a day – not to spy on employees but to have casual dialogues with open-ended questions to get better acquainted. Employees love it.

So, use performance reviews. Set goals about expectations of employee performance, coach your workers, and get feedback. Your organization’s performance will be maximized when you take good care of your assets – your human capital.

Finally, remember it’s a mistake to overlook succession planning. Indeed, there’s a link between financial performance and succession planning.

Here’s the Wharton article: Should Performance Reviews Be Fired?

From the Coach’s Corner, here are other resource links:

21 Quick Tips to Avoid the Dark Side of Management

Human Resources – Profit By Not Letting Your Stars Become Free Agents

HR Management: Which Employees Are Most-Likely to Quit?

“Be nice to people on your way up because you meet them on the way down.” 

-Jimmy Durante

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Columnist Terry Corbell is also a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?

 

HR, Marketing Pros: 4 Keys to Marketing Your Ideas to CEOs

 

Whether you’re a human-resources or marketing professional seeking to be a partner in the C-suite, it’s vital to communicate effectively with senior management. Effective professionals often have ideas that will benefit the organization – opportunities for growth or options to conserve revenue. A good idea can be worth $1 million or more.

However, all too often, such ideas never see the light of day. Abilities in self-promotion are a good thing.

To market your ideas to senior management, here are the four keys in best practices:

• Understand your talent for communication
• Five value-motivating perceptions of senior managers
• Seven steps in the art of persuasion
• Three steps for overcoming objections

Key No. 1 – Understand your talent for communication. Two questions to ponder: What are your strengths and weaknesses in interacting with members of the C-suite? Do you think like a senior executive?

By way of explanation, the average chief executive officer usually has roots in finance, but especially marketing or sales. Moreover, the executive tends to be a generalist with a variety of skills – knowledgeable about a lot of areas after spending an inordinate amount of time and energy working very hard to get to the top. 

It can be an isolated position because it’s rare for a CEO to have a close confidante in the organization – there are few people with whom to communicate salient issues. 

Aside from the myriad of issues that concern CEOs – profits, customers, government regulation or information technology – the No. 1 concern of CEOs is related to HR. They don’t they’re understood. Many believe most mid-managers and employees do not understand the executive’s vision for the organization – they do not get the big picture of the company and its marketplace. 

Typically, CEOs are interested in saving time and money while increasing profits.  So think big picture – a campaign. Strategize for  a series of interactions, not just a one-time meeting to offer ideas.

The first step is to understand your talent for persuasive communication with senior executives.  As Socrates is famous for “Know Thyself”, it’s vital to conduct a self-assessment.

Devote some quality, quiet time to your self assessment. Reflect on what transpired whenever you’ve tried to communicate with the CEO. Then, on a sheet of paper, draw two columns. Devote one side for your strengths and the other for your weaknesses.

Remember a strength is usually very close to being a weakness and vice versa.

For example, a person who is aggressive and lacking diplomacy with senior management also has the capacity to tone down the rhetoric and become assertive. Or, a person who procrastinates on an issue also has the ability to act decisively after enough reflection.

At the root of all weaknesses is fear. Consider it an acronym – FEAR – a frantic effort to avoid responsibility.

When you’re done with your self-assessment, consider what you need to do in honing your strengths and alleviating your weaknesses. It doesn’t have to be an overwhelming process. Work on one weakness at a time by focusing on its parallel strength. 

Don’t obsess too much about your weaknesses. It will lead to paralysis. Make certain your proverbial cup is full, not empty.

Write a list of affirmations. For example, if you’ve done your homework and think you have a great idea but you’re not confident, write something like: “I am a critical thinker with great ideas.”

Keep the list of affirmations handy near a mirror. Read aloud them as you look in the mirror. Do this frequently. Before long, you’ll feel more assertive.

You’ll find a strength becomes an even stronger attribute, and the weakness will diminish.

Leave room at the bottom of your self-assessment page. That’s reserved for your action strategies – a statement of action – your goals and how you’ll achieve them.

Key No. 2 – Five value-motivating perceptions of senior managers. Some CEOs – 18 percent – will only accept the least-expensive ideas. 

For the other 82 percent, it’s important to capitalize on their five value-motivating perceptions. Remember, they want to save time and money while increasing profits.

Their perceptions that will motivate them to accept your ideas include: 

• What they think of your acceptance of their vision – 52 percent. Their reasoning depends on what they think about your integrity, judgment, friendliness and knowledge in implementing their overall vision for the organization.
• Your image as a professional – 15 percent. It starts with appearances – a favorable first impression.  
• Quality of product or service utility – 13 percent. The CEO will be asking the question – “What will this do for me and the company?” 
• Convenience –12 percent. CEOs like easy-to-understand and easy-implementation of ideas.
• Price or cost – 8 percent. Cost is important, but it’s the least concern among the five value-motivating perceptions if the return on any investment is positive.

Another seemingly small, but salient tip – read what your CEO reads.

How to find out: Visit the CEO’s office to see what publications are placed on the table, ask the executive assistant, or ask the CEO when you think the executive is approachable after a meeting or in a chance-encounter in the hallway (e.g. “Do you mind if I ask you a question?” If you get the go-ahead, ask something like: “What are your recommendations for excellent reading material concerning OUR business and industry?”)

This has never failed to get positive attention.

Key No. 3 – The seven steps in the art of persuasion. There are salient self-promotion principles with which to familiarize yourself.

Here are the seven steps in persuading senior executives:

1. FEE.  This is an acronym for establishing a common ground for a foundation – conveying the principles of event and empathy.  
2. Research attitudes.  Because the CEO doesn’t care what you have to say, until she/he has been heard, it’s vital to listen.  Ask open-ended questions, the CEO will open up and you will learn vital information.  If you ask close-ended questions, you will get yes or no answers, and the dialogue will end prematurely.
3. Agreement on Need. Get the CEO to agree on the need to act. (e.g. “So we need better morale?”)  In other words, don’t ask them to agree to your ideas – yet.  You have much more ground to cover.
4. Generic Value Proposition or Benefit Statement. Here’s where you explain your value proposition.  Remember the difference between features vs. benefits to answer the basic marketing questions, such as the acronym, WIIFM, “What’s in it for me?” or “So what?”)
5. Fill the Need.  If you listened intently in Step 2, you’re now ready to offer specific solutions to the CEO’s concerns.
6. Commitment – Ask for the commitment using a non-threatening, closed-ended question. For example, “Can you think of any reason of why we can’t start Monday?” The critical word is “think.” If you get a “yes,” which indicates opposition to your idea, skip to Key No. 4 – The three steps to overcoming objections.
7. Seal the Deal. This final step has two components –

• Use the magic words:  “Thank you for your consideration.”  (Avoid the boring, inane phrase: “Have a nice day.”) 
• Prevent buyer’s remorse – remind the CEO of the benefits that result from your ideas.

Key No. 4 – The three steps to overcoming objections. More often than not, CEOs have concerns about employee ideas.

Here are the three steps to overcoming objections:

1. Get the CEO to restate her/his concern. Then repeat the person’s words, for example:  “If I understand you correctly, you feel…?”
2. Empathize:  “I can see how you feel that way”…or “You know, someone said the same thing last week.”
3. Overcome the objection with facts.  (Then go back to the seven steps.)

From the Coach’s Corner, many CEOs don’t accept HR professionals as partners in the C-suite. Such senior executives don’t see their HR department as a profit center. It might be advantageous to learn more about marketing and sales.

For IT pros wanting more strategies, see: How CIOs Can Get More Respect in the C-Suite.

21 Quick Tips to Avoid the Dark Side of Management

Plus, the 4 Ways New Managers Misfire in Communication

 

News headlines from Seattle to New York are cause for some serious head slapping. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) continues to be inundated with worker complaints.

Even the U.S. State Department has issued a critical report of an ambassador, a Seattle businesswoman who was a prolific fundraiser for the Obama election campaign. She was accused of countless personality conflicts, verbally abusing employees, and dubious liquor and travel expenses.

It’s hard to believe countless numbers of managers in the public and private sectors continue to generate complaints and legal action.

Consider a mere sample of headlines:

• ‘Abusive’ ambassador says she filed rebuttal
• EEOC Healthcare Bias Complaints on the Rise
• Pacific Seafood To Pay $85K To Settle Retaliation Suit
• EEOC sues Amtrak for gender discrimination
• Pregnant employee claims discrimination by Pizza Hut

In 2010, nearly 100,000 charges – 99,922 to be exact – were filed with the EEOC. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. What about the issues employees haven’t filed with the EEOC? What about the incidents you see every day at your place of employment?

It’s true that not all complaints are valid. Many aren’t. Some originate from mere office politics. Managing employees is difficult. So the purpose here is not to indict the managers who are professional – assiduous, empathetic, good motivators and make sure their workplace stays out of legal trouble.

But the fact remains these headlines are indicators that many managers fail to perform their jobs. Here’s another way to put it – managerial dysfunction. That’s often the case because a significant number of workers are mistakenly promoted into management.

You’ve heard of The Peter Principle, right? People rise to their level of incompetence. University of Southern California professor and author Laurence J. Peter also theorized about what he called “percussive sublimation.” That’s when people are promoted to get them out of the way of high-performing workers. When, actually, they should be demoted to their level of competence.

So many people don’t receive adequate professional management training or they don’t receive any at all. So what can be done? My prescription is lots of professional training and self study.

Consider there are basic shortcomings of many new managers. They simply don’t understand human nature.

There are four ways new managers misfire in communication, including:

1. They don’t correctly address attitude problems among their employees.
2. They don’t adequately follow organization policies or direction from their supervisors.
3. Because of a lack of authority with peer managers, many fail to use persuasive tactics to resolve problems.
4. Open communication is not used to issue directives to their staff – employees perform better when directives are explained well.

Again, many obstacles to organization success could be avoided if managers were better students of human nature. They must learn to deal with know-it-all workers; shy people who aren’t assertive even if they have good ideas; or motivate workers who only view their tasks at the end of their nose and simply follow orders – no matter what the consequences. And managers need good listening skills, especially for the majority employees who are competent with good ideas and performance.

The best managers create a positive environment and encourage the expression of ideas from their workers. In disagreements, they need to be assertive in managing disagreements.

Here are 21 quick tips:

1. Keep an open mind. Don’t think or act like you know everything. If you’re a new manager, don’t make changes right away unless it’s critical to do so.
2. Practice listening. Know your employees. Get to know your staff. Walk the floor a couple of times a day. Engage your staff. Ask for their ideas. Communicate effectively to avoid unwelcome surprises. An added benefit – you’ll hear about problems early before it’s too late.
3. Be approachable. Don’t flaunt your position. When an employee asks to talk with you. Let the person talk or set a more convenient time for you both. When the discuss starts, put the pen down. Show good listening skills. Maintain good eye contact.
4. Avoid the over-use of the pronoun, “I.” Look for opportunities to use the word, “we.” That goes for meetings and written communication. Try never to start a paragraph using “I.”
5. Recognize employee productivity. Always give due-credit for performance.
6. Be assertive. Don’t procrastinate on threats to your staff or the organization. Deal effectively with politics. For every problem, anticipate a multitude of solutions. They might not all work, but be resourceful. Keep your ego in check. Understand the difference between being assertive vs. aggressive. Don’t be thin-skinned and don’t let fear motivate your actions. Remember an acronym for FEAR is frantic effort to avoid responsibility.
7. Timing and mode of communication are important. Know the time when it’s best to communicate matters and how to do it. Personal meetings are more productive than e-mails on introducing critical topics.
8. Respect your employees. Be fair. Don’t under-estimate them. For example, if you have a cash-flow issue, talk with them about it and discuss options. Eliminate all possibility of discrimination.
9. Don’t confuse process with outcomes. Explain what’s going on without making rash promises you can’t keep, especially where it applies to remuneration.
10. Budget your time. That goes for your employees in listening and delegation. If you’re bogged down in clerical work remember you are an unnecessarily expensive and wasteful manager. And budget your time effectively for interfacing with your boss.
11. Use diplomacy. Watch what you say and how you say it. Measure your words correctly with employees. Bosses don’t like to be told what to do. If you have suggestions about a sensitive subject to discuss with your boss, use phrases like “You might wish to consider.”
12. Flaunt your human-mess. Take responsibility. If you should make a mistake, flaunt it. Your boss and employees will respect your honesty. Make amends wherever appropriate ASAP.
13. Don’t be a milquetoast. Remember people-pleasers are ineffective managers.
14. Consider the welfare of the organization to be paramount. Don’t let one or two employees disrupt the team.
15. Lead by example. Practice what you preach in values and productivity. Mentor and demonstrate the paths you want employees to take in their work. Show how it’s important to the bottom line.
16. Motivate with autonomy. Instead of micromanaging, explain parameters and let your employees make decisions and take actions.
17. Maintain confidences. Maintaining confidentiality where appropriate shows wisdom. If pointedly asked, say something like “I’m not free to comment now.”
18. Do your footwork before making controversial decisions. Good managers market important decisions and changes, personally, in a one-on-one basis. Remember many employees are apprehensive about change. Anticipate who will be the obstinate employees and their reasons. Your organization won’t be rife with rumors and other morale issues.
19. Continually check your productivity. Regular assessments of your performance and your employees matter – for the welfare of your organization.
20. If you have profit and loss responsibilities, stay on top of financials. Understand your break-even analysis. Be a student of how to grow profits and your company’s assets.
21. Keep a positive work-and-life balance. Otherwise, both your personal and professional lives will suffer. Encourage your employees to do the same.

Treat your employees as assets – as human and intellectual capital – with respect and professionalism. You’ll avoid the dark side of management and you will be successful.

From the Coach’s Corner, here is additional reading:

Human Resources – Slow Motion Gets You There Faster

Boss Checklist: 16 Strategies for a Competitive Edge

Human Resources – Profit By Not Letting Your Stars Become Free Agents

Leadership Strategies to Profit from Employee Respect

How to avoid EEOC Discrimination Suits

Human Resources: 12 Errors to Avoid in Evaluations

Strategies for Productive Meetings to Improve Your Company’s Performance

 ”When hiring key employees, there are only two qualities to look for: judgment and taste. Almost   everything else can be bought by the yard.”

-John W. Gardner

 

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Columnist Terry Corbell is also a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?

Job Hunting? Tips to Land Your Dream Job with Style, Substance

 

Yes, the competition for jobs is ferocious. Unless you’re in accounting, healthcare, mechanical-repair or proficient in sales, good jobs are hard to find. Hopefully, you’ve honed your networking skills and are getting interviews.

The first key is to check your attitude. To avoid feeling and acting desperate between interviews, spend your spare time networking, volunteering and exercising. Be visible. Daily, dress becomingly as you can.

Get your foot in the door. If you need income right away, consider temp work. Actually, your sense of self worth will grow immeasurably by working as a temp vis-à-vis being content to merely drawing an unemployment check. You’ll generate opportunities to demonstrate your worth in three possible ways:

1. Astute bosses will create a permanent job for a temporary employee if they see spot the right talent, experience, and attitude.
2. Many companies like hiring temp-to-perm to check out potential employees who can hit the ground running – without making a riskier, expensive commitment in hiring.
3. A successful temp firm might create an in-house position for you.

Don’t be afraid to cold calls to make appointments. You’ll be in a position to size up companies as they do a quick evaluation of you. Otherwise, merely answering recruitment ads puts you in a cattle call – standing in a long line with all the other job seekers. So cut through the clutter of competition.

Keeping your options open and being passionate about learning are salient. Although they’re not likely to use such terminology, great employers want to know you’re flexible and passionate about continual self-improvement. They don’t want just a job seeker. They want someone who will help them make a dollar.

OK, so now you’ve landed an interview – here are some tips to keep in mind:

Set the stage. To be considered for your long-term potential, dress as though you would for your career five years from now. Good bosses often ask their receptionists for their first impressions about applicants. Without gushing, treat them like gold. Show up 10 to 15 minutes early. Remember you’re on display.

If you’re nervous, quietly practice deep breathing exercises. Look alert. Sit upright, smile and review your list of questions – you’ve got an opportunity for professional growth.

As an old Irish expression goes, keep the interview “civil but strange.” Be professional and relaxed. Be prepared with a firm handshake and good eye contact. Unless you’re applying for a prison guard’s job, smile. Don’t get too personal. Commenting on pictures or décor is fine. Don’t comment on the person’s clothing. Particularly commenting on the interviewer’s pictures can help make a connection.

Resumé. As you walk in the room have several copies of your resume ready. Whether you’re being interviewed by one person or a committee – offer to present your resume even if you already submitted it.

Ideally, it presents a picture of your specific examples of accomplishments and your potential to help the organization meet its goals. Look for opportunities to discuss your abilities.

Be a chameleon. Fit in the culture and interviewer’s style. Be enthusiastic without gushing. Don’t try too hard. Take a breath before speaking. If you’re unsure how to answer a question, pause and buy some time by restating the question using the interviewer’s words. Don’t appear to be too quick to react, be facetious or superficial. Use an economy of words – don’t ramble.

Demonstrate you’ve done your homework. The interviewer will appreciate knowing you’ve done your research about the company and its industry. Stay current by signing up for search-engine news alerts about the company and its marketplace. Check out the day’s news events before heading out the door for the interview. Nothing is more embarrassing than not looking up-to-date. Instead, you’ll be prepared for questions and appear to be a great match for the organization.

Ask salient questions about the company, the position and industry, but not about salary. That comes in later meetings –  once you know the company is interested in you.

Market yourself. Be prepared to brand yourself – use concise value propositions – the benefits you will provide the company as an employee. It’s important before the meeting to rehearse five benefits you offer the company.

Make a mental note of all topics discussed in the interview. If the meeting appears to be drawing to a close, be politely assertive. Before you leave, be certain to cover all of your salient benefit statements that pertain the company. Use a phrase, such as:  “You might wish to consider…because…”

Be positive and demonstrative (e.g. “I will” or “I routinely…”  instead of “I can” whenever feasible).

If you’re seasoned, you might be perceived as overqualified. Don’t worry. See it as an opportunity and provide polished answers. For example: “Yes, I’m looking for an opportunity with an excellent company with quality products/services where I can participate…”

Concluding the interview. Don’t leave without another firm handshake, good eye contact and smile. If you weren’t given a business card, ask for one. Unless you’re told to contact the person via e-mail, don’t. Only use the telephone and snail mail.

Positive interview signs. Here are good indicators:

• If the interview goes longer than 30 minutes
• If you’re offered a brief tour or introductions to others in the company
• If the interviewer does most of the talking

These are green lights and indicate the interviewer is impressed with you.

Follow-up. Immediately write a thank you note to each person who interviewed you and head for the post office. Make certain you’ve made every effort to see that the thank you note arrives within 24 hours. If someone has referred or recommended you to the company, that goes for the networking person, too.

Key note elements in a three-paragraph note include:

1. Mention the pleasure you experienced in meeting the person.
2. Explain how much you appreciate the opportunity to discuss the key topics. Mention them specifically.
3. Restate your value propositions – how the company will benefit by hiring you.
4. Thank the persons for their consideration.
5. End with a buyer’s remorse statement – “You will be very pleased with…”

If another appointment hasn’t been scheduled, it’s OK to follow-up with a phone call five-business days later.

But if you’ve used all these strategies, you will be in the driver’s seat for subsequent meetings. You won’t have to telephone the interviewer. Good manners count.

P.S. Successful people know how to market themselves. Make a thorough study of best-practices in self-promotion so you won’t be out-of-work again anytime soon.  Good luck!

From the Coach’s Corner, here suggested readings:

Discouraged in Job Hunting? Powerful Tips for the Best Job

Need a Career Change? 10 Steps for a Career Makeover

Top 11 Tips for a Great Elevator Pitch 

“When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.”

– Will Rogers

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Columnist Terry Corbell is also a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?

 

U.K. Study about Leadership Provides Lessons for the U.S.

 

Senior managers in Britain have a credibility issues with their human resources professionals according to a study by Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), which was published in PersonnelToday.

With bosses in the U.K. being seen as lacking in leadership qualities, the private and public sectors in the U.S. might be getting an early wakeup call from the 2010 study.

“It is a real concern that such a high proportion of HR professionals believe their senior teams are falling short,” said Penny de Valk, who is chief executive of the ILM. “This leadership skills gap is holding U.K. businesses back.”

Her solutions are not surprising:

“We need to get better at developing these essential people leadership capabilities, such as the ability to motivate, alongside the ‘harder’ technical, professional and commercial skills,” she added.

Ninety-four percent of surveyed HR professionals indicate their dire impressions of senior management. The HR professionals believe executives need to learn how to enhance their leadership skills.

The two most-salient attributes leadership cited by respondents:

• 36 percent – emotional intelligence
• 34 percent – ability to motivate staff

The two most-mentioned skills: Professional/technical and commercial acumen.

The study concluded 24 percent of employers prefer managers who have been successful in come-backing from professional disasters.

ILM’s study included 50 HR respondents at businesses employing more than 1,000 workers.

While it’s a fairly small study, it might be synonymous with the tip of an iceberg of the situation in the U.S.

Certainly, many executives need to learn how to command more respect. Many HR professionals feel unappreciated by senior management, and they need to learn how to earn more respect in the C-suite.

As a matter of fact, all of this is true for other types of professionals.

From the Coach’s Corner, suggested reading:

10 Basic Tips — Leadership for Business Profit

Business Problem Solving Often Means Compartmentalizing

“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.”

-Peter Drucker

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Columnist Terry Corbell is also a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?

 

Human Resources – Profit By Not Letting Your Stars Become Free Agents

 

Top performers in business have the same characteristics as great athletes, and it isn’t always about money. Top baseball pitchers always want the ball. Home-run hitters always want to be the go-to players, especially when their team is trailing in the last inning. They want to come through in the clutch, and they want to play for winners.

The No. 1 baseball player all-time in walk-off home runs is still Mickey Mantle – he hit 13 in his 18 seasons as a New York Yankee. He still holds the World Series’ record for the most home runs – 18. The term, walk off, was not used in his playing days, but it’s common now.

For non-baseball fans, a walk-off hit is high drama because it means instantaneous victory – it’s the last run batted in for the home team’s last-at-bat. Baseball fans know how difficult it is to accomplish in the other team’s stadium. Mr. Mantle could hit out them anywhere – at home or away.

His achievements were too voluminous for a business column, but for illustration purposes here are a few more:

His home runs were also memorable because they were majestic. In 1960, he hit the longest one history – 643 feet.

Sitting in the left field stands with my brother at Dodger Stadium in the 1963 World Series – the Yankees vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers – we were thrilled as he blasted a seventh-inning line drive that almost hit us. He hit the home run off a pitcher that few players could hit – the legendary Sandy Koufax. It was such noteworthy event the Los Angeles Times interviewed the man sitting behind us because he managed to get the ball after a scuffle among the fans around us.

During the 1964 World Series against the Cardinals in St. Louis, Mr. Mantle won a game by hitting a dramatic ninth-inning homer off noted relief knuckle-baller Barney Schultz.  I’ll never forget the newspaper headline the next morning: ‘I was scared to death’ – Mantle.

He had turned fear into action. (I consider FEAR to be an acronym for frantic effort to avoid responsibility.)

When the Yankees originally brought up the kid from Oklahoma, he was 19 years old. He had been passionately tutored by his father, and he was very competitive in high school in all sports. As a major-leaguer, he failed at first and was sent down to the minors. Depressed but with his father’s encouragement, he soon made it back to Yankee Stadium. Not only did he have power, he could run faster than any player, and became the greatest switch-hitter ever. In 1956, he won the Triple Crown for batting average, home runs and runs batted in. The next year he hit .365. He credited his father’s influence for his success.

He retired at the early age of 36. Unlike most players then and now, he played for the same team his entire career. He later got religion and admitted alcohol-related health problems stemming from his desire to excel off the field limited his career. But, oh, what achievements.

So what are the parallels between baseball and your company?

Like the late Yankee great, stars want responsibility and to be held accountable for their actions. The only way to make it possible to retain them and to win in the marketplace is to give your stars sufficient opportunities.

So, if you have star employees, it’s critical to retain them in the right atmosphere. It isn’t entirely about money. It’s about opportunity – for your firm’s growth and theirs. Sure, they want to make a good income. But they fantasize about personal achievement in helping their team to win in image, market share and profits.

So how do you identify the potentially great performers? Look for three As: Attitude, appearance, and ability.

Attitude means they have the necessary competitive drive, confidence, calmness under fire, character, and the ability to be empathetic with coworkers and customers. It’s also important that employees have the desire to learn and grow in responsibility.

Professional appearance is important for credibility and first impressions, which are lasting.

Ability, of course, is talent. (Depending on my audience, sometimes my seminars mention a fourth “A,” for angle. That’s usually when there are morale, teamwork or customer-service issues. For a company to be successful, employees must understand all angles – empathy for coworkers or customers.)

Assuming you’ve identified stars, now’s the time to do something about your side of the ledger — manage your human resources — take precautions to keep star performers. Create a high-performing environment and retain your talent for more profit. Like Mickey Mantle and his father, employees have to be encouraged and groomed – here’s how:

1. Spend time with your employees to learn their personal objectives and skills.
2. Determine how their goals can match yours for your business.
3. Teach them how they can impact the big picture – how their performance helps the company.
4. Show your appreciation for their efforts.
5. Explain how their talents will help your team.

By now you probably realize I like baseball – hence the sports analogy. But I’m not enamored with the free-agency process. Take care of your players – your human capital – and you’ll be rewarded with a grand-slam home run.

From the Coach’s Corner, this portal has numerous tips for management in the Human Resources category.

“You can never be afraid of your stars; they can’t hold a company hostage.”

– Jack Welch

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Columnist Terry Corbell is also a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?

Leadership, HR, Marketing Lessons from HP’s Executive Turmoil

 

Updated Feb. 22, 2012

A legendary tech company is still on a roller coaster ride. Five months after hiring a new CEO, Meg Whitman, Hewlett-Packard finds it elusive to find profits. Profits dropped 44 percent in the last quarter. This forecast for the current quarter is not bright.

Plus, a court ruling puts former HP CEO Mark Hurd and the company’sproblems back in the spotlight.

That means Ms. Whitman will find it advantageous to solve three salient corporate issues – long after the sudden exit of Mr. Hurd. At issue, are perceived quagmires in leadership, human resources and marketing.

Mr. Hurd was widely credited for HP’s recent success. But his forced resignation over a sexual harassment case and inconsistent expense-account reports is the company’s third tumultuous event involving key executives in just five years. Analysts were unimpressed with his lack of vision.

His accuser, Jodie Fisher, a 50-year-old actress and former reality television contestant who was hired has a marketing consultant, introduced him to key customers and kept him company. She said she was sorry he lost his job.

Especially, this week since a court approved publication of a letter sent by Ms. Fisher’s attorney, Gloria Allred, to Mr. Hurd – the letter detailed his alleged sexual advances toward Ms. Fisher.

For example:

“At times you would behave professionally seemingly ‘getting’ that she was not going to have sex with you,” wrote Ms. Allred. “At other times, not, and you would relentlessly attempt to cajole her into having sex with you.”

The first unsavory HP event, of course, was the 2005 firing of CEO Carly Fiorina following her lack of financial success and her questionable, contentious merger with Compaq resulting in heavy layoffs.

Then, there was the 2006 controversy surrounding Patricia Dunn, who as chair of the board, hired firms that used illegal methods to try to stop leaks of proprietary HP information to reporters.

So, it’s not surprising that published reports indicate employees now have huge morale issues after Mr. Hurd’s tenure.

Ms. Whitman will need substantial leadership skills because HP still has to improve the employee morale and marketplace position.

HP’s share price plummeted by 10 percent in just the first day after Mr. Hurd’s firing. It fell another 8.4 percent the following Monday to a 52-week low. Obviously, many investors are nervous. On Friday’s close, the share price was $25.76.

Certainly, employees feel betrayed. Improving employee morale necessitates a strong internal communications program with empathy and appreciation for the employees’ contributions to the company. Certainly, from the C-suite on down, HP’s HR and training initiatives are being tested.

It might seem like a bit of a stretch, but the marketing should tout the rich, storied legacy of the company’s origins in a garage. That’s what occurred to me after being reminded that Americans love an underdog following release of a 2010 study by the Simmons School of Management in Boston.

“Across contexts, cultures, and time periods, underdog narratives have inspired people,” according to the study co-authored by the school’s Jill Avery. “Stories about underdogs are pervasive in sports, politics, religion, literature, and film.”

In using the term, credibility, she implied in an interview with BusinessNewsDaily that trustworthiness and integrity are salient principles to inspire customers to buy.

“Underdog brand biographies contain two important narrative components: a disadvantaged position versus an adversary and passion and determination to beat the odds,” wrote the study’s authors.

In addition to Dr. Avery, the authors include Neeru Paharia and Anat Keinan of Harvard University, and Juliet B. Schor of Boston College.

They found that the respondents identified with underdog brands and were more likely to buy them.

“The American Dream, the fabled American myth, is built on the stories of underdogs who came to the United States with virtually nothing and pulled themselves up from their bootstraps to achieve success,” wrote the authors.

When the study of products that included the branding term, underdog, they were preferred in 89 percent of the cases by participants. Companies with a humble history are very appealing to consumers.

In fact, as a reward for participating in the study, respondents were given their choice of a chocolate bar. Seventy-one percent chose the underdog candy bar.

Meantime, to be fair — HP makes great products. My firm has had numerous laser printers; both black and white, and color. Some have only lasted a year or two. But two of the most reliable are the discontinued HP LaserJet 4P model printers from the early 1990s. They’ve produced reams upon reams of quality documents without fail. Sadly, they were finally mothballed in 2011 when it the drivers were no longer available for updated computers.

Let’s hope HP finally gets this leadership problem corrected. It’s past time for inspiration and vision for success with customers.

Related link: Are HP’s Board and New CEO Headed in Right Direction?

From the Coach’s Corner, if you have customer loyalty issues, don’t worry because you’re not alone: Bank Woes Provide Lessons for All Companies Seeking Growth.

“Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.”

-Colin Powell

 

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Columnist Terry Corbell is also a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?

 

Diverse Age Differences at Work Mean Return to Status Quo in Attitudes – Robert Half Study

 

Despite the 21st century’s widespread age differences in the workplace, at least one thing hasn’t changed – many attitudes of workers are similar. For example, employees are often most-interested in company stability, according to a study by Robert Half.

Sadly, for many companies, that might also be why 40 percent of respondents are apt to shop around in seeking a new job.

“There has been considerable focus on the differences among various generations, but our research confirms many similarities,” said Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half International. “Understanding the values shared by nearly all employees, particularly in light of changing economic conditions, can help companies enhance their recruitment and retention efforts.”

The study involves more than 1,400 people working fulltime in North America. The respondents are either college graduates or are in school. Just over 500 are hiring managers. The demographics include baby boomers, aged 46 to 64; Generation X, 32 to 45; and Generation Y, 21 to 31.

Among the three generations, the study reveals five similarities:

• Job security are preferred over working for a community-minded firm or even a shorter commute
• Salary, company stability and benefits were the most salient
• Most-prized benefits – Healthcare and dental coverage, vacation time and matching 401 (k) plans
• The recession is the main reason for those planning to work past 65
• Diversity in work experience is believed to be beneficial

Here are the generational differences:

• Following the downturn, many plan to job hunt. The breakdown includes 36 percent of Generation Ys, 30 percent of Generation Xs, and 24 percent of baby boomers.
• Among the Generation X, 38 percent plan to upgrade skills and 33 percent percent plan to stay with their employers.
• For the respondents planning to work past 65, 54 percent are baby boomers, 46 percent are Generation X, and 39 percent are Generation Y.
• 34 percent of Generation X and 27 percent of baby boomers managed to add to their retirement nest eggs since the beginning of the downturn.
• Many are concerned about differences in coworker work ethics and balancing career with their lives. That’s 54 percent of baby boomers, 45 percent of Generation X, and 35 percent of Generation Y.

“Many employees, particularly Gen Y professionals, are biding their time in their current employment situations and plan to make a move when they feel the economy is on firmer footing,” said Brett Good, a Robert Half International district president. “Now is the time for employers to take action and outline career paths within their company for strong performers. Compensation reviews also should be conducted to ensure that pay is competitive.”

Well said.

If you want, you can get a copy of the study.

From the Coach’s Corner, if you want 18 strategies for better employee relations, see Leadership Strategies to Profit from Employee Respect.

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