Workplace Communication – Is the ‘Queen Bee Syndrome’ a Myth or Reality?

 

Regrettably, women’s same-sex conflicts in the workplace have long been maligned in books as inherently more problematic than men’s. Hence, the negative stereotypes – the “queen bee syndrome” or worse, “cat fights.”

The typecasting prompted a 2013 academic report, “Much Ado about Nothing? Observers’ Problematization of Women’s Same-Sex Conflict at Work.”

The research concludes it’s nonsense. Two researchers, Leah D. Sheppard and Karl Aquino of the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia published a paper in the journal, Academy of Management Perspectives.

Excerpts from an Academy of Management press release:

They researched three workplace conflict scenarios – they were the same except for the names of the individuals involved. In one version they were Adam and Steven; in a second version they were Adam and Sarah; and in a third they were Sarah and Anna.

The authors wrote “when all else is equal…female-female conflict is generally perceived as having more negative implications for the individuals involved…than male-male or male-female conflicts….Observers view female-female conflict as more problematic.”

As the authors put it, “Female participants were just as likely as male participants to problematize female-female conflicts.”

Workplace ramifications

The authors wrote this “could have serious implications for women’s work-related outcomes. For example, a manager might decide against assigning two female subordinates to a task that requires them to work together if he or she suspects that they cannot set their interpersonal difficulties aside.

“This might result in lost opportunities for female employees, given the ever-increasing implementation and importance of teamwork in organizational settings. Women who have had interpersonal difficulties with female coworkers in the past might be overlooked for future career-development opportunities as a result.”

More study results:

• In the experiment that yielded these conclusions, 152 individuals, 47 percent female, from an online participant pool were randomly assigned to read about a workplace conflict involving two account managers in a consulting firm. The conflict developed when manager A gave orders to an intern working for manager B without informing manager B, as a result of which manager B complained to their common supervisor. This in turn led to an angry confrontation between the two managers in B’s office.

• Participants were asked to make judgments on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree) on three sets of items: 1) the likelihood that the two managers would be able to repair their relationship going forward; 2) the extent to which the conflict would affect the two individuals’ job satisfaction, commitment to the company, and interest in leaving the company; and 3) the effect of the dispute between two of the firm’s 10 account managers on the reputation, morale, and performance of the organization as a whole.

• On the first question – whether the two managers would repair their relationship – participants judged the likelihood to be 4.1 on a scale of 1 to 7 when the conflict was between Adam and Sarah, 4.2 when it was between Adam and Steven but only 3.6 (roughly 15 percent lower) when they managers were named Anna and Sarah.

This suggests observers are “inclined to believe that women hold grudges against one another and struggle to move on from past transgressions. This perception casts female-female conflict in a particularly shameful and petty light.”

• On the second question – the extent the conflict would disrupt the account managers’ feelings for the company -participants rated it at 4.0 when the conflict was between Adam and Sarah, 4.5 when it was between Adam and Steven, and 5.0 when it was between Anna and Sarah, a disruption 25 percent greater in raw terms than that caused by male-female conflict and more than 10 percent greater than that occasioned by male-male conflict.

• On the third question – damage to the organization – there was no significant difference between the effect of female-female conflict and the effects of the other two.

Researchers’ reactions

The researchers hope their findings will persuade “researchers and practitioners to think more critically about the language that is often used…to describe conflict between women at work. For example, we are hard-pressed to think of a term comparable to catfight that is regularly used to label conflict and competition between two men.

“Although this particular term is more common in the media than in academic research, management scholars have widely adopted the queen bee syndrome terminology. This term is troubling because it dehumanizes women and suggests that competition and conflict between women is akin to a disease, when, in reality, moderate amounts of same-sex hostility are natural and expected across male and female members of many species.”

Recommendations

The authors hope for change.

“Hopefully, our findings will have some effect, however modest, in increasing managers’ awareness of this bias when they have to deal with workplace conflicts,” said Dr. Sheppard. “And, although I hate to put the onus on women, it also might benefit them to avoid ruminating with coworkers about their same-sex conflicts, since this study suggests that observers are already inclined to overly dramatize them.”

Amen. The use of labels is often unproductive.

My sense is that’s also why career women often have to be more careful than men in their communication styles – to develop an image of being assertive not aggressive. That’s another obstacle for women to overcome particularly if they management ambitions, so here’s how: 18 Tips for Productive Behavior to Win in Office Politics.

As a former member of the Academy of Management, I highly recommend it as an organization as well as its publications. The organization has 18,000 members in over 100 countries – the world’s-largest group geared for management research and teaching.

From the Coach’s Corner, additional resources:

Management

• 18 Leadership Strategies for Employee Respect
• HR Tips — So Your Recruiting Enhances Diversity, Not Sexism
• HR Management: Which Employees Are Most-Likely to Quit?
• How You Can Eliminate Destructive Conflict for Better Teamwork

Employees

• Is Your Career Stalled? Turbo Charge Your Personal Brand
• How Women Can Enhance Their Careers via Group Decision-Making
• Career Strategies: How to Get a C-Level Job

• 7 Tips for a Young Professional to Become a CEO

“The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said.”

-Peter F. Drucker

 

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Author Terry Corbell has written innumerable online business-enhancement articles, and is a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services. For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule him as a speaker, consultant or author, please contact Terry. 

 

Study: HR Pros Fall Short as ‘Strategic Business Partners’

 

Human resource professionals are holding both themselves and their employers back, according to a 2012 study by global management consultants, the Hay Group. Hay research indicates “inefficient processes and disconnected disciplines” are the primary causes – why HR professionals aren’t providing a noteworthy role to position their companies for the future.

“…the emerging HR concerns for the years ahead lie around developing the workforce and ensuring the right people are in the right roles and doing the right work,” according to a Hay Group press statement.

Hay’s study included 1,400 responses from both senior executives and HR professionals. Of which, just 34 percent concluded HR has made a strategic contribution to their employers.

About 60 percent could be characterized as doing a so-so job in achieving performance and growth results.

In a sense, Hay points out the expectations of HR in recent years have been myopic.

“As market demands continue to change, organizational success will hinge on HR’s ability to connect human capital decisions with business strategy,” said Phil Johnson, Hay Group’s global head of work measurement. “HR will need to stop clinging to traditional processes and inefficient silos and move toward an integrated approach that links work and people to business results.

More study results:

• Only 40 percent say work measurement and talent management processes are closely aligned
• Even fewer (36 percent) say talent management and organizational effectiveness are closely aligned
• Slightly more than one-third (39 percent) say they have moved away from traditional silos, but this leaves 61 percent that haven’t – or worse still, are unsure.
• Despite 76 percent of respondents saying they use a formal work measurement system, the research suggests that many organizations are not seizing upon the full potential or making the most of their investment.

“The research highlights how HR will lag behind management expectations if a holistic approach to people management – based on a framework of understanding work – is not adopted,” according the Hay announcement.

“Organizations are largely limiting work measurement systems to the setting of base pay and for grading purposes,” said Mr. Johnson. “We’re starting to see more companies use work measurement to support succession planning, career pathing and other talent management decisions, and as a job and organization design diagnostic – but most are missing out on its true value. Used to its full extent work measurement can feed enormously powerful information into strategic decisions and improve the overall efficiency of the organization.”

So, the key to be considered a strategic business partner is to have a leadership grasp of employees and their work.

From the Coach’s Corner, see:

• HR, Marketing Pros: 4 Keys to Marketing Your Ideas to CEOs
• 10 Key Differences between Leaders and Managers
• 6 Steps to Implement a Cultural Change for Profits
• Trends in Human Resources Management – Wharton Study 

“Hide not your talents. They for use were made. What’s a sundial in the shade?”

-Benjamin Franklin

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Author Terry Corbell has written innumerable online business-enhancement articles, and is a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services. For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule him as a speaker, consultant or author, please contact Terry.

 

Management: 7 Tips for Success if You Must Layoff Employees

 

In an uncertain economy, businesses typically make two short-sighted errors. They slash the workforce and marketing investments. To the contrary, it’s important to place a maximum value on your human capital and avoid layoffs, and to expand marketing.

Instead, at the first sign of a business downturn – before laying-off workers – try these options:

• 15 HR Strategies to Improve Your Business Performance
• Step-by-Step Solutions for a Company Turnaround
• Management Strategies for a Successful Turnaround
• 8 Simple Strategies to Give You Pricing Power

But if it’s too late and profits are slim or none and you must lay off employees, be mindful of the impact on your organization’s culture and employee morale. By themselves, employee cutbacks won’t solve the long-term problems of your company.

Strategic planning is important, including:

Document your situation. Layoffs devastate the unemployed person and the people who are left behind. Workforce reductions can also hurt you and your company legally if they’re not documented properly. Unfortunately, you can always face possible legal action in this litigious environment. So have a paper trail that shows you don’t discriminate and demonstrates layoffs are necessary to keep your business operating. Avoid the management lawsuit trap and EEOC discrimination suits in your business practices. (Also see three key human resources issues to consider when terminating workers.)

Communicate effectively. While financial woes or the idea of layoffs depress you, employees look to you for leadership. Communicate empathy in your layoffs to show your approach is humane. For the remaining employees, make sure to take steps for strong team morale and to avoid employee burnout. Such employees aren’t happy about losing their friends and facing an increased workload. Many feel underpaid. Know the right strategies to take if a valued employee wants a raise and money’s tight.

You’ll have to perform at a higher level – being mindful of their stress. Employees don’t want a boss with a negative attitude, such as “Be happy you still have a job.” They’ll quit you at the earliest opportunity. So know which employees are most-likely to quit.

Evaluate operations and procedures. Listen to your employees – seek ideas – partner with your employees. Review your systems. Look for obstacles to success, and solutions.  

Prepare to invest. Your bleak situation is not permanent. Remember this axiom: “This, too, shall pass.” So constantly be mindful of marketplace and internal-company developments. Be prepared to act – to add your resources – if the return on investment can be justified. You’ll know when the time is right to act.

Meantime, take nine steps to develop an image that will attract  the best workers.

Fine-tune your staff. Employee training should never end. Make sure there are no underperformers –weak links. Yes, such investments can be affordable or free – if you strategize. Avoid the typical 12 errors in evaluations.

Continually look for prospective employees. If you can hire a new employee or replace one, look for someone who represents an improvement for your organization.

Check how employees perceive you as a boss. What are your tendencies in stressful situations? Are you a motivator? Are you organized? Do you know the 18 leadership strategies to profit from employee respect?

Evaluate your culture. If your company is lacking in teamwork, morale is poor and profits are weak, chances are you need to change your organization’s culture. Be forewarned, changing a culture is a monumental chore because it will take strategic planning and super powers of persuasion. Usually, it necessitates an outside participant to assess your culture. Here are the six steps to implement a cultural change for profits.

From the Coach’s Corner, see the checklist for success in business planning for the new economy.

“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.”

-Abraham Lincoln

 

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Author Terry Corbell has written innumerable online business-enhancement articles, and is a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services. For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule him as a speaker, consultant or author, please contact Terry.

 

Human Resources: 4 Reasons Why New Managers Fail

 

Best practices guarantee success for new managers. Not to over-simplify, but there are often four reasons why new managers are unsuccessful – ineffective communication, failure to develop trusting relationships, weak results, and a failure to delegate.

As a new manager or small business owner you’ll quickly learn that labor costs will amount to 50 percent or more of your expenses. If managed well, employees will help you to make money. So it will be advantageous for you to learn all you can about managing people.

Here are the four basic concepts to implement:

Communication. Clear communication will help guarantee teamwork and productivity. You need to explain your vision for the team. Employees appreciate knowing what you expect, how they’re doing and what’s in it for them.

Set goals about expectations of employee performance, coach your workers, and get feedback. Share your logic in decision-making processes. Explain concepts and principles to your workers, so they can feel involved and valued, and can be pro-active and take ownership of their work.

There are four ways new managers misfire in communication: 

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.

Employees dislike unproductive meetings. Here are the strategies for productive meetings for maximum company performance.

Trusting relationships. It’s important to build trust throughout your organization. You’ll also have to employ workers who are trustworthy.

You’ll want to be able to sleep at night not worrying if projects are completed, customers are being served well, and that you’re embezzlement-free. If you have reason not to trust an employee, remember small businesses lose $2.9 trillion to worker fraud.

A productive step to take is to partner with your workers.

Another important tool: You can power your brand upward with employee empowerment.

Listen to your staff. Remember your workers are situated where the tire meets the road. You can get ideas on making profits from saving money on energy use to attracting new customers.

Trust can also be enhanced if you use the 18 leadership strategies for employee respect.

Getting results. Take an organized, timely approach in rewarding or punishing your employees. Reward results, not busywork. Rewards should be reserved for impactful results.

Performance reviews are an important part of management. You must also avoid errors in evaluations.

If your employees fail to perform, give them a chance to improve. (If they don’t, see the 3 key issues to consider when terminating workers.)

Delegation. One mistake to avoid is failure to delegate. Don’t be a milquetoast. People-pleasers are ineffective managers. If you don’t delegate, you’ll suffer from burnout by failing to use effective time management.

Whenever you fail to delegate on mundane tasks, you’ll have a very expensive employee. Try to save your time and energy for critical thinking and strategic planning.

There’s another good reason to delegate: Retention of good workers. Talented employees usually appreciate responsibility in the workplace. You’ll profit in the long term by not letting your stars become free agents.

From the Coach’s Corner, here are three resources:

• Strategies to Succeed as a New Manager – a Checklist
• 20 Tell-Tale Signs – If You’re Under-Performing as a Manager
• Human Resources – Slow Motion Gets You There Faster

“One of the most important tasks of a manager is to eliminate his people’s excuses for failure.”

-Robert Townsend

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Author Terry Corbell has written innumerable online business-enhancement articles, and is a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services. For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule him as a speaker, consultant or author, please contact Terry.

 

Valentine’s Day: Do You Have a Heart as an Employer?

 

Updated Jan. 27, 2013

A blog, “Best business advice found in an 86-year-old poem,” on MoneyWatch by Michael Hess brought brought back special memories. Mr. Hess quoted “Desiderata,” which was written by Max Ehrmann in 1927.

In drawing parallels for business, Mr. Hess quoted some Desiderata lines, including:

• As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others…
• Exercise caution in your business affairs…
• Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings…

Agreed. The poem does contain exemplary advice applicable for business. I first heard it in 1971 when it was No. 8 on Billboard. Well-known broadcaster Les Crane, who was a talk-show host on KLAC Radio in Los Angeles, recorded it (Desiderata – Les Crane, YouTube).

As a young broadcaster I was intrigued for a couple of reasons:

Firstly, I was fascinated by the spiritual approach by Mr. Crane, who was famous for his controversial shtick on radio and TV.

Secondly, the previous year I was deeply touched by the thoughtfulness of his boss, David Croninger, the president of Metromedia Radio. Metromedia was a conglomerate in related industries. Along with NBC’s legendary news anchor, Chet Huntley, Mr. Croninger was a speaker at my college graduation, the University of Tulsa.

Inspiring career advice

Both were accessible to students afterward – a true blessing. The nation was mired in a recession with unemployment approaching 9 percent and the Vietnam War was tearing the country apart. Amid this, my peers and I were apprehensive but anxious to launch our careers.

Accompanied by an NBC PR person, Mr. Huntley graciously gave me excellent advice regarding my broadcasting career. As a DJ, I had worked my way through college on radio stations, but I was still a porous sponge in wanting career counsel before returning to my home state of California. He explained to me how to make a transition from being a DJ to radio news to TV news.

Mr. Croninger, who as Mr. Crane’s boss, gave me a shot of confidence. I’ll never forget his compliment: “…you are impeccably dressed.”

Wearing a striped tie with a navy blazer and gray slacks, that was heady stuff for an impressionable young college grad. I thought it was a professional appearance for broadcasting, but I wasn’t sure. I appreciated his comment as I was about to call on Los Angeles radio and TV stations for employment. I also enjoyed hearing his comments regarding Mr. Crane, as his employer.

Both broadcasters were inspirational for my career.

So the memory of Mr. Crane’s rendition of Desiderata along with the gracious sharing of wisdom by Messrs. Huntley and Crane prompt this question: Does your business have a heart?

Key questions

Here are 12 questions to consider:

1. Do you set a good example?
2. How often do you use the phrases – please and thank you?
3. Do you compensate your employees adequately and fairly?
4. Are you kind and precise in giving criticism and direction?
5. Do you hire and fire fairly?
6. Do you train employees on an ongoing basis for personal and career development?
7. Do you maintain a safe, fun working environment?
8. How about job security?
9. Do you communicate regularly with employees about the company?
10. Do you listen to criticism?
11. Do you solicit ideas?
12. How do you motivate your staff?

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

• Power Your Brand with Employee Empowerment
• Strategies: If a Valued Employee Wants a Raise, and Money’s Tight
• Profit By Not Letting Your Stars Become Free Agents
• Leadership Strategies to Profit from Employee Respect
• 12 Errors to Avoid in Evaluations
• Strategies for Productive Meetings to Improve Your Company’s Performance
• Human Resources – Slow Motion Gets You There Faster

“The worst mistake a boss can make is not to say ‘well done’.”
-John Ashcroft

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Author Terry Corbell has written innumerable online business-enhancement articles, and is a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services. For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule him as a speaker, consultant or author, please contact Terry.

Strategies to Succeed as a New Manager – a Checklist

 

Congratulations, new manager. Welcome to a job you’ll find most challenging – if you do it right.

You’ll be carefully watched by your staff. You’ll be judged on values demonstrated by your actions.

What values will you show your employees? Will you be a positive role model constantly striving for improvement or will you head in the opposite direction with slipshod actions?

You will set the tone for performance. Basically, that means listening, providing a vision, implementing flawless processes, outlining responsibilities, delegating, treating everyone the same, being approachable, rewarding strong performers, not accepting sub-par work and being proactive on potential problems.

So think about your vision, role and expectations. Better yet, if you want to be imminently successful, know the 10 Key Differences between Leaders and Managers.

Here’s a checklist:

1. Understand that it’s your responsibility to know how you’ll be evaluated by your boss in goals and targets.
2. Maintain the status quo, and don’t make major changes right away unless your department or company is in a crisis.
3. Inspire trust and cooperation in communication. Use positive body language and tone, and actively listen. Earn commitment from employees on common company goals.
4. Be visible and walk the floor twice a day to get well acquainted with your team. Budget an aggregate five minutes a week with each person. Ask open-ended questions, and for input for the benefit of the company. Learn their individual aspirations, and give them support. Be courteous. Note: The words, “please” and “thank you” should be used in a majority of your communications – verbally or written.
5. Treat employees as valued human capital. Demonstrate your empathy about their career and life balance. In essence, use the Golden Rule. Treat your employees as you would like to be treated. Power Your Brand with Employee Empowerment, and consider the 15 HR Strategies to Improve Your Business Performance. Explain to employees you don’t want to be the last to learn of negative news.
6. Don’t give personal advice.
7. Articulate the company’s strategic mission, and explain expectations to your employees about how their performances fit in the big picture.
8. Explain your preferences for communication – regularly timed reports or frequent updates – in group meetings and one-to-one conversations.
9. Make development and training a priority with a view to the future. Continual growth for each staff member is paramount in this new economy. Mobility counts; successful businesses are agile and adapt to the dynamics of the ever-changing marketplace. Focus on solutions to problems.
10. Share your logic in decision-making processes. Explain concepts and principles to your workers, so they can feel involved and valued, and can be pro-active and take ownership of their work.
11. Get to know your management peers for a diversity of thought. Capitalize on their experiences, strengths and hopes for success. Keep an open mind. Consider different approaches in analyzing problems.
12. Find a mentor – someone who is successful in areas that you need improvement.
13. Delegate. Avoid burnout. Use effective time management. Remember that whenever you fail to delegate on mundane tasks, this means you have a very expensive employee. Try to save your time and energy for critical thinking and strategic planning.
14. Manage by exception. Learn how much autonomy you can accord your employees. Don’t micromanage, but get involved on problems.
15. Be generous with your praise on performance and innovation. After all, employees are making you look good.
16. Reward results, not busywork. Rewards should be reserved for impactful results. Know the 12 Errors to Avoid in Evaluations.
17. Promote humor and fun. Don’t be a stress carrier. Your employees will feel it.
18. Know when to cut your losses. If a project looks as though it won’t be successful, know when and how to pull the plug.
19. Get to know your other stakeholders. Explain your expectations to vendors, and ask for input from your customers.
20. Stay current on all employment laws and regulations, especially about discrimination and harassment. Prevention is important. Should they rear their ugly heads, follow the right protocols. That goes for all interviews and pre-employment tests. It’s true that Many Big Companies Are Ripe for EEOC Complaints.
21. Document everything that might prove to be sensitive. Establish a paper trail.
22. Keep an open mind if there’s conflict among your workers. Don’t react, respond.
23. Stay on top of all technology that affects your business.
24. Dress for success – professionally – as though you’re being considered for your next management gig.
25. Always look ahead. When you’re ready, here are 7 Tips for a Young Professional to Become a CEO.

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

• 20 Tell-Tale Signs – If You’re Under-Performing as a Manager
• 21 Quick Tips to Avoid the Dark Side of Management
• Profit By Not Letting Your Stars Become Free Agents
• HR Management: Which Employees Are Most-Likely to Quit?
• Strategies: If a Valued Employee Wants a Raise, and Money’s Tight 

“Good management is the art of making problems so interesting and their solutions so constructive that everyone wants to get to work and deal with them.”

-Paul Hawken

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Author Terry Corbell has written innumerable online business-enhancement articles, and is a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services. For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule him as a speaker, consultant or author, please contact Terry.

 

Why Companies Fall into the Management Lawsuit Trap

 

News headlines continue to show there are a myriad of ways managers set themselves for lawsuits. Small and many big companies are ripe for EEOC complaints.

In 2011, AT&T was forced to settle an age-bias lawsuit. Capri Home Care was sued for alleged pregnancy discrimination. American Laser Centers settled an EEOC lawsuit over sexual harassment. Bass Pro Shows Companies was accused of worker reprisals.

The majority of lawsuits targeting management usually stem from a half dozen poor practices.

They include:

1. Adherence to policies and procedures. Time and again, businesses are sued because managers fail to comply with company policy manuals. Principals should always review policy manuals with managers, and get a signed receipt indicating that they understand policies. (Yes, any manager who strays from policy should be disciplined.) Only then, the managers should review the handbook with non-exempt staff.
2. Following discrimination and harassment policies. Periodically remind managers to be diligent to prevent discrimination and harassment in the workplace. Their employment status will be affected if they fail to adhere to policies, or if they to act professionally should policy violations occur.
3. Poor management of employee problems. Make certain managers know how to respond – not react in a knee-jerk fashion to employee problems. That means thinking about how to respond in all situations. Typical worker problems include attendance, alcoholism drug use, and insubordination.
4. Retaliation or the appearance of being retaliatory. For example, courts frown on transfers if they look like a demotion. It looks suspicious if an employee suddenly receives an unsatisfactory performance appraisal or is not treated equally like other workers.
5. Terminations. Courts look to make certain terminations are handled well legally, and with civility and fairness. Here are three key human resources questions in terminating workers.
6. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Typical problems result from FMLA misunderstandings over attendance policy, eligibility, notice requirements and worker reinstatement.

From the Coach’s Corner, for more strategies, here are three related articles:

• 21 Quick Tips to Avoid the Dark Side of Management 
• How to avoid EEOC Discrimination Suits
• 12 Errors to Avoid in Evaluations

“Good management consists in showing average people how to do the work of superior people.”
-John D. Rockefeller

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Author Terry Corbell has written innumerable online business-enhancement articles, and is a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services. For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule him as a speaker, consultant or author, please contact Terry.

 

Is your Company Ready to Capitalize on What Women Offer?

 

It’s obvious the current economic environment is here to stay, so it’s necessary to keep an open mind and rethink our processes. That includes taking full advantage of all opportunities.

“What else is new?” you ask. Good question. It’s important to leverage the potential in human capital.

Two McKinsey consultants addressed one important aspect in a 2011 study:  “Unlocking the full potential of women in the US economy.” Joanna Barsh is a director in McKinsey’s New York office and Lareina Yee is a principal in the San Francisco office.

It struck a chord with me, as I’ve written articles on related topics, including why Banks Have a Credibility Issue with Affluent Women; and I asked Are You Successful In Keeping Female Talent?

So I agree American business has not fully leveraged its assets.

The problem is many businesspeople don’t inherently take notice and capitalize on under-utilized assets unless they’re personally affected. I’ve said it many times – working moms have the toughest job of anybody, but they provide a bevy of important attributes. Personally, my antenna goes up whenever I see the potentiality of talent being ignored.

That goes for women in the macro economy.

“Indeed, the additional productive power of women entering the workforce from 1970 until today accounts for about a quarter of current GDP,” wrote Ms. Barsh. As the U.S. struggles to sustain historic GDP growth rates, it is critically important to bring more women into the workforce and fully deploy high-skill women to drive productivity improvement.”

Agreed.

Ms. Barsh listed the study’s objectives.

“McKinsey & Company undertook this research over the past three months to understand how women contribute to the U.S. economy; how their work benefits individual corporations; what prevents women from making greater contributions to their companies; and what approaches can help companies unlock the full potential of women,” she said.

“Despite the sincere efforts of major corporations, the proportion of women falls quickly as you look higher in the corporate hierarchy,” she asserted. Overall, this picture has not improved for years.”

That means, of course, there are missed opportunities despite all the progress in breaking down the glass-ceiling barriers.

So, according to the study, there’s a schism – women are increasingly ambitious as they leap from entry level jobs to mid-management. But again, the talent is being ignored.

Attitudes of entry-level women workers:

• 79 percent want a promotion to the next level
• 32 percent want a leadership role
• 16 percent has longtime career goals to become a leader

Aspirations of women in mid-management jobs:

• 83 percent want to be promoted
• 51 percent want a leadership role
• 31 percent has always dreamed of being a senior manager

The study indicates that women have multiple barriers:

• Lack of role models
• Exclusion from the informal networks
• Not having a sponsor in senior management

“Managers – male and female – continue to take viable female candidates out of the running, often on the assumption that the woman can’t handle certain jobs and also discharge family obligations,” wrote Ms. Barsh. “In our Centered Leadership research, we found that many women, too, hold limiting beliefs that stand in their own way – such as waiting to fill in more skills or just waiting to be asked.”

That’s why I lamented the demise of two women executives, Carol Bartz and Carly Fiorina in Business Management Lessons from Yahoo’s Demise and Are HP’s Board and New CEO Headed in Right Direction? These situations didn’t help the case for other women to assume leadership roles.

Ms. Barsh makes another good point: Culture change is needed.

“Our evidence points to the need for systemic, organizational change,” explained Ms. Barsh. ”Companies that aspire to achieve sustained diversity balance must choose to transform their cultures. Management needs a powerful reason to believe such as the potential competitive and economic advantage from retaining the best talent.”

Therefore, in view of the stagnant economic climate, let’s hope the right people agree. Further, a lot of companies would benefit from the 6 Steps to Implement a Cultural Change for Profits.

From the Coach’s Corner, as for advice to young women, here are 7 Tips for a Young Professional to Become a CEO. Be sure to take note of the column’s postscript about getting a mentor.

“If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.”

-Margaret Thatcher

 

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Author Terry Corbell has written innumerable online business-enhancement articles, and is a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services. For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule him as a speaker, consultant or author, please contact Terry.

 

Strategies: If a Valued Employee Wants a Raise, and Money’s Tight

 

In this economy, whether you operate a large or small company, trepidation of higher payroll expenses can turn your hands cold with perspiration. That’s especially true when talented employees suddenly ask for a raise. Talented workers are an asset – your human capital.

Many companies don’t have a compensation policy. And your company might be like the majority of small businesses or nonprofits in this uncertain economy – having difficulty funding even merit raises.

So what’s the right thing to do with a valued employee who asks for a raise, whether or not you’re the final decision-maker?

The first point to remember: Don’t pass the buck. You’ll either appear to be evasive or you’ll give away your power. You don’t want the reputation of being an irrelevant manager. (Further, there are 20 Tell-Tale Signs – If You’re Under-Performing as a Manager.)

Hopefully, you can establish a compensation policy, but don’t rush into it.

Meantime, in requesting a raise, employees usually mention one of a myriad of reasons:

• Their personal expenses have increased.
• They’re proud of their accomplishments, and they deserve more money.
• They think they’re underpaid compared to their peers either in your company or at other employers.
• Their newly added responsibilities warrant an increase.

Strategies to implement

You’re probably aware that an employee who asks for a raise has already launched a job search or is at least doing a cursory look for other opportunities. Don’t panic, but be aware that compensation issues are taken very personally by workers.

Thank the employee for approaching you, and offer the person a time for when you’ll have another chat. Then, roll up your sleeves and make this a priority.

Mention the issue to your boss and/or other managers in your company. Get some feedback, and monetarily analyze the circumstances.

Philosophically, know this: Each position in your company has a certain value, as determined by the marketplace. An employee’s personal finances aren’t germane in this situation. Nor is the employee’s performance, if the ceiling-value of the person’s job responsibilities has been maxed out.

If the budget is too constrained, be candid. But offer hope and Power Your Brand with Employee Empowerment.

Either way, if you determine the person is underpaid and/or you don’t want to risk losing the employee, indicate a raise is possible with some provisos.

Remember, if other employees perceive from water cooler gossip that you automatically grant raises whenever asked, you’d be in danger of setting a dangerous example. Any morale issues will be exacerbated. Other employees – valued or not – will soon be in your office lobbying for raises.

Set an appointment for another chat and plan so that it results in the employee taking more ownership. But don’t give a false promise. It the budget won’t allow for an increase and continue to discuss how to make it happen.

Clarify how raises are determined – the worth of a job’s role to the organization’s bottom-line, and the employee’s performance. Ask the employee to evaluate how the position can be increased in value to the firm, and how her/his responsibilities can be expanded to generate more value.

Once these matters reach a successful conclusion, award the pay raise.

Poor performance – if a raise is out of the question

Here’s a three-step process:

1. Empathize – acknowledge the person’s feelings.

2. Ask the employee to restate the concern in her/his own words. Why? The employee feels empathy from you and feels you’re listening; and you fully understand the concerns of the person before proceeding in the discussion.

3. Overcome the employee’s concerns with facts and relevant information. Then, ask for the employee to commit to working for improvement in the value of the job’s role to the organization, and for improved personal performance. If the employee is obstinate, you’re suddenly been warned about more problems.

Good luck.

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

• Many Big Companies Ripe for EEOC Complaints
• 21 Quick Tips to Avoid the Dark Side of Management
• Human Resources – Slow Motion Gets You There Faster
• Human Resources: 12 Errors to Avoid in Evaluations

If I agreed with you we’d both be wrong.

 

__________

Author Terry Corbell has written innumerable online business-enhancement articles, and is a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services. For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule him as a speaker, consultant or author, please contact Terry.

 

7 Tips for a Young Professional to Become a CEO

 

For a professional to jump to the senior-management level in the 21st century, it’s imperative to demonstrate seven core competencies. Consider them part of your personal branding for success.

It starts with speaking the language of a chief executive officer, and understanding the big-picture needs of an organization to get to the top. No, it isn’t necessary to perform at a Ph.D. level in all the competencies, but it’s important to excel in them.

The necessary core competencies for high performance are inter-related – they include:

Influential designing – At all times, it’s important to keep your ego in check so you don’t develop the reputation of a Carly Fiorina or Carol Bartz. Not only will you want to get to the top, you’ll want to stay there.

If a company culture needs changing to compete in the new global economy, a professional must understand the chain of command, and intuitively know how to communicate with a CEO like any senior manager, and ultimately the board of directors.

If change is warranted, successful professionals know how to astutely ask the right questions to get to the needed answers without alienating others. You can do this without being passive. An influential designer understands how to frame the questions and the solutions while appearing to be assertive, not aggressive. Learn the difference.

You’re there to implement strategies on directions of the CEO and the board. Executives lose their jobs when they’re incompetent in key areas and/or when they’re too ostentatious. To become a CEO and to be able to keep the job, it’s important to know how to make friends.

Resist claiming credit for any strategy successes in a gauche-like fashion.

Authoritative culture-change – You must understand your company’s situation and what needs to be changed culturally to solve marketplace problems for improved company performance.

To comprehend such challenges, you must understand a myriad of factors and issues.

For example, understand how your employees interface with your customers, and grasp Pareto’s Principle, the 80/20 rule, for revenue. In this case, you would have to know the top 20 percent of customers that provide 80 percent of the revenue. Determine what needs to change in your culture to keep these customers or attract better ones.

If you determine anything needs optimized, this is an opportunity for growth. Look for challenges to solve, and know the facts. So, you must understand what works and doesn’t work culturally, and what needs to be fine-tuned.

Additionally, consider the future and what needs to transpire in order to maximize profits for growth. You accomplish this by studying emerging trends – economically and politically – and having an acute awareness of how your culture is a fit for the marketplace.

Talent management – Naturally, your human capital is critical. This means knowing your organization design, your staff and what motivates them, and evaluating their capabilities and developing them. If employees are underperforming, then change is indicated.

Further, recruitment and retention of valued talent is, of course, crucial.

Marketplace strategies – Understanding the sales process and marketing are important in two ways: Improving revenue, and for human resources.

Yes, you must understand how to sell products and services. You must also know marketing and branding. This affects revenue, and it’s why talented performers are attracted to companies that outrival the competition.

Here are simple tests:

• Can you make a good sales call on a customer?
• Do you know your branding and value propositions?
• Do you understand how to adapt to changing demographics
• Do you know what’s needed in information technology?

Finance – Leadership requires an awareness of principles in accounting and finance. You must be able to read a balance sheet and know what creates profits.

You must be able to use technology for inventory management.

You must understand economic conditions and the impacts of financial decisions – what the market will bear.

You never want to suffer the fate of a Netflix. For astute outside observers, this was a no-brainer. The company hiked its prices in 2001, which led to an immediate decline in business. The CEO had to publicly apologize to customers.

Nor do you want your company to expand too fast. Problems can arise such as being spread too thin and not being able to supply your products. Or, you might encounter the same profitability issues like Starbucks. It cannibalized sales because its stores were too close to one another. This led to costly closures and layoffs.

Operations – You must learn your processes and how they work. And you must have a grasp of your technology and the role it plays. And you must understand the available tools in technology to reduce repetitive jobs.

If they are inadequate processes or there are problems, you must have a working knowledge of business-improvement processes – you must assess the reasons for problems, then develop and implement solutions.

By reducing operational costs, you will improve performance.

Trustworthiness – This means becoming the go-to person where you work, being able to form strategic partnerships, using ethical practices, and knowing how to develop business for revenue at the lowest cost – for profitability.

To summarize: You must understand your human capital, your firm’s financial situation, your company’s environment, emerging trends, sales and marketing, and what’s needed to tailor your practices in your value chain for a positive effect on customers.

To win, in other words, you must become intimately aware of how business makes profits and you must communicate well.

Good luck.

P.S. And by the way, look for a mentor, and remember your personal appearance counts. Dress the part. Starting now.

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

• Career Strategies: How to Get a C-Level Job
• HR, Marketing Pros: 4 Keys to Marketing Your Ideas to CEOs
• 25 Best Practices for Better Business Writing
• Job Hunting? Tips to Land Your Dream Job with Style, Substance
• Helpful Career, Biz Tips from UCLA’s Longtime Broadcaster

“In a fast-paced world, today’s popular brand could be tomorrow’s trivia question.”

-Wayne Calloway

 

Author Terry Corbell has written innumerable online business-enhancement articles, and is a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services. For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule him as a speaker, consultant or author, please contact Terry.

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