8 Tips to Optimize Sales with Social Media, But Beware of a Red Flag

 

Updated Feb. 1, 2012

It’s time-consuming, but there is data to illustrate why social media should be part of your marketing and human-resources recruiting mix.

For example, social networking continued to increase in popularity with consumers in the United States, according to the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project in 2011.

Pew reports 50 percent of all U.S. adults are social networking. So are 65 percent of adult Internet users – an increase of more than 100 percent since 2008. Daily, 43 percent of adults using the Internet are also on social networking sites.

Data from the month of May: Eighty-three percent of the 18-29 age-demographic are social networking. That compares to 70 percent for the 30-49 demo, and 51 percent among 50-64 year-old users. Thirty-three percent of seniors, 65+, are social networking.

The three salient social networks: Google+, Facebook and Twitter. LinkedIn is, of course, favored by professionals. (The Biz Coach has the AddThis option for readers to share this and other columns — there are 330 social media options.)

Social Networking Red Flag

So, social media has value. However, look before you leap into a full-scale dependence on social network marketing. Social networking doesn’t necessarily lead to sales, according to another Pew study.

It shows three types of social media aficionados:

• Heavy users – 26 percent of time spent
• Medium users – 4.1 percent time spent
• Light users – .42 percent time spent

Surprisingly, heavy users don’t necessarily consume products. Statistically, Pew reports they’re not as likely to buy products and services on the Internet. Plus, they spend less when they do.

Average spending among the three categories:

• Heavy users – $126
• Medium users – $212
• Light users – $297

What you need to do is find the right use of social-mediums for your business, and start interacting.

Here are eight options to consider:

1. Manage your online image and reputation
2. Branding for repeat customers
3. Respond to customer complaints
4. Complement your press releases with blogs
5. Crisis management
6. Stage contests to attract Web traffic
7. Publish thought-leadership commentaries
8. Attract and recruit employees

Naturally, the latter – No.8, recruit employees – is especially viable on LinkedIn. Ask any headhunter who is concerned about competition from LinkedIn. Conversely, it’s a networking tool for jobhunters, too.

From the Coach’s Corner, before investing heavily in Facebook, you might want to consider this Biz Coach column: Is Facebook Approaching the End of Its Product Life Cycle? Ostensibly, Yes.

“Social networks aren’t about Web sites. They’re about experiences.”

– Mike DiLorenzo

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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?

 

15 HR Strategies to Improve Your Business Performance

 

Studies show many employees are dissatisfied in their workplaces. Employee dissatisfaction, of course, will adversely affect a company’s performance.

In fact, a 2010 Hewitt Associates study indicated employee engagement is at an historical low – well, at least since the firm began researching the issue in the mid-1990s.

A lack of employee engagement means:

• Higher costly turnover
• Less focus on customer service
• Less productivity
• Weak profits.

In the UK, employees of family-operated companies have better employee relationships than other businesses. A University of Birmingham study concludes family business workers – 21 percent of the workforce – are more loyal. They are more engaged with their employers, show more commitment and have higher morale.

Another consulting firm, Mercer, concluded in its 2011 global study that 33 percent of U.S. workers are thinking about quitting their employers. Forty percent of millennials are also considering a job change.

There are countless other human resources studies with similar findings.

Higher pay and benefits are important to workers. But they’re not the greatest motivators, and employees often have more salient concerns.

So, the key is to take steps that lead to higher employee morale and performance. The bottom-line question for you: Do your employees mirror what you expect?

Assuming you’ve hired the best talent in terms of attitude, to improve your business performance, here are 15 HR strategies:

1. Be authentic, not a patronizing employer.
2. Walk the floor twice a day to engage your staff. Show empathy. Ask questions, such as “How are you?”
3. Demonstrate your listening skills with open-ended questions. (“What is the dumbest thing you are on which you’re working?” or “Where is the company wasting resources – in time or money?”)
4. Communicate what the company is doing and how it’s performing.
5. Help employees to understand how they contribute to your bottom line. Show them your company-wide objectives and how their work contributes to your company’s performance.
6. Give workers a purpose with challenges.
7. Without being verbose, teach them how you think and why.
8. Create collegial teams of workers without micromanaging them.
9. Make employees a CEO of their work. Empower them to contribute ideas and allow them as much autonomy as feasible to make decisions.
10. Encourage each employee to be customer-focused.
11. Immediately, show appreciation for good work and counsel employees following sub-par work.
12. Budget for development and training.
13. Show flexibility to enhance employee balance for career and personal life.
14. Establish an employee assistance program. Do what you can to help eliminate the employees’ stress factors so they can have maximum focus on their responsibilities. That includes financial tips. As my dad once told me: “It’s not how much you make, it’s how much you bring home.”
15. Employees know who their toxic co-workers are. Don’t let the toxic workers hurt your workplace environment.

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

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

21 Quick Tips to Avoid the Dark Side of Management

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

Boss Checklist: 16 Strategies for a Competitive Edge

Human Resources: 12 Errors to Avoid in Evaluations

 

“So much of what we call management consists in making it difficult for people to work.”

-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?

 

Do You Have A Toxic Relationship With Your Boss?

 

This may be the 21st century with a cornucopia of management textbooks for bosses, but a significant number of employees still complain about their supervisors lacking in professionalism. That’s according to a study by Wayne Hochwarter, a professor in management at Florida State University.

Dr. Hochwarter has long studied employee-employer relationships, as well as the dynamics that trigger poor performances, hostile workplace environments and tension. His 2011 study included responses from more than 400 employees in a myriad of industries.

The results:

• 42 percent of employees reported that their boss was concerned more with saving his or her own job than with developing and assisting employees to be productive.
• 42 percent said they failed to receive things that were promised more than once over the past year.
• More than 40 percent of workers said they would not acknowledge their boss if they ran into him or her on the street.
• 40 percent agreed with the statement that “the only fun thing about work is leaving.”
• 34 percent reported that their boss is “two-faced,” in that he or she is nice in person but speaks negatively behind the employee’s back.
• 32 percent indicated that they work for a “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”
• 29 percent felt that their boss would “throw them under the bus” if it meant saving the boss’s own job.
• 24 percent caught their supervisor in a direct lie but never received an apology or explanation.
• 20 percent have heard a supervisor tell a co-worker that he or she could “get them fired if they wanted to.”

The professor reports many such workers feel vulnerable without any hope of improving their workplace environments.

“For workers in declining industries such as construction and manufacturing, catching on with a company able to offer comparable wages has been virtually impossible,” Dr. Hochwarter was quoted in a press release. “Plan B just doesn’t exist for many employees at the level it did five or 10 years ago.”

Not surprisingly, many of the workers fail to apply themselves for the welfare their companies, suffer from a resulting lack of sleep, and lack in self esteem.

In my experience as a business-performance consultant and human resources trainer, the study prompts me to make two responses:

1. The Peter Principle seems applicable — “”In a hierarchy,  every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence.” Many bosses are unqualified for management.
2. There are sometimes two sides to such stories. Employees often needlessly point fingers and are culpable, too.

But Dr. Hochwarter’s study is eye-opening, and is a surprise considering the abundance of 21st century tools for bosses to become professional supervisors.

From the Coach’s Corner, here’s How To Deal With An Oppressive Employer.

Resource links for bosses:

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

Some people climb the ladder of success. My boss walked under it.

 

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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?

 

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?

Human Resources – Slow Motion Gets You There Faster

 Strategies for Hiring Seasoned Employees

 

Hoagy Carmichael is credited with coining the phrase, “Slow motion gets you there faster.” He, of course, was a famous American composer, pianist, and actor.

Born in Indiana in 1899, he composed hundreds of songs and is best known for his songs “Stardust,” “Georgia on My Mind,” and “Heart and Soul” – some of the most highly regarded American pop standards.

When his career took off in the 1940s, he had a hit radio show on CBS, movie parts and recording contracts. He won the Academy Award in 1951 for best original song in co-writing “In the cool, cool, cool of the evening” with famed lyricist Johnny Mercer.

From what I gather, he was rather intense. After earning a law degree and practicing law, he decided music was his preference as a career. He loved jazz and worked in New York, but he decided to move to Hollywood to accelerate his music career. His strategy worked for four decades. He passed away in 1981.

His quote about slow motion is relevant in this digital age with the Internet and its constant blasts of minutiae leading us to distraction and a state of impatience. That’s sad. Patience is indeed a virtue. We add to our difficulties when we address them in a hurried frame of mind.

Our frenzied behavior has led to multi-tasking, which carries a heavy price for us to pay. It’s costing us the ability to focus, engage in deep thought and plan strategically.

If you’re feeling distracted and unable to accomplish your goals, stop wrestling with these issues. It’s time to slow down and learn the art of uni-tasking. That’s the only way to focus and to achieve your goals. Another way to put it, compartmentalizing, which is an effective way to solve business problems.

Two key questions

So ask yourself, “Is this productive? Is what I’m doing now going to help me achieve my goal?”

Chances are, if you have to ask this question, your answer is a resounding “no.” Set aside your multi-tasking.

If you’re in management or a business owner, the same is true when hiring employees. Many harried bosses have the tendency to hire younger faces. They want to save costs in salaries and benefits. They think it helps their business image.

They also see older workers, even over-qualified applicants, as slow and stodgy. To them, over-qualified is a code term for old.

On the contrary, hiring older, over-qualified employees will propel you to victory. They’re often more methodical and they think things through. This means less margin for errors and better odds for high performance. So if you’re recruiting for a position, keep an open mind.

Here are four strategies to succeed with over-qualified applicants:

1. Don’t ignore an applicants’ accomplishments –recognize them. If you have a concern about the applicants’ background, discuss it with the persons. If the persons’ successes keep you from hiring them consider whether this means you have a self-esteem issue. Find out how the persons’ attributes in past successes can help you now and for the long term.
2. Dig deeper into why the persons want to work for you. Learn more about the applicants’ motives and reasons for applying. Yes, the economy can be a factor. The person might be desperate. Maybe so. But what about other possible motives? Was the person burned out? Do the persons want to revert to a job that was more enjoyable earlier in their career? You’ll learn some important information about the persons’ philosophy.
3. Examine whether the applicants require less job training. Heavily experienced applicants often better understand how to be flexible and are skilled at adapting to your rapidly changing marketplace. Such persons might be valuable in mentoring your less-experienced workers. All of this means you’ll have a better chance to sleep at night.
4. Your hires should also be focused on attitude. Instead of focusing on the wrong issue of over-qualification, look to see if the persons fit in your culture. Or, are they likely to enhance your culture. Can you give them responsibility or autonomy? If so, they will make your organization stronger and you’ll have a happier work environment.

The next time you recruit for a position, think about Hoagy Carmichael’s philosophy. Listen to some of his 1940’s compositions. It won’t hurt. Slow motion will get you there faster.

From the Coach’s Corner, here are the 12 errors to avoid in evaluations and strategies to avoid EEOC discrimination suits.

“I’m not the manager because I’m always right, but I’m always right because I’m the manager.”

-Gene Mauch

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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?

 

Planning – Need a Game Changer? Ford, Seahawks Are Good Case Studies

 

If your business is performing in a mediocre fashion, chances are your company needs an overhaul. A culture change, if you will. For positive case studies in change-management for a game changer, take your pick – either Ford or the Seattle Seahawks will suffice. Such best-practices in cultural change-management work for nonprofits, too.

Game-changing requires an assertive, strong administrator, especially because all such organizations go through humbling experiences. Strong visionaries know how to profit from ego-destroying events.  Effective managers have been the catalyst for Ford and the Seahawks.

First, let’s consider one of the salient Ford headlines, such as: “Ford Makes Comeback From the Brink to Billion-Dollar Profit.

Actually, Ford’s fortunes began to improve when it looked outside the carmaker for solutions to its challenges. The automaker recruited Alan R. Mulally from Boeing.

The irony is that Mr. Mulally had his own ups and downs, of sorts. He had been bypassed twice by Boeing for the CEO’s job. But he was able to put his full talents to work at Ford. 

Not to oversimplify, Mr. Mulally has notably installed a competitive, sustainable business model. He simplified production processes. Managers, in effect, were told to change their perspective on change. He inspired a positive balance sheet by taking strategic steps on Ford’s cash flow. 

Unlike Chrysler and General Motors, he didn’t seek a government bailout. This meant Ford was able to focus on being proactive, for example, development of new vehicles – cars consumers would buy. Ford would not be hamstrung by bailout cash-flow constraints. Chrysler and GM became beholden to the government – bureaucrats called the shots. Ford didn’t have to resort to discounting and incentives to attract car buyers.

Ford’s brand image skyrocketed as Chrysler and GM suffered from poor images – they were only able to survive with the help of bailouts and bankruptcies.

In other words, Ford’s success was summed up by this headline: “Ford Says Culture Change Has Led to Success.”

Seahawk lessons

So why are the Seahawks a good case study? For starters, let’s consider the headlines, such as: “Seahawks stun defending champion Saints.” There were more than 2,800 such headlines on the Internet referring to the Seahawks upsetting New Orleans, 41-36, in the first round of the National Football League playoffs in the 2010 season.

Just as Ford’s comeback was launched when Ford hired Mr. Mulally, the Seahawk comeback started when owner Paul Allen hired Pete Carroll as head coach. Mr. Allen has a good eye for talent.

Previous, Mr. Allen astutely hired Green Bay Packers Head Coach Mike Holmgren. Among his many accomplishments, Mr. Holmgren won at Green Bay, and he’s credited with the development of quarterbacks Steve Young and Brett Favre.

The management mistake, however, was that Mr. Allen installed Mr. Holmgren as both his executive vice president/general manager and head coach. As a Biz Coach, I wrote then that Mr. Holmgren couldn’t adequately handle executive and coaching responsibilities – a classic case of the Peter Principle – people rise to their level of incompetence. Mr. Holmgren is very talented in coaching and developing quarterbacks, but being an entrepreneurial chief executive requires much-different skill sets.

It’s not just a matter of knowing football. Many businesspeople make the same mistake. They only consider hiring people from their industries without regard for all the necessary skill sets. Mr. Mulally didn’t have automotive experience, but his management and manufacturing skills were transferrable from the aircraft industry. Simplly put, solid business principles are applicable in all industries.

It wasn’t until Mr. Allen removed the executive chores from Mr. Holmgren that the Seahawks finally made it to the Super Bowl in 2005 to play the Pittsburg Steelers. Only bad officiating kept the Seahawks from being world champs.

Meantime, Mr. Holmgren appears to be making the same mistakes. He’s been president of the Cleveland Browns since late 2009. Press reports indicate Mr. Holmgren is searching for a new head coach, and may consider being the team’s coach, too.

Mr. Carroll’s initial 7-9 season was judged to be lackluster, at best. But all was forgotten when his team, a 10-point underdog, upset the New Orleans Saints in the first-round of the playoffs. Most fans consider the game to be one of the biggest playoff upsets of all time.

True, I’m located in the Seattle area, but my Biz Coach sense is that the Seahawks are the most-dangerous team in the playoffs. Why? They continue to evolve and will continue to be under-rated, even though the playoffs are, in reality, a new season.

It’s obvious Mr. Carroll, like Mr. Mulally at Ford, has adroitly installed a change in the team’s culture. With the general manager, John Schneider, Mr. Carroll has overseen 275 roster changes on the 53-man squad.

Despite his sub-.500 2010 record, Mr. Carroll is not embarrassed and motivated his team to great heights. Twice, the Seahawks trailed the Saints by 10 points but didn’t give up and stayed with a resourceful game plan. They put 41 points on the board against a superb defensive team.

Not to overlook everyone’s play, among the highlights: Matt Hasselbeck, a 12-year veteran, had his first four-touchdown playoff game. To ice the game Marshawn Lynch delivered the team’s first 100-yard game this season in breaking eight tackles in his miraculous 67-yard touchdown.  

Much has been written about the cacophony of the Seahawks’ twelfth man – their raucous hometown fans at Qwest Field. But guess who motivated the fans in the week leading to the playoff game?

Mr. Carroll made good use of his Twitter account (or at least his representative did) in inspiring fans to be loud and vocal at the game. His boyish enthusiasm is fun. Mr. Carroll’s attitude is contagious and worth catching.

Such passion begins with enlightened management. That’s what I’d call Messrs. Mullaly and Carroll.

Steps to success

Here are the basic ingredients for a business game-changer:

Management – True leaders are strong, knowledgeable, and manage risks. They oversee all fundamentals but delegate – finance, marketing, operations, product management and customer service. Executives must also have a team spirit – an environment of collaboration.

Vision – Top managers possess skills in analyzing their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in strategic planning. They avoid complacency and must continually fine-tune the company when appropriate. That means habitually practicing the Principle of Contrary Action, which is a process of learning how to keep an open mind.

Focus – Managers must outline their master plan, stay focused and inspire the staff – the frontline responders to the marketplace – where the proverbial tire meets the road. Nothing great has ever been accomplished without enthusiasm and passion.

Best Practices – Senior management must inspire best practices for quality in all areas. Creating value is job one.

Mobility and flexibility –The 21st century marketplace requires quickness and mobility. This also means empowering all workers in decision-making and in being proactive.

Listening skills – Effective managers are approachable. In a proverbial sense, they walk the floor twice a day to interface with their employees. They hire managers and staff members who, too, are effective in listening skills. That’s the first step for a motivated staff and creating profits. Without even looking at financials, an astute outside participant will always be able to ascertain the success potenial of a company merely by watching the interactions between management and staff.

Communication – Good, open communication is required internally with the team members and with the customers and marketplace. In this way, you’ll take great steps in inspiring loyalty from customers.

From the Coach’s Corner, here are related topics:

Solutions to Rejuvenate Yourself and Business

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

How to Get Results from Your HR Training Investment

Business Got You Down? Tips for a Morale Boost

Leadership Strategies to Profit from Employee Respect

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