Four (4) Salient Points To Strengthen Your Team(s)

My beliefs don’t changes much from company to company.  I say this because I have always contended that in most any company, it is PRIMARILY about people.  All of the people, customers included.  So here is the short version of this concept:

1.    ACCOUNTABILITY; Every employee must take ownership and accountability of their actions.  No excuses, YOU MUST BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS.  I don’t accept finger pointing and my method of resolving issues is simple.  I get both or all parties of conflict in the room immediately upon being aware and then it starts something like this…..”….He said that you said XXX.  Is that true?”  Then I turn it around.  Believe me once the word gets spread that people can’t pass the buck, the buck passing stops. 

2.    PROPRIETARY SPACE:  We have to be very careful here as people who are insecure seem to take invasion of their space, very personal.  But on the other hand there are employees who just want to have their nose stuck in everybody else’s business.  The later reminds me of the great big arm at the waste treatment plant…..continuingly stirring the matter!  Spend your concentration and effort in YOU doing a good job and if one of your fellow employees is in some difficulty, offer to help don’t just impose yourself upon them.  You can get more bees with honey than you can with vinegar. 

3.    YOUR REPLACEMENT; I am a firm believer that we should always be training our replacement.  And when I state that, I inevitably hear, “well if I train her to do my job then they won’t need me here.”  This of course is ridiculous and counterproductive to any professional team.  What happens if someone experiences a catastrophic event in their lives and can’t work?  Why not have the replacement trained and ready.  What if a promotion comes along and you don’t get it because there is no one to take your place?  In this day and age, it is very common and pretty much expected that loyal employees are willing and able to function in multiple roles.  The more you know and the more you contribute the more valuable YOU become. 

4.    COMMUNICATION; In most companies, communication is at an all-time low.  One almost has to pry or extract in some way, needed information.  Communicate via Email, written notes, telephonically or in person, but communicate with each other.  Don’t believe that just because you’ve been employed at your company for a long period of time, you can come and go as you please.  Communicate with each other.  Learn about each other.  Have healthy open discussions to help each other understand the goals, paths and/or expectations.  And did I mention, “Communicate with each other?”

There are 3½ months left in 2013 and this is arguably, the most important 100 days of the year.  This is the time people and companies make decisions to spend before the year comes to an end or what they are going to buy in the first quarter.  Be sure to set yourself in position to get your piece of the sales pie as well.

Regards,

George F. Mancuso, CPC, CEO
Client Growth Consultants, Inc.

 

Fail Safe Suggestions To Manage People Effectively???

One reader writes:  “I have just accepted an executive level position with a new company.  This is my first position at this level and I want to do things right.  Any fail safe suggestions for the new girl on the block?”

I could probably write books on the do’s and do not’s if I knew more about your life experiences and the new company.  But let me to provide an extremely short version of items that just pop into my head without much of an in-depth or detailed thought process.  P.S. there are no “fail safe” processes, just learning to treat people with respect they are due.

1.    Work on being consistent.  Employees like to know where “YOU” stand on a given day.  Try to present the same game face almost every day no matter how stressed you may be or problems on your mind.

2.    Do not attempt to micro manage as this would be the kiss of death.  Instead become a sponge, ask questions that show employees you truly are trying to learn.  It gives them an opportunity to show you what they know and once they know how you are and that you care, they will open the flood gates of knowledge.

3.    Don’t burden them with massive amounts of meetings.  Start slow, gain knowledge and then move forward accordingly.

4.    Do not make sweeping changes in the first few weeks.  My personal belief is that change brings opportunity but most rank-in-file employees’ thought process, doesn’t necessarily embrace change when it’s forced upon them.  Learn how to be subtle and learn to allow it THEIR idea.

5.    You have a business to run, but always remember that employees like customers like to know W.I.I.F.M.?  (What’s In It For Me?)

6.    Sense of humor is very important.  Please do not walk through your manufacturing facility with a stoic or offended look on your face.

7.    Do not forget the words, “thank you, please, looks good and great job!”

8.    If you are a workaholic remember that most rank in file employees are not.  They have families and lives to go to and that should always be respected.

9.    Keep employees informed.  The office staff knows when good things happen so why not have regular and/or impromptu plant meetings and updates everybody?  i.e. Big sale, or a new customer that will be bringing business, job security issues, new ideas, issues that affect all are just a few suggestions of topics.

10.  In all manufacturing environments, safety is a huge issue.  As an executive, practice what you preach.  i.e. Wear eye/ear protection, no loose clothing, watch where you walk etc.

11.  Be a great example of being a team player.  And I define a great team player as one who knows when to lead and when to follow.

12.  Don’t ever have critical or disciplinary discussion in public.

13.  And finally remember this; A manager is a person that employees are directed to follow.  A leader is a manager that employees WANT to follow.  Your choices will help them make their choices. 

So “new girl on the block” I wish you the best and hope these few tips are of value to you.  I salute you for your determination, definition and CAN DO attitude.  I look forward to hearing about the great results from the fruits of your labor.

As always, your comments, opinions and suggestions are always welcome.  Go forth and make this a tremendous week by making an outstanding contribution in someone’s life.  If I can help in any way, please call or write and I will respond immediately!

Regards,

George F. Mancuso
George F. Mancuso, CPC 

 

HOW CAN WE MEASURE THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT OF KEEPING OUR

Most companies today recognize the value of attracting and retaining a strong, competent workforce.  But most also don’t fully appreciate how they can improve retention rates.

When surveyed, employees indicate their top reasons for leaving a position are:

·         Not getting along with their direct supervisor

• Desire for more money
• Need for better work/life balance.
• Lack of career growth, challenging assignments.

It’s noteworthy that three of the four top reasons are non-financial. Employers can do much to address these issues, but frequently only pay lip service to significantly enhancing the employee experience. If employers paid this little attention to their customers’ experience, they would likely be out of business.

So, what’s an enlightened employer to do?

• Actively demonstrate that you value the unique needs of each employee
• Tailor your HR and benefit programs to your workforce (flexible work schedules, choices in health plan options, PTO banks, etc.)
• Publicly recognize outstanding performance and employee achievements.
• Teach supervisors how to be good coaches and managers.
• Provide ongoing training on issues such as handling conflict, delivering difficult messages and conducting effective performance discussions.
• Ensure alignment between business goals and employee rewards.

• Appropriately mix base and variable pay.
• Unambiguously link performance to rewards.
• Clearly delineate between rewards for top and bottom performers.
• Nurture the employee ecosystem.
• Make sure employees understand what it is the organization values.
• Practice what you preach—hold managers accountable for their actions and for tolerating or ignoring unacceptable behavior.
• Focus attention on high performers; deal effectively with marginal performers (Is an “up or out” philosophy right for you? Or, is a culture of mediocrity acceptable?).
• Ask top performers what makes them successful at your organization and why they stay.
• Ask employees what is and what is not working and act on their input.

Commonly used solutions today include pre-hire assessments, variable compensation programs, and links between the performance management and compensation systems (both strategic linkages and automated, processing-type linkages). Planned enhancements over the next year typically include the implementation of learning management systems and online skills/competency tracking systems.

Forward-thinking companies do a reasonable job of tracking the key performance indicators of retention, which have historically covered employee satisfaction levels, turnover rates and benchmarks for similar organizations, and worker productivity metrics. However, these measures do little to illuminate why retention issues occur. These basic measures should be expanded to track items such as employee satisfaction with specific areas of their job (their work, their supervisor, their pay, their commute, their co-workers); turnover rates should be evaluated by employee level, tenure, speed of advancement, performance rating, sex, age and other factors.

The key is to progress from simply tracking data to understanding information to determining cause and effect. Then you can affect your bottom line.  Client Growth Consultants is here to help.  Call or write and we will respond immediately!

Regards,
George F. Mancuso, CPC, CEO
Client Growth Consultants, Inc.

How Strong Is YOUR Creative Process?

A great deal can be accomplished if you are defined and methodical in your approach to dealing effectively with people.  But a great deal more can be achieved if you add creativity into the mix.

 Several years ago I was consulting for a regional sales organization and as part of the process I would ride with each sales person for one or more days.  This of course gave me tremendous insight into the company, their process and methodologies and gave me numerous clues how to help them individually as well as a company as a whole.

 While riding with Tony, one of their top salesmen, we passed a warehouse that was over 1,000,000 square feet.  Tony pointed at the facility and said, “I know this company buys from my competitor who has a national footprint, but I wished there was a way I could get a shot at their business.”

That evening I had Tony put himself in the Presidents shoes and requested he write down 10 questions he would ask a potential new vendor.  It took some thinking but the task was achieved. 

 Then I helped him draft a letter to the President, stating only who he was, who he represented and then said, “I have put myself in YOUR shoes Mr. President and have defined 10 critical questions I would ask me, a potential new vendor, who could be a benefit to our organization.  I plan to call you on Friday to set up a 15 minute appointment to share with you those questions.”

 He made the call, got the appointment and when he sat down several days later, the President said to him, “so you thought of 10 questions, eh?  Well so did I.  What do you say we exchange papers to see just how close we are?”  They did and amazingly 8 out of the 10 were almost identical to each other. 

 Tony got the account, small at first but grew into a tremendous and profitable customer.  How did he do that?  He put himself in the prospects shoes.  Thought like him and methodically designed a plan, executed the plan and closed the sale.  He demonstrated he cared, was capable and had a can do attitude filled with creativity.

 Why this wouldn’t work when managing people or projects or active customers?  People are impressed and take notice of creativity, especially if it demonstrates that you care.  Creativity is part of you demonstrating your desire to serve and make any given situation a win/win and not your way or the highway.

 You should think of solving a problem for a prospect, your employees or a project instead of just trying to get your point across or only sell your products.  When your creativity aura shines because you care and that you are truly concerned, all will take notice.

 This is the second week of the month of July.  Have you reached your sales and management goals to date?  Go out and make this a tremendous week for you and all around you.

 Regards,

George F. Mancuso, CPC - CEO
Client Growth Consultants, Inc.

What’s wrong with hiring managers?

June 16, 2013

QUESTION FROM A READER:  What’s wrong with hiring managers?  I am an executive recruiter for a major recruiting firm based in the Midwest.  And it is my humble opinion, that of late, hiring managers have lost their moral core.  They play with candidates emotions, they use me to bring qualified candidates to the table then quietly search for “knock offs” of my candidate so they won’t have to pay my agreed upon fee.  Besides the recruiters in my office, are we the only ones experiencing this?
(Marissa L., Professional Recruiter, Omaha, NE)

ANSWER:  The answer is not only no, but HELL NO!!!  As most of you know Client Growth Consultants is an executive search firm, so believe me when I tell you that I do have firsthand current knowledge of this subject. 

I have well over 200 recruiter “friends” across the U.S. with whom I stay in touch in one form or another. And they are all talking about this subject.  And maybe you are correct in your assessment that their moral cores have been damaged and overcome with greed.
So from two standpoints, please allow me to make these comments:

1.    IF YOU ARE A RECRUITER:  You must get your client committed to your services.  It’s okay to ask if you are going to be competing with them in the search.  It’s okay to ask who else is involved in the search.  Its okay for you to set the mutually agreed upon ground rules. And I firmly believe it is critically important for your client to understand that this is how YOU make an honest living. 

a.    The work we do is very labor intense and many times we go through 10 x 10 candidates to find them 2 or 3 qualified. 

b.    Be a professional and get all of this out front and verbally spoken. 

c.    And if your client “burns” you, then wash them from your client list forever unless you just like working for free.

2.    IF YOU ARE A HIRING MANAGER; Please understand that treating a recruiter like Marisa as described above, is poor business, unethical and morally wrong.

a.     How would you feel if your professional employees were treated in this manner?

b.     Be honest and upfront.  If you plan to be involved in the search then make it known. 

c.    If the recruiter continues then it’s a risk he/she takes. 

d.    And don’t lie to candidates.  If you don’t think it’s a match, tell them.  Candidates are capable of hearing the good news and the bad.  And if you’re not honest it gives false hope. 

e.    Treat candidates exactly the way you’d like to be treated if it was YOU seeking employment. 

f.     The old saying that what goes around, comes around is more true in today’s market than ever.

 No doubt this newsletter will come across one sided and those most guilty we become those most offended.  Not really sorry, it’s just one of those honesty issues that needs to be addressed.  Never let it be said that I sugar coat the truth.  Your comments are always welcome and I would happy to give hiring managers equal time next week.

Regards,

George F. Mancuso, CPC, CEO
Client Growth Consultants.com