Perform or perish – Part 1

November 28, 2012 ~ Orlando Ceaser

I interviewed with a manager from a medium size pharmaceutical company. The DM spoke of sales success as a ruthless priority. There was an intolerance of mediocrity. If your performance was “subpar and under the bar” you were in trouble. He looked at me intently and uttered that familiar phrase, around here, “Money talks and BS walks.” I had heard the phrase many times before and being quick on my feet, I responded, “What’s the use, if you don’t produce.” I wanted him to know I could swim in shark infested waters and that I was the person for the job.

In research circles and the halls of academia, researchers and professors are told to publish or perish. In sales and marketing organizations all over the world, a variation of this battle cry can be heard. We are in a constant struggle to prove our value by selling our products and services and competing for our jobs. We “fight extinction with distinction.” Our existence or extinction is governed by our ability to meet or exceed the demands of the marketplace. If we are to be successful, we must accept the ultimatum to perform or perish.

Many companies are in a reduction mode; reducing the size of sales forces and other resources. Some good representatives are displaced in the process, but an effort is made to keep the top performers. Territory performance is evaluated and the under performing ones are eliminated, left vacant or absorbed into adjacent geographies. It is imperative to understand how performance is measured, exceed expectations and ensure that management is aware of your full contributions to the bottom line.

How is performance measured?

Everyone should understand how performance is measured in their organization. Sales teams rely heavily on objective factors such as, market share growth, new customers, satisfied clients, new prescriptions, total prescriptions, customer satisfaction or engagement scores, pieces sold, number of calls made, customer conversions and documents or people processed. There may also be subjective factors such as, behavioral traits, competencies or success factors which represent how the employee achieved their goals.

Performance is captured and referenced in performance reviews, (formally once or twice a year) and coaching discussions on work days and other interactions with the manager. Frequent performance discussions against objectives will eliminate surprises at the end of the year and ensure that the latest document accurately reflects your results. You may want to initiate these fireside chats if your manager does not do this routinely.

Understand the evaluation system

Many companies will force rank their employees based on their overall performance. If there are 10 people in a District, they are ranked from 1 – 10, with the top representative occupying the #1 position. This process is helpful in distributing performance ratings, merit increases and incentive compensation. This process may also be used to determine the lower 10% of performers. Some companies will remove the lower performers if they are at the bottom of the list two years in a row.

Companies may categorize employees as A, B or C players. Thomas DeLong and Vineeta Vijayaraghaven in their Harvard Business Review article defined A, B and C players as follows:

“A’s are star performers. They are employees who put their professional lives ahead of their families and personal lives because they are striving to accomplish more or move upward in the organization. They are the risk-takers, the “high potentials,” and employers enjoy finding and hiring them. They are also the players most likely to leave the organization for opportunities elsewhere.

B’s are competent, steady performers who balance their work and personal lives while still doing the bulk of the work of the company. They tend to stay put, don’t require a lot of attention, and they get the job done. Because they stay, they tend to carry the corporate history with them.

C’s are performers who are not achieving enough to satisfy their employers and are most likely to be asked to move along.” In hard times Companies try to keep their A & B performers.

There are other variables in assessing your performance and that includes comparing it to your peers who may work for other managers. Calibration is a process used to discuss employees in an effort to measure employees against their peers. There are some managers who are hard on their people and therefore distribute lower ratings and incentive payouts, but they have stuff standards. Other managers have been known to be easy on their people and rate them higher and reward them with higher incentives whether they earned them or not. To even the playing field a process of calibration was established. This is considered a more equitable system because it allows managers to discuss their ratings with the peers. In this scenario people of comparable performance are compared to ensure equity in the system.

Managers are challenged to evaluate performance in a pay for performance environment. Force ranking and calibrating are ways to ensure that people are reviewed, rated, rewarded and retained based on their performance. Your objective is to ensure that you are viewed near the top of the pack, as an A or B player which is validated by the calibration process. No system is perfect, but assessment is here to stay and necessary to provide data for promotions and when tough personnel decisions, such as staff reductions have to be made.

Tooting your own horn

In Philosophy 101 the professor asked, “If a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound? In business if you are making a contribution, you want the world to know about it.

There is a feeling in our culture that you should not toot your own horn, let others do it for you. We label those that do, arrogant and braggarts. Ironically, some of these individuals get promoted, because management has a better assessment of their ability. We may become disillusioned and accuse management of favoritism.

Perish or Perform – Part 2 on December 3, 2012

8 Ways to Rebound and Get the Next Job

November 12, 2012 ~ Orlando Ceaser

You were just given the news. The boss called you into their office or you received a telephone call. Someone else was given the job you wanted. How will you handle the disappointment?

Much has been written about getting the right job. There are books, seminars and counselors who specialize in helping you attain the job of your dreams. This article will focus on what to do immediately after the event.

Your reaction to bad news may surprise you, especially if you did not consider not getting the job. This became clear in our Presidential elections. The objective is to prepare for getting the job, but you should have a Plan B or Plan C, just in case the unthinkable happens.

It is important to anticipate bad news and respond with professionalism. How you respond may put you in a better position to land the next job. Many times the way you handle disappointment will demonstrate your character and impress someone enough to keep you in mind for another assignment.

1. Ask for specific feedback

If you are to be more competitive in the next interview you need constructive feedback. This feedback should be able to be converted into goals. Ask for more tangible feedback than, “You did a good job.” “Just hang in there” and “Something will come your way, it is a matter of time.”

Many people are reluctant to give solid feedback because they are afraid of being sued or causing ill will by hurting someone’s feelings. They do a grave disservice to the applicant if they have specific information and decide not to give it. Additionally, some people may not have developed the expertise to give quality feedback. You will have to press them for specifics and guide them by asking for feedback is specific areas with specific examples.

2. Be open to the truth

If you ask a question you must be able to live with the answer. Feedback that is factual and delivered in a truthful and caring manner is invaluable to your growth and development. Jack Nicholson in the movie A Few Good Men hurls the phrase while under cross-examination that “you can’t handle the truth.” This must not apply to you. Self-examination and honest introspection may help you anticipate the words of the interviewer. Sincere feedback must be accepted graciously and implemented. It must not be viewed as vicious criticism given in a defensive environment.

3. Search for reasons you can control

Be careful not to rush to or land on a reason that you can’t control. There is nothing worse than being denied a job and feeling helpless to improve your chances. Be patient and don’t rush to play the age card, race card or the gender card or any other card that you can’t change. If you are denied a job because of discrimination you have a right to pursue legal recourse, but let’s not rush to that assumption when there are other reasons that may preclude you from getting the job.

4. Be open to growth assignments

Do not be so narrow in your perspectives that you eliminate other assignments that could strengthen your portfolio and therefore your chances of getting your desired job. Oftentimes, companies may not want to take a risk on a candidate, but if that person has a breadth of experience in other jobs, it minimizes the risk. Another advantage of additional assignments is that they increase your knowledge of the company and increases the number of people who can validate the quality of your work.

Analyze other assignments not from the viewpoint of can you do them, but what can they do for your future. It may be just the job you need to convince management that you have what it takes to get the job you want.

5. Increase your contacts through networking

People rise in their careers in part, due to the number of people familiar with my work. In many conference rooms across the nation succession planning committees gather to determine who will move up the corporate ladder. The more votes you have around the table, the better your chances for advancement. Contacts made at company functions or industry meetings may be invaluable. Inter – departmental teams are an excellent place to volunteer because in today’s matrix organization you need to learn to work with others who may not be reporting to you. There are networking events on social media sites and organizations you can join to help you meet people who may become helpful in your career.

6. Don’t make impulsive decisions and burn bridges

Control your emotions. Don’t make a hasty decision to quit or say something destructive. You must thoroughly analyze your situation. There is an abundance of quality talent on the open market. As with any relationship, take the time to reflect on what transpired.

A rash decision may hamper career development. If it doesn’t work out, rather than stay to work on their skills, people leave and go to another company. They may get more money, which makes their decision look good. However, if there is any area needing improvement, it really should be addressed as soon as possible or it will come back to haunt them, as history repeats itself.

The worst time to look for a job is when you are upset. Your judgment may be impaired. You may strike out with an I-will-show-them attitude and not evaluate all of the particulars of the new offer. As in a relationship, you should not evaluate options when you are angry or disappointed. You do not want to look back regretting an employment decision made without the benefit of a reasonable cooling-off period.

The corporate world is shrinking. One cannot afford to leave under bad conditions, because the bad blood shown to an employer can come back to haunt you.

7. Accept losing to a better candidate

Sometimes the level of competition is so steep that management is in the enviable position of having more talent than it can use. This is no consolation for someone who has worked hard for the job, but it is a fact of life. The timing may not have been right or someone had a better relationship with the decision maker, which served as the tiebreaker. There is also the possibility that you had a bad interview. An interview is like an audition. Academy Award winners and those possessing a Tony Award for the stage have lost out on key roles because they had a bad audition. You may do your best and still not get the job. The important take away is that you did your best. It is important to accumulate a variety of experiences and interests, because you never know what will be the tiebreaker in intense interviewing scenarios. You will be the better candidate in the next round of interviews.

8. Model the right behavior

Your employer is not the only person observing your behavior. Colleagues and others within the organization will want to know how you handle the pressure of not gaining an assignment. This is a perfect opportunity to model the characteristics of a team player and someone patiently awaiting an opportunity by striving to improve every aspect of their performance – a model not a martyr. If you are persistently passed over with little or no feedback or receive insincere contradictory commentary, you may have to make a decision to go where they may appreciate your talents.

Accepting bad news is never easy. We don’t like rejection. This fact is wired into our genes. There are factors in acquiring a job that may be beyond your control and the timing may not be right. You should, however, do everything within your power to ensure that you are ready for interviews, from the standpoint of skills and experience. If you do not get the job, the answer may not be “no,” it may be read as “not now.” The moments immediately after this discovery may lead you toward landing the job that you really want.

5 Symptoms your Employer is Cheating on you or Thinking about it

October 29, 2012 ~ Orlando Ceaser

There are symptoms that point to an employee losing favor in the eyes of an employer. If you are paying attention, the breadcrumbs will lead you back to their original intentions. Also, as in any relationship, the people around are the first to see the symptoms that something is wrong.

We are creatures of habit and have a tendency to emit clues. You should always look for feedback and indicators on how well you are performing on the job and be able to spot the precise moment when things are drifting off course. If you are quick to respond, you may be able to up your game through an intervention. For example you may get training in an area to increase a particular skill. Or if the case is hopeless, engineer a soft landing where you can land on your feet in a better situation.

There are instances where organization indicates they are looking for someone else as a temporary or permanent replacement. You must be aware of these symptoms to protect yourself. You may have to lash out in self defense if your stability is threatened. There are at least 5 symptoms to indicate there is trouble in paradise. Your employer is either cheating on your or thinking about it.

1. Interviewing your replacement

They bring someone from the outside as a consultant and ask you to train them. This is innocent enough until you find out they are gunning for your job. You train them, but realize they are looking at your strengths and weaknesses and may be taking them back to your boss. You ask the right questions, but there is not a lot of transparency around the person’s next job and why they were hired in the first place. Your co-workers give you their point of view which is to essentially watch your back.

Eventually, you decide the company is grooming your replacement behind your back, not as part of transparency associated with succession planning. You have to decide what to do which means to gain insight into how you are perceived within the organization and think of an alternative route outside of the company. You cannot afford to be career naive when it is true, other people want your job.

2. Broken Promises

Your boss promised you a position and gave you extra work to prepare you for the transition to the new role. This causes you to get your hopes up high and work harder. What is unknown to you is they have no plans to give you the assignment. They brought in someone, whom you find out through the grapevine was promised the same job. How do you respond? It is a delicate situation. Should you confront your boss about the rumors or the grapevine laden conspiracy? It is appropriate to ask for a meeting to ask about your performance and if you are on course to assume the promised assignment. There response will determine your next move. I believe in expecting the best, yet preparing for the worst. This mindset will enable you to be very professional if things don’t go your way.

3. Change their disposition toward you

You begin to detect a change in your bosses’ reaction to you. For some reason they become aloof and unavailable. You internalize the reaction and wonder what you have done wrong. You instantly think it is work related and begin to work harder and longer hours, but there is no change. You want to ask if you have done something wrong, but it may not be you. Promotional decisions are sometimes changed by Upper Management. If your boss promised you the job, but headquarters or his boss thinks it should go to someone else, they are between a rock and a hard place. A true leader will sit down and talk to you, but their hands may be tied. Some leaders will tell you that the decision is no longer in their hands and leave it at that. A transparent leader may say, this particular job is off the table, but they will work with you on the next available position.

If your supervisor told you the whole story, you may confront his manager and put your boss in jeopardy. Many managers will dodge their responsibility by finding fault in your performance.

Suddenly you can’t do anything right. The amount of critiques escalate, even when you do things the way they taught you to do them
Reduction in your rating without warning – you need to improve, but they can’t tell you how or why… They will know it when they see it is their response

4. Unprecedented candor

Some Managers have a reputation for not providing feedback until or unless something is wrong with your performance. There is a raging debate in managerial sectors about the level of transparency around career upward mobility. Some would prefer to hold back information that indicates that you have reached your peak and have gone as far as you can ascend in the organization. One reason for reluctance is the subjective nature of many of these opinions. Management could change and the new manager may see untapped potential, so they are reluctant to give the definitive word on your career possibilities. However, if your manager would like to replace you with a newer or a different model they will not hold back. They will:

Let you know that the promotion or position you aspire to will not be given to you in the future.
You are told you have gone as far as you can go and if you want to stay at your current level the job is yours
They may suggest that you are safe for now, but at some point they may decide you are blocking a position which could be a primary training ground for another upwardly mobile employee

You know when someone has made up their mind about you, but they will not tell you the truth. They hope you will quit, thereby making it easy on them. They try to make it hard on you so it is difficult for you to stay. You have to keep your performance fresh and in shape through continuous improvement and exercising your mind.

5. Rewriting your job description

A common means to displace or replace an employee that a company wants to leave or take out of contention for a key role is to rewrite their job description. This new and improved job description contains education requirements, experiences and duties that you do not currently perform. They tell you they are upgrading the job to attract better talent in the future when the job becomes vacant. Sometimes they ask you to start writing the job description if one is not currently on file. Once the job description is rewritten the company may announce a downsizing and the new job description will be the basis for the interviews. You find yourself in a position where you are interviewing for your job. They bring in candidates from the outside whose experiences and education match the new standard.

It is imperative in this competitive marketplace to always strive for excellence and elevating your performance. You may be in style today, but it is imperative for you to keep up with the knowledge and technological skills necessary to compete. It is reasonable for a company to want the best employee for their jobs. As long as you are growing, your familiarity, intellectual knowledge and intellectual property should give you the inside track. However, you must be observant in case you run into these 5 symptoms which is indicative that your employer is bored, has a wandering eye and is looking around and holding auditions for your replacement.

How badly do you want to keep them? (To counter or not)

October 23, 2012 ~ Orlando Ceaser

One of your top employees asks for some time to talk. They want to put a meeting on your calendar, preferably right now. They are solemn and serious and you instinctively know this cannot be good. You have played out this scene many times before. There is a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach, as you walk back to your office. “They can’t possibly be leaving. Let’s find out what they want.”

They begin the conversation slowly like a funeral march. “This is the hardest decision of my life.” Why do they always have to begin this way? Get on with it,” you are thinking. “After much thought, deliberations and discussions with my family, I have decided to resign. Here is my two weeks’ notice.” You are surprised and you say words to that effect.

They continue, “It has nothing to do with you. You are a great manager.” You never thought it had anything to do with you. Although the Gallup research says people don’t leave companies they leave managers, you did not take the resignation personally. “It has nothing to do with the company. It is a great organization. It has taught me so much and the people are great.” You were not taking this as referendum on the company or its’ personnel. “But his company gave me an offer I could not refuse and I have to think of my family.” There it was the Godfather offer. The offer any reasonably intelligent person would be an idiot to turn down.

The next comment was your all time favorite. “I was not looking for a job. I did not contact them. They contacted me.” Yes, but you picked up the phone, returned their calls and showed up for the interviews. This is probably said in most resignation discussion. There must be a feeling that your leaving is easier to digest if you knew they did not make the first move. They are only leaving you because someone else made the first move. I guess that is supposed to ease the pain, replace the person and make up for the institution knowledge and time invested in them, which is now walking out the door.

Your mind wants to know so much. What company? How much was their Godfather Offer? Why did you answer the telephone? But you resist the temptation to ask these questions. You begin. “I am sorry to see you go. I know it was a hard decision to make. After all you have done so much for us and we have invested a lot in your development. We were looking forward to gaining more from this investment. You know we think very highly of you. I thank you for your time and wish you and the family the very best. I hope this works out well for you. I accept your resignation and we will follow through with the separation process.

What is the status of the projects you are working on? I assume everything is in order. Are there any pressing assignments you can complete in the next two weeks? Have you notified your team? Let’s do it now. You promise to make the internal announcement as you thank them for their service and arrange for the check-out, sign-out or whatever title your company gives to the separation process.

You notice a surprised look on his face when you accepted his resignation. It is as if he wanted you to say something different. Did he want or expect a counter offer. What should you do? Then he asks two questions. The first is a set up for his main questions. “Do you ever take people back when they leave the organization?” You answer this question by stating that rehiring is often counter-productive and not a good idea, but depending on the company needs it is always a possibility. Then came the real question. “Do you ever issue a counter offer to keep someone and stop them from leaving?”

There are a variety of opinions on this question. Your response should be woven into your corporate and personal philosophies. The Human Resources Department offer excellent guidance in this area. Ultimately Leadership makes the call because of the impact on the business. If the person returning or leaving has skills that are difficult to acquire or if they have skills you don’t want in the hands of the competition, you may match or counter the offer. Some people feel that it is difficult for someone to resign, but most of the angst comes in doing it the first time. If they left you once it is easier to leave you the second time. They would advise you to accept the offer and wish the person good-bye. Many advise you to accept the two-week notice, pay them for it and send them home immediately. They view the person as a traitor and a negative influence to have them walking around the office for two weeks on a farewell tour.

It is important to arrive at a philosophy on counter offers, realizing that any inconsistency in implementation may increase the conversations around the water coolers or on the company grapevine. What will you do?

5 Signs an Employee is Cheating on You

October 16, 2012 ~ Orlando Ceaser

The association between employer and employee is a relationship. Just as fidelity is crucial in a romantic endeavor, it is also expected in this kind of civil union. However, there are times when employees begin to stray. Their eyes look for a more desirable partner or greener pastures. They wonder if they are missing something by being tied to their company. Under these circumstances they listen to the siren songs of potential suitors. They hope to catch the glance of another company and may linger too long fantasizing about another organization.

Although most employers are at will, which means each party can terminate the arrangement at any time, they still become upset if their employees openly look for another job. Additionally, they are jealous if someone begins courting their employees. Look at the actions of management when they lose too many employees to the same organization. In one case a CEO called the CEO of the offending company and discussed ethical violations for raiding their top talent. They did very little to please their employees, yet became threatened and irritated when they started losing people. The offending CEO basically told him to look in the mirror. “If your people were happy and felt they had ample career opportunities they would not leave.”

When an employee tenders their resignation, employees are sometimes surprised. When they looked back over the past few months they admit there were signs that they did not take seriously. In retrospect they say, “I should have known or I should have seen it coming.”

How can you tell when an employee may resign?

If there is a new stud organization in town or on the market, expect midnight raids into your camp
If employee surveys indicate dissatisfaction among your team members, which is evident in low engagement scores, etc.
The industry is exploding and the number of qualified applicants is low
You have a plethora of top talent, and not enough promotions to please everyone

Some of the standard signs that your employees are mentally cheating on you or straying away from the company are listed below.

1. A break in their usual routine

They start taking long lunches out of the building when they always brought or purchased their meals on site. They dress up for work in business attire or look better than usual. You may even notice a new hair style or haircuts more than usual.

Interviewing takes time. Many employees will take vacation days to interview with other companies. However, some people take long lunches to achieve this objective. A tell-tale sign that someone is looking or considering leaving is using most of their vacation time in the early part of the year. Some workers clean up their office and their files. Their office looks like spring cleaning has arrived with the reduced number of pictures and artifacts.

2. Increase in telephone calls

They seem to have more personal telephone calls through their direct line or their cellular phone. The volume on these conversations is lower than their normal speaking voice.

Recruiters are aware of top talent and will flood their phones with telephone calls to assess a person’s interest in an alleged phenomenal job opportunity. They also follow-up the interviews with calls and e-mail messages to monitor progress. Periodically, it makes sense as a highly enlightened manager, to talk about your observations with the employee. Tell them about the calls you receive as a manager and ask how they handle the calls they get. Assume they are getting telephone calls. If they are worth their weight in gold, someone is talking to them. Discuss your philosophy about recruiter calls. Reassure the person of your interest in their career and your commitment to develop them. Let your employee know how you value them and their contributions. Remind them that recruiters are sales people and many are more committed to their own families. A recruiter may not be objective when they sell a certain opportunity as being the best thing in the world for their potential client.

3. Increase in the number of sick days

For a person who is really ill, they suddenly have a rash of colds or personal family emergencies. These illnesses do not take much time away from the office. They fall into the category of the 24 hour variety which brings them back to work quickly, so as to avoid suspicion.

Interviewing time causes people to take sanctioned sick days to look for a job. If the manager shows genuine concern for their health may shame some people into taking vacation days over sick days to interview. Technically speaking, taking sick days to interview is a violation of company policies and could place the employee at risk if they are discovered.

4. Discontent with company policies

The employee begins to challenge company policies and procedures or questions them more than in the past. They seem anxious and combative. They also may have problems with their peers which was seldom an issue.

Individuals may have a hard time leaving a company that has been good to them. People rationalize their actions / behavior by finding fault in their current organization. Policies and procedures that were never a problem become a major concern or nuisance. This may be indicative of their internal struggle. Immediately recognize the change in conduct and ask if everything is alright. You want to get to the bottom of any grievance.

5. Change in work performance

There is a change in the employees work performance. The quality may increase significantly or experience a precipitous drop. The increase can be used to throw you off the path that they are looking for another job. They may also use their best performance to show the company they are giving their best and not cheating them with substandard effort and results. A close evaluation would cause one to question why they were not giving this top flight performance all along.

Conversely, some people whip themselves into a frenzy of negative attitude. They feel as if the company has taken advantage of them. The recruiter convinced them they are underpaid and underappreciated and now they will underperform. The constant negative messages cause them to reduce their effort to what they perceive to be acceptable levels to match their pay scale.

There will always be employee turnover. There are benefits and down sides of every resignation. However, treating your employees properly and being aware of signs of discontent or outward mobility could make a difference in retaining the employees you want to keep. This could reduce employee cheating or make you aware of it, so you are not surprised by an unwanted resignation.

Maximizing the power of wise counsel

October 9, 2012 ~ Orlando Ceaser

Wise counsel can be developed over years of experience. People want guidance and to tap into a reservoir of knowledge. Frequently you are asked for advice, so that others can gain from your expertise. Your perspective is valuable. Therefore, you have information which could help people make better decisions about their career or to increase their understanding in a particular arena. It is a wise person who can learn from their own encounters, but to learn from the wise counsel and the actions of others is more efficient.

Tell me if you can identify with the following scenario. You are approached by an individual eager to get your opinion on a certain matter. They ask a direct question. You are honored by the opportunity to share wise counsel. As you pour out your heart you realize the fan, the protégé is not taking notes. How will they ever remember your eloquent remarks and witty repartee? You face the reality that your hard work and generosity may have a short retention half life. Brittany Olivares in her introduction to psychology on helpingpsychology.com cites research dating back to Hermann Ebbinghaus’s experiments. She suggests that a person actually begins to forget information within 20 minutes of the initial learning. They can lose as much as 50% in one hour and close two thirds of the information in 24 hours.

Faced with the reality of diminished effectiveness and wasted time, it important to do something to maximize the power of your wise counsel. It is crucial to act quickly to improve retention of your message. The right strategy will make it easier on all participants. You, as the mentor, will be more effective and the session will be more productive for the people seeking your advice. Before the impromptu questions;

Compile a list of the frequently asked questions (FAQ’s) where people sought advice
Write out your common responses
Elaborate on these comments with examples as if you were writing an article
Catalogue and saved these articles in your files

This strategy creates a record of your conversation. Later you may submit the articles for publication. This will help establish your name, as an expert in your field.

When someone asks a question, you can give them an abbreviated response. If they require more information, ask them to submit a memo to you and you will send them a more detailed response. This places accountability on the person. If they are truly interested, they will show the initiative to contact you. This technique receives rave reviews and will maximize the effectiveness and staying power of your comments. You do not want to lose the information to a faulty memory or their inability to capture your thoughts.

Another way to make your meeting more memorable is to suggest the following:

Ask the person to take out pen and paper or the tablet or smart phone to capture information
If these items are not available they must promise to write down the comments immediately after the discussion
They may write the key bits of information in their journal
You can agree on important take a way comments for future discussions
If the person worked for you or are a mentee, you might ask them to send you a summary of agreed upon actions

People, who ask you for wise counsel must be willing to do the work to comprehend, capture, codify and hold themselves accountable to fulfill any action required from your commentary.

Comprehend what needs to be done

The power of question and follow up questions must be used to ensure they understand the information presented. If they are not sure, they must be persistent until they have received as much from the interchange as possible. You may ask them questions to validate their understanding.

Capture the critical information

The person must take ownership in capturing the information. If they have the courage to ask questions, they must also have the resources to accurately retain the brilliant pearls of wisdom from your experience. If you are gracious enough to give your point of view they should be thoughtful enough to preserve the information until they get home. This requires more than looking at you attentively, smiling and nodding their head in agreement.

Codify to develop a system

Some people develop systems to ensure they do not lose the information they collect. They also make sure that routines are established to follow through on any outstanding issues. Studious individuals have sent memos thanking the person for taking the time to talk to them. Others have set up a mechanism to periodically contact the person to provide feedback on how they used the information they received.

Accountability must be established to ensure the required actions are executed. This is only appropriate if there are action steps that have been agreed upon in the conversation. Every conversation does not require accountability partners of actions, but when they are expected, they should be delivered.

We love to give feedback and share insight and perspectives. We can maximize the power of wise counsel by putting steps in place to sustain the messages delivered.

Internal Corporate Warfare – Mind to mind combat

October 1, 2012 ~ Orlando Ceaser

In an era of empowerment, engagement and teamwork, there is an internal struggle among people who should be allies. Individuals who should be aligned against the external competitive forces have squared off against their co-workers. This internal corporate warfare is a game of mind to mind combat initiated by managerial favoritism, individual’s ambition, hastily conceived diversity programs and survival tendencies linked to the current economic environment. Frequently this warfare is undetected by leadership until the damage has been done through poor morale and the loss of key talent.

Managerial Favoritism

When individuals realize that some people or person has an inside track to promotions they are more than slightly irritated. Nepotism is alive and well in corporate America and so is employee backlash. People do not willingly work with someone if they feel they cannot be trusted or that they will arbitrarily move ahead of them on the promotional totem pole. One of the reasons it is uncouth to get involved in an office affair is the impact it has on the other employees. They do not feel comfortable. They are afraid the person is a spy and will tell all of their secret conversations.

If someone is placed on the proverbial fast track, this leads to friction in meetings and in interactions with their peers. Some people want to dethrone the heir apparent, while others befriend them for personal gain. However, the mind to mind combat and verbal sparring are evident in their personal interactions. As a leader, have you thought about the conflict caused by a potential show of favoritism with certain employees?

Individual Ambition

Ambition is not a dirty word or a concept that is frowned upon by people in power. Organizations want employees who work hard to improve their performance and strive to excellence. Corporations want leaders because they will assume the executive positions within the organizations. They will be responsible and accountable to achieve corporate objectives for the shareholders.

There seems to be a resurgence of cut throat career ladder climbing within a number of companies. This is very true in those organizations that pit their employees against each other in a “may the best man or woman win” scenario. Employees realize that the managerial hierarchy has flattened and therefore, there are fewer roles, so the ambitious become more aggressive. The ambitious are savvier in selecting mentors, taking additional courses and networking feverishly to line up an army of supporters and advisors. Whereas, many in the younger generation want work life balance, the unscrupulous ambitious ones are still willing to sacrifice everyone and everything to reach the top of the heap.

Hastily Conceived Diversity Programs

Leaders read the latest business publications and are confronted with leaders who tout the richness of their Diversity / Inclusion strategies. Top companies in their industry are featured on Top 50 lists for diversity and inclusion. The Corporate ego is inflamed and they decide to do something about diversity and inclusion to improve their corporate culture. They may realize that the demographics of their company do not match their customers or the external marketplace. This need to tap into a wider swath of the talent within the minds of their employees is done swiftly and without much research into how it fits into their overall strategy.

Corporate awareness is further enlightened when they consider data on engagement and how, many of their workers are not bringing their entire selves to work. With these factors in mind they decided to hire and promote people without doing their homework and disseminating their strategy to their people. They waste a golden opportunity to use diversity and inclusion as a means to make all employees feel valuable and appreciated.

When people realize that a diversity and inclusion program incorporates everyone within the company and offers equality for the most talented, much of the infighting is reduced. Diversity programs should include all of the ways in which employees are different. The business case should be discussed and the benefits to the entire company should be delineated. When this is not done properly, workers will not accept new people and will sabotage the arrival and careers of their teammates. The conflict, clashes and ostracism create unnecessary tension. The new employee is blind-sided. They have no idea what is going on. They view their co-workers as cold hearted, hostile and unfriendly.

Survival tendencies

Companies are doing more with less and becoming more creative in achieving their objectives. Talent management strategies have introduced concepts such as forced ranking which can inadvertently lead to internal corporate or departmental warfare. How does widely advertised forced ranking affect teamwork among peers? If you know your assistance could help someone leap frog you and move in front of you in the eyes of management, would that affect your desire to coach your peers?

When I was in sales it was common for sales people in the same industry not to talk to each other. They viewed each other as the competition and the enemy. This helped them make sure they would not give away any secrets on strategy or promotional programs. Is it unreasonable to think this could occur within an organization if people view their peers as the competition? Suppose they see their co-workers as threats to continued employment or promotions, would it affect their actions?

Benedict Arnold and Judas Iscariot are two of the most notable traitors in history. Many careers have been sabotaged by co-workers who gave disparaging stories about their peers for personal gain. I was told a story early in my career. Apparently a group of employees were complaining about a recent company policy. The most vocal among the group reported the meeting to his manager, conveniently leaving out his role in the meeting. He sacrificed his peers to make himself look good. He was subsequently promoted to the chagrin of the rest of the group who attended that meeting.

Companies may try to improve their culture, but are unaware of the internal corporate warfare raging within their doors. Self aware leaders and employee surveys may alert them to the potential skirmishes. Enlightened and strategic leaders improve their culture for the benefit of all. The prevailing peace and cooperation among co-workers will minimize counterproductive exercises and enhance productivity, performance and profits.

5 Multiple Strategies for Success

September 24, 2012 ~ Orlando Ceaser

Success involves achieving. But success has a strategic element that causes us to anticipate factors and events that could curtail our results or limit our achievement. According to the Bing Dictionary, multiples involve several things and include people or parts. Let’s explore 5 key multiples which could help us achieve our desired goals. For our purpose today we will evaluate areas where options are beneficial.

Multiple Revenue Streams
Multiple Interests
Multiple Memberships
Multiple Mentors
Multiple Areas of Application

Multiple Revenue Streams

Professional speakers talk about how to generate income beyond the speech. Since we are not always on the stage, we look for additional ways to make money that transcend speeches. Some speakers have a coaching business; sell online training programs, merchandise or other business ventures. Some of these strategies can work for everyone.

Many families are already familiar with this concept through Multi-Level Marketing ventures. People sell home products, investments, real estate, jewelry, cosmetics, telephone service and other products to supplement their family income.

We may create income from our savings account, 401K or real estate investments. The concept of having multiple revenue streams can protect us during a financial downturn or supplement our earning and provide flexibility and greater peace of mind. During the financial downturn of 2008 many speakers saw a decline in their revenue. Mikki Williams, CSP of Mikki Williams Unltd., mentioned being sustained by her multiple streams of income. She had a speaker training school, coaching business and other venues which enabled her to weather the storm. A friend’s wife went back to work and truly lived up to her title of Mrs. (Multiple Revenue Streams).

Multiple Interests

Having a variety of interests can be an advantage. Many people branch out into new careers based on personal interests and areas of personal curiosity. Jeff is an insurance executive, yet he performs music on the weekends. He is pursuing his passion, but also makes money on the side. We have heard legendary stories of entrepreneurs who made small and great fortunes based on exploring and exploiting their hobbies. Dave received a job in computers because his expertise was well known within the company. A common mindset is to have an interest and then ask, “How can I make money at this?” Alli is working with school children on developing a heart for the poor and disenfranchised. This may spark an interest in her students to demonstrate different interests and arouse their leadership qualities. These interests may allow them to distinguish themselves from their peers later on when applying to college. They may be asked the question, “Tell me about a time when you displayed leadership at school or in the community?”

Multiple Memberships

There is a bonus to belonging to different groups. By expanding our network across industries, cliques and limited groups we can benefit our careers and perspectives. Networking increases our professional and personal contacts. Joining multiple organizations increase our exposure and knowledge. It can also challenge our thinking and give us a greater appreciation of different people and their needs. Consider the professional organizations we need to join and then those groups that align themselves with your interests. This helps keep our interests in the forefront of our thinking. Although the interest may seem like a pipe dream, if it is a repeating part of your thoughts, we should nurture it. One day the interest may flower into a fulfilling opportunity.

Multiple Mentors

Many successful people extol the advantages of multiple mentors. They accumulate a fresh variety of viewpoints. Each mentor may have a different area of expertise and may push us to think along a path of reasoning we had not considered. Companies have a board of directors to receive wise counsel from those who are a well rounded group of experts in their fields. When making a major decision we should consult those who have knowledge in a particular area. Diversification works in many areas of our lives from investments to other areas of decision making. Mentors may have a bias or a blind spot in a given area, but casting our net widely will prevent tunnel vision and restricted thinking.

Multiple Areas of Application

Instituting new ideas or training concepts brings at least one challenge. That is gaining enough practice to make the new way a part of our daily routine. For example, Situational Leadership is a wonderful program advising people to adapt their leadership style to the development level of the learner. We can implement this on the job, but the principles also work in raising children, conducting meetings at church and in the community. The concept also works well in personal awareness and development. By finding other areas to use ideas, the multiple areas of application accelerate the learning and making the new skill a part of our work routine.

These 5 multiple strategies for success are only a few of the techniques to pave the way to success and personal gratification. Acting on these and other methods will help us acquire the goals we so richly deserve.

Family leadership, reunions and knowledge transfer

August 5, 2012 ~ Orlando Ceaser

Companies strive to develop stronger leaders. They know the power of leadership to propel their organizations to greater profitability and influence. They also seek continuity and to perform excellently in the area of knowledge transfer. Expertise in this area is a critical component in their succession planning process. Necessary skills and information will enhance productivity and minimize any disruption in performance. Successful organizations develop their talent pool or bench, by ensuring the smooth transfer and implementation of institutional knowledge.

Companies ideally want the new person to have time with the incumbent when a person is promoted. They want them to learn the mechanics of the job and the history of the position. If the new person understands the lessons of the past they are most likely to repeat the right ones. The experts realize this grounding in the past is a benefit. This awareness is helpful before the new person suggests any radical changes.

New employees gather available information by;

reading information on file and on line
one on one discussions with the former job holder
interviewing employees and customers
formal job orientation programs

A person is admired if they can quickly get up the learning curve and deliver value. They are able to speak intelligently about some matters for a seamless transition within the department. This increases the new person’s confidence during the early days in the new position. Successful knowledge, defined by knowing what was done in the past and current practices is an asset.

The process of knowledge transfer can also work well in families. Adults in the family acquired years of education, instruction, experiences and expertise. Such information could be shared with their family members. Reflect on the vast amount of knowledge accumulated over the years. Your children have received the benefit of some of this data. But there is still so much that could be exchanged.

Knowledge transfer already occurs in many families, with or without structure. This is especially evident if they are in a business together. They are present and the coaching can be delivered first hand. On the job training in the form of shadowing or following the relatives around the office or one on one meeting is a helpful practice. Bringing children to work is a great idea to let them see what the parents do on the job. It could allow them to see if their parent’s job is what they would like to do someday.

Most of the time knowledge is transferred through our actions as we live out our values and beliefs in the home. This happens around the dinner table or other places where the family gathers to interact. These opportunities could be intensified, if awareness and structure is added. If we intentionally design content and intent, we could better prepare our families for a competitive future. The world, the workplace and life is more challenging and grows in intensity and complexity each year.

One of the advantages of children getting older is that you can discuss matters related to your employment. The more we can tell the stories of our workplaces, the better they can learn about at least one job. This sharing of information is not designed to force them to choose the same occupation, but to expose them to the job and the character traits needed to be successful. Children brought up in a supportive instructive environment have an edge when they go into the workforce.

Family reunions are a great venue to share values, family history and coach members about our collective acquired expertise and experiences. We share this information with our immediate relatives, but could accomplish so much more if we shared with more people. The value of these years of experiences and connections could enrich the entire family network.

Consider setting up a procedure for the working members of your family to discuss their professions with the youth. Many times these gatherings are social, but they can be so much more. The following structure can be used to have adults share their experiences, education and expertise with their relatives at a family reunion. The format is as follows:

Knowledge & Experiential transfer – Enriching Families with the Talent Within

Premise:

There exists with the collective family, valuable assets that could be a competitive advantage for individual family members. People in the family play many roles on their jobs, in church and in the community. They accumulated knowledge and skill to succeed in these roles. Family members have received intensive training in school and on the job. If we could tap into this wellspring of talent and transfer it to others in the family, we would have a pool of mentors to help our youth perform and compete at a very high level.

Family members are not often aware of the talent that is present across their bloodline. Some do a greater job mentoring people and offering advice outside of the family when the need is also great at home.

Objective:

To identify and share the wealth of information in the form of knowledge, experiences, expertise and skills within the nuclear and extended family and across the bloodline.

Procedures:

Assess family members who are willing to talk about their jobs in a workshop or panel discussion. This could include the mechanics of the job and their journey to the position.
Solicit questions from family members before the meeting to get everyone thinking and prepared for the session.
Notify family of the objectives of the session and expectations of excellence from all in the family.
Celebrate those family members who have achieved excellence in any area whether on the job or in their education.
Select certain adults to roam through the reunion to answer questions about their profession. They can wear name tags that have jobs or areas of expertise. These individuals can be sought out at the family reunion to tell their story.

This is a brief overview of how we could stress excellence within the family and utilize the talent within to increase our greatness and fulfill our purpose. The self confidence and feeling of collective strength will add to the esteem and image of the entire family.

Family members can models leadership in every interaction with each other. We can intentionally build processes and structure to transfer knowledge. Taking advantage of these interactions will allow us to share our expertise, education and experiences and benefit the group, through living out our purpose.

To Be Your Best

May 22, 2012 ~ Orlando Ceaser

There is something in each of us that gravitates toward high standards of performance in some area of our lives. We may not be functioning at that level, but it does gnaw at the back of our minds when we are not delivering our best. Additionally, we expect excellence from those who impact our lives, especially if we give our support. I questioned students about their academic performance. I asked all straight “A” students to raise their hands. No one raised their hands. I stared in disbelief and finally one student slowly raised her hand. I could tell she was reluctant, but she was being prodded by her teacher. Ironically, she looked timid and apologetic for her excellent grades.

I congratulated her on her excellent performance. The straight “A’s” meant she had the courage and the discipline to focus on her schoolwork, even when others did not. I thanked her for staying true to her standards. I recognized that it was very difficult to study when others around her were not as dedicated. She was true to her purpose and validated the sacrifices of her parents, ancestors and those who made her opportunity possible. I asked everyone in the class to applaud her for her achievement. The students gave her a rousing ovation. I marveled at the look of pride and appreciation on her face, as everyone looked at her and clapped for her. This validation was good for her self-confidence.

I asked all of the “B” students to raise their hands. Most of the classroom raised their hands. I thanked them for working hard at their studies and realized it was not an easy task to perform. I suggested that they had one higher step to take. There was one individual with straight A’s who was really lonely at the top. Because of their excellence, dedication and discipline I congratulated them for their achievement. I suggested that everyone in the class give them a hearty ovation. The class was very excited and enthusiastic. The clapping was louder because more of the students were among the group receiving the praise.

I continued the exercise with the “C” students in the classroom. Six students raised their hands. I stopped and stared at each of them. I said, “Now you know you can do better than that don’t you?” They broke eye contact and nodded in agreement. I asked them if they had done their best work. They acknowledged that they could do better. I told them that it was very important for them to move up to the “B” and then to the “A” level. Many people were counting on them to give their best. The students had not seen their best work. “You may be bashful or hesitant for people to see your best work. But it is unacceptable for you to go through life and not see your best work. It is inexcusable to not know how good you are and how strong you can become.” They gave their commitment to work harder and improve their grades. They nodded in agreement that they understood me. I continued by saying, “I will not reward you for a “C” however I will applaud your commitment to work for a higher grade.” The class gave them a thunderous ovation.

Our value of high standards is very evident in our support of organizations and athletic teams. We are downright intolerant of teams that we feel could be better. People, are agitated at the poor performance of their favorite sports teams. If someone is having a bad game someone has to pick up the slack and pull the team out of the funk. They all seem to go into a funk and tank together. Too often people hold back their best performance because of the opinions of lower performers. We had students in school who are disliked because they are known as the curve busters. They performed so much higher than others that if the teacher graded on an average, they would inflate the average. Companies tolerate employees who are not pulling their weight and hurting the department or the team. These individuals should be held accountable and replaced if they do not elevate their desire and execute their assignments.

People were asked the following questions, “What irritates you about your favorite team or some of the players? What do they do or not do that really gets on your nerves? What are some of your frustrations as a spectator?” Here are a few of their responses;

They don’t give their best effort
They don’t earn their money or your support
They make costly mental mistakes
They play to the level of their competition
They don’t play together as a team
They are not physically in shape
They become overconfident and under-estimate their competition

Some were asked to think about their performance in their classes or on the job. Could someone make some of the same comments about their performance? Could they be accused of not giving their best effort? Did they make many mental mistakes and consistently played to the level of their competition? Were they a team player? Were they physically and mentally in shape and humble?

Excellence is unpopular in some situations. There are sports teams, such as the New England Patriots National Football League team, who are accused of running up the score. They play their best games even if it meant the score would get out of hand. They are committed to excellence and played the game to reach their best performance. Many teams insert their second string and the second team plays to the level of their skills, not to the score of the game.

Ironically, there is an unwritten rule of sportsmanship, a gentleman’s agreement; that says when the score is out of reach, the other opponent is to slow down the game. They are to play half as hard, so as not to further embarrass the other team. Ironically, this is also the mindset that leads to injuries because they are playing without the same level of focus and concentration.

We have to set and adhere to high standards, as a way of thinking, acting and as an overall way of living. We have to scrimmage with the best to hone our skills. We should model excellence and unapologetically strive to reach our goals and improve the overall performance of everyone. There are ways to stress excellence and sportsmanship without abandoning the practice of delivering your best.