Archive for July 2014

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Don’t Let Travel Schedules Preempt Your Regular One-on-One Sessions

July 25, 2014

If you or your organization claim “our employees are our greatest asset”, you should be doing regular one-on-one sessions with your direct reports. There is no better way to maintain those valuable “assets” than weekly one-on-ones.

When you or your direct report travel, you might be tempted to skip the one-on-one sessions.  Don’t do it; conduct the sessions by phone instead.  It is important for the one-on-one meeting rhythm to be maintained.  Remember one-on-ones build relationships and trust.  Productive relationships and enduring trust stem from predictability.  Rescheduling one-on-one sessions because you or your direct report are not in the office disrupts this crucial rhythm.

Remember, whether it is you or your direct report who is working remotely, maintaining a consistent, predictable rhythm to communications keeps the empowered momentum going.  The purpose of one-on-ones has always been centered around the needs of the direct report; aren’t they more likely to have increased communication needs when you are not physically together?

Empower your leaders to conduct their one-on-ones on a consistent schedule, and you’ll experience more success.

Categories: Leadership, Performance Acceleration
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Are Employees Really Your Greatest Asset?

July 21, 2014

Most organizations promote their employees as being their “greatest asset.”  Unfortunately, most employees indicate they hardly feel like an asset, much less among the greatest assets of the company.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average employee stays at a company for 3.5 years and makes about $40,000 per year.  Therefore the average “employee asset” costs organizations just in wages $140,000.  How much effort do you invest in your employee assets as compared to your investments in other $140,000 assets?  Think about how much time you spend buying and maintaining your computer systems – how does that compare to the time you spend hiring and accelerating the performance of your direct reports?  Ask yourself these questions:

  • Do you give your “greatest assets” daily, customized feedback?
  • Do you invest 30 minutes of uninterrupted one-on-one time weekly with your “greatest assets” talking about their issues?
  • Do you review your “greatest assets'” accomplishments, personal development, core value adherence, and future objectives at least quarterly?
  • Do your “greatest assets” have clear job accountabilities specifying key activities, time percentages, priorities, and success factors?
  • Do your “greatest assets” know what the organization’s goals are and do they have goals that are aligned to the organization’s?
  • Do your “greatest assets” continually work at developing to be a better person – physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually?
  • Do you have a succession plan for your “greatest assets” so they don’t feel trapped in their role?

Remember, unlike most assets on your balance sheet, these assets should appreciate over time so the investment you make in them should continue to net you great returns.  Invest in your greatest assets regularly and empower them so you’ll all be successful.

Categories: Leadership, Performance Acceleration

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How Good Is Your Selection Process?

July 14, 2014

According to Wikipedia, a business process is defined as:

a collection of related, structured activities or tasks that produce a specific service; a sequence of activities with interleaving decision points.

We recommend every hiring manager have a repeatable selection process consisting of three phases: job and candidate definition, screening, and evaluation.  How do you know if your selection process is any good?  If you can answer yes to these questions, you probably have an excellent selection process:

  • Do your employees respect the new hire for succeeding in your selection process?
  • Would your employees cringe if they had to go through your selection process?
  • Do weak candidates drop out of your selection process because it is too hard?
  • Are superstars attracted to your company because your selection process ensures weak candidates are not hired?
  • Does every new hire, without exception, go through your selection process?

Develop a quality selection process, be disciplined in administering it, and empower your team for success.

Click on the link below to view a recent webinar for the MSU Alumni Association on our recommended selection process.

https://connect.msu.edu/p2phg8iiyp5/?launcher=false&fcsContent=true&pbMode=normal

Categories: Leadership, Selection

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