In his book “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team,” Patrick Lencioni suggests trust is the basic foundation for a high performing team. Teams cannot engage in healthy conflict, commit to each other, hold each other accountable, or achieve sustainable results with an absence of trust. So how does a team build trust? According to Lencioni, … Read more
One of the mistakes leaders make in giving feedback is delivering feedback in the same fashion for every direct report. Just as a parent knows the proper way to connect with each of their children, a leader can improve their feedback by tailoring the message to the direct report’s personality style. Quiet introverted direct reports … Read more
Recruiting does not end when a new employee starts. It is important to cement retention during the first 90 days of employment. Hiring managers must make sure the employee’s desk is prepared for their first day. Do they have a computer? Are their phones ready? Is their work area ready? Is there a plan for … Read more
President: “We need to invest more in developing our employees.” Controller: “We can’t invest in them, what if they leave?” President: “What if we don’t invest in them and they stay?” The largest expense line item on most company’s income statement is their payroll. Studies and corporate bottom lines show that companies reap many benefits … Read more
We all know that the current job market is very tight for hiring new team members. What you may not be considering is that it is also a good time for your current employees to jump ship. In these times, it is critical that you retain your good employees. What is the #1 reason employees … Read more
Most organizations have core values or some set of guiding principles that determine the ways in which business is conducted. Some organizations take them seriously, but others distribute core values within the organization with much pomp and circumstance and pay little attention to them thereafter. One of the best ways to ensure core values are … Read more
When leaders are asked, “What talent concern frequently keeps you up at night?” one of the most common answers is they are concerned they will lose their superstar. No one wants their key producer to leave, but hoping they stay or showering them with pleasures won’t make leaders feel less exposed. Every key position should have a … Read more
More and more organizations are getting creative with the titles they assign to their associates. Titles like Sanitation Engineer (Janitor), Sandwich Artist (sub maker), VP, Hiring Really Great Talent (VP, HR), Corporate Magician (Admin Assistant), Transportation Captain (Driver), Director of First Impressions (Receptionist) are imaginative and conjure up fun images of the company and incumbents. … Read more
Several years ago there was a report of a highly recruited law school graduate who was offered and accepted a job with a prestigious law firm. Prior to bringing the new hire onboard, the law firm searched the Internet on the new hire and found several compromising photos from her recent spring break. The law … Read more
It’s hard to determine who has less respect for reference checks: hiring managers or candidates. Today, hiring managers rarely conduct effective reference checks and, as a result, candidates have little motivation to maintain those past relationships. Brad Smart, the author of the popular book “Topgrading: The Proven Hiring and Promoting Method That Turbocharges Company Performance”, describes an … Read more