What's Behind The Smiles

ou and me) has come back to haunt them.

I'm reminded of a quote from the French playwright Moliere "There's no praise to beat the sort you can put in your pocket."

Let's reflect as we prepare and finalize next year's budget. Will your compensation philosophy acknowledge the changing realities and capitalize on the opportunity available? If your property made little or no profit this past year how much of your labor budget can you really cut without further degrading service? If your property made a decent profit, will any of that profit find its way to your front-line staff next year? Why not? If your property made a significant profit in 2006 why isn't an above average portion of that profit being returned to those that created it?

My worst fear is that nothing will change – that budgeted monies will go to necessary infrastructure improvements, some to accommodate ever-increasing amenity creep, and only just enough to meet brand-mandated employee training programs. The direct connection between quality, well-trained, respected, satisfied and loyal employees - and higher profits - will be quickly forgotten. The bean-counter mentality will return. The big picture will be ignored, once again.

Hoteliers need only look into the mirror to find the reason for massive governmental wage intervention. This industry, and others like it, has not enjoyed the most favorable public reputation. How many young adults, perhaps your own children, dream aloud of a career in hospitality? Given a choice would you encourage your son or daughter to aspire to become a hotel general manager? A recent Business Week profile of best places to launch a college graduate's career failed to list any hotel-industry employer. Surprised? You shouldn't be. Very few hotel companies have made any "best" lists - ever. If this list had been expanded to 100 employers would any hotel company be on the list? I'm hopeful - but not optimistic.

The hotel industry can't hide behind the cute advertising smiles any longer. The public and most lawmakers have noticed. There's decay aplenty. It was, sadly, inevitable – but also preventable. For too long, too many hoteliers have ignored their social responsibility. As Madame Marie Curie said "You cannot hope to build a better world without improving the individuals. To that end each of us… share(s) a general responsibility for all humanity, our particular duty being to aid those to whom we think we can be most useful." To be specific – our smiling employees.

How Do We Structure Benefit Surveys?

How Do We Structure Benefit Surveys?

Q: We want to use detailed surveys so our employees could rate the good and bad features of their employee benefits package. Which questions are likely to elicit the most useful feedback?

A: Bravo to you for asking the questions. Though we've seen a considerable increase in organizations surveying employees about benefit programs, too few actually do anything with the information they learn. Instead, many keep writing ever-bigger checks for their programs, and endure the wrath of what they perceive to be an ungrateful workforce.

If you're aiming for a comprehensive review of employee perceptions of your various benefits, conducting a stand-alone survey will be better suited to your purpose than incorporating a series of benefits questions into a broader satisfaction survey.

Depending on the particular benefit, you will want to ask questions about one or more of the following areas:

a) The value of the benefit.
b) Cost of the benefit to the employee.
c) Overall satisfaction with the benefit.
d) Its ease of use.

In some cases (health insurance, for example), you may want to get opinions about several or even all four of these factors.

Using a five-level Likert scale, list survey options as: strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree and strongly disagree. Other common Likert scale options include extremely satisfied, very satisfied, moderately satisfied, dissatisfied and extremely dissatisfied. Here are examples of the kinds of questions you'll want to consider:

a) How valuable is our current medical and dental plan to you?
b) How satisfied are you with our 401(k) savings plan?
c) If we were to open an on-site child care facility, how valuable would such a benefit be to you?
d) Please rate the quality of the (food, customer service, nutritional value, variety) of the employee dining room.
e) How valuable are the employee discounts we offer to area attractions?
f) How easy to use is our medical savings account program?
g) How satisfied are you with the employee fitness benefit we offer?

Also, ask survey participants to do a "forced ranking" in which they rate the value of each individual benefit relative to other offerings. This will lend valuable perspective to your cost/benefit decisions about future plan improvements.

For example:
Please rank, from 1 to 7, the following benefits in terms of their relative value to you. Rank the most valuable benefit as No. 1 and the least valuable as No. 7:

a) Sabbatical program
b) Medical/dental plan
c) Child care facility
d) Pension plan
e) 401(k) savings plan
f) Medical savings account
g) Employee fitness subsidy

Other more specific questions about certain benefits also may be useful. For example, ask participants to rate the quality of customer service they have received from your medical plan provider or other providers of services.

Once the questions have been asked, we would strongly recommend that you share the results of the survey with those who participated, within a reasonable time (30 to 45 days maximum). Then you need to act on the input you've received. Communicate clearly and honestly which changes have and will be made and which items will remain the same, along with credible explanations of the rationales behind those decisions.

Most employees will better appreciate your overall benefits package if they clearly grasp the costs and perceived value of individual benefits.


[Source: Richard Hadden and Bill Catlette, co-authors, Contented Cows Give Better Milk, www.contentedcows.com, September 19, 2006.]

How Do I Effectively Present Our Benefits Program to Employees?

How Do I Effectively Present Our Benefits Program to Employees?

Q: I am new to the human resources field. In my new job, I need to present material about employee benefits, which I have never done before. My company does not provide training for this. Given that I have to do it without much formal training, how can I still present this information effectively? What are some useful guidelines that will help me highlight the key points to our employees? I'm looking for a few concrete tips.

A: You have actually hit on a critical component to communicating employee benefits: highlight the key points. Because benefits are part of the employment deal, employees want to know what they are, what they are worth, and how to use them. Benefits information is compelling for what it means to the employee. Effective benefit communication relies on defining your goals, understanding your audience and sticking to those key messages. Let's look at some effective tactics in more detail.

First, keep the message simple. Benefits material must support all of your employees, who have a range of interests and knowledge. You want to make sure everyone gets the same information and they understand it. Some rules of thumb include:

a) Define your key messages and repeat them. Repetition aids understanding.

b) Use plain language. Benefits can be complicated and you'll want to avoid any confusion.

c) Use a conversational style. Benefits are personal and your message is better received if delivered in a casual manner.

d) Use an active voice. Engage your employees about their benefits.

e) When a benefits change occurs, explain why. Knowing the reason can help employees accept the change.

f) To personalize the value of benefits, you must make sure employees grasp your messages.

Second, select the media best suited to your message and audience. Paper documents are good for casual presentation of material. They can be shared with family members, who are also part of your benefits audience.

If available, also consider using online technologies such as your company intranet. These tools make it easier to keep benefits information up to date. Online communication can also be used for personalized messages. Consider a benefits-modeling tool if employees must make a choice. "What if" tools are a great way to create personal interest and communicate your key points: "What if I get married?" or "What if I contribute more to the savings plan?" are some simple examples.

Finally, if unpopular messages are part of your responsibility, use face-to-face meetings and get company leadership to join you. This can be an effective way to handle resentment and help change perceptions.

Effective benefit communication relies on the same rules as other communication. Determine what you wish to accomplish, define your audience, determine your points and develop a plan to deliver your messages. If you answer employees' questions about their benefits, and their value and access, you will know that you have succeeded.

[Source: Randy Tyson, director, personalized and electronic communications, Buck Consultants, Washington, D.C.]

OD and Human Performance Technology

OD and Human Performance Technology

by Harold D. Stolovitch, Ph.D.

I am frequently asked to explain the difference between organizational development (OD) and human performance technology (HPT). Since both are aimed at improving the performance of people and organizations, why bother with two separate fields? The simple answer is that despite similar aims, there are considerable differences in practice, style and focus.

What Is OD?

OD is the field of study and practice that focuses on various aspects of organizational life, including culture, values, systems and behavior. The goal is to increase organizational effectiveness and maintain optimal organizational health through planned interventions in process or operations. Generally, OD services are requested when an organization or one of its major parts requires or experiences significant change. OD consultants provide planned approaches and structured activities to work through change to achieve desired improvements.

OD is characterized by a distinct consulting method that focuses on the people, culture, processes and structure of the organization. A primary OD goal is to optimize the entire organizational system by ensuring all elements are harmonious and congruent. Performance suffers when organizational structure, strategy, culture and processes are misaligned.

What Is HPT?

HPT is a set of methods and processes to solve problems or realize opportunities related to people performance. It may be applied to individuals, small groups or large organizations.

The field of study and professional practice tries to engineer accomplishments from human performers. HPT professionals adopt a systems view of performance gaps; systematically analyze both gaps and systems; and design cost-effective, cost-efficient interventions based on data analysis, scientific knowledge and documented precedents, in order to close the gaps in ways all stakeholders value.

OD + HPT

Both are concerned with improving performance. In many ways, they are complementary. However, the words and style in the descriptions reflect fundamental difference between the two. OD deals with the overall health of the organization. It comes into play when the organization is not functioning properly or will have to alter its way of operating. HPT focuses on identifying and closing specific performance gaps. It springs into action when required results are not achieved. OD emphasizes organizational effectiveness and is called upon when a major change affecting the entire organization is anticipated or occurring. It relies on consultant intervention, bringing together all the affected players and groups, and facilitating communication and decision making. HPT is applicable to any human performance gap, whether it results from change or from ineffective practices, improperly aligned incentives, lack of appropriate skills or environmental obstacles preventing desired performance.

Measured HPT professionals apply are narrow-beamed, usually concerned with cost-effectiveness, efficiency and productivity. HPT operationally defines performance as valued, verifiable accomplishments derived from costly behavior.

Vive la Difference!

To summarize, OD is a field of practice aimed at analyzing the functioning of an organization, facilitating change and, through its process-consulting capabilities, bringing disparate elements of the organization into alignment, generally around planned change. HPT is also a field of practice. However, its concern is with improving verifiable performance through people. Its starting points is any business need, from improving nuts-and-bolts production or reducing wastage and scrap to improved processes and productivity. It is bottom-line centered and not consultant dependent. If producing a simple printed job aid achieves desired behavior and accomplishments, it has been successful.

HPT is closely associated with hard-core measures directly linked to specific performance interventions that produce observable, measurable results. OD is characterized by facilitation and communication practices. OD frequently employs surveys in its professional work. Its aim is the smooth, coordinated and aligned functioning of the organization. HPT is driven by data, derived from actual observation and testing. It is often more directive.

I have found that HPT's front-end analysis and systematic design and development methods resonate well with OD practitioners. I have certainly profited from OD expertise in consulting skills and methods for building consensus and coordination around performance improvement goals. OD and HPT, in my view, make a great team.

[About the Author: Harold D. Stolovitch, Ph.D., CPT is a principal of HSA Learning & Performance Solutions LLC and is emeritus professor of instructional and performance technology at the Universite de Montreal.]

High-Impact Mentoring

High-Impact Mentoring

by Randy Emelo

Never has the need for rapid learning been greater. The swiftly changing workforce and marketplace bring new challenges every day; generational pressures and attitudes make transferring knowledge both critical and difficult; and downsizing and consolidation of organizations means each worker has increased responsibilities that require new understanding and skills.

Talent managers have attempted to address learning issues such as these with e-learning and knowledge management systems. Neither provides a comprehensive solution to a complex problem. On the one hand, old learning structures, such as classroom training or e-learning modules, lack the relational support and situational adaptability to be effective learning tools for an entire workforce. On the other hand, knowledge management systems have failed to deliver promised results because people often bypass sophisticated databases and look to other people for their immediate knowledge needs.

The common denominator in both of these attempts seems to be people's desire for relational and social interaction. This has led many to believe social networking will be the panacea for their learning development pains. They believe people will connect virtually in constructive, intentional learning relationships through social networking sites, and not just for social interactions. But many companies that have used social networking software for workforce development have been disappointed by the lack of intentional learning relationships that develop. While some accidental learning may increase due to participation in social networking sites, they lack focused learning structures and support mechanisms needed for goal-oriented, intentional learning.

What is needed is a process that combines the strengths of learning structures, knowledge management and social networking in a way that produces intentional, collaborative learning relationships where anyone in the workforce can find the knowledge he or she currently needs to succeed.

Today's Mentoring: Social Learning Systems

The future of mentoring and learning systems will begin with innovation in social, not content, components. While the expansion of e-learning, learning content management systems and knowledge management databases has increased access to information, new forms of social learning connection technology will lead the way to actual employee performance improvement. Continuing to expand the conceptual understanding and the range of applications for mentoring will be critical to implement any social learning system that will:

a) Use technology to increase access to knowledge in a relational context.

b) Facilitate intentional learning relationships in a goal- and competency-centered process.

c) Create a growing network of social learning opportunities.

A system like this will create intentional learning relationships by providing a learning structure and access to virtually all the tacit knowledge in an enterprise. Personal learning networks will form that speed tacit knowledge transfer in real time. Connecting this with various forms of mentoring will expand talent development, employee engagement, productivity and retention efforts.

Build a Network of Collaborative Learning Relationships

To create a social learning system, organizations need to implement a less restrictive, more open use of mentoring. In their book Intelligent Mentoring, which looks at mentoring at IBM, authors Audrey J. Murrell, Sheila Forte-Trammell and Diana A. Bing suggest that people need access to multiple, collaborative learning relationships and environments that fall under an expanded view of mentoring. Mentoring, when rightly understood and applied, can be a broad umbrella under which companies can organize a variety of self-directed intentional learning relationships. There are three distinct uses that can be applied concurrently for greater learning as people build a network of collaborative learning relationships.

1. Expand the use of one-to-one mentoring as a productivity tool.

Many people still see mentoring as a way to gain encouragement in career path choices. However, Triple Creek Associates research shows that when people are allowed to conscript one-to-one mentoring relationships based on their needs and preferences, they are used in a variety of ways to address real issues. In May 2009, Triple Creek conducted a study, "Impact of Web-Based Mentoring on Productivity and Effectiveness," of 13 organizations (1,323 respondents) and found 88 percent of mentors and mentees agree that their productivity or effectiveness increased due to their current mentoring experience. Mentees and mentors both felt the impact in areas such as expanding networks (64 percent), interpersonal effectiveness (63 percent), confidence in role (62 percent) and leadership skills (59 percent). Participants rated on-the-job training (88 percent) and mentoring and coaching (79 percent) as more effective than e-learning (37 percent). Essentially, mentoring most profoundly impacted complex development areas that are notoriously hard to address with traditional development options. Further, participants provided insights into other productivity gains impacted by a broader use of mentoring, as seen in these anonymous quotes:

a) Problem solving

"We were able to work on problem solving for a couple of specific job-related issues, and his advice will help me with future problems."

b) Functional skills

"My mentor provided me with some good ideas for managing from a distance. He also helped me to be more organized and use pre-planning for phone conferences with my direct reports."

c) Job-specific information

"My mentee shared information about the project side of processes, which [helped] me to learn some new codes and understand how pieces fit together."

d) Technical skills

"My mentor was able to teach me some very specific computer skills, which allowed me to create some usable spreadsheets for my manager."

2. Increase learning networks with group mentoring.

Group mentoring, when a group of individuals comes together to collaborate and share learning focused on central development goals, is typically seen as a way to stretch limited mentor resources to accommodate multiple mentees more efficiently. However, the power of group mentoring is being re-examined.

"I can integrate it into our leadership development program so that it is embedded and becomes integral to [participants'] learning," said Paula Schwartz, manager of instructional design services at Thomson Reuters. This means groups who learn together in a workshop can stay together afterward via group mentoring so they continue growing and learning from one another. Schwartz said she estimates Thomson Reuters can save $70,000 by using group mentoring this way.

Long-term social learning connections set today's group mentoring practices apart from traditional classroom training methodologies. With group mentoring, participants learn from leaders and other participants during meetings, but they also can engage one another between meetings, expanding the breadth and depth of learning that can take place in real work situations.

When combined with collaboration technology, group mentoring can address a variety of organizational outcomes and needs. Dell has used group mentoring with its accelerated development population, where high-potential directors mentor emerging leaders. Lisa Graham, learning and development consultant at Dell, said the company plans to expand the use of group mentoring to other departments such as sales, where top performers can mentor colleagues and share highly focused knowledge, such as insights around the K-12 sales group.

Group mentoring also appeals to younger generations. "We realized in our pilot younger employees were really looking for social networking opportunities," said Mary Cummings, program analyst for the Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration. Group mentoring offers people a way to network with peers and senior-level managers to whom they might not have access normally. "It's a good retention mechanism for our office," Cummings said.

3. Solve pressing issues with situational mentoring.

Today's workers often need quick access to advisors and experts who can provide them with specific guidance on a finite topic. Situational mentoring enables mentees to recruit a team of advisors who can collaborate with them on whatever high-impact issue they face. This process allows learners to move beyond their current social network to search for new nodes of knowledge in the organizational network, and it creates a collaborative learning team formed for a single, high-value purpose.

Situational mentoring is not an isolated process; a variety of collaborative learning relationships can emerge, including:

a) Short-term learning coalitions that end when the project is complete or the problem is solved.

b) Ongoing open nodes of learning that function like communities of practice.

c) Group mentoring interactions where expertise gained is exported to a larger audience so more people can benefit.

d) One-to-one relationships that broaden the learning.

Social Learning Redux

Critical learning often occurs best in a relational context. The future of organizational learning will promote the development of a highly integrated, technology-supported structure that focuses on the expansion of socially based, intentional learning relationships. An expanded vision of mentoring is emerging that will allow multiple modalities of learning relationships based on the needs of learners and the expertise already present in the organization. All three processes - one-to-one, group and situational mentoring - will stimulate and reinforce each other, creating a positive feedback loop that accelerates the development of intentional, social learning relationships across the enterprise.

This kind of flexible, intentional learning system combines the strengths of social networking and knowledge management systems with the intentional learning focus of mentoring relationships. It will provide the flexible, just-in-time learning environment critical for all workers to maximize both their own performance and their contribution to the learning needs of others.

[About the Author: Randy Emelo is president and CEO of Triple Creek Associates.]

Ten Tips For Workplace Success !!

Employers and Employees need to work together in order to be efficient and productive. Sometimes, this is harder to achieve than it should be. Here are some tips for both management and employees that should help create a better workplace.

5 TIPS FOR EMPLOYERS

1.Give More Informal Feedback. Don't wait to tell employees if they are doing a good or bad job. Timely feedback goes the farthest. Periodic feedback enables supervisors to re-enforce good performance and root out objectionable behavior. Don't let a lot of administrative structures tie you down in the "process" of feedback -- drop a note, e-mail, or voice-mail to a deserving employee, or a direct verbal comment makes the most impact.

2.Avoid Dramatic Showdowns. Letting problems fester or a poor relationship deteriorate can only lead to dramatic showdowns. Rarely does anyone come off looking good after these incidents. They are disruptive and disturbing for all, including managers and supervisors. You can preempt an argument by seeing someone unscheduled on their turf, or by scheduling a difficult meeting outside the office. Plan ahead to cover sensitive issues in a way that does not exacerbate the situation. Always be in control of your response, and never allow the discussion to turn into personally insulting dialogue.

3.Kindness is a Virtue. Try a little kindness in your everyday dealings with your employees. Besides being its own benefit, kindness in the right amount can increase morale and productivity. An inexpensive gift or card can go a long way in sustaining or repairing a work relationship with subordinates (and co-workers).

4.Keep Regularly Scheduled Performance Evaluations. Employees have a great deal invested in their jobs, and they can get anxious when annual performance reviews come around. Keeping these scheduled dates sacred goes a long way to avoiding problems down the road. Many disgruntled workers' primary complaint is that the employer neglected to keep regularly scheduled reviews, or ignored them altogether. Employees need feedback in order to know what they are doing right and what needs improvement. They also expect that well-run companies recognize and timely act on this. This has obvious benefits to companies, too.

5.Watch Your Bedside Manner. There are many different management styles, but one component is being aware of how you are perceived by others. Miscommunications can be easily averted by imagining yourself as the receiver of the message you are sending. Even bad news can be handled with tact and efficiency. Employees will be less willing to pursue grudges against those managers who have expressed themselves appropriately and with some sympathy. Balance the company's need with respect for the individual.

5 TIPS FOR EMPLOYEES

1.Seek Feedback and Clarification. If you are unsure about whether you have done a good job on a project, don't let your bewilderment poison your attitude. Take it upon yourself to be appropriately proactive in seeking the feedback that will allow you to move forward. Managers frequently are busy and do not realize they have forgotten to let you know how you did, and so they do not always take the initiative in giving you feedback. Try to keep the lines of communication open to the extent you have control.

2.Look Down the Road. If a company seems to be making some major changes that may not include you, don't wait until the axe falls. Get on top of the situation and make a decision about whether you will wait it out or seek a new position. Bemoaning a restructuring may be natural, but it does not have to be the engine that decides your workplace fate.

3.Keep the Boss Happy, When You Can. No one likes a sycophant, but there are ways to keep your supervisor happy that all of us must learn and practice in order to have satisfaction in our careers and jobs. Being pleasant, helpful, and cooperative aids in the workplace, and is a habit we should carry with us when we are not at work. There may come a time when a boss is unpleasant, or worse. If you cannot tolerate his unpleasantness, you may need to dust off that resume.

4.Keep Evaluations in Perspective. Evaluations are simply a touch-base session with your supervisor regarding your recent work performance. While many of us link what we are with what we do, we should not let our sense of self be tied to evaluations, even if they involve raises. If your review contains negative comments you feel are erroneous, they should be used as a guide on how to re-package yourself so that your next review is more positive. Respectfully and appropriately disagree if you can do so without causing a rift with your boss. Also, because most evaluations come only once a year, there is much anticipation surrounding them. Don't let that eagerness cloud your ability to separate one person's opinion about you from how you view yourself.

5.Trust Your Instincts. Most people have good instincts as to whether they are held in good esteem by their superiors or whether they are in the doghouse. But sometimes people ignore their instincts, usually because the reality is difficult to accept. If you are experiencing anxiety at work, you must either work things out with your employer or take appropriate steps to find another job. It's better to leave on your own terms than have the terms imposed upon you. Take control and trust your instincts.

These tips are some common sense ways to improve your workplace situation. They are not a cure-all, but if practiced often, they can benefit employers and employees. If you feel that the issue you are facing in the workplace may be a legal one, seek the help of a competent lawyer as soon as possible.

By Philip J Trobaugh

Depression in the Workplace: Management Techniques for Workers and Supervisors

Depression in the Workplace: Management Techniques for Workers and Supervisors - By Barbara E. Rohde, L.C.S.W., M.B.A., Smooth Sailing, Summer 1999.

Clinical depression is experienced by more than 19 million Americans every year. In the workplace, despite the vast number of people affected, depression too often remains a highly guarded secret among those who have it and a poorly understood or unrecognized issue among management. As a result, valuable human resources are wasted, productivity and morale are lowered, and costs related to employee turnover are increased. Although the past two decades have seen significant progress in the destigmatization of mental health, much more work is needed, in both biochemical research and education; the image of depression must be changed from that of a “mental” problem to that of a treatable physical illness affecting the brain, just as diabetes or hypertension are illnesses affecting other parts of the body.

My experiences as a business management consultant, psychotherapist, and mental health advocate have made me acutely aware of the tension between the needs of employees for a humane work environment and the needs of employers for increased productivity and profitability. Perhaps no other issue better illustrates this tension than illness in the workplace. Some strategies that supervisors and employees might use in addressing this complex issue are discussed below.

For Supervisors

• Recognize that depression has many faces. Depression is not just a sad, despondent mood; it may instead emerge as irritability, anxiety, lethargy, disruptions in memory or concentration, or some combination of these symptoms. Managers may not realize that these are common manifestations of depression. The result is that a depressed employee may be mislabeled as lazy, unmotivated, or difficult.
• Understand that most clinical depressions are due to neurochemical imbalances or malfunctions. With proper treatment, the employee will return to normal or near-normal functioning.
• Consult your company's EAP (employee assistance program) administrator or personnel specialist regarding how to intervene when you suspect that depression may be interfering with an employees ability to do his or her job. The specialist should be able to determine whether the person requires treatment and, if so, make appropriate referrals.
• Understand that the employee may need several weeks to several months to find and benefit from treatment. During this time, a small adjustment to the work environment could greatly enhance the employees ability to be productive, which obviously benefits you, the employee, and the organization. First, note what aspects of the personas work are being negatively affected (e.g., missed deadlines, reduced output, or interpersonal problems). Then determine what adjustments might improve the situation while the employee is recovering. Adjustments might include breaking down assignments into smaller, more structured tasks; communicating in writing, so the person has something to refer to; and setting mutually agreeable deadlines and scheduling regular meetings or E-mailings to discuss progress on assignments.
• Allow the employee greater input in work scheduling in order to take advantage of his or her periods of higher functioning.
• Consider reorganising the employees complex analytical projects, if any, into a team approach, or temporarily reassigning the employee to special projects where he or she can best contribute at present.
• Provide clear feedback. If possible, focus on positives and encourage the employee to work from individual strengths.
• Be patient. The employee may be struggling to compensate for varying degrees of impairment in memory, concentration, and energy. Treatment will markedly improve these functions. Allowing the employee to recover is less time-consuming than having to hire and train a new person.

• Immediately respond to and report any signs that the employees condition is worsening, especially any threats to self or others.

Leadership - Direct, Organisational or Strategic?

Let us look at different perspectives of the three levels of leadership: direct, organizational, and strategic.

DIRECT LEADERSHIP

Direct leadership is face-to-face, first-line leadership. It takes place in those organizations where subordinates are used to seeing their leaders all the time. The direct leader’s span of influence, those whose lives he can reach out and touch, may range from a handful to several hundred people.

Direct leaders develop their subordinates one-on-one; however, they also influence their organization through their subordinates.

For direct leaders there is more certainty and less complexity than for organizational and strategic leaders. Direct leaders are close enough to see—very quickly—how things work, how things don’t work, and how to address any problems.

ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP

Organizational leaders may influence several hundred to several thousand people. They do this indirectly, generally through more levels of subordinates than do direct leaders. The additional levels of subordinates can make it more difficult for them to see results. Organizational leaders have staffs to help them lead their people and manage their organizations’ resources. They establish policies and the organizational climate that support their subordinate leaders.

Organizational leadership skills differ from direct leadership skills in degree, but not in kind. That is, the skill domains are the same, but organizational leaders must deal with more complexity, more people, greater uncertainty, and a greater number of unintended consequences. They find themselves influencing people more through policymaking and systems integration than through face-to-face contact.

Organizational leaders focus on planning and mission accomplishment over the next two to ten years. Getting out of their offices and visiting the parts of their organizations where the work is done is especially important for organizational leaders. They must make time to get to the field to compare the reports their staff gives them with the actual conditions their people face and the perceptions of the organization and mission they hold.

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP

Strategic leaders are generally responsible for large organizations and may influence several thousand to hundreds of thousands of people. They establish organizational structure, allocate resources, and communicate strategic vision.

Strategic leaders work in an uncertain environment on highly complex problems that affect and are affected by events and organizations outside their own.

Strategic leaders apply many of the same leadership skills and actions they mastered as direct and organizational leaders; however, strategic leadership requires others that are more complex and indirectly applied.

Strategic leaders, like direct and organizational leaders, process information quickly, assess alternatives based on incomplete data, make decisions, and generate support. However, strategic leaders’ decisions affect more people, commit more resources, and have wider-ranging consequences in both space and time than do decisions of organizational and direct leaders.

Strategic leaders often do not see their ideas come to fruition during their "watch" and their initiatives may take years to plan, prepare, and execute. In-process reviews (IPRs) might not even begin until after the leader has left the job. This has important implications for long-range planning. On the other hand, some strategic decisions may become a front-page headline of the next morning’s newspaper.

Perhaps of paramount importance—because they exert influence primarily through subordinates—strategic leaders must develop strong skills in picking and developing good second-tier leaders.

Source: US Army Field Manual 22-100

Is Our Forced Ranking System Still Valid?

Is Our Forced Ranking System Still Valid?

[Workforce Management | November 19, 2009]

Using a 'rank and yank' approach requires managers to differentiate performance, but also can have a negative effect on employee engagement. Consider a performance management system that requires managers to set clear performance expectations, defines what 'high performance' means, uses feedback as data, and features ongoing discussions around development.

Q: How is the economy affecting the use of forced ranking? Our company is trying to figure out whether we should use it to address some internal issues regarding performance and succession. Is there a recommended minimum number of employees against which a "forced" performance rating distribution should be applied? Alternatively, what other strategies could we use in place of forced ranking?

- Preventing Rank Performance, senior business analyst, financial services, New Orleans

A: It sounds like the economy is affecting your business and you're trying to get more from your employees - possibly even trying to find a way to help make decisions on eliminations. If you are not currently using forced ranking, don't start. There is a better way - better for you as a manager, better for your employees, and better for your organization.

Forced ranking systems are a part of the performance management landscape, whether you agree with them or not, but they should not be used as the only instrument for evaluating talent. Although the 'rank and yank' approach of forced ranking does require that managers differentiate performance, it can have a negative effect on employee engagement. Rather, it should be one tool in a sound performance management system, balanced by tools that uncover the symptoms behind underperformance. There is no guarantee you will end up with a workforce that embodies your corporate values or sustains high performance because of a genuine desire to contribute.

As you evaluate your talent, consider a performance management system that requires managers to set clear performance expectations, defines what "high performance" means, uses feedback as data, and features ongoing discussions around development. One of the challenges with forced ranking systems is that they don't always evaluate employees against the organization's defined standard for high performance.

Rather than starting off with the premise that some percentage of your workforce, which you have carefully selected through your hiring process, is inadequate and will never improve, consider this alternative. In direct contrast to forced ranking, managers who use a capacity-building approach understand that performance is not fixed.

In other words, most people can develop new skills and capabilities and learn to be highly effective through focused effort. To evaluate current performance and to build tomorrow's teams, capacity-building managers measure an employee's talents and passions against the needs of the organization. The aim is to gain better insight on who is the right fit for your organization, both now and in the future.

If your organization is already committed to a forced ranking system, incorporate the capacity-building approach into your ongoing development activities. This will help ensure that you will not lose valuable talent because their potential was overlooked. Raising the performance of all employees means that when you do have to cut, the remaining workforce is more capable of picking up the slack and has the desire to continue increase their contribution.

[Source: Cheryl Huddleston, senior consultant, Novations Group Inc., Boston, July 27, 2009]

The 10 Biggest Mistakes People Make Managing Organisational Performance !!

~~ by Stacey Barr

Mistake #1: rely just on financial statements

Profit and loss, revenue and expenses these are measures of important things to a business. But they are information that is too little and too late. Too little in the sense that other results matter too, such as customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, customer advocacy. Too late in the sense that by the time you see bad results, the damage is already done. Wouldn't it be better to know that profit was likely to fall before it actually did fall, and in time to prevent it from falling?

Mistake #2: look only at this month, last month, year to date

Most financial performance reports summarise your financial results in four values: 1) actual this month; 2) actual last month; 3) % variance between them; and 4) year to date. Even if you are measuring and monitoring non-financial results, you may still be using this format. It encourages you to react to % variances (differences between this month and last month) which suggest performance has declined such as any % variation greater than 5 or 10 percent (usually arbitrarily set). Do you honestly expect the % variance to always show improvement? And if it doesn't, does that really mean things have gotten bad and you have to fix them? What about the natural and unavoidable variation that affects everything, the fact that no two things are ever exactly alike? Relying on % variations runs a great risk that you are reacting to problems that aren't really there, or not reacting to problems which are really there that you didn't see. Wouldn't you rather have your reports reliably tell you when there really was a problem that needed your attention, instead of wasting your time and effort chasing every single variation?

Mistake #3: set goals without ways to measure and monitor them

Business planning is a process that is well established in most organisations, which means they generally have a set of goals or objectives (sometimes cascaded down through the different management levels of the organisation). What is interesting though, is that the majority of these goals or objectives are not measured well. Where measures have been nominated for them, they are usually something like this: Implement a customer relationship management system into the organisation by June 2006 (for a goal of improving customer loyalty) This is not a measure at all it is an activity. Measures are ongoing feedback of the degree to which something is happening. If this goal were measured well, the measure would be evidence of how much customer loyalty the organisation had, such as tracking repeat business from customers. How will you know if your goals, the changes you want to make in your organisation, are really happening, and that you are not wasting your valuable effort and money, without real feedback?

Mistake #4: use brainstorming (or other poor methods) to select measures

Brainstorming, looking at available data, or adopting other organisations' measures are many of the reasons why we end up with measures that aren't useful and usable. Brainstorming produces too much information and therefore too many measures, it rarely encourages a strong enough focus on the specific goal to be measured, everyone's understanding of the goal is not sufficiently tested, and the bigger picture is not taken into account (such as unintended consequences, relationships to other objectives/goals). Looking at available data means that important and valuable new data will never be identified and collected, and organisational improvement is constrained by the knowledge you already have. Adopting other organisations' measures, or industry accepted measures, is like adopting their goals, and ignoring the unique strategic direction that sets your organisation apart from the pack. Wouldn't you rather know that the measures you select are the most useful and feasible evidence of your organisation's goals?

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Mistake #5: rely on scorecard technology as the performance measure fix

You can (and maybe you did) spend millions of dollars on technology to solve your performance measurement problems. The business intelligence, data mining and 'scorecarding' software available today promises many things like comprehensive business intelligence reporting, award-winning data visualization, and balanced scorecard and scorecarding and an information flow that transcends organizational silos, diverse computing platforms and niche tools .. and delivers access to the insights that drive shareholder value. Wow! But there's a problem lurking in the shadows of these promises. You still need to be able to clearly articulate what you want to know, what you want to measure and what kinds of signals you need those measures to flag for you. The software is amazing at automating the reporting of the measures to you, but it just won't do the thinking about what it should report to you.

Mistake #6: use tables, instead of graphs, to report performance

Tables are a very common way to present performance measures, no doubt in part a legacy from the original financial reports that management accountants provided (and still provide today) to decision makers. They are familiar, but they are ineffective. Tables encourage you to focus on the points of data, which is the same as not seeing the forest for the trees. As a manager, you aren't just managing performance today or this month. You are managing performance over the medium to long term. And the power to do that well comes from focusing on the patterns in your data, not the points of data themselves. Patterns like gradual changes over time, sudden shifts or abrupt changes through time, events that stand apart from the normal pattern of variation in performance. And graphs are the best way to display patterns.

Mistake #7: fail to identify how performance measures relate to one other

A group of decision makers sit around the meeting room table and one by one they go over the performance measure results. They look at the result, decide if it is good or bad, agree on an action to take, then move on to the next measure. They might as well be having a series of independent discussions, one for each measure. Performance measures might track different parts of the organisation, but because organisations are systems made up of lots of different but very inter-related parts, the measures must be inter-related too. One measure cannot be improved without affecting or changing another area of the organisation. Without knowing how measures relate to one another and using this knowledge to interpret measure results, decision makers will fail to find the real, fundamental causes of performance results.

Mistake #8: exclude staff from performance analysis and improvement

One of the main reasons that staff get cynical about collecting performance data is that they never see any value come from that data. Managers more often than not will sit in their meeting rooms and come up with measures they want and then delegate the job of bringing those measures to life to staff. Staff who weren't involved in the discussion to design those measures, weren't able to get a deeper understanding of why those measures matter, what they really mean, how they will be used, weren't able to contribute their knowledge about the best types of data to use or the availability and integrity of the data required. And usually the same staff producing the measures don't ever get to see how the managers use those measures and what decisions come from them. When people aren't part of the design process of measures, they find it near impossible to feel a sense of ownership of the process to bring those measures to life. When people don't get feedback about how the measures are used, they can do little more than believe they wasted their time and energy.

Mistake #9: collect too much useless data, and not enough relevant data

Data collection is certainly a cost. If it isn't consuming the time of people employed to get the work done, then it is some kind of technological system consuming money. And data is also an asset, part of the structural foundation of organisational knowledge. But too many organisations haven't made the link between the knowledge they need to have and the data they actually collect. They collect data because it has always been collected, or because other organisations collect the same data, or because it is easy to collect, of because someone once needed it for a one-off analysis and so they might as well keep collecting it in case it is needed again. They are overloaded with data, they don't have the data they really need and they are exhausted and cannot cope with the idea of collecting any more data. Performance measures that are well designed are an essential part of streamlining the scope of data collected by your organisation, by linking the knowledge your organisation needs with the data it ought to be collecting.

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Mistake #10: use performance measures to reward and punish people

One practice that a lot of organisations are still doing is using performance measures as the basis for rewarding and punishing people. They are failing to support culture of learning by not tolerating mistakes and focusing on failure. It is very rare that a single person can have complete control over any single area of performance. In organisations of more than 5 or 6 people, the results are undeniably a team's product, not an individual's product. When people are judged by performance measures, they will do what they can to reduce the risk to them of embarrassment, missing a promotion, being disciplined or even given the sack. They will modify or distort the data, they will report the measures in a way that shows a more favourable result (yes - you can lie with statistics), they will not learn about what really drives organisational performance and they will not know how to best invest the organisation's resources to get the best improvements in performance.

7 Power Skills that Build Strong Relationships !!!

A strong, healthy relationship is one in which the partners show respect and kindness toward each other. The relationship forms a rewarding and enduring bond of trust and support. Here are seven power skills by Steve Brunkhorst that will help you form stronger alliances and bring more closeness, authenticity and trust to your relationships.

1. Relax Optimistically

If you are comfortable around others, they will feel comfortable around you. If you appear nervous, others will sense it and withdraw. If you are meeting someone for the first time, brighten up as if you've rediscovered a long-lost friend. A smile will always be the most powerful builder of rapport. Communicating with relaxed optimism, energy and enthusiasm will provide a strong foundation for lasting relationships.

2. Listen Deeply

Powerful listening goes beyond hearing words and messages; it connects us emotionally with our communication partner. Listen to what the person is not saying as well as to what he or she is saying. Focus intently and listen to the messages conveyed behind and between words.

Listen also with your eyes and heart. Notice facial expressions and body postures, but see beneath the surface of visible behaviors. Feel the range of emotions conveyed by tone of voice and rhythm of speech. Discern what the person wants you to hear and also what they want you to feel.

3. Feel Empathetically

Empathy is the foundation of good two-way communication. Being empathetic is seeing from another person's perspective regardless of your opinion or belief. Treat their mistakes as you would want them to treat your mistakes. Let the individual know that you are concerned with the mistake, and that you still respect them as a person. Share their excitement in times of victory, and offer encouragement in times of difficulty. Genuine feelings of empathy will strengthen the bond of trust.

4. Respond Carefully

Choose emotions and words wisely. Measure your emotions according to the person's moods and needs. Words can build or destroy trust. They differ in shades of meaning, intensity, and impact. What did you learn when listening deeply to the other individual? Reflect your interpretation of the person's message back to them. Validate your understanding of their message.

Compliment the person for the wisdom and insights they've shared with you. This shows appreciation and encourages further dialogs with the individual. A response can be encouraging or discouraging. If you consider in advance the impact of your emotions and words, you will create a positive impact on your relationships.

5. Synchronize Cooperatively

When people synchronize their watches, they insure that their individual actions will occur on time to produce an intended outcome. Relationships require ongoing cooperative action to survive and thrive.

As relationships mature, the needs and values of the individuals and relationship will change. Career relationships will require the flexibility to meet changing schedules and new project goals. Cooperative actions provide synchrony and build trusting alliances. They are part of the give and take that empowers strong, enduring relationships.

6. Act Authentically

Acting authentically means acting with integrity. It means living in harmony with your values. Be yourself when you are with someone else. Drop acts that create false appearances and false security.

When you act authentically, you are honest with yourself and others. You say what you will do, and do what you say. Ask for what you want in all areas of your relationships. Be clear about what you will tolerate. Find out what your relationship partners want also. Being authentic creates mutual trust and respect.

7. Acknowledge Generously

Look for and accentuate the positive qualities in others. Humbly acknowledge the difference that people make to your life. Validate them by expressing your appreciation for their life and their contributions. If you let someone know that they are valuable and special, they will not forget you. Showing gratitude and encouragement by words and actions will strengthen the bonds of any relationship.

Don't forget to acknowledge your most important relationship: the relationship with yourself. Acknowledge your own qualities, and put those qualities into action. You cannot form a stronger relationship with others than you have with yourself. You will attract the qualities in others that are already within you.

Ask yourself: What thoughts and behaviors will attract the kind of relationships I desire? What is one action I could take today that would empower my current relationships?

Write down all the qualities or behaviors that you desire for your relationships. Select the power skills that will attract those qualities. Keep a journal of the actions you take and the progress you make. By turning these skills into lifelong habits, you will build relationships that are healthy, strong and mutually rewarding.

SECRETS To A Great Life !!

~~by Kathy Gates

A great life doesn’t happen by accident. A great life is the result of allocating your time, energy, thoughts, and hard work towards what you want your life to be. A great life is the result of using the 24/7 you get in a creative and thoughtful way, instead of just what comes next. Customize these “secrets” to fit your own needs and style, and start creating your own great life today!

1. S – Simplify.

A great life is the result of simplifying your life. People often misinterpret what simplify means. It’s not a way to remove work from your life. When you focus on simplifying your life, you free up energy and time for the work that you enjoy and the purpose for which you are here. In order to create a great life, you will have to make room for it in yours first.

2. E – Effort.

A great life is the result of your best effort. Creating a great life requires that you make some adjustments. It may mean re-evaluating how you spend your time, or choosing to spend your money in a different way. It may mean looking for new ways to spend your energy that coincide with your particular definition of a great life. Life will reward your best effort.

3. C – Create Priorities.

A great life is the result of creating priorities. It’s easy to spend your days just responding to the next thing that gets your attention, instead of intentionally using the time, energy and money you have in a way that’s important to you. Focus on removing the obstacles that get in the way of you making sure you are honoring your priorities.

4. R – Reserves.

A great life is the result of having reserves – reserves of things, time, space, energy, money, love. Simplify first in order to find a reserve, then build on that. For example, in order to find a reserve of time, first simplify by delegating a task to someone else, or simply dumping the task if it’s no longer important. With reserves, you are able to live your life looking forward instead of always digging yourself out of a hole.

5. E – Eliminate distractions.

A great life is the result of eliminating distractions. Up to 75% of your mental energy can be tied up in things that are draining and distracting you. Eliminating distractions can be a difficult concept to many people, since they haven’t really considered that there is another way to live. Look around at someone’s life that you admire. What do they do that you would like to incorporate into your own life? Ask them how they did it. Find ways to free up your mental energy for things that are more important to you.

6. T – Thoughts.

A great life is the result of controlling your thoughts so that you accept and allow for the possibility that it actually can happen to you! Your belief in the outcome will directly dictate how successful you are. Motivated people have specific goals and look for ways to achieve them. Believing there is a solution to the same old problems you encounter year after year is vitally important to creating a life that you love. Whatever you think and believe, you create. Listen to what you’re telling yourself, and adjust that voice if you need to.

7. S – Start!

A great life is the result of starting. There’s the old saying everyone’s familiar with “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” In order to even move from the couch to the refrigerator, you have to start. There’s no better time to start than today. Don’t wait for a raise, or until the kids get older, or the weather is better. Today, right now, is the right day to start to take a step in the direction of your heart’s desires. It’s what you do TODAY that will make a difference in your life tomorrow.