Development By Design

The Vulnerable 6-Week Mark

2011-02-01T11:37:00.002-05:00

When is a good time to "check-in" with new hires? It's a question I often get asked when organizations are designing their Onboarding processes.

Having the luxury of being able to witness the week-by-week progress of the senior leaders that I work with during their Onboarding, I find that a check-in at the end of the first week is very important for the initial "hygiene factors" that can really turn-off a new hire if not in-place (computer access, security passes, phone training, business cards, etc.)

If you are only going to do one mid-term and then a 90-day check-in I would encourage you to consider the 6-week mark. This is when new hires are often their most vulnerable.

The first month seems to be the honeymoon. Lots of adrenalin going on. Lots of meetings with new people lined-up on the calendar for the first month. What happens in many organizations is that they forget to turn the page to the next month's calendar. Onboarding activity should be diligently scheduled through the first 3 months and even beyond for more senior levels.

At about the 6-week mark, cognitive dissonance seems to set-in. Some doubts start to emerge. The warts of the new company, new boss and new colleagues start to show. AND fatigue takes the place of adrenalin.

It may seem an odd analogy but if any of you have recently had a baby or can recall the early days, you might remember that the first few weeks with the baby seemed pretty good. The baby slept. Lots of visitors came and paid attention to you as new parents. There were gifts and flowers.

Seems like somewhere around the 6th week, the demons emerge. The new parents aren't sleeping. The baby starts being more wakeful and cries a lot. It's not as novel anymore. In fact I know many friends who found this a particularly trying time. I vividly recall looking at my husband in absolute dismay when he mentioned having a second child at around 6 weeks and I practically shrieked "but we aren't even coping with this one!!" (Now we have two wonderful kids less than 2 years apart and for the most part, we are coping just fine thanks).

So, a long-winded way of saying that I notice that my Onboarding clients seem to be at one of their most tired and vulnerable points at about week 6. This is also the time when friends from their old job start calling to ask how it's going. The friends let their former colleague have the first month to settle into their new job and then they start booking lunch dates. This is when you really want to 'show the love" as a new employer.

Show them that you recognize that not everything may be rosy right now and the organization is interested in supporting them through the adjustment. Show your new hires that your company has a plan for their longer-term development and there is much positivity to anticipate.

Better still...show them you are truly invested in their well-being and hire a coach to support their success :)

This Development Stuff is Tough!

2010-11-28T21:39:00.006-05:00

The professional training of a Coach teaches us not to be too "attached" to the outcomes of our clients. What does this mean for a highly results-focused coach? For me, it's meant that I've needed to lean into the recognition that adult development is not a linear, upward trajectile but rather a path that involves forward-and-back and up-and-down as we acquire new knowledge, test new skills and stretch beyond our perceived limitations. There are times when achievement of the longer-term goal necessitates moving through considerable set-backs to gain the necessary insights to truly fulfill the desired end.

Over time, I've learned that ineed "no pain, no gain" does seem to be an apt mantra for leadership development and professional growth.

Here's an article I wrote for Company magazine that acknowledges this path.

Enjoy the tough stuff!

Those Pesky Millennials and Their Whiny Demands

2010-05-29T08:00:00.004-04:00

This topic seems to have struck a powerful chord for many of you. I recently had an article I'd written published in the HiringSmart newsletter and I've been receiving much heartfelt feedback ever since.

Seems I'm not alone in recognizing that the supposed "unreasonable demands" of Millennials and Gen Y are simply good management practices that ANY generation can benefit from. We just haven't all asked for them and then resigned when we didn't get our demands met. Instead, generations like mine (tail-end Boomer) took the far more mature approach (??) and stayed in our jobs while having horribly low levels of engagement or simply "retired on the job".

Here's feedback from Dorothy Russel, Principal of Essential Futures...When I first began to hear about the Gen-Y ‘issues’ my first thought was, “they’re just demanding good management practices. And they’re willing to vote with their feet if they don’t get the respect and attention they deserve. If organizations did what Gen-Y’s crave they’d be much better places for everyone to work.” I also think they’d be more effective, productive, and profitable. And not just on-boarding practices, but all practices that involve people.

Thank you for a clear, punchy article.--

Thank you, Dorothy!

Time to start listening to what this generation has to say.

Onboarding: Millennials Will Make You Do What You Should’ve Been Doing Already

2010-02-09T23:13:00.003-05:00

Last week I presented at a conference on Campus Recruitment. My topic was “Welcoming & Engaging Your New Grads”. The participants were representatives from both HR and line positions who were accountable for developing and managing their organizations’ strategies for branding & attraction, recruitment & selection and orientation & onboarding for new grads.

As is the case at many current conferences, generational differences were a hot topic of conversation, with much hand-wringing about what to do to meet the needs of these demanding Gen Y and Millennial new grads.

After all…this generation has the nerve to have an awfully long list of expectations with respect to their new hire experience. Let’s take a peek at some of these demands:

1. They want to “feel connected” when they join the organization. We gave them a job offer… don’t they know they have a place to belong now??
2. They have the nerve to ask how they are going to experience “meaning” in their work. And this is only their first week…the photocopier is over there dude!
3. They want to know how they can get ahead… don’t they know that they have to do their time for goodness sake??
4. They’re asking a lot of questions about when they’ll get to work with a Team. What is this a sports franchise?? Can’t they just buckle down and get to their assigned tasks?
5. They’re constantly looking for feedback. These new grads are like needy puppy dogs!

I am of the belief that there is absolutely an element of truth to each of these “demands”. And at the same time, of course there’s an undertone of sarcasm to my observations.

‘Cause here’s the thing. If we can just take a deep breath and step back for a minute from the frustration we’re experiencing in feeling pressured to accommodate this list, we might be able to see the irony in this list.

What if we were to flip our own resistance on it’s head and look at the very opportunity that is being created by Gen Y and Millennial new hires. How might they be in fact asking us to do what we should have been doing YEARS ago?

Generational “differences” aside… shouldn’t a great onboarding experience do the following?

1. Foster connectivity for all new hires
2. Identify ways for new hires (even new grads) to have a sense of meaning in their work or of contribution to the organization
3. Articulate the ways that “people get ahead around here” by making the unwritten rules as transparent as possible.
4. Provide opportunities to work with and learn from other great people in the organization through cross-functional teams, project teams, CSR initiatives etc.
5. Offer feedback—on strengths, capabilities, opportunities and developmental needs as early and as often as possible.

So, rather than railing against the vocal expression of these expectations, what if we were to be thankful that our “customers” for the onboarding experience are finally speaking their minds and creating enough of a burning platform for us to simply get on with all the great things we’ve long wanted to do to foster an enviable Onboarding experience for new hires at all levels and stages of their careers?

Isn’t the list of “unreasonable demands” in fact a prescription for a developing a successful onboarding program?

I'd love you to share your comments.

Your New Job & Your Personal Brand

2010-01-02T09:24:00.003-05:00

Congratulations, you've landed that amazing new job! In the interviews, you shone a spotlight on your strengths and you candidly addressed your development needs. They loved what they heard!

Now that you're hired, you can relax and let things unfold. Can't you???

In my work with people who are moving into a new role, particularly those joining a new employer, we often spend time prior to "day 1" focusing on how they want to be seen.

You see, "branding" will happen with or without your deliberate efforts. From the first time you shake hands or introduce yourself, others will make assumptions about you and begin to shape their interactions with you accordingly. They'll decide whether to share information with you because you seem collaborative and trustworthy. Or, they'll decide to block your efforts to gain organizational knowledge because they see you as arrogant and competitive in a negative way. It's just human nature to try to simplify our surroundings.

So, when I link "personal branding" with onboarding (the timeframe of ramping up in a new job), what I'm referring to is having a clear picture in your own mind of the impression you want others to gain about you.

What 3 words or phrases do you want to immediately come to mind when people meet you?
Which of your strengths do you want to clearly project?
What do you want others to know and believe about you?

I recommend focusing on 3 words for a reason... being a walking laundry list of 20 personal competencies will not only be impossible for others to retain...it's a quick way to get your colleagues' backs-up. Think in sound bites. What 3 qualities are most important for you to be well-received? And I mean geunine qualities that are authentically yours...not some manufactured image that belies the real you.

Use these 3 qualities as your personal affirmation in morning when you jump out of bed, when you look in the mirror and when you are focusing on bolstering your confidence for that next important meeting. Such as, "I am an attentive listener. I am an insightful analyst. I get things done."

I also approach this exercise by encouraging my clients not to think in terms of what message they want to send about themselves, but what message do they want others to receive. It's a subtle shift that makes a world of difference. Focus on how you hope to have others perceive you. What do they need to hear (or not hear) from you? If you know yourself to be an "attentive listener"...what do others need to see you doing when they first meet you to conclude that you are in fact a great listener. Telling them you have this quality sure won't cut it!

Moving into a new role is a challenging and overwhelming time. Keep your self-talk focused and manage your personal brand. It will pave the way to successful relationships and a great future!

Top Tips For Entrepreneurial Success

2009-07-01T12:41:00.002-04:00

On June 16th, I attended a fabulous conference hosted by The Company of Women called Journey to Success.

One part of the program was LESSONS LEARNED from Canada's Top Women Entrepreneurs, which was a panel of 3 women recognized by PROFIT magazine in its annual list of Top 100 Women Entrepreneurs in Canada.

They had many great insights to offer the over 220 participants. At the end of the panel discussion each woman offered her “top 5 tips for entrepreneurial success”.

NANCY ADAMO, President and Owner of Hockley Valley Resort in Orangeville, Ontario

1. Believe in you
2. No business is easy- perseverance is key
3. Learn to let go to grow
4. Love what you are doing
5. Find balance

JILL ANDERSON, President of Aecometric Corporation

1. You have no idea what your abilities are until you test them
2. Never give up
3. Be truthful—tell your team about the problems
4. Have good people
5. Some customers you don’t want; they simply aren’t worth it

MARG HACHEY, the Executive Vice-President of Duocom Canada Inc., offered her “Joy of 6”

1. Have a compelling business model
2. Have a strong management team
3. Listen to your customers
4. Have a profitable financial model
5. Have a powerful marketing strategy
6. Have robust technology

I’m curious, which of these tips resonate for you? What are your top tips for entrepreneurial success?

Onboarding Success: The Team's Accountability

2009-06-14T21:52:00.003-04:00

Now that the term “onboarding” is clearly a part of the business vernacular, most organizations are doing a much better job than they ever have of preparing new hires for their new role and new environment.

In keeping with the philosophy “the best gift you can give an employee is a great boss”, I’ve also observed that organizations have made improvements in equipping hiring managers to support their new direct reports.

So, the relationship of the new hire with the organization and the relationship with the new boss are being addressed in Onboarding programs. But lately I’ve noticed a third relationship being added to the list in organizations that are truly interested in staying ahead of the “onboarding best practices” curve. This relationship is the one between the new hire and his team.

I recently presented at an Onboarding conference where organizations in the financial services and healthcare sectors both mentioned the importance of peers and direct reports in supporting the Onboarding process. There’s nothing wildly new about this in and of itself. The best Onboarding programs have always included meetings with peers to ensure that the new hire builds these key relationships early in. And one-on-one meetings with direct reports plus full team meetings are also critical in the initial weeks after a new leader is hired.

What IS new, however, is the shift in perspective around accountability. The new hire’s direct team is now being positioned as having shared accountability for the success of their new peer or new boss.

For example, CEO’s and heads of HR are spending time with Leadership Teams preparing them to help ramp-up a new member of the Team with the explicit message, “You are ALL accountable for the success of your new colleague”. In some environments, performance measures are even built-in to ensure that colleagues pay attention to extending a hand to their new peer. In these companies, sharing resources and information is a desired behavior and the message from the top is clear, “if the new man or woman doesn’t make it…we all share collective responsibility for this outcome”. Such a message raises the stakes big time!

Instead of the typical “crossing-of-arms-across-the-chest” stance, collaboration is stronger and preparation gets underway before the new peer joins the team.

• What should she know to be successful around here?
• What land mines should be pointed out?
• What’s the most efficient way of bringing him up to speed without creating overwhelm?

This accountability shift gets even more interesting when we focus on the new hire’s direct reports. What could be the difference in the behavior of employees who are coached that “setting your new boss up for success is an expected part of your job”? Yes, of course, the new boss still needs to earn trust, respect and credibility, but imagine the possibilities of adopting the perspective that “everyone in the team is essentially onboarding to this changed team, so let’s all take ownership for how well it goes”.

For me in my work as an Onboarding Coach…having the opportunity to support the SYSTEM, not just the new hire, dramatically enhances the success of the assignment.

I’d love to hear your ideas of how your organization prepares “the system” or the direct team for the new hire. Where does their accountability lie for the new hire’s success?

Onboarding: Taking a Page From Lessons on Recruitment

2009-05-12T14:02:00.007-04:00

In HR, it seems like an age-old proverb now…”people are rarely if ever fired for technical competence…it’s all about fit”. We get this now. We know that background experience should be a very small part of recruitment specifications and that hiring based on the quality of the resume is missing the mark. As recruitment processes have evolved, our interviews now focus much more on ensuring fit:
• cultural fit with the organization
• fit with the manager’s style
• fit with the behavioural characteristics that differentiate success in the job.

We’ve learned that hiring someone based on “what they know” and “what they know alone” is short-sighted and can lead to mishires (people who are up to the tasks but are simply unlikely to be successful in their new environment).

So, the penny has dropped for many HR folks and hiring managers alike on recruitment.

Now flash forward in the process.

You’ve found the ideal candidate and she’s ready to join the organization…on to the onboarding phase.

Think about the content that’s at the core of most Onboarding programs…

You’ve got it…lots of “technical content” about the company—formal organization charts, company products, dates in the company’s history, etc. Some of these details may be interesting to know. AND, they are details that have little to do with whether someone is going to be successful or not in the new environment.

If you fire people for fit, here’s a thought….how about an Onboarding process that helps them with fitting in?

Please know that I’m not referring to creating a culture of clones and undermining diversity. I’m simply pointing out that there are certain rules of the game that are organizationally specific. Incorporating these insights into your onboarding process can be invaluable for enhancing retention of great new hires.

‘Cause fit isn’t entirely about the new hire’s DNA. I’ve seen it time and again…the person who is absolutely right for the job and the company can STILL flounder during transition. Nobody wins when this happens.

• Smart people can flex their behaviors if they are given the appropriate heads-up.

• Smart people want to communicate with the boss in their preferred style. What if they didn’t have to guess what these preferences were?

• Smart people know what to do to maneuver around landmines. What if they had a road map as to where some of them might be?

• Smart people pay attention to what’s genuinely important for success in a particular organizational culture. What if these success factors weren’t a secret?

So…in designing your Onboarding Programs…don’t forget the insights you’ve gained from recruitment and be sure to build-in ways of giving people what they need to know about fit.

Discuss Expectations with the New Boss-- Yours and Hers

2009-02-16T20:22:00.005-05:00

In my last blog post I shared the first step of dealing with the disappointment of starting a new position full of enthusiasm only to find as the weeks have gone on that the boss you were so excited to work for has turned out to offer less promise than you’d hoped.

This step was to face up and recognize that your boss is human too.

In this post…we’ll look at Step 2- Discuss Mutual Expectations with the New Boss

More often than not, I find that the challenges that surface in early weeks of a boss-direct report relationship arise because expectations have not been aligned.

This doesn’t necessarily mean there is a MIS-alignment…but simply that the alignment conversations haven’t taken place. There are too many assumptions being made.

Conversations about expectations need to focus on the WHAT and the HOW.

A) First the “what”…

If your boss isn’t sending you warm and fuzzy vibes…perhaps it’s because you’ve launched in by focusing on the wrong priorities. Your job description is not necessarily the right place to start. Be sure to have a conversation that identifies the most important initiatives over the next few weeks to demonstrate that you are ramping-up in a productive and appropriate manner. In other words…what does your boss REALLY want you to do in your first few weeks?

Here’s a client scenario. After three short weeks on the job, Jill was getting the sense that her boss was somehow let-down by Jill’s contribution. When she got the nerve up to check-in with him, she learned that the subject her boss most wished she would address was a long-standing organizational issue that was well within the scope of Jill’s role at her previous organization. Resolving this issue didn’t involve a learning curve for her at all. This expertise was, in fact, one of the key reasons Jill had been hired…despite the job description focusing on areas that were outside of Jill’s comfort zone. Jill had mistakenly understood that the “right thing” to do was to show commitment right off the bat to learning about all of the areas that were new to her. This misunderstanding could have easily derailed the relationship and Jill’s perceived performance in her role.

Now, how about YOU’re “what”? Based on the discussions through the recruitment process, what had you expected to be able to focus on in the initial few weeks of joining the organization? How are these expectations being met? I’ve witnessed new Onboarding coaching clients who are stewing over the disappointment of not being able to sink their teeth into the assignments that they’d been promised. It’s my belief that sitting on this disappointment is a sure start down the road of disengagement. Better to have a conversation about what’s different from what was expected. Then, in a non-blaming way, work to clarify how and when you may be able to experience the initiatives you thought you would be part of your mandate.

B) Now let’s look at the “how”…

Even clients who are perfectly aligned with their bosses on the “what” expectations for their first 90 days, often have missteps on the “how”. Mutual expectations around communication style, mode of communication and frequency are all too often left to chance. It’s only when things go horribly wrong that the discussions take place and by then it’s often too late.

In my self-coaching workbook, “Wow Them In Your New Job!”, I include an exercise that encourages new hires to set time aside with the new boss to talk about:
• Whether they prefer email, phone or face-to-face
• Frequency of updates preferred
• Turnaround times expected
• Nature of feedback preferred, etc.

Remember that this is a conversation about “mutual expectations”…it’s a chance to express your needs as well…it’s not just about pleasing the boss. Optimal communication meets the needs of both parties.

Having these “what” and “how” conversations to clarify expectations as early in the game as possible can go a long way to rectifying an uncomfortable relationship with a new boss. I’ve witnessed many boss-direct report relationships turning around profoundly with even one open and direct conversation about expectations.

So, if you are disappointed with how things are going with your new boss… what do you have to lose? Arrange for an “expectations” conversation as soon as possible.

My next blog post will address Step 3. After attempting steps 1 & 2, it’s time to decide if the gap is workable—or not.

Face Up. Your Boss is Human Too

2009-01-27T13:46:00.005-05:00

In my last blog post I focused on the disappointment of starting your new position full of enthusiasm only to find as the weeks have gone on that the boss you were so excited to work for has turned out to offer less promise than you’d hoped.

I observed that my clients who are most successful in moving through this disappointment are those that take the following steps:

1. Face Up. Your Boss is Human Too
2. Have a Discussion About Mutual Expectations
3. Decide if the Gap Is Workable. Move On… or Not.

In this post…we’ll look at Step 1.

Face Up. Your Boss is Human Too

Once you’ve recognized that you are indeed working for a human being who is bound to have foibles, bad days and development needs of his or her own, you need to figure out what cost to you is your boss’ humanity.

News alert! Perhaps at some point in the future, we will all report directly to an avatar, but in the meantime…reality is that you will ALWAYS work for a human boss (unless of course you start your own business and then the clients become your human bosses).

So, you need to decide rationally… Is the situation with your boss so extreme as to be intolerable? For example, ethical issues, harassment, undermining behavior (If so, move directly to Step 3). Or, is it simply less than an ideal relationship and thus ripe for ample opportunity for learning for you?

As I often coach my clients… try to flip the situation upside down.

How is THIS boss as THIS time with THESE flaws actually perfect for your own development and progress as leader? The Center for Creative Leadership has long identified having a difficult boss as being one of the developmental experiences that contributes most powerfully to growth of successful executives. What can you gain from this relationship?

How can you get over yourself? So, the dream of the ideal boss hasn’t been fully realized…now what? You’ve made the move, you’re in the role. How do you make the best out of the situation?

How can you lighten up about your boss’ flaws? In relationship coaching we are taught that focusing on the positivity in the relationship is the best way to nurture a relationship. It’s all too easy to train our eyes to see what’s missing or what is different that what we’d prefer. What if you were to be deliberate about taking the time to notice your boss’s strengths and how you could benefit from being around these strengths?

I recently coached a client (I’ll call her Kelly) who acknowledged that she had been so blinded by how impossibly hard-driving a previous boss had been that she literally couldn’t see any of the “good” in him. She failed to learn from him how to “pre-sell” ideas through one-on-one conversations prior to major presentations for executive team approval. Kelly’s boss was an absolute master at this art of influence and it is now a skill that my client is working hard at developing. How much further ahead might she be now, had she not turned ignored the leadership lessons her previous boss COULD have offered?

So, provided you aren’t working for someone who compromises your personal ethics or deliberately undermines your sense of self, I challenge you to shake off the victim mentality and see what learning there is for you in this relationship.

My next posts will address Steps 2 and 3.

When the Dew Comes Off the Rose

2008-12-30T07:39:00.005-05:00

Moving to a new organization is an exhilarating time. A clean slate! A fresh start! No baggage! A shiny new boss that just picked you from hundreds of candidates in a hiring process!

Yes, it's an exciting time. This post focuses on the relationship with the "shiny new boss" and how this relationship often morphs very quickly and the "dew comes off the rose".

The recruitment process is by nature a courtship. We put on our best clothes, we emphasize our most attractive qualities and we bring our respective lists of what we are looking for in the other party—candidate or employer. In the role of hiring manager, the boss wants to be respected and admired. In a competitive market for top talent, he recognizes that his management style is part of the “attraction offer”. It’s a rare hiring manager that completely lets down his guard in the recruitment process and reveals all of his leadership faults.

So… you are wooed! This boss appears to be everything you are looking for. Everything your current manager (whom you’ve known for the past five years) is not. All the qualities you listed as being important to you in a manager, he miraculously seems to have. You can’t wait to be mentored by this perfect boss.

Then a couple of weeks into your new job, the dew begins to come off the rose.

Once the orientation meetings that were pre-booked by HR are no longer being added to your calendar, you can’t seem to get the boss’ ear. He travels so much and always seems to be closeted in critical meetings with the executive team.

The parts of YOUR job description that he used to handle have not been delegated to you yet and the annual budget process is starting in two weeks. You don’t have a clue of what’s been spent in current year on the budget line that you were supposed to inherit.

Your boss always seemed so patient and respectful in the interview process, yet lately he has been edgy and curt.

You have a sinking feeling that your new manager is not the ideal boss you thought he was afterall.

In my coaching of leaders in the first few months of their new role—during the onboarding phase—this scenario is repeated all too often. Many clients find themselves waking up to a reality of a boss relationship that is not what they had dreamt of finding in their new role.

It’s been my experience that the clients who are most successful in coming out the other side of this disappointment are those that take the following approach:

1. Face Up. Your Boss is Human Too
2. Have a Discussion About Mutual Expectations
3. Decide if the Gap Is Workable

In my next blog post, I will elaboarate on each of these 3 steps.

Stay tuned!

Onboarding & Social Networks

2008-12-11T19:39:00.005-05:00

It's exciting to see the exponential growth of social networking activity in this field. It wasn't long ago that I could only identify 1 small group in LinkedIn that was established to address the topic of Onboarding.

Now, there are numerous Fortune 500 companies that have established sites explicitly for new hires in a given year. It's a great way to create a cohort to foster connectivity-- particularly important for engagement and retention of your Millenial hires. But the value cuts across generations and organizational levels. Everyone craves a feeling of belonging when they're the "new kid on the block".

There are also social networks cropping up for participants in various conferences related to the topic of onboarding.

As I've observed this growth in activity (from a time when I began working in this niche four years ago and had to spell the word "onboarding" each time I mentioned it)...I still notice a couple of gaping holes in the social networking scene related to onboarding. So, I've just launched 3 LinkedIn Groups in an attempt to address these holes.

1) New Hires- Clearing the 90-Day Hurdle: This is a public forum supporting entry level and professional new hires across a broad spectrum of industries. I'll draw from work with clients and research on success factors & derailers in the first 90 days to lead discussion groups and foster connectivity between fellow new hires.

2) New Managers- Clearing the 90-Day Hurdle: This is a similar public forum addressing the unique needs of leaders and managers as they join new organizations or ramp-up in a new role and face enormous pressures to perform.

3) Onboarding Best Practices: This group is a forum for Onboarding specialists, HR professionals and Recruiters who are passionate about raising the bar for preboarding and onboarding experiences of new hires and their managers.

I'm looking forward to stimulating discussions and plenty of sharing in the months ahead!

When A New Boss Takes The Helm, You're Onboarding All Over Again

2008-07-23T15:52:00.006-04:00

After two years in your job with your new company, you've finally got the lay of the land. You know what it takes to get ahead and you understand all the key requirements of your position. You've ramped up. You are fully onboarded. You're cookin'!

Then the world changes. Your boss leaves the organization and senior management goes outside to recruit her replacement. The announcement is out...the boss starts in two weeks and he hasn't even worked in your industry before!

Guess what...you're almost back at square one. As the new boss gears up...YOU are also onboardng all over again.

In recent years, there's been plenty written about the onboarding process as this term has become more of a part of our business vernacular. Yet, I find that many organizations are still thinking of the onboarding experience as one that applies only in a very narrow circumstance-- when a new employee joins an organization.

Yes, joining a new organization is perhaps one of the most dramatic transition times for an employee at any level, particularly for new leaders. But, when you gain a new boss, many of the principles that apply to traditional onboarding, apply to this transition experience as well.

One of the critical first steps of successful onboarding is CLARIFYING EXPECTATIONS. This post deals with the various ways that you will need to re-clarify expectations, now that there is a new boss at the helm.

1. Clarifying/Redefining Your Role

Think your current role and job description still hold just because your title hasn't changed? Think again. Over time, as your new boss finds his way forward, you should expect to renegotiate the scope and focus of your role. In fact, being proactive by signaling in your early one-on-one that you appreciate that there may be shifts in your current role that your new boss would like to see will demonstrate your maturtity and insight. So, have that initial meeting to review your current role, but in your discussions demonstrate your flexibility and openness to the new boss' ideas. Also offer suggestions as to areas that might need to be tweaked once you hear the new boss' mandate and points of passion about his new department.

2. Redefining Success

Sure, the new boss will have to pay attention to the rules of the game in the new organization, but he will also arrive with his own set of rules around what types of behaviour he respects and rewards.

What does success mean to him?
What are his hot bottons?
What has he promoted people for in the past?
Specifically, in your role, what does he most want to see from you over the next 90 days?

3. Identifying Best Communication Practices

Your old boss loved email and weekly half-page updates on your project goals. To continue providing this means of communication to your new boss without checking in with him could be the kiss of death for a boss that rarely reads his email, prefers informal face-to-face discussion and expects frequent phone calls when you are on the road. You could still be communicating the same content that was on the mark for the old boss, but suddenly the new boss feels "left out of the loop" and has little sense of connection with you relative to your peers who also prefer in-person updates. It is important to have deliberate conversations about what style of communication you both prefer and to negotiate an approach that meets both your needs. Never assume.

Bottom line? Don't under-estimate the importance of this transition timeframe both for you and your new boss. Thinking about it as akin to gaining a new job or joining a new company will help you to give the change the attention it deserves. It is critical to spend time upfront Clarifying Expectations-- both your expectations of your new boss and the new boss' expectations of you.

They Said They Wanted Your Fresh Ideas But...

2008-06-18T13:36:00.006-04:00

They've wooed you for your expertise. They can't wait for you to start your new position to bring your experiences to the new company. The ad said they were looking for a strong change agent who would come in and challenge the status quo...and they picked you!

Now your first day in your new job is finally here and you are chomping at the bit to bring all of your talents to bear and impress the heck out of everyone! You'll show as quickly as you can that they made the right choice in hiring you.

BUT WAIT!

What they neglected to tell you was that the rules of the game change once you shift from being a recruitment candidate to a new hire. Yes, they want all of your fresh ideas...but all in good time. There's some important credibility-building, listening & observing and relationship-building to do first.

In our recent Onboarding Group Coaching call, hiring managers and Human Resources leaders alike shared personal experiences of dealing with this dilemna.

Here's a 2.5 minute clip of a participant sharing an example of how the focus changes from attracting a change agent to coaching the same person after they're hired on how to be well-received in their new workplace.

Click Here to listen now

To hear more about how you or the people you hire can Ramp Up Right!, join us for our next free Onboarding Coaching Call on Tuesday, June 24th at 10am EST (New York, Toronto)

Click Here to sign up now

Resumes Are Out!

2008-05-13T22:04:00.006-04:00

Just think about it, how often have you been disappointed by someone who had all the right credentials and looked great on paper? The reality is that the content in résumés is at best an exercise in creative writing. All we can learn from a résumé is a person’s education level, skills and experience – the least reliable predictors of success in a job. And research supports this – consistently showing that we hire candidates on the basis of their credentials and experience, and then fire them because they “didn’t fit” or couldn’t be effective in the organization’s culture. The truth is that resumes miss the mark completely on what we need to know in order to hire the right person for our company.

Start measuring what matters

So how do we measure what matters? Instead of spending so much time trying to capture the “WHAT” of the candidate (WHAT work experience they have, WHAT education they completed, and WHAT their accomplishments are) we need to be capturing the “WHO” and “HOW” of the candidate.

We need to understand more about WHO the candidate really is (the attitudes, values and beliefs they live by) and HOW they interact with others (including HOW they perform in a team environment, HOW they deal with customers, and HOW they problem solve). These are the factors that determine fit within a company and that determine job success.

Change your results

So how do we get better results from the people we hire? For starters we need to change the way we attract and select candidates.

One of my client companies recently adopted a revolutionary résumé-free, on-line hiring process that helps companies understand “who” they’re hiring and “how” the candidate will perform, so they can learn to better predict “fit” with their organization. The system was developed by HiringSmart. Their unique online application makes is easy for candidates to apply and even easier for companies to assess whether the candidates may be right for the job. As companies learn how to hire better people, they also learn how to weed out poor performers, ultimately changing the way people work together in their organization. And the impact can be dramatic – reduced turnover, increased retention and productivity, more satisfied customers and better financial results.

Give me a call if you'd like to learn more about the specific benefits our clients are achieving with the HiringSmart approach

...it's just plain Smart!

(The above post is excerpted from www.hiringsmart.ca HiringSmart is a Development by Design alliance partner. We are proud to recommend the HiringSmart system to our valued clients.)

Connectivity in "Pre-Boarding" Part 2

2007-12-19T11:32:00.000-05:00

In part 1 of this post we looked at the risks associated with not creating sufficient engagement with a new recruit BEFORE they start their new position.

Companies are starting to do a better job of addressing the timeframe AFTER the employee begins their new job, through much more extensive onboarding programs as well as linking the new recruit with internal buddies, mentors, and external onboarding coaches.

During the "pre-boarding" timeframe the options for fostering engagement are wide ranging and increasingly creative. As long as the hiring company is not a direct competitor, beginning to create strong connectivity during the 2-3 weeks or even longer before the start date is key.

1. Asking the new recruit how they would like their name to appear on business cards and name plates so that these can be in-place when they arrive. Better still-- send the new cards home to the new hire before they begin so they can hand them out to current colleagues.

2. Gifts baskets of company product, flowers, balloons, etc. are small touches that can mean the world. Here's an exerpt from an email I just received...

I remember [the new employer] reaching out to me before I joined. I can still recall leaving [my former company] feeling sad, lonely, uncertain and walking home to see a beautiful bouquet sitting at my doorstep welcoming me to the [new company]family. That was when I didn't feel like what I was doing was so daunting.

3. Brief phone calls of welcome from the new boss, team mates and even direct reports can create connection. (as long as work isn't dumped in the new recruit's lap before they even join)

4. Being invited to attend pre-planned company social events, offsites, sports activities even before the start date.

5. Being provided access to internal "social networking" systems that are being established within some Fortune 500 organizations and smaller high-tech companies. New recruits can find out about interest groups, like-minded peers, and informal initiatives that can provide a powerful engagement hook.

6. Being made aware of social responsibility initiatives and community volunteer programs that new recruits may be able to get involved with before they even become employees.

7. Being linked up with a "buddy" or "peer" who also joined the company less than a year ago.

8. Being linked up with a more senior mentor to help advise on "how things really get done around here".

9. Providing access to information on success factors and derailers when starting in a new position. Giving new recruits at all levels appropriate resources to support them in ramping up effectively i.e. e-courses, workbooks, etc.

10. Linking new hires to group coaching or one-on-one onboarding coaching services to start supporting them even before they join the new company. The time before starting a new job can be optimal for reflection and building the necessary self-awareness to succeed in the new role.

Increasingly, my relationship with a new recruit as an onboarding coach begins once the offer is accepted.

Highly progressive organizations are even assigning a coach to highly desirable candidates to support them through the various interview phases. The external coaching relationship is sufficiently at arms length from the employer that the candidate is able to have a highly confidential and objective sounding board for considering more than one offer. At the end of the day, the best employee is one who has made the RIGHT choice for themselves as to where they will thrive. Coaching can support this process effectively and with integrity. Even if the sponsoring company's offer is rejected, the positive word-of-mouth fostered by this interaction puts the company in VERY high regard when the candidate shares the experience of working with an objective coach with his/her colleagues.

Connectivity In "Pre-Boarding"- Part 1

2007-12-18T10:20:00.000-05:00

Now that the term "onboarding" has become part of the business vernacular, I've been increasingly turning my attention to educating clients about the power of effective "pre-boarding". This is the timeframe BEFORE the candidate joins a new employer.

There are plenty of horror stories about what happens on a poorly executed "day one" for a new hire. You know the deal...
- the boss is too busy to spend any time or is even away on vacation
- the office isn't ready
- the business cards aren't printed
- the receptionist keeps turning away calls for this person she's never heard of
- the computer isn't connected
- the message waiting light is blinking madly but the new hire has no idea how to use the phone system
...and on it goes. Disengagement begins on day #1.

Now, let's step back further in the process to look at how engagement has been fostered since the employment offer was presented.

Consider this scenario...

After a long, involved search process involving many interviews, Carl was sent a letter of offer via courier. On the day he received his offer-- a Friday-- Carl faxed in his acceptance and then didn't hear anything further except for a call from the payroll department telling him to bring in his birth certificate on his first day, two weeks from then.

Meanwhile, when Carl met with his current boss to deliver his resignation, she was gracious and congratulated him about his new job. She said she wished she'd known he was interested in moving from Marketing to Sales as his company would have loved to have supported him with such a cross-functional opportunity. She spoke highly of his contribution and said he would be very difficult to replace.

When he told his colleagues he was leaving, they were shocked and clearly saddened. They expressed how much they'd miss his jokes and family stories...not to mention his reliable commitment to the team. Carl was treated to many one-on-one lunches over the next two weeks where there were plenty of laughs shared about memories over the past 6 years.

They are poured on the love!! And what's more...since Carl really is a great find... the comments made were all very sincere.

Meanwhile, Carl's new boss took a vacation during this two week timeframe. He didn't reach out to Carl at all!

Carl's wife was annoyed about the challenges presented by his new job. The commute would be longer and he wouldn't be able to share the daycare pick-up responsibilities any longer.

Is it any wonder that Carl would begin to have second thoughts before he even begins his new job? Imagine if he experiences a bad first day!

This is a new hire retention challenge in the making. It happens time and again.

In a hot market for talent...strong employees who plan to leave their organizations are heavily counter-offered, "shown the love" and are increasingly opting to reverse their decision. Many are returning to the employers that they know and where they have emotional attachments. "Pre-boarding" or beginning a relationship with the new hires before they even join a new company is absolutely critical.

For ideas to create Connectivity in Pre-Boarding, see Part 2 in this Blog.

I invite your comments on pre-boarding experiences.

Official Writer Status

2007-10-16T15:01:00.000-04:00

I didn't consider "writer" at all a part of my persona until 3 years ago when I was working with my first coach. As a fledgling coach myself, I hired a mentor coach to support me with my business development and my own personal foundation as well as my coaching skillset. Little did I realize that I would also be redefining how I show up in business as well. I didn't even really know that I liked to write!

I'd dabbled with poetry in University but only to express feelings of love or heartache for my own cathartic purposes. I'd kept a journal through my high school years but certainly NEVER showed the content to an audience.

As I've evolved to know myself as an "Expressive Introvert" rather than the full-on extrovert many people see me to be...I've discovered the power of connecting with others at a strong emotional level through my writing. Rather than a medium for distancing and staying safe, I use my writing to be self-disclosing, to ponder "aloud" and to nudge the thinking of others. What I put out I get back in spades. Feedback has been gloriously motivating.

So...I've moved through the stages of writing articles for the web...to being published in Association newsletters...to authoring a published book for a recruitment firm, "Congratulations, you're hired: A Coach's Guide to Sussessful Transitions", to having a regular column in a fabulous new magazine for women business owners and professionals, Company... to being a contributing author of a book, Awakening the Workplace II. I've stepped up to modifying the bio. I'm an author now!

To order Awakening the Workplace II,
www.development-by-design.com/awaken/

"Connection" can happen in many different ways. How do you best connect?

Indeed It Is A Small World Afterall

2007-05-31T11:13:00.000-04:00

My family went to Walt Disney World in April. Then I joined my husband at a conference at a Disney resort later that month. Both times there was something eerie to me about the crowds we met. Thousands of people on one small patch of Florida at an attraction that presumably draws people from around the world, if not at least throughout North America.

What was eerie to me was that almost all the faces of the tourists were the same. Where were all the colorful faces? Where was the Asian population? Where was the ever-growing Hispanic community? Where were the African-Americans for that matter? And where were the tourists from the Carribean, Mexico, and parts beyond?

There were many International staff from all over the world, with the ability to speak countless languages. It was thrilling to read their name badges sporting the names of their home countries. Presumably, the intent of this hiring strategy was to host the global tourists, which must have been there somewhere.

Those of you who have visited Disney will be familiar with the "It's a Small World" exhibit. You ride on a little boat through a cheerful display of mechanical children representing nations around the world in traditional costume and stereotypical form. The most Diversity represented on our trips to Disney was in this "North American white person's perspective on multiculturalism".

It struck me as another element of all that is surreal about this "magic" land.

Granted the expense of a trip to Disney precludes most families from attending. And of course, wealth in North America is disproportinately distributed to white families. But this fact alone could not explain the homogeneity of the crowds.

What was perhaps even more disconcerting to me was that I had an assumption that the crowd would look similar to a crowd at a Toronto park. I was confronted with recognition that the whole Disney experience that I had grown up believing was Universal...is not necessarily so. My perspective was shaped by the unspoken belief that it is a rite of passage that all middle class North American families must at some point make this pilgrimage with their children...replicating the trip that they took with their own parents decades before.

My husband, Dave, was born in Trinidad and lived there until grade 4. He didn't buy into the "must do" rationale for booking this trip. He didn't understand the phenomenon that is Disney beyond appreciating that Disney had built an incredible business empire. He didn't grown up knowing these characters. He didn't grow up with "the magic"...or I should say with "this magic". There is, of course, plenty of magic that he was exposed to growing up that simply wasn't a part of my culture and personal history.

He appeased me. We went.

The Disney experience was another in a series of moments of recognition...that our truth is based on what we know. That certainly we cannot always know what we do not know. That I can never take forgranted that my own experience is the human experience. That, gloriously, there is more to learn everyday about how my husband and I are unique.

I am "white", second-generation Canadian, with roots in Britain. Dave has grown up identifying as "West Indian" and "brown". His grandparents are Indian from East India. Our children have a blend of our genes. Their skin is slightly olive-white in the winter and a beautiful light golden brown when they've been kissed by the summer's sun.

My daughter sees herself as "brown". Among the Disney princesses, she's always been drawn to Jasmine over the blonde and milky-skinned Belle and Cinderella. While at Disney, no matter what gift shop we went into, it was difficult for her to spend her precious allowance on any Jasmine item-- unless she was bundled in a pack with the other blonde princesses. Microinequities come in many shapes and sizes!

It's a small world even in the gift shop.

Getting the Issue Out In Front...Literally!

2007-03-10T15:36:00.000-05:00

Leadership team relationships, relationships between two interdependent functional heads and boss & direct report relationships all encounter issues. Discussion around the issues inevitably leads to pointing to a "lack of communication" as the source of the problem.

And the issue often gets left there...continuing to fester between them.

In my coaching of such relationships I've had the opportunity to see the results of a seemingly simple exercise that can have dramatic impact on shifting the dynamics. In the Organization and Relationship Systems Coaching training I've been taking, we were introduced to an exercise where part of the process is placing the problem out in front, instead of in between the relationship. Literally using a small object as a physical representation of the issue, the exercise involves having the parties move to sit facing the problem and work together as a team to resolve the issue.

Instead of a generic "lack of communication", the problem naming often moves to a deeper level. "Undermining behavior", "different core values", "lack of respect" etc. are some that my clients have uncovered. There's something powerful about literally seeing the newly-named issue out on the table in front and standing back with the two partners, or members of the team to look at the issue and to support them in brainstorming possible solutions together.

Simple but so big!

I had the joy of witnessing two of three company owners wrestling with a very core and sensitive issue between them..struggling to name the issue and then boom...the 3rd partner crisply and cleanly called it out. He named the thing in the middle of the table and it was exactly right. The relief in the room created by naming the issue was palpable.

Full problem-resolution didn't come in that first discussion, but the burden was lightened and since then, the three have been able to move to a deeper discussion of ways to address the issue.
So...next time you find yourself wrestling with something ambiguous between you and another person at work-- or a team is struggling with something that is weighing them down-- try moving the issue where it can be addressed more objectively...out in front.

When You Join a New Company—Zip Up!

2006-12-06T21:41:00.000-05:00

NO…I’m not referring to your attire…that’s a topic for another posting.

When organizations are asked to list the most important behaviors for people who successfully transition into a new organization, the number one answer is “listen, observe and ask questions”. In spite of what you might expect, a new employer is looking for you to primarily learn from THEM in the early weeks, rather than to PROVE your worth.

In the first month of onboarding with a new organization, you will be judged more by the insightfulness of your questions than your recommendations.

It’s ironic that during much of the interview process, potential employers spend much of their time convincing you that they can’t wait to hear all of your new ideas to foster change. Yet, after you are hired, spouting one too many of these ideas too quickly in the onboarding timeframe is a sure way to derail your early success.

It may seem simple, but the challenge is to show your genuine curiosity, arrange opportunities to listen to as many people as possible, and to observe how the various parts of the organization fit together. It is particularly important to ask others about their priorities and how their role fits into the broader strategies of the organization. This is the time to be a sponge!

It is human nature that people love to be listened to, so you need to not only ask questions and listen with interest, but also to give indication that you have heard others fully. When you have one-on-one meeting, take the opportunity to sum up what you’ve heard. When you meet with your boss, give a top-line on what you’ve been observing and the themes that you’ve been picking up through your conversations with others. You needn’t have figured out all the answers in these first few weeks, you simply need to demonstrate that you’ve been listening closely and are using your insight to make observations.

For more information on leadership onboarding success visit http://www.clearingthe90dayhurdle.com

Picking Up and Letting Go

2006-09-13T21:56:00.000-04:00

Because I specialize in onboarding coaching with leaders moving into new organizations or up to a challenging new level of leadership, I am eager to read all the latest books on these important transitions. Scott Eblin's book, The Next Level: What Insiders Know About Executive Success, Davies-Black Publishing, 2006, is a highly accessible read. Drawing on in-depth interviews with leaders, Eblin identifies nine key sets of behaviors and beliefs that rising executives must pick up and let go of to suceed at the next level.

I have always found it particularly rewarding to coach leaders through the shift of letting go of a behavior that has been the very ticket for getting them promoted. A common example is the high-achieving, results-focused individual contributor who is promoted to management and suddenly finds himself struggling with the challenge of letting go of his own hands-on approach and needing to shift to "getting things done through others".

There are apparent connections between the behaviors that Eblin describes and the 7 types of transitions or promotional steps described in the classic, The Leadership Pipeline, by Ram Charan,Stephen Drotter and James Noeland . This has long been a favourite book of mine for its powerful insights about the significant shifts in skill-set requirements that accompany major promotions. For example:
o “From Managing Self to Managing Others”
o “From Managing Others to Managing Managers”
o “From Functional Manager to Business Manager”

In The Next Level, Eblin also describes the differentiators between success and failure for new executives. Many of his observations are consistent with the reasearch interviews I had conducted in developing the Clearing the 90-Day Hurdle process. (A copy of the report, Top 10 Success Factors and Seven Deadly Sins for Leaders Transitioning Into Organizations can be downloaded here http://www.clearingthe90dayhurdle.com/top10-report.shtml)

A useful book to add to your library about transition experiences.

Set-Up To Soar: Supporting Leaders of Colour

2006-06-12T21:03:00.000-04:00

You've heard the stats from me before-- 40 to 50% of all new leaders fail to meet the expectations of the role for which they were recruited. Leaders of Colour face particular challenges in integrating into the organization, demonstrating their worth, and finding internal role models and mentors. Progressive organizations go to great lengths to acquire the best and brightest talent possible. Then they are often disappointed to find that many of their talented visible minority recruits end up leaving within the first year.

In the first 90 days after joining a new organization or being promoted, it is critical that a new leader gain support of key stakeholders, listen and show appreciation for the organization’s own culture and create early wins. During a time of intensive performance pressure, these leaders also often experience considerable dissonance about joining the new organization and have fears about whether they are right for the new role. Leaders of Colour deal with further obstacles at both the conscious and unconscious level.

My colleague, Gina Columna of G-force International, and I are currently conducting research into effective transitions for Leaders of Colour. Gina is an Asian American coach and consultant based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Our research will be shared at the upcoming North Carolina SHRM Annual Conference on September 19th, 2006.

We are passionate about supporting individual minority leaders, their managers and the organizations who are committed to their success.

Gina and I invite contact from Leaders of Colour at the executive level as well as emerging leaders to arrange for an interview with us. We are interested in looking at generational patterns between Baby Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y. We are curious about success strategies for both new hires and internal promotions. We are eager to have rich conversations about what works well and what doesn't.

If you, or someone else you know would be interested in a conversation to support this research, please send an email to info@clearingthe90dayhurdle.com

A Competition Mindset is Thinking Too Small

2006-03-06T22:55:00.002-05:00

I've been facinated to support clients as they wrestle with the concepts in the book, Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant, by W. Chan and Renee Mauborgne, Harvard Business School Press, 2005.

The main premise of this book is that "in today's overcrowded industries, competing head-on results in nothing but a bloody red ocean of rivals fighting over a shrinking profit pool." The authors argue that "tomorrow's leading companies will succeed not by battling competitors, but by creating blue oceans of uncontested market space ripe for growth".

In my work with entrepreneurs in creating innovative alliances for their business, I notice that such alliances can be fantastic vehicles to take their respective businesses into unchartered waters and in doing so, leave the competition in their wake. We focus on identifying potential alliances that can expose them to completely new markets, and groups of people or sets of needs, instead of the tried and true.

The classic approach to conducting a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Oppportunities and Threats) seems far too self-limiting when the focus is almost exclusively on the competition. Such thinking keeps you in the same sandbox as the rest of the players.

It's been my experience that when I have conversations with potential alliance partners, they tend to fall into one of two camps. There are those whose first reaction is resistance... they look down, shake their heads, fold in on themselves and almost literally shrink before my eyes. Then there are others who look up and out, eyes lit up with possibility, their gestures become more animated and inclusive. They connect with my idea and then expand it outward to include their perspective. Sparks of generativity fly! Both they and the ideas themselves become larger as we speak.

So… the next time you conduct a business analysis… challenge yourself to look well-beyond the traditional thinking of, “Who is my competition?” and begin to look at questions like, “How can I reach more people and benefit other businesses by creatively aligning myself with others?"

Growing Your Business Through Alliances

2006-02-27T22:21:00.000-05:00

Developing innovative alliances is a topic for which I have an inordinate amount of passion. Generally, I find that people think of alliances as a type of informal partnership between similar businesses or between people in the same profession.

Yet, one of the biggest opportunities that I see for leveraging alliances is in collaborating with people OUTSIDE your profession. In this way, you take your business to people who might not otherwise ever find out about you.

How would you like other organizations to help you build your business... with no fee$ to you?? By collaborating with other professionals who are passionate about your services (and you theirs), you will raise your profile, reinforce your niche and build a strong source of referrals.

If you are a Coach or Consultant, you'll want to check out this Workshop I'm offering on March 15th in downtown Toronto.

http://gtacoaches.com/eventscalendar.asp#meeting

Of course, the principles apply equally well to other entrepreneurial business owners that I coach. I'd love to walk you through the Developing Innovative Alliances Model and help you look at the fresh ways you could enroll others in bringing clients and customers to your door.

Leverage Selection Assessments AFTER They're Hired!

2006-02-23T21:23:00.000-05:00

More organizations are making effective use of Assessment instruments to gain added insights on candidates they’re considering for selection. When the assessments used are well-validated, appropriately administered and used responsibly, I applaud this initiative.

I’ve noticed, however, that the rich information that can be gained is significantly under-leveraged AFTER the chosen candidate is hired. Frankly, a much higher return could be reaped for this investment.

Much more value can be gained from the use of these tools to support the organization, the hiring manager AND the new hires themselves.

To read my recent article on this topic, visit http://www.clearingthe90dayhurdle.com/assessments-after-hired.shtml

By the way, I am a personal raving fan of Thomas International’s suite of DISC assessment products, which I build into my Clearing the 90-Day Hurdle™ process. I also find their consulting support and training second to none. To meet the Canadian team and find out more about the Thomas Systems, log into http://www.thomascan.com/. The Thomas U.S. site is http://www.thomasus.com/ and the International site is http://www.thomasinternational.net/.

The Accreditation Imperative

2006-01-15T13:24:00.000-05:00

Coaching is a young profession. It’s growing exponentially in popularity, variety, and thankfully rigor. A sound underlying body of research is being developed as:
· more Universities establish post-graduate coaching programs
· academics undertake formal research
· practitioners collect ROI data.
This research is very important to the credibility of the profession.

Equally important, in my view, is the move being led by the International Coach Federation (ICF) to have coaches pursue accreditation.

There are upwards of 160 coach training programs worldwide, with more being opened each month. Of these, 30 schools worldwide have been ICF approved. Some programs are being identified as offering “certification” but involve little more than 2-3 days of training.

There are people using the title of “Coach” who have not had formal training; have not been exposed to the differences between consulting, coaching, mentoring, and therapy; and, have not committed to a code of ethics.

I see accreditation through the ICF as one of the ways that we can help a confused marketplace to have at least a basic level of assurance about the quality of training and demonstrated competency of Coaches whose services they are considering engaging.

I hope that those of you who know me would not put the adjective “elitist” next to my name, but I do stand for ethics, quality and commitment to ongoing development. For me, this is what accreditation represents.

I was delighted to receive my ACC at the end of 2005 and am enjoying the challenge of pursuing my PCC in 2006.

Here's a press release by the ICF-GTA on the topic of accreditation http://gtacoaches.com/pressroom/2005Nov-Credentialing-PR.pdf

Anyone who wants to engage in a dialogue on this topic or has questions about accreditation, send me an email to sue@development-by-design.com

The Gift of Enabling Contribution

2005-12-29T15:35:00.000-05:00

Some of you, like me, are among the list of over 46,000 people who subscribe to marketing guru, Robert Middleton's wonderfully readable, weekly newsletters containing valuable marketing tips. (If you aren't, then get to http://www.actionplan.com to sign-up!)

Over the holidays, Robert wrote that the greatest gift that you can give to another human being is the opportunity for them to contribute in a meaningful way. He then asked for specific ideas about how Independent Professionals can make a contribution by allowing others to contribute to them.

Upon reading this, I paused for a bit... debating between wrapping presents, wrapping-up a client year-end report and taking Robert up on the opportunity to contribute. Of course, Robert's offer held the most allure. So... I took the time to write about the many ways that my relationship with Lock Search Group, a North American recruitment firm, has positively impacted my business.

Here's the newsletter containing my feedback...

http://www.actionplan.com/mc/MoreClients122705.html

Now for the ripple effect. By allowing me to contribute content for his newsletter, in return I have since received inquiries from new contacts/potential clients in Australia and in California. Thanks Robert!

Ah-h-h... the power of the internet. The power of community. The power of the gift of contribution.

Here's to discovering the gifts of the season that are most important to you!

Just One Thing: Great Management, Great Leadership and Diversity

2005-10-19T15:43:00.000-04:00

I recently heard a webinar interview with Marcus Buckingham, author of the book, The One Thing You Need to Know...About Great Managing, Great Leading and Sustained Individual Success.

The book is a good read. If you are fans of Buckingham’s earlier books based on research by the Gallup organization (First Break All the Rules and Now, Discover your Strengths), you’ll find elaboration on themes he has previously addressed.

But this Blog post is NOT intended to be a book review. I wanted to write about a connection I made while listening to the interview… because it jumped out at me.

Buckingham was focusing on the distinction between great managing and great leadership. His position is that “the chief responsibility of a manager is to turn a person’s unique talent into performance”. He holds that great managers recognize that each person has unique talents and motivations and they seek to understand and leverage these unique qualities. Great managers treat each person DIFFERENTLY based on understanding each individual’s personality and motivations.

It struck me between the eyes that this is what has frustrated me about typical discussions on the topic of “managing diversity” for some time.

In Workshops on Diversity, I have often found myself sighing with despair when a participant (particularly a manager) says, “It doesn't matter whether people are white, brown, green or purple... I treat them all the same”. Such participants will then look around the room with a boastful pride as if to say “look at how enlightened I am!”

For me, to look past “difference” and see this as a noble behaviour leaves me shaking my head. This “we’re all the same” thinking seems far too simplistic. Frankly, it feels like we are missing the whole point. For some people, their "green or purpleness" may well be relevant. To look past cultural context, history, personal story, is to look past what is core for that individual. Where’s the richness?

VALUING diversity, for me, means identifying what is truly unique and respecting those differences as the true gift that they can provide. In corporations, this “gift” has little to do with race, sexual orientation or gender, etc. PER SE. It has everything to do with the value of differences in perspectives, thinking, approaches, ideas, and behaviours. At the same time, I firmly believe that this diversity of perspective is profoundly shaped by our personal experience and cultural upbringing… experiences that are often impacted by what may appear to be little more than superficial, demographic differences of race, gender, etc.

And so, in our efforts to be politically correct and look past the “superficial” differences, we may miss the opportunity to be genuinely curious and to draw on that which is truly unique about each of us.

(I recognize that this is a bit of a rant. It really strikes a chord for me.)

At a certain level, of course, differences DO in fact become immaterial. Marcus Buckingham's distinction between what makes for Great Management versus Great Leadership is helpful for me. He says that great leaders find what is shared among all members of a group and capitalize on it. In an organization, this means establishing a Vision that appeals to all employees, regardless of race, gender, academic background, level in the organization, right-brain or left-brain dominance and the list goes on. Great leaders tap into what is universal.

This is what great leaders do...connect to the person inside all of us where differences are honoured and yet they become small again or pale in comparison with our shared humanity.

And so the circle goes….

It feels to me that there is something important in these principles, whether we are looking at the great work that some of us are doing with our organizational cultures or whether we are looking at the one-to-one relationships that we are trying to enhance in our everyday lives.

Love to hear your thoughts!

Alliances are Everything!

2005-09-21T11:47:00.000-04:00

When I look at what is propelling my business and my own energy these days, it's clearly the alliances I am creating that are the juice. Though I'm very focused on achieving the goals I've set for my own business, I find that energy grows exponentially when the effect of adding my services to the offering of another business results in success for them.

The collaboration makes it fun and the business impact for my alliance partner makes it hugely intrinsically rewarding for me. And somewhere along the way, it also fuels revenues.

Not bad for a little relationship-building with a dash of creative insight on where such alliances might best be found.

I recently picked up a book, SmartMatch Alliances, by Judy Feld and Ernest Oriente, which offers a win-win approach to growing your business. The strategy involves teaming with a non-competitive partner who is offering products or services to the same clients, customers, and prospects you want to attract. It's an easy-to-read primer for identifying and establishing powerful alliances. For those of you who are looking at such opportunities for yourselves, I expect you'll find it to be a helpful read.

Lately I've been having a ball coaching other coaches and entrepreneurs in building their own businesses using the Developing Innovative Alliances tm model I've created. The model takes clients through a series of questions to uncover the best place to start. So thrilling to help people peel back the onion and find the relationships that are under their noses! To hear a client discovering what they uniquely know and how their particular combination of expertise can leverage other businesses takes my heart rate up a few notches. I especially love seeing an individual shift from being completely stuck by what's next for marketing and growing their business to discovering the simplicity of the alliance that will work for them.

It's the ripple effect outward that is so satisfying for me.

Ask And You Shall Receive

2005-08-02T20:40:00.000-04:00

A fellow coach challenged me recently to ask for feedback when I send out articles to my network instead of simply hoping that they are hitting the mark. Hmmm... scary. My resistance wasn't so much that these folks might have negative feedback but that I simply didn't want to burden the busy people that I know and respect with this request. Eventually I clued in that I am often preaching that "asking for help" is one of the best ways that you can show respect to someone else and recognize their value to you. So I did.

And people did. Provide feedback I mean. Some wrote several paragraphs of not only feedback on the article itself but even more powerfully for me they shared their own reflections on the subject.

Cindy, my virtual assistant, pointed out that she has several clients that write newsletters and she is struck by how inordinately giving the people in my network are. "You have attracted really incredibly giving people!" she noted.

So true. I even get a bit misty-eyed about it, I have to confess. I know what it's like to have a plate overflowing with business to attend to. I feel inordinately grateful to those of you who have taken time to provide me with thoughtful feedback and personal reflections.

It's a huge deal for me to know that an article I've written has sparked some thinking for someone else, or stimulated a conversation that might not otherwise have taken place. It's the greatest gift in return!

It's this dynamic that has inspired me to allow comments on this Blog. Interactivity through this medium is a marvell.

Feels like finding a pot of gold!

Trusting the Solution Before Our Eyes

2005-07-17T15:17:00.000-04:00

I don't know about you, but I've certainly noticed a pattern for me that involves gravitating to the "hard work". If I am creating something for a new service offering, I feel the need to start from the ground up. If it's personal change I'm facing, I often think I need to identify a profound strategy to adopt, followed by an intensive period of incorporating the change in incremental steps. Through my own coaching I've learned that sometimes the solution is very simple and may be right in front of my eyes. It may even be something that I can adopt literally overnight. Learning to trust serendipity more can save me an inordinate amount of time and effort and I have a growing realization that my intuition rarely leads me astray. When I am coaching my clients and they are feeling a loss as to what the solution to the problem is, it is rare that they genuinely need me to help them to develop a solution. Typically they already know the answer and simply need to give themselves permission to adopt the simple approach. Or they simply need a partner with them to help them clear away the distractions from what they already know to be true. So... relative to what you are currently wrestling with...what is the solution staring back at you??

Landing My Thoughts

2005-07-12T08:35:00.000-04:00

I've watched with interest as the blogging phenomenon has spread. As I've witnessed more coaches adopting the use of Blogs I've questioned the relevance for me and my business. Insight eventually dawned. A blog is a "landing pad" for my thoughts that helps me set my ideas in flight. I tend to walk around with a world of ideas inside my head...connections that I see for others, articles I'd love to share... themes that several clients are grappling with at the same time. This blog is a space for me to land these thoughts so that they can take form. It's an interim step between creating more formal articles, developing specific coaching and consulting programs or making additions to my website. It is also potentially a place for interactivity, since inclusion is a big piece of what I'm all about. We'll see how it evolves.

For now, I'm intrigued with where having this landing pad will take me.