From My Perspective: Are You Listening?

Ever wonder why you struggle when it comes time to make a decision on which candidate to select?  Try listening more actively. Just a few ideas that help me:

1)       Resist Distractions – Clear your desk for every conversation so you can focus your attention.  I take it one step further, meet away from your office and you’ll even stop thinking about that “voicemail waiting” light blinking at you.  And for goodness sake turn off the ringer on your smartphone and put it your pocket!

2)      Get to the Point – Ask good questions of each candidate, not necessarily the same ones or in the same order.  In other words, have a plan – when you “wing it” the interview tends to become a verbal recap of the resume’.

3)      Listen to Gain Real Understanding –   If you aren’t careful it is too easy to listen only long enough to formulate your response or follow up question.  Take Notes!  Write down the great follow up question or comment. 

Overall, assume each candidate will be the one you want to hire. Listen to have the information you need to make a good “buying” decision and also to understand the focus to bring to the “sales” presentation you’ll need to secure them for your team!

The above is the seventh installment – Year Four of “From My Perspective” – a collection of observations and anecdotes from the more than 29 years of business and professional recruiting experience of Bill Hagerty, an owner and principal consultant with Johnson ReSource Group.

 

 

Squeezed By Everything: Life As A Middle Manager

This Wall Street Journal article by Melissa Korn is an illuminating look at life as a middle manager through the eyes of one at FICO. What’s it’s like being a middle manager is chronicled by following Michelle Davis from the start of her day in an empty parking lot at 6 am to the end when she hits the hay at 10 pm. Meetings, conference calls, crises, and precious little planning time seem to be the norm. She has many duties but little authority. People-pleasing is the order of her day. Upward mobility is limited and company loyalty is questionable. This article is a good read for those on “the fast track” and for their bosses who struggle to keep good employees engaged and motivated.

The Power Of A Second Chance

Have you given a struggling employee a second chance?  Of course you have!  The real question is – did they know about it or did you just give them a “break?”

 I recently experienced a powerful example of why just giving someone a break rarely works.  This lesson came courtesy of a player on our 18 and under AA baseball team.  #2 had a variety of home and school issues going on the last couple of seasons so everyone understood when I didn’t come down too hard on some of his on field behavior issues.  However, when it crossed over into unsportsmanlike behavior I suspended him for two games and in a players’ only vote they decided not to reinstate him for the remainder of last season.  The players and coaches did make it clear that he would be welcome to rejoin the team this season.

 To his credit #2 did return this season but it was made clear to him what the behavior expectations were if he wanted to remain part of the team.  What a difference – not a single outburst at the plate or in the field.  His improvement was never more evident than in our last game when he committed an error on the opening batter of the game – last year his temper would have caused him to lose complete focus but instead he recorded three very nice putouts, had several productive at-bats and scored a run.

 A lesson to me that the best second chances are the ones your “players” know about.  It is not only acceptable but mutually beneficial to let someone know you observed some lack of performance on their part but only if you make it clear the performance you expect and that you will give them a real opportunity to improve.

 

Attracting The Best

This article originally appeared in the Sunday Business section of The Cincinnati Enquirer on June 9, 2013.

The best candidates are attracted by the intangibles.  They expect the tangibles – compensation, benefits.  From the very beginning of your search it is important to understand the intangibles your organization has to offer and to make certain they are consistently communicated.  Communicate them early and often – not in response to the candidate’s question but up front so they believe they truly are part of your culture and not just a convenient response to their questions.

 The  three recurring themes I’ve heard in my practice whether I’ve been recruiting a Financial Controller or a Sales Executive are: 

1)      Will I have the chance to be involved in decision making?  They don’t need to make the decisions they simply want to know you have an environment where input is valued.

2)      Is there a mentor available?  Top shelf candidates, especially those early in their career, want to learn and they realize it is about having a willing, capable and active mentor.

3)      Is there an environment of professional flexibility?  They don’t want flex-time or to be treated differently than others. They want to know that throughout your organization professionals who are achieving and exceeding goals are free to occasionally veer from a standard schedule to meet a personal obligation.

 Attracting the best into your interview process is important, but now can you close the deal?  Have you been gaining knowledge about each candidate’s real motivations since the beginning of the interview process?  No surprise, money is part of it but money is by far not the key motivation to change for a top performer. Why?  Because their current employer recognizes them as a top performer and compensates them competitively!

 So how do you get them to open up and share their real motivations?  Open up yourself.  Move beyond the “About Us” and “Executive Profiles” sections of your website and share with them how you feel about your company and who you really are.  Move beyond the questions focusing on the “Required” and “Preferred” sections of the position profile and really endeavor to get to know them.  You’ll be much more successful in getting to know a top candidate’ motivations if they trust you, and for that they need to know you trust them.

 Unless it is confidential information, share freely – about you, your company, the people they will meet in your interview process, the group they will be joining.  Under the theory of reciprocation they will share with you and you will begin to understand if you can, and should, close them on your opportunity. 

 

 

Embracing Portable Ignorance

Could we actually become smarter by asking a lot of stupid questions? Do we add less value when we appear immediately astute? Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel, authors of the standby college textbook The Elements of Journalism, published a book in 2011 on the changing media landscape and how to discern what news is best. Blur: How to Know What’s True in the Age of Information Overload focuses on the importance of verification, fact-checking and evidence in media — whether it be traditional newspaper media or an online blog. Kovach is a much-honored editor and bureau chief at both The New York Times and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In a recent interview he said, “The separation between journalists and citizens is slowly disappearing. I mean, anyone, anywhere can be a reporter of the next big news incident. Citizens are becoming their own editors. So it’s imperative that we both help journalists understand this change…and citizens understand how they can determine what they can believe in.”

 Although the book is highly engaging, very readable, and intended for a general audience it wouldn’t seem that relevant to anyone employed outside of journalism. That is until you dive into Kovach and Rosenstiel’s writing about the need for “portable ignorance”. Basically portable ignorance involves the willingness to ask a lot of questions, often resisting the temptation to appear ‘smart’. Most of us in the creative fields have trouble with that because we’re paid to be smart… and quick-on-the-uptake. Rosenstiel, in a recent NPR interview, said we all should be more willing to say,” I don’t get this. Explain it to me. What are you going to try and do? As opposed to being seduced into trying to look like you know everything and that you’re astute.” He says we can use being “not astute” as a powerful tool.

 As ‘knowledge workers’ in an age of crowd-sourcing, curation, commoditization, and co-creation we face many new challenges to being truly effective. Could appearing to be LESS astute actually work to our advantage? Kovach and Rosenstiel sure think so and I agree that it can yield a far better result for us and our clients. Following are several practices that might improve your portable ignorance:

  • Be Inquisitive. Professionals tend to often look at our role as that of a persuader, taking an ‘outside-in’ approach to our projects. We are paid for the ‘big insight’ but often skip over some valuable ways to get at it. Being inquisitive is basically asking more questions when you’re tempted to start talking about yourself. It is allowing for the pursuit of a thread in a conversation to possibly lead to greater insight. It welcomes disagreement as a chance to learn and to consider alternatives. Kovach and Rosenstiel tell of a New York Times reporter in Vietnam who used his innate curiosity to such an extent (often asking “stupid” questions) that he was predicting our inability to win that war… in 1961! Being inquisitive involves asking ‘why’ and too much of that could lead us nowhere. To balance this approach we need to ask ‘why not’ and that’s where our imagination comes in.
  • Seek Improbable Connections. Using our imagination allows us to connect what we learn to how it can be most effectively applied. We imagine greater possibilities and thus add greater value. Let’s face it, if you regurgitate standard solutions after asking a ton of questions you’re likely to have one very upset (or lost) client. Being imaginative allows us to see how to make the pie bigger or maybe even bake a different one versus how better to carve up the existing one. If the essence of creatives’ purpose is to provide ideas that clients haven’t thought of themselves, then making these improbable connections by using our imagination is the way to do it.
  • Reject Complacency. A little fear can be a big motivator and there is such a thing as healthy paranoia. Really. This is what makes us stay on top of our industry by reading one more trend report. It’s how we create value by studying yet another market analyst’s report on our client’s business. It’s what keeps us going to another networking event or making that catch-up call to a mentor. It’s what prevents us from making a stinky proposal with a “Plan A – Number 6” recommendation to a new prospect. Healthy fear can spur you to check your facts or go over your pitch – just once more. Plenty of research shows that people with the LEAST competence or ability are the MOST likely too overestimate themselves.

There isn’t a single point above that I have accomplished with consistency. For me, this concept of ‘portable ignorance’ is one to chew on for awhile. I must resist the temptation to be the “experienced know-it-all”. Being truly smart, creative, and serving others well means staying engaged, actively seeking new insights, and remaining vigilant. So… I’m taking a little ignorance along to my next meeting. I think I’ll come out a lot smarter.

From My Perspective: Vacation? Really?

It’s that time again – are you actually going to take a vacation this year or will you just be working away from the office? There was a time when people actually “turned things off” and recharged, will you?  Better question, will I?

 I’m reminding myself (and maybe you) of certain benefits of truly “unplugging”:

 1)      Let your personal energy level recharge and reset.  When the Blackberry “acts up” I remember the very helpful young man at the Cincinnati Bell Store who reminded me that proper operation of this complex device requires taking the battery out periodically so the system can reset!  I’m convinced it is the same for people – without a periodic reset we arbitrarily turn off – to new people, new ideas, new business opportunities.

 2)      Show others you trust them.  Whether these people are literally your “business partners” or are your peer/direct report employee partners, checking in every day says “I trust you, kind of.”  Let them have your contact information and trust that they will reach out if they need you.

 3)      Prove that your business has real and significant value.  Business brokers/investment bankers say if an owner/executive can’t take two weeks away from their business and remain confident in performance then the value of the company is significantly diminished in the eyes of any potential acquirer.

 I’ll be taking some vacation this summer and I know how to suspend e-mail delivery to my phone as well as how to turn off the simultaneous ring feature.  I’m committing to my family that I’ll do my best to control the annoying “I’m listening – just checking e-mail too” habit.  I’ll check my cell phone voicemail each evening but I won’t check my office voicemail and email until the evening before I return to the office.

 I’ll let you know how it all goes in the August edition of “From My Perspective” and I’m interested hearing your “vacation” stories as well – good or bad!

How to be Happier at Work

I usually don’t spend time with “feel good” articles but this one from Inc. magazine contributor Geoffrey James is solid, practical advice. James writes the world’s most visited sales-oriented blog and his new book, Business Without The Bullsh*t, will be published in early 2014. Hopefully, a few of his 17 Ways to Be Happier at Work will be helpful as you slog through another day of meetings, reports, computer glitches, and cold coffee.

Reinventing The CIO in the 21st Century

Dan Burrus is a leading technology futurist and best-selling author. His prescription for how the CIO must lead and adapt is both sobering and exciting in these rapidly changing times for every business. There can be no doubt that high achievers will be both rewarded AND stressed as they strive to stay ahead of the competition. The CIO Survival Kit is an article well worth reading.

More basic guidelines for the CIO include watching and understanding where the organization is headed.  Listen carefully to the many messages coming from Top Management.  It could be all about cutting costs today and limiting the expansion of technology…And tomorrow an immediate desire to have more information readily available for key decision makers.  The CIO casualties do not see the changes coming.

Older Workers Are In Demand Again!

Fox Business published a quick-read that is still a valuable perspective for workers over 50. It affirms that these experienced and knowledgeable professionals are being sought by companies that have found there is value in being able to “hit the ground running”. While the current economy still has many challenges for those who graduated college in the 70’s or 80’s, there is plenty of hope for those who can transfer knowledge quickly and effectively. Read the entire article.

New Employee Start Up

1)    Have everything in order as agreed in offer letter and subsequent discussions.

  1. Office and basic office equipment
  2. Computer/Laptop
  3. Business Cards/Stationery
  4. Signing bonus/Expense Reimbursements
  5. Car/Car Allowance
  6. Cell Phone

2)    Have someone (preferably their direct supervisor) meet them early on the first day to increase their comfort level before going on display to the entire staff.

Handle all introductions at a leisurely pace – encourage questions and note taking at the conclusion of each introduction. Continue reading