Fast Tracker

It's Not Just Gen Y, 65 and Older Workers is the Next Trend

noreply@blogger.com (The Vantage Group, Inc.) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:43:00 +0000

There’s another trend besides Gen Y out there. Several industry reports show that the 65 and older group is the fastest growing category of job changers. (Newest buzzword: “re-careering.”) Interesting finding according to Trend Letter: they care less about pay and prestige. Growing fields in nursing, education, and social services already have an above average percentage of these folks.

Later-life career change appears to be an important part of the retirement process. Many older workers who change jobs, and especially those who change careers, downshift into part-time work that involves less stress and responsibility and more flexible work schedules than their previous jobs. More older job changers say they enjoy their new jobs than say they enjoyed their former positions, despite the fact that the new jobs do not pay as well and are less likely to offer benefits such as health insurance. Many older workers appear to place a high premium on escaping from the 9-to-5 grind that their flexible new positions often provide, even if it means a pay cut.

Additionally, many late-life career changers appear to be pushed into new lines of work involuntarily following job layoffs or business closings. Many older displaced workers who become reemployed suffer substantial pay losses and benefit cuts on their new jobs.

What does this mean for employers? This demographic offers a great deal of experience and productivity to the economy along with a willingness to learn and adapt to career changes. Employers need to be aware, however, that the 65 and older workforce wants flexibility for schedules and a work environment that encourages self management. For older adults with limited skills or little workforce experience, expanding public workforce development initiatives could improve their employment options. More training for older adults with limited education could give them the skills and confidence they need to move into new careers, enabling them to extend their working years, increase their retirement income security, and improve the quality of their lives.

Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y—Where to Start and What to Do

noreply@blogger.com (The Vantage Group, Inc.) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:58:00 +0000

Today’s world is filled with labels from political groups, religious preferences and generations to low performers, high potentials and star performers. What does this mean? More importantly, when did we start becoming labeled groups instead of human beings?

Every week articles are published about what to do with certain groups of people. How do we change them; how do we minimize their damage? I challenge each of you to start asking this:

How can I understand people who don’t think the way I think, act the way I act or value the way I value?
What makes me right and them wrong?
What can the different groups bring together to make a better organization?

People are complex and cannot be described by one group or label. As humans, we bring more to our careers than our political or religious views, generational stereotypes and current level of performance category.

So where does a business begin when trying to determine job fit, development plans and succession planning? How can a company be strategic in times that don’t allow for thinking and planning? It starts with understanding a company’s most valuable asset, their people. In order to truly value your team, you need to understand people beyond their typical labels.

How do they think?
What drives them?
How do they prefer to get things done?

What could removing labels and re-engaging your workforce do to your bottom line and your most valuable asset—people?

Myth: Assessment tools are not necessary or cost-effective for all positions.

Perhaps many of you have heard the argument that assessment tools are only useful for top-level positions. Or that it is cost prohibitive to assess the entire organization. So are assessments important in every level of your organization? We’re often asked this question, and the answer is YES.

Any building is only as robust as its foundation. And so any organization is only as strong as its foundational workforce. Regardless of the position, all organizations benefit from understanding every role. A person’s assessment identifies strengths and weaknesses in the individual and the team. We often learn of organizations that identify undiscovered talent hidden within their organization as a result of utilizing assessments. This initial discovery leads to tapping the potential of future leaders and getting them started on the right development path.

When employees are in positions that are not a fit with their skills, the entire organization suffers. The benchmarking process uncovers the key performance indicators that drive results in the job critical to success. By understanding what the job needs and rewards, you should understand the best way to manage people, develop training and implement strategies.

Best of all, benchmarking is a simple, cost-effective way to set the foundation for the leaders of any organization to increase morale, improve retention and enhance overall employee satisfaction.

Hell hath no fury like an employee...ignored.

noreply@blogger.com (The Vantage Group, Inc.) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:54:00 +0000

A book detailing the follies of the Bush Administration from an insider’s perspective came out this week. Matt Latimer, former speechwriter for George Dubya, has written Speech-less, forcing the ex Administration to shudder and call the author a traitor. What prompted yet another "tell all" from an employee in the Bush administration? Did Latimer and Dubya have an argument? Did Dubya not like the speeches Latimer wrote?

On the contrary, Bush never had any interaction with Latimer at all. He was basically ignored.

A recent survey published by Talent Management indicates that only one-quarter of workers are less likely to be looking for another job in today’s tightening labor market. Why the rush out of their cubicles? According to survey findings, companies seeking to retain their employees when the recovery begins should start by addressing three key areas of dissatisfaction: compensation, career growth paths and retention efforts.

The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive, showed that two-thirds (66 percent) of American workers are not currently satisfied with their compensation. Additionally, 78 percent of American workers are not satisfied with their company’s overall retention efforts and 76 percent are not satisfied about future career growth opportunities at their company.

Other key findings of the survey included:

Relationships are strained: Almost half (48 percent) of workers are not satisfied with the relationship they have with their boss and the majority (59 percent) of workers are not satisfied with the level of support they receive from their colleagues.
Company vision and leadership is lacking: The majority of workers (77 percent) are not satisfied with the strategy and vision of the company and its leadership.
Retirement contributions: 68 percent of workers are not satisfied with their company’s contribution to their retirement plans.

As we move closer to an economic recovery, managers should remember that career development begins with communication. What workers are telling us is that even during a recession, just having a job does not equate to job satisfaction. Employers need to be conscious of the concerns their staff is managing through on a daily basis and proactively come up with the appropriate solutions to improve retention and reduce the current and future high cost of turnover. Ignoring employees and their concerns will only incur their future wrath...and cost your organization.

Here are some tips to help to reduce feelings of dissatisfaction among your employees.

Make retention efforts more visible: Behind the scenes, managers may be doing what they can to retain their employees, but staff won’t feel valued if these efforts aren’t visible to them. Retention efforts begin through mutual dialogue and building trust. Managers should engage their employees in the realities of the business challenges to foster employees’ understanding of the market and competition.
Reward and provide reason: If increasing compensation due to the current economic climate is not possible, look to reward employees through an awards program or team contest. Improving morale just by recognizing good work can help ease compensation complaints. As the survey found, dollars and cents are not the only way to improve satisfaction, so be sure you are putting in the extra effort where extra investment is not available. In addition, employees benefit greatly by understanding the reasons behind lower compensation and how these short-term adjustments will help them and the company in the long run.
Communicate a growth path for employees: Managers should map out a growth plan for employees and communicate it to their teams. Employees will then understand that managers are invested in their future, and they’ll be more confident in investing their time and career with the organization.

Don't ignore your employees, and you can reap the benefits of retaining your top performers when the economy improves.

Health Care Managers and Poor Performers

noreply@blogger.com (The Vantage Group, Inc.) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:33:00 +0000

With all the challenges the health care industry faces these days, why do leaders and managers tolerate poor performers in the workplace? We have observed several incidences of hospital managers putting up with disruptive behavior, low productivity or lack of professionalism—sometimes at the cost of top performers who leave because they have had enough of the negative work environment. And sometimes, these managers have lost their jobs because they would not take the steps necessary to correct the employee issues.

We interviewed some leaders in health care to find out why it is so difficult to deal with poor performers. Here is just a few of the most common problems:

Believing that the manager can change the person's behavior.
The fear of loss of a specific skill.
Discounting the bad behavior, and not analyzing the broader implications such as retention of top performers.
A lack of control over the hiring process to replace the problem employee. Many managers find their internal HR processes take too long to fill positions.
Managers not properly trained to deal with confrontation of poor performance.

There is a broad belief that people can be fixed. Resources and dollars are spent on trying to change behaviors of people who were never a good fit for the job in the first place. The reality is health care managers need to recognize that there are specific predictors, critical success factors, behaviors and evidence-based business practices that contribute to high performance. Focusing on a better hiring process can go a long way to increasing productivity and saving money in health care, and alleviate many of the problems managers face with employees.

Select the right person

Now that we know WHAT the issues are when it comes to managers and poor performers, much of this can be corrected by looking at the behaviors needed to fit the job and decide WHO is best to do the job. Most traditional hiring processes stop with hard skills (for example, working knowledge of various medicines and their interactions, ability to read and analyze cardiac data)
and experience needed, but you must also take the time to determine what PERSONAL SKILLS (sometimes referred to as soft skills) an employee needs to be able to do the job. Some examples of the dozens of possible personal skills are:

Ability to manage stress
Ability to be accountable for others
Leading others
Planning and organization
Results-orientation
Ability to pay attention to detail
Problem solving ability
Teamwork
Self-starting

Most people do not fail in their jobs because they lack hard skills; they fail because they don’t have the personal skills necessary to do that specific job in that specific environment. To learn a better hiring process go to http://vantagegroupinc.com/hirefasttrack.html

Soft Skills - Can They be Taught in the Classroom?

noreply@blogger.com (The Vantage Group, Inc.) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:00:00 +0000

More and more companies are measuring soft skills in their work force and evaluating their impact on performance. Only recently do we have evidence that soft skills may be age- and occupation-related. This is based on four different studies. The first two studies were conducted in the fall of 2008 (Target Training International). Nine hundred college freshmen from two Midwest universities were asked to respond to an assessment that measures 23 specific soft skills. The results from both groups (business and engineering majors) indicated that, as a group, they have almost no mastery in these 23 soft skills. In fact, their lowest scores were in decision making.

In the spring of 2009, a small group of seniors were given the same survey. The results showed only a slight improvement.

Curriculum or Practice?

Looking at the numbers, it is becoming more and more apparent that certain soft skills cannot be taught in the classroom. To mention a few:

Interpersonal Skills
Personal Effectiveness
Futuristic Thinking
Self-Management
Diplomacy
Goal Orientation
Flexibility

To support this hypothesis, a group of employed adults (1632) were given the same assessments. Specifically, the research was looking for correlations among people who are passionate about knowledge for knowledge’s sake. Many Ph.D.s fall into this category. The evidence was very clear on all 23 soft skills: There were no correlations strong enough to predict a person will actually develop soft skills based on curriculum knowledge. The assessment used did not measure their knowledge of the skills; it measured their mastery of the skills and the use of these skills in their work. In other words, Do they walk their talk?

Only 27% of large organizations are Transferring Knowledge from retiring baby boomers to younger employees.

-Novations Inc.

The bookstores are full of self-help books that would lead you to think that buying a book can lead to developing and mastering certain soft skills. Merely reading a book on how to persuade others will not make you a successful sales person.

So what are we to do? The knowledge needs to be incorporated into activities, experiences and games. Practicing what you preach is the most promising method of developing soft skills. Our ThinkBox tools keep these activities and experiences at the forefront of an employee's personal development through easy to access online tools and self-coaching guides.

A Flooded Candidate Pool...Yet Still Making the Wrong Hire?

noreply@blogger.com (The Vantage Group, Inc.) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 01:09:00 +0000

With all the candidates available to hire these days, why are organizations still unable to make great hiring decisions? The answer is simple: BIAS. Attracting candidates is easy today. Screening out all of the unqualified to discover a superior performer is the real challenge. This challenge also means we must look at the job objectively and eliminate any biases that keep us from selecting the best candidate.

We all see the world from our own viewpoint. This viewpoint is influenced by how we value experience, knowledge, economics, aesthetics, altruism, power and tradition. When we are confronted by a person who sees the world differently, our views could be called biases. Neither right or wrong, nor good or bad, biases are simply a reflection of our personal viewpoint. Oftentimes, this personal viewpoint is unknowingly injected into the hiring process even when it is not relevant to a specific position or to the organization itself. When this happens, it creates a barrier, preventing us from selecting truly superior performers.

Today we have laws that keep us from acting on our biases as they relate to gender, age and nationality, but there are still biases that get in the way. Many people are also unknowingly biased on experience, education and intelligence, and this keeps them from selecting superior performers. In addition, people bring much more to the job, including their passion, beliefs, personal skills, and behaviors. Perhaps one of the most important personal skills is that of personal accountability, and most companies do not have an awareness of its importance, nor do they have a way to measure it.

Determining the ideal candidate for a position can prove to be not only the most frustrating part of the hiring process, but also the most difficult. Each person involved in the hiring process will have his or her own idea of what skill set, experience and education is required for the position. Job descriptions begin to assist recruiters, internal and external, in narrowing down the resume requirements. Meanwhile, the personal skills, behavioral style, attitude and motivations of the ideal candidate tend to be undefined and left up to the interviewer. This type of hiring process becomes subjective, rather than objective, and leaves all involved parties frustrated and with less than desirable results.

Typical hiring processes allow for little preparation time on the front end, with more time allotted for interviewing. This often results in a partially or even completely wrong hire, which, in turn, contributes to significant managerial time loss. By turning the process around, you will save time and energy, and improve your hiring decisions, therefore improving your bottom-line.

Our system creates a screening assessment based on the behaviors needed to help the organization reach its goals. Plus, it provides behavioral interviewing guides that help you go deeper in discovering the right hire. These tools and processes, has allowed us to achieve a 92% retention rate on the people we placed using these tools. Eliminating bias is the key to successful hiring. The only way to achieve this is through an objective process that looks at all aspects of the ideal candidate.

Bottom-Line Effects of Dysfunction

noreply@blogger.com (The Vantage Group, Inc.) — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:59:00 +0000

How It Heightens Disengagement and Costs You Millions

Dysfunction in a team will usually result in poor performance and inadequate productivity, but the effects of team dysfunctions on the employees themselves just might be far more serious and much more costly.

When a team becomes dysfunctional you can expect disengagement to follow as individuals may lose sight of team goals, not understand their role in the team and wait for direction to make any progress. Statistics say that the average employee is disengaged two hours each day. Could dysfunctional teams be contributing to disengagement in your organization? If so, just how does it affect your bottom-line?

Disengagement is not a small concern. Take, for example, a company with 100 employees who work full time at an average wage of $25 per hour. What is disengagement costing them? The productivity they could be losing due to disengagement is worth an estimated $1,200,000.

Determining the cost of disengagement within your organization is an important step in tackling this talent management burden. Then, consider implementing organizational and team multi-rater surveys that give everyone in the organization the opportunity to speak up and help you determine the real root of disengagement. Perhaps it is dysfunction in a team, job misfit, mismanagement, lack of motivation or other personnel-related issues. No matter what the cause, identifying it, addressing it and implementing a solution will make a dramatic difference on your bottom-line.

Dysfunction in the Workplace

noreply@blogger.com (The Vantage Group, Inc.) — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:56:00 +0000

How Awareness and Communication Improve Team Dynamics

In Patrick Lencioni’s best-selling book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, he tells a tale of a firm’s executive team struggling with utter dysfunction. Ineffective communication, multiple egos, fear, office politics and judgmental attitudes were all contributing to the absence of dynamics and poor performance.

Does this sound familiar to you?
Have you experienced a dysfunctional team in your career?

If yes, you are not alone. Most everyone has either been a part of, observed or even faced the challenge of leading a dysfunctional team like the one Lencioni describes. In fact, he says, “Teams, because they are made up of imperfect human beings, are inherently dysfunctional.”

Lencioni’s interrelated model of team dysfunction outlines five areas that prevent success in every team:
• Absence of trust
• Fear of conflict
• Lack of commitment
• Avoidance of accountability
• Inattention to results

But don’t be discouraged. There is hope for all of us experiencing a dysfunctional team. As Lencioni states, “In fact, team building is both possible and remarkably simple. But is also painful.” Vantage strongly believes in two fundamental team building basics that help teams overcome each of these dysfunctions: awareness and communication.

Awareness is more than observation; it is an understanding of what is going on around you. In this case, it is important to be aware of and appreciate the different viewpoints of team members and their work habits, motivators, areas of expertise, mastery in personal skills and motives. Doing so will not only help you build team dynamics, but more importantly increase personal effectiveness so you can accomplish more as a team.

Communication is where it all starts. The importance of open communication simply cannot be overstated as it is fundamental in building trust, managing conflict, gaining commitment, holding accountability and identifying team results. Effective communication involves first understanding your own communication style, understanding others’ communication style and appreciating the differences everyone brings to a team environment.

Teams are, essentially, what drive results. Take a look at the teams you are in, leading or observing and identify the five areas of dysfunction in your team. What can you do to focus on team building? Whatever the strategy, as Lencioni warns, it will be painful. But the results will be well worth the challenge.

The Role of Performance Management

noreply@blogger.com (The Vantage Group, Inc.) — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:14:00 +0000

For different organizations, performance management can mean different things. It can relate to a process, a system, an organization or a department. For many companies, the role of performance management is associated with an employee and is a responsibility of anyone who is in a management position. However, for many managers, performance management may not be given the attention it deserves.

First, what exactly is performance management? To help understand this concept, let’s discuss what it isn’t. Performance management is not a specific process everyone embarks on. It is not a performance appraisal or a performance review. It is not project management or goal setting. It is not achieving goals or missing deadlines. Instead, performance management is the act of managing all of these things, and more, in order to optimize performance so it is in line with the overall business strategy. We all know people are a company’s biggest asset. Performance management is the process of increasing the value of that asset.

Performance management is one of those aspects of management that is sometimes forgotten about. Organizations tend to focus on the individual pieces of performance management, like goal setting, sales processes or project management, but we need to remember to look at the big picture. All those smaller processes and activities need to be working cohesively for performance management to really be effective.

Invest in Your Talent

noreply@blogger.com (The Vantage Group, Inc.) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:35:00 +0000

Controlling Turnover and Addressing Disengagement with a Complete System

Turnover alone may be costing you millions, but what about the employees you still have? Is their disengagement costing you even more?

Fortunately, turnover and disengagement stem from job fit, and you can reduce costs associated with both by using a complete hiring system. With a process that looks at hiring from the very beginning to the very end, you can consider the job, the talent, professional development and performance management. However, with reduced budgets and overwhelming responses to job ads, many companies are finding themselves skipping a system all together. Unfortunately, a move like that doesn’t come without a hefty cost, as doing nothing to ensure job fit will cost you more than implementing a complete hiring system to start controlling turnover and disengagement costs now.

With a solution for future turnover and disengagement costs, let’s turn our focus to the disengaged employees on your payroll now. Can you determine the underlying issue? It may be decreased morale, lack of direction, little job satisfaction or no motivation. Whatever the case, you need to start by using the same complete system. Assess job fit by comparing the job and talent, ensure that each person is on a professional development plan, and then manage their performance with specific motivation, communication and responsibilities that fit their unique personal style and skills.

A dip in the economy shouldn’t mean you loose track of the very asset that will turn your company around. Remember, now is the time to invest in your people.

The True Value of Talent Management

noreply@blogger.com (The Vantage Group, Inc.) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:55:00 +0000

“Everything, then, must be assessed in money;

for this enables men always to exchange their services,
and so makes society possible.”
– Aristotle (384-322 BC)

Even though Aristotle made this point over 2000 years ago, it couldn’t ring more true today. Almost everything involved in transactions today are based on a price and assessed in money.

What about Talent Management?
Beyond salary and sales, there are many important aspects of talent management that are often not tied to the bottom line. Yet, “dollarizing” the value of talent management initiatives is vital to bottom-line analysis. Whether you are placing a value or cost on your current status, or calculating the ROI of your next talent management strategy, metrics that assess the monetary value will help you see the true effect on the bottom-line.

Bottom Line Statistics

Knowing the bottom line results of talent challenges will help you implement strategies with a proven ROI that you can see on your balance sheet. Find out how much you already know by asking yourself questions like:

What is disengagement costing the bottom line?
What was the ROI on your last training? What can be expected of future training?
How are your team-building initiatives impacting your bottom line?
What was the cost of your last bad hire?
What is your overall turnover percentage? How is it related to tenure?

In a study on over three million employees, Gallup found that over 70% of Americans who go to work are not engaged. This means businesses may be operating at significantly less than full capacity, a loss that could cost millions a year.

What is employee disengagement costing your company? Several thousands, millions, more?
How can you calculate this cost?
How does it compare to the investment of a proactive approach to increasing engagement?

With tightening budgets and a focus on cost-saving strategies, businesses worldwide are making drastic labor cuts. But is that always the right move? A recent study analyzed the savings resulting from changes in general and administrative functions and found that 75% of the savings came from strategies focused on restructuring and redesigning, while only 25% was from reducing.

Would you, too, save three times as much on your bottom line by investing in your people and processes?
Is the slash and burn approach actually costing you more?
What would the ROI be if you restructured and redesigned your workforce?

As business associates who want to make a difference in the bottom line, we might find advice in Aristotle’s quote by remembering to assess, in money, the value of talent management initiatives so we know its true worth. How else can we place fair value on the investment in people? After all, they are a company’s biggest asset.

Facing Today's Talent Challenges

noreply@blogger.com (The Vantage Group, Inc.) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:47:00 +0000

To meet today’s challenges, companies world-wide are searching for ways to do more with less. While many strategies offer streamlined processes and ways to add value, the biggest opportunities to meet this challenge lie within the talent themselves and are critical to future success:

Finding the right talent
Retaining your top performers
Ensuring your best employees have the opportunity to thrive
Aligning talent with your core competencies

Managing talent can be tough, but it doesn’t have to be. The key is to understand the current needs of the organization and what each unique individual brings to the job to help you make tough talent decisions.

Less than 25% of senior teams actually realize their potential.
-Chief Executive, an international study of more than 120 senior teams

While education, experience and intelligence are important, you simply cannot uncover the true picture of human talent without a total person analysis that includes an assessment of behaviors, values and personal skills. Together, these areas present a more in-depth approach to truly understanding an individual’s unique characteristics and how they apply to performance on the job.

In particular, a behavioral assessment will reveal HOW a people behave through their natural style in dealing with four different areas: problems, people, pace and procedure. With a better understanding and appreciation for people with different behavioral styles, communication can be enhanced, conflict can be reduced and a better job fit can be made. With an assessment of motivators, you can reveal WHY people act, or what drives a person to take action. People can be managed more effectively in an environment where their motivators are naturally satisfied. Finally, an assessment of an individual’s personal skills will allow you to determine WHAT specific talents your employee will naturally excel in and can ensure you are leveraging the skills they bring to the table. Different than hard skills, such as engineering techniques or medical procedures, personal skills are more intangible, such as teamwork, personal accountability and self management.

More than 90 Percent of Fortune 1000 companies are using multi-source assessments for developmental feedback. -International Personnel Management Association

Together, this total person analysis will give you a more complete picture of personal talent so you can make tough decisions with support, rather than relying on education, experience and intelligence alone. When you analyze this against the core competencies needed to drive your business forward, you will experience increased profits, faster execution of organization strategy, reduced employee turnover, and "raving fan" customers.

Human Skills Aren't "Soft"

noreply@blogger.com (The Vantage Group, Inc.) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:15:00 +0000

I was talking with a colleague the other day about the skills necessary to carry out a strategic plan. People are hired for their technical skills and their ability to carry out complex tasks and procedures (the price of entry). However, while people are hired for skills, they are often fired because of behaviors. Many organizations and HR professionals call behaviors "soft" skills. My colleague mentioned that there is nothing "soft" about these skills. Rather, they are the necessary "human" skills to get the job done. I liked what he had to say. Calling them soft skills tends to downplay their importance in training and development. Without these "human" skills, no one could effectively get the job done and implement the strategic plan in an organization.

Yet, despite many companies acknowledging the importance of "human" skills, this area of training and development continues to take the deepest budget cuts in organizations. In a recent Wall Street Journal article by Dana Mattioli, companies historically cut leadership-development programs during downturns, but the moves backfired, prompting mid-level managers and top performers to leave when the economy recovered.

Many companies are re-evaluating their training budgets and looking for ways to communicate to their employees they care about them. Providing appropriate training is one way to do that.
But how do you provide this without breaking the bank?

First, focus on the high-potential employees and stress strategy and leadership. These individuals have the greatest potential to help your organization through the recession and recovery.

Second, tap your internal talent as trainers instead of looking to outside resources and reduce travel expenses by holding webinars if you have offices across the United States.

Finally, look for non-custom solutions. Some organizations are subscribing to online resources, free webinars, internal resources and less custom programs. One great resource is Thinkbox, an online e-coaching service available on a subscription basis.

Despite the economy, organizations do not want to be caught short of strong managers when the economy recovers.

Which is the Bigger Asset? People or Teams

noreply@blogger.com (The Vantage Group, Inc.) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 20:15:00 +0000

Why You Should Re-Consider the Importance of Teams

Many will agree that people are the most important asset of an organization. More importantly, however, is how well those people work together to accomplish the common goal. Whether a company has thousands of people working in various locations worldwide or just a handful working in one small office, teamwork is vital to success. So, how can you ensure that your teams are performing at their fullest potential? How do people contribute to the team differently? Have you built effective teams?

To begin answering these questions, you must learn how to really understand each member of the team to identify their work style and how it compares to others in the group. You also need to look at the inherent strengths that each person brings to the table. Not their expertise or their background, but those things they seem to be good at just because that is who they are.

Once you understand the team members, you can not only build a team with the most effective combination of strengths, but you can also learn how to leverage each individual’s strengths for a dynamic team that works at its highest potential. Only then will teams reach goals that have been unattained by individuals, work at levels of productivity no single person can achieve or impact the bottom line more effectively as a group. In fact, maybe we should revisit the assets of an organization. Perhaps TEAMS are more important than people on their own?

How a Common Theory on Communication Shapes Teamwork

The key to understanding the makeup of your team and each member’s unique strength is a common format for identifying and understanding each person’s work habits, strengths and communication preferences.

There are many ways you can classify people through observation to identify what “type” of person they are. One of the most common theories addressing styles of communicating is the theory of DISC. Derived from the early work of William M. Marston, the theory has since been applied to the world of business and used in a number of different ways to better understand, appreciate and adapt to people.

In team building, utilizing the theory of DISC helps team members truly understand why everyone is different, what each individual’s strengths are, and how each person contributes to the team. Remember, communication is more than what someone says. In fact, communication is more about what people do, or how they act. DISC considers all aspects of communication, from the words we use to how body language affects communication. By providing a common language with which to speak about our differences, DISC allows us to recognize other “types” of people, understand them better and leverage their strengths. With DISC, the team can be more cohesive, more productive and more efficient.

DISC also allows us to look at team dynamics in a whole new light, making sure that a well-rounded group provides all the strengths needed for success, and each member is in a role that suits them best. Which person is best to lead? Who should handle the details? What is the best combination for small work groups within the team?

With DISC, it is easy to identify team dynamics to begin strengthening your company’s biggest asset. Even if you have a team of star performers, they are only reaching half of their potential if they don’t work well together. Imagine the possibilities if everyone came together to work effectively as a team.

The Power of Competency Models

noreply@blogger.com (The Vantage Group, Inc.) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:14:00 +0000

An article in the latest edition of T+D (Training and Development) – almost seems written for our talent management system from Thinkwise! The article highlights the power of leadership competency models to help organizations operate more effectively. A couple of excerpts:

“Our research proves that organizations that use a leadership competency model are three to four times more effective, and sometimes as much as six times more effective, than companies that don’t use models. Yet we have found that fewer than 20 percent of companies use this more effective integrated approach.” Josh Bersin, CEO and president of Bersin & Associates

Using competency models to target training needs leverages a powerful asset to promote a workforce that is equipped and prepared to succeed. As McManus emphasizes, “I can’t imagine doing my job effectively without competency models.” Cindy McManus, Director of Leadership Development at Bristol-Myers Squibb

The article discusses the power of competency models and some of the approaches and challenges in developing a model. Not mentioned in the article, but worth pointing out is that small and mid-size organizations can reap the same benefits of an integrated approach to talent management – being smaller actually improves the likelihood of success (see the ‘What Makes Competency Models Effective’ box).

A Strong Brand Can Carry A Weak Sales Force—What Could a Strong Sales Force Do For a Strong Brand?

noreply@blogger.com (The Vantage Group, Inc.) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 22:54:00 +0000

Our research has shown that a company with a strong brand can exist with an average sales force. However, in a company with an unfamiliar brand, we find a strong sales force with specific behaviors, attitudes, and values that are continually driving them to superior sales performance.

A well-known brand will get you in the door. It removes the buyer’s security concerns and provides dependability and quality without much skill from the sales force. This alone can take you far, but who doesn’t want to go further?

If you have a branded company, are you getting your money's worth? You pay big bucks to build your brand and even more to your sales force. But how much does your brand carry your sales? What if you had a strong brand AND a strong sales force?

Performance Management Critical for Success

noreply@blogger.com (The Vantage Group, Inc.) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 22:25:00 +0000

According to recent research by Bersin and Associates, more than 80% of respondents believe Employee Performance Management is critical in raising overall company performance.

Top Concerns of CEOs

noreply@blogger.com (The Vantage Group, Inc.) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:54:00 +0000

A recent study by Ipsos Mendelsohn's "Business Elite 2008" revealed that 38% of top executives are concerned about attracting and keeping top talent. You may be saying to yourself that this doesn't make sense in light of today's economy. The reality is your people are probably looking over their shoulders, hoping not to be let go. Your best people may even be thinking about leaving. And, you’re likely thinking more and more about what to do with underperformers.

Now, more than ever is the time to cultivate your top talent and make sure they recognize they have a bright future in your organization. Plus, this may be the best time ever to find great talent.

This is the time to really take stock of your strategic plan – re-evaluate your goals, make sure your entire team understands the goals and the impact their contributions deliver. Now is the time to get your organization aligned to weather the current economic storm and come out the other side stronger than your competitors. That's why the top CEOs are concerned about attracting and keeping top talent.

Stress on the Job: What Can You Do?

noreply@blogger.com (The Vantage Group, Inc.) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:12:00 +0000

A recent CareerBuilder.com survey indicated that 78 percent of employees feel stressed and burned out at work. In today's economy, there are some obvious factors that add to stress levels, such as increased workloads, intense deadlines or a demanding customer or boss. But there are other stress triggers that may be less obvious. If you are the CEO or manager, these "hidden" triggers add to a negative experience at work and eventually lead to burnout. Here are some things to identify if these are happening to you or your employees:

How Do You Know You're Under Stress?

- You frequently work more than 40 hours per week.

- You've seriously considered quitting your job or finding a new job at least once in the last month.

- You've missed at least one major work deadline in the last six months.

- You postpone visits to the doctor because you have neither time nor money to go.

- You feel more stress and less security about finances than you did five years ago.

Taking work problems home and letting it affect your personal life. Are you "kicking the dog" a little too much these days? People that struggle with defining the boundary between work and home find this becomes a cycle that is hard to break. Bringing work home every evening and weekends only adds to this stress.

Not having time to take a vacation or working while on your vacation. This is similar to taking your work home with you. People that can't disconnect from work, are unable to reap the benefits of rest and relaxation. Another side effect of the economy is people not taking vacations simply because the company has weathered a consolidation or downsizing, your workload may not permit you to take a vacation. The inability to get away from work can quickly lead to burnout.

Fierce competition inside and outside the office. Its bad enough that competition heats up in a tight economy, but if you have a competitive work environment, you might find yourself constantly looking over your shoulder. Power struggles in the office, and a tough competitive market environment can add loads of stress.

Feeling underappreciated. Simply being paid a wage and benefits isn't always enough. A simple "thank you" or personal display of appreciation is often missing, which makes workers feel that their efforts are futile.

How can you manage stress triggers?

It's important to restore balance in your professional and personal life no matter how burned out you currently feel.

1. Set strict boundaries between work and the rest of your life. It's important to define where the line is between home and work. When you are at work, focus on work. When you leave the workplace, however, they leave it behind completely. Avoid taking work home in the evenings, and do not make yourself available for work questions or communications outside of working hours.

2. Focus on whatever you are doing at the present time. You need to be emotionally present as well as physically present. Put your full attention on whatever you are doing. When you are physically, mentally and emotionally present, you will find that you can give, and gain, the most from the task or relationship.

3. Take time for rest and recovery. You must recharge your batteries no matter what is happening at work. It is important to create a work environment that allows this to happen. When you and your employees take time to recharge, productivity increases.

4. Be clear about your priorities. When you feel overworked, this typically is a result of loss of focus on your goals and priorities. Have a strategic plan of your goals, roles, values and key relationships. When you plan and live it to the best of your ability, you'll feel less stress and more fulfillment.

These tips and more are available in the book, "Overworked, Overwhelmed and Underpaid," by Barajas.

noreply@blogger.com (The Vantage Group, Inc.) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:30:00 +0000

More than 95% of Jobs Require Personal Accountability
as one of the seven skills needed for success on the job according to Target Training International.

Personal Accountability on the Job

noreply@blogger.com (The Vantage Group, Inc.) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:22:00 +0000

The Key Factor to Superior Performance

Personal accountability is not only an important skill to possess, but it is also in high demand. In over 95% of the jobs we studied, we found personal accountability to be one of the top seven personal skills that are required for superior performance on the job. Most companies would agree that responsibility for actions is a major component to success on the job and will look for this skill in any employee review or selection situation. Unfortunately, personal accountability can be difficult to gauge and is often times not genuine until you can scratch through the surface.

If personal accountability is so important to success on the job, yet difficult to find, how can we look for this skill in today’s talent?

To help you identify the skill of personal accountability, consider using the following interview questions in your selection process or employee evaluation.

What person from history do you most admire for taking the blame for a failure? What did taking the blame do for that person?
Give me an example of someone you know whose personal actions led to disastrous results. How answerable is that person for what happened? What advice would you give to that person?
What is the worst business decision you ever made? What made it the worst? What would have helped you to avoid making that decision?

While questions like this might help you take a guess at the level of personal accountability an individual has, it is best to get a truly accurate picture of the skills they have through a individual assessment process. This will eliminate all bias and give you statistical results that will easily help you take the next step in talent management. Soft skills assessments and 360 degree surveys are commonly used in business practices today to accurately assess personal accountability and the many other skills that make each person unique.

360 Degree Feedback Assessments

noreply@blogger.com (The Vantage Group, Inc.) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 01:49:00 +0000

Why This Diagnostic Tool is Still a Key to Business Growth

It has been said that 360 degree feedback assessments, also known as multi-rater evaluations, are the most widely recognized assessments in the business industry. The purpose of any 360 degree feedback assessment is to diagnose the strengths and weaknesses of an individual by considering the input of several individuals who have a relationship with the subject. Yet the most crucial component to 360 feedback success is not in the responses, but in the questions themselves.

Since they were popularized in the 1990s, most Fortune 500 companies have experienced this diagnostic tool as a way to determine areas for development and growth. Just as diagnostic medical exams are used to determine treatment plans, the 360 degree feedback assessment is the ideal diagnostic tool to determine an individual’s strengths and weaknesses before constructing a development plan towards superior performance.

A 360 degree feedback assessment is a very powerful tool when used under the right circumstances and for the right reasons. Unfortunately, when 360 degree assessments became popular, they were also widely misused, leaving behind a bad reputation in the business industry. With amateur questions, improper use of results and little follow-through, the 360 degree feedback assessment practice became scrutinized. Perhaps 360s have even left a sour taste in your mouth? While they should not be used as a basis for termination, promotions, performance reviews or popularity contests, 360 degree feedback assessments make a great resource for coaching, performance management, training, skill development and personal growth.

Is there a bad 360 question?
Yes, the key to effective use of a 360 degree feedback assessment is in the questions themselves. This means the challenge begins before the 360 feedback assessment is even taken. In fact, bad 360 questions usually start when someone chooses or writes 360 questions and does not have a clear focus on what the job requires for superior performance. Instead, their personal bias is projected on the questions which often times leads to nothing more than a personality contest.

What makes a good 360 question?
In order to be effective, all 360 degree feedback questions must be job related. To ensure relevant questions, they must reflect the key accountabilities and a clear understanding of personal skills, behaviors and motivators that a person should have in order to be successful in the position. Once you have identified these factors, it will be easy to determine which questions will reveal pertinent information.