medialifemagazine.com
Rachel speaks!
Rachel, what's wrong with kids today?
By Rachel Mar 5, 2010 - 1:03:28 AM
Dear Rachel,
Maybe I’m over-reacting because I haven’t done this for a while, but what is wrong with today’s kids? Over the past couple of months I’ve been called to talk to young people applying for jobs in media at our agency because the person who usually does this is out on maternity leave. Some of the young people I meet are impressive but too many are on the moon. They don’t come prepared for the interview, and they don’t really seem to care what sort of impression they make. It’s as if they are doing me a favor by showing up. Some are downright arrogant. I wouldn’t hire any of them. What gives? Sign me, Beaned in Boston
Dear Beaned,
I will jump to their defense, if briefly.
These days I don’t think young people have the work experience behind them that kids of earlier generations had, like summer jobs and part-time work in college. So I think when they go looking for that first job they suffer from a lot of misconceptions about how they should present themselves.
They think they must come across as self-assured, and too often the result is to appear arrogant.
But I think another problem is that many have come out of college media programs where they think they learned everything there is to know about media. When they get to the interview they want you to know just what they know. So they chatter on, and you have to listen.
In their defense, I think they’re probably pretty good kids beneath the bluster.
How do you handle them in the interview?
I think you should be polite but very firm about what the agency expects of people it hires. See if they’re listening. If they are, it’s a good sign.
I also think you need to take control of the conversation. Don’t let them talk on.
Ultimately, your goal is to filter out the ringers to get to those who would make good hires for your agency. As soon as you realize the person you are talking to is not going to make the cut, move to end the interview with a few polite comments along the lines of we’ll call if we have something that’s right for you.
You may go through dozens of such interviews before you find your person, which might seem like a lot of time better spent doing more worthwhile things. But it’s a good investment of time if the person you settle on is a good hire.
If you don’t find that person after dozens of interviews, you may want to widen your net.
The one mistake you do not want to make it is to hire that person who’s the best of a bad lot, the least annoying of a not very promising set of candidates. If you have doubts about that person in your first meeting, you need to trust your gut and take a pass.
You can’t hire weak candidates and shape them into good workers. It doesn’t happen. Trust me. I know.
© 2010 Media Life
Friday, March 5, 2010
How To Become A SUCCESSFUL Corporate Recruiter!
How do you go from being a corporate recruiter to a SUCCESSFUL corporate recruiter?
You have to break the rules! Lou Adler says you have to break the rules because the old rules don’t work anymore.
Some of Lou’s thoughts:
1. Stop using traditional job descriptions when taking an assignment from a hiring manager. Instead find out what the person needs to do to ace the performance review. These are the same performance objectives provided to new hires during the onboarding process, so it makes sense to use the same approach when defining the new job. Also, by clarifying job objectives up- front you get buy-in from the hiring manager, the interviewing team, and the candidates before the person is hired. This list of performance objectives is called a performance profile.
2. Don't allow candidates to decide if they’re interested in the job. Instead you determine if you're interested in them. To pull this off, you need to be a bit vague about the job, move a bit slower, and get the candidate to describe his or her background first. If you determine the job represents a real career move, you can then reel the person in. If not, you can get some great referrals by asking the person about some of their LinkedIn connections.
3. Dump traditional behavioral event interviewing since, according to Lou, it doesn't help hire better people or more accurately assess the candidate’s ability to ace the performance review. To replace it, try these two foolproof questions that will enable you to defend your candidates from managers who are superficial interviewers, including those who still use behavioral event interviewing.
Lou says, "One of the questions involves getting a very detailed example for each of the performance objectives listed on the performance profile. This generally takes 15-20 minutes each and we assign each interviewer a few to dig into. We then share this evidence in a formal debriefing session when evaluating the candidate. This process naturally eliminates the superficial thumbs-up or down voting process, by going narrow and deep rather than broad and shallow when conducting the interview."
4. Don't use KSAs (knowledge, skills, and abilities) and competency models when screening candidates. Part of the problem here is hiring the supposedly “well-qualified” person who doesn’t want to do the work required, or doesn’t fit too well with the hiring manager, team or company culture. The other problem is eliminating great people with a slightly different mix of KSAs who are demonstrated top performers. Many of these are vets and diverse candidates who have non-traditional backgrounds, so this opens up a new pool of top performers for us.
For an example of how this works, just consider all of your best employees who get promoted internally or transferred to bigger jobs. They all have less of the K and S, and more of the A, M (motivation to do the work listed on the performance profile) and T (ability to work with and influence comparable team members). During the phone screen have the candidates describe their most significant accomplishment. I then look at what KSAs, behaviors, and competencies they used to accomplish these results. Surprisingly, some of the best people have far less experience than would have been expected given their performance. These are the high performers you present to your clients.
5. Don't sell candidates on the job; have them sell you. During the screening and interviewing process, look for career gaps and voids between the candidate’s major accomplishments and the performance objectives listed on the performance profile (e.g., scope, span of control, budget, impact). Ask candidates to tell you about comparable accomplishments they’ve handled that required them to stretch themselves. You learn a great deal about a candidate this way, and in the process of convincing you that their qualified, they’re also convincing themselves that this job offers a real career move. This not only makes the compensation less important, but it also allows the candidate to convince his or her friends and family that your position offers the most upside potential among other competing opportunities.
So there you have it. Be prepared to break the rules and, in the process, you'll hire more great people than ever before. If you want more ideas from a fresh perspective send us an email at info@mittonmedia.com.
You have to break the rules! Lou Adler says you have to break the rules because the old rules don’t work anymore.
Some of Lou’s thoughts:
1. Stop using traditional job descriptions when taking an assignment from a hiring manager. Instead find out what the person needs to do to ace the performance review. These are the same performance objectives provided to new hires during the onboarding process, so it makes sense to use the same approach when defining the new job. Also, by clarifying job objectives up- front you get buy-in from the hiring manager, the interviewing team, and the candidates before the person is hired. This list of performance objectives is called a performance profile.
2. Don't allow candidates to decide if they’re interested in the job. Instead you determine if you're interested in them. To pull this off, you need to be a bit vague about the job, move a bit slower, and get the candidate to describe his or her background first. If you determine the job represents a real career move, you can then reel the person in. If not, you can get some great referrals by asking the person about some of their LinkedIn connections.
3. Dump traditional behavioral event interviewing since, according to Lou, it doesn't help hire better people or more accurately assess the candidate’s ability to ace the performance review. To replace it, try these two foolproof questions that will enable you to defend your candidates from managers who are superficial interviewers, including those who still use behavioral event interviewing.
Lou says, "One of the questions involves getting a very detailed example for each of the performance objectives listed on the performance profile. This generally takes 15-20 minutes each and we assign each interviewer a few to dig into. We then share this evidence in a formal debriefing session when evaluating the candidate. This process naturally eliminates the superficial thumbs-up or down voting process, by going narrow and deep rather than broad and shallow when conducting the interview."
4. Don't use KSAs (knowledge, skills, and abilities) and competency models when screening candidates. Part of the problem here is hiring the supposedly “well-qualified” person who doesn’t want to do the work required, or doesn’t fit too well with the hiring manager, team or company culture. The other problem is eliminating great people with a slightly different mix of KSAs who are demonstrated top performers. Many of these are vets and diverse candidates who have non-traditional backgrounds, so this opens up a new pool of top performers for us.
For an example of how this works, just consider all of your best employees who get promoted internally or transferred to bigger jobs. They all have less of the K and S, and more of the A, M (motivation to do the work listed on the performance profile) and T (ability to work with and influence comparable team members). During the phone screen have the candidates describe their most significant accomplishment. I then look at what KSAs, behaviors, and competencies they used to accomplish these results. Surprisingly, some of the best people have far less experience than would have been expected given their performance. These are the high performers you present to your clients.
5. Don't sell candidates on the job; have them sell you. During the screening and interviewing process, look for career gaps and voids between the candidate’s major accomplishments and the performance objectives listed on the performance profile (e.g., scope, span of control, budget, impact). Ask candidates to tell you about comparable accomplishments they’ve handled that required them to stretch themselves. You learn a great deal about a candidate this way, and in the process of convincing you that their qualified, they’re also convincing themselves that this job offers a real career move. This not only makes the compensation less important, but it also allows the candidate to convince his or her friends and family that your position offers the most upside potential among other competing opportunities.
So there you have it. Be prepared to break the rules and, in the process, you'll hire more great people than ever before. If you want more ideas from a fresh perspective send us an email at info@mittonmedia.com.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Obama Regulates Away Jobs
To read the article, just click on the title.
Then share your thoughts, opinions and comments.
Then share your thoughts, opinions and comments.
It's Time To Elevate Entrepreneurs
Given recent shock waves heard around the nation, thanks to a Special Election in the Northeast, we are sharing a few articles with opinions about creating jobs and reducing unemployment.
To read the article, simply click on the title. Your comments and suggestions are welcome.
To read the article, simply click on the title. Your comments and suggestions are welcome.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Top 10 Phone Sourcing Rules
By Maureen Sharib, January 13, 2010
People would rather focus on phone sourcing’s sister cousin, Internet sourcing, than telephone sourcing. Phone sourcing still seems scary to most; after all, a keyboard and computer screen don’t talk back to you and stymie you in your efforts at seeking information. This reluctance is becoming today a not-so-subtle avoidance issue and hiring managers are noticing and demanding more.
With that in mind, I’m in the process of finishing a Telephone Names Sourcing Rule Book. So far I have 46 rules. The following that are the 10 rules that, so far, I see as the “top.” Feel free to add yours!
Rule #1: Say hello and state your name.
When the Receptionist Gatekeeper answers, she usually says her name. Make that your cue to say your own.
“Hello, Anne, this is Maureen Sharib. Can you…”
Rule #2: Repeat her name back to her.
“Hello, Anne, this is Maureen Sharib. Can you please transfer me…?”
It’s said that a person’s name is the most beautiful sound (to that person) in a person’s language. It’s also the beginning of the knowledge exchange and capture.
Rule #3: Ask for one thing at a time.
Do not overwhelm her. Keep it simple.
“Hello, Anne, this is Maureen Sharib. Can you please transfer me to the Director of Risk Management?” asks one question and is easy to cope with. Think of her as a child and give her one instruction at a time.
Asking several questions/giving her too much information in one hurried onslaught will turn her off, sending up her defenses and more than likely cause her to turn you away.
Rule #4: Don’t lie.
“Hello, Anne, this is Maureen Sharib. My boss is on a deadline and he talked to your Director of Risk Management last week about a possible project but I’ve lost his name and I need to address correspondence today or I’m going to lose my job and I don’t want to lose my job! “Who is your Director of Risk Management?” does little more than open you up to something cold from Anne like this:
“We don’t have a Director of Risk Management and haven’t for a long time.”
You want to go there? This takes us to the next rule:
Rule #5: Listen and hear what’s in the Gatekeeper’s voice.
You have a few seconds to decide your tack when she answers. A Gatekeeper’s voice will tell you many things if you’re listening. Many times it will reveal if she’s young, middle-aged, or older. This information can speak to her level of maturity and experience on the phone. You can hear frustration, resentment, and hastiness in a person’s voice as well as happiness, patience and serenity. Having her speak first when she answers is a monumental advantage in phone sourcing that gives you a superior couple-second position to choose your approach.
“ABC Corporation. It’s cold, icy, and snowy here in Minneapolis today, Anne speaking — may I help you?” exclaimed chirpily might tell you Anne is a young and energetic Gatekeeper who doesn’t mind repeating all that yadda-yadda each and every time she answers the phone, but at some point, you have to think it gets old. It could be presenting an “ice-breaking” opportunity though:
“Hi Anne, this is Maureen. Wow, that’s a mouthful. I hope you’re staying warm!”
Anne: “Oh I am! It was really cold though when I came in this morning — they turned the heat down over the weekend — can you imagine?”
Maureen: “I had a boss that did that once. Nobody wanted to be first in the office in the morning. Consequently nobody came in before 10. He got the message.”
Anne: “I guess there’s more than one way to skin a cat!”
That above is pretty close to an actual conversation I had in the past, and afforded an opportunity to move to the next phase of my call as if we were old girlfriends with no secrets between us. I forget what was obtained out of her on that call, but rest assured it was probably pretty powerful and fruitful information!
It can go the other way though:
“ABC Corporation. It’s cold, icy, and snowy here in Minneapolis today, Anne speaking — may I help you?” said listlessly might say Anne is older and weary of repeating that mantra each and every time she answers the phone. That too, can be worked to an advantage:
“Hi Anne, this is Maureen. Wow, that’s a mouthful. You have to say all that each and every time you answer?”
Anne: “Yeah, can you believe it? It gets old but they insist…”
Maureen: “Anne, I’m trying to reach the Director of Risk Management — can you direct me?”
Anne: “Yeah! He’s onea’ the ones who insists I say all that! Don’t tell him I said anything!”
Maureen: “You’d think he’d know better! Don’t worry, Anne, I won’t say a word!”
That too comes close to a conversation (or two/change the locale/weather conditions) that I’ve had with Gatekeepers. Once again the manner in which I interacted with her set the tone for the level of cooperation she gave me. Remember, a Gatekeeper’s reality may not be what you think it is or anywhere aligned at all to your own.
There’s another not-so-pleasing way it can go as well:
“ABC Corporation. It’s cold, icy, and snowy here in Minneapolis today, Anne speaking — may I help you?” repeated tonelessly can indicate hostility and an uncooperative Gatekeeper. It’s usually best to just get down to business:
“Hello, Anne, this is Maureen Sharib. Can you please transfer me to the Director of Risk Management?”
Anne: “No.”
Maureen: “No?”
Anne: “We have a no-names policy here. I don’t have titles here at the front desk — you need a name to be transferred. Do you have a name?”
Maureen: “Well, yes, Anne, I do have a name. Can you please transfer me to Jim Maloney?”
Anne: “He’s not the Director of Risk Management.”
(And she said she only had names at the front desk? Be aware that most Gatekeepers lie as one of their job functions. It’s a shame really. Most of them don’t like it and as a result resent having to do it.)
Maureen: “I know, but I thought maybe he could help me. Can you transfer me please?”
Anne: “What is it you need?”
Now at this point handling Anne gets tricky. I know I probably have an angry/resistant/hostile/burned-out Gatekeeper on my hands and I have a few choices here. I can either strong-arm her by insisting she send me on to Jim without stating my business, but that’s probably not going to work.
I can also excuse myself from the conversation and say something akin to: “Maybe I have the wrong information — let me check my notes and get back to you,” and quickly hang up the phone before she has a chance to say anything and this isn’t a bad tack to take with hostile or resistant Gatekeepers because if she is like this, chances are you’re not going to get a lot further anyway.
This high-risk/low-return scenario doesn’t appeal to me (usually) but if I got up on the wrong side of the bed that day I might pressingly say: “Anne, are you going to transfer me or not?” which is probably going to be met with the “not” ultimatum and is the main reason I rarely challenge Gatekeepers. Sometimes harsh, gruff words precede surrender in life but it takes a lot of emotional stamina to play that psychological guilt game with her.
I look for low-risk/high-return situations, so in most of these unpleasant situations I just get off the phone as quickly and painlessly as possible. When I first started names sourcing I was told the following and startling truth:
“It’s just a phone. If you freak out, Maureen, just hang up!”
And it’s usually what I do, though I try to do it with some grace. Some phone sourcers just hang up. That’s not very nice and might close off further chances of communication with her on a day she may be feeling better. I try not to burn bridges. I prefer to save my strength for opportunities when they present themselves. They always do if I’m patient and persevere.
This rule is so long because it’s very important. It leads us into the next rule, which is:
Rule #6: Never, ever, ever argue with the Gatekeeper.
It’s almost a 100% bet you’re not going to change her mind, so allow her to have her way with you. After she’s done this a couple times and you’ve obediently followed her “suggestions” she’ll feel an investment (of her time) in your progress. Because she is investing her time she is likely to become more, if not very, helpful at some point allowing you to begin directing her actions. This is when you gain the upper hand.
Rule #7: Understand that phone sourcing may not, and very well might not, be your cup of tea.
Phone sourcing, in general, calls for a personality type that:
• Is in tune with their senses — uses internal feelings to deal with the outside world
• Is likely to be quiet and reserved — difficult to know well but may appear warm and sensitive — an enigma
• Has an interest in contributing to other’s sense of well-being and happiness — are service-oriented
• Grasps intuitively information that belongs or doesn’t belong
• Are attuned to underlying meanings
• Is not easily led or controlled
• Requires personal space — are independent and original
• Can work with subtle differences in the personalities of others
• Are usually penetratingly accurate in assessments of other’s personalities
• Are action-oriented “doers” easily bored with theory unless it holds practical application
• Make value judgments based on strong, subjective beliefs
• May be harsh, self-judging perfectionists
• Is spontaneous/impulsive and can lose selves in action — acting soberly and intensely in the here and now sometimes with little to no planning or preparation appearing to be caught in a whirlwind driven by some inner compass
• Is gentle toward others, showing consideration through action rather than words
• Do not often express themselves verbally, allowing their body of work to speak for them; this seems odd in light of the work but when you observe a good phone sourcer in action you are impressed with how little he says
• Are competitive
• Learn through enjoyable experiences
• Is optimistic
Rule #8: Lose the stinkin’ thinkin’.
Anticipate reactions and prepare your own but don’t expect defeat. Be decisive. Be bold. If you can’t lose the negativity, seek professional help. There’s medicine available.
Rule #9: Be humble.
It’s one of the main lessons in life for being successful. I learned this one the hard way! Embrace your foibles. They’re what make you human. Laugh at yourself often and at others never.
Rule #10: Give back.
Take the time to help others who want to learn. You’ll come across them and they will teach you far more than what you can ever teach them. Believe me.
________________________________________
People would rather focus on phone sourcing’s sister cousin, Internet sourcing, than telephone sourcing. Phone sourcing still seems scary to most; after all, a keyboard and computer screen don’t talk back to you and stymie you in your efforts at seeking information. This reluctance is becoming today a not-so-subtle avoidance issue and hiring managers are noticing and demanding more.
With that in mind, I’m in the process of finishing a Telephone Names Sourcing Rule Book. So far I have 46 rules. The following that are the 10 rules that, so far, I see as the “top.” Feel free to add yours!
Rule #1: Say hello and state your name.
When the Receptionist Gatekeeper answers, she usually says her name. Make that your cue to say your own.
“Hello, Anne, this is Maureen Sharib. Can you…”
Rule #2: Repeat her name back to her.
“Hello, Anne, this is Maureen Sharib. Can you please transfer me…?”
It’s said that a person’s name is the most beautiful sound (to that person) in a person’s language. It’s also the beginning of the knowledge exchange and capture.
Rule #3: Ask for one thing at a time.
Do not overwhelm her. Keep it simple.
“Hello, Anne, this is Maureen Sharib. Can you please transfer me to the Director of Risk Management?” asks one question and is easy to cope with. Think of her as a child and give her one instruction at a time.
Asking several questions/giving her too much information in one hurried onslaught will turn her off, sending up her defenses and more than likely cause her to turn you away.
Rule #4: Don’t lie.
“Hello, Anne, this is Maureen Sharib. My boss is on a deadline and he talked to your Director of Risk Management last week about a possible project but I’ve lost his name and I need to address correspondence today or I’m going to lose my job and I don’t want to lose my job! “Who is your Director of Risk Management?” does little more than open you up to something cold from Anne like this:
“We don’t have a Director of Risk Management and haven’t for a long time.”
You want to go there? This takes us to the next rule:
Rule #5: Listen and hear what’s in the Gatekeeper’s voice.
You have a few seconds to decide your tack when she answers. A Gatekeeper’s voice will tell you many things if you’re listening. Many times it will reveal if she’s young, middle-aged, or older. This information can speak to her level of maturity and experience on the phone. You can hear frustration, resentment, and hastiness in a person’s voice as well as happiness, patience and serenity. Having her speak first when she answers is a monumental advantage in phone sourcing that gives you a superior couple-second position to choose your approach.
“ABC Corporation. It’s cold, icy, and snowy here in Minneapolis today, Anne speaking — may I help you?” exclaimed chirpily might tell you Anne is a young and energetic Gatekeeper who doesn’t mind repeating all that yadda-yadda each and every time she answers the phone, but at some point, you have to think it gets old. It could be presenting an “ice-breaking” opportunity though:
“Hi Anne, this is Maureen. Wow, that’s a mouthful. I hope you’re staying warm!”
Anne: “Oh I am! It was really cold though when I came in this morning — they turned the heat down over the weekend — can you imagine?”
Maureen: “I had a boss that did that once. Nobody wanted to be first in the office in the morning. Consequently nobody came in before 10. He got the message.”
Anne: “I guess there’s more than one way to skin a cat!”
That above is pretty close to an actual conversation I had in the past, and afforded an opportunity to move to the next phase of my call as if we were old girlfriends with no secrets between us. I forget what was obtained out of her on that call, but rest assured it was probably pretty powerful and fruitful information!
It can go the other way though:
“ABC Corporation. It’s cold, icy, and snowy here in Minneapolis today, Anne speaking — may I help you?” said listlessly might say Anne is older and weary of repeating that mantra each and every time she answers the phone. That too, can be worked to an advantage:
“Hi Anne, this is Maureen. Wow, that’s a mouthful. You have to say all that each and every time you answer?”
Anne: “Yeah, can you believe it? It gets old but they insist…”
Maureen: “Anne, I’m trying to reach the Director of Risk Management — can you direct me?”
Anne: “Yeah! He’s onea’ the ones who insists I say all that! Don’t tell him I said anything!”
Maureen: “You’d think he’d know better! Don’t worry, Anne, I won’t say a word!”
That too comes close to a conversation (or two/change the locale/weather conditions) that I’ve had with Gatekeepers. Once again the manner in which I interacted with her set the tone for the level of cooperation she gave me. Remember, a Gatekeeper’s reality may not be what you think it is or anywhere aligned at all to your own.
There’s another not-so-pleasing way it can go as well:
“ABC Corporation. It’s cold, icy, and snowy here in Minneapolis today, Anne speaking — may I help you?” repeated tonelessly can indicate hostility and an uncooperative Gatekeeper. It’s usually best to just get down to business:
“Hello, Anne, this is Maureen Sharib. Can you please transfer me to the Director of Risk Management?”
Anne: “No.”
Maureen: “No?”
Anne: “We have a no-names policy here. I don’t have titles here at the front desk — you need a name to be transferred. Do you have a name?”
Maureen: “Well, yes, Anne, I do have a name. Can you please transfer me to Jim Maloney?”
Anne: “He’s not the Director of Risk Management.”
(And she said she only had names at the front desk? Be aware that most Gatekeepers lie as one of their job functions. It’s a shame really. Most of them don’t like it and as a result resent having to do it.)
Maureen: “I know, but I thought maybe he could help me. Can you transfer me please?”
Anne: “What is it you need?”
Now at this point handling Anne gets tricky. I know I probably have an angry/resistant/hostile/burned-out Gatekeeper on my hands and I have a few choices here. I can either strong-arm her by insisting she send me on to Jim without stating my business, but that’s probably not going to work.
I can also excuse myself from the conversation and say something akin to: “Maybe I have the wrong information — let me check my notes and get back to you,” and quickly hang up the phone before she has a chance to say anything and this isn’t a bad tack to take with hostile or resistant Gatekeepers because if she is like this, chances are you’re not going to get a lot further anyway.
This high-risk/low-return scenario doesn’t appeal to me (usually) but if I got up on the wrong side of the bed that day I might pressingly say: “Anne, are you going to transfer me or not?” which is probably going to be met with the “not” ultimatum and is the main reason I rarely challenge Gatekeepers. Sometimes harsh, gruff words precede surrender in life but it takes a lot of emotional stamina to play that psychological guilt game with her.
I look for low-risk/high-return situations, so in most of these unpleasant situations I just get off the phone as quickly and painlessly as possible. When I first started names sourcing I was told the following and startling truth:
“It’s just a phone. If you freak out, Maureen, just hang up!”
And it’s usually what I do, though I try to do it with some grace. Some phone sourcers just hang up. That’s not very nice and might close off further chances of communication with her on a day she may be feeling better. I try not to burn bridges. I prefer to save my strength for opportunities when they present themselves. They always do if I’m patient and persevere.
This rule is so long because it’s very important. It leads us into the next rule, which is:
Rule #6: Never, ever, ever argue with the Gatekeeper.
It’s almost a 100% bet you’re not going to change her mind, so allow her to have her way with you. After she’s done this a couple times and you’ve obediently followed her “suggestions” she’ll feel an investment (of her time) in your progress. Because she is investing her time she is likely to become more, if not very, helpful at some point allowing you to begin directing her actions. This is when you gain the upper hand.
Rule #7: Understand that phone sourcing may not, and very well might not, be your cup of tea.
Phone sourcing, in general, calls for a personality type that:
• Is in tune with their senses — uses internal feelings to deal with the outside world
• Is likely to be quiet and reserved — difficult to know well but may appear warm and sensitive — an enigma
• Has an interest in contributing to other’s sense of well-being and happiness — are service-oriented
• Grasps intuitively information that belongs or doesn’t belong
• Are attuned to underlying meanings
• Is not easily led or controlled
• Requires personal space — are independent and original
• Can work with subtle differences in the personalities of others
• Are usually penetratingly accurate in assessments of other’s personalities
• Are action-oriented “doers” easily bored with theory unless it holds practical application
• Make value judgments based on strong, subjective beliefs
• May be harsh, self-judging perfectionists
• Is spontaneous/impulsive and can lose selves in action — acting soberly and intensely in the here and now sometimes with little to no planning or preparation appearing to be caught in a whirlwind driven by some inner compass
• Is gentle toward others, showing consideration through action rather than words
• Do not often express themselves verbally, allowing their body of work to speak for them; this seems odd in light of the work but when you observe a good phone sourcer in action you are impressed with how little he says
• Are competitive
• Learn through enjoyable experiences
• Is optimistic
Rule #8: Lose the stinkin’ thinkin’.
Anticipate reactions and prepare your own but don’t expect defeat. Be decisive. Be bold. If you can’t lose the negativity, seek professional help. There’s medicine available.
Rule #9: Be humble.
It’s one of the main lessons in life for being successful. I learned this one the hard way! Embrace your foibles. They’re what make you human. Laugh at yourself often and at others never.
Rule #10: Give back.
Take the time to help others who want to learn. You’ll come across them and they will teach you far more than what you can ever teach them. Believe me.
________________________________________
Thursday, December 31, 2009
7 Things You Should Communicate
One of the biggest elephants in the room is that once hiring starts to pick up again, experts predict there is going to be massive turnover. There are several factors contributing to the turnover including employees who, despite holding on to their jobs during the recession, feeling that they were/are overworked, under paid and under appreciated.
From personal observation, what is striking to me is that many hiring managers, HR Directors and even presidents of companies do not yet seem to feel the urgency to deal with the pending turnover crisis NOW. To believe that your current employees will remain loyal because they kept their jobs is, well it's crazy to think that way because it's not true. You need to be taking immediate steps to put a retention plan in place that will help you hang on to your best employees as well as attract good employees from other companies once the "jumping" begins.
How do you take the first step in putting a solid retention plan in place? Call MITTONMedia at 281-242-4473. Or send me an email at jmitton@mittonmedia.com. We'll do the work. You'll get the credit.
Here is a great "thought-starter" article posted today by Stephen Balzac:
"It’s not enough to say that if you want to keep the best people when the economy improves, you just need to communicate more. It matters what you say and how and when you say it. Communication occurs in the context that you’ve created over time, and how your communications will be received will depend a great deal on that context. If you want to keep your best people, then you need to do your homework. (Or, conversely, if you want to recruit someone else’s key people, find companies that did not do the homework suggested in this article.)
Fortunately, it isn’t terribly difficult to communicate better. It does, however, require recognizing that emotion, not logic, is the driving force, and it requires starting now — not next week, next month, or next year. If you wait until people are leaving, it’s too late.
So how do you highlight someone’s contributions? I offer more, detailed suggestions in the Journal of Corporate Recruiting Leadership, but for now, I suggest the following in brief.
Take the opportunity to praise them in public. Note that this does not mean comparing them to others on the team; that only creates resentment and embarrassment for all concerned. Talk about the importance of the effort they’ve put in, and find small ways of demonstrating your appreciation. It doesn’t have to be fancy, especially in a time of tight budgets. Honest appreciation goes a long way.
The next step in keeping people is to make sure that their contributions are not just recognized, but are also important. Visible contributions that are not valued by the company are not going to be very compelling. Likewise, contributions that someone does not perceive as important will not serve to keep them at the company.
A cousin of mine worked for NASA in the early 1970s. He was part of the team designing the space shuttle. Due to security issues, he and his team had no idea what part of the shuttle they were working on; it was the quintessential “clean room” project, where they would be given instructions and specifications, but no context. When the day of the grand unveiling arrived, he found out that he had been designing the door lock. He walked out of the unveiling and out of NASA.
If you want to keep someone, make sure you frequently highlight how their work fits into the long-term vision of the company. Help them see that their work matters to the team and the company. Build a sense of partnership and status. They’re not a hired mercenary; they’re a trained professional providing valuable services. Again, demonstrate appreciation whenever possible. Find ways to reward people for their efforts, but don’t make the rewards the point of the work.
Make people feel competent and appreciated. No one likes being reminded of embarrassing incidents, of failures, of things that didn’t work out well. On the flip side, practically everyone loves to be reminded of successes. As the old saying goes: nothing succeeds like success. As the lesser-known corollary goes, nothing keeps people at your company from leaving like the feeling that they’re in an environment where they’ll be successful.
Although the corollary lacks the pithy ring of the original saying, it is nonetheless valid. Create an environment where people can see their own competence and measure their own success toward creating something larger than themselves, and you’ve gone a long way toward keeping them at your company. And, of course, providing opportunities for growth also helps build that feeling of competence and further increases the attractiveness of staying. An additional side effect is that the more competent people feel, the more secure they feel. The more secure they feel, the harder it is for someone else to pry them away.
So yes, in the end it really is all about communications, provided that you are communicating the right things.
Think about how you are communicating the following things:
• Your recognition of the contributions of your employees
• Your appreciation for their contributions and the personal sacrifices they are making
• Your own enthusiasm, excitement, and positive vision of the company and its future
• The goals of the company and how each employee fits into bringing those goals to life
• The common ground and ideals that will unify your team
• The information your employees need to work and grow most effectively
• The feedback that will make your employees feel successful
If you can address those seven points, odds are you’ll keep your top people as the economy improves."
________________________________________
Source: December 30, 2009 http://www.ere.net
From personal observation, what is striking to me is that many hiring managers, HR Directors and even presidents of companies do not yet seem to feel the urgency to deal with the pending turnover crisis NOW. To believe that your current employees will remain loyal because they kept their jobs is, well it's crazy to think that way because it's not true. You need to be taking immediate steps to put a retention plan in place that will help you hang on to your best employees as well as attract good employees from other companies once the "jumping" begins.
How do you take the first step in putting a solid retention plan in place? Call MITTONMedia at 281-242-4473. Or send me an email at jmitton@mittonmedia.com. We'll do the work. You'll get the credit.
Here is a great "thought-starter" article posted today by Stephen Balzac:
"It’s not enough to say that if you want to keep the best people when the economy improves, you just need to communicate more. It matters what you say and how and when you say it. Communication occurs in the context that you’ve created over time, and how your communications will be received will depend a great deal on that context. If you want to keep your best people, then you need to do your homework. (Or, conversely, if you want to recruit someone else’s key people, find companies that did not do the homework suggested in this article.)
Fortunately, it isn’t terribly difficult to communicate better. It does, however, require recognizing that emotion, not logic, is the driving force, and it requires starting now — not next week, next month, or next year. If you wait until people are leaving, it’s too late.
So how do you highlight someone’s contributions? I offer more, detailed suggestions in the Journal of Corporate Recruiting Leadership, but for now, I suggest the following in brief.
Take the opportunity to praise them in public. Note that this does not mean comparing them to others on the team; that only creates resentment and embarrassment for all concerned. Talk about the importance of the effort they’ve put in, and find small ways of demonstrating your appreciation. It doesn’t have to be fancy, especially in a time of tight budgets. Honest appreciation goes a long way.
The next step in keeping people is to make sure that their contributions are not just recognized, but are also important. Visible contributions that are not valued by the company are not going to be very compelling. Likewise, contributions that someone does not perceive as important will not serve to keep them at the company.
A cousin of mine worked for NASA in the early 1970s. He was part of the team designing the space shuttle. Due to security issues, he and his team had no idea what part of the shuttle they were working on; it was the quintessential “clean room” project, where they would be given instructions and specifications, but no context. When the day of the grand unveiling arrived, he found out that he had been designing the door lock. He walked out of the unveiling and out of NASA.
If you want to keep someone, make sure you frequently highlight how their work fits into the long-term vision of the company. Help them see that their work matters to the team and the company. Build a sense of partnership and status. They’re not a hired mercenary; they’re a trained professional providing valuable services. Again, demonstrate appreciation whenever possible. Find ways to reward people for their efforts, but don’t make the rewards the point of the work.
Make people feel competent and appreciated. No one likes being reminded of embarrassing incidents, of failures, of things that didn’t work out well. On the flip side, practically everyone loves to be reminded of successes. As the old saying goes: nothing succeeds like success. As the lesser-known corollary goes, nothing keeps people at your company from leaving like the feeling that they’re in an environment where they’ll be successful.
Although the corollary lacks the pithy ring of the original saying, it is nonetheless valid. Create an environment where people can see their own competence and measure their own success toward creating something larger than themselves, and you’ve gone a long way toward keeping them at your company. And, of course, providing opportunities for growth also helps build that feeling of competence and further increases the attractiveness of staying. An additional side effect is that the more competent people feel, the more secure they feel. The more secure they feel, the harder it is for someone else to pry them away.
So yes, in the end it really is all about communications, provided that you are communicating the right things.
Think about how you are communicating the following things:
• Your recognition of the contributions of your employees
• Your appreciation for their contributions and the personal sacrifices they are making
• Your own enthusiasm, excitement, and positive vision of the company and its future
• The goals of the company and how each employee fits into bringing those goals to life
• The common ground and ideals that will unify your team
• The information your employees need to work and grow most effectively
• The feedback that will make your employees feel successful
If you can address those seven points, odds are you’ll keep your top people as the economy improves."
________________________________________
Source: December 30, 2009 http://www.ere.net
Friday, December 11, 2009
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