Onboarding Employees

Join Jed and Bob as they discuss how manager, Monty Orr should be onboarding his people.  Some managers wait for the HR group to get this sorted for them.  Other managers, like Monty Orr, take matters into their own hands.

Watch ‘Onboarding Employees’ Video (14 mins 46 sec):


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Succession Planning With the 9-Box

Join Jed and Bob as they introduce the concept of the 9 Box Grid, and discuss how to roll it out in any organization.

Watch ‘The Nine Box’ Video (16 mins 45 sec):


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RACI Analysis – Responsibility Charting

Join Jed and Bob as they explore how to use a RACI Chart in any organization.

Watch the ‘RACI Analysis’ Video (17 mins 26 sec):


Download the ‘RACI Analysis’ Cheat Sheet, Video, Audio, and Slides

To Build a Strength or Fix a Weakness?

One of the hot topics in Leadership Development is something called Strengths Only Leadership … or some variation thereof.

Personally, “Strengths Only” development planning makes me cringe.  Too often I’ve seen it used as an excuse for not working on a weakness that if improved, even just to the point of being “good enough”, would accelerate performance.

In choosing development focus areas, the mistake is made when leaders start the process by analyzing their own strengths and weaknesses.  This is the wrong place to begin!  Rather you should start by analyzing the key competencies required of your current job or desired future role.

Some of your weaknesses (or strengths) may be immaterial to the current role you have or the future role you want.  Spending valuable development efforts on strengths (or weaknesses) could be a waste of time if they don’t directly apply to the job you have or the job you want.

I’m aligned with developing strengths; it should definitely be part of your development planning.  But start with key competencies required first … then don’t be a fool and ignore weaknesses that might derail your performance.

Understand what’s important first … then answer the question  …

“To build a strength or fix a weakness?”

Strengths Based Development

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What is Strengths Based Development?

The position can be summarized as:

  • our talents are pretty much hard-wired so don’t expect too much change
  • attempting to fix our weaknesses is hard work with limited returns
  • it is our strengths that have the leverage to move us to exceptional levels of performance

Why is Strengths Based Development Flawed?

The position is problematic because:

  • Why bother trying to get better?  If it’s hard the best thing to do is … give up?
  • It may be easier and more fun to work on strengths but it’s not always what’s best for you.
  • More of a good thing isn’t always better.  Even a strength can be problematic in some situations.
  • This approach doesn’t reflect the reality of leadership.

It starts from the wrong place!

  • The mistake is made when leaders start the process by analyzing their own strengths and weaknesses.  This is the wrong place to begin!
  • Rather we should start by analyzing the key competencies required of their current job or desired future role.
  • Some of your weaknesses (or strengths) may be immaterial to the current role you have or the future role you want.
  • Spending valuable development efforts on strengths (or weaknesses) could be a waste of time if they don’t directly apply to the job you have or the job you want.

What You Should Do Instead of Strengths Based Development

Analyze the Job

  1. What Knowledge, Skills and Abilities that are the keys to success in the job you have or better yet … the job you want.
  2. Rank them in terms of their relative impact on being successful in that role.  (High, Medium Low or 5 point scale for example)

Analyze Yourself

  1. Rank your competence levels.  Which are Strength areas and which are Stretch, on which would you say you are Competent.
  2. Rank the competencies in terms of the effort required or difficulty you would have in moving it up one level.
KSA’s Impact Strength or Stretch Effort Action
1. High Stretch High
2. High Strength Low
3. High Competent Low
4. High Stretch Medium
5. Medium Strength Low
6. Medium Competent Low
7. Low Stretch High

 

Elements of a Development Plan 

Three Things to Remember about Strengths Based Development

  1. Position yourself for roles where your strengths will shine.
  2. Start with the Job, not your strengths and weaknesses.
  3. 70 – 20- 10

Watch the ‘3-Minute Crash Course’ about Strengths Based Development (CLICK THE ARROW TO START THE VIDEO):

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Communication Media Etiquette Guide

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As a manager, you have a wide range of media options to communication your messages.  Be sure you’re selecting the right media and using it appropriately by following the tips in this guide.

Email

  • Use “reply to all” sparingly, if ever.
  • Avoid one-word responses.
  • Don’t use the urgent flag – unless it’s urgent
  • Don’t use all caps.
  • Never email in anger.
  • Always use neutral language.
  • Spelling and grammar count.

Telephone

  • Use voice communication for any lengthy or sensitive topic.
  • Always ask if the other party has time to speak.
  • Schedule phone calls if necessary.
  • Avoid the speakerphone unless it is in a conference setting.
  • Give the other your undivided attention 

Voice Mail

  • Be brief – whether setting your message, or leaving a voice mail.
  • Tell people when you’re out of the office.
  • Direct them to another person or media, if appropriate

Social Media

  • Manage your brand.
  • Google yourself regularly.
  • Sarcasm and irony don’t work.
  • You don’t have to accept every friend request.

Face-to-Face

  • Still the most effective media – believe it or not.
  • Can also be the most efficient.
  • Put your smartphone away.
  • Give your undivided attention.
  • Be cautious with meetings.

3 Things to Remember About Communication Media Etiquette

  1. Communication still requires effort, regardless of how media changes.
  2. What you intend is irrelevant.  What is received is what counts.
  3. The medium is the message – so choose appropriately.

Watch the ‘3-Minute Crash Course’ about Communication Media Etiquette (CLICK THE ARROW TO START THE VIDEO):

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Managing The Counter Offer

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What do you do when an employee tells you s/he’s been offered more money to work elsewhere?  Below we discuss:

  • 2 counter offer situations
  • Why you should be cautious
  • Before you make a counter offer
  • Three things to remember about managing a counter offer

Where you Might Face the Counter Offer

We will talk about 2 situations where you as a manager might have to use a counter offer:

  • When an employee has an offer from another company and you want to make the counter offer in an attempt to retain the employee
  • When you negotiate salary with a new job candidate

Caution!

  • It doesn’t make good business sense to overpay for a job
  • Your other employees will be watching
  • In the case of retention this rarely works anyway

Before You Make an Offer

  • Assess the risk of not keeping the current employee or not landing the new candidate.  Who else is available? What other options do you have?
  • You can only go so far with base pay.
    • What’s the highest you’re able to go?  Gather information
    • Consider internal equity
    • Overpaying for a job
    • Make sure they understand total rewards
  • Consider alternatives:
    • Retention bonus – this might at least buy you some time
    • Signing bonus
    • Alter the job
    • Schedule flexibility
    • Etc
  • Determine why the employee is leaving.  You’ll likely need to fix more than salary to keep this person long-term.

3 things to Remember about Managing the Counter Offer

  1. It’s not a paper exercise.  In both cases determine as much as you can verbally.
    • Quicker
    • Less stress
    • Better employee relations
  1. Know your limit … stay within it.
  2. Get more creative with you employment offer.

Watch the ‘3-Minute Crash Course’ about Managing the Counter Offer (CLICK THE ARROW TO START THE VIDEO):

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“I Told That Guy That!”

Why don’t your people do things the way they’re supposed to?!?   It may be because you didn’t set clear expectations in the first place.  Learn how to set expectations that are crystal clear, and use them as a tool to manage performance. Become a Wily Manager member today and get the full story from Bob and Jed.  Is that clear?

Many managers having uttered the words, “I told that guys that!”, become truly amazed when people don’t live up to their expectations.  There are hundreds of reasons why leaders end up being disappointed when their expectations aren’t met, but here’s our list of the top five:

Thinking you can tell people something once.  You may have “told that guy”, but if you haven’t done it multiple times, by multiple media, your job isn’t yet done.  Much like teaching your children new habits, it takes time and effort to integrate new expectations into consistent behaviors.

Thinking that expectations last forever.  You also need to periodically remind people about expectations.  I once worked for client that had very specific expectations for travel expenses.  As months and years passed without any consistent reminders or reinforcement of those expectations, people deviated substantially from the policy.  When a new manager came in and called people on their expenses, he had an uphill battle.  For years people had done what they wanted, and now this new guy was trying to hold them to account for expectations that were set long ago.

Acting Inconsistently.  “Do as I say, not as I do…” doesn’t work.  A former client made the decision to move to an open office concept from enclosed offices because they wanted to set an expectation of an open, accessible corporate culture.  It all went horribly wrong as soon as the senior leaders locked themselves behind closed doors, after creating the expectation that everyone should embrace the idea of the open concept.  There is also no faster way to eliminate any credibility you have as a leader than to say one thing, and do another.

Having a laundry list.  If you hand people a list of expectations that numbers in the hundreds, you are asking (if not begging) to be let down.  Public sector organizations are famous for this.  Due to their risk aversion, they want to cover off any and all contingencies, so they create expectations for things that could not be more impossible.  Keep your expectations clear and manageable – and never hand your people a laundry list.

Assuming people understand.  Sometimes people say they understand when they don’t.  Much like the English-speaking tourist in a foreign country who simply yells louder at the nodding cab driver, you’re still not going to get what you want if the other person doesn’t understand.  Part of setting expectations is to ask clarifying and confirming questions to ensure the other fully understands.

If you are regularly disappointed when people don’t perform according to your expectations, perhaps you aren making one or more of these common mistakes.  Avoid this unnecessary frustration – watch this week’s video about Setting Expectations.  

Become a Wily Manager and get instant access to more than 100 leadership videos and cheat sheets.  We add a new one every week.  Next week Bob and Jed will show you how to smoothly handle an employee who says they’ve been offered more money elsewhere.  You won’t want to miss out – become a Wily Manager member today.

Setting Clear Expectations

This week the Wily Manager guys talk about how to effectively set expectations.  Join the discussion.

Monday’s Tip:         Be Specific.  You need to be as clear as possible when setting expectations.  Statements that say “be courteous” or “be organized” are merely sentiments that do nothing to ensure that your expectations will be met.

Tuesday’s Tip:          Test for Understanding.  Leaders need to ask clarifying and confirming questions to ensure their wishes are understood.  Many people will nod their heads and say they understand, when perhaps more clarification is needed.

Wednesday’s Tip:         Reinforce and Revisit.  You will need to tell people your expectations more than once, and you’ll need to find other ways to reinforce and reward those expectations when they are met, and also respond appropriately when they are not met.

Thursday’s Tip:         Put Away the Laundry List.  If you put hundreds of things on your list of expectations of your people, you will end up disappointed.  Select a manageable number of key expectations that you would like your people to deliver.

Friday’s Tip:         Act Consistently.  As a leader, if you say one thing, and do another you are sunk.  You need to act consistently with the expectations you set of others.  If there is any sign of inconsistency or hypocrisy, you’ll end up disappointed.

Setting Expectations

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Setting Expectations is a key leadership skill that is often executed poorly.  Below we talk about the following aspects of how to Set Expectations:

  • Why Leaders Need to Set Clear Expectations
  • Different Media to Set Expectations
  • The Do’s of Setting Expectations
  • The Don’ts of Setting Expectations

Why Leaders Need to Set Clear Expectations

  • Quite simply, you can’t hold people accountable for things they didn’t know they were responsible for.

Different Media to Set Expectations

There are many ways that managers Set Expectations with their people.  Some of those methods are:

  • Job Descriptions
  • Performance Reviews
  • One on One Meetings
  • Articulation of clear Goals & Objectives
  • Development Plans
  • Performance Contracts
  • Discussions
  • Emails

The Do’s of Setting Expectations

  • Refine, Reinforce and Repeat the expectations you have of others.
  • Use multiple media to Set Expectations.
  • Have a few, key important objectives rather than a laundry list.
  • Use One on One meetings to ensure clarity of Set Expectations.
  • Describe standards or parameters of the expectations that you set.
  • Describe how success will be measured.
  • Describe how the expectations you are setting fit into the big picture
  • Set SMART Expectations:
    • Specific
    • Measurable
    • Attainable
    • Relevant
    • Time Bound

The Don’ts of Setting Expectations

  • Use General “HR Speak”.
    • “Have good organizational skills”
    •  “Other duties as assigned”
    • “Extend courtesy and project professionalism”
  • Think that one conversation is adequate.
  • Set Expectations without asking questions to test for understanding.
  • Set Expectations once, and then forget about it.

3 Things to Remember About How to Set Expectations:

  1. Time invested up front to articulate clear expectations pays back many times over.
  2. Asking good questions is a key skill in setting expectations.
  3. Be SMART when articulating expectations

Watch the ‘3-Minute Crash Course’ about Setting Expectations (CLICK THE ARROW TO START THE VIDEO):

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