The Tolero Think Tank - Has Moved!

Readers and followers of the Tolero Think Tank, please note that the blog has moved to a new location. Tolero Solutions has streamlined and revamped our website (relaunch coming soon), and the Tolero Think Tank is now located and accessible from the new site. The new location is:  

http://tolerosolutions.com/thetolerothinktank/ . 

Please continue to visit us and and stay tuned for new content shortly! Thank you for your continued insights and support.

Blog Series: So You Hired a Gen Y – Now Get The Most Out of Them! Phase 3 – Target

Blog Series: So You Hired a Gen Y – Now Get The Most Out of Them!
Phase 3 – Target

A Tolero Solutions blog series on how to utilize Gen Y using the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle™ by Scott Span!




In a previous post So You Hired a Gen Y – Now Get The Most Out of Them Through My Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle™! I provided a high level overview of my Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ model designed to help recruit, engage, and retain Gen Y. The article and associated webinar / workshop have generated positive feedback, and much discussion; due to the high demand, I’m writing a 6 part series that details possible strategies to get the most of your Gen Y employees.

Phase 3 of the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™
Target:

In Phase 1 of the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ I discussed the importance of communication; and in Phase 2 the importance in assessing the new Gen Y employees understanding of what they heard, and how they are going to apply that information. Phase 3, Target, focuses on targeting the best possible project and role for the new employee so they feel most productive and engaged.




Similar to Phase 2, Assess, once you have identified the employee’s skills and interests, it is imperative for engagement and productivity to Target a project and role that allows them to utilize their skills and interests while still providing challenge and opportunity for growth.

When targeting the new employee’s assignment, consider one that is congruent with the position they were hired to fill. If the employee was hired with specific expectations regarding role and deliverables, then those are what they expect to be doing – with some level of acceptable variation. It is highly likely they accepted the position based on the fact that was communicated to them was also something they feel qualified to do and in fact have an interest in doing. For example, if the employee interviewed for a marketing position with a focus on email marketing, then assign them to projects with deliverables in this area, not projects with deliverables that are more database marketing oriented or even in sales or account management. This contributes to congruence in the actual work they will be performing and what was promised.

One of the biggest frustrations and triggers of disengagement is incongruence in this regard, not properly targeting the tasks with the role they were hired to perform. If the project and role are not targeted correctly to allow for full utilization of the skills they have, and offering opportunity to acquire skills they may not have (particularly those that are required for success), then the new employee may feel they were provided empty promises and thus become frustrated, hurting productivity and engagement. Targeting a role or project that makes them feel useful and gives them comfort from the onset, while also offering opportunity to increase competencies in core areas to which they may be weak (as determined by assess phase), is key to motivation and retention.

Utilize feedback to listen to what the new employee tells you regarding their thoughts, feelings, and ideas on the project and role targeted and assigned to them. Check in often in the first several months. To keep productivity, engagement, and retention high, be open to making potential changes to their role and responsibilities as a result.

• Do they feel the work they are performing is what was promised and utilizing their skill set?
• Are they enjoying their work?
• Do they feel prepared and comfortable to deliver results?
• Does opportunity for challenge and growth exist?

Gen Y is much attuned to differences in “say vs. do”. If you mis-target the best project/role fit for the employee to feel utilized, competent, and challenged, then they may feel unprepared, overwhelmed and potentially unsuccessful in meeting the demands of the organization. This is why it is also necessary (as will be discussed in future phases) to have the proper feedback mechanisms in place that allow the employee to express thoughts, feelings, and frustrations. No one wants to feel this way!

We all want to feel utilized, challenged, prepared and set for success – both in work and in life.

Following the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ can help you to get the most out of your new Gen Y employees. Additional steps and action items are developed at each stage, customized to your specific type of business and organizational culture. Customized workshops have also been developed around this approach. If you are Interested in additional strategies and learning more about how to implement positive Gen Y recruitment, engagement, and retention strategies please contact us or at scott.span@tolerosolutions.com

Blog Series: Part 2 - So You Hired a Gen Y – Now Get The Most Out of Them!

Blog Series: So You Hired a Gen Y – Now Get The Most Out of Them!
A Tolero Solutions blog series on how to utilize Gen Y using the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle™  

By: Scott Span, MSOD


Phase 2 – Assess

In a previous post So You Hired a Gen Y – Now Get The Most Out of Them Through My Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle™! I provided a high level overview of my Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ model, designed to help recruit, engage, and retain Gen Y. The article and associated webinar / workshop have generated positive feedback, and much discussion; due to the high demand, I’m writing a 6 part series that details possible strategies to get the most of your Gen Y employees.

Phase 2 of the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ 
Assess:

In phase 1 of the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ I discussed the importance of communication; however, how do you know if what was communicated was understood? That is where phase 2 comes in, assessing the new Gen Y employees understanding of what they heard, and how they are going to apply that information.

Let’s face it; we all hear things in different ways. Remember that game from when you were a child (though a Gen Y was probably busy playing Nintendo), 'whisper down the lane?' By the time the original message traveled through several people to the last person, it was never the same as originally stated by the first person.

It shouldn’t simply be assumed that the new employee has a solid understanding of what was communicated or that they feel comfortable with what they heard. Gen Y appreciates being asked for their opinions, and values the opportunity to share perspectives. It is important to check in and ask them to vocalize their understanding of what was communicated.

How did they interpret what was communicated?

What is their understanding of their new role and responsibilities as it was presented to them?

How do they view where they fit into the organization?
 
Then give thought to how these responses align with the organizations messaging and expectations.

What often happens is you may find two somewhat different interpretations exist of what was communicated. If the employee begins work and they and the organization are not on the same page from day one, it can lead to an immediate mismatch of a cultural fit and skill utilization, leading to decreased engagement and lost productivity. Listen to how the new hire tells you what they heard and how it was communicated, and be prepared to have further discussion. You should be open to make potential changes to their role and responsibilities as a result.

It is important to fully assess the new hires skills, and areas of interest. Often employees are squeezed into a specific role without the organization ever really exploring what they have to offer in other areas. Therefore, it should not be assumed that the new hire does not have skills of value outside the role they have been hired to fill. Various tools and methods can be used to thoroughly assess the employees understanding of their role and responsibilities, as well as their skills, competencies and interests. Gen Y enjoys being challenged, and they enjoy diversity of tasks. It is important to assess these things as it relates to not only the role they will be performing, but also the organizational culture and structure. You may find that they are best suited for a completely different role than they are performing currently; one which may be a better fit and increase engagement and productivity.

Following the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ can help you to get the most out of your new Gen Y employees. Additional steps and action items are developed at each stage, customized to your specific type of business and organizational culture. Customized workshops have also been developed around this approach. If you are Interested in additional strategies and learning more about how to implement positive Gen Y recruitment, engagement, and retention strategies please contact us or at scott.span@tolerosolutions.com

Lead or Fail: Successful Leadership in Turbulent Times

Guest post written by Scott Span, MSOD for Linked2Leadership on June 8th, 2010

Leadership isn’t what it used to be. The corner offices are slowly disappearing. The days of barking orders and expecting people to blindly follow are over. 

Accountability, responsibility and transparency are on the rise – though someone should tell that to BP CEO. Workforce demographics and diversity are changing. The days of leading like Franklin M. Hart Jr. are over.

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

It Ain’t Easy

This is not to say that being a leader was, or is, ever easy; or that earlier fundamentals should be tossed aside. However, in tough times, remaining a great leader can be even harder.

So what makes a successful leader in turbulent times? First and foremost, the ability to adapt your leadership style to changing environmental influences is key to being a successful leader. Jim Clifton, Chairman and CEO of Gallup says that “in the new normal,” old ways of doing business won’t work anymore.

“The men and women who will conquer this new world will be the ones who best understand their constituencies’ state of mind.” ~Jim Clifton


By state of mind, Clifton is referring to new revelations being uncovered by behavioral economists — starting with the discovery that human decision-making is more emotional than rational. As a leader, Clifton shares a similar mindset to many behavioral scientists and organizational development practitioners.

His view is that one of the most fundamental states of mind that leaders need to understand is the needs and desires of their employees: “…their will to work, their will to live, their will to revolt, their will to follow you.

Another element of state of mind is emotional affect: “how much stress your constituency feels about money, about trying to get to work, about their relationship with their boss.” Clifton believes that to be a successful leader you have to firmly understand states of mind.

In his view, everything important; everything human comes down to states of mind. The leader who is the best at understanding, relating to and communicating states of mind will be the one who wins.

Not that leadership is about winning or losing, however it sure is about winning over those you lead. As an organizational development practitioner and behavioral scientist, I share Clifton’s views; understanding and exhibiting certain human behaviors help to shape great leaders and great organizations.

“Leadership is best viewed through the eyes of the follower.” ~Tom Schulte

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

Behave Yourself!

Here are some behaviors of great leaders during turbulent times:

Transparency

People can usually tell when “something is up.” So before the rumors begin flying and productivity is impacted, leadership should tell employees. When making strategic decisions, determining organizational changes or facing issues that impact employees, successful leaders need to be transparent with their workforce about how these matters arose, their thought process for dealing with them, and how their solutions may directly impact those they lead.

Communication

Being in a leadership position can sometimes be a solitary role. Often leaders make decisions in a vacuum and rely on managers or supervisors to communicate important information downward. Successful leaders lead through two-way communication. Much of it is nonverbal. For instance, when leaders “set the example,” that communicates to their people that they would not ask them to do anything that they would not be willing to do themselves, this only helps to make leaders seem more human to employees. Particularly in turbulent times, people value direct interaction and communication from leaders. This not only helps to show that leaders are remaining committed to the people in organization, but also offers an opportunity for them to step out of the “tower” and build relationships with employees.

Trust

Trust is a fundamental behavior for any relationship, both personal and professional. According to a study by the Hay Group, a global management consultancy, there are 75 key components of employee satisfaction (Lamb & McKee, 2009). They found that: Trust and confidence in top leadership was the single most reliable predictor of employee satisfaction in an organization. Trust must be earned. Leaders can earn employee trust by helping employees understand the company’s overall business strategy, informing them how they contribute to achieving key business goals and sharing information with employees on both how the company is doing and how an employee’s own division is doing relative to organizational objectives.

It is much easier for employees to trust a leader that shows an interest in them.

Compassion

The basis of good leadership is honorable character and selfless service to the organization; compassion for employees and both their professional and personal situations. His Holiness the 14th Dali Lama says, “I call compassion the global staple…for all people in every endeavor.” In employees’ eyes, what leadership does affects the organization’s objectives and their well-being. When a person is deciding if they respect a leader, they don’t think about attributes, rather they see what leaders do. Observations can often tell an employee if a leader is an honorable and trusted person or a self-serving person, one who misuses authority to look good and get promoted. Self-serving leaders are not as effective because their employees only obey them, not follow them. When leaders show compassion and understanding for employees and their situations, it becomes easier for them to notice that their leaders are interested and concerned, and not as self-serving as possibly thought.

Self Awareness

Successful leaders have a heightened level of self-awareness, they have an understanding of themselves, their behaviors and actions, and how those behaviors and actions are interpreted by, and directly impact, employees. A good example of leadership self-awareness is exhibited in the U.S. Army’s leadership philosophy of “be, know, do.” Be proficient and competent, know yourself and your strengths and weaknesses, and do take responsibility and lead by example. Always be open to further growth and learning. Professional coaching is also a great well to help further develop leader self-awareness.


A colleague shared a speech with me given last year by Marillyn Hewson, President of Systems Integration-Owego, Lockheed Martin Corporation on the subject of leadership in turbulent times. To Marillyn, leadership is a set of personal behaviors that set the course and create an environment that energizes people to meet a goal.

Marillyn says “…it’s easy to be a leader when everything is going great. The challenge is how you act when things go wrong. In times of great change… or tremendous challenge… that’s when the leadership fundamentals matter most.”

Most competitive and sustainable organizations have great leaders at the top, and in the ranks!

Do you think you are one of those great leaders? Do you exhibit the best behaviors in the ares of transparency, communication, trust, compassion, and self-awareness? If not, what are your points of struggle? What are you doing to better your daily behaviors to become a person with even greater influence? I ‘d love to hear your story!

Blog Series: So You Hired a Gen Y – Now Get The Most Out of Them!

A Tolero Solutions blog series on how to utilize Gen Y using the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle™ by Scott Span!


Phase 1 – Communicate
In a previous post So You Hired a Gen Y – Now Get The Most Out of Them Through My Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle™! I provided a high level overview of my Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ model, designed to help recruit, engage, and retain Gen Y. The article and associated webinars/ workshops have generated positive feedback, and much discussion; due to the high demand, I’m writing a 6 part series that details possible strategies to get the most of your Gen Y employees.

Phase 1 of the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ - Communicate:

Gen Y values and thrives on communication in all directions. Open, honest, and transparent communication is essential from the onset of recruitment. This type of communication can be built into recruitment strategies in several ways. First, to successfully attract the broad array of demographics and skill sets for a competitive and sustainable organization, you can not simply take a one size fits all approach to recruitment. The recruitment strategy must be diverse. Different generations are attracted by different styles and vehicles of communication.

In recruiting Gen Y, develop a clear and concise message, and stick to it. Make sure your messaging highlights what they can expect and also what the organization expects from them. Gen Y wants “Twitter” information, so sum up what you have to offer and how you see them contributing in 140 characters or less. To this point, utilize social media for recruitment: Twitter, Facebook and other venues. One of the first things Gen Y will think about when they consider joining an organization is – What’s in it for me (WIIFM)? Make sure your messaging highlights what they can expect and also what the organization expects from them. Being on the same page from day one helps assure a better cultural fit, and minimizes misunderstandings and frustrations further down the road. Additionally, treat Gen Y recruits as customers and be prepared for their desire to include peers and parents in their decision making process. Gen Y values the feedback of family and peers.

This strategy seems to be working well for one Fortune 500 global organization. Since they revamped their recruiting strategy and materials, to clearly and concisely communicate key messaging and expectations from a demographic perspective, attrition has significantly decreased and engagement has risen significantly, particularly among Gen Y.

Communication is also imperative for retention and engagement of Gen Y. Once they begin work, it is imperative to clearly communicate to the new Gen Y employee not only their roles and responsibilities and the organizations expectations, but also the organizational culture. Understanding “how works gets done, how we do things around here” is of great importance. For Gen Y to be engaged, they like to know where they fit in, and how their contributions are factored into organizational success. Again, it is important to be authentic in communicating with Gen Y; they are much attuned to incongruence.

Gen Y likes to feel connected to the organization on a personal level, so for increased engagement and retention discuss personal goals and values and how the company can help to support them. In developing communications strategies to recruit, retain and engage Gen Y be flexible, be concise, and be honest.

Following the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ can help you to get the most out of your new Gen Y employees. Additional steps and action items are developed at each stage, customized to your specific type of business and organizational culture. Customized workshops have also been developed around this approach. If you are Interested in additional strategies and learning more about how to implement positive Gen Y recruitment, engagement, and retention strategies please contact us or at scott.span@tolerosolutions.com

Guest Post: Setting and Maintaining Boundaries with Others by Mark Sachs

The ability for us to set boundaries and limits with others effectively has a huge impact on our ability to do our best work.  Examples of setting boundaries are telling people “no” when it is appropriate and telling others what is acceptable to you.  Effectively setting and maintaining boundaries helps you take better care of yourself, maintain self-respect, and increase your ability to control your work and your life.

The inability to set and maintain boundaries effectively with others often results in projects not being completed to plan, on time and on budget; people allowing others to take advantage of them, and miscommunication.

To help organizations prevent these pitfalls to productivity I have developed the highly interactive and experiential workshop, Getting What You Want:  Setting and Maintaining Boundaries with Others. Participants in this workshop will learn:

• What a boundary is 
• Examples of setting effective boundaries  
• Why it is often difficult for us to set and maintain boundaries 
• What you can do to help set and maintain boundaries, and five simple, essential steps to doing it effectively 

The workshop also provides participants with a 10-page boundaries handbook.

Time is provided for the opportunity to discuss with others, in a confidential setting, any boundary issues you are facing and to receive feedback from the facilitator and others about how you may best work through these situations.

The workshop also provides an opportunity for you to start to take action on setting or enforcing a boundary. 

People who are interested in making changes to set and maintain boundaries often require encouragement beyond the initial workshop.  In addition to the half or full-day workshop, at no additional cost, participants can take advantage of individual telephone consultations with the facilitator for two weeks following the training.  These consultations can include celebrating any successes or receiving coaching about any difficulties in setting a specific boundary.     

The workshop has been presented to both private and public sector organizations including NASA, FEMA, FDA, IRS, and Department of Agriculture. 

See what others had to say about this highly interactive and valuable workshop:

• The interaction and openness was great.  Mark let the conversation flow while not diverging from the core topic.  Very well done.
• I liked how we worked in small groups and we talked about real issues we were dealing with.
• It was helpful to see movie clips of boundaries issues and discuss them. 
• The boundaries handbook we were given had lots of helpful information.  I also liked the boundaries affirmations card he gave to us.  

If you or your organization is interested in learning more about setting and maintaining boundaries then this insightful and informative workshop is a great way to start!

About the Facilitator:

Mark Sachs is an organization consultant and executive coach. His areas of specialization include increasing communication among staff, developing effective teams, assessing organizational effectiveness, and managing change.  He has an MS in Organization Development from the American University/NTL Institute, and BA and MA degrees in Sociology from Rutgers University.  He is also a graduate of Coach University.  

Mark may be reached at ma.sachs@verizon.net, 301-588-3858, and www.markasachs.com

Guest Post for Heather Huhman: 5 things Recent Grads Need to Know About Entering the Workforce!

Note: Written as a guest post for Heather Huhman as seen on her blog   5/24/10.

College graduates faced a tough job market in 2009, but will 2010 graduates face similar challenges? Although layoffs have slowed down, unemployment is at a 26-year high. The National Association of College Employers (NACE) 2009 Student Survey shows that just 19.7 percent of 2009 graduates who applied for a job actually have one. And, according to NACE’s Job Outlook 2010 Fall Preview, employers expect to hire 7 percent fewer graduates from the college Class of 2010 than they hired from the Class of 2009.

Competition is fierce. If you are lucky enough to land a job right of college, what should you do to improve your chances of easing the transition and keeping employment? For starters, understand a few things first:

You’re not the best thing sliced bread! It’s ok to express new ideas, to request new challenges, and to want to gain a promotion; however, respect the politics, culture and communication practices of your organization. Understand opportunities may present themselves – but you won’t be the CEO overnight.

If you have needs, communicate them. Don’t get frustrated if your organization doesn’t do everything the way you think is most beneficial to success. Don’t assume those around you are mind readers. Much like in a college lecture hall when you raised your hand to ask a question, speak up and communicate your concerns as well as ideas for positive changes. Ask questions to help better understand your roles and responsibilities and organizational culture, and do so in a manner appropriate to your organization.

You can’t do it all alone. The use of technology and drive for quick success can often impede the capacity to forge relationships. Some people from other generations may place more value on face-to-face communication as a way to build lasting relationships over time. Some day you will have your bosses’ job; however, not yet. Instead of focusing on what you will do when you get their job, focus on building relationships with them now. You’ll need support and mentoring as you progress in your career.

Pay attention to the culture. You’ll never find an organization that offers everything on your “work-life balance” list. Decide what’s most important to you. Two of the biggest complaints employers have of recent graduates is that they demand too much too fast, and they often leave the company within just a few years. If you understand the organizational culture, you can determine if it matches your needs; it then becomes much easier to avoid these types of obstacles.

Learn when to shut up. Open communication is a valued trait; however, that doesn’t mean say everything that is on your mind. This doesn’t mean don’t be yourself. However, sometimes it’s best to keep certain religious, political and social views out of the workplace. Be cautious to not over criticize those you work with, particularly in public. When utilizing forms of social media, be careful what you say about your organization and those who work there. Don’t just utilize social media to complain, if you like where you work share that with your friends; you may even get a referral bonus if they join your organization.

So what is the moral of the story? Recent graduates are still a fast-growing group within the workforce. Transitioning from college to “reality” can be a tough adjustment. As you make the transition, try and keep an open mind and maintain a level of understanding and communication with those at your new workplace. Remember, your boss isn’t your college professor; you can’t negotiate for your paycheck the way you may have been able to negotiate for you grades. For additional advice, read #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle.

As seen on the Ellen DeGeneres Show May 21, 2010, “Laugh, Dance, Graduate” and then be prepared for what lies ahead!

Guest Post for Selena Rezvani: 5 things Gen Y Needs to Know but no one is Telling Them

Guest blog written for Selena Rezvani as seen on her blog nextgenwomen

You’re not the best thing sliced bread!: It’s ok to express new ideas, to request new challenges, and to want to gain a promotion; however, respect the politics, culture and communication practices of your organization. Understand opportunities may present themselves - but you won’t be the CEO overnight.

If you have needs, communicate them: Don’t get frustrated if your organization doesn’t do everything the way you think is most beneficial to success. Don’t assume those around you are mind readers. Speak up and communicate your ideas for positive changes, and do so in a manner appropriate for your organization.

You can’t do it all alone: Gen Y’s attachment to technology and drive for quick success often impedes the capacity to forge relationships with other generations. Some people from other generations may place more value on face to face communication as a way to build lasting relationships over time. Some day you will have your bosses’ job; however, not yet. Instead of focusing on what you will do when you get their job, focus on building relationships with them now. You’ll need support and mentoring as you progress in your career.

Pay attention to the culture: You’ll never find an organization that offers everything on your “work life balance” list. Decide what’s most important to you. Two of the biggest complaints employers have of Gen Y is that they demand too much too fast, and they often leave the company within a few years. If you understand the organizational culture, you can determine if it matches your needs; it then becomes much easier to avoid these and other obstacles.

Learn when to shut up: Open communication is a valued Gen Y trait; however, that doesn’t mean say everything that is on your mind. This doesn’t mean don’t be yourself. However, sometimes it’s best to keep certain religious, political and social views out of the workplace. Be cautious to not over criticize those you work with, particularly in public. When utilizing forms of social media, be careful what you say about your organization and those who work there.

So what is the moral of the story? Gen Y is a fast growing group within the workforce. They are an innovative, talented, and ambitious generation. Gen Y can be a positive asset if properly understood. Understanding comes from communication. Gen Y needs to take some responsibility for increasing cross generational communication and understanding, and a first step in doing this is to acknowledge that they too still have much to learn.

Guest Post: Organization Re-Alignment: A Chat with Scott Span of Tolero Solutions Organizational Development & Change Consulting

By Tony Deblauwe

Workbabble.com

Organization Re-Alignment: A Chat with Scott Span of Tolero Solutions Organizational Development & Change Consulting

An increasing amount of attention is being placed on how organizations perform business and deliver results. Though there are still plenty of uncertainties, as organizations transition from pure survival mode to competitive growth, many have begun evaluating their current state and how connected and engaged their people are to the organization. After some time, organizations have begun re-evaluating their business structures and strategies, and re-aligning their people to adapt to renewed growth in the economy.

As President of Tolero Solutions - Organizational Development & Change Consulting, Scott Span, MSOD has plenty of experience navigating leaders and organizations through change in turbulent times to a place of long term sustainability. The term “tolero” means to endure and sustain, and this philosophy lies at the heart of Tolero’s strategy. With all the change and buzz about the importance of employee engagement in the air, Span points to several areas where companies need to communicate what their doing to employees (and communicate it fast). Span offers three ways organizations can re-connect and re-engage their workforce:

Communicate & Align Strategic Direction: According to Span, companies’ have the wait-and-see mode of operation that has plagued many businesses over the last year, and it’s time to snap out of it. Specifically they have to become more competitive and prepared for new opportunities. The trick is – you can’t do that until you’ve defined your strategic direction and reconnected with your people. If your people have lost touch with what you’re trying to accomplish, you won’t go very far toward remaining competitive. Span suggests leaders and managers review what has happened, what’s changed and why, and connect their people to any new changes, new visions and tactics which arise as a result. This communication and involvement during any transition will help remind people what the core needs of the organization are and where they fit in, putting temporary setbacks in perspective.

Don’t Neglect Individuals: Tied directly into communicating, a renewed strategic direction is how leaders and managers reach out and drive a resurgence in team spirit and employee engagement. In particular, Span notes that if people have kept their heads down just to get by, they may have started to feel like a cog in the machine – not being noticed for say - doing the job of the three people who were let go or couldn’t be hired because budgets were tight. Public recognition for a job well done and non monetary benefits or spot financial bonuses as revenues increase are useful ways to show appreciation. Simple recognition is often a quick and easy way to increase engagement and retention.

Training and Development: Often in tough times training and education budgets are slashed. Span believes with increased engagement comes a need to reinvigorate training and development opportunities and up-level skills. Where possible, offering employees targeted and strategic decisions on training and education opportunities is vital to sustainability. Providing employees room to grow competencies either through classroom training or attending industry leading trend seminars is key to successful realignment.

Span also sees a heightened interest in organizational assessments. As many organizations are just beginning to reinvigorate and realign, organizational assessments are a fairly quick and easy way to provide data on current and future state. This is right in line with the concept of engagement and realigning priorities and people. Determine where you are before you decide where you want to be. Span also sees executive coaching increasing. Leaders and managers are realizing that they may need to change style and approach to attract, engage, and retain current and new talent. Span also sees an interesting shift occurring now, as workface demographics are changing, is an increased focus on generational diversity programs.

Companies realize that Gen Y employees have different needs than Baby Boomer employees, and Gen Y represents a key part of their recruitment strategy and future bench strength. Companies want to understand the view points and communication styles of the various generations so that employees can have a basis of understanding and flex to each other’s unique point of view and approach.

Span sees slowed continued growth for the months to come. He believes that organizations that realign and refocus on people now will remain competitive and sustainable; and be able to survive the inevitable bumps in the road that will continue to occur until relative long term stability returns.

Guest Post: 4 Strategies for Retaining Gen Y Women by Selena Rezvani

One of Tolero Solutions philosophies is that of collaboration. With that philosophy in mind, we are honored to share with you our newest guest post from our colleague and expert on women in the workplace, Selena Rezvani. Selena's goal is to propel more women into the top echelons of businesses — an objective she achieves through her writing, coaching, and speaking engagements. Selena wrote her debut book, The Next Generation of Women Leaders: What You Need to Lead but Won’t Learn in Business School (Praeger, 2009) while pursuing her MBA at Johns Hopkins University, where she graduated first in her class. Selena also has an MSW from New York University. For more on Selena, visit: www.nextgenwomen.com.

In this post, Selena shares the four strategies for retaining Gen Y, an ever growing part of the current workforce. Valuable and informative advice!

4 Strategies for Retaining Gen Y Women! 

Gen Y women present one of the most viable pipelines of talent, and yet many companies are missing the boat in engaging this group.  Gen Y women are better educated than any cohort that have come before them, are graduating with the majority of advanced and bachelors degrees, and according to a Families and Work Institute survey, have a hunger for jobs with responsibility.   

If being well-credentialed and ambitious aren’t enough, companies have another reason to care about this group.  They are likely to have children when they hit the age range of 25-30 years old, off-ramping from the work world and taking their institutional knowledge with them. 

A well known fact, work flexibility is more important to Gen Y than any other generation.  And for new mothers, a little flexibility on the part of the employer can engender loyalty and translate to less turnover.  Consider Aetna’s story.  When the company increased the length of its maternity leave, retention of new mothers increased from 77% to 91%, according to a report by The Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR).

Not everyone’s listening though.  An example of a field that’s doing a poor job of engaging young women is law.  Here’s a world where face time and billable hours are valued more than results, a concept that Gen Yers find ridiculous.  Career paths in law are extremely limited, and there is only one brass ring to aspire to: partner.  What’s more, according to a Rutgers study, the number one reason that women lawyers surveyed left firms was an “unsupportive work environment.”  Many firms that do extend work/life offerings to employees haven’t managed to make it part of the culture, so people still feel a stigma attached to using such benefits.  The data says it all: according to Catalyst, while 1 in 8 women lawyers work part-time, only 1 in 50 men lawyers do.

What can companies do to ward against losing young female talent? 

Implement Rotational Leadership Programs

Numerous employers of choice have long promoted leadership programs that involve intensive rotation.  Many look for high-potential employees who can fill leadership roles in the future.  Implementing a rotational program gives young women exposure to the company, its different functions, and most important, a broad array of people.  Given that most girls and young women don’t learn about leadership topics, the exposure to so many functional areas can only serve to strengthen a young woman's career.  Companies that offer diverse experiences not only guard against employee boredom, they show a commitment and investment to their new employees right off the bat.

Value Results, not Hours

Within many companies, you can’t have a challenging role that also allows you to have a personal life.  A critical imperative for companies who want to hold on to Gen Y is to deliver engaging work while allowing a woman to have boundaries.  Since Gen Y believes strongly in an anytime/anywhere work model (as long as I meet my targets), many companies can take a page from Best Buy’s book.  The electronics leader has implemented a Results Only Work Environment (ROWE) where output is measured rather than hours and facetime.  This is particularly important for working mothers, who simply cannot compete with the amount of facetime men can put in on the job.

Teach Them to Say No
Many of us forget that we can say no to projects.  Encourage Gen Y women to look for value-adding activities and say no to others.  Value-adding activities allow them to be visible across the organization, have a strong tie to the organization’s strategy or bottom line, and allow young women to partner with those in other departments.  Encouraging a culture where you’re allowed to have preferences, and act on those preferences, goes a long way with Gen Y women.   

Mix Up Work Formats
The current corporate business model sends the message that “you need to conform to us, we won’t conform to you.”  And yet, a major motivator for Gen Y is to have cafeteria-style choices in terms of work format and benefits.  Rather than thinking only in black and white, consider the gray area.  When offering mothers maternity leave, allow for fade-in reentry programs that allow women to slowly build back up to their original hours. When offering healthcare benefits, encourage Gen Yers to choose where their dollars are spent.  This generation has grown up with incredible levels of customization and naturally expects choice at work. 

Regardless of generation, we know that a one size fits all approach doesn’t work.  Retention and engagement aren’t about requiring that people fit a mold, they’re about meeting people where they are.

The People Side of Change in Technology Implementations

The Enterprise Resource Planning systems (ERP) market is now worth upwards of $21 billion. Going into 2008, Cambridge, Mass.-based market researcher Forrester predicted a compound annual growth rate of 4.2 percent for ERP solution packages, and that number has continued to climb. The use of technology in the workplace is expanding at an astounding rate. While there are no exact 2010 year to date numbers for ERP market share or growth, industry executives say it's clearly a burgeoning market. In an effort to make operations more streamlined and effective, more organizations are implementing ERPs to assist them do business. Despite this increased growth many organizations aren't achieving their desired return on investment with their new ERP because they don't account for the people side of this change.

According to Wikipedia, an ERP is an integrated computer-based system used to manage internal and external resources, including tangible assets, financial resources, materials, and human resources. It is a software architecture whose purpose is to facilitate the flow of information between all business functions inside the boundaries of the organization and manage the connections to outside stakeholders. Built on a centralized database and normally utilizing a common computing platform, ERP systems consolidate all business operations into a uniform and enterprise wide system environment.

As noted in a study conducted by Deloitte and Gallup Leadership Institute, streamlining and consolidating is great from a technology operations point of view; however, what is the impact to the people side of the business? The end users and current employees, who will have to use the ERP in their daily work, are often overlooked in the implementation process and this can lead to a bumpy and sometimes unsuccessful implementation. To ensure productivity remains high (although a slight dip is normal) and to facilitate a smooth transition with minimal resistance, change management is a critical component to success.

Most of the way work gets done will change once the ERP is implemented. Employees who are accustomed to completing tasks in a certain way will have to learn new skills and new ways of doing things. Roles and responsibilities may change, functions may be consolidated or eliminated, and interactions with customers and stakeholders may be redefined. For successful implementations, sponsorship and governance are imperative. Organizational impacts such as structural and cultural changes often occur, and policies and procedures are sometimes rewritten. Change management around technology can sometimes be a daunting task. A skilled ERP change management resource should have experience designing and implementing solutions in all these areas as well as a fundamental understanding of the technology.

A qualified ERP organizational change resource should be a people focused change management professional. They should also have the following skills to best assist your organization during an ERP implementation:

• Experience: They should have experience working in change management, organizational culture, strategy and strategic communications. They should also have a comfort level with technology and experience with process and requirements definition, defining roles and responsibilities, and designing organizational culture and structure.

• Basic understanding of ERP systems: Most ERPs are designed in modules, and can be implemented in pieces or all at one time. A trained resource not only knows what an ERP is designed to do, but also understands the basic functionality of each module and how the various modules integrate with one another. They should also have experience with project planning inclusive of planning and managing the implementation and impacts of multiple modules simultaneously.

• Understanding of ERP terminology and technical language: Often the ERP change management resource serves as a liaison between the functional (eg. HR, finance, policy) and technical people on the project. Therefore, they must have the ability to facilitate discussions and clearly communicate across teams of various skill sets. This involves being able to understand and speak in both technical and functional terms and have the ability the ‘translate’ needs and requirements in simple language. They should also have an understanding of specific ERP related terms and acronyms (Eg. SIT, CIT, User Interface etc.)

• Collaborative approach: ERPs cross multiple parts of the organization, and even reach outside the organization to customers and stakeholders. The ERP change management resource should be responsible for establishing a sponsorship and governance structure inclusive of individuals at various levels and across all affected areas. It is imperative that the change management resource have a collaborative style, one that helps to engage key people from all impacted areas. Assertiveness is also important, as often information and details are required on very specific and tight deadlines and obtaining this information may require a high degree of persistence.

• Skilled in strategic communications: Many ERP efforts run into roadblocks because communication planning is either not executed in parallel with change management or is not executed early enough. Experience with communications planning and execution with multiple audience groups, cross functional communications, and the ability to communicate with the various audiences simultaneously is a necessary skill for an ERP change management resource. Most change management professionals do have some level of experience in communications; however, for an ERP implementation, a higher degree of experience in this area is recommended.

To ensure the money spent on an ERP offers the streamlined operations and return on investment expected, people and change issues can not go unaddressed. It is critical to have an experienced ERP change management professional guide this process from day one. After all, a piece of technology is only as effective as the people who choose to use it.

So You Hired a Gen Y – Now Get The Most Out of Them Through My Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle™!

We can't escape the fact that Gen Y/Millennials are going to transform the workplace over the next five years. By 2014 there will be more than 58 million Millennials employed in various organizations in the U.S. alone. Employers must begin adapting to the challenge of these generations to remain sustainable. Having cross generational strategies for retention and engagement can save a company a significant amount of money every year in turnover, training, recruitment, and lost productivity.

In my previous Gen Y post Gen Y Recruiting Tips: The Candidate Perspective I discussed some positive ways to attract and recruit Gen Y. After the offer is accepted, the next step is on boarding, but it doesn’t end there. Now the organization must focus on engagement and retention.

To assist clients in this process I have developed the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ which consists of 6 phases. This approach is customizable pending specific organizational cultures and desired outcomes. I will discuss possible action items and solutions for each phase in future posts. In this post I will highlight the phases at a high level:

1) Communicate: Gen Y values and thrives on open, honest, and concise communication in all directions. Once they begin work it is imperative to clearly communicate (be specific, don’t assume) to the new Gen Y employee their roles and responsibilities and the organizations expectations. Communication should not stop there, explaining the organizational culture, “how works gets done, how we do things around here” is also of importance. Be authentic. Gen Y performs better within a defined (though not overly rigid) structure with clarity of expectations.

2) Assess: It shouldn’t simply be assumed that the new employee has a solid understanding of what was communicated and or that they feel comfortable with what they heard. It should also not be assumed that the new hire does not have skills of value outside the role they have been hired to fill. Assess the employees comfort level with what was communicated. Often inconsistencies and in congruencies can exist. Assess the employee’s skills, expertise and interests. Various tools and methods can be used to thoroughly assess the employees understanding of their role and responsibilities and their skills, competencies and interests. It is important to assess these things as it relates to not only the role they will be performing but also the organizational culture/structure.

3) Target: In determining the new hires placement in the organization it is important to target the best project/role fit that will maximize performance and engagement of the Gen Y new hire. In determining where they should be placed and what they will be working on, it is imperative to attempt to give them an assignment that is congruent with the position they were hired to fill. Gen Y enjoys a challenge; however, they also expect to utilize the core skills for which they were hired. Target for full utilization of the skills they have (giving them comfort from the onset), while also offering opportunity for them to obtain skills they may not have, particularly those that are required for success (challenge.) This approach gets them doing the work they feel competent to perform and increases competencies in core areas to which they may be weak (as determined by assess phase).

4) Utilize: Gen Y expects to be utilized. If they don’t feel they are being utilized to the fullest potential they often become promptly disengaged. From the onset, utilize the Gen Y employee to their fullest potential drawing on past experiences, knowledge and interests. To gain maximum productivity from Gen Y, it is important to make them feel both utilized and challenged. In offering them the opportunity to feel useful, by utilizing them in ways that allow them to apply interests and areas of expertise, productivity is likely to increase. In addition, attempt a role fit or job rotation that will allow for continued growth and development and provide the opportunity to acquire new skills to which they have an interest and may also be an asset to the organization.

5) Feedback: Gen Y places a high value on open and honest communication, in all directions. As frustrating as this may be for some other generations, constant feedback is an almost critical ingredient in performance and job satisfaction. It sometimes seems as if this younger generation has an insatiable appetite for praise. And if they don't receive the recognition they feel they deserve, they may be more likely to bail out of their jobs for greener pastures. The simple reality is that Gen Y has been raised in an atmosphere of high expectations, plenty of feedback and heaps of praise. They have received feedback on class assignments at each stage of development and are used to getting support throughout the completion of tasks and projects. Provide timely and meaningful feedback as to the employees performance as they progress. Create a safe and trusting work team where the employee can feel free to illicit feedback which may assist in productivity, growth and development and innovation.

6) Coaching: Gen Y values opportunities for growth and development. The next step beyond feedback is coaching. Coaching shouldn’t just be for managers and executives, after all if you can retain Gen Y employees they are eventually going to be the next set of leaders in your organization. To maximize productivity and retention, provide additional coaching for the employee as needed, providing direction to increase in certain competencies or skills, and in areas that may not be noticeable to the employee such as cultural nuances and politics. Coaching will increase the employee’s level of competence and significance and thus increase engagement, performance and retention.

Following the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ can help you to get the most out of your new Gen Y employees. Additional steps and action items are developed at each stage, customized to your specific type of business and organizational culture. Customized workshops have also been developed around this approach. If you are Interested in learning more about how to implement positive Gen Y recruitment, engagement, and retention strategies please contact us or at info@tolerosolutions.com .

Gen Y Recruiting Tips: The Candidate Perspective.

Job ads for recruiters and HR Generalists are on the rise. This is a good sign that the economy is starting to improve. As Gen Y are an ever growing part of the applicant pool companies may need to reevaluate their Gen Y recruiting strategies to meet workforce demands.

Recruiting today seems to be a rush job and a one size fits all approach. Recruiters get a position description and scour the internet for a match. Recruiters find a CV that matches the position description and send an often canned, cold and generic email. Recruiting has become less and less personalized.

Many companies do not embrace a diverse recruiting strategy that mirrors the current diverse pool of applicants. This approach is not always the best means to attract certain qualified talent, particularly Gen Y talent. I’ve seen minimal use of cross generational recruiting; meaning lack of adapting the recruiting strategy and approach based on different demographics. A Baby Boomer will not respond to the same style and approach of recruiting as a Gen-Y’er.

Generations view things differently and thus expect different ways of being recruited. With an ever changing and more diverse workforce, recruiting must become more unique and customized if organizations wish to attract the best possible Gen Y talent.

First Contact: Gen Y values a personalized touch. A canned and generic email will often turn them off immediately to a potential new position. If sending an email inquiry to a potential Gen Y candidate, use their name, not “dear candidate.” Take the time to discuss why you think they may be a fit for the role as it relates to their own experience. This lets them know you have actually reviewed their CV and job goals and not just mass emailed based on a keyword search. Gen Y also values details, so for the quickest possible response, include the job description, and why you see them as a fit in the first correspondence.

Response: Gen Y is a tech savvy generation. If first contact regarding a possible new role peaks their interest, they waste no time in responding. They utilize the technology at their finger tips (Wifi, Blackberry email etc.) to promptly express interest. They expect the same in return. If your organization has high interest in the candidate, then don’t let communication lapse. Respond proactively, promptly, and personalized with establish next steps.

Expectations: Once the time for the first conversation has been set, use that time to set clear expectations with the potential Gen Y candidate. Take the time to explain in detail what they can expect in the new role and from the organization, and what would be expected of them. Be congruent, honest, and transparent about everything from salary and work life balance, to culture and roles and responsibilities. Gen Y is very tuned into organizational culture. One of the main reasons Gen Y talent tends to leave an organization within the first year is because what they were told they can expect is not the reality. Try and prevent this from the first conversation.

Interviewing: Be prepared for Gen Y to ask detailed questions regarding not just the potential role but the organization overall. Gen Y views interviewing as a two way process. Often recruiters don’t have the specific information required to answer certain questions. If this is the case, make sure the people the candidate interviews with are knowledgeable of the various parts of the organization and can answer specific questions.

Offer: If the process leads to making a job offer, then do not only do so in writing, but also make the personalized phone call. This call should come from the person who will be the candidate’s direct supervisor. Often disconnects exist between recruiting and the actual departments and managers who the employee will be working with. Gen Y values open and honest communication in all directions. Having the opportunity to speak directly with the individual they will be reporting to offers them the opportunity to begin to build a relationship immediately and get any last minute questions and concerns addressed.

After the offer is accepted, the next step is on boarding, but it doesn’t end there. Recruitment is phase one, once the employee joins the organization focus must be placed on engagement and retention. I will discuss more about these topics in future posts.


Helpful Info:

www.recruitingtrends.com
http://employeeengagement.ning.com

The Obama Healthcare Summit: An OD Perspective

I watched the Obama Healthcare Summit and on purpose watched it wearing my “OD hat.” It was a tough crowd, and although in my view Obama did a somewhat decent job of acting as facilitator and participant, as a trained behavioral scientist and a facilitator myself, I found it entertaining and painful to watch. My views are not intended to be partisan or take sides; however, they are intended to express certain observations.

For those of us who facilitate large group sessions, we know it can be a sometimes daunting and exhaustive experience. More things are at play than may meet the eye to an attendee or observer: politics, leadership, personalities, power, and diversity just to name a few.

Politics: As this was a political forum, naturally congressional politics was the basis for discussions and at the fore front of the event. However, what about personal politics? Most of those attending had a personal agenda, including the President. When acting as a facilitator, it is extremely important not to over-power the meeting with your own agenda. When at all possible, a facilitator should be a neutral party. Not only did Obama enter the summit with his own agenda, he entered it with a bill almost completely written. What message would this send to you if you were a participant who was in attendance to share your own ideas, whether in agreement with Obama’s or not? If it were me, I would tend to take a “why bother, he has his mind pretty firmly set anyway” view.

Leadership: Now, if in fact Obama had convened several neutral trained facilitators to lead the session, then he himself could have given his full attention to participation at the same level as those in attendance. When leading and facilitating a session with so much personal politics, it is important to set clear ground rules and expectations. Although topics and agenda were established for the summit on February 12th some participants were still unsure of the format on February 22nd. I saw no timeline of events, no “parking lot topics” list, and no clearly established ground rules. It’s no wonder some people got to speak for 5 minutes and some rant on and on. It’s no wonder Obama was interrupted on several occasions and it’s no wonder the entire summit ran over the scheduled time limit.

Personalities: When facilitating a session of this nature, it is imperative to have at least a basic understanding of the personalities of those in attendance, and more importantly, be able to manage them. What does it mean when Nancy Pelosi whispers and has sidebars? What does it mean when Eric Cantor rolls his eyes? What does it mean when John McCain grunts loudly? What does it mean when Joe Biden goes off on a tangent into the weeds? I saw several occasions where these and other behaviors occurred. In very few cases did they go noticed, yet alone even addressed. In my view, this is part of the reason the summit ran over the scheduled time and engagement began to decline in the afternoon session. People began to either “tune out” or just continually push their own agendas. I’m not saying that a facilitator should be able to notice and respond to everything, or know all the telling personality traits of participants; however they should have the time and ability to be able to address and manage behaviors that can derail the purpose of the meeting. When having your own agenda and serving as participant and facilitator this can often prove difficult and impede desired outcomes.

Power: Power and showing of power, both in subtle and non subtle ways was rampant at the summit. To an extent these things are to be expected given that the summit was convened by the most powerful politician in the country, and power and politics usually go hand in hand. I observed displays of power where some were acting like argumentative children and other instances were body language was a dead give away; some expressed power by not engaging. However, if trust does not exist amongst all parties, then open and honest dialogue is not likely to take place, particularly from subordinates up to leaders. Think of it this way, it would be like your CEO or direct boss trying to facilitate a session with you and your team to gain feedback on how they can best improve as a leader. If you don’t have an honest and trusting relationship with them, how likely are you to tell them how you really feel and offer constructive ideas for improvement? As they are in a more powerful position than you, you may be afraid that you could upset them or even lose your job. In the instance of the summit this is a reelection year after all! Though I didn’t notice Obama overtly throwing his power in the face of the participants, these feelings may have very well existed.

Diversity: Just because we now have an African American President does not mean we can stop paying attention to diversity. Yes we had racial minority and female participation at the summit; however, in watching who took up the most air time (with the exception of Obama) I felt as if I was watching “the white men network.” When facilitating a session of this nature, it is imperative to understand the cultural nuances. Different ethnicities, races, genders, age groups and even Myers Briggs types (MBTI) have different ways of expressing themselves and have different comfort levels with varying situations. Not all of those in the room may have felt comfortable interjecting or politely interrupting the president, or even volunteering to speak in such a forum. These traits do not mean, however, that these people did not have a desire to contribute. They may have just felt that they couldn’t get a word in or that they should wait to be called on by the President.

In closing, why are all of these things important?
It is a tough task to facilitate and participate and even harder when you have your own agenda. If organizing a large session/workshop with diverse participants and strong personalities, having a facilitator with the ability to maintain, an understanding of (and manage) personality, leadership, power, and politics issues is key to achieving successful outcomes.

What could have been accomplished with the help of trained facilitators and OD professionals? How might the result be different?
In my view I think that if trained facilitators and OD professionals had been present and engaged in the summit the meeting would have stayed on time, on track, and on schedule. Less ‘acting out’ behaviors may have occurred; more diverse voices would have had an opportunity to interject, and more constructive alternatives for a way ahead might have surfaced. This is not to say trained facilitators and OD professionals are miracle workers, however to highlight the importance of having those present trained in specific skills, with an awareness to notice, address, and respond to things that others to close to the issues may not be able to.

I hope this was as much a learning experience for the President as it was for me watching. If the Obama administration wishes to convene any more summits/sessions/major participative meetings – hire a skilled facilitator or an OD professional with the lenses of awareness to help reach the best possible outcomes!

Some helpful resources:

http://www.amazon.com/Skilled-Facilitator-Comprehensive-Consultants-Facilitators/dp/0787947237

http://www.amazon.com/Leadership-That-Matters-Difference-Organizations/dp/1576751937/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267210748&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Cultures-Organizations-Software-Geert-Hofstede/dp/0071439595/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267210788&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Groups-Context-Perspective-Group-Dynamics/dp/0819197955/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267210831&sr=1-2