Welcome to Fall! Is there anyone else feeling a little depressed that the summer is over and now it’s time to buckle down again? As I watch my son and daughter start another school year, I feel a mixed sense of anticipation of what’s ahead on the work front and sadness for the joyful summer I left behind.
As leaders we can help our employees transition from the loose playfulness of summer to the more focused structure of the fall and the last quarter of the corporate calendar year.
The August/September 2005 issue of NYSE Magazine carried a special report on what concerns CEOs most looking out to 2006 and beyond. Regarding performance, 72% of CE0s said that their management team will have the biggest impact over the next five years.
We at Vision Quest Consulting also believe that strong management talent is critical to the success of any organization. Fall is the perfect time to revisit strategic initiatives regarding the retention and development of your management team talent. If you don’t make room for it on your strategic agenda, you might be left behind your competition.
The loss of top performing talent impacts sales, marketing, operations, productivity and morale. Negatively affected morale in turn impacts all of these factors in a geometric progression by affected employees. That’s huge in any organization!
The Office of the Future at Ken Blanchard Companies conducted research, which revealed that people are much less likely to leave prematurely and voluntarily if they are learning and improving their skills, being recognized individually, valued and appreciated, building their career based on their hopes and dreams, and part of something that is valuable to their organization and society. When people are truly engaged and energized in their work and career, they spread that energy, throughout the entire organization, and when they do, the entire organization thrives.
- Grow leadership competencies. Most people have not been trained to manage and lead exceptionally very well. For those who have had some training, it’s often generic and not customized enough to the organization’s growth cycle status or current business situations. Although some people can lead and manage well instinctively, most do not and need training to manage most effectively, efficiently and profitably. We can help you do that. Some of the things you can do to more effectively and profitably manage your team is to conduct regular leadership and management training workshops, implement one on one leadership development coaching, and match your top talent with appropriate mentors. Professional sports teams often have offensive and defensive players; special teams players and situational players. If you’re serious about excellent management, you need excellent players and you need to train them and maintain them. Anything less is “hoping for the best,” and that’s not the method of champions.
- Ask courageous questions. Don't shy away from asking your people, what’s most important to them, what it will take to retain them; and whether they feel challenged, recognized, and well trained.
- Grow job competencies, situationally. Look for opportunities to put people into challenging situations where their skills and competencies will grow. Study after study shows that people want and need to be challenged and grow. Help them to see that by getting what you and the organization wants they will get what they want.
- Protect your people. Run interference and block your people from the unnecessary politics and day-to-day turmoil that occurs in every company. When we work with people for a long time, we tend to utilize them as sounding boards, often because we recognize their skills and abilities. It’s not such a good idea to do this with the people who report to you, because it can make them feel insecure; they may think you are at risk organizationally or unsure of your direction.
- The only safe and appropriate place to vent your own frustrations is with your coach, or at home. A coach is your advocate and confidant and maintains the same level of client confidentiality much like your attorney would.
- Be a career developer. Talk to people about their long-term career aspirations and help them use or build the skills and competencies they need to get there.
Make the growth and development of your management talent a top strategic priority and you will have a competitive advantage and reap the ROI for many years to come.
This month’s great leadership read, Power vs Force by David Hawkins.
Leadership Coaching Newsletter is written and produced by Wendy Capland. If you have any questions or comments, please send them to: wcapland@visionquestconsulting.com. We'd love to hear from you.
To subscribe or unsubscribe, visit our website: Click Here. Feel free to forward this newsletter. Permission is granted to reproduce, copy, or distribute as long as copyright and full author contact information is included. Thank you.
Copyright Wendy Capland 2000 - 2005. All rights reserved.