Friday, February 16, 2007

It’s Ok to Say “I Quit” Before Hearing “You’re Fired”!

I, like millions of other viewers, have been watching Donald Trump’s hit show The Apprentice – LA religiously for a few weeks now…but I’m not so sure about the process anymore. The show allows the Trump Organization, to take 19 candidates through a vigorous selection process and choose the best candidate for the role of Donald Trump’s newest “Apprentice.” Candidates technically have the opportunity to pull themselves out of the process but never did, in the past.

In this season, already one candidate, Michelle, has pulled herself out stating that she wasn’t comfortable with the selection process…essentially saying “I quit” before hearing “You’re Fired!”. The Trumps were incensed at her decision - calling her a “loser” and a “quitter” for pulling herself out…but I disagree.

A selection process goes both ways. It’s obvious that the company is evaluating a candidate the entire time…but a candidate should also be evaluating the company since the process is a representation of what it’s like to actually work there. Michelle had her reasons for resigning from the process and I think both she and the Trump Organization are better off in the long run. She recognized that this is not the right environment for her and spoke up about it – thus saving time and effort for everyone.

While I’m sure that episode had high ratings because of the heated discussion following Michelle’s decision, I applaud her for making that choice.

When you’re getting ready to look for your own “Apprentice”, remember these tips:

  • Do make it ok for candidates to drop out of the selection process if they don’t fit. You never know who they know…and what they might say about your business practices. Thank them for their time and wish them luck in finding something that better fits their needs. Remember, a candidate does not have to be an employee to be a fan of your company.
  • Do paint an accurate picture of the open position. Be sure to talk about the good, and the not-so-good, aspects of the job to ensure that the candidate really is a good fit. If your environment is cut-throat and Trump-like, let candidates know. If it’s a more caring, developmental environment, let that show through. The “right” people will be attracted. Everyone has different needs and likes; your job is to find a match, not to simply fill the position.
  • Don’t revise your job description based on your personal favorite candidate. It’s easy to want to downplay certain aspects of the job if the candidate you have the best chemistry with has weaknesses in certain key areas. Legally, you need to present the same material to all candidates and evaluate each one in the same areas. Don’t say that a finance job doesn’t really need a lot of number crunching if you meet a gregarious candidate (with no financial background) – in fact, why not refer him to a different department that better fits his strengths…saving time and money for everyone.

For more information on TLG’s Selection in Acton programs, click here. This program is designed for anyone who participates in your recruitment and selection process, including hiring managers, recruiters, HR staff or team leaders…and it makes it ok for someone to say “I quit” before costing your company time and money to say “You’re Fired” to someone down the road.

© 2006 The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Soft Skills Training in MBA Programs

Yesterday's WSJ Online had an article describing how top tier business schools like Dartmouth and MIT are now focusing on the soft skills of managing, by "...copying and adapting popular corporate techniques such as coaching, personality assessments and peer feedback. The article says the schools are responding to increasing interest from employers who are looking for better inpersonal skills in freshly minted MBAs.

I remember when I was pursuing my Executive MBA at the University of Miami's business school several years ago, I had a few academically-obsessed professors who frequently "poo pooed" the work of consultants. (Overall I HIGHLY recommend UM's Executive MBA program and most of the professors were amazing.) One Leadership professor in particular grudgingly shared some of Ken Blanchard's work, to "just let us know what's out there," because we'd probably be exposed to it when we got into the corporate world. She clung to her heavily-research based theory and leadership models, which in her opinion (and which she was not shy about sharing) was much more ligitimate than the practical but "light" stuff that corporate consultants taught.

It's about time that business schools started recognizing the need for balance between teaching strategy, finance and analysis (the "hard" stuff), and the interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence (the "soft" stuff) required to lead effectively in today's business environment.

What's the implication for business? You can capitalize on this trend by doing the following:

  • When hiring new business school graduates, ask them what they learned about the "interpersonal-side" of managing in their MBA program. The WSJ article says that many programs now require students to take leadership assessments and create development plans for themselves. Find out what insight graduates gleaned from their assessments and development plans, and what actions they have been taking to hone their skills.

  • Don't assume that even with soft-skills built into the curriculum, new MBAs are ready-made for leadership responsibility...particularly the challenge of managing people of diverse backgrounds and styles. Nothing is a substitute for the first-hand experience of leading people in a corporate setting. Give them support, such as mentoring, continuous leadership development training and coaching, to help them deal with the day-to-day challenges of applying soft-skills theory to the real world.

  • Talk to your local college about incorporating practical, soft-skills training into their MBA and undergraduate business programs. By doing this, you're helping to create your own pool of better-prepared, new leaders in your own back yard.

  • Keep your seasoned managers' soft-skills sharp with ongoing development. New business school graduates with stronger interpersonal skills raises the bar on all leaders in the organization. Make sure your vets are getting the same tools and resources your new managers are getting. It's easy to assume that veteran managers have "been there, done that" when it comes to training in topics like Coaching, Performance Management and Giving Feedback. But seasoned vets get sloppy on the soft-skills without continuous development, feedback and refreshers (I include myself in that category...even I can get sloppy and I teach this stuff!).

For more information about succession management and the importance of soft skills for future leaders, see the following link to our e-newsletter:

http://www.theloyaltygroup.com/tt.Vol1.issue7.pdf




Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Don't be Sorry. Be Accountable Before You Act.

Accountability is a hot topic today. When we deliver performance management and coaching workshops, the discussion always gravitates to the topic of accountability. In an era of Enron, Anderson and Sarbane-Oxley, clients are looking for ways to make people more accountable for their words and actions.

We often think that accountability means "owning up to your mistakes" and saying you're sorry. But that definition is back-ended. It implies that you've done something wrong and that, on the back end, you make amends.

Think Gavin Newsom (San Fran Mayor).
Think Mel Gibson and Michael Richards.
Think Mark Foley.
Think Patrick Kennedy.
I could go on.

All messed up, then apologized and entered rehab or therapy. I know it takes courage to apologize and admit mistakes. And it truly takes courage to seek help for a real problem. This is an important part of accountability.

The most important part of accountability, however, is the front-end. What about being accountable before the fact? How about thinking about consequences before acting? I'm afraid that part of the accountability message is being lost.

What does this have to do with corporate learning or training? Think about how difficult it is to get people in organizations to be accountable. And when we do talk about being accountable, we tend to talk about the back-end, taking responsiblity for outcomes and admitting mistakes. That's important. But let's not forget to make the front-end just as important. Be accountable for your actions before committing them. Think a little before doing.

As leaders and facilitators, we should broaden the discussion of accountablity and remember than an apology on the back end doesn't always erase past behaviors.