The most important decision a company or organization ever makes is arguably its investment in human capital. Well-placed leaders challenge the status quo, inspire their people to maximize their potential and shoot for the stars with upward growth strategies.
One of my Fortune 500 clients surprised me by stating the following one day. “Steve, you know I give you a lot of credit for the over 100 Million Dollars of extra sales revenues that my company has been able to generate. The three leaders that you recommended that I hire have been awesome. We could not have achieved these results without them. I thank you again for your great work in identifying and recommending them to me for hiring.” Wow, that’s cool.
On the opposite side of the equation, poorly hired managers can drag an organization down to the dungeons of ruin. Since resources spent on talent recruitment is significant, and the results of hiring well are monumental, learning and applying the most effective search model is well worth the time and effort. The first challenge is to understand what search model we are talking about? The two primary models are executive search (retained) and contingent recruiters.
A good description of these two recruitment models are provided by the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants:
Executive search consulting firms operate on an exclusive, client-centered basis and work on a limited number of assignments at one time. Executive search firms often find candidates with diverse backgrounds and have access to candidates who are not actively seeking a new position. They are engaged in all aspects of the process, from defining the search through candidate integration. They charge a consulting fee (retainer) for the assignment, consistent with their in-depth advisory work. Executive search consultants deliver high-quality service, a slate of highly qualified candidates, and develop long-term relationships built on trust.
Contingent recruiters seek to place as many candidates as possible in the shortest possible time. They tend to work with many assignments concurrently. If a particular assignment is not getting traction, contingency recruiters have little incentive to continue. Contingent recruiters offer their service with no money up front, and they get paid for candidates who are hired from resumes they present. Fees are generally lower, reflecting their limited scope of work. Contingent recruiters deliver broad access to “ready to move candidates” and a quick presentation of a large number of resumes.
While some human resource managers believe that both models are the same, they clearly are not. Some clients try to negotiate the lower fees of the contingent recruiters but desire the full complete and thorough search service of the executive search (retained) firms. At the same time, they show no loyalty by trying to do these same types of deals with multiple search firms all at the same time. This is a recipe for disaster and clients like this are avoided like the plague.
It is important to understand that investing in human capital is important thus organizations should employ best practices. An executive search consultant (retained search consultant) invests time and resources in understanding their client’s industry and individual needs. In comparison, contingency recruiters focus on pulling as many resumes out of their databases as they can as fast as they can.
Executive search consultants use competency-based interviewing practices and advanced assessment tools in the identification of talent which best matches the business culture and needs of the client’s position. Multiple interviews with candidates over time and various technologies such as telephone, video conference and face-to-face whenever possible are standard operational procedures. Also, pure search methods seeking the best talent, even those who are not in anyone’s database is routine and required to find the best talent. This is in direct contrast to the contingent recruiters who rely more on supplying resumes from their database as quickly as possible. Too often it is a matter of quality versus speed.
In contrast, contingent recruiters do not have the time and rarely do they interview candidate’s multiple times to assess their capabilities or do any type of formal assessments. They are all about database search and speed of getting resumes into the hands of the hiring manager.
Before you conduct your next hire identify a retained executive search firm and if you are not sure where or how to look, write to me letting me know where you are based, and I will help you find a reputable one in your area for FREE. No strings attached.
In summary, here are 10 reasons why Retained Search is the Most Effective Recruiting Method.
1. Executive search consultant (retained search professionals work with their clients on an exclusive basis).
2. They are dedicated to following best practices and doing the job right. They work very closely with the client by developing a methodology, action steps, and timing that is realistic and that matches with the needs of the client.
3. They are truly management consultants; you’re not alone.
4. Remember that contingent recruiters are in a race to provide resumes as quickly as they can. It’s your job alone to evaluate the resumes and assess if they fit your position and company.
5. The goal of the executive search consultant is to present four to five high-quality candidates with the skills, fit, salary, etc. desired by you, the client.
6. Intelligence is provided through exhaustive research on the industry, competitors and ideal candidates.
7. Candidates are screened and assessed using modern assessment tools and are pre-qualified to fit the position and your company culture.
8. Cost wise, executive search (retained search) fees range from 25% to 35%, and contingency recruiters try to charge the same amount but provide you with much less.
9. The contingency recruiters model is a No Win No Pay basis. So, their dedication based upon their actions is very limited. They are not set-up to provide the same level of professional services as a retained search model provides.
10. With a retained search consultant, you will receive full briefings on the search process, competitors, the market, and the talent pool.
In conclusion, for best practices and most effective executive search service the retained search model for middle to senior level positions is the choice of champions.
4 min readEntrepreneurship is nothing if not about introducing new ideas. It is about introducing ideas, protecting those ideas in their infant stages, executing those ideas, and finally allowing those strong young ideas to cannibalize the weak and old ones that are still prevalent in the company.
Resistance to new ideas and concepts seems to be original equipment within the genetic code of organizations. That resistance is amplified as we diversify the company across time, space, and culture. If the company is old, the resistance is more. If the company was very successful in the past, perhaps once a market leader, the resistance is more. If the company is very flat and listens to people’s opinions throughout the organization, the resistance is more. CEOs who can successfully prune future organizations are CEOs who have proven they can surmount the very toughest obstacles there are. It is very difficult to grow a beautiful new flower while the old weed is still firmly rooted in the prime soil.
So creatively destructive CEOs practice ‘shaping’ as a daily task. If there is a solid, undeniable, reason to push something out of the spotlight, it is already too late, and competitors are already on the move. The job of creative destruction must take place even when the company is at the heights of success. CEO’s must actively engage in looking for things to kill — even currently successful things. Without that mindset that nothing is sacred, new ideas cannot flourish. Without the willingness to look at yourself the way a competitor would look at you — as a target to be torn down, weak link by weak link, new ideas will always be squashed by the old ones.
Some of the problems new ideas face includes:
There are, of course, myriad other problems we could discuss, from jealousy and anger over funding going to new projects, to unwillingness for superstars to enter a project where they might fail. So what to do? It is by no means an easy task to be entrepreneurial within the confines of a large and complex organization. A paper on what companies might do to change the situation could be a book, so I’ll just list a few short points.
The basic skills needed by our hero CEO are two, the courage to seek the truth, and the ability to make others want to embrace it. Truth and simplicity lie at the heart of creative destruction. For self-deception and the complications that naturally cloak every decision, the company makes lie at the heart of maintaining the status quo.
The history of future corporations is already composed. It is not the story of cowardly deeds but a rather a chorus of many crescendos. It is the story of companies who were bold enough to ‘let go’ and focus only on what ‘can be’ and not on ‘what is.’ These companies possess a future of unbounded risk and unbounded reward. Wow. Who has the courage to lead?
4 min readKorea’s economic development, often described as the miracle on the Han River, was no miracle. It was a direct result of the effective and efficient leveraging of the only natural resource Korea has always had in abundance: the will of its people.
Sandwiched between Japan and China, with virtually no natural resources to speak of, Korea’s great strength has always been its people and its people’s desire to overcome whatever obstacles stood in their way. Endowed with an inexhaustible source of energy and a “can-do” attitude Korea’s populace never fails to astound. It is a natural resource the Government of Korea has come to rely on during the last 50 years of Korea’s race to modernity. When something needed getting done, government, management, and the military could count on the strength of the people to “make it happen.” The strength of the people included overcoming the after effects of war, famine, national division, and development. The Korean people have always “made it happen.”
Through these challenges, some companies rise to the top and survive while others fall off the figurative cliff never to be heard from again. In the business of talent management or more specifically executive search (more commonly referred to as headhunters or recruiters), the landscape is changing in Korea and globally.
The industry started over 60 years ago based upon a need that surfaced after World War II. Management Consulting firms began to expand their product offering to include searching for executives to fill positions in their client companies. In the 50’s and 60’s executive search grew rapidly around the world. However, since that time there is little change in the industry until now.
Now, it is imperative that the client feels that the search company is proven trustworthy. Not all are trustworthy. The search firm’s honest assessment of these candidates is imperative to establishing trust and respect.
Also, the ability to identify, manage the process correctly and present a wide range of high-quality candidates to choose from is the norm. With the advent of technology, finding people is much easier for everyone. However, finding talent is only one part of the equation. For example, if you want to find a house, simply look down the street. If you want to purchase a house, it is best to select a realtor.
Without a choice, it is hard for the hiring manager to believe they have made the best hiring decision. If they, for example, have four strong candidates, all qualified to do the job to choose from; they will feel satisfied once they settle on one that best fits the position and the company.
To find a candidate that best fits the company it is necessary for the search consultant to understand the client’s business, their needs as well as their corporate culture. Consider that one candidate interviewing for two similar companies addressing the same market with almost identical products could be a complete success or a complete failure due to not matching with the corporate culture of the company.
Some consultants and firms are better at evaluating and assessing talent than others. In our firm, we have a methodology that closely mimics the corporate culture of our clients. We use this in our assessment, and it has proven successful.
Another area of value is market research and the consultative approach. No one is better at this than the search consultant. He or she communicates daily with real people in senior positions of companies and knows the real truth of what is going on inside companies. What is of more value? A list of names of potential candidates alone, or accompanied market research that might tell you the behind the scenes story of why the candidate may be willing to leave his current role and what is going on with his current employer.
The ability to provide a diverse group of candidates is of great value. How do you know if you are hiring the best if you have no other candidate to compare? The search consultant can find passive candidates that are not actively looking for a new position.
The discipline and professional process of a search is of value because of the integrity that it brings to the process. It also spreads a wider net with no political or in-house territorial disputes involved. Expertise and insight into the marketplace, trends, best practices, competitive landscape and access to top talent is the hall \mark of a great search firm.
So, if this is all true then what is changing? More and more companies are getting into the industry that is less professional. For example, most of them are not members of the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants which promotes the highest ethical standards within our industry because they do not want to provide or live up to these high standards. Clients can be caught unaware and by the services of a weaker organization and feel that the entire industry is the same when it is not. The search process has now added many new tools which aid in the identification and selection process for the better search firms.
Also, change has arrived in the form of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Many new industries and companies are popping up in Korea and around the globe. According to research completed by PWC, there are nine new technologies which are behind this fourth industrial revolution. These are:
1. 3-D simulation using real-time data to monitor and adjust various pieces of the manufacturing operations.
2. Horizontal and vertical system integration will allow companies, departments, and functions more integration.
3. Autonomous Robots will continue to evolve and be able to do more and interact with each other and humans more directly.
4. Additive Manufacturing such as 3-D for small quantities of products in addition to the research and development functions that it has been performing.
5. The Industrial Internet of Things will provide more computing functions.
6. Big Data and analytics from all kinds of sources will be used to make real-time decisions.
7. Cybersecurity takes on a whole new meaning with the influx of so much technology and new data and will become increasingly important to protect knowledge and know how.
8. Augmented reality-based systems support such as selecting parts in a warehouse and delivering it to a destination will be common place.
9. The Cloud is where everything will be stored and crosses all boundaries. Every system that we monitor could become cloud based.
As time changes so do the Koreans. For the nearly 30 years that I have been doing business with Koreans, they have focused on research and development activities and investment looking for the future. When I was the head of R&D for Adidas globally, our Korean R&D center was the best in the world. Korea has a track record of using their greatest natural resource, their people, and I do not see that ending anytime soon.
3 min readIf you reflect into a mirror at yourself, you probably do not see yourself the way others see you. Not only your appearance, but your actions, body gestures all give distinct clues to who you really are.
It is a fact that a singer hears herself differently than the audience hears her. The singer, when performing hears herself through her inner ear, which sounds differently to her than to the audience which hears her through their outer ears. So, perception is truly different from reality.
Reality or the Truth is we really do not know what is going on in someone’s brain. We do not hear them the way they hear themselves. What really motivates them or depresses them? We just don’t know. Our normal could be different from their normal. What we hear and what they hear is probably different.
How many of us really know ourselves, let alone someone else? How do we fit? Do we belong? David Thoreau once wrote. “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” So, we all struggle to see how we fit into society and the workplace.
There are many factors that come into play to determine success or effectiveness. Throw yourself or your organization into a new country like South Korea for example, and there are many more factors required. If you think it is difficult in your hometown, state or country to hire staff, finding staff in a foreign country is multiplied many times that. So, we need to be good. we need to be special or have exceptional strengths to hire and compete in the job market.
What sets us apart? Or, what sets one candidate apart from another candidate? There is a large pool of intelligent, experienced leaders ready to take on the new position of the company. There are more candidates at the initial review than positions when we begin a search for that one superman or superwoman.
So, to differentiate comes down to experience and how that experience has affected their behavior. According to Lu Adler, “First impressions based upon emotions, biases, chemistry, personality, and stereotyping cause more hiring mistakes than any other single factor.”
Here are 10 characteristics that I look for in a great hire in addition to the specific specifications that my client may ask of me.
Good-ones. Keepers.
1) Positive Attitude
2) Motivated
3) Flexible
4) Global Mindset
5) Humble
6) Honest
7) Team Oriented
8) Risk Taker
9) Great Communicator
10) Professional Mistake Handling Expertise
Here are 10 characteristics of potential hires that I disregard in the process quickly.
Bad-ones. Rejects.
1) Negative Attitude
2) Or, better than thou type attitude
3) In-flexible
4) More “I” than “We.”
5) Is always right
6) My way or the Highway Attitude
7) Military type Authority
8) Very Controlling
9) Poor Communicator
10) Lack of responsibility — it’s someone else’s mistake
Another reason why the word normal is overused is that most people are unaware of how they really act. Just like the singer, they think of themselves or judge themselves based on what they hear and know about themselves from the inside versus what we see on the outside. We cannot see into their hearts or minds to see them as they see themselves, we are not God. We are left to judge and evaluate based on their actions and behaviors.
So, when making hiring decisions or management placement directions one should evaluate based on what you can see, prove, and observe through the actions and behaviors of the individuals. This is your “hearing” of the candidate. This is your reality of what the candidate is all about, not the song that they may sing. They may sing in perfect harmony the song that they think you want to hear. But you must muffle some of the noise for clarity’s sake. Interpret holistic their abilities and attitudes from all the input that you have received before making the hiring decision. Hear them with knowledge and observation not with just your ears.
Okay, what’s your opinion? Do you have a top 10 list of things that you care about in hiring? Let me know in the comments below!
3 min readAccepting an overseas assignment, or work in a country other than one’s home country can be both exciting and daunting. Usually, the move preparation time is short, and that can add tension to the process of relocation. Then, there is the new job, in a new market to think about.
Starting a new position provides the opportunity to start fresh, and perhaps even reboot the way that we think about our personal work performance. This pause or change allows us to download new concepts, consider different ideas, and new approaches to how we work and lead. However, there is more to add to this equation. The nuances of a move to a new country, a different culture, and limited knowledge of the new work environment all have an impact on our work performance. Everyone wants to get started off on solid ground. First impressions are important and lasting. Mistakes should be minimalized in the new role.
Leaders typically do not make mistakes on purpose. More times than not, they make errors of judgment, rather than errors of intent. Most honestly believe that they are making the right decisions and that their actions are justified. That makes sense. However, their errors can be predictable if they are based on past experiences alone with no consideration for the new culture they have just been assigned to.
What happens when a leader is parachuted into a new country? Do the same norms exist? Some maybe yes, and some maybe not. What they know, may actually hurt them. In some cultures, their commands could be 180 degrees in the wrong direction from what actually needs to be done to be successful. Yet, they are just doing what they have always done in these circumstances.
Successful leaders on a foreign assignment should avoid making these three mistakes, Resisting Change, Not Communicating Effectively, and Not Understanding Cross-cultural Differences. In an earlier article, entitled One Mistake Country Managers Should Avoid to Be Successful, I focused on the first of these three mistakes, “Resisting Change.” In that article, I described “How to Lead Change Effectively in 4 Steps”.
Leading a multinational organization in South Korea or any country outside your home country poses unique obstacles. But, you are not alone as many expatriates share the same challenges. In this article, we will focus on the mistake of not recognizing cross-cultural differences.
1. Individualism versus Collectivism
For comparison’s sake, I will contrast how the typical North Americans culture is described, (since I am an American) versus the Korean society, (where I live) generally speaking. First, North Americans are considered individualistic societies, and focus is on the individual. In contrast, Koreans are a collectivist society and focus is in the group. Simply put, it is “I” versus “We.” Knowing these differences, one might expect some resistance to different ideas, methods or ways of thinking.
In collectivism, there is a sense of belonging to a group. Friends and workers do lunch together, and usually, one person pays for the group. Think about it, if four co-workers go to lunch often together and take turns paying, you are being treated 3 out of the 4 times. Nice. Also, group activities are encouraged, rather than individual pursuits. The success of the group is more important than the success of a single individual. The bad part about this is outsiders can sometimes be excluded or feel left out. There is another interesting article that you will see on our blog entitled “In or Out” by former professor Horace Underwood of Yonsei University which describes this point very well.
2. Confucius influences
Secondly, the structure of Korean society is still largely based on Confucius’s hierarchy principles, although it seems to be diminishing. Confucius placed particular emphasis on the three values which were essential, being filial piety, humaneness, and ritual.
Age and social status influence all areas of Korean life. When speaking the Korean language, one must first determine who is older or more senior so that they can adjust their conversation appropriately and with respect. They actually use different words when conversing with each other based upon which is the senior of the two. One example where this comes into play is if a manager is younger than one or more of his/her direct reports. This could cause problems in communication, morale, and the proper respect for authority.
3. Decision making
Thirdly, decision making is concentrated mostly in the hands of a few people. However, managers on the lower rungs typically work through the issues, and their concerns rise to the top for consideration. There is typically a low degree of autonomy afforded in decision making and opinions at the lower ranks. For example, in a traditional Korean team meeting setting, those in attendance only speak up when asked a question. This is opposite of what typically happens in a western setting where everyone in attendance is expected to contribute to the conversation. However, this is changing as more and more younger Koreans are becoming more globally educated. They are now rising in the ranks and are in more leadership positions.
Leading a multinational organization outside your home country poses unique obstacles. However, expecting cultural differences and learning how to respond to them are critical to success.
2 min readHow To Lead Change Effectively in 4 Steps
Leading a multinational organization in South Korea or any country outside your home country poses unique obstacles. But, you are not alone as many expat country managers share the same challenges. To be successful on a foreign assignment leaders should avoid making these three mistakes, Resisting Change, Not Communicating Effectively, and Not Understanding Cross-cultural Differences.
In today’s blog post I will focus on the first mistake Resisting Change. I will address the other two mistakes to avoid in future posts.
North Americans are considered individualistic societies, and focus is on the individual. In contrast, Koreans are a collectivist society and focus is in the group. Simply put, it is “I” versus “We.” Knowing these differences, one might expect some resistance to different ideas, methods or ways of thinking.
Some individuals perceive opposition as a threat to them. As human beings, we are all naturally resistant to change. Resistance may take many forms, including active or passive, overt or covert, individual, or organized, aggressive or timid.
In the field of electronics, the concept of resistance is well understood. One definition says, "Resistance is the opposition of a body or substance to current passing through it, resulting in a change of electrical energy into heat or another form of energy." The heat and the energy are desired and useful but can also create problems. Modifying this definition to apply to change and people it would read, according to Rick Maurer, "Resistance is the opposition of people to change passing through them, resulting in energy which can transform or stop progress." Resistance brings energy, and that energy is valuable because it can be capitalized upon to aid the change process. To utilize resistance, we must learn to embrace it and not avoid it. We must understand resistance is information.
Leadership is about leading, but it’s also about implementing change, as many of my clients have found out. According to Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, “The best tool for leaders of change is to understand the predictable, universal sources of resistance in each situation and then strategize around them.”
Before making or accepting any changes, it is important to follow these four steps.
1) Identify and think through the changes. Will this be an organizational change where more people will be hired or laid off? Or, will this change require the shutting down of the company communications for a 24 hour period? Or, will training of select personnel be required, etc.?
2) Identify whom the changes will impact. Department(s) or individual(s)?
3) How will these changes impact them? Will this change affect their morale in a positive or negative way? Will the employees and management perceive this change as necessary?
4) How they might respond to these changes. Will everyone embrace this change as a win-win for everyone involved? Or, will they consider this change as someone winning and someone losing? All possible scenarios should be considered and evaluated.
So, hopefully, there will be no surprise reactions to the change only anticipated responses to the changes. Armed with this information you are ready to devise an action plan and implement it smoothly.
Leading a multinational organization outside your home country poses unique obstacles. However, expecting possible resistance to change and being prepared to lead through it is critical to success.
4 min readHow To Manage Your Career in 8 Steps
Job security everyone wants, but few do anything about achieving it. Perhaps it is because the first step is the hardest step. Following a pattern or proven strategy can be helpful in getting that first move towards an objective. Start here and discover the eight steps that will help you manage your career and gain the job security that you desire.
So, what is the concept? Managing a career by establishing goals and objectives is understood. The mystery is what strategies are proven to be the most effective in achieving the selected goals and objectives. Is there one plan that fits all, or rather principles applied to the process that produces results based on the uniqueness of each. I believe that it is the latter. Learn these principles to develop a career management strategy which in turn will increase job security.
Why is this important? Managing careers used to be the job for in-house human resource professionals, not anymore. Now, it is up to the individual to take charge of their careers. A systematic evaluation of progress toward the achievement of selected goals/objectives and modification of the strategy is now more than ever in the hands of the individual.
However, too many executives are unprepared to manage their careers and don’t even know where to begin. There is a misconception that a good resume and a good head hunter is all you need to manage your career. Or, that a career coach will revise your resume and then give you the job you desire like ordering pizza. Both concepts are fallacies and just wishful thinking by people not wanting to put in the work required.
As an executive search consultant and executive coach for over 17 years, I have placed 100’s of “A” level candidates, witnessed first-hand how successful people managed their careers and coached many who have realized their potential. Unfortunately, I have also observed those who have failed to give their careers the attention it deserves. Their stories have usually ended with unfulfilled dreams, wasted potential, and careers cut short. Your career does not have to end this way.
Consider and implement these eight things to effectively manage your career.
1. Self-assessment. There are numerous psychometric self-assessment tools like Meyers-Briggs that you can use to getting a better grip on how you think and the preferences that you have. Check these out and take the results with a grain of salt. Don’t believe everything they say but consider that most of the feedback is probably right on. If you like, here is a link to one that you can take for FREE.
2. 360 Assessments. After you have done a self-assessment, it’s good to see how other perceive you by taking a 360 assessment tool. People that we associate with or stakeholders often perceive us differently than we want to be perceived. It is possible to send the wrong messages to others repeatedly if we do not realize that it is happening. We sometimes refer this as blind spots. By doing a 360 assessment potential, blind spots can come to light. Here is a FREE 360 leadership survey, it covers ten leadership characteristics. They are Strategy, Communication, Knowledge, Learning, Influence, Relationships, Delegation, Priorities, Integrity, and Confidence. Leadership Tools.
3. Career coach. Identify and hire a career coach. A good coach can help you every step of the way and mentor you to success. Find one that you like and is educated in the discipline, not just anyone off the street. Usually, coaches belong to one or more global organization. For example, the International Coaching Federation, International Coaching Council. However, the individual’s personal credentials are the most important thing to consider.
4. Three Sentence Narratives. Identify ten achievements that you are the mot proudest of. Once assembled, write them in a three sentence narrative. This narrative should describe (1) “WHAT” the achievement is. What was done? Key activity; for whom. Generic. (2) “HOW” you made the achievement. How was it done? Step-by-step. Two to three major elements; statement; statement; statement. (3) The “RESULTS” of the achievement in quantitative terms. What were the results for the organization? Quantify $ %. Here is one example provided by Bernard Haldane.
Researched and investigated reasons for a financial paper backlog for two accounting departments of a major insurance company. Identified problems; assessed internal capabilities; set goals for completion; planned and implemented procedures to correct the problem; reorganized the two inefficient departments into one effective department. Results: Cleared 5,000 items and 5-year backlog; reduced staff by ten employees through natural attrition in less than 15 months, realized savings more than $120,000 annually.
5. Success Factors. After completion of your three sentence narratives, analyze your achievements and identify the 5 or 6 success factors that occur most often in your achievements. These factors typically come under categories of skills such as management, communication, research, technical, teaching, financial, and creative, etc.
6. Draft your resume or CV. Armed with your success factors and achievements you are ready to prepare your resume and reveal your proven pattern of success over time to potential new employers. Armed with your work history, education, and knowing what success factors you employ time and time again to succeed you are ready to create your career marketing tool the resume or CV.
7. Update your social media channels. There was a time when our work and private life was a mystery. That is no longer the case we are all pretty much an open book. Keep your LinkedIn, Facebook and other social media channels updated, and be careful what you say, or it could come back to haunt you.
8. Cross-cultural training. In today’s workplace, we interact globally or at least communicate with colleagues and clients from different places and cultures on a daily basis. If we do not understand at least a little bit about how the people that we associate with think we cannot build successful partnerships. Recently, I coached a couple of oil industry leaders here in Korea. Upon completion of the all day session, one of them made the following statement. The coaching was excellent, no question about it. But there is one area that we should receive more coaching on and that is how we interact within our company. This coaching was good for us to learn how to deal with Koreans, but what about the people in our company that is so diverse? We have employees from Turkey, Mississippi, California. Texas and Lousiana.
How can you begin to apply this concept to your career? First, recognize that managing one’s career is not an option any longer. No one cares more about you than you. This article is not all-inclusive but rather a starting point for you to develop your strategy. Read and try to apply these principles in your career. Do you have any other suggestions, thoughts or successes in managing your career to share? I am all ears. Please write back and share your experiences. With a little guidance and effort, you can have a successful career story to tell your grandkids. Take charge of your career and don’t leave it to chance.
4 min read4 Valuable Things to Focus on. Superstars: Fact or Fiction.
I always like the 80/20 rule. Pareto Principle eighty percent of the work is done by twenty percent of the people. That’s fine, but how do we identify and take care of the twenty percent? How do we be sure we are hiring one of them? In this article we will try to answer the first question of how do we identify these superior employees and we’ll address taking care of them in a later article.
Everyone wants to hire a superstar, but when asked to describe one, most executives are at a loss for words. Or, they usually say, “You know what I want!” What is the make-up of a superior employee and can we agree on those components? The old question is whether or not superior employees are born that way, or can they be developed into such.
There are a lot of answers to these questions, and I do not claim to know all of the answers, but having placed hundreds of high performance leaders inside multinational companies, I do have an opinion. For those seeking to hire superstars or become one, it pays to be able to separate FACT from fiction. If we keep our F, A, C, Ts straight, we can’t fail.
The letter “F” in “FACTs” reminds us of the need for great employees to be fast. Today’s multinational companies need to be first at something. This requires speed to market; speed in the development of a product; or rapidly responding to a customer’s need. We need employees are quick to grab onto new concepts/opportunities and then run with them.
For example, the sales organization of a typical multinational company has changed quite a bit. In the past a salesman worked only as outside salesman. They would present their product or service to the customer, take their order and then process it. That was the bulk of their accountability. But today’s salesman may work on inside sales as well as outside accounts or manage distributors, key accounts or all of the above. Multiple strategies are needed to reach these different customers. It takes smart and able sales executives who can respond to these various needs quickly.
The salesman gets to know the customers within the organization he or she is selling to, such as marketing leaders, research & development directors as well as the CEO. The superstar salesman listens to the customer, gathers feedback, and reports his findings to leaders within his own company. Then he must sale to his own company ideas of making changes to their products or services to meet the needs of the customer. Timing is everything, so a fast response to the customers’ needs is pivotal to the success or failure of the business opportunity. It takes a very different person today to be a salesman in a multinational company as they must rely on building a strong network of relationships, develop modern sales techniques, learn how to sell ideas internally as well as externally and be fast or quicker than the competition.
The letter “A” in “FACTs” reminds us that superstars are adaptable. Who am I? What is mine? In traditional Korean companies, a person’s title and area of responsibility is clearly defined and no one steps over the fences erected. In multinational companies, a superstar must be flexible as well as adaptable to the constant change of responsibilities of the task and be a team player.
Instead of having a reporting structure of only one person, a matrix system is common place in multinational companies. A superstar is able to adapt to reporting to multiple bosses at the same time for different tasks. This morning he might present a marketing report to the CEO in Korea and this afternoon have a report prepared on new product testing to the Asia-wide category leader located in Hong Kong. A superstar must be adaptable to various cultures and leadership styles.
The letter “C” in “FACTs” reminds us that superstars possess strong communication skills. English language fluency in reading, writing and comprehension is a basic requirement for superstars.
According to Webster, one definition of communication is the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing or signs. So, if we are all speaking the same language, why do we misunderstand each other? Well, I don’t have all of the answers but I have a few of them to consider.
The challenge comes from the cultural background of Koreans in comparison with Westerners. We might be speaking the same English language to each other but the interpretation or understanding can be quite different. Koreans are often classified as a collectivist society, with the goal of communication being to maintain harmony, while Westerner cultures are classified as individualistic societies, with the goal of communication being information.
Koreans are emotional, easily embarrassed and really take feelings into account. Westerners tend to lean toward being more logical, impersonal, and tend to separate issues from their feelings.
For example Koreans will often give positive answers to avoid disturbing harmony or hurting feelings:
Yes (in answer to a negative)
I'll try / do my best / if I can
I personally agree / want to do it
I agree with you in principle
I sympathize with your position
However, the Westerner views factual answers to impart information and to show sincerity:
No (in answer to negative)
I cannot because
I disagree
Superstars learn the differences in communication styles and develop strong communication skills to be successful in multinational companies. This strength allows them to move within the organization and sometimes even to other divisions of the company in other countries.
Finally, the “T” in “FACTs” represents the “Tactical” nature that superstars possess. Too often individuals in companies get stuck at the strategy portion of a company’s goals and objectives. A Superstar knows that it takes tactics to turn a strategy into action.
Being able to think tactically means being able to ensure that strategy turns into concrete steps the company and team can take to get everyone on board the train, and head to the destination of choice. A tactically savvy employee is worth his or her weight in gold. They don’t just talk about where to go and what to do – they get things done.
Tactically skilled employees know how to persuade; pull, push, and get buy-in from the organizations many parts in order to ensure that personal issues, egos, and minor operating obstacles don’t stop strategy from becoming reality. They sometimes overstep their mandate, but only with the intention of ensuring things don’t get held up.
If one will consider the four valuable things of fast, adaptable, communications, and tactical skills in potential employees the odds are greater that you will identify and hire more Superstar employees.
3 min readWhen struggling to reach higher, we can all use some extra help.
There are really three roles, three types of helping hands we come across in our lives as we endeavor to learn and grow - the teacher, the mentor, and the coach. At schools we’re given teachers. At companies we’re often offered mentors. Those in sports seek the guidance of coaches. What is the difference between these three people, and which one do we need? The truth is, every person needs all three.
We need all three, because each one plays a different part in helping us grow and excel as individuals. Their roles overlap, sure, but each one has a specific focus that is invaluable and unique.
If we were talking about a game, say, we could characterize them like this.
Teachers know how to play the game.
Mentors know how they, personally, succeeded at the game.
Coaches know the player they are coaching.
Differences between each role may not seem large at first glance, but they are large and important. It is pretty easy to see why teachers are needed. We need to know how to play the game well. Mentors obviously offer us one potential path through the complexities of success. Our path may be different, but we can look at their qualities and attributes and hold them up as role models. We can study their thought processes.
Coaches, however, are special. Coaches may not know the game as well as the teacher knows it. They may not know it even as well as the player. They may not have succeeded themselves at the same game, or the same level, as the mentor has. They bring something different to the mix, however, they bring a very special skill.
Coaches know just what words need to be heard by the player, when and in what situations, in order to get maximum performance.
This skill obviously doesn’t arise overnight. It comes from a deep relationship with the person being coached. It comes from earned trust between both parties. It comes from a deep understanding of both the situation the player finds themselves in and how that player is likely to respond psychologically to that situation. A good coach knows when to be tough and when to be gentle, because he knows how the player being coached will respond to each in a given situation.
Business coaches are no different.
The business coach is someone to be there to help the practitioner through a variety of business situations, decisions, and challenges. The coach is that trusted advisor. As business is executed, the problems change, the goals change, but the coach is always relevant because the practitioner doesn’t change. A sports team doesn’t change its coach every time it faces a new opponent. The coach’s role remains the same.
What Should I Expect From a Business Coach?
A Business Coach should magnify your strong points and maximize your effectiveness, while minimizing the affects of weak areas. Business coaches are there to help you maximize performance.
Business coaches can
Be a trusted advisor
Help you hone your skills
Help you see situations and problems objectively and fairly
Help you remove fear and unnecessary emotion from decision making
Help ensure your thought process remains flexible and fluid
Help you keep in mind the things that are important to you, so that you don’t betray your true self
Help you keep your eye on the prize
Help you push yourself across the finish line
Characteristics to look for in a Business Coach
Since a business coach is ultimately a guide through the vagaries of achievement, he or she should be part business school teacher, part psychologist, part parent, and part conscience. He or she should listen to what you are saying and to what you are not saying. He should be able to discern what motivates you as a person and what you are thinking and worrying about in a given situation.
Ultimately, the real value of a business coach is when the relationship becomes so strong and deep that he may guide you back to the path you ultimately would choose for yourself if you were not under so much pressure, distracted, worried, scared, or suffering from temporary blindness.
Obviously the coach needs to be strong as well. He is going to take the brunt of more than a few tirades. He needs morals, standards, beliefs, and his own personal gravitas in order to remain upright and earn the respect of the practitioner.
What Should I Expect to Gain?
You should expect to gain access to your best, most capable business self. Who can ask for more than that? Keep in mind that it doesn’t happen after one meeting. It might not happen after ten. But you should know right away if it is going to happen.
Working with a business coach is a process. Trust the process. Trust your instincts. Not all coaches are right for all practitioners. If one is not working out for you, find another one.