Management Craft

What's Your Dream for 2009? - Managing Talent Retention

Here is a guest post from Lisa Edwards, talent retention and engagement expert and co-author of Managing Talent Retention: An ROI Approach. It's a perfect post to kick off the new year. Lisa E. will be monitoring comments, so share your thoughts. I love her notion of creating a narrative that tells the story of what you seek. What's your dream?

“I have a dream…”
        - Martin Luther King

Like many people, I’m thinking about 2009 and what I’d like to change. However, I’m not starting with a list of goals.  In fact, I’m not even starting with a single goal.

Instead, I’m starting with a dream. 

Most people will start out with a goal or a single goal and many people will fail to realize their goal.  Why?  Because it lacks vision and emotion – the very qualities that make for a dream come true.

Think about it.  Many people will have a goal that sounds something like this:

Lose 15 pounds by summer.

Do you feel inspired by that?  Imagine if Martin Luther King had tried to move thousands or millions of people by framing his ideals like that.  It would have sounded something like, “I have a goal that everyone be treated equal.”  Would people have been moved?  Would change have been inspired?

Of course not.  Instead, he began with “I have a dream…” and he went on to paint a picture and a vision of what his dream looked like.  It took 568 words to paint a picture of that dream and his vision, full of emotion and hope for change.  But with 568 words, Martin Luther King was able to inspire and motivate people to believe that his dream was possible, and people worked together to begin to make it come true. 

Likewise, with your life you must start with a spirit of hope and enthusiasm for something that feels like a real possibility.

Several years ago, my dream was that I would start my business.  I wrote out five full pages (in long-hand!) describing what my dream looked like. I included things like: where I lived, who was working with me, how my work day went, how much money I was making, and of course, how I was helping people.  I described how I felt every day, what sounds I would hear in the background while I was working, and what I would do after work.  I even described what colors I would be surrounded by because when I dream, I like to dream in color!  Then, I took my dream and condensed it into one single four-word sentence that I wrote on a pink index card and slipped into my billfold.  Every time I opened my billfold, I could read that sentence and recapture the motivation and feeling behind my dream.

It’s no surprise that two months after writing a description of my dream, I realized the beginning of my dream and started my business.  

I’m not saying that you don’t need goals.  I write goals, too.  It’s just that I start with a dream, focus in on a simple sentence and then I create the goals.

Think about our friends who have started off the New Year with “lose 15 pounds by summer.”  What if they began with “I have a dream that by summer, I will go to the beach in my favorite swimsuit and breathe comfortably and feel relaxed. I have a dream that I will feel radiant and healthy and full of life and energy and enthusiasm.  I have a dream that I will enjoy running and the feeling of accomplishment each day when I run after work.  I have a dream that my body will feel energized and healthy when I eat food that gives me energy and nutrients that support me.”

Now that’s something even I can feel and get excited about!  It sounds like fun to eat healthy meals and go for a run.    

Let’s go further and think about how organizations could tap into this concept and use it to benefit everyone.  Most companies come out with a list of goals that are some version of: increase revenues and decrease expenses.  Rah. Rah.  Who can get excited about that?  Is it any wonder that people are unenthused about their jobs?

Now, what if the CEO started describing his or her dream instead?  What if the annual meeting of next year’s goals started out with, “I have a dream that all our employees will never again worry about being ‘re-org’ed’ or losing their jobs.  I have a dream that all our people will be able to provide for their family with comfort and ease.  I have a dream that all our employees will reach their career aspirations within our organization.”  Think people could get inspired about that?  Think people would feel motivated to do whatever it took to realize this dream? 

It takes boldness and strong, visionary leadership to go out on a limb like that.  But people who are willing to go out on a limb for their dream, no matter what their dream is, are always the ones who realize something beyond what they can even imagine. 

As you look forward to the New Year, before you write your goals, dream boldly.  Describe your dream for 2009.   Paint a picture for yourself— something that you can see, touch, smell and hear when you close your eyes.  Then, capture it into a single sentence and place it somewhere you can see it every so often. 

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Lisa Ann Edwards is the Founder and CEO of Bloom Consulting Inc., a talent engagement and retention firm providing executive and leadership coaching for individuals who desire to develop or enhance their leadership skills and maximize their natural talents. Edwards has co-authored Measuring ROI in Coaching for New Hire Employee Retention: A Global Media Company published in ROI in Action Casebook (Pfeiffer, 2008) and Managing Talent Retention: An ROI Approach (Pfeiffer, 2009).  She is working on her third publication, a research-based approach to personal engagement.

Thinking About the New Year

I like this time of year. We have the opportunity to take a fresh looks at our lives, our goals, and - most importantly - our actions and results. Sure, we can do this at any time of the year, but do we?

I thought I would offer a few tempting treats for you as you contemplate the coming of 2009.

First - if you want want a little inspiration and virtual coaching regarding resolutions, you can download my free e-book called, "New Year's Resolutions for Leaders." Scroll down the page a bit until you find the right e-book. I put this little thing together four years ago and it is a quick 18-page offering.

Second, my pal and fellow management thought leader, Michael Kroth wrote an uplifting article in his December online newsletter called, "What if We All Took Bows?" Check it out.

Third, I think that the business world is ready for a positive revolution, don't you? This is an opportunity for you and me because revolutions happen one person and one action at a time (yes, the butterfly effect again). If we all asked and answered the question, "in what ways do we want to contribute to the business/world this year?" and then we manifested even one-tenth of our intent - things would change. Give it a try.

Invitation: Is there some small thing I can do for you that would make a big difference? Let me know.

My New Year's resolutions for this year:

1. Help managers/leaders as they manage and lead through these tough times - be a catalyst who helps managers excel in their difficult business climate. I want 2009 to be the year I focus my management development work on the areas that are most troublesome for managers right now. The basic management fundamentals won't cut it. There is a new business acumen.

2. Complete a marathon.

3. Spend more time (than I did in 2008) helping people and helping people who help people.

4. Eat chocolate (I always have this one on the list and always nail it).

5. Make one humongous positive change (work, home, hobby, self).

What's on your list?

Some people poo-poo resolutions and I bet they don't work for those folks at all (the self-fulfilling prophecy is at work, after all). Poo-poo the poo-pooers, I say! There is never a bad time to reflect and set goals that are so meaningful they make you shiver with delight. And when you follow these goals up with focused and aligned actions, your world shifts.

Dream. Do. Dream. Do. Dream. Do.

Need more help? You might enjoy Two Weeks to a Breakthrough (or if you can wait for the book to come in the mail, read the archives from the blog).

The Mess that "A Fresh New Face" Causes

I have been traveling in and out of Seatac Airport the last couple of days and if you have seen the news, you know that it has been a mess. Seattle does not have the practices, infrastructure or skills for so much snow. It's throwing us for a loop. Scroll through the pictures on the West Seattle blog to see the various takes on the snow. Some people are creating art! Some are so upset they might blow a gasket.

This got me thinking - the same thing happens when we hire new managers who are strange or different or an unknown commodity.

I have a friend, I will call him Tim, who seems to do this with each new leadership assignment. He comes in and upsets the comfortable apple cart. Some people rise to the occasion and some people get so upset they might blow a gasket.

Tim is great and he makes things happen. And he has not been SO STRANGE as to cause a "Seattle Snow Storm 2008" type pandemonium.

As hiring managers and HR pros, we often seek out those who can potentially upset the apple cart when we think the cart needs upsetting.

And in response to these catalytic managers, some will make art and some will blow gaskets.

What can we do to up the numbers of artists and lower the number and severity of busted gaskets?

They say there is more snow in the forecast for tomorrow night and then again on Wednesday, and this leads to my next metaphor and comparison.

People tire of having their apple carts tipped again and again - even the artists. We need a break (I need a break from the over a foot of frozen crunchy snow in front of my house) from the ambiguity and the unsettled feeling of jarring changes.

So if you are someone like Tim - just make sure that you give it a rest every now and again to let your folks catch up. In the long run, you will build their muscle memory for change and you will not freak them out so much.

One more thing - just because you are an apple cart tipper, this does not mean that you respond well when others tip YOUR apple cart. Change agents often gravitate to changes they can control and tend to blow gaskets when they feel done onto.

This is another clue about how to up the number of artists and lower blown gaskets - enroll people and give them as much control as possible. The more people who have some choice and control, the more controlled your change efforts will feel overall. Give control, get control. It's odd, but generally true.

Perhaps this is why yesterday I was in the "ready to blow a gasket" group - I felt like I could do very little to improve my circumstances. In fact, I had lots of options and I figured that out only after I stopped pouting and took back some - just a wee bit - of control.

Hip and Sage - Cool Lime Cover

I just found out that my forthcoming book, Hip and Sage, is listed on Amazon ALREADY. It does not come out until May. Book covers are always a big deal and often a disappointment. I think this one might be my favorite - very hip, don't you think?

12 Steps to Changing Your Career

Here is a guest post from Barbara Poole, founder of employaid.com.

12 Steps to Changing Your Career in a Slow Economy

Ok, the economy has officially tanked and you already know job security is about as real as Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny.  You feel it's time to do something else with your life, but you're not sure if this is the best time to change careers.  Well, guess what: there's no perfect time to make that perfect move, so don't wait for some promising sign to spur you into action.   If you want a new career, go for it.  And here are twelve steps to help make your career change a little easier.

1. Do you really want to change careers?  Or are you just ticked off today?  A career change is serious business.  Only undergo one after careful consideration. We all have terrible stretches at work that make us want to resign, but they pass…and come back…and pass…well, you get the picture.  But this is different from being totally fed up with your career choice.  Take some time off your current job and recharge.  If you return to work feeling the same dread, apathy, or frustration as before, maybe a career change is right for you.  But only you can decide that.

2. Take control.  You've decided it's time for a new career path but you're kind of scared.  That's understandable: Changing careers takes guts.  And most people only get the necessary chutzpah when they're out of a job.  But why let dire circumstances dictate your career moves?  You're in charge.  Be proactive.  Don't wait for things to happen to you.  Make them happen for you.

3. Be practical.  You want to herd sheep, make designer kites, or create energy drinks that cure the common cold?  Hey, good luck.  But make sure you can make a decent living, that's all.

4. Be committed.   Don't be one of those people who set out to change careers, and then give up when things get a little tough.  You have to be determined to make this work.  So promise yourself: You'll accept nothing short of success—no matter what setbacks come your way.  Remember, you can overcome any obstacle.  Just have faith.

5. Figure out what you want to do.  Research, research, research.  Get on the Internet and start learning as much as you can about the careers you're interested in. Read relevant trade papers and magazines.  Immerse yourself.  Find out the necessary skills and qualifications related to your possible career choices.  Of course, there's only so much you can learn online.  The next step…

6. Hear it straight from the horse's mouth.  Get out there and find people who are doing what you want to do.  Talk to them about the negative and positive aspects of that career. Find out the truth: the good, the bad, the ugly. Tell them not to pull any punches or sugarcoat anything.  Also, ask if you can spend some time observing what they do during a typical day.  Now's the time to find out if this new career is right for you.  In addition, the contacts you make during this time may help you down the road.

7. Figure out how you're going to do it.  So you've decided on a career choice.  But don't expect to start herding those sheep right away.  You have to do a little planning first.   How you will support yourself during your career change?  Will you remain at your current job until you save enough money to keep you going for several months, then quit and embark on your new adventure?  Or will you try out your new career first by freelancing or consulting on the side before making that full-time leap of faith?  It's up to you.

8. Learn how to do it.   If you've already mastered the job skills related to your new career, you're ready to go live. Otherwise, find out the educational or training requirements of your career choice and prepare to get up to speed.  For example, if you want to be a doctor or a lawyer, you'll need an advanced degree from a college or university.  If you want to write, you may have to take classes or attend workshops.  If you want to fix elevators or air conditioners, you'll probably have to go to trade school.  No matter what you want to do, just be prepared to learn what you must to be successful.

9. Oh, yeah, do it.   Look for opportunities to gain work experience within your new career. Try internships, apprenticeships, volunteering, or temping.  These are great ways to get your feet wet and get a taste of what the new career is like.

10. Be a little selfish.   Can you get some free job training at your current position that'll help you with your new career?  Hey, if it'll make you a better employee at your present job, there's no wrongdoing on your part.  Also, try to gain some on-the-job experience relevant to your future career change.  For example, if you want to be a writer, seek out opportunities to write at your current position.  In other words: be a little selfish and look after your own interests.

11. Act the part. You're now officially a career changer!  Learn the jargon.  Meet people in your new industry through networking events.  Also, seek out industry contacts (you know, the ones you made in step 6) to help you with your job search efforts.  Hey, you're a player now!

12. Stay positive.  You may have little support from family and friends.  Some may think you're nuts for trying to do something totally different.  Or believe you're a fool for walking away from ""job security.""  But so what?  It's your life.  You're responsible for your own happiness.  And hopefully, they'll come around.

So there you have it: twelve steps to help you make one of the most critical transitions in your life.  Hey, but don't let the magnitude of changing careers stress you out.  This is truly an exciting time for you.  Enjoy the ride!

Benjamin Zander - Possibilities

The Art of Possibility, by Benjamin and Rosamund Zander, is one of my favorite books. And Benjamin Zander is a hoot in person. Presentation Zen offers up a great post about a recent Zander performance.

I saw Zander in action a few years back and wrote about it and his book here.

In fact, The Art of Possibility would be a great gift book for someone looking to reenergize and reinvent. Buy a copy for all your colleagues this holiday season.

SUVs in Icy Conditions - A Metaphor for Bad Management?

I had to take Bill to the airport this morning. Here in Seattle, we are at the beginning of several days of sub-freezing temps. Yesterday is rained a bit, then turned to icy rain, then snowed. Overnight, it all froze and will stay frozen until mid-week.

I bet that you have seen this, too. You are driving gingerly on the icy roads and some 4X4 pick-up truck or SUV comes barreling past at high speeds. We all know that having 4-wheel drive does not make you invincible in icy conditions, and we all probably say the same things under our breath as the SUV whizzes by, "what an idiot."

Before you send me flaming emails, I know there are many good SUV drivers out there and I am sure you are one of them. :-) But come on, we all have seen this happen.

Somehow, having the SUV or truck enlivens the bravado of the driver into a false sense of competency.

As I returned home from the airport, I reflected on this and thought of management. Some managers, too, act with a bravado that is not supported by the conditions or their skills.

Like having 4-wheel drive, does having a title or rank or membership in the senior leader golf clique leave some managers feeling invincible?

We see this in politics, too. Nixon, the Illinois Governor (allegedly), and some might say our current president and VP exhibited more bravado than they ought to have.

If you are a manger, you don't want to be like the speedy SUV driver on icy roads. You don't want people around you thinking that you are an idiot and a danger to the organization.

The best managers and leaders maintain grace, even when they have flashy titles, perks, and paychecks. They are humble and grateful and take extra care during storms. They do not put people in danger by slicing through the organization just because they are in a hurry.

I am all for a sense of urgency and I like it when managers have a healthy self-confidence. Hollow bravado is just plain ignorant and may leave you upside-down on the side of the road needing help from all those people you have previously annoyed.

Photo credit from King 5.

For New Managers

Most of my books are published through traditional publishers, but I have self-published a couple of smaller books or specialized books using Lulu.com.

I was looking around in Lulu.com and found this book that I thought might interest those of you who are new to management.

Your First 90 Days in a New Job (How to Make and Impact). It was written by William Robinson. Check it out here.

I am drawn to the cover because it looks like the guy is sitting in White Sands National Monument, one of my favorite places. I do not know William Robinson and I have no idea if this is a great book, but I do know that self-published books are often very good but they don't get a lot of attention from the media or reviewers - so give this book a shot!

Another self-published book that I HAVE seen and can vouch for is Escape From Email Hell, written by fellow blogger Craig Huggart.

The Power of Sharing - And the Annoyance of Being Nickeled and Dimed

I just got back from teaching a workshop in Washington DC. The group was smart and warm and a lot of fun to work with. At the end, I asked for candid feedback about the workshop so that I can improve the workshop for future attendees. Their comments were very helpful.

I was quite touched and humbled by the thanks they extended to me for being generous with my work - Anything we discussed during the two days could be taken back and used without further purchase or license, etc...

On the LONG flight home (nearly six hours - yuck) I reflected on this notion and felt a bit sad that the simple act of sharing stood out as something unusual or special. Why is sharing not the NORM? Why would we not expect people and companies to give of themselves?

My pal Raj Setty recently wrote about this in a post called, A fundamental law - Give more and you will get more. I wholeheartedly agree with Raj on this and have seen it happen for me with my career.

This post is not just for consultants. Each of you has a sharing vs. charging style, too. When you work with others, do they feel like you have contributed something or taken something away? To get your way, do you have to PUSH (persuade, sell) or do you find that people PULL you toward them (enroll)?

Managers - are your people feeling nickeled and dimed by your gnatty requests and irrational changes in priorities? To what degree are you generous with your time, attention, and assistance?

I know that I can improve my sharing versus charging "score" and so can you. Let's all think about what we can do today to be more generous - and then let's do that today.

Why Management is Like a GPS

I was in Dallas last week facilitating a workshop. Three of us went to dinner, heading to a restaurant recommended by the hotel front desk personnel. The driver, Terry Starbucker, had a rental car with a Never Lost GPS unit.

As we struggled to find the nearby restaurant, we made several turns that the GPS did not intend for us to make and it had to recalculate the route.

Well, it turns out that the restaurant had closed down, but that is not what dominated our in-car conversation. It was the GPS.

The workshop was about management, so management was top of mind, even as our bellies were wishing we would focus on finding dinner. We started talking about how the GPS says, "recalculating route" when we take a wrong turn. And then it hit us that this is essentially what management is all about.

Every day, our employees, peers and managers travel through their days. Sometimes we take the right turns and sometimes we get off course. Sometimes, because of barriers and breakdowns, a new route is needed even when we are on the correct road.

Great management is the proactive act of recalculating the best route forward for all the people and processes we touch.

I like how the GPS uses the same pleasant tone no matter how many times we veer off track. Managers would be well served to learn from this. Recalculating the route is a normal daily management task, and should not be a source of irritation or frustration. It is why we are here and why we are needed. To be the one to take the initiative and have the foresight to constantly recalculate and help organizations find their way.