Jeannette Seibly

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has been an award-winning executive coach, keynote speaker and business author for more than 32 years. Her expertise is guiding leaders to hire, coach, and manage teams to achieve unprecedented results. Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation @ JLSeibly@SeibCo.com

Do You Know How to De-escalate Conflict?

by

Many business professionals today have trouble talking face-to-face with others. They rely on texts, IMs, and emails. The problem is, those communication methods are not highly proficient in uncovering miscommunications or understanding someone’s true feelings about a topic because there is no tone or context – they are only words. As a result, conflicts, upsets, disagreements and hurt feelings occur. These limit a leader’s effectiveness in achieving intended results and keeping team members happy.

The challenge? Most people are fearful of talking with another person and fail to take responsibility for developing skills that elicit the best in others. Conflicts will occur. Before everyone heads for cover, learn how to de-escalate conflict and get everyone talking to reach win-win-win solutions.

Here are 3 Techniques …

Take Turns. While this sounds easy to do, it’s not in the heat of the moment. Let the other person go first to state their thoughts and opinions, and listen. Then, repeat back what you heard them say to their satisfaction before sharing your thoughts and opinions. Keep doing this until you reach either an agreement or both agree to disagree.

Keep Talking. Giving team members the silent treatment or giving up on your concerns as unimportant during a conversation won’t make a difference. Why? They know you stopped listening. Their natural response will be to raise their voice so you can hear them and you may become fearful of their yelling. Remember, their upset has been building for a while … so don’t interrupt them while they are talking. If you do, they will simply start back at the beginning. If you participate by raising your voice, it will only result in an escalation of raised voices and additional upsets – with no winners. Again, take turns sharing ideas as mentioned in the above paragraph. When voices are raised unnecessarily, remind them, in a quiet voice, you only hear part of what they are saying when they speaking louder than what you feel comfortable with.

Agree to Disagree. Whenever someone presents a point of view we don’t agree with, we will normally communicate verbally and subtly, “You’re wrong.” This will create defensiveness in the other person and will shut down further communication, escalating upsets. The key is, talk it out! Most conflicts or disagreements can be resolved by taking turns to talk things out. In situations where there appears to be no agreement, it’s far more effective to say, “It seems like we disagree about that.” Why? Because it’s a fact. Table the conversation and make sure to come back to it later after further evaluation.

As a leader, you can pay now or pay later. Resolving conflict and developing healthy discussions are critical to resolve anything! Take the time now to develop the skills required for you and your team, before the issues escalate and it becomes difficult to resolve in a win-win-win manner.

©Jeannette L. Seibly, 2016

As an executive, business owner and fast-track leader, communication is everything. Get your copy of: How to Have a Conversation Beyond 140 Characters! (Break through your #1 fear when having conversations!) http://ow.ly/QFq3304zAeK OR contact Jeannette to provide training sessions for you and your team members. http://SeibCo.com/contact

Jeannette Seibly has been a business advisor and executive coach for 24 years; along the way she’s guided the creation of three millionaires. She is laser sharp at identifying the leverage points that will take a business and its team to the next level of performance and success. Check out her website, http://SeibCo.com, or contact Jeannette for a free, confidential conversation at http://SeibCo.com/contact.

4 Requirements for Creating New Solutions to Old Problems

by

4 Requirements for Creating New Solutions to Old Problems

All business owners, executives and entrepreneurs face challenges in their businesses. They could be from growing pains, avoiding a financial downfall or setting up the company resources for a buy-out. Regardless of the reason, there are issues that must be addressed to ensure intended results. Now is the time to do so while they are still manageable.

Years ago a company got hit with a lot of lawsuits from its employees. They were looking for golden parachutes that had been promised to them by the owner when they started working with the company years ago, but hadn’t materialize after the company was sold. A national campaign was inadvertently started by filing workers’ compensation claims in retaliation. After a couple of years, a medical doctor remarked, someone must have seriously dissed someone to create this much brouhaha. The company’s assets were eventually sold and the doors closed.

Could this happen to you? Yes, even when you are in the early stages of company growth.

Understand Your Business Pain Threshold

What is yours? When you are attempting to resolve an issue or create a new opportunity, old habits will get in the way. Why? They are comfortable and don’t require change. However, change always starts with your mindset, and that of your team, and is reflected in the culture, policies, systems and attitudes towards working with others. Lower your pain threshold and minimize mischief by honoring your promises. Follow-through to ensure you are creating a great place to work. This is an important blind spot for most businesses that fail to take care of their employees, vendors and customers.

Look Fear in the Eye

The underlying issue in resolving any problem is fear. It could be the fear of upsetting employees, boards, bosses, and/or investors. It could be the additional fears of not having enough money, resources, the right people, paying customers, etc.

First, get to the source of your real fear and talk it out with your business advisor.

Second, take an honest look at the problem: for example, uncovering a system problem could cost a lot of money to fix. Or, maybe, you’ve been hiring the wrong people that have great portfolios, but simply don’t fit or are not resourceful in resolving issues. At this point simply get real about the issue and don’t jump into fixing it.

Third, create an achievable plan to resolve the concern with your management team.

Fourth, follow-through by staying actively involved.

Get Real

Many of us love the Band-Aid approach to fixing a problem because it’s faster and usually cheaper (in the short run). But, it’s usually why the problem still exists! Quick fixes or “waiting until you have the time” rarely produces the needed change. You cannot transform anything without getting real about it. The key is, when the same or similar problems keep coming up, it means you haven’t gotten to the heart or source of the issue. Start by creating an environment of trust and respect. Yes, it takes time and the time to start is now! Allow healthy conflict to occur in dialogue by training your team on persuasive listening techniques. Then, follow-through and follow-up to ensure you are on track to achieve the needed solutions. Help your team (and/or hire an executive coach) get outside their comfort zone and keep them on track.

Talk Straight!

As leaders, too often we are afraid of telling the whole truth, even to ourselves. The additional challenge is our egos won’t tell us what the real truth is! Instead we play the blame game and do not take responsibility for where we are. We fail to create the mindset of let’s get busy moving forward. The key is, what lessons have we learned and how are/were they applied to the next plan, project or issue.

First, set aside the mindset of how it “should be” and look at the problem from the perspective it is as it is, now what?

Second, share your thoughts and ideas in a manner that encourages brainstorming, not fait accompli with your team and board.

Third, stay away from time consuming, distracting shiny objects and expend the time to ensure your employees stay onboard by including them in strategy creation, plan formulation and execution.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2016

Jeannette Seibly has been a business advisor and executive coach for 24 years; along the way she’s guided the creation of three millionaires. She is laser sharp at identifying the leverage points that will take a business and its team to the next level of performance and success. Check out her website, http://SeibCo.com, or contact Jeannette for a free, confidential conversation at http://SeibCo.com/contact.

Do You Have True Strategy Know-How?

by

“Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” John D. Rockefeller

Many times we believe we are being strategic … or so we think. Yet, too often we fall victim to regurgitating what has already been done with a slight twist. Most of us want to play it safe and are fearful of the proverbial “rocking the boat.” According to Wikipedia, strategy is a high level plan to achieve one or more goals under conditions of uncertainty. Based on this definition, without some boat-rocking, the new idea, program or plan won’t make a difference in the achieving the intended results. The challenge is, how do we elicit intended results, new ways of doing business, or new mindsets that have us enjoy our jobs, create new opportunities and succeed in face of uncertainty?

How to Create Great Results …

Mindset. This is where it starts … dealing with the uncertainty. It’s very easy to create a new idea, program or plan. But, without a “can do” mindset, it won’t happen. The challenge is, keeping a positive can do mindset from conception through execution, in spite of the uncertainty you may feel. To execute successfully requires keeping everyone on the same page, listening to your nay-sayers and handling their fears and concerns. Stay focused on the outcomes and the intended end results, despite any doubts, controversy or challenges. Put reminders in place to reinforce the “We can do it and we do it well” mindset. Some ideas to keep everyone moving forward are a quick daily team meeting, a post-it on your mirror, and a quick electronic update to the team and key supporters.

Team. No person can achieve high level results on their own. You need others to help plan, implement and execute anything. Make sure you and your team are on the same page by encouraging healthy dialogues, including addressing conflicts with respectful conversations. Train your team to work together and handle the administrative, financial, operational and people side of any project. Remember, to stay within your budget, which will force everyone to become resourceful. Stay in communication with your boss or board about the team’s progress! And, perhaps the most important action for you to take is to publicly appreciate and acknowledge each and every person’s contributions.  This one single action will stop saboteurs who don’t feel their contributions are valued.

Strategy. Again, if the goal is not something that will move a company, group or idea forward, it’s probably not a strategy. It’s simply a tactical, “feel-good” idea at the moment. Train your team to truly brainstorm by eliciting everyone’s ideas and thoughts. Do not short-change this most important part of the process by latching onto the first good idea or acquiescing to the most dominate team member. Ensure each person is aligned with the goal and do not change the goal to reflect your actual results! Put together the milestones and details before venturing forth. Run the high level strategy by a couple of objective mentors to see what might be missing (don’t forget signed Non-Disclosure Agreements). Regroup and address any important concerns before the launch date.

Execute. This can be the most difficult part of the process. Keep the right people on board who are aligned with the intended results and are aware of the progress. Remember, most employees, bosses and boards don’t like surprises, so make sure the I’s are dotted and T’s crossed.

Focus on the end result and communicate the benefits available for everyone (hint, do not focus on the bumps in the process, and remember there will be some if this is a new strategy). Make your strategy great, don’t settle for good enough.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2016

Jeannette Seibly is a great results-producer, and has been a business advisor and facilitator for over 23 years. She is laser sharp at identifying the leverage points that will take a business and its team to the next level of performance and success. Check out her website: http://SeibCo.com or contact Jeannette for a free, confidential conversation at http://SeibCo.com/contact

What to Do When Hiring Former Employees

by

Consider this scenario: Sara left to start her own company after working for you as a customer service rep two years ago. John was a good sales person before jumping to your competitor for a larger commission. Why would you consider rehiring them … ?

… Because circumstances change. Great talent is in high demand and difficult to find. Former employees who want to work for you again show that your company can be a great place to work. Former employees bring a broader work experience that can be invaluable to attracting and keeping customers, building new systems, and updating policies. But even though rehiring employees may sound like an automatic win-win-win situation, clarity is crucial. Remember, they had a reason for leaving.  It’s important for you to follow the same selection procedures for new hires to uncover those reasons, or the same or similar upsets could arise again.

Clarity Is Crucial

Memories are Not Reliable. The biggest challenge is learning about who your former employees are today — their interests, goals and mindsets may have changed. Part of the interview process should include discussing why they left in the first place and any cultural, procedural and customer changes that have occurred since then. What are the biggest challenges your company is facing today? How would they be an asset?  Drill down for clarity to ensure both of you understand what it will take to execute the solutions required.

Truthfulness is Key. Use qualified assessments to clarify core values, like honesty and loyalty, and job fit. Include skill testing to determine the quality of the candidate’s technical abilities. Remember, they left for a reason – often they were not a good fit with all of the job requirements.  Review changes in work processes and job expectations to ensure they understand how important these are.

Onboarding is Important. Companies change. Although former employees may be able to hit the ground running with less training – it’s important to have them slow down to develop new relationships with other employees and customers. Remind them they need to prove themselves again and not rely on “the way things used to be.” Have them participate in an onboarding program as if they are a brand-new employee and suggest that they listen and behave as if they are hearing things for the first time.

Recruit Proactively. Initially, reach out to former employees by buying them a cup of coffee or a quick lunch. It’s a great way to gauge their career aspirations, now and in the near future. Share with them the mission of the company and your goals. Ask about their recent work experiences, and what their goals are. Give a brief overview of requirements (work schedule, job responsibilities, etc.) to test their interest.  If there is mutual interest, tell them how the selection process works. If they do not follow through, let them go. Clearly, there was a lack of willingness on their part, regardless of what they told you.

Hiring costs time and money. In the end, it may be easier to train a new person than to rehire an employee who cannot adapt to change. However, hiring former employees can be a win-win-win solution if there is clarity and willingness.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2016

Jeannette Seibly has been a business advisor and facilitator for over 23 years; she guides the creation of new solutions for business challenges and is the author of Hire Amazing Employees http://BizSavvyHire.com. Check out her website, http://SeibCo.com, or contact Jeannette for a free, confidential conversation at http://SeibCo.com/contact .

Are You a Leader that Actually Leads?

by

leadership6No one is born a leader — leadership skills are built over time as a result of experiences, mastery and commitment. When we attain a leadership position within our company, it’s important that we have already learned how to work with and through others to get the job done on time and within budget. Now, it’s time to take those basic skills and hone them. At every level of leadership comes a new level of responsibility and opportunities. Are you ready to build on them to successfully support you and the people you lead?

7 Keys to Being a Leader that Actually Leads:

Engage Others. Forcing others, manipulating outcomes or attempting to outtalk your team will not support your efforts to manage effectively. Once your team, and others within the company, is upset with you, it becomes harder to get them to perform at their best, listen to your ideas and work with you. Acknowledge their great ideas and efforts, and work with them by rolling up your sleeves to produce intended outcomes in a win-win-win manner.

Integrity is Key. Good people don’t like to work for someone that cuts corners and overlooks important details. Making decisions based upon how you feel rarely works out well either. Learn how to brainstorm for solutions, work through legal and financial considerations, and setup true strategies Remember, the best solutions may not provide the easiest and fastest pathways. And, when you make a mistake, apologize and clean it up! It sets a great example for others.

Listen for New Possibilities in All Ideas. Being a leader who actually leads means you have really great listening skills. You’ve put down your electronic gadgets and are hearing the spoken words and unspoken messages that are being conveyed. You are able to ask the right questions to elicit the best from others and build on their ideas – no matter how off-the-wall they may initially seem. You become a leader that others enjoy working with to create solutions.

Respect Them. Your job isn’t to be a critical parent, particularly when some of the people you may be managing are older than you with lots of great work experience and ideas. Learn to “pick their brains” and rely upon them to get the job done without micromanaging them. Stay aware of the results your employees produce. Acknowledge any progress made, no matter how small. Respect will build an effective team.

Keep Your Skills Sharp. Take management courses to clean out any cobwebs that impede your ability to work effectively with others – it will keep you sharp. Remember, the higher up in the corporate world you climb, your people skills will matter more than your technical knowledge. Those skills make being a leader a lot easier too.

Take Care of Yourself. While it’s critical that you are taking care of your employees and ensuring they have the resources they need to get their jobs done, it’s equally important that you take care of yourself. Schedule time to spend with your family and friends having fun! Get involved in activities outside of work that you enjoy (e.g., golf, reading, travelling, volunteering, etc.). A happy leader is more likely to have happy and productive employees.

Great Leaders have Coaches. Don’t be afraid to hire a coach for yourself to help you navigate the challenges you will inevitably face. The right one will help you make better and more timely decisions. Plus, having a coach will help you understand how to be a leader others want to follow!

Being a leader that actually leads comes with a new level of responsibility to others. Review the 7 keys. Now ask yourself … are you ready?

©Jeannette Seibly, 2016

Jeannette Seibly has been a business advisor and executive coach for over 23 years; along the way she’s guided the creation of three millionaires. She is laser sharp at identifying the leverage points that will take a business and its team to the next level of performance and success. Check out her website, http://SeibCo.com, or contact Jeannette for a free, confidential conversation at http://SeibCo.com/contact.

You Need to Communicate Beyond 140 Characters

by

“What if we spent more time face to face, communicating with our lips rather than our thumbs, and synced our hearts rather than our iPhones?” Sunil Bali

Everyone has issues from time to time with co-workers, bosses, customers and vendors. Many times the normal way of handling these upsets is to wait and hope the issue goes away or to think, “It’s really no big deal.”

The challenge is that most people prefer connecting with others via texts, emails and other messaging methods. The problem is, those communication methods are not highly proficient in uncovering misunderstandings. They overlook new opportunities and important nuances. As a result, the wrong word or phrase can evolve into a major controversy quickly. Or, instead, people can allow their upset to slowly build over time until it becomes a big deal and no one understands how the issue got started.

As a leader, you don’t have the luxury of ignoring the impact you have on others. Putting off addressing upsets or avoiding tough face-to-face conversations will not result in these issues resolving themselves. While you wait for the perfect time, you will lose valued employees and customers, and possibly your career.

The key is to start talking now, face to face, before there is an issue. Then you will be more likely to address concerns in a positive manner as they occur, quickly and effectively. Yes, this means putting down your cell phone and talking with other people face to face, or via FaceTime or Skype.

Build Effective Interactions

Look for Commonalities. Having ongoing conversations when there are no issues make it easier to talk when there is an issue. Instead of focusing on differences when having conversations, look for common interests or experiences. For example, if the other person likes football, start a conversation with “How about those Denver Broncos?” Then talk about a work challenge that both of you have been experiencing. Keep the conversation on point. Build on similarities, not differences.

Expand Your Awareness. Your perceptions are your realities and are often based upon your biases, experiences and other cultural factors. People do what they do – they can be unpredictable. This makes connecting harder for leaders who do not have a natural interest in working with and through people. Expand your awareness by accepting others as they are, not as you believe they “should be.” One way for you to build your awareness is to take a workshop that can help you bridge these gaps in perception.

Acknowledge Others. Many times, a simple, positive acknowledgment can go a long way in building relationships. Try calling people and telling them their pictures or quotes are great on social media instead of just clicking “Like.” Share when someone has a great idea and/or did a great job resolving a particular issue during a meeting. Be specific and consistent in your praise.

Have Those Difficult Conversations

Straight Talk! Yes, it’s OK to be direct and tell the truth. Practice role-playing with your coach, mentor or boss. Keep the issue simple and on point. For example, you might say: “Remember when we went to visit a vendor and you made the comment that I was your assistant? I was bothered by what you said since we have the same job title.” Give others an opportunity to apologize. Then talk about a better way to handle these types of interactions.

Focus on the Facts. Too often we come from how we feel when there is an issue. While our feelings can be important, they often color the truth about what factually happened. Ask others for their version of the facts. Listen carefully and repeat back to them what you heard them say before offering your version. That way you will quickly find the core discrepancy that caused the issue in the first place. Then ask them how they would resolve the issue before offering your point of view. Build a win-win resolution.

Forgiveness Is Important. We’ve all done things we’re not proud of. Compassion and forgiveness can go a long way when you, your co-workers or your employees have said or done something you shouldn’t have. Forgive them. Forgive yourself. Remember, forgiveness helps everyone move on.

The key is to start talking early, face to face. Don’t wait. Learn how to talk through issues now!

Having trouble understanding how to have a conversation face to face? Get your copy of How to Have a Conversation Beyond 140 Characters! (Break through your #1 fear when having conversations!) http://ow.ly/mADC302AblD

©Jeannette Seibly, 2016

Jeannette Seibly has been a business advisor and executive coach for over 23 years; along the way she’s guided the creation of three millionaires. She is laser sharp at identifying the leverage points that will take a business and its team to the next level of performance and success. Check out her website, http://SeibCo.com, or contact Jeannette for a free, confidential conversation at http://SeibCo.com/contact.

Stop Struggling and Hire the Right Employees

by

People are unpredictable and so are the employees we hire! Most business owners and executives would readily agree! It can be hard to accurately predict what people will or won’t do. The biggest challenge is, hiring the right employees when they look the part, say the right things and tell you they have beaucoup experience. Yet, within a very short period of time on the job, the person who is showing up on the job isn’t the person who you interviewed. The problem isn’t that the person has changed, the problem is your hiring process didn’t work. Why?

Infuse Predictability into Your Hiring System

Use qualified assessments for hiring and promotion. Too often, we rely on non-qualified assessments or no assessments at all. These non-qualified assessments, commonly referred to as social indicators, offer face validity — this means they show the results of how job candidates want to be seen and how the interviewer wants to see them. This is rarely a reflection of how the candidate will actually think and behave, or their true work interest on the job. Most of these same tools don’t provide predictive validity or reliability, which are both required by the Department of Labor (DOL) guidelines for pre-employment assessments. For better results, you need better, objective information by using predictable assessment tools! They help you reduce costs, save time, improve retention and sleep better at night!

Stop Relying Solely on Your Intuition

Whenever you are hiring or promoting, you typically rely on your interviewing skills or having worked with the person. This is where the unpredictability of people can cost you a lot of money, time and stress.

While the costs of hiring mistakes are well documented, often overlooked is the biggest unrealized expense: taking a good employee and promoting or moving them into a job function that doesn’t fit. They take the position for many reasons … many take the opportunity for a pay increase, more flexibility (if working remotely), increased credibility with co-workers, or for a variety of other personal and professional motives. The challenge is, when they don’t work out, they usually leave, often taking your good customers with them. What could you have done differently?

Set Up Predictable Systems

There are over 3,000 assessment tools on the market today. Very few are in compliance with the DOL for hiring and promoting purposes. It’s why we lack predictability when hiring, training and coaching employees to be great in their current and future roles within the company. It pays to take the time to select the right assessment so you hire and promote the right employees. Doing so helps you retain and attract great customers, while increasing profitability and performance!

Here is a partial list of guidelines taken from Hire Amazing Employees (www.BizSavvyHire.com) to help you select the right assessment tool for hiring and promoting purposes:

  • Technical Manual: get the manual — do not rely solely on a letter from a law firm.
  • Reliability and Validity: does it meet the minimum requirements with the Department of Labor guidelines for employment selection purposes?
  • Predictive Validity: what is the window for predicting future behaviors: hours, weeks, or years?
  • Measures Thinking Style, Core Behaviors and Occupational Interests: interestingly, thinking style is found to be a very important measure.
  • Types of Reports Available and Cost for Each One: selection, coaching, leadership, sales, supervisory, team, career fit, succession planning, and workforce planning.
  • Distortion Factor: is the person being forthright in answering the questions?

While it can be hard to accurately predict what people will or won’t do, it’s important to infuse your hiring and selection practices with predictability. The best way to do this is to use qualified assessment tools as part of your selection process.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2016

For a complete list of how to improve your hiring practices, contact me or get a copy of Hire Amazing Employees @ www.BizSavvyHire.com

Jeannette Seibly has been a business advisor and facilitator for over 23 years; she is laser sharp at identifying the leverage points that will take a business and its team to the next level of performance and success. Check out her website: www.SeibCo.com or contact Jeannette for a free, confidential conversation at www.SeibCo.com/contact.

Get Better Results from Better Decisions

by

A business owner wanted to grow his business. He loved inventing grandiose ideas, but failed to create sustainable infrastructures to support them. For example, he wanted to hire great customer service people and staff up his technical support team. The problem was, he was unable to setup and unwilling to follow a sustainable (and legal) selection system to find people and vet them. Instead, he would entice people from larger employers to come and work for his much smaller company, falsely believing if the person worked for that big company they would naturally succeed in his growing business. Even though he was cautioned about job fit and culture fit when hiring those people, he wouldn’t listen. He even used non-qualified assessments because they were free and supported his decisions! Six months later the people left and started their own company, taking several important clients with them.

4 Ways to Acquire Better Information to Make Better Decisions

Whether you are hiring or making other business decisions, it’s important you take the time to use the right tools, listen to others and build decisions that will positively impact your business today, and tomorrow! The easy fixes do not usually produce the best sustainable results.

Stop Overthinking. There is an old adage, talking to yourself is talking to a fool. While no one wants to think of him- or herself as a fool, the challenge is, relying on your own thoughts does not provide new and valid information. And, latching onto a new idea, without talking through the pros and cons of how it would or could work in your organization, will not produce the best results either.

Take time to learn the art of brainstorming … it will save time, money and sleepless nights! Instead of pondering an issue or problem to death in your head, brainstorm possible solutions with your team, and, at this point, don’t get stopped by any of the details. Later in the decision-making process, include those off-the-wall ideas that may have more merit when looked at closer.

Slow Down the Decision Process. We live in a world where people love to make decisions in a nano-second. Unfortunately, relying on the tiniest fragments of information is not a valid or sustainable process when making decisions. Many times people that make decisions too quickly, also change their minds just as quickly, creating chaos within their business.

Take time to talk through the pros and cons of your brainstorming session(s). Pick at least five reasons something will work before disregarding it. Investigate the legalities, financial, people, current policies and procedures, and operational impacts before making any final decisions. Yes, it will take more time upfront, but usually saves beaucoup bucks. You will have more time for fun and enjoy restful nights!

Listen to Others with Differing Opinions Before Making Final Decisions. Listening to information you may not wish to hear, or feeling it requires too much effort to learn the truth, only limits your results. Whenever poor decisions are made, the underlying issue(s) never go away!

Putting frosting on mud pie and calling it a cake doesn’t change it from a mud pie!

For example, people love using non-qualified assessment tools to hire people. These tools have great face validity but do not comply with the Department of Labor regs for pre-employment use. This means they show the results of how job candidates want to be seen and how the interviewer wants to see them. This is rarely a reflection of how the candidate will really behave, think or do their work, causing a lot of mischief once they are on the payroll.

Listen as if your business’s success depends upon your doing so … because it does!

Communicate the Outcome so that Everyone Wins. Once you’ve made the final decision, it’s important to communicate the outcome, but beware of spinning it. This will only cause the underlying issue(s) to perpetuate within your company culture — slowly but surely. Next time the same or similar issue will cost more time, more money and maybe your job or company!

You want your employees, customers, vendors and business associates to authentically feel the decisions you make are fair and you’ve followed your own company values, policies and procedures, and other important data. Doing so will build good, sustainable results so that everyone wins.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2016

Jeannette Seibly has been a business advisor and facilitator for over 23 years; she is laser sharp at identifying the leverage points that will take a business and its team to the next level of performance and success. Check out her website: http://SeibCo.com or contact Jeannette for a free, confidential conversation at http://SeibCo.com/contact.

Managing Remote Candidates with Less Skepticism

by

Many companies today are expanding their applicant pool by hiring candidates to work remotely. It’s a great way to hire hard-to-find employees with specific technical skills that do not wish to move. It’s also a great way to keep current employees that are moving. The challenge is, many times work-from-home employees need better interaction skills and work discipline to ensure a high level of work product and seamless interactions. Bosses tend to be skeptical about trusting the independent employee to get the work done and stay in communication with team members in the office.

Here are 6 keys to Lessen the Skepticism

Conduct Normal Due Diligence. When hiring a new remote person, conduct full due diligence (e.g., background checks, references and employment verification). For both the new hire and the moving employee, don’t forget to talk with current and previous bosses, co-workers, customers and vendors to ensure satisfactory interactions and work quality. For new hires, use a qualified core value assessment to ascertain someone’s level of integrity and reliability to ensure things will get done in a timely manner.

Use a Job Fit Assessment. Use a qualified assessment to clarify if the person fits the primary job duties and is capable of working alone remotely. The biggest expense that is often unrealized when taking a high-producing employee and moving them, is that the structure that supported their success will dramatically change! For example, does the person have the tech skills required to be productive?  Can the sales person close a sale by themselves? Are they willing and capable to build a new network in their new community? These are only some of the critical issues to address upfront!

Ability to Work Independently. Company expectations that the employee show up and get the work done is easier to manage in an office setting. The built-in support system to readily handle customer inquiries and concerns is easier when the person is in the cubicle next door. Often overlooked, family expectations for pet, child and elder care often falls on the stay-at-home person. Talk to them upfront about the work expectations: specific work hours, interactions with others without distractions, and the ability to accomplish the work in a timely manner.

Designated Space and Confidentiality. Have them setup a separate workspace from the main living areas of their home. The computer and equipment should be for work use only and is supplied by the company! And more importantly, remember to talk about confidentiality. Confidentiality can be easily compromised when items are left out in the open, computers are not Wi-Fi protected, and computer screens can be easily seen by others.

Keep Them in the Loop. The reality is, coworkers may resent someone working from home and forget to keep them up-to-speed. Because they are not where the action is occurring, politically they will miss out on the subtle changes and expectations. As their boss, stay in direct communication and require attendance at team meetings (via video call or their physical presence). Also, weekly one-on-one conference calls can help ensure work flow, sharing of important communication and awareness of additional training that may be required.

On-site meetings. Require attendance at on-site quarterly or bi-annual meetings. This will encourage coworkers to meet one another and develop better working relationships. It’s a great opportunity for additional team training that can be harder to achieve relying solely on e-learning.

Managing people remotely as a boss requires sharpening your listening skills and developing an ability to manage results differently. Attracting and keeping top level talent makes it well worth your time!

©Jeannette Seibly, 2016

Jeannette Seibly has been a business advisor and executive coach for over 23 years; and along the way, guided the creation of three millionaires. She is laser sharp at identifying the leverage points that will take a business and its team to the next level of performance and success. Check out her website: http://SeibCo.com or contact Jeannette for a free, confidential conversation at http://SeibCo.com/contact.

Are You Ready to be a Manager?

by

Many millennials believe they are ready to take the next step up in their career and become a manager. The key question is, are you ready? To be successful, it requires the effort of both you and your boss to ensure readiness and clarity of expectations.

Preparation for the Job

Developing yourself starts before you are given the job title. Your success as a manager will rely more on people and project management skills rather than technical expertise. Start now to develop these talents by taking courses and workshops. If you really want to excel, hire yourself a coach. Additionally, get involved in industry and trade associations since they offer another great way to develop these abilities.

First 90 Days on the Job

When you become a manager, it’s important you have a straight conversation with your boss about expectations and outcomes. More importantly, listen more than talk! You may believe you understand what will be required in your new role; however, being a manager will open up many new and unfamiliar challenges. Schedule weekly conversations with your boss, or more, to ensure you’re on track.

Here are some guidelines to help you:

Clarify. Get on the same page with your boss by reviewing the expectations, job description, and top three goals. This is a critical first step. Also, clarify what can realistically be accomplished in the first 90 days—and remember, your success will depend on your ability to effectively delegate and manage the work of others.

Adjust Perspective. This is the biggest challenge. While you may believe you understand the new role and unwritten expectations, that’s rarely the case. Advancing from employee to manager is like moving from the ground floor to the top floor of a three-story apartment building. The street level provides a limited view (employee). The second floor offers a broader view (manager). And the third floor provides an even wider view (executive). Adjust your mindset by being open to expanding your thoughts and perceptions of how things should be.

Listen and Learn! Find an internal mentor to help teach you what is expected as you move up the company ladder. Company politics are part of any business culture. Hire a coach that can confidentially answer your questions and strategically help you move forward with confidence and competence.

Slow Down Any Changes. Use the first 90 days to learn the terrain. Recommending changes too quickly can create unnecessary upsets. Again, listen and learn — this time from employees, peers and customers. Get their input and build on their ideas before making any modifications. One small change can impact an entire system.

Promote Communication. It’s important for you to meet with all team members, peers and upper management — one-on-one—regardless of previous relationships—to ask questions about departments, goals, expectations and any other concerns.

Second 90 Days on the Job

Remember, You’re Still Learning! Adopting this mindset for the rest of your career will help you tremendously. The challenge for many at this point is they think they have it all handled. Remember, humility will build needed relationships, while a little ego will help you get things done. Not the other way around!

Build on Relationships. Attend professional trade shows and other events to help you stay abreast of industry changes, while expanding your circle of contacts. Their expertise can come in handy when you have a challenge or need to address an issue. Internally, stay in contact with peers, talking about concerns and creating new opportunities. Continuing your weekly meetings with your mentor and boss will keep you on target as you grow into your new role.

Execute Plans and Achieve Intended Results. The goal for you is to elicit the best from others by effectively and productively working with and through them. In order for you to move upward, you need to show you can develop yourself and others, while delivering intended results.

People want to work for true leaders, and being a great manager is the perfect place to start.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2016

Jeannette Seibly has been a business advisor and executive coach for over 23 years; and along the way, guided the creation of three millionaires. She is laser sharp at identifying the leverage points that will take a business and its team to the next level of performance and success. Check out her website: http://SeibCo.com or contact Jeannette for a free, confidential conversation at http://SeibCo.com/contact.