Most busy professionals allow their better judgment to be thwarted in an attempt to look good, save time, or keep their job, a client, or an employee. Making bad decisions can take its toll on you, the company, and your team. Take time to breathe before making a decision. Yes, the simple act of breathing and counting from 1 to 10 before making a decision can save you 10 minutes, months, or years in attempting to rectify that moment.
Jeannette Seibly
What to do when you’re caught in a lie.
When you lie, whether it’s a “white lie,” omission of truth, or blatant misrepresentation, others will sense it and no longer trust you as a leader or boss. They will question your decisions and second-guess any assignments or directives you give them. Some will work around you, and others may skip over you and talk with your boss.
Remember, the truth will be told eventually. Lying is a nasty habit to break, and threatening others to keep your secrets will only create additional harm. Simply apologize and tell the truth, using as many facts as possible. Yes, there may be repercussions–but better to handle them now than after further damage has been done.
(c)Jeannette L. Seibly, 2013
Mediocrity Stifles Results
All business owners and executives wish to succeed in their business. Yet when they hire inexperienced and unseasoned professionals, thinking they are saving money, their bottom line suffers. Why? The employees have not had time to develop the business knowledge and acumen needed to perform at the level required, instead relying on “it’s good enough.” Mediocrity stifles results—you get what you pay for.
When hiring for any position, be clear about the attributes required for the person to succeed, and the required results for the company to prosper. Use a structured interview to ensure the person has the actual hands-on experience by drilling down into his or her responses. Often candidates talk hypothetically, not having had the actual responsibility you are looking for. Use a qualified assessment to ensure they have the thinking style, occupational interests, and capabilities to do the job the way it needs to be done to achieve great results. Don’t be afraid to conduct reference checks to ensure the person can and will actually do the work, not just talk about it. (For further information on how to do it, get your copy of Hire Amazing Employees, Second Edition (BizSavvyHire.com).
Although hiring people light on experience and heavy on job fit can be a good idea, realize it will take an extra investment of time and money before they can produce at the level required. Adjust your expectations appropriately.
©Jeannette L. Seibly, 2013
Jeannette Seibly has been hiring amazing employees for over 34 years. She delivers straight talk with immediate results to business owners and executives of $1MM to $30MM enterprises, achieving dynamic results. You may contact her at JLSeibly@SeibCo.com to discuss your hiring challenges. Get her newest book, Hire Amazing Employees, Second Edition: Improve Your Profits (and Your Work Life)! http://BizSavvyHire.com. It includes templates for interviews and reference checking.
The Know-It-Alls
“Your attitude not your aptitude will determine your altitude.” —Zig Ziglar
Did you accidentally hire a Know-It-All? How did it happen? The answer: They had all the right answers and you failed to dig deeper into how they achieved them. They possessed the technical skills you really desired and their references agreed, but gave superficial responses to questions about their ability to work well with others.
The Know-It-Alls do not usually work well with others. They tell you the current results are good enough and spend more time complaining about problems than fixing them. They criticize new and innovative solutions from others, relying on their way of getting things done.
Although Know-It-Alls may have the right skills for the position, they are a poor fit with jobs requiring critical people and project management responsibilities, in other words working with and through other people to achieve intended results on time and within budget. Since many Know-It-Alls are unwilling to be coached and are in denial of their limitations, you must provide them with projects that allow them to work on their own.
Require that they meet with you periodically to assess their progress. Don’t be afraid as their boss to ask good business questions and expect the right answers delivered in a respectful manner. If they show a negative attitude, or disregard or dismiss your concerns, provide them with a “come down to reality” conversation: Remind them it doesn’t matter where you work or who you work for, you must listen to others and realize that 99 percent of the world’s information resides in others’ heads.
©Jeannette L. Seibly, 2013
Jeannette Seibly delivers straight talk with immediate results to business owners and executives of $1MM to $30MM enterprises, achieving dynamic results. Along the way, she helped create three millionaires. You may contact her at JLSeibly@SeibCo.com to discuss your coaching challenges.
Moving Top Performers
Did you know promoting or transferring top performers into the wrong job can be the greatest hidden expense for many companies? Other high-cost risks include relocating employees geographically or offering them the opportunity to become a business partner. What seems like a great opportunity can become one of your greatest challenges. And yet most companies don’t take the time to incorporate objective information into their decision-making process and are surprised when the outcomes are not win-win. They fail to understand how moving top performers can negatively impact results.
What happened? Usually the boss was focused on rewarding a top performer or employees threatened to leave if they weren’t given what they wanted. During pre-move conversations, employees may conceptually understand their new role, but the reality can very different. Many employees rely upon their initial excitement and fail to ask enough good business questions before accepting the new assignment, and therefore don’t know what is required to succeed. After they are on the job, some may not wish to work that hard to develop the new skills required of the position (despite what they tell you), or they may lack the qualifications or “job fit” to achieve the required results. Believe it or not, some employees find themselves being offered new jobs because they said the right thing to the right person at the right time!
What’s missing? A clear directive and navigational guide on how to do it that works for them. Instead, employees are determined to do things their own way. Then, when things don’t work out, these once stellar performers feel forced to leave rather than return to their old jobs. Their egos prevent them from taking a reduction in status, perks, and compensation, or there are no other options available since the previous position was filled or is no longer needed. So they end up leaving with all the training, proprietary information, and on-the-job knowledge you provided them – many times taking other employees with them! Some pursue costly litigation. Meanwhile, your clients and remaining employees are concerned about how this impacts them.
As part of the decision-making process, use a qualified assessment to objectively clarify a person’s strengths and weaknesses. Contrary to some opinions, you can’t build a successful career focused on weaknesses. Don’t fall into the trap of believing you can fix and change the person to fit into the new job responsibilities —nobody works that hard. Put together a 180-day plan to keep newly promoted employees focused on critical areas for client interactions, critical goals, people and project management, and self-development while providing training to enhance these skills. Hire them a coach from outside the company— it’s a requirement to develop these superstars faster and more effectively. All of these steps can also prevent these top performers from leaving when inevitable challenges occur and no one knows how to manage them.
©Jeannette L. Seibly, 2013
Jeannette Seibly delivers straight talk with immediate results to business owners and executives of $1MM to $30MM enterprises, achieving dynamic results. Along the way, she helped create three millionaires. You may contact her at JLSeibly@SeibCo.com to discuss your coaching challenges.
Fear Doesn’t Stick Around Uninvited
We all have fear in our lives, some people more than others. I’m not talking about the gift of fear that warns us to do something, now, to prevent catastrophic incidents. I’m talking about the fear that prevents us from making calls to prospective clients, asking our bosses for raises or new assignments, or letting coworkers or employees know that their work product was mediocre.
Our self-talk limits us from making requests, asking for raises, or simply admitting we don’t know the answers. These internal monologues create excuses for not achieving intended results on time and within budget. They also prevent us from having difficult conversations with our bosses, coworkers, clients, or friends. We talk ourselves out of doing what we know we need to do, instead relying upon the strength of our justifications to rationalize why we couldn’t, wouldn’t, or shouldn’t.
How can you tell what is causing your fears? Listen to the words you use. “I’ll try … ” “It shouldn’t be that way.” “I didn’t like his tone of voice.” These statements or choice of words reinforce our fears instead of allowing us to acknowledge them and work through them. Many of us have used these phrases so often we’re not consciously aware of saying them!
Take responsibility for hearing what you are saying, and choose the words that can help move you forward. Hire a coach to help you recognize fears and develop good people- and project management skills. Your career and paycheck will thank you.
©Jeannette L. Seibly, 2013
Jeannette Seibly delivers straight talk with immediate results to business owners and executives of $1MM to $30MM enterprises, achieving dynamic results. Along the way, she helped create three millionaires. You may contact her at JLSeibly@SeibCo.com to discuss your coaching challenges.
Upward Mobility Requires Coachability
Do you wish to advance in your career? Be an upwardly mobile leader? Make more money? Have more responsibility? The first step is to raise your hand and get the attention of your boss (and his or her boss) by learning how to brag in a business-savvy manner (for suggestions, visit TimeToBrag.com). Asking and communicating your readiness and willingness will help overcome any hesitation on your boss’s part.
Once you’ve been given an opportunity, it’s important you make a full commitment to successfully completing the project, on time and within budget. New assignments require you to operate at a new level (yes, it can seem risky), being resourceful while ensuring the team has the opportunity to bring forth new ideas and daily generating your “game on” with the team when problems arise and excitement wanes. Lone rangers seldom succeed. Being responsible and accountable from start to finish is required for success. Giving up is not an option and will nix future opportunities. Communication and bragging are the keys to keep everyone on the same page (visit TimeToBrag.com for ideas on how to do this).
During this time, your blind spots will become glaringly noticeable to others and can actually derail upward mobility if not addressed. Simply being aware of them will not help you transform these weaknesses into strengths—you cannot build upon weaknesses! Minimizing their impact (and avoiding the natural tendency to dominate others to avoid responsibility) requires you to be coachable and have a good coach, someone who provides straight talk. By seeing potential problems faster, you can manage them more effectively. Clarity helps you take what’s working and develop the discipline of practicing good habits—it makes it easier to handle people and system challenges. This enhanced awareness is a great starting point for the next project. It is the signature of upward mobility as a leader.
©Jeannette L. Seibly, 2013
Jeannette Seibly delivers straight talk with immediate results to business owners and executives of $1MM to $30MM enterprises, achieving dynamic results. Along the way, she helped create three millionaires. You may contact her at JLSeibly@SeibCo.com to discuss your coaching challenges.
Easily Infuse Objectivity Early In Your Hiring System
Did you know that requesting applicants to email or mail you resumes is outdated? Or that over 50 percent of resumes stretch the truth? Yet many companies rely solely on this data to select candidates for interviews—a poor selection practice. By doing so, they shortchange the goal of collecting good objective, valid, and reliable data in order to net truly qualified applicants.
Your hiring system speaks volumes: it’s the first impression many have of your business. Failure to utilize current technology has savvy job seekers questioning if you are a leader—or could be—in your industry. Failure to follow-up and communicate applicant status frustrates many. Top performers wish to work with winning bosses and companies that respect their time and efforts.
Using a well-designed applicant tracking system (ATS) is cost effective and allows you to post job ads and showcase your company, products, and services. It attracts qualified candidates, operates without paper, and helps you vet applicants, saving hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars. When strategically planned and followed, an ATS infuses objectivity into your hiring system early on.
Time-saving keys for ATS:
1) Require that an application form be completed. It minimizes truth-stretching (e.g., inaccurate job titles, job duties, company names, dates of employment, and titles).
2) Incorporate pre-screen questions and core value assessments to ensure objective, valid, and reliable data is used to select candidates for the next steps while weeding out unqualified ones.
3) Automatically thank applicants and make it easier to communicate with them. It’s critical to remember your applicants are future clients, vendors, suppliers, and decision-makers for awarding contracts. You want them to have a positive impression of your company. (Read Hire Amazing Employees, Second Edition for further time-saving ideas, available at BizSavvyHire.com.)
All ATSs are not all created equal. Factors to consider when choosing your ATS (taken from Hire Amazing Employees):
- User-friendly sites can be reached within one or two clicks from the social media site or the job posting. Busy professionals need to be enticed the moment they read your online ad; most will not return—even if they have the best of intentions to do so. Make it easy for them to apply and for you to receive their information in order to infuse objectivity in your decision-making process.
- Is there a fee for posting your openings on the ATS site?
- What is the cost for setup and maintenance of the site?
- Can the application form, job posting, and other pertinent information be customized?
- Will it notify interested applicants of future positions? (That’s a great way to keep your candidate pool filled.)
- Do your job openings easily post to job boards?
- Can you collect EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity) information? Tracking may be required if you have any government contracts (or if you are a subcontractor).
- Is there a human verification process to reduce spam? This process prevents hackers from completing your application form and blasting resumes to you.
- Is it easy to communicate with candidates inside the system and generate automated notifications (e.g., completion of application, request for interviews, etc.)?
©Jeannette L. Seibly, 2013 All Rights Reserved
Want an award-winning ATS to attract amazing employees to your company? Click here
Jeannette Seibly has been hiring amazing employees for over 34 years. She delivers straight talk with immediate results to business owners and executives of $1MM to $30MM enterprises, achieving dynamic results. You may contact her at JLSeibly@SeibCo.com to discuss your hiring challenges. Get her newest book, Hire Amazing Employees, Second Edition: Improve Your Profits (and Your Work Life)! http://BizSavvyHire.com It includes templates for interviews and reference checking.
There Are Hiring Solutions!
The resume looked great. She interviewed well, saying all the right things and providing great examples. You were so excited that you finally found “the one” that you skipped conducting reference and background checks—after all, you pride yourself on your ability to read people. Yet after only three weeks, you had to admit you made a mistake! You contacted the previous employers post-hire and found out they had fired your new employee for not achieving the results she bragged about! The bottom line? You hired a wolf in sheep’s clothing!
You lament that it’s too costly to use the right hiring tools. You falsely believe in your intuition, but human bias is alive and well and the reality is you are correct only 15 percent of the time. You rely on the candidate’s resume to determine his or her qualifications, but over 50 percent of applicants stretch the truth. By only accepting “good enough,” you place your company in jeopardy—clients do not want to work with wolves, or the bosses of companies who employ them.
There are solutions to your hiring dilemma: collect enough objective, valid, and reliable data. Using the right hiring tools can be cost effective, when used correctly.
First, use an application tracking system that requires completion of the application. Create pre-screening questions to help you weed out unqualified candidates. Also, have each candidate complete a qualified core values assessment. These three items are very cost effective and will help you vet candidates faster and more objectively.
Next, use unbiased skills testing and a qualified job fit assessment to determine if the candidate can do the work, and if he or she will do the job successfully in your organization. Remember, most applicants exaggerate their abilities, and high skills proficiency does not equate to a great job fit or the ability to achieve the required results. Ensure the job fit assessments meet the Department of Labor guidelines.
Now that you’ve collected objective, reliable, and valid data, it’s time to interview. (Relying upon interviews alone will result in a good hire only 14 percent of the time!) Interview to confirm the data you’ve collected and to find out more about the candidate’s work experiences and accomplishments. Weeding out poor interviewers who would be good hires is no worse than moving forward with candidates who interview well and are bad hires.
Don’t forget to conduct due diligence by conducting reference and background checks, along with employer and education verifications. These will illuminate a great candidate and provide a healthy work environment for current employees!
Do you still think the right hiring solutions are too costly and time consuming? Add up the hours you’ve spent skimming resumes, talking with unqualified or uninterested candidates, and hiring someone not really interested in the job. Yikes! Not using the right hiring tools is costly and doesn’t reveal the 101 other known and unknown factors! The solution: a well-designed selection system ensures your profits improve and your work life does too! It may even save your own job!
Before you hire another person, get your copy of Hire Amazing Employees, Second Edition (BizSavvyHire.com), which includes interview and reference-checking templates.
©Jeannette L. Seibly, 2013
Jeannette Seibly has been hiring great employees for over 34 years. She delivers straight talk with immediate results to business owners and executives of $1MM to $30MM enterprises, achieving dynamic results. You may contact her at JLSeibly@SeibCo.com to discuss your hiring challenges.
Jeannette Seibly Expert in Straight Talk with Dynamic Results
