By WCEOHQ Guest Blogger, R. John Gaudu, VP,  Wellington Steele & Associates

It is that time of year again. No, not the annual holiday rush or waiting in long lines, not the endless parade of parties celebrating the year gone by or promoting the promise of things to come to.  Rather I am speaking of the dreaded EMPLOYEE REVIEW PROCESS.  Yes, it is that time of year when department managers meet with their employees to assess work from the past year. These reviews are used to define issues that apply to the health and well being of the company. Some are used to assign bonuses or raises for work goals achieved during the previous year. Others lay out the overall company growth and profitability model for the upcoming fiscal year. Still others outline the goals and expectations for each employee. Regardless of the motive, all employee reviews share common items:

   * Assessment of work done

   * Assignment of goals to be achieved

   * Fiscal impact of the above

Most employee reviews have become a bit like New Year’s resolutions. Everyone tries to incorporate one into his or her life, but very few actually follow through. Just like a resolution, an employee review, if done correctly, can evolve from a painful self-awareness exercise to a profitable and rewarding year-long experience.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that most employees want to set realistic, attainable and measureable goals. Much of one’s self image is defined by his/her work, and life satisfaction is tightly linked to being recognized and rewarded for a job well done. What better tool to accomplish this than an employee review?

A useful employee review template contains measurable criteria associated with personal and professional goals. These can be tied to any number of items such as:

   * Increased profitability to the company
   * Labor, project or overhead cost reductions
   * Employee efficiency enhancements
   * Certification or training achievements
   * Process or procedural documentation and practices
   * New or increased market share

The first item to consider in a review is its reason.  For example,

   *  Is it a periodic self-review or update
   *  An annual raise or bonus
   *  A merit situation
   *  A promotion
   *  An unsatisfactory performance

Once the reason has been established, then weighing the contributing factors on a numerical scale could include items such as:

1. Effectiveness - The extent to which a team member’s work and commitment contributes toward the team goals.
2. Organization - The extent to which a team member organizes and produces effective work in a timely manner.
3. Job Skills - The extent to which a team member possesses the practical/technical skills required on the job.
4. Reliability - The extent to which a team member can be relied upon regarding task completion and follow up.
5. Availability - The extent to which a team member is punctual, and has an acceptable attendance record.
6. Independence - The extent to which a team member performs work with little or no supervision.
7. Creativity and Problem Solving- The extent to which a team member proposes ideas, finds new and better ways of doing things, and uses appropriate problem solving skills.
8. Initiative - The extent to which a team member seeks out new assignments and assumes additional duties when necessary. 
9. Accountability - The extent to which a team member demonstrates proper accountability to other team members and the team leader.
10. Interpersonal Skills - The extent to which a team member is willing and demonstrates the ability to cooperate, work and communicate with co-workers, team leaders/supervisors, subordinates and/or outside contacts. 
11. Skills Enhancement - The extent to which a team member pursues new training or attains new practical/technical skill to extend job functions

A good template will allow for both manager and employee to enter comments or explanatory text along with the graded criteria. It should include a place for both parties to sign and agree to the covenant created by the document. Scheduling a pre-selected time to revisit the document to measure results and modify goals or expectations is necessary to prove the long term value placed upon the process by the company.

In closing here is helpful tip; share the numbers.  Identify how each contributing factor adds or subtracts from the company profitability and morale overall. By illustrating real world examples of outstanding as well as unsatisfactory performance and its impact to the company’s profitability you reinforce the true intent of the review. Revisiting the review on a periodic basis reinforces the same factor.

R. John Gaudu is the Vice President of Wellington Steele & Associates, Inc.

95 Alliance Drive

Rochester, NY 14623

P.585.360.4350

c.585.319.6556

f.585.360.4335

rjgaudu@wellingtonsteele.com

www.wellingtonsteele.com

Besides working and learning from each of our fellow franchisees, we participated in an extraordinary Workshop on identifying and executing your organizations "Inside Advantage" lead by Robert Bloom, author of the book bearing that name. (Also, authored most recently " The New Experts).

Each of us worked through Bloom's rigorous process to  discover or uncover our unique advantage, how to secure engagement by our teams, how to communicate it effectively both inside and outside our organization and lastly, how to effectively implement our advantage. 

We were, also, challenged on another front by an in-depth dive into the Great Game Of Business by Jack Stack. If you are not familiar with the concepts or Jack Stack's work, then the GGOB is a must read.

We will be featuring the GGOB on the CEO Hour in the coming months culminating with our CEO All Member Meeting on December1st. More details to come.

By WCEOHQ Guest Blogger Jennifer Sertl, President, Agility3R and co-author of Strategy Leadership and the Soul

Whether you realize it or not others are learning from your example. Others are watching you, learning from you, emulating you. Once you understand this you can ask, "do I want people to truly emulate me as I am?”   If the answer is no, change your life so that you can be proud of your example and the legacy you leave behind.  From a business perspective—if you are promising adaptability or know-how or speed as your competitive advantage—then every choice inside your organization should demonstrate adaptability, know-how or speed. The more you execute these attributes internally—the more credible you are to your customers and shareholders.

I get frustrated when people talk about legacy—because it usually a privilege reserved for elders facing the end of their lives. “I want to build a legacy!” “I want to leave a legacy!” “I want people to know I was here.” All of these comments are very self-serving. These people are about trying to find a way to stay relevant, to be immortal. All we can leave behind is the impact that we make.

We leave a legacy every time we interact with another human being. An image I use frequently in my coaching is a leaf cascading gently onto the water.  As it does, it causes ripples.  Fall with intention, “I want to lead. I can make a difference.” Your declaration of leadership helps ensure the actions necessary to leave a positive legacy. Other leaves simple fall by accident. I care deeply for those ripples three, four, five layers out. Whether you meant to fall, or accidentally fell, when you interact with others – you leave ripples. Claim your influence because if it happens unconsciously you may not be leaving behind ripples that should replicate. Legacy isn’t for elders. Legacy is for any responsible and aware adult cognitive of the fact that they do nothing in isolation. Personal accountability requires that you claim your influence and get clearer and clearer on what is being left behind. And with more intention you have the potential to leave many impactful, useful, and productive ripples in your wake carrying your life’s mission forward with incalculable momentum.  This level of personal leadership is what I call leadership to legacy.

We are human beings not human doings. The ripples I create are wisdom, grace, and impact.

What will your ripples create?

I hope you will join me in the upcoming leadership series Strategy Leadership and the Soul to learn more about how you make impact.

"We are what we repeatedly do; excellence then is not an act, but a habit."  — Aristotle

Part of what we need to realize here and now is that everything we do, every thing we touch, every conversation we have has our “print” on it.  Just like Cold Case can open a murder investigation 20 years old and determine the DNA of a person—we are leaving our DNA everywhere. When you own this, taking personal responsibility for your actions and their subsequent 're-actions' and truly appreciate the impact of you then you may actually hold yourself to a higher standard of accountability. Just like DNA has a double helix and an imprint.

What is your imprint?
What do you want to leave behind in your wake?
What is your essence?

If you can identify this and realize that everything you do has this essence to it- you leave your mark everywhere whether you take responsibility for it or not.

Given that, make a clearer choice about what you leave behind.  What do you want to create in this world?  I would love to know!

When asked what I do, my answer is, "I lead CEO Prayer Groups." (quizzical look ensues and the occasional question, "What?")  My somewhat facetious response is, "Yes, because most CEO's don't have a prayer!"

Many years ago I was introduced to the concept of Business Meetings as Prayer Meetings by Jerry Harvey (Abilene Paradox.) Harvey, very devout in his spiritual life, describes attending a Church Board Meeting where near the conclusion of the meeting, one of the Board Members described how important it was to her personally to come to and participate in these meetings. She described her personal situation including the passing of her husband not long before and other personal travails. As she was in the middle of sharing this information the minister, dutifully playing his perceived role, asked everyone to gather hands and say a meeting concluding prayer.  Harvey's pointed comment was that the minister had interrupted the "real prayer" with his version. Harvey's essay on this and the "Last Supper as a Failed Management Team Meeting" can be found in his book "How Come Every Time I Get Stabbed In the Back My Fingerprints are on the  Knife".

Who wants to start? The question on the table is: what does leadership look like in the 21st century? Is it the same as it was in the 20th century? If not – and I believe it’s not the same – how is it different?

Ask your executive committee what leadership looks like in the 21st century and they’ll likely describe it using words like “innovative” and “creative.” They might offer descriptions that include phrases like “focus for results” or “focus on tomorrow.” Regardless of what your executive committee believes, and regardless of what the pundits writing about leadership say, reality always wins.

In the real world, the world we all get up and go out to work in, leadership in the 21st century defies conventional thinking. Here on WCEOhq-Radio, we’ll be uncovering the myths and missteps of clinging to old-fashioned 20th century business models, and we’ll have discussions on insight into the new business model. Engaged in those discussions will be dozens of smart, forward-thinking CEOs.

We invite you to attend our radio show to hear from active CEOs with unique perspectives on leadership in the 21st century. Some will be bringing years of experience as entrepreneurs to the discussion. Others will share the stepping stones that brought them success over a period of many years, and still other CEOs will challenge your thinking with pointed discussions on the on the new rules of business in a digital world – a world increasingly based on the growing need to engage both front-line employees and customers in the core values and the real purpose of the company.

This isn’t your grandfather’s business. Maybe it’s time to contemplate whether it’s your son’s or your daughter’s business and if so, what does that mean?

We welcome your thoughts and feedback. Join us.

    Our past week’s guests on our radio show, The CEO Hour –High Performers Learning Together, were Steve Wershing, CEO of Ensemble Financial Services in our first ½ hour, and we spent the second half of the show with author, blogger, and CEO Leadership Guru, Dr. Lee Thayer.

    Our guest Steve Wershing provided some key insights into the current state of the Financial Services industry. Included were his key reflections on the past year and a half, and a bit about the future regulatory reform.  As the CEO for Ensemble that supports many Independent Financial Advisors, his comments are cogent for those who utilize Financial Industry services. 

    Dr. Thayer as always made comments designed to be provocative and stimulating. He addresses the tagline that we have borrowed as a theme for our show, "It's not the recipe it's the cook.”  He challenges that leadership is learned experientially and that his writings can provide some important insights. Dr. Thayer has agreed to be an ongoing guest resource for our listeners. His next appearance will be on May 21, 2010.  Please join us then and bring you questions.  We will ask him to take a deep dive into his latest book "Leadership Virtuosity".

    This coming week we will be interviewing Kevin Pickhardt, CEO of Pharos Systems International and Barbara Traylor, CEO of Whale Hunters.

  Pharos Systems International, Inc. provides powerful and innovative print optimization software and services to educational institutions, corporations, and libraries across the globe. Pharos pioneered print control and management software in the early 1990s and continues to lead the industry today.

  The Whale Hunters is a strategic sales coaching company that helps small businesses grow fast by making sales to large account customers. 

    We hope you can join us this Friday, April 23, 2010 from noon – 1:00pm EDT for a great show.  To hear the show live and call in to join the conversation go to www.wceohq-radio.org and click on The CEO Hour on the right side of the homepage.  The number to call in is 888-327-0061.    You can also join us through Twitter: (http://www.twitter.com/wceohqradio) where we will take your questions.

 Join us then!

    How often have you heard someone say, or even a business promise, that we "do what we say we will do."  Nary once have I ever heard say, "we don't keep our commitments."  Working with business leaders lead me to the observation that far fewer promises were being kept than made. Indeed there may even be a bit of a charade going on that the promisor and promisee (sorry terminology left over from my lawyer days creeps in periodically) never had clarity in the first place about what the promise was.

    Several years ago I was facilitating a management team meeting for a small company. A question came up regarding the delivery of the final version of a critical software program. The Vice President of IT was asked when the version was to be delivered. The dialogue went something like this:

“What day next week?  Wednesday

What time of day?  5:00

When you say delivered do you mean fully functional, operational and tested for use by all users?  Yes

Can you remind us all of the key deliverables so that we all have the same understanding? Yes, they are.....!”

    What are the consequences to your fellow team members and the clients of the firm of either fulfilling delivery or not as described on next Wed. 5:00?

    After exploring with the team the consequences I turned to the other team members and asked.

"Is there anyone here that believes that Joe (VP IT) will deliver as promised?”

Not one single team member believed that he would.

I then asked, “Why didn't anyone say anything? Why was it up to an outsider to raise the issue? “

Turning to Joe: "You’re not going to deliver as promised next Wed. @5:00, are you? Sheepishly,No!”

“Why did you promise?  I didn't want to let CEO down" Not very logical but nevertheless the answer.

Directing my attention to the other team members, "If none of you believed that Joe was going to deliver, why didn't any of you say something?"

    After telling a version of this real life story to CEO and Executive Groups, I received several answers, observations, and perhaps even a few conclusions.   But before we get to that, let's revisit the work of Jerry Harvey. Harvey was the architect of the series of articles that lead to the book "Abilene Paradox." In his immensely humorous and entertaining style, Harvey reminds us that most often "it's not what we disagree on that gets us into trouble but rather what we agree on."  To my way of thinking the management team in my story took a mini trip to Abilene that Jerry Harvey would have found worthy (hot and dusty as well.)

    Put aside for the moment the root causes and Harvey's analysis of the cure to the taking of the trip.

and return to the theme of this post.  The management team in my story clearly had a "culture" of not keeping promises.  If they couldn't keep promises (commitments) to each other, how likely is it they will keep them to clients/customers?

    If this is true, how could that culture be changed? My simple answer was "One Promise at a Time".

Borrowing and building on the adage that what gets measured gets done, this leads to the tracking

or measuring of promises made and promises kept.

    Since I don't like to suggest to others that which I would not do myself, about six months ago I launched my own non-scientific experiment of keeping score of the number  of "promises made and kept".

    Please think about it for a minute. If you truly tracked or kept score, what would be the consequences?   A few are perhaps, obvious:

1. More promise are kept

2. Fewer promises are made

3. More clarity about the actual promise

4. We would require more clarity about promises made to us

5. We would hold other's accountable for the promise made to us

    Well, the six months results are in. The good news is I've made progress in many respects. The less than good news is that I have a ways to go to keeping all promises made. The other good news is, I "score" better in my personal life’s promises than the work related promises I make.

    What would happen to you, to your family, team or organization if you kept score of "promises made and promises kept?  Give it a try and let us know the results!

Well, we did our first radio show last Friday and I want to thank to Yvonne DiVita, CEO of Windsor Media for being our guest. Yvonne spoke with fascinating insight about her journey in business, marketing to women and pet blogging. 

Yvonne and her organization have assisted in the organizing of the first "Pet Blogger's Conference" called Blog Paws, in Columbus, Ohio later this week. You can listen to the interview with Yvonne by clicking on the CEO Hour and choosing which segment you want to hear. As our first CEO guest interview, Yvonne set the stage for several themes including the direction and power of social media, as well as the unconventional aspects of CEO Leadership. Yvonne commented on these themes in her April 3rd Lipsticking blog post titled Meeting Nose-to-Nose.

On this week’s show we will interview David Dorsey, author of the top 100 business book “The Force.”   This week’s featured CEO is Mike Mandina, President of Optimax . Optimax is America’s largest optics manufacturer and is headquartered here in Ontario, NY. 

In our future shows we will be featuring CEOs, authors and consultants that will be business resources to CEOs and top executives.  In the month of May we will be adding a new feature of the month.  Each month we will feature a local not-for-profit organization and try and give back to our community.   More details about that in a future post. 

Please join in the conversation of high performers learning together!