The old comment, “50% of marketing works… but I don’t know which 50%” could be applied to human resources in many organizations.  Judi deploys metrics as one of the major weapons in her arsenal to figure out which half of policies work by measuring the results of key HR initiatives.  Judi likes to say: “some is not a number, soon is not a time frame!”  She insists on strapping a solid deadline and objective to every program, and she uses metrics to make sure things are running on schedule.  Metrics track the “how much” and “when” for process improvement.  They give decision makers the objective data to identify specific constraints limiting department effectiveness.

Judi stresses the importance of finding the right metrics, since the easiest things to measure often won’t tell you anything important.  For instance, a variance in postage expenses is easy to chart, but remains an insignificant detail when you need to control costs in a multi-million dollar division.  The wrong metrics aren’t much better than none at all.  To calibrate the right metrics, Judi pulls team leadership together, validates what matters most, and defines the best way to measure progress. 

Judi’s role as Vice President of Human Resources at Cuyahoga Community College is demanding and can drain every ounce of energy she can muster, but it is also incredibly rewarding.  Her mission is even tougher: “Achieving the Dream.”  The key ingredient in fueling the “Dream” is talent.  Recruiting, developing and retaining the best and brightest are never ending tasks.  She uses metrics to evaluate every stage of the process, from hiring to tenure.  Metrics on the front end include:  cost of sourcing, time to hire, third-party fees – executive search, background checks, etc.

Could the failure to understand and employ metrics be costly… or even deadly?  Yes.  A study of Tri-C’s health insurance plan revealed a low participation rate for preventative “check-ups.”  Metrics revealed that many people suffering from chronic illnesses such as diabetes had not attended recommended check-ups that could have caught the problem sooner.   Awareness of these metrics and the resulting programs to increase participation and awareness in wellness screenings has and will save money and lives.

Judi uses metrics in her personal life and believes everyone should use metrics every day.   She even tracked her running times for her training regime for the 5k Reindeer Run.  She argues that without metrics, we wouldn’t know who should populate the Hall of Fame.  Without performance measures, even Babe Ruth may never have achieved hero status.  Without measurement, there is no way to determine improvement or decline.  Athletics, weight loss, or achieving record enrollment in a leading community college…. all rely on metrics.

Toward the end of the tour, after we’d looked at everything else, they took us out into the building’s back yard.  There were big piles of sand out there, where the elephants love to roll around.  After marveling at the dirt for a bit, the tour was over; I hung back and chatted with the zookeepers while everyone else was filing out.  We discussed how one gets into zookeeping in the first place (you get a summer job there for a while and then you go get a bachelors in whatever-the-heck-you-want) when somebody suddenly asked “what’s that thing over there?”

“That thing” turned out to be the elephants’ old outdoor watering fountain.  It had been an ingenious self-filling bowl made of six-inch-thick concrete affixed to the ground.  The elephants would suck water out of with their trunks, and shoot it in their mouths. Willy, the bull, had walked past the bowl with a big ol’ log in his trunk one day and decided he wanted a drink, so he dropped the log right on top of the bowl, and snapped it in half.

They realized that any protruding structure would ultimately be destroyed by the elephants, who are huge, heavy, and don’t see very well.  SO: they carved a two-foot hole through one of the walls and hung a plastic bucket from the other side, inside the elephant barn.  When they’re outside, the elephants reach through the wall with their trunks and suck water out of the bucket.

We went around to the other side of the wall to get a look at the bucket.  It was more like a translucent plastic box riveted to the wall with pipes and valves running in-and-out.  Since the zookeepers couldn’t always be around to fill the box back up, they had to jury-rig it so it would be self-filling like the last bowl.  The zookeeper explained the pipes like this: “there’s a float in there,” he pointed at the box, “and when the water level goes down, the float drops, too.  Then the pipes fill the bucket until the float returns to its original position.  If the water gets dirty, we pull this lever, and the water flows out through this bottom pipe and runs down through the drains in the floor.”

             I thought about that for a second, and then I said, “y’know, that sounds kind of familiar…”

            “It should,” he replied, “we took the parts out of the upper deck of a toilet!”

If you take the time to show an interest in somebody who has a great job like “zookeeper,” at a great zoo, like Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, then you might just find out that all the great stuff is held together with toilet parts and PVC pipes.  The point is, if you have a BIG problem, the solution isn’t necessarily big itself.  The big solution, like putting in a reinforced concrete bowl that can take a beating, may cause problems of its own, simply because it sticks out and draws attention.  The best solutions are the ones you barely notice, like the hole in the wall that we wouldn’t have seen if the zookeepers hadn’t pointed it out, or the solutions that take care of themselves, like the bucket that fills itself, or the ones that are made from simple ideas or materials, like the components they took from a toilet.

By George Dise

What is success?  How do you achieve it?  According to Mike Frantz, a company like Starbucks maintains success through brand awareness and loyalty.  Mike believes that since a single negative experience stands out five times larger in the mind of a customer than a single positive experience, the number one most important thing to consider is consistency of service.  Well-picked co-workers tend toward providing positive service, but can occasionally lapse or make a mistake; the key to customer satisfaction is consistently providing the same service on a bad day that you’d provide on a good day.  While it may be difficult to maintain consistency throughout an entire brand, let alone a single franchise, it helps to formulate products and train employees to provide services that are always positive.  This is especially important for law firms like Frantz Ward- think about all the times people complain about “the lawyers” on TV.  “The lawyers say we have to do it this way,” “the lawyers say we can’t do this.” Like every business, law firms have to avoid being tarred as the company of no.  That’s why Mike thinks of- and advertises his services as- “figur[ing] out ways to get things done, not throw up obstacles.”  His firm exists to promote new ways of thinking to help clients get things done –to avoid obstacles.

Mike thinks the best way a lawyer should act in order to create an environment for success is as a “consigliere,” or trusted business advisor.  As a consigliere, he focuses both on what a client expects, and what a client needs.  In some cases, expectations may not meld well with needs, and clients need to be advised so they receive the maximum possible benefit from your company’s services.  In these cases, you have to give clients what they need packaged in a way that it appears to be what they want.  That requires a service provider to actively listen and figure out what keeps a client awake at night, then take an open-minded reconnaissance of the marketplace to figure out what other options are available.  With a thorough understanding of possible options, service providers need to take efficient and effective steps to resolve the issue.  Even if your client never figures out that their expectations and needs didn’t coincide, if you served them effectively, they’ll still ultimately realize that they did the right thing by hiring you, because your services provided a lasting benefit.

Mike considers a lack of clarity in the definition of success an obstacle.  At Dise & Company, we occasionally see this ourselves when we present a slate of candidates that are overqualified for a position, which has caused us to reassess our search criteria.  We now expect this to happen when we conduct searches, and we find we serve our clients best by quickly sending in a relatively broad slate of candidates and then narrowing our search criteria as we get feedback from our clients and develop our understanding of both the marketplace and the company’s expectations.

Hiring the right people is essential to developing an environment for success.  Frantz Ward’s first consideration, when adding to their team, is to ensure a candidate has enough experience in a given field of law, since law practices tend to be highly specialized.  Though it’s important for a candidate to have the intellectual capacity to practice law at the highest level, candidates must also function well outside both the office and the courtroom.  When hiring the firm considers how the candidate will add to the culture rather than detract, and won’t do anything to damage Frantz Ward’s reputation as a great place to work.  The bottom line: employees need to feel that they are being treated with respect so they can work well together as a team.  The best way to give them that feeling is to hire the right people in the first place.

The final thing Mike gives us to consider is his advice to make sure your firm is on the short list of great service providers in your field.  That way, any time a prospective client starts researching the services you provide, there will be a higher probability that your name will be given as a referral by past clients.  There’s no way for a law firm to be the perfect choice for every client, and the most you can hope for is to be considered, period.  If you fail to land an account after giving your best pitch, at least you made it into the boardroom, and you know that people are hearing good things about your business practices.  What more can a trusted advisor ask for than the opportunity to leave a good impression on a potential client?

By George Dise

Executive Director search committees fall into three common pitfalls: too many members on the search committee, dragging out the process, and seeking candidates just like the incumbent.  Here’s how to avoid getting tripped up.

How large should the search committee be?  Five members is good, since an odd number eliminates ties in voting, and there are enough members that two can be absent from interviews.  More than five increases the chance of personalities clashing and dragging out decisions.  Or, there’ll be too many opinions to balance, dragging out the process.

When you’re putting together a search committee, it helps to mix in people who’ve experienced a search committee before with people who haven’t.  You’ll have more people on the board at the end of the search who now have experience working on a search committee.  It has the added benefit of forcing experienced members to justify their methods to newer members, forcing them to evaluate whether they’ve been doing it right.  Any bad habits the experienced members bring with them from other committees will be diluted.  It also helps to include representatives from different groups within the organization in the search committee.  When I worked with a search committee for a local high school an alumnus and a teacher were included on the committee to help ensure that the candidates were compatible with the character of the school.

The process can drag on if members aren’t motivated to work together or have difficulty scheduling meeting times.  The longer it takes the committee to identify candidates, interview them, then meet as a group to share conclusions, the greater the chances that outstanding candidates will be snapped up by more efficient organizations.  A strong search committee should meet once a week, driving momentum and ensuring that nothing falls through the cracks.  The longer the process takes, the greater the risk that committee members will lose interest or need to quit because of personal reasons.

The most troubling pitfall is trying to find a candidate just like the incumbent.  The predecessor may no longer be the ideal candidate given changes in methods and strategy since he was hired.  There will never be a candidate exactly like the incumbent.  The search committee must be willing to expand search criteria to recruit candidates from diverse backgrounds.  Bringing in a leader with new perspectives and new experiences can re-invigorate an organization, which is how a well-run search committee can bring about dramatic change for the not-for-profit organization.

And that’s a shame—because as a leader—there is nothing more important than can do than to lead—to purposefully orchestrate organizational change.

There are tremendous barriers and roadblocks to change: mostly rooted in fear…, people are worried about losing their jobs, losing their earnings, or reducing their prospects of promotion. Inertia is another major roadblock—the force of old habits that die hard.

But the future of companies and entire communities hang in the balance.

Many of the ways we’ve been trained to manage change don’t work because too complicated, and they rely on the same old top-down communications that have proven time and time again to be ineffective.

Introducing Influencer

Influencer is a ground-breaking new methodology for managing organizational change. Based on years of observation and research, it was developed by some of the brightest minds in organizational development, and most importantly, it works.

Years of Influencer research has revealed a simple formula: (1) Clarify measureable results (2) identify one or two key vital behaviors you wish to change (3) diagnose why these behaviors are not happening, and then (4) then marshal four more sources of influence to overwhelm the overwhelming problems that will lead to the results you are seeking.

The Six Source of Influence

The Six Sources of influence are personal, social, and structural—and are affected by your individual as well as collective motivation and ability (simplified above).

The beauty of Influencer is that it’s both simple and accessible, as is clear in the video case study: “All Washed Up”.

It’s so simple kids can do it!

“All Washed Up”: The Problem

If you watch this video, you’ll see that 2 or 3 sources of influence alone are not effective. Once you overwhelm the group with four or more sources of influence, then change miracously happens!  

This is just one example of many, and the possibilities for using this methodology to effect positive change are limitless!  

“All Washed Up”: The Solution

The bottom line? Influencer works. It’s simple, accessible, and proven. Every person, every organization should be learning how Influencer can be used to drive rapid and sustainable change.

For more information about Influencer, including a free self-assessment you can find them at Kurt Southam’s website at www.southamconsulting.net.

It’s a fact—towards the end of a recession, when the economy starts perking up—the most talented people start looking around for other opportunities.

The best are in demand

Think about your very best employee—either in management or in the field. There are probably several people who come to mind—and really stand out.

Now think about what you would do if these people were to walk into your office and give you two week’s notice today. It’s a scary thought, isn’t it?

Invariably, it is the best people who are recruited away. So now, as the economy is starting to show signs of life, you should take action to keep your “A” players productive, happy, and manage the risk that they accept an “opportunity” with a competitor.

Who are your “A” Players?

Bradford Smart, the author of “TopGrading” says that 10% of your staff are “A” players.

An “A” player is a gifted and productive employee, who’s moved up the ladder, with promotions and responsibilities, and who has a career ahead of them. This person is a change agent; someone others look to for guidance; who others think of as a mentor; someone who sees the big picture; someone who consistently performs to their full potential; someone who brings unique competencies to their job and your company; someone who has career potential with your company.

Can you really afford to lose this person?

“A” players are continuously growing, and show their strength by continually adapting to new and changing environments. The question is: “How to you keep them happy and engaged?”

5 Specific Actions you can take to keep “A” Players

Here are five specific actions you should consider taking to retain your key employees:

1. Start at the top: “A” players demand “A” leadership. During tough economic times, everyone is used to hearing news about the need to “hunker down” and “sacrifice.” Now that your company has survived, everyone’s wondering what your new focus is: “What’s the new operating environment?”, “What are the challenges?”, and “What’s the new strategy?” Communicate the good and the bad. Be transparent and vulnerable. Consider asking for 360% feedback. Being vulnerable and open to feedback at the top makes for stronger leadership.

2. Consider a “closet cleaning”: “This would be my best employee, if he/she didn’t have such an attitude problem.” Like it or not—that person creates a problem because tolerating him or her fosters a culture where employees know that leadership accepts unacceptable behaviors in order to “make do.” It opens the door to other behavior problems. Getting rid of one or two saboteurs sends a strong signal to everyone.

3. Conduct “retention interviews”: Figure out individually what makes your “A” players tick. Meet one-on-one with your top talent and tell them. “You are important.” And then ask “What are the things we need to be doing to keep you around?” You want to challenge your best people with important assignments and make them a part of the decision-making process. If you provide access to strategic information, and seek his or her opinions on what to do next, it will be a “win-win” for everyone.

4. Engage in pro-active career management: Most people, especially the best and most motivated, want to know where their career is headed. Share the company’s strategy, and explain how their efforts are critical to the company’s success. Then provide meaningful feedback and measure their progress. No matter how good an “A” Player is, there’s always room for improvement. The best people want and deserve the truth. Reinforcing what they have done well, but also giving them concrete ways in which they can improve can “help you help them” take your company to the next level.

5. Give your “A” players first chance:  This is a great way to overcome organizational barriers for success. While you are taking inventory of the strengths and weaknesses of your organization, you should be asking “Are there any talent gaps?” “Can these gaps be addressed through training?” Before you look outside for new talent, “can you nurture the talent you need from within?” Expanding responsibilities and developing talent from within is a great way to make your best employees feel valued, challenged, and motivated.

Of course it’s important to recognize and compensate your key employees—particularly if you compare the cost of losing and then replacing a key employee—it doesn’t hurt for them to be well-compensated, but by following the 5 specific actions listed above, it will be a “win-win” and they’ll be compensated fairly for the value they are bringing to your company.

There are many things that you can do to help keep your best employees.

Make sure that you are doing something—because doing nothing will be a most costly mistake

And you’ll risk losing your most important asset: your best people.

The Senior HR Thought Leader Forum at the Union Club in downtown Cleveland is sponsored by Dise & Company – a Professional Services Firm specializing in Executive Search, Corporate Outplacement, and Leadership Coaching.

To learn more about what you can be doing to attract and retain “A” Players, call Ralph Dise at 216-752-1700.

Based on a conversation with John Milgram and Ralph Dise

“It can be lonely at the top,” but it doesn’t need to be, and it shouldn’t be.

Many people would be surprised at the number of successful corporate executives who feel like fakes—these are highly successful people who attribute their success to luck, timing, or coasting by with a great personality. This includes CEOs of big, successful companies.

Many of these CEOs feel lonely and isolated – and that’s precisely the problem. As a Leader you should not let yourself get isolated in the first place.

It’s understandable though, how Leaders can become lonely and isolated. In our culture, starting from a young age, many children are told “don’t do this”, “don’t do that”. We spend the first couple of years of our children’s lives teaching them how to walk, and then the next sixteen years telling them to sit down and shut up. When and if you’re called upon, it’s a sign of weakness if you say you don’t know something.

But being a Leader doesn’t mean you have to be Superman. Leaders are human, made of flesh and blood, and put their shoes on one foot at a time—like everyone else. Many of the best Leaders are very hands off – they’ve learned to delegate everything to their colleagues and subordinates.

As Leaders, if we’re going to be open to new opportunities, one of the most important things we can do is to work to better understand our own personal strengths and weaknesses, and the strengths and weaknesses of our organizations, and then enlist others—from the HR department to the people who are working in the field—to fight the good fight against our ingrained culture, and tell everyone who works with us: “You are better than you think you are.”

“It’s up to you to build a positive culture.”

As a Leader you must maintain a positive attitude, no matter what. But attitude and affirmations are not enough. You need to show you mean it, because actions speak louder than words. Follow through to better understand your people’s strengths—and then find ways to put them to good use. With use, your strengths—like your muscles—will naturally get stronger and more resilient.

“The Geography of Nowhere”

In “The Geography of Nowhere” (Simon and Schuster, 1994), James Howard Kunstler offers a scathing critique of America’s urban and suburban landscapes, with our endless highways, bedroom communities, and strip malls.

It’s really a critique of our culture. Unfortunately when you compare many parts of the United States to other developed countries, which have put a great emphasis on developing livable communities, it rings true. It should make us think about what constitutes a good human habitat, a good community—and if you’re a corporate Leader—a good organization.

Kunstler received great praise for his work, and like others who’ve worked hard and suddenly achieved acclaim and success, he found acclaim and success somewhat unsettling.

In his own beautifully self-deprecating words, Kunstler says:

“‘The Geography of Nowhere’ was moderately successful. It seemed to help people understand their feelings about a subject that had long bewildered them. I became something of a low-grade guru. I received many invitations to speak to civic groups, professional organizations, and colleges around the country. My initial reaction was panic that people were looking to me for illumination. What could be more natural than to feel unworthy of other people’s esteem? I am aware that many successful figures secretly feel like frauds, including people far more knowledgeable and accomplished than myself. This is apparently a universal neurosis. Everybody feels inadequate. I’ve since formulated a social principle called Kunstler’s Law, which states that: “In any room containing 100 people, 99 of them each think that they are the only one in the room who doesn’t have his-or-her act together.”**

As a Leader you need to stop the negative self-talk and the negative feedback

Kunstler‘s observation is dead–on target. Many CEOs, Corporate Chiefs, and Leaders feel like fakes and frauds, and secretly think: “If only someone really knew ‘the real me’, they’d know that I am a fraud (or a loser, or a jerk).” If you’re ever going to succeed, you need to stop the negative feedback and the negative self-talk. Stop it dead in its tracks.

Here are “Three things you can do to combat negativity“:

1. Surround yourself with positive people – Negative people and negative thinking will only bring you down. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t listen to bad news. You should just have a positive attitude when you hear it, and deal with it accordingly. It’s not what happens; it’s how you react to what happens that really makes the difference between a winner and a loser.

2. Listen to motivational tapes and read motivational books – You need to hard-wire your brain to think positively. Two of the best books ever written are ‘Think and Grow Rich’, by Napoleon Hill and ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’, by Dale Carnegie. They’re classics. They’ve helped millions of executives and managers to get their heads on straight, so they can take advantage of the opportunities that lie in front of them.

3. Celebrate positive attitudes and open-mindedness – You should work always to have a positive attitude, no matter what. If you see someone maintaining a positive attitude despite the circumstances, especially when the going is rough, let that person know you really appreciate it. If one of your employees was faced with a difficult situation, and they work their way out of it, celebrate that success. If someone finds a new way to solve an old problem, praise him or her openly for looking at things with fresh eyes.

As a Leader you are responsible for your culture

If you are a Leader, you set the tone of your business, your household, your civic organization – whatever you do. If you’re a CEO, a division chief, a human resource Leader, or a father or a mother, you have people looking up to you. They will follow your lead, whether you’re leading by intention or by default—so be mindful of how you conduct yourself and the cues you’re giving them.

Do you create a culture of fear and intimidation? Do you tell your people what they should and shouldn’t do? Do you show them just how wrong they are? Or do you project confidence and tell your people that you trust them? Do you celebrate successes and tell your people that working together you can accomplish great things, that working together there’s nothing you can’t do?

If you’re a Leader, and there’s negativity in the workplace, it’s up to you to get rid of it. The tone of an organization is set by the CEO and the HR Leader.

“You really are better than you think you are—and if it’s feeling lonely at the top, it doesn’t need to be.”

Takeways:

• “A positive culture doesn’t just happen; you have to create it.”

• “Work on your strengths and make yourself stronger”

• “Stop listening to the negativity of the news media—and start consuming positive thoughts from other sources”

~~~

Written by Les Proctor, Marketing Consultant to Dise & Company, based on conversations with Ralph Dise, CEO of Dise & Company, and John Milgram, CEO of Aexcel Corporation.

**Excerpted from “Home from Nowhere”, Simon and Schuster, 1996.

By Bill Marshall, Vice President of Executive Search

Wedged between a recession and a recovery, most organizations have reduced their workforces to save money and remain viable. Many corporate bosses are evaluating talent to identify and retain top performers, and recruit the “A” players who will position them to be competitive in the years ahead.

Employers will be faced with higher turnover as the economy recovers. Good talent always leaves for what it perceives to be better opportunities as the economy pulls out of recession.

The Fed is reporting that recovery is underway, yet the labor market remains stalled—with unemployment hovering around 10%. This suggests that there will be many more qualified candidates than there are jobs available for the three to six months.

Then we must still have a buyer’s market, right? Yes and No.

There is a problem that every “buyer” must consider. With an abundance of seemingly qualified candidates, how can you determine which “A” player is going to be the best for your job? The risks and costs of choosing the wrong person for your company can be expensive – in terms of lost money, lost time, and lost opportunities.

It is critical to get it right.

Skills, values, and chemistry

At Dise & Company, when we conduct an executive search for a client, we evaluate candidates primarily for job fit and cultural fit.

Job fit and cultural fit are critical—that a candidate’s skills and experience are relevant to the job—and that the candidate finds the position’s activities and responsibilities satisfying. It’s critical that the individual and the organization possess shared values. Without good job fit and good cultural fit, you don’t have a good candidate. But what is the deciding factor when you have several qualified candidates for the same position?

“Sometimes the best candidate for the job doesn’t look that way on paper”

In my two and a half decades in Executive Recruiting, I have learned never to underestimate the importance of going with my gut, especially when faced with multiple candidates vying for the same position.

This is the “It” factor of hiring in a crowded marketplace.

The right hire is a combination of skills, values, and the elusive “It” factor.

When Instincts should override the data

Your gut instinct is a deep, subconscious voice inside that tells you: “This individual does not have the best track record, but she brings a package that makes her uniquely qualified for the opportunity—this is the person you need to hire. Don’t let this person get away.”

While the old adage that “Past performance predicts future behavior” holds true, there are exceptions to the rule, and you need to be prepared to recognize and capitalize on them.

“A” Players come in all shapes, colors, and sizes.

Sometimes a big setback can be the motivation to succeed in the next position. Sometimes you can find a diamond in the rough—a person who is hungry—and anxious to prove himself after what appears to be a failure or a mediocre-looking performance—“an underdog.”

If a candidate fell down in a previous position, the questions should be: “Did she get back up and dust herself off?” “Is he passionate about the industry?” “Did she learn from her mistakes?” Did he maintain his sense of humor?” “Does she emphasize practice over theory?” These character traits illustrate resilience and determination in the face of adversity—essential traits for success—no matter what the industry.

It all boils down to the chemistry between the candidate and the need. Going with your gut can be the deciding factor that will help you choose the right people to lead your organization and strengthen your competitive position in the years ahead.

Bill Marshall is the Vice President of Executive Search for Dise & Company. You can contact Bill directly at the People Page on Diseco.com.

By John Milgram, President, Aexcel Corporation

Even the best leaders develop blind spots—areas in which you do not see yourself or your organization’s situation realistically.

These blind spots, or lack of awareness, could potentially cause great damage to your company and all the people who depend on it.

When things are going well … life is easy.  But when we’re faced with a difficult business environment and there is a real need for change, too often we hang on to old activities.  We hope that what made us previously successful will make us successful again in the future. Yet clinging to old ideas is possibly the last thing we should be doing.

Very often as leaders, we’re completely invested in the things that got us where we are.  We are slow to recognize the need for change. We’re in denial for longer than those who look upon us.

“What can we (or I)  stop doing today to become more productive?” ~ John Milgram, Aexcel Corporation

If your organization could benefit from a change, how are you supposed to recognize it? And if you do recognize a need for change, where are you supposed to go for advice?  

Several years ago, feeling that our company could do better, we came to the realization that the activities of our company were grounded on what had been done in the past, instead of what needed to be done to meet the company’s real business needs.

Operating on the notion that our business strategy was based on what we deliberately chose not to do, as much as what we chose to do, I started asking our people the question: “What should we stop doing?”

Acting upon the input from several key people, we phased out an entire line of business that was very time-consuming and cost-intensive. At the time, this line of business seemed off-limits and the thought of eliminating it caused many sleepless nights.

While the decision to phase out this line of business caused a great deal of anxiety, it eventually led to a dramatic restructuring of the way that we did business—lowering our costs, changing our customer base, expanding our distribution, increasing the volume of sales, and increasing our customer satisfaction.

As a result, our company is in a much better position today than it was 5 years ago, and we’ve been able to weather the downturn without laying off any employees—putting us in a much stronger position as the economy continues to improve, and we inevitably face a new competitive landscape.

Now we try to proactively identify those habits, actions, and assumptions that could potentially damage our business. And I rely on key stakeholders to help uncover blind spots and identify opportunities for change, including  (1) Customers (2) Managers (3) Employees (4) Trusted advisors (including my Board of Directors), and (5) Colleagues.

If you are a leader of a corporation, or the head of a division, or an employee who wants to get ahead, you might want to try this exercise. “What can we (or I)  stop doing today to become more productive?”

Coping with change is difficult. But not as difficult as coping with the kind of change you’ll have to cope with if you wait too long—and lose the opportunity to make the constructive change that will help your business thrive. 

If you take proactive measures to uncover your blind spots, you’ll be on the right path towards understanding the real issues facing your organization, and will be better able to adapt to the changes in your business environment.

John Milgram has been with Aexcel Corporation for twenty-one years, and President for sixteen of those years. Prior to that he earned an MBA from Columbia Business School, and worked in the financial services industry for five years. He obtained his BA from University of Pennsylvania in 1981, and graduated from Cleveland Heights High School in 1977

Ralph A. Dise, Jr. serves on Aexcel Corporation’s Board of Directors.

By Ralph A. Dise, Jr.

Just because you’ve set big objectives doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your home life.

On the contrary, the bigger the objectives, the more you need balance in your life. And you can’t do it alone.

Great leaders recognize the importance of working through others, whether they are employees, associates, vendors or customers.

Still it’s crucial to have a plan, and to work diligently at executing it. This applies to anyone seeking career success that must juggle multiple responsibilities of work and family.

How do you maintain balance in your life?

We’re all pulled in many different directions at the same time, children, employees, clients, school, community, church obligations…our kids’ activities (ask me about Irish Dancing some day). It’s nonstop.

The demands of running a professional service firm sometimes feel overwhelming. I have to be a leader, a manager, and a contributor. I have to sell, produce, and manage others. I have to give total, absolute concentration to my client’s needs. There are times when I feel I’m being hit from all sides. There are a lot of expectations from everyone—clients, colleagues, community and family. I want everyone to be happy and have what he or she needs (“good luck with that!” you’re thinking).

Communicate/keep it simple

The secret to running anything well is to prioritize your actions. You need to do the right things at the right time-those things that will help you win new customers, provide excellent service, and expand your sphere of influence.

All these actions must be executed in a timeframe that permits you to enjoy a normal life (this is a core value of Dise & Company. My colleagues and I respect one another and set aside time for our families, so that we lead balanced lives.)

Set an Annual Agenda

To ensure that I stay focused on the right things, I’ve developed an annual agenda that includes my top five priorities for the year. It’s simple, to the point and helps me decide what activities and tasks I should place on my calendar. It helps me be very clear about what to say “no” to.

My agenda for 2009-2010

1. Build sales pipeline with qualified opportunities by setting a leading example for my colleagues
2. Grow top line revenues through focused, disciplined business development management efforts
3. Optimize profitability by disciplined management of expenses
4. Grow my team’s professional capabilities by stretching them to learn new things
5. Reserve nights and weekends for my personal life.

My agenda is the basis for all my decisions. If something doesn’t fit into my agenda, it doesn’t have a place in my day.

Try an Agenda for Yourself

To stay balanced, and continue to grow, you really you have to have an agenda to keep focused on your goals for the year, and then you have to have a plan to keep you focused on your daily goals.

The challenge is, particularly in our networked world, where a PDA is now a mini-computer, is to stay focused, avoid distraction, set big goals for the year, (underpinned by big goals every day), and take action every day.

The Daily To Do List

Every morning, before you do anything else, update your daily to do list:

1. What are the two or three big things that will help contribute to your agenda?
2. Recommit to your annual goals
3. Ask yourself “ If I complete these things will it make it a good day?”
4. Ask yourself “Am I being realistic?”
5. Work towards completing the most difficult before you do anything else (especially before you check your email).

When you stop for lunch, look back at the morning, and ask: “How am I doing on my daily to-do list?” In the evening before you leave, take a moment to review your performance for the day. Assess your ability to stay focused and on-track. Did you open up your email too early? Did you spend the day being reactive and putting out fires?

Be Patient – but Selective

You are not going to get everything that you need to be done in one day. The average executive has 37 hours of work waiting for his or her immediate attention at any given moment. How you spend your time is a strategic decision.

Being selective about what you spend your time on is the key to taking back your power, getting control of your situation, and being in charge your life.

You can have it all. You can pursue big goals and still have a life. It just requires an eye on the big picture, a to-do list that is in sync with the big goals, and the ability to say “no” to things that don’t contribute to your agenda.

Ralph A. Dise, Jr. is the President of Dise & Company, the Director Emeritus of Lincolnshire International, and has worked in the field of Human Resources his entire career. You can contact Ralph directly at the Pro People Page on Diseco.com.