Strickland Associates Insights

Engaging and Retaining Your Top Performers

2012-02-08T17:03:00.000-05:00

Exceptional performers are absolutely the most valuable commodity in any organization. They create the most revenue, they drive the long-term results, and they usually have strong insight into what needs to happen to keep the needle moving.

Why then, do so many organizations "fast track" top performers into new jobs? Doesn't it make more sense to keep people in positions where they're thriving and succeeding, creatively finding new ways to reward them for their performance and keep them happy?

Most everyone looks favorably on the concept of promoting from within an organization, and it's certainly not a bad idea, where appropriate. If we have the need and the raw talent, and folks have the desire to step up, by all means let's provide them with opportunities to prove themselves. But are we compromising our infrastructure when standard procedure is to continuously shift people when their performance is great?

It is a disservice to our workforce - and to our bottom line - to orient our pay and reward structure in such a way that the only path for an individual to achieve growth is climbing levels and roles within the organization. Outstanding salespeople don't automatically make outstanding sales managers; often just the opposite, in fact! Likewise, a terrific AP/AR specialist won't by default translate into the best candidate for an office manager role.

If the established organizational "growth track" is for someone to move from Job A to Job B, then it stands to reason that on any given day, the only people doing Job A are the ones who are either new OR weren't good enough to move to Job B. We've created a perpetual talent and performance deficit in Job A. Managers should want to do everything in their power to make Job A as appealing as possible to people who are good at Job A.

Here's a perfect example from an organization with which I've worked closely; they've since adopted a far, far better structure, which is terrific. Previously, entry level new hires started in a customer service role. If you did a terrific job, you could move into a project management role, and if you did a terrific job at that, you could move into a people management role, all with reasonable pay grade changes at each level. Sounds great, right?

Except that the performance traits for each of those roles was dramatically different! A typical customer service representative focused on developing rapport, meeting the service need, and moving with a strong sense of urgency and response. A typical project manager focused on carefully and methodically coordinating multiple details and time frames, managing requirements, and tracking data. A typical people manager was responsible for driving performance while developing individual talent, coaching, directing, and acting as an advocate for their people.

Realistically, what are the chances one person is going to be absolutely outstanding at ALL those things? How many great people managers did we miss out on because their performance stalled at the project manager role? How many great project managers did we lose (and mediocre people managers did we gain) because individuals felt they had to take on the next role if they wanted to grow financially?

A responsible manager asks themselves where an employee is contributing the most. Are we potentially undermining ourselves by moving our best revenue/results generator into a role where they're no longer doing that work? If I've got a guy bringing in $2M a year in sales while everyone else is doing $1M, does it really make sense for me to ask him to do something else?

Instead of promoting that star performer away from their current position, consider offering new rewards, depending on their preferences and interests. Some ideas might be:

- Additional commission/rewards, based on higher sales levels
- Opportunities to train others
- A special title reflecting the extent of their contribution
- Additional responsibilities and work activities
- Special work schedule or work-from-home days
- Closer involvement with leadership
- Chair for committees or initiatives

Note that none of these things necessarily have to cost extra money, but they'll go a long way for morale and a long way toward fostering opportunities for individual growth… all while keeping that person firmly seated where they do the most good. Or, you could choose to promote them to a position they end up hating, and suddenly their resignation is on your desk.

For the individual that might be considering a promotion, it's a misnomer to assume that climbing the organizational ladder is the only way to find financial and personal success. If you like what you're currently doing, don't get talked out of it; ask for alternatives. If you're happy and you're making a difference right where you are, maybe that’s the best place for you to be at the moment.

I'm reminded of some sage counsel from one Captain James T. Kirk: "Don't let them promote you. Don't let them transfer you. Don't let them do anything that takes you off the bridge of that ship... because while you're there, you can make a difference."

Building Our Value (3 of 6)

2011-12-16T14:41:00.000-05:00

Attitude and People Relationships

Now is the time to develop or fix personal relationships at work. Speak to people when you walk in and express a genuine interest in them. If you’re not getting along with someone, swallow your pride and take steps to rectify it. Don’t be that toxic influence that’s always stirring up junior-high-ish drama. Consider this: if it comes down to a final decision between keeping you or keeping someone else, and you're a known instigator of people issues, what's the likely decision going to be?

Counsel and encourage those around you and be a great listener. Position yourself to speak persuasively about your point of view to others, but be cooperative with team, committee, and leadership decisions. Remain calm and patient, control your emotions, and maintain your composure. Keep a positive, problem-solving outlook and be willing to adapt to the styles of others when appropriate, diplomatically overcoming hostility or objections.

Business and Technical Knowledge

Take the initiative - seek out ways to increase your technical knowledge. Companies don't have a lot of money for in-house training these days, so you have to put in some effort here. Stay abreast of changes and new initiatives within your industry. Read a business periodical or online blog or article. There are substantial resources online to increase your business savvy and your awareness of environmental influences that affect your organization. If you read something interesting, mention it to your boss! Read communications that come from your leadership and ask questions about what is transpiring within the organization.

Integrity and Responsibility

We need to be genuine in our words, our actions, and our behaviors, ESPECIALLY when other people aren't watching. Take risks, be discontent with the status quo, but under no circumstances find yourself in a position that compromises you - legally, morally, or ethically. Have we seen any corporate leaders in recent years who failed in this regard? Way more than I'd care to see. When you get caught, how long will it take to overcome that perception that you’re not trustworthy?

Show that you can independently make informed and wise decisions that protect the company from risk, but take responsibility for change and innovation if you see a new or better way of doing something. Mind the rules, but don’t be afraid to challenge them when appropriate, always demonstrating impartiality and a freedom from bias.

That's it for this time - next up, the more advanced, strategic behaviors we can demonstrate to build and expand our value to our employer.

The Five Basic Manners You Need to Know In Business

2011-12-05T09:18:00.000-05:00

Happy December and Happy Monday - I spotted this article and thought it was a winner. These concepts are just as valid as ever; classic courtesy still gives the right impression about you and the way you do business.

The Five Basic Manners You Need to Know In Business

December 5, 2011
The 5 basic manners you need to know in business
By Tom Searcy

I stand up when a lady arrives at or leaves a table. I know, that is nostalgic and even possibly risky as it might be perceived as sexist. However, it is one of a set of manners I was taught as a child that I still follow. Holding doors, taking hats off indoors, pulling out chairs and lowering voices all seem to be quaint throwback ideas that are dying rapid and unceremonious deaths.

Because of diversity training, political correctness and the changing mores of society, I think the clarity of what are considered to be "good manners" has become murky. The basic guideline of "treat others as you would wish to be treated" is less of the clear path to follow as individualism changes the interpretation.

Manners are still important and can be differentiating, often times in the negative. When you make a mistake, it sticks out and is memorable. For that reason, there are certain things that you must get right.

1. Use of names -- Get the names right. Phonetically write them down and make certain that anyone who is prospect or client facing knows their names. Spelling, correct titles and deciding whether to use a nickname or proper name are all on the "must-get-right" list. I have seen big sales blown up because of a repeated misspelling of a key player's name.

2. Confirm before you proceed -- Ensure that you have agreement at each step in a meeting, tour, phone call or visit and that all of the participants have their questions answered before going to the next set of ideas or concepts. Adults not only stop listening to you when they get stuck or are in disagreement with what has been put forth, they also begin building resentment towards the speaker who proceeds without clearing up the issue.

3. Declare your accountability and keep it -- At the end of each meeting, visit, or call. It is your responsibility to declare what comes next. It is rude to ask the typical question, "What are the next steps?" You asked for the meeting, now you need to be able to provide an encouraged path to follow.

4. Host well when you host -- If you are feeding your visitors, feed them well. Creature comforts including temperature, lighting, drinks and room conditions are all noted. In the better sales organizations, even when those companies are tiny, the handling of a visitor is handled like a guest at Sunday dinner. Even the little details can make the person feel honored and valued.

5. Be gracious as a guest -- Diana Ross may be able to pull of a diva routine, but you can't. Your goal is to be gracious for what you receive. I am amazed at the number of people who miss the most basic of "Please" and "Thank you" courtesy when support staff brings them water or provides help with the projector. Buyers notice and cast a broad net of perception as to what you and your company are like based upon how you handle the simple courtesies of interacting with support staff. Be gracious in every contact.

These manners probably seem like common sense. They are to the degree you get them right. They are deal killers when you get them wrong.

Thanksgiving & A History Lesson

2011-11-23T09:29:00.000-05:00

Long before modern recycling existed and long before "green concerns" made their way into the yearly company budget, there existed an inherent mentality of conservation. You can see it rooted in the minds of the previous generations; the ones that grew up during the Depression or in wartime. Save, reuse, recycle – today they're "initiatives"; in years past, they were matters of survival.

My father-in-law was born in the Sicilian province of Palermo. His father and his uncles owned small farms just outside the sulfur-mining town of Lercara Friddi, where they grew, harvested, and sold wheat. They immigrated into the US around 1946, but our story begins a few years prior to that.

On July 10, 1943, US & British forces invaded Sicily, which served as a stronghold for the German-Italian Axis power in the Mediterranean. Although historically overshadowed by the Normandy invasion (which took place about a year later), the Sicilian campaign was the largest Allied operation of WW2 in terms of the size of the landing and the number of troops put ashore on the first day of the invasion. By the middle of August, the campaign was drawing to a close and Axis forces were withdrawing from Sicily, with Allied troops in pursuit.

Leaflets instructing local residents to remain within the boundaries of the city walls were dropped by Allied planes. To prevent Axis forces from escaping with foodstuff and supplies, those planes also dropped incendiary bombs on the train depot and surrounding fields. This was devastating to the farmers, as the yearly crop of wheat had been harvested and bundled and was sitting in the field, ready to be taken to sale. They could not bring their harvest into the city; it was too large, and would have been confiscated anyway.

My father-in-law remembers much of this... getting candy from US and British troops, watching the leaflets fall from the sky, seeing the planes overhead, hearing the bombs, watching the fires moving across the countryside. He remembers his father and his uncles going out into the fields during the bombings to save everything they could, secretly transporting the hundreds of bales of wheat to hidden locations along the river that ran behind their farms… all while the bombs fell around them.

To think of them risking their lives to ensure their families would be able to survive the coming year… it's a moving picture of good men taking decisive action under difficult circumstances. I think of this story often, and attempt to contemplate the realities of living in such challenging and frightening times. "Not having" was a daily way of life, one to which we're not well-accustomed.

In the coming days, we will likely reflect on those things with which we have been blessed... our families, our health, our food, our homes. We might also think on how well we're living our lives and how we're operating our businesses. Are we:

- Teaching our families and our children the right messages about valuing and conserving food, water, electricity, and resources?

- Working to our full potential for our employer or our clients, providing them the best possible value for their dollar?

- Valuing and respecting the people around us - our families, our friends, our co-workers?

- Acting honorably, with integrity, and above reproach all the time, every time?

On behalf of Strickland Associates, Sid and I would like to extend our best wishes for a terrific Thanksgiving holiday, filled with family, friends, food, and fun!

Selecting High-Potential Leadership

2011-11-14T11:06:00.000-05:00

Few hires have the potential to impact the course of our organizations like executive or departmental level leadership. As such, hiring errors in these areas can create costs in the millions and tremendous impact to organizational health.

If you're part of the selection process for leadership roles, you'll find some helpful information in these presentations from our colleagues at PI Worldwide®, parent company of the Predictive Index® instrument we provide here at Strickland Associates. You'll read about how behavioral assessment definitively identifies the traits we need for our organization, dependent upon its unique culture, objectives, priorities, and current development & maturity.

Things You Need to Know About Executive Selection

Hiring at the Top

Leveraging Personality Data to Identify and Develop Effective Leaders

Identifying, Selecting and Developing High Potential Leaders

21st Century Leadership

PI Worldwide provides human capital analytics to help organizations of all sizes make science-based decisions about their ultimate competitive advantage – their people. Contact us here at Strickland Associates to learn more, or to complete a PI® survey yourself.

PI Worldwide, Predictive Index and PI are registered trademarks and trademarks of Praendex Inc. in the United States and other countries. Any use without the express written consent of Praendex Inc. is strictly prohibited.

Want to Know Why Your Sales Force Isn't Selling? (2 of 2)

2011-11-11T09:22:00.000-05:00

In the last blog, we introduced the Selling Skills Assessment Tool™ (SSAT), which provides an objective look at how effectively each individual on your team is applying their skills during the selling process. So once we collect SSAT data, what does it tell us?

As the results come back to you, we’ll work through them together and begin formulating some conclusions about the current state of your team, for example:

If SSAT scores are LOW but your sales are HIGH:
Hone Skills and Capitalize on Strengths

Your team has a lot of muscle, but they’re not approaching the sales process in the best possible way. Imagine their capability if we can develop some of those missing skills and bring them to bear in the great work that’s already being done!

If SSAT scores are HIGH but your sales are LOW:
Problems In Execution & Knowing How

There’s a gap between knowing what to do and how to properly execute on it during the sales process. Your team understands what’s required of them, but there are factors (fear, worry, indifference) impacting their ability to solidify the sale.

If SSAT scores are LOW and sales are LOW:
Implement New Learning & Sales Training

It’s critical that we begin thinking about a variety of training & development options and thoroughly map out a development plan. We also need to think about our personnel and determine if we need some new, stronger players on your team.

If SSAT scores are HIGH and sales are HIGH:
Provide Support and Get Out of the Way

Your focus needs to be on removing any potential obstacles, providing whatever support is needed, and (in my grandfather's vernacular) opening the gate and letting the horses run.

SSAT Reliability and Industry Versioning

Two independent research studies in 2003 and 2006 by doctoral-level psychologists indicate the SSAT shows sound reliability in assessing an individual's level of sales performance and execution. It is regularly administered to thousands of participants, and is available in more than twenty versions to allow for the nuances of various industries and positions. Some of these are:

Inside Sales / Outside Sales / Outside Sales Healthcare / Outside Sales Customer / Call Center Outbound / Call Center Inbound / Call Center Inbound Healthcare / Call Center Outbound Healthcare / Call Center Customer Service / Commercial Insurance / Account Growth / Professional Services / Internal Client / Legal / Real Estate / Underwriter / Mortgage / Retail / Automotive Sales / Automotive Service / Retail Banking / Commercial Banking

Implementing SSAT In Your Team

Once you decide to utilize SSAT, we'll work with you to determine which version of the assessment best reflects the sales focus of your organization. Then we'll identify the number of participants, the divisions/territories/teams that comprise your sales force, and a required completion date for delivery of the final results.

Login information is then provided to each member of your sales team. After completing the SSAT online, their answers are submitted to the central processing center for scoring. From there, the sales manager will receive several reports, including the Executive Summary, Regional/Group Reports, and Individual Data.

So What Next?

Once we've utilized SSAT to assess how effectively our teams are utilizing their skills, it’s time to provide the right kind of support. The Customer-Focused Selling™ curriculum (CFS) is tailored by us to directly address the areas identified by SSAT as in need of development. Customer-Focused Selling is a robust sales training program with a proven track record of improving sales performance, and the combination of SSAT and CFS has driven sustainable sales results for clients in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Bring SSAT into your organization to gather the objective and quantitative insight you need to create dramatic sales improvement.

Strickland Associates is pleased to be the Central Florida-based distributor for the full suite of programs from PI Worldwide®; the Predictive Index, the Selling Skills Assessment Tool, and the Customer-Focused Selling curriculum. PI Worldwide was recently named one of the Top Ten Sales Training Companies by Selling Power magazine.

PI Worldwide, Predictive Index and PI are registered trademarks and trademarks of Praendex Inc. in the United States and other countries. Any use without the express written consent of Praendex Inc. is strictly prohibited.

Want to Know Why Your Sales Force Isn't Selling? (1 of 2)

2011-11-09T10:59:00.001-05:00

Every sales manager would readily agree that the prospect of increased productivity, higher revenue, and greater profitability are thoughts that really get the juices flowing. No less exciting is the potential of garnering detailed information about the performance of our sales teams that will allow us to strategically address those key initiatives.

Our Selling Skills Assessment Tool™ (SSAT) tells you very specifically what needs to be done to bring about meaningful growth to your sales numbers. Identifying and capitalizing on strengths and addressing and mitigating performance gaps is the best path to exceptional sales growth. Whether you've got a team of two or two hundred, SSAT delivers a wealth of pertinent data about what's working well... and what may not be working at all.

In August's blog, we walked through the process of implementing the Predictive Index® tool in an organization. The PI® provides definitive behavioral insight that allows you to align both new hires and existing employees to the most appropriate roles within your company, resulting in happier, more productive, more successful associates that can consistently deliver.

While the PI and SSAT operate independently of one another, SSAT works very much in concert with this approach. The PI provides insight into the behavioral traits, and the SSAT gives an objective look at how effectively each individual is applying their skills in the sales process… certainly significant information for any sales manager.

And in reality, what other metrics do you have available to you, sales managers? What processes do you have in place for thorough and quantitative measurement of sales performance? Sure, you have reports detailing total sales per month, quarter, or year, but these only allow you to infer whether someones performance is "good" or "bad" (compared to their prior sales figures or to others on your team). SSAT offers you insight that otherwise cannot be uncovered in the information and numbers you normally monitor.

What is the Selling Skills Assessment Tool?
Specifically, SSAT is a diagnostic instrument that measures and quantifies the selling skills of each participant. It contains 25 questions that assess critical selling skills areas, and takes about 25-30 minutes to complete online. The facts revealed by the SSAT provide leaders with a look at the strengths and areas that warrant improvement in:

(1) The entire sales force,
(2) Divisions, regions, or teams within the sales force, compared to the entire group, and
(3) The individual salesperson, compared to the divisions/regions/teams, and to the entire group.

Rolling up the data in this fashion provides a variety of reporting options that allow you to effectively focus training initiatives for the entire group, target regional developmental needs, and supplement individual coaching plans.

What Skills Does SSAT Measure?
The tool identifies and measures five critical selling skills essential to all consultative sales processes, regardless of industry or focus. Your sales force's ability to build trust and credibility, identify client needs correctly, articulate our value, handle objections and gain agreement, and create customers for life will determine the extent of our growth and success. These five sales areas are:

OPEN
Building trust and credibility through managing client expectations.
Activities in this skill include setting the verbal agenda, opening the sales process, handling early objections, managing client expectations, and capturing the client's mindset.

INVESTIGATE
Accurately assessing the situation and uncovering client needs.
Activities in this skill include strategic questioning, investigative questioning, proof of listening with a verbal summary, examining decision-making criteria, and examining the client's financial perceptions.

PRESENT
Tying your capabilities to the client situation.
Activities in this skill include value articulation, linking your capabilities to the client’s situation, establishing value through client relevance, and differentiation and solution accuracy.

CONFIRM
Gaining agreement and winning the business.
Activities in this skill include asking for the business, utilizing the objection-handling process, answering objections accurately, and selling to multiple buyers.

POSITION
Building long-term customers for life.
Activities in this skill include management of client expectations, asking for referrals, cross-selling, positioning for future opportunities, and customer relationship management

For next time, what specifically does SSAT data tell me - and what do I do with it?

Click Here for Part Two

Mentors - They're Everywhere!

2011-11-04T14:40:00.000-04:00

At various points in our careers, we'll find ourselves in the company of leaders and coworkers who inspire us with a drive to improve or change. These individuals, simply by virtue of their inherent personal qualities, manifest characteristics that create immense opportunity for our own development. Early in my career, I was fortunate to work alongside two such people in my previous employer's recruiting and staffing department.

One was a highly analytical thinker with a monumental technical knowledge of the business and the recruiting function. Her methodical, process-oriented approach to work provided her with the ability to deliver thoughtful, innovative, and poised responses to the business. Always full of sound reasoning, her focus was on planning and preparation for quality delivery... which she achieved with incredible consistency. It's no surprise we viewed her as a model for the right way of doing things.

The other was equally skilled, with a degree of blunt competitive drive in the mix. Uncompromising in her desire for results, she was a brisk, fluent, and engaging speaker. Decisive and straightforward, she had little tolerance for a pretentious or arrogant attitude, and was always quick to cut through any nonsense, whether it stemmed from candidates or our business partners. When the work was done (and done right), you could always count on a warm laugh.

In the character and actions of these individuals, a clear set of driving characteristics were perpetually evident: focus, expertise, quality, and consistency. As I watched them plan and prepare for their work, execute on it, make decisions, and respond in times of urgency or difficulty, I began to notice things that worked exceptionally well for them... and it seemed wise to take note.

I still consider the lessons learned from these two HR professionals as fundamental to my ability to be successful. Working in their presence was as good or better a learning opportunity as being in a classroom. There are free learning opportunities all around us, if we open our eyes and ears... which, of course, typically necessitates closing our mouths. :)

Building Our Value (2 of 6)

2011-11-04T14:28:00.001-04:00

Establishing our value starts with some basic behavioral habits that we can bring to the job each day. As straightforward as many of these may seem, they've all been identified as gaps and unfortunate realities, according to the conversations I've had with clients and business leaders.

Attendance and Timeliness

Be on time to work. Be early when possible, and be logged into your workstation and ready to go by your scheduled start time. Return promptly from lunch, and if there's still work to be done, don’t duck out at 4:59. Minimize your sick time and ONLY use it for real illness, lest you build a reputation as that person who's always (air quotes) "out sick".

Adjust your personal habits if you need to do so. Go to bed earlier, eat better, start a light workout program. Everybody runs behind occasionally, but a habitual pattern of lateness - or a perception that you 'misuse' company time - certainly reflects poorly on your value.

Dress and Appearance

Some people perceive this as an antiquated concept, but I'd suggest it is not. Many companies offer a "business casual" dress, certainly an attractive policy for drawing candidates because there's no need to purchase and maintain a professional wardrobe, but stepping it up a notch can be beneficial to our perceived seriousness about the work.

A dress code should be seen as the absolute minimum requirements to which we must conform. Frankly, when I'm not in a suit, you're likely to find me in jeans, t-shirt, and flip flops, so I have a very real appreciation for the desire to be comfortable. Still, we should be conveying a sense of our commitment and professionalism at work; let's dress to represent ourselves and the quality of our contribution, NOT the bare minimum.

Work Ethic and Work Quality

Now is the time for our leaders to see us engaged and productive. We need to be on task, we need to be doing more, and we need to be checking the details of our work for accuracy. We need to meet or beat deadlines and do our work with an enhanced focus on quality.
Be responsive to the needs of the organization. We need to be asking, what more can I do? What extra projects can I take on? The more we contribute, the more our name and our reputation is attached to success.

Service is an area where we have the ability to distinguish ourselves without a huge investment of additional time, money, and effort. It's so easy to do exceptionally well, but it is so often done very poorly. If you're in a service role, you’re in a great place right now… just make the decision to always make that extra step. It will certainly distinguish you from the crowd.

Peavey - An American Brand

2011-10-03T16:42:00.005-04:00

Business and music - it's not often my two worlds come together as nicely as they do here, so I'm not going to miss the opportunity to share! As a musician, gear junkie, AND a small business owner, I found a lot of value in this article.

One of my first guitars was a Peavey Patriot, a copy of a Fender Stratocaster that did a darn good job of sounding like a real one. It logged quite a few hours as my backup instrument in college but was later stolen, unfortunately. Even now, owning two REAL Strats, I'll always remember the warm, full tone of that Patriot.

My very first amplifiers were all Peavey... a little Audition Chorus practice amp and a Studio Chorus 2x10. The Studio Chorus was my main amp when I was in the UCF jazz band, many-odd years ago. A jazz ensemble rhythm section demands a lot from a guitarist and amplifier, as the tone and volume have to punch through the drums, but not overpower the piano or the acoustic bass. I could always readily find that sweet spot with that amp. For slightly more - *ahem* - shall we say, "sonically vehement" needs, I run through a Peavey 100 Classic tube head that pushes two Peavey 4x12 and two Peavey 4x10 cabinets. It will jostle your internal organs quite effectively.

Clearly, I'm a fan - and this isn't the first time I've read interviews with Peavey; he's a stand-up guy and an exceptional business owner.

http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/advisor/did-hartley-peavey-peavey-electronics-070000229.html

How I Did It: Hartley Peavey of Peavey Electronics
By Kasey Wehrum | Inc – Tue, Sep 27, 2011 12:00 AM EDT

How Hartley Peavey took his electronics company from a one-man shop to a $270 million global brand

Growing up in Mississippi in the 1950s, Hartley Peavey dreamed of becoming a rock star. Though he lacked the chops to become the next Chuck Berry, his name has been etched into the pantheon of rock 'n' roll history. That's because Peavey amplifiers, sound equipment, and guitars boast a devoted following among rock stars and wannabes alike. More recently, airports, government buildings, and other facilities are turning to Peavey gear as well. Peavey started 46 years ago as a one-man shop. Now it is a global brand with about 1,000 employees and a reported $270 million in annual revenue.

When rock 'n' roll came along in the mid-'50s, like any other teenager, I was just delighted. In 1957, I went to a Bo Diddley concert in Laurel, Mississippi, and that's when I decided that I wanted to be a guitar player. My father, who owned a music store, told me, "You don't want to play guitar. Rock 'n' roll is crappy music; it will never last."

Eventually, he gave me an old electric guitar, but I needed an amp. My dad said, "When you learn to play, then I'll think about it." Just like any other kid, I wanted it now. So I built this big old amplifier from surplus parts. It wasn't very good, but it worked. That's how I got started. I've always enjoyed building things. I used to win science fairs and model-airplane contests. I wasn't a genius, but I was good with my hands.

I was a lousy musician, but I managed to get into some bands. The first group I got into would play fraternity parties for $50 and all the beer we could drink. When my band mates needed an amp or a PA system, I would build it. After I built all their gear, they sat me down and told me I was out of the band.

That was the turning point. I had to look in the mirror and be totally honest with myself. I said, "OK, you're not going to be a rock star. So what are you going to do with the rest of your life?" I realized I love music. I'm not so great at guitar, but I am pretty good at building things. So I decided that that's what I would do.

I started the company in 1965, when I graduated from Mississippi State. My idea was to build the best product I knew how to build but do it at a fair and reasonable price. Not cheap—reasonable.

I started out in a small room above my father's store. My first products were these small, single-unit bass and guitar amps. I'd build one a week, and then I'd go out and sell it to a local music store, come back, and build another one. I went all over the place trying to sell my products. I learned that that wasn't going to get me very far.

"I'm not so great at guitar, but I am pretty good at building things. So I decided that that's what I would do."

One day, after I demo'ed my amp downstairs in the music store, I got a knock on my door from a guy who said, "Man, that's a kick-ass amplifier. I could sell some of those." I was just treading water; I didn't have any money to pay him. He said, "If you give me that amplifier, I'll go out and sell it." And he did. He sold so many that I couldn't keep up. His name was Don Belfield. Through his efforts, I was able to hire a part-time employee to help me, and we just built and built.

When my father realized I was serious, he signed the first loan I got—$17,000, to build our first factory. Ever since then, I've tried to do it all by myself. One thing about Peavey

In the music business in the '60s and '70s, conglomerates came in and bought up everything. CBS bought Fender. Beatrice Foods bought JBL. Quality went to hell, and prices doubled. Musicians didn't know what hit them. While the conglomerates were going nuts raising prices, I kept my prices within reason. That has both helped me and hurt me. A lot of people assume that you can judge performance, quality, and reliability on price alone. That's an unwarranted assumption.

In the mid-'70s, we were having a lot of success. So much so that our competitors started using their guitars as leverage—basically telling dealerships that if they didn't sell their amplifiers and sound systems in the same number as Peavey, they wouldn't sell them their instruments.

I said, "Screw it; I'll just start building guitars." I'd been through guitar factories, and I knew there was a better way. As a gun collector, I was amazed at how precisely gun manufacturers can mass-produce the wooden stocks that fit on the barrel of a gun. I said, if a machine can make stocks like that, it could make guitars. We pioneered mechanization in the guitar business.

We also started making loudspeakers. That was a tough time for us, because I bit off more than I could chew. We came very close to crashing and burning.

We introduced our first digitally controlled sound system, called MediaMatrix, in 1993. We had to go all over the country convincing people that computers were reliable enough to control their sound systems. Today, it's in use just about everywhere—the U.S. Capitol building, the parliament house in China, and in airports and stadiums all over the world.

The sound business has gone through an incredible revolution. People have surround sound in their cars, in their homes. Their level of expectation is rising. I keep pushing the state of the art. Four years ago, we bought a software company. Musicians are always looking for their signature tone. With this software, anyone can tweak a digital amplifier to match the sound they are looking for.

I've had the good fortune to be able to watch my competitors make mistakes, and I've tried as much as possible to avoid those mistakes. That's not to say I haven't made plenty of my own.

Here in this small town, there aren't a whole lot of opportunities to be had. Over the past 46 years, we've had roughly 14,000 people float through Peavey. We've got a manufacturing facility that spans a quarter of a mile and a dozen more support facilities in Mississippi and Europe that handle distribution to 136 countries.

There are some things that I would change, but not many. Would I have given it all up to become a rock star? Absolutely.

Building Our Value (1 of 6)

2011-09-28T17:20:00.000-04:00

Here's something each of us needs to be thinking about, whether we're in a senior level executive role or an entry-level new hire. How do we demonstrate the extent of the value we bring to our employer?

I'm reminded of a situation from back in my recruiting days, when an individual approached our booth at a career fair and arrogantly inquired, "Tell me why I should consider working for your company. What will you do for me?" It sounds utterly ridiculous in today's environment, doesn't it? I'm willing to bet that's not a question ANYONE is asking a potential employer these days.

Large organizations have cut tens of thousands of positions and small companies are making proportionally similar reductions. Cash flow is down, and with payroll typically being the largest expense, a reduction in headcount is often a quick and easy place to reduce the pain. Sadly, it's often a matter of either letting people go or closing the doors permanently. It's more possible than ever before that we might be impacted by cuts like these, if we haven't been already.

So what steps can we take to minimize the risk that we will be among those chosen to be released? How can we build a reputation of quality, integrity, and indispensability that characterizes everything we do?

There's been a visible shift in thinking for many organizations regarding business planning. Thoughtful companies have always asked questions like:

"Where can we create efficiency in our workforce?"
"Can we consolidate any roles to save time or money?"
"How many people do we need to do an exceptional job?"
"What expertise do we need to ensure we retain?"

These kind of considerations are pretty standard in strategic planning, but there's been a remarkable change in thinking... right now those questions are more like:

"What roles can we eliminate without major impact?"
"Can we add this work to another role?"
"What’s the minimum number of people we need?"
"What steps must we take to ensure the company survives?"

A dramatic shift, to say the least! Again, how do we mitigate as much as possible the potential impact to us? Many things we'll consider may appear obvious to us... and yet, we see people failing to do them all the time. We'll start with some basic actions we absolutely need to be doing every day, then look to a number of more advanced ideas. Tune in for part two!

Why It's Worth 'Fretting' Over Service

2011-08-31T11:15:00.000-04:00

Prior to the explosion of online information-sharing and social networking, there was little recourse for individuals that found themselves on the receiving end of terrible service from an organization. Aside from choosing not to do business again, writing a heated letter, and perhaps informing a few friends of the experience, options for seeking further resolution & remuneration were disappointingly limited.

Of course, that has changed dramatically in recent years; now, we open our browser before we open our wallet. In a moment we can call up data/feedback about any person, product, or service, well before we make a decision or a commitment. As service providers, our reputations are far more accessible and our actions (or lack thereof) exceptionally well-documented.

Here's an individual who embodies the concept of feedback. His situation and his creative response to it provide a stellar example of how poor service behavior can now be reported to a far greater audience of consumers... and in a far shorter period of time. Ah, the power of the viral video.

This story first came to my attention back in 2009. Dave Carroll, a Canadian singer/songwriter found himself at odds with United Airlines when one of his guitars was damaged by baggage handlers. The resolutions offered were far from satisfactory, prompting Dave to engage in what I can only describe as "peaceful vigilante justice", as you'll read and see below.

As a guitarist myself, I can readily empathize with the utter dismay of seeing your favorite guitar (for me, a tossup between my Gibson ES-175 and Rickenbacker 360) handled like an old sack of potatoes. And for all those among us who have lost our time, our money, our luggage, and occasionally our dignity at the hands of the airlines, this story provides a modicum of gleeful retribution, if not peaceful reconciliation.

So beware to all those organizations who take a flippant or dismissive stance on service, because the people are pushing back in new and different ways. And the web – plus a bit of talent and clever thinking – can provide a powerful and visible podium from which to protest.

The story:
www.davecarrollmusic.com/ubg/story/

And the videos:

United Breaks Guitars Song #1
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo

United Breaks Guitars Song #2
www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-UoERHaSQg

United Breaks Guitars Song #3
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P45E0uGVyeg

Human Analytics... Supporting Your Organization and Your People (2 of 2)

2011-08-19T12:43:00.000-04:00

So what does a companywide Predictive Index® implementation look like? It varies, depending on the unique or immediate needs of the organization, but here are a few of the basic steps:

Step 1: Profiling the Role - The PRO Checklist
Getting everyone on the same page and identifying essential behaviors

We'll start by identifying and focusing on a few specific roles within the organization; perhaps roles that have experienced high attrition, or where the overall level of quality and performance is not where we need it to be.

The PRO form is a ninety item checklist that takes about 10-15 minutes to complete online. It asks an individual to identify important and frequent aspects of a job that are essential to successful performance.

We'll distribute the PRO to three to five people in the organization who are most suited to provide knowledgeable insight about that position; this could include the hiring manager, a supervisor, an internal client, a member of the HR/recruiting team, even a successful incumbent.

Usually, respondents are generally on the same page with their expectations of the position. However, if there is a dramatic discrepancy, it means there is not agreement on the fundamental requirements of the job. Most importantly, that tells us we are NOT ready to hire until we work through those differing perspectives. We'll facilitate a review process and help the group arrive at a final, permanent, behavioral template that will serve as a basis for comparison to individual PI results.

Ideally, within the first year of PI implementation, a PRO should be completed for every role within an organization. Setting up a PRO is something generally done once, unless the responsibilities of that role change significantly. In such a case, the appropriate parties should complete a new PRO.

2. Profiling the Candidate - The PI® Survey
Determine if personal characteristics match what we need in the role

Next, we'll send the Predictive Index survey via email to those individuals under consideration for the position. It takes only about five to ten minutes for candidates to complete and submit the survey, but the resulting data is extremely definitive.

PI utilizes a free-choice checklist methodology, where each item on the checklist is a "stimulus". Because human behavior is the product of responses to stimuli, the way we respond becomes habitual and consistent, and can be readily measured. The resultant individual PI patterns sum up (in graphic form) the measurements of an individual's behavior.

3. Putting It All Together
Examining PI/PRO data and utilizing it effectively

In the final stages of the selection process, a trained PI Analyst utilizes the data from the PI to evaluate how closely the individual matches the requirements identified in the PRO. Similarities and gaps are analyzed and documented, and become additional data points in the selection process. Ultimately, the question answered is, will this individual's future performance align to what we know we need for successful performance?

This is where it becomes essential to understand how PI/PRO data is to be used... in conjunction with (not instead of) other hiring data that has been gathered. When considering an individual for a position, you'd typically evaluate characteristics such as their education, training, skills, and industry experience. You'd utilize behavioral interviewing techniques to assess intelligence, knowledge, attitudes, values, and literacy. A trained manager certainly understands how these characteristics apply to the job in question.

When we then combine the knowledge and insight of your team with the behavioral data gathered by the PI, we are provided with the most comprehensive look possible into that person's ability to do the job.

Wrap Up

While candidate selection and internal promotion tend to be the areas where Predictive Index has the most readily visible application, its usefulness only BEGINS there. We help organizations apply PI data for strategic purposes (leadership development, organizational development, innovation, change management), in addition to tactical applications (job design, attracting candidates, selection, promotion, team effectiveness, individual coaching, conflict resolution, communication initiatives, performance management, succession planning).

We've chosen to bring Predictive Index to our clients because we've seen the dramatic impact to results and productivity it delivers - impacting both individuals and organizations. Contact us to learn more!

Human Analytics... Supporting Your Organization and Your People (1 of 2)

2011-08-19T11:43:00.001-04:00

A longtime client mentioned to me that while describing the Predictive Index® process to an industry colleague, she was challenged to remember the steps for implementation. I thought a blog focused on use of the PI® might be valuable, both for her and others who may be interested in learning more about what we do at Strickland Associates.

In a nutshell, the PI is a management tool that aligns individual employee performance with specific business and organizational goals. This is accomplished through a measured coordination of human behaviors; those of an individual and those comprising the essential performance requirements of a job.

PI supports these alignment efforts, providing quantitative data to match a candidate (internal or external) to the appropriate role within the company. Pinpointing these key behavioral traits allows leaders to:

- Measure an individual's motivating drives and behaviors.
- Understand how the person will respond in a specific job.
- Understand how the person will interact with others.
- Position a person for success.
- Better support and develop each individual.

PI helps answer questions like:

- What motivates people to action?
- For what kinds of work are they best suited?
- What meets their needs, and therefore unleashes their energy and best efforts?
- On what basis do they reach their judgments around people and things?
- To what degree can we expect vitality and energy in the face of change?

When we've utilized PI data to assist in placing someone in a role, we've created the best opportunity for success, both for them and for the organization. No one would argue that a happy employee doing what they do best is going to do the most to advance the objectives of the company as they grow, thrive, and increase their level of contribution and productivity.

Whether the focus is on roles in sales, service, administration, or management, the PI provides the insight and the knowledge to better motivate, lead, and utilize people to the best of their ability.

Next up, a quick start-to-finish run-through of a Predictive Index implementation.

Click here for part two.

Make The Right Decision… or You’re Out! (3 of 3)

2011-08-08T13:28:00.000-04:00

Concluding this one... considering the thoughts of World Series umpire Randy Marsh:

www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/advice/2008-10-19-umpire-advice-executive-suite_N.htm

Making a tough call isn’t always popular

There’s a lot of truth in the phrase, “it’s lonely at the top.” When you're in a senior leadership role, at the end of the day the ultimate decision-maker is YOU; responsibility for risk and accountability for failure belong exclusively to you. This is where the leader’s integrity is tested. Do I make the unpopular decision that best safeguards the interests and the future of the organization and its people? Or is my focus on preserving my public image or political/social standing?

When a tough call presents itself, there’s a very real temptation to act in a manner that will protect US from being perceived poorly. Again, right decisions are not always popular, but we must – without fail – act in the best interest of our organization and our people. By accepting that leadership role, this is the commitment we have embraced. Marsh adds, “If you truly know in your heart that it is best, you should be just fine.”

Even in the most difficult of circumstances, the outstanding leader acts with an unwavering sense of integrity, honesty, and consistency. Maintaining our professionalism and remaining approachable when things get tough clearly demonstrates to our people that we are working with their best interests in mind and instills in them the confidence they need to push through difficulties. To borrow one last quote from Marsh, “If employees know that you're consistent, they will understand when something unusual comes up once in a while and you veer off course.”

Some neat thoughts from Mr. Marsh that are readily applicable outside the ballfield for certain. I for one, am delighted to have more than 0.5 seconds to make most decisions… and equally delighted that (hopefully) I won’t have to dodge a shower of hot dogs, popcorn, and beer after making it.

Make The Right Decision… or You’re Out! (2 of 3)

2011-07-27T16:11:00.000-04:00

Continued from last time... elaborating on a few thoughts from World Series umpire Randy Marsh:

www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/advice/2008-10-19-umpire-advice-executive-suite_N.htm

Bring in your team for support whenever possible

A strong organization with an engaged workforce has leadership that is receptive to input and consultation. When those that report to us can easily provide so much insight into day-to-day aspects of their work that we never see (but are strategically valuable - or essential - for us to know about), how foolish would we be not to seek out their insight?

We’d all likely agree that the most comfortable decisions are those made when we have a full picture of a situation coupled with definitive and complete information about it. That information comes from others, and we increase the likelihood of a successful outcome by recognizing and making maximum use of their knowledge.

A great leader also gives others credit for their insight. We can probably all think of a boss we’ve had at some point who was reluctant to provide credit, but quite anxious to assign blame when things weren’t working out right! We are in no way devaluing ourselves when we redirect praise and choose to acknowledge our team. The best leaders have the ability to enact important decisions without drawing attention to themselves – the concept of leader as servant, as we’ve no doubt heard many times.

Poor leaders have the mindset that they have ascended to the lofty position of leadership through their own brilliance. While perseverance and drive is integral to success as a leader, if the teams supporting us had failed along the way, we wouldn’t have made it. According to Marsh, “You can't have an ego, so I got the entire crew together, and we got it right.” We cannot make decisions in a vacuum. We are not infallible, nor should we attempt to create the illusion that we are.

More to come...

Make The Right Decision… or You’re Out! (1 of 3)

2011-07-21T09:34:00.000-04:00

Imagine that every decision you have to make today has to be made within 0.5 seconds.

Now, suppose that every one of those decisions is highly public, has the potential to dramatically impact the outcome of the current project, and must be made with no personal bias or outside influence of any kind. On top of all that, 50% of those awaiting your decision are poised to immediately take exception to it – often angrily – and your responsibility is to remain the consummate professional in the face of it all.

Yikes!

A while back, USA Today ran an interview with World Series umpire Randy Marsh, which I bookmarked and have come back to occasionally. Now 62, Randy has been a Major League ump for over 25 years, and has pretty much seen (and heard) it all. I wanted to mention a few points brought to light in the interview and add some thoughts:

www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/advice/2008-10-19-umpire-advice-executive-suite_N.htm

Preparation makes fast decisions easier and safer

Every decision we make in our day has some element of risk. Those that have the potential to impact our people or the financial state of our organization are of course the riskiest. Even when we have to respond quickly, the sum of the preparation we have made leading up to it acts as a counterpoint to that risk factor and provides a sound foundation for even the most critical of decisions.

Under no circumstances can we cease actively seeking to become better at what we do; specifically, working to grow our knowledge in the technical aspects of our responsibilities. New rules, regulations, products, techniques… we cannot lose touch with the developments in our industry or trade. Says Marsh, “You're putting the percentages in your favor by being knowledgeable ahead of time.”

More to come!

Getting Angry With the Non-Buyer

2011-06-20T11:52:00.002-04:00

Had a neat call from an old friend last week who recently made a pretty significant career shift. He's an extraordinary guy… IQ through the roof, integrity to the nines, and an unstoppable desire for results. With the exception of an unfortunate penchant for country music, he's the kind of person with whom most anyone would readily get along.

Working from warm-contact lists, he reaches out to individuals within organizations who are responsible for making insurance and risk decisions. Bear in mind, these are people/organizations who have expressed a desire to hear from him, not cold call lists. It became clear early in our chat that it wasn't going terribly well, it had already gotten quite personal for him, and he'd started to second-guess himself and get mad at the non-buyers. Very few of the contacts were even responding to his calls and inquiries.

I definitely agree, it's quite frustrating to be ignored… but it's critical that we not make it a personal issue. From that person's perspective, you're "just trying to sell something", and no matter how shortsighted an assessment that may be, it's often their immovable reality.

Having found myself in similar situations, I always wonder, why do you think I'm that good? Are you so frightened by my superhuman ability to sell that you're afraid I'll walk in the room and you'll be overcome by an irresistible urge to start signing contracts and writing checks? Come on.

When I have someone continuously blow me off in spite of cordial communication efforts, I move on and count myself lucky I don't have to serve them as a client. That lack of courtesy and professionalism likely doesn't end with that one individual; it may be a hallmark of the organization. You may have just avoided inheriting a whole mess of problems.

You can't let the rude prospect get to you, or you'll start becoming embittered about the good work you do. Feel free to be irritated for a few minutes and feel free to question their competence as a business professional, but end it there and quickly move on.

I think the best salespeople are those adept at quickly spotting the difference between someone that needs close follow up and effort to get to the close, and someone who will never buy from you at all. Keep in mind, there's just too many people waiting to benefit from your products and services to let one bad apple put you off track.

What Crummy Training Costs You (2 of 2)

2011-05-31T12:26:00.000-04:00

As if all that weren't enough, add the fact that the adult learner has their self-esteem very much at stake in the classroom. One poorly-worded comment from an oblivious trainer that makes a participant feel their insight has been marginalized or discredited, and you've lost them, often for good. Inexperienced or unskilled trainers (regardless of their insight into the topic) should never be turned loose on a classroom of adult learners.

Striking the right balance of right time, right content, right delivery is a delicate and expensive highwire act. Let's consider the financial ramifications of pulling twenty hourly employees away from their daily responsibilities and placing them into an eight-hour training class. To keep the math simple, we'll exclude the cost of employee benefits, workers comp and other insurance, course development and materials, the facilitator's time/fees, training space, technology, and energy costs. Just remember, all that has to be tacked on to the final number as well.

Twenty learners at $20/hour equals a minimum of $3,200 for that eight-hour class; a week-long class is $16,000. A four-week class for this group becomes a mind-bending $64,000 (plus all the extra costs, of course). Then add a few more highly-paid/salaried attendees and watch those training dollars climb.

This doesn't even begin to take into account the cost of work NOT being completed while learners are in training… projects not updated, sales calls not made, inbound calls not answered, service levels not met, reports not completed, meetings not attended, and emails not answered.

Yet, in spite of knowing this, we slam people into some pretty darn marginal training, don't we? And we often dedicate as little time, financing, and effort as we can into bringing it up to snuff. From a cost standpoint, we can all agree that training should never be poorly organized, poorly attended, and poorly delivered; sadly, we can all bear witness to the fact that it frequently is. Inadequately trained associates are, at best, not performing to potential, and at worst, are failing to represent the organization with competence.

We take away training budgets, we "make do" with outdated curriculums and materials, and we put inexperienced trainers in our classrooms rather than bring in professionals… and then we're baffled because training "just isn't working".

Be the leader in your organization who champions the importance of budgeting for quality learning and development initiatives. Give your people what they need to do their jobs exceptionally well, and you'll make that money back in spades with a high-performing, dedicated workforce.

What Crummy Training Costs You (1 of 2)

2011-05-20T16:29:00.000-04:00

It’s 99.9% likely that at some point in our professional career, we’ve been cajoled, tricked, goaded, or otherwise forced-herded into a training class we didn’t want to attend.

Settling in to hear the nuances of some new financial regulation, our eyes began to glaze over. As the subject-matter-expert facilitating the session read directly from the PowerPoint or facilitator guide (verbatim, of course), in a voice that with each passing minute sounded more and more like Charlie Brown’s parents, we felt our will to live begin to drain away.

Finally, we folded under the pressure and either literally nodded off or mentally vacated the premises for the duration, eyeing the clock and fiddling with our phone.

Or how about that trainer that made you sing nursery rhymes, toss beach balls around the room, and turned every learning item into an infantile game that took ten times longer than necessary and focused far more on entertainment value than solidifying the concepts? The adult learner is left feeling both embarrassed and irritated for this less-than-ideal use of their time, and once again, the intended message is obscured or lost altogether.

If you’ve got curriculums or courseware that isn’t quite up to snuff, an engaging trainer can overcome a multitude of sins. Likewise, the wrong trainer can ruin a well-constructed class with poor delivery and no adult-learning sensitivity. Get both those areas right, and you've got an optimal experience lined up for your learners.

Creating meaningful training for a diverse workforce is a phenomenal challenge, one that is rarely evaluated and developed to the degree it deserves. Each individual has a perception of the value of their time vs. the value of the content of your class. This is what we have to influence first... yes, being here in this class IS worth your time, and we'll not minimize or waste it.

Business Priorities in the New Economy (3 of 3)

2011-05-13T14:15:00.002-04:00

3. Practice Courageous Leadership

As leaders in our organizations, we truly set the tempo for how business takes place, and we are in a position to serve as influential positive catalysts for our associates. But at the risk of garnering an eyeroll or two, we can’t start a fire in our business unless we have one burning in ourselves – that results focused, venturesome, competitive drive to win.

Through influential leadership, we can provide the environment, encouragement, and guidance that enables associates to achieve extraordinary results. Credible leaders motivate associates to help develop and foster a culture of trust, communication, and teamwork.

Now more than ever, we have to make wise, thoughtful decisions for our businesses. Maintaining an intense sense of urgency and a rapid response time are critical... never haphazard or careless but with the mindset of a calculated risk taker, examining the facts and then decisively taking action.

Are we an agent of change? Our organization must be dynamic and progressive... never just maintaining the same old status quo. Every day we should be thinking, "What can we do or offer today that will more readily distinguish us from the competition?"

It takes courage to make the tough decisions, but this is a defining trait of the mantle of leadership. Courage doesn’t mean that we have no apprehension or fear, but it does mean that we face the challenges with discipline, decisiveness, determination, and an unstoppable focus on results.

Call Me Back In Six Months

2011-05-06T15:06:00.000-04:00

It’s by far the most frequent response I get from leaders who push back when we call on them or are referred to them. Most often, it stems from having a plate too full and a plethora of fires that need to be put out.  But, for the sake of discussion, here's a sampling of what we can get done in the scope of those six months:

- First, we'll collect definitive behavioral information about the company’s executives and key leaders, to gain a full picture of the capabilities of your management teams. Do we have the right qualities and characteristics, and in the right amounts? Where are the strengths and gaps?

- Next, tapping into the insight and knowledge of appropriate subject matter experts throughout the company, we'll develop detailed job profiles describing the behavioral needs of every position for which you're currently recruiting (or that you plan to recruit for within the next few months).  These profiles are customized to the specific and unique needs of these roles as they function within YOUR organization, not drawn from standardized templates or national averages.

- Then, we'll collect behavioral performance data from every potential candidate for employment, comparing their personal results back to the profiles created by your teams. Through this comparison process, you'll see an immediate change to how effectively your hires fit the behavioral demands of the job, and ultimately, how well they perform and exceed expectations.

- At this point, we’ll continue collecting survey results by job tier throughout the organization, auditing the power and capabilities of the entire workforce. Job profiles will be created for all executive and management/leadership roles, and any positions where you have experienced performance issues or unexpected attrition.

- Finally, we'll collect behavioral survey results for all current employees, identify trends within our highest performers, and create job profiles for every position within the organization, to serve as a benchmark for future hiring/promotion decisions.

Doing employees and candidates the service of placing them where they are most suited to grow and thrive is now a natural thought, and ingrained into your culture and people decisions.  You and your leadership teams are now poised to apply human analytics data broadly and in EVERY strategic or tactical decision that includes your personnel... at a minimal investment of time and money.

What might we accomplish over the course of that six months? Everything!

Business Priorities in the New Economy (2 of 3)

2011-05-03T15:16:00.000-04:00

2. Drive Revenue

Frankly, it’s all about selling. It’s time to convey a very strong and very clear message to every person in our organization: EVERYBODY is on the sales team. Actions taken (or not taken) by ANY employee in ANY department ultimately become a factor in our customers’ decision-making processes. Do they want to continue doing business with us, or not?

Today's challenging business environment demands that we continuously enhance our sales skills and increase sales results. Understanding how to shift from a “sales-focus” to a “customer-focus” helps us position ourselves as a business partner providing business solutions.

We must innovatively seek out ways to more effectively grow revenue, achieve greater customer satisfaction, and understand how to more readily apply our products and services to customer requirements. During the selling process, are we asking appropriate questions and gathering comprehensive information to clearly ascertain needs? Are we establishing credibility? Can we articulate the value of what we’re offering and address objections? Most importantly, are we positioning the company for future sales and an ongoing relationship?

An unwavering focus on the core elements that impact our selling results is paramount. Studying the dynamics of a sale and how to manage the process will help us execute in a successful manner, time after time. Ultimately, we want to be in a position where we can work in partnership with our prospects and customers in the decision-making process of business – setting us apart from the competition, differentiating our services, and helping us to deliver what the customer really wants. And THAT is a win for everybody.

Integrity - You’re Doing It Right

2011-04-27T12:48:00.005-04:00

Recently, I received a referral from a client to a colleague in his industry and reached out to introduce myself. I left a brief message about the referral, but didn’t get a return call.

Several days later, I left another message, expressing my desire to say hello and learn a bit more about his business. He returned that call later that day.

He immediately apologized for not responding to the first call, sharing that he’d just experienced the death of a close friend and had been bogged down in those concerns for several weeks. Additionally, he was in the midst of an unexpected and overwhelming number of critical work situations that needed his immediate and full attention.

What was most notable about the exchange was his expression of concern that he had presented an unprofessional picture by not responding promptly to my call. Given the circumstances, I assured him that was certainly not the case.

How refreshing, and how incredibly rare! What a marked distinction from the vast majority of the workforce today who so easily ignore contact initiated by another business professional. What a dramatic difference from those who blow off good, open communication, without demonstrating even the basic courtesy of a quick call or a short email.

We set up time to visit several weeks down the road when things are slower. Frankly, I’ll do just about anything in my power to work alongside someone like this individual. I’ll wait as long as it takes, and I’ll work twice as hard.

What does it say when discovering an individual with the desire to portray a genuine image of responsive professionalism is the EXCEPTION to the norm?

Business Priorities in the New Economy (1 of 3)

2011-04-22T11:45:00.001-04:00

1. Leverage Our Talent

People determine our success, and the cornerstone of outstanding organizational leadership is the ability to appreciate the value of people and appropriately capitalize on their talents. We need to learn what motivates each of our associates. What's important to them? Do we have them in the right positions? Would a role or responsibility change result in them being more personally fulfilled and, as a result, make them more productive and successful?

Who are our high potential associates and the next generation of leadership? These are the people that have the desire and the ability to step up to more responsibility, or are in critical roles that are highly skilled, making them difficult to replace. The onus is decidedly upon our shoulders to take steps that correctly identify, develop and retain these people; they are the foundation for all future stability and growth.

Most organizations have left an invaluable source of information largely untapped - their own staff's experience and knowledge. The information your employees have accumulated working with customers, suppliers and external contacts is invaluable. Every day the associates who talk to people outside your organization are gathering market insight that could indicate opportunities for process improvements, potential new products, services, or competitor information.

If you don't know the strengths and knowledge of your staff, find out. Determine what they like doing best, what they're good at and why, and which tasks they find most compelling. Consider the activities you personally carry out as part of your daily routines. It goes without saying that there are things you'd like to be doing more and things you'd like to be doing less. Do we tend to be more engaged in the things we enjoy? Of course. It's not rocket science, so as leaders, why aren't we attentive to the same need in our people?

A forward-thinking leader looks for ways to utilize the inherent behaviors of their team by providing roles, projects, and activities that draw out their strengths and bring personal fulfillment and satisfaction. This takes an investment of time and interest on the part of that leader… but what employee is going to underperform for a manager or organization that creates that type of environment?

The Blog is Back!

2011-04-08T16:09:00.004-04:00

After a year-long hiatus, Strickland Associates Insights will be making a return in the coming weeks. A warm thanks to those who have inquired about the blog and its extended pause. "Hey, I read your blog" is always fun to hear, and I've missed the creative outlet.

So where have we been? In a welcome turn, the latter half of 2010 and first part of 2011 were a period of significant growth for Strickland Associates. Our client base has expanded dramatically (primarily through referrals), and several organizations who initially had said "no" due to budget constraints reached out to say they were now ready to get started. Growth has been fast and broad, and the blog had to take a backseat until we stabilized the new work.

In the interim, articles drawn from the blog appeared in five industry magazines and helped us engage work with several companies who met us that way. This format has proven to be a safe and informal way for folks to see if we 'click' with them in terms of perspective and approach. As one commented, "when I understood your business philosophy, which was pretty evident in what you wrote, I knew we were on the same page".

Additionally, I've learned a bit more about blogging. Short and meaningful topics delivered more frequently are better than one giant post every month. Some of the old stuff will be rewritten and included over time, and if you have topic ideas, articles you feel ought to be featured, or even just a few minutes to send me your thoughts, I'd welcome the exchange. And of course, please link your friends and business associates to posts you find valuable.

We've re-launched Strickland-Associates.com with a series of videos detailing our products and services, in addition to more than fifty case studies demonstrating use of our tools across industries.

So it looks like many good things are on the horizon! In the meantime, here's a short article that echoes a mindset with which I wholeheartedly concur. Gabor George Burt suggests that we not focus too much on "fending off" what our competitors are doing, lest that process alone overwhelms our capacity and causes us to lose ground.

Why You Should Stop Obsessing Over Your Competitors

Talk with you soon!