SHRM-Atlanta

By Tom Fee

Leadership is the ability to get people to follow you.  So how do you do that?  Influence.  Dan Crosby, PhD, of IncBlot, outlined the psychology for the 6 Pillars of Influence in his SHRMATL 2013 conference presentation.  It has less to do with your title and more to do with your approach.  You have to learn how to package and deliver your recommendations in a way that is attractive and enticing.  So here are the laws that good leaders use to influence others:

1-      Reciprocity – you have to give to get, kindness for kindness.  People have a natural need to return a favor with a favor.  But watch out, women and southerners have been taught to underplay the significance of their contribution.  When you have done a favor, accept their thanks graciously, but in a way that clearly underlines the value of the favor and relationship.

2-      Scarcity – people want what they can’t have, because it is rare or the opportunity is slipping away.  When you make a recommendation, make sure that you reinforce the consequences of not accepting the offer.  Most people are two times more upset about a potential loss, than attracted by an opportunity.  Also, clearly outline what needs to be done to implement the plan, people often fail to connect the action to the benefit.

3-      Authority – people trust others with experience, expertise and credentials.  If you don’t have them, quote the opinion of someone who does.  And remember that you depend on others to build your authority, so constantly reinforce the authority of those in your group to build your own.  The best approach is a subtle approach, when underscoring your authority start by admitting a minor weakness and then offer your most authoritative evidence; “lower their guard and then counter punch”

4-      Commitment and Consistency – people stick once they commit, even to a small commitment.  So get people to commit to something, anything, and they will be one step closer to sticking to the succeeding decisions.

5-      Consensus – people have a herd mentality and they look to others for approval.  If you can get some people to commit others will follow.  You can leverage the unseen “they”, just like the advertising that tells you that everyone else uses a product.  Surprisingly, the merit of an idea has less to do with the adoption of an idea than the adoption of others.

6-      Liking – like speaks to like.  People tend to agree with people who are just like them.  So, position your approach and appeal to appear to have commonality with your audience.  Make them laugh, be attractive (well groomed), share common stories, pay compliments and show that you have a common struggle.  Take the time to recognize a person’s personal Brand (their clothes, hobbies, tastes, style) and compliment them on it.

That’s it – 6 Pillars that will make you much more influential.  It has to do more with building your credibility in a group and using relationships effectively, than it does with title.  Take the time to build these six capabilities and you will find your influence and impact growing in your organization and life.

Tom Fee is the Managing Partner of Verity Partners, a consulting firm that helps drive new strategies to successful execution.  He brings over 30 years of experience and expertise in business analysis, design and implementation with over 100 companies (consulting at Booz, Deloitte, Verity Partners).  Currently Tom is developing new approaches to effective change by focusing on individual learning and adoption.  SHRM Atlanta was thrilled to have Tom as a part of our #SHRMATL13 Press Team providing media coverage of our annual conference!

By: David Brookmire, President, Corporate Performance Strategies

This year should be very interesting for leaders and executives at all levels and from what we have seen recently with Congress, continued uncertainty for the foreseeable future. As leaders, what should you be thinking about for your success in 2013?

1. Work-life balance will continue to be “out of balance” now that companies have settled into a new normal of doing more with less. The hours and demands continue to rise making it challenging for the Gen X Leaders who are trying to manage family and work commitments. As long as Boomers occupy the most senior positions in companies, the value of working longer hours will be pervasive throughout most organizations. This “extra” stressor is a big one on top of job demands, so learning to deal effectively with this challenge will go a long way to a satisfying and productive 2013. Consider “mini-vacations” which are 3-4 day weekends taken more frequently. Try to leave the Blackberry or iPhone behind.

2. Leaving a legacy is a new concept for many leaders to contemplate within the business setting. Often, when I ask clients what their legacy will be after they are done working, they usually respond that they hadn’t really thought much about it. In some ways, Vision is what some Boomers should consider as they contemplate retirement in the coming years. (I know the research shows that Boomers are working longer.) Try and answer this question: When you are no longer working at the company, what do you want people to say about you as a leader and individual? I hear answers like, “He worked hard and made us a lot of profits,” to “He was a thoughtful and caring leader who helped prepare the new generation of leaders for our company.” Both statements are correct, it’s just that they will dictate different leadership actions nearing the retirement year.

3. Develop your personal brand with a great deal of attention to social media. Make sure that you have all your social media channels (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc.,) aligned with who you want to portray to friends and colleagues. Most employers look at all of the social media sites to check out their existing and prospective employees. As a busy consultant, I struggle to keep everything up to date with the latest messaging, accomplishments, thought leadership, etc. Many leaders inside companies have not taken the time to create their personal branding messages which is accessible by internal and external stakeholders.

4. Continuation of self-development as the primary source for skill building. It’s not a new trend and will continue even more in 2013. Leaders who take the initiative and seek out programs, opportunities to volunteer for special projects and assignments, read books, attend professional conferences, will be noticed and able to improve their value within the organization. If you are struggling with trend #1 above, the thought of this trend is a bit disconcerting since you have no time to devote to your personal development, so it is often neglected. As a start, block out 2 hours per week to focus on furthering your development. Ask your company if they provide coaching for their leaders, or better yet, ask your manager to help you get on a task force or project team that will expose you to new areas and people in the company.

These are some of the personal leadership tips that we see for leaders in 2013.

You can see David’s session, Supporting the Business Strategy with a Robust Leadership Pipeline, at the 23nd Annual SHRM-Atlanta HR Conference at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, on April 30 from 1:45 to 2:45 to learn more and bring it into your organization!

David Brookmire, Ph.D. is a seasoned executive advisor, researcher, author and recognized authority in leadership effectiveness.  He has successfully coached executives at highly-respected companies including The Cheesecake Factory, Darden Restaurants, Bekaert, Mckesson, Flowers Foods, ADP, and Frito-Lay.  Additionally, he offers strategic direction and proven solutions in building organizational capabilities, merger and acquisition success, and improved leader and team performance.  For more about Brookmire, please visit www.cpstrat.com.

By: Melanie Holmes, VP World of Work Solutions, ManpowerGroup NA

I recently wrote an article for an online issue of  Training Magazine about the multiple benefits of developing a comprehensive community investment program.  Benefits to whom?

The company:

• It’s the right thing to do.
• It will enhance the corporate brand…
• …and could bring your products and services to prospects’ attention.
• It can improve your relationship with clients.
• It can enhance your talent attraction, engagement and retention strategies…
  • Everyone wants to do meaningful work and give back.
  • The younger generations – in particular – check out company reputations before making an employment decision.
  • And, when volunteering during company time, employees come back energized.
• Volunteering helps develop talent.
• Companies thrive in healthy, vibrant communities (a rising tide raises all boats).

The individual:

• Once again, it’s the right thing to do.
• It feels good.
• It will help you develop leadership skills (organizing and leading volunteer opportunities or serving on boards).
• It will enhance your appreciation of diversity and inclusion (volunteering with people with whom you don’t normally interact; serving people who are different from yourself – underserved populations, people with disabilities, etc.).
• You can practice your project management skills (serving on committees, organizing events),
• As well as your communication and presentation skills.
• It enhances your personal brand in your community
• And at your company.
• It offers opportunities to network and get to know community leaders.
• And, finally, we all want to live and work in healthy, vibrant communities.

Our communities:

• We don’t have to look hard to find people who are worse off than ourselves.
• Our dollar donations are always needed to help organizations deliver their services.
• Our unique talents can be leveraged to improve those services.

So please take your commitment to your community seriously — whether you are a company or an individual.

You can see Melanie’s session, Talent Mismatch — the Gap Widens, at the 23nd Annual SHRM-Atlanta HR Conference at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, on April 30 from 11:15 to 12:15 or stop by booth 235 to speak with a ManpowerGroup representative!

An internationally known expert on all things work related, Melanie is dedicated to advancing ManpowerGroup’s position as the thought leader in the contemporary world of work. She shares ManpowerGroup’s extensive labor force knowledge while building strategic partnerships with government, universities and other leadership organizations. Melanie is also responsible for community investment at ManpowerGroup, which includes volunteerism, community relations and philanthropy.

A strong believer in life-long learning, Melanie earned her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in 2005.

Melanie is very active in the Milwaukee community.  She serves on the boards of the Milwaukee Area Technical College, Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board, Milwaukee Urban League, Social Development Commission and COA Youth & Family Centers. She also serves on the Advisory Council for the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee School of Continuing Education Center for the Study of the Workplace.

Do you know the quality and depth of your leadership character? What about those of your organization’s key managers?

As an aid for leadership development, Turknett Leadership Group, a leadership and organizational effectiveness firm, created the Leadership Character Model™. The model outlines the core qualities that create the kind of underlying character all effective leaders require:

Leadership Character Model™

INTEGRITY

The foundation of Leadership Character is integrity. Turknett emphasizes that leaders must be honest, credible and completely trustworthy. A person with integrity makes sound decisions, even when faced with moments of indecision, temptation and conflict. Without integrity, no leader can be successful.

RESPECT

Respect depicted by the left side of the scale, helps create a culture of partnership and teamwork. Turknett says that leaders who demonstrate respect show an unconditional high regard for others, acknowledging their values and people, regardless of their behaviors. Leaders must develop and demonstrate the following qualities of respect:

• Empathy
• Lack of Blame
• Humility
• Emotional Mastery

RESPONSIBILITY

Balancing the scale is responsibility. The model suggests that great leaders accept full responsibility for personal success and for the success of projects, teams, and the entire organization. Becoming responsible requires the core qualities of:

• Accountability
• Self-Confidence
• Courage
• Focus on the Whole

For a more complete description, check out the Leadership Character Model™.

2012 Turknett Leadership Character Awards

Since 2003, the Turknett Leadership Character Awards have recognized individuals and companies who demonstrate character in leadership. Awards for 2012 will be presented on September 19, 2012 at the Georgia Aquarium.

To see who’s up for the awards this year, check out the 2012 Leadership Character Awards Nominees, you may see someone you know!

Charlotte F. Hughes is an expert talent development professional with extensive experience in leadership and organizational development as a partner with business leaders and HR in multiple industries. In her role as Senior Learning and Development Consultant with Kimberly-Clark she is responsible for helping human resources and business leaders with performance improvement and learning solutions that drive business goals. You can connect with Charlotte on LinkedIn and read more from Charlotte on her TalentFocus Blog.

I am always on the lookout for effective ways to develop or enhance a Talent Management Program to drive business results.  Last week I attended a seminar at the invitation of my colleagues Dr. Marilyn Buckner and Dr. Lynn Slavenski of National Training Systems, Inc. that focused on Succession Management best practices and tools.

Marilyn provides consulting services in leadership and organizational development.  She designed the first worldwide succession planning and Talent Management process for The Coca-Cola Company and has worked with many other Fortune 500 Companies.  Lynn is the former CLO and Senior VP, Talent Management of Equifax where she designed high potential and succession planning programs.  NTS’s presentations and workshops are always enjoyable and insightful so I was pleased my schedule would allow me to attend.

The seminar focused on High-Potential, Succession Management and Leadership Development programs and effective tactics and tools for bolstering these programs.  Five (5) key takeaways for me were:

5  Keys Trends for Effective Succession Management Programs 

1. Review and Update Your Program – What worked well 5 years ago may need to be reevaluated and revised to address the realities of a smaller talent pool and a more complex business environment.
2. Leverage Multiple Data Sources - There is an art and a science to succession management. The best talent decisions are based on objective and subjective data from a variety of sources that don’t conflict, including assessments, commentary and storytelling.    
3. Assessments are Standard - Rather than the exception, assessments are becoming the norm for all companies seeking the most effective process to drive market performance.          
4. More Advanced Workforce Planning - Organizations are recognizing that rigorous workforce planning analytics are increasingly important. Knowing your competitors, being more externally and future focused enhances agility and supports a proactive succession management process.    
5. Make Diversity a Reality - While companies may have diverse candidates in the succession pool they are not always chosen. Make it a priority to prepare diverse candidates for critical roles and promote them.

Marilyn and Lynn ask their clients the question; “Do you have the right talent in place to drive your business strategy over the next 1 to 2 years?” If your succession management process reflects the key trends above, then you are likely achieving your objectives or on track to do so.  If it doesn’t, then you’ll want to consider adding them to your talent management toolbox!

Charlotte F. Hughes is an expert talent development professional with extensive experience in leadership and organizational development as an advisor to business leaders and HR in multiple industries.  In her role as Global Learning and Development Consultant with Kimberly-Clark she is responsible for helping human resources and business leaders with performance improvement and learning solutions that drive business goals.  You can connect with Charlotte on LinkedIn and read more from Charlotte on her TalentFocus Blog.

The Final Four this weekend will feature this season’s four most effective NCAA Men’s Basketball teams; Ohio State, Kentucky, Louisville and Kansas.  A common mission, strong leadership, collaboration and execution helped these teams endure the regular season and win in the NCAA tournament.  Corporate teams require the same elements to perform together and achieve business goals.  Developing a strong team, clarifying roles and creating an environment that encourages collaboration are the leader’s responsibility.  

There are a number of team development models out there that are popular and respected.  I’ve made use of Bruce Tuckman’s “5 Stages of Group Development Model” in my team building learning consulting, as well as Glen Parker’s thought leadership from his book “Team Players and Teamwork.”

A great new resource for leaders and team members is the recently published book entitled “The Secret of Teams: What Great Teams Know and Do.”  The author is my fellow Atlantan Mark Miller, Vice President, Learning and Development of Chick-fil-A. During his time with Chick-fil-A, annual sales have grown to almost $4 billion. The company now has more than 1,500 restaurants in 38 states and the District of Columbia.

What I enjoyed most about the book is Mark’s creative use of a fictitious business and fictitious characters to explore real-world business situations and challenges facing teams.  Through the characters’ experiences we learn that effective teamwork requires a special kind of leadership, a model that is fresh and insightful. 

Mark also provides a “High-Performance Team Assessment” that leaders and their team can take and discuss the results together.  The book was informative but also fun to read, something that isn’t always the case with business books.

I spoke with Mark to ask him a few questions about the book; here is what he had to say:

Q. You describe members of the highest performing teams as having an “all for one, one for all attitude.” What single behavior best describes this mindset at work?

A.  What separates good teams from great ones is a sense of community. That’s what turbo-charges performance. There is no single behavior really. Community is cumulative over time. It’s when you acknowledge great performance or help someone who is struggling on a project that you don’t have to. When you learn about team members’ passions, hopes, dreams, striving and failing when you don’t meet the goal. Communities celebrate together, mourn together and do life together. You can’t force people into a community, but you can create the condition that’s appealing and compelling.     

Q. What is the most important action a leader can take to build an effective team?

A.  There are three key actions. 1) Focus on talent, 2) ensure they have the necessary skills and 3) consciously cultivate an environment of community.  A leader can’t pass on one or two of these; they must acknowledge all three ingredients. Like our popular lemonade recipe at Chick-fil-A you need lemons, water and sugar. You need all three. Building an effective team is challenging. It requires courage and discipline.      

Q. How do you suggest leaders and teams use the High-Performance Team Assessment you provide in the book?

A. I’d recommend you 1) Complete the form individually, and talk about the answers as a group. Look for patterns where you agree and disagree. You’re bound to learn something just by starting the conversation. 2) Prioritize critical gaps and have the team decide what constitutes a critical gap. 3) Create an action plan and measure progress. You can complete the form again at the team’s discretion.    

For a free copy of the assessment, click this link to Mark’s Blog, GreatLeadersSERVE.Org under resources to find The Secrets of Teams Assessment. 

Is your team playing at a Final Four level?  Interested in Mark’s book?  Check out “The Secret of Teams: What Great Teams Know and Do.”

Confidence, Leadership, Influence, and Implementation

I just attended my first SHRM-Atlanta Conference and had the honor of being invited to blog for the Business Acumen Sessions. I knew the conference would be fantastic.  But the rich quality of the content that was offered was even beyond my wildest expectations.  The event was incredible!

I used to work as an HR executive and during this SHRM-Atlanta conference it was fascinating to see how much that role has changed and evolved over the years.  Today it is more important than ever to realize the key components of HR leadership and the vital role that HR management plays within an organization.

I noticed four common themes interwoven into presentations and panel discussions as we heard from the industry’s top HR gurus.  So I thought I would highlight those.

Confidence

Several presenters emphasized the necessity for HR leaders to exude confidence.  They explained that if you can’t envision it, then you will never be able to share that vision with others – and you won’t achieve it.

Confidence is always a key ingredient to success.  You have to trust in your ability and act decisively, knowing how much value you bring to the table.  But before demonstrating confidence on the outside, you have to cultivate it within yourself.

Before you start to construct and fuel a talent pipeline, create and inspire a positive workplace culture, or act as a strategic partner you must first believe in yourself.

Influence

It is critical that HR executives master the art of “influencing those who are influential.” You have to convince senior decision makers to invest in recruitment, development, retention, succession-planning, and a dynamic, positive culture.

But HR results are not so easy to quantify. Providing metrics related to profit margins, sales volume, and the number of widgets manufactured every quarter is a whole lot easier.

So HR executives need to figure out innovative ways to illustrate the value of having the best people and the best working environment. You have to draw convincing correlations between HR initiatives and the accomplishment of organizational goals.

Leadership

But to be perceived as a strategic senior partner, you need an executive mindset.  Move beyond any psychological limitations that restrict you to playing a smaller, less important role.

As Pat Bernard explained, “Take the administrative part of HR and make it a non-issue. Don’t be seen as the administrator or taskmaster.”

I also loved the insight shared by Nancy Vepraskas who said, “To become a more strategic leader, you have to have a leadership mindset.  Don’t assume that you are a strategic partner and then get asked questions and find yourself in the weeds.”

Implementation

While addressing HR challenges, the conference simultaneously empowered all the participants with innovative tools, intelligent strategies, experienced insights, and sustainable inspiration.

A powerful team of HR experts shared a veritable library of wealthy tips and insights.  They told us how to improve employee engagement and create healthier and more productive work environments.  They explained dynamic ways to get involved on a leadership level to exert progressive influence across all facets of your organization.

Now we have to focus on developing specific competencies that deserve our attention.  We have to commit ourselves to our individual leadership, and begin to take steps toward mastering the tools, strategies, and techniques we gained from the conference.

I came away enlightened, enlivened, and rejuvenated.  I had a wonderful, transformational experience at my first SHRM-Atlanta Conference.  I want to congratulate SHRM-Atlanta and all the participants for their commitment to lifelong learning and professional development.

Sarah Hathorn, AICI CIP, CPBS is an internationally distinguished executive coach, corporate consultant, professional speaker, and the founding CEO of her own company, Illustra Consulting.  A career acceleration and leadership presence expert, Hathorn created the innovative Predictable Promotion System, a 10-step proprietary process she uses to coach managers aspiring to be directors, directors seeking vice presidential promotions, and VP’s eager to ascend to the C-suite.  Hathorn served as a senior level executive for a Fortune 100 company for 25 years, and she has more than 30 years of experience mentoring high potentials for rapid career advancement and extraordinary success.

Sarah’s tips, insights, and advice on professional presence, career acceleration, and executive leadership development have appeared on Forbes.com, msnbc.com, The Huffington Post and in features published by numerous newspapers and magazines including the New York Times and Money Magazine.

Organizations have fire starters: those who escalate issues causing havoc and drama in the process.  They also have fire fighters: people who scurry to find a way to pacify, implement or solve emergencies.  Regardless of the position, it costs the company and everyone involved lots of time and money.

My issue with many businesses, especially large ones fraught with multiple layers of management is that a simple dictate from a high ranking exec may start out as a “when you get a chance” kind of comment, but later turns into a “fire drill” as it’s passed down the chain of command.  Sure there are honest critical crunches when all hands on deck is imperative to meet deadlines. But in the corporate telephone game, since these directives are rarely formalized or written down, confusion or others’ interpretations often drive a normal delivery time into needing it yesterday.  It can also happen through some self-serving manager along the way trying to look important by claiming the item is “hot” and needed ASAP by the executive who casually mentioned the detail in the first place.  In the meantime schedules are juggled, meetings and tasks are postponed in order to attend to the now frantic issue.  Gaining momentum as it circulates through the organization, very few people push back or even consider going to the original leader for clarification.

As a leader, communicating and yes, even formalizing requests with clear due dates can make a huge difference regarding time, energy and profits.  It keeps everyone on the same page and gives realistic priorities to the work at hand.  Using this process, if a situation arises that truly is needed STAT, it will get the necessary immediate attention.  An executive’s awareness of the requests put forth and how they are implemented  is essential to keep an organization running efficiently.  Although you can’t keep your finger on the pulse of all the issues, at least know the ones you’ve initiated have been clearly communicated with realistic deliverables, directions and expectations.

Those in an organization who regularly spiral assignments  to frenzied levels, are just fanning the flames.  The world will not end if every project does not have priority status.  Don’t cry wolf, save those matches for a real crisis when you’ll need to light a big fire.

Becky Arrington, founder and President of Arrington & Associates, guides individuals and businesses to discover their purpose and live authentically. Whether you’re a company looking for innovative ways to lead and engage employees or an individual trying to prioritize, reduce stress or decide what you want to be when you grow up, learning to accept and thrive in change is key.

Last week, the SHRM-Atlanta leadership and staff participated in a Habitat for Humanity build.  It was the 7th and final day of the build which meant there was a lot of landscaping to be done!  We dug numerous holes; planted trees and shrubs; spread pinestraw; and laid sod.

We also painted the interior of the home and touched up the exterior as well.

Since it was the last day of the build, we were also able to participate in the dedication of the home with the new owners.  The CEO of Habitat for Humanity Atlanta was there to talk about the program and what the new owners need to do to qualify for a Habitat home. What an accomplishment for this family!

It was a great day of team building, hard work, dirty clothes and laughs!

Recently I had the opportunity to attend the virtual version of the Fall 2011 Chief Learning Officer Magazine Symposium which explored the role of learning and workforce development in shaping the future for global organizations.  There were several impressive and informative presenters and the highlight for me was Tamar Elkeles, Ph.D., the head of learning for the high-tech firm Qualcomm and 2010 CLO of the Year.

Tamar is responsible for defining the company’s overall learning and development strategic direction.  Her scope of leadership includes global learning, executive/leadership development, technical development, employee communications, organization development and learning technology for more than 17,000 employees worldwide.  Her keynote presentation was entitled – “A Year in Review: Key Takeaways as CLO of the Year.”

The overall theme of the presentation was that optimal success in learning and development requires not just a sound learning strategy, but integration of that strategy with emerging business trends and organizational goals.  Tamar described lessons learned from her career and some of the award winning programs she has that all of us involved with talent development can learn from:

Key Tips from Tamar – 2010 CLO of the Year

1. Embrace a Talent Management Framework - Establishing a holistic approach to talent development enables learning leaders to anticipate performance  issues and take action to improve results.  Tamar’s framework includes organizational and divisional strategies with 3 pillars of successful talent management 1) Selection 2) Development and 3) Rewards.    
2. Determine Talent Risk Factors – Consider “what if” scenarios and action steps to mitigate risks. The future is uncertain and complex. The ability to clearly and concisely capture current state and trends on a user-friendly scorecard will be invaluable for stakeholders’ decision making.      
3. Change the User Experience – Employees no longer rely on the learning department for content and information.  They search for and create content on their own. The role of the learning department is to simplify the search, accelerate and facilitate connections to experts, ideas and information.    
4. Focus on Talent and Company Culture – There is a direct link between organizational culture, productivity and high performance.  Company culture is defined in the stories it tells to employees. The learning department plays a unique role reinforcing the employer brand through experiences like the Qualcomm Museum (covering the history and vision for the firm’s future).

Tamar’s tip that I can relate with the most from my personal experience is the focus on talent and company culture.  I am involved with a learning initiative to support a transition to a company culture of accountability and have seen firsthand the link between culture and performance that Tamar talked about.

I have experienced Tamar’s thought leadership before and really respect her insight.  If you are interested in learning more, I can recommend the book she co-authored entitled The Chief Learning Officer.

This post was provided by guest blogger Charlotte F. Hughes, HCS. Charlotte is an expert talent development professional with extensive experience in leadership and organizational development as an advisor to business leaders and HR in multiple industries. In her role as Learning and Development Consultant with Kimberly-Clark she is responsible for helping human resources and business leaders with performance improvement and learning solutions that drive business goals. You can connect with Charlotte on LinkedIn and read more from Charlotte on her TalentFocus Blog.