July 6th, 2011 by The ECI Team
In training for a Marathon, I have finally come to realize that there is no easy way to succeed. We often have companies come to us looking for a “magic bullet” or “consulting voodoo” that will help instantly solve all of their talent management issues. These issues are often caused by the company’s need for instant gratification. For example, an organization will fly through the hiring process, and then expect a new hire to start performing right away, with minimal training or coaching. There seems to be more pressure than ever to drive results. Even as the economy is recovering, it seems that people cannot achieve success quickly enough. Sometimes, we see these quick fixes causing problems for the organization instead of long-term success.
On a personal note, I have attempted training for a marathon several times over the past few years. I tried to take any short-cuts I could find. I would scour the internet looking for the latest and greatest training supplements, exercises and routines. Time and again I would try various training guides and exercises, only to injure myself and not be able to participate in the race. However, this year, I have taken the long-term approach and found a training program that fits my needs and have had great results. While my marathon is still two months away, I am right on track with my training. And no injuries yet!
This training process has really taught me to take my time and put in the work on the front-end to achieve my goal. The same principle applies in the business world. Unfortunately, there is not a quick fix that can help you solve your people issues. Every organization has people issues and some have more than others. We have found you can add tools to help manage and develop employees, while establishing clear organization objectives and goals to minimize the negative impact to the business.
Companies can achieve outstanding results and increase employee productivity by taking the long-term approach. In fact, some of the most recognizable and trusted organizations in the world follow that future-focused thought process. We have found that we can help our clients succeed by providing them with the tools and solutions that they need. From there, they need to do the work, be consistent, and follow the process that leads to success. If they try to push things too hard or veer off course, we can be there, like a good coach, to help them get back on track. If you feel pressure pushing you to take short-cuts to get to your end goal, just remember the childhood parable of the Tortoise and the Hare – slow and steady wins the race!
What are some of the best success stories that you have heard? How do you stay focused on long-term results while following a plan?
Filed under: Business, Developing Employees, Talent Management |
Tagged: achieve outstanding results, hiring process, increase employee productivity, long-term approach, manage and develop employees, Marathon, new hire, Talent Management, Tortoise and the Hare |
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June 29th, 2011 by The ECI Team
While in college, I had a discussion with a business professor who insisted that the primary motivator for employees is compensation, and more specifically, money. A similar debate arose recently, and the conversation inspired me to further contemplate the topic.
Employee motivation is well researched, and various theories have been presented for many years. From early theories such as the Hierarchy of Needs to the more modern S.M.A.R.T. system of goal-setting, many ways to motivate employees have been proposed. However, at the end of the day, what truly motivates you?
The lure of money surely works for many. However, as the early theorist Herzberg notes, money is likely to motivate you and prevent you from being dissatisfied at work, and may not necessarily lead to you gain job satisfaction. As such, there are other aspects of the workplace that can motivate individuals. For a salesperson, overcoming the challenge of convincing a client to purchase a product can be just as motivating as the monetary aspect of the sale itself. Furthermore, an employee in an entry level position can be motivated by the opportunity to learn new information and begin a new career, regardless of the compensation associated with the position. A research team can be driven by the excitement surrounding the development of a new pharmaceutical product.
On the other hand, well-paid employees could have little or no desire to work if they have hostile managers or very poor working conditions. Additionally, if personal goals such as career advancement, good work-life balance and recognition are not attained on the job, the likelihood of an employee being motivated, despite a big pay-day, is reduced. Therefore, it is important that employers are aware of the driving forces within their employees to keep them motivated to perform at the highest level.
What are your thoughts on the topic of employee motivation? Is money the only driving force in the workplace?
Filed under: Developing Employees, Improving Performance |
Tagged: career advancement, compensation, Employee motivation, Hierarchy of Needs, job satisfaction, S.M.A.R.T. |
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June 22nd, 2011 by The ECI Team
Over the past two decades, organizations have increased their reliability on teams and more often than not, employees are required to adopt a team based approach to achieve various objectives. So apart from the mastering the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed, employees are required to have the ability to efficiently work with others toward a common goal. This is the subject of considerable research and the source of frustration and anxiety for many. There is no denying it, we’ve all had to deal with the “slacker”, the “chatterbox”, the “headache”, and the list goes on and on. Working with others is a major challenge and although team conflict has its advantages, it can be counterproductive and lead to disaster. How are we effectively able to manage team members to ensure that team cohesion is maintained?
One easy answer is to have individuals simply work independently. However, in today’s work environment this is not likely, maybe even impossible. One of the keys to successful team management is gaining an understanding of each team member. That is, learning about team and individual behavioral tendencies, similarities and differences of each individual can open the door increased team efficiency. For example, a team leader that knows of a member that is not assertive and rarely speaks up in meetings can speak to him/her after the meeting has concluded. If the team leader was not aware of this trait, the team runs the risk of neglecting worthwhile input.
Just as helpful is if team members know their own tendencies which they can modify as they see fit. An individual who is very outgoing and is aware of this can sometimes refrain from socializing too often in meetings and place emphasis on the task at hand. However, if he or she was not aware of this, the team stands to lose valuable time. Sometimes it’s easy to determine the behavioral characteristics simply from direct observation. However, individuals possess a variety of behavioral traits and tendencies, each of which are present in varying degrees.
ECI has developed Team Analysis Sessions and Reports allow leaders to gather practical, objective information on their staff to maximize overall team productivity and effectiveness. Managers will gain a greater understanding of how individuals tend to approach work, how to capitalize on the opportunities that a diversity of style present, and how to avoid unnecessary conflicts or disagreements when working with others who possess a different style. Using this tool is one way to garner good insight into team characteristics. What are some of the ways that you manage varying personalities? What do you think are some of the most effective ways to do this?
Filed under: Developing Employees |
Tagged: behavioral tendencies, manage team members, successful team management, team efficiency, team leader |
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January 25th, 2011 by The ECI Team
I am often asked if there is a specific personality style that someone needs to have in order to be a successful leader. I often answer this question by saying yes and no. I have seen trends that suggest that certain personality types are more successful leaders, but then you always find people that don’t “fit the mold” and are highly successful. This brings us back to the question of whether great leaders are born that way or whether you can develop skills necessary to become a successful leader. I think that some people are born with natural leadership tendencies, but that the people who aren’t can learn how to master those skills.
In order to understand your own natural style, you should take a personality assessment. I would not suggest using a style inventory like the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, MBTI or the DISC profile, because these assessments only give you an overall style of your personality. I suggest taking a trait based assessment like the ECI Behavioral Insight®, which allows you to understand individual traits and why you have certain behavioral preferences. This is where you really discover your personal style. Once you recognize your personal or leadership style, then you can work on developing the factors that can drive success in leadership roles.
Using your personality results you can work on your areas that you feel are holding you back from being a better leader. Maybe you need to work on your communication style, decision making or organization skills. I suggest working on only a few skills a year and focusing on one strength as well as one of your weaknesses or developmental opportunities.
Would you like to learn more about Leadership Development or try the ECI Behavioral Insight®? If so, email us today!
Filed under: Developing Employees, Leadership Development |
Tagged: communication style, decision making, developmental opportunities, DISC profile, ECI Behavioral Insight, great leaders, Keirsey Temperament Sorter, Leadership Development, leadership style, MBTI, organization skills, personality assessment, strength, successful leaders, trait based assessment |
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