New Hampshire

Leading the way - Inspiring Others to do Their Best Work!

Leadership Development - the demands and opportunities continue to present themselves and ask us how much more we can develop as leaders. Regardless of the funcion you are responsible for in your organization, you have tremendous opportunities to model what you need from your team. These tips each month will touch a wide range of issues. Please send your questions to the Carnegie Coach at Deb.Titus@DaleCarnegie.com

June / July 2009

Dear Carnegie Coach:

We are currently expanding our department and have hired several assistants. As the new manager, this will be my first time welcoming these new hires. I want to get off on the right foot and help them adjust to our work environment quickly and comfortably. How should I go about this?

Josh

Dear Josh:

The first day on the job can set the stage for success or failure, happiness or discontent, cooperation or rebellion. No matter how busy you may be, it is important to spend a significant amount of time with your new employees the day they start. You will help create a positive impression of the company and enthusiasm in your new colleagues.

1. Develop immediate rapport. Plan for their arrival. Schedule your day so that you can spend at least one hour with them. Take them to lunch that first day. This is your chance to talk informally about the company, department and to learn about the new additions to your team.

Introduce your new employees to the other members of your department and to staff members in other areas with whom he or she will work with or see around. In the introduction, always specify what kind of work each person does and indicate what your new employees will be doing.

2. Arrange an orientation. Many companies have formal orientation programs for new people and this usually covers such things as company history, discussions of the products and services provided and descriptions of benefits, etc. In addition, a department head should discuss the mission of the department and how it fits into the overall picture. It is important that they learn as soon as possible who is who in the department and the company. You can also help them learn the inner workings of the company by assigning one or two mentors to each new person. These mentors should be available to answer questions and guide them through the maze of company practices.

3. Provide clear and meaningful job descriptions. Keep in mind that most jobs are dynamic. It is important to review all job descriptions on an annual basis and adjust them to describe the positions. Discuss the job description with your new employees. Ask them to describe how they perceive their job. A detailed discussion of the nature of the work will clarify any misunderstandings that may have arisen from just reading the job description.

4. Provide training. No matter how much experience a person has in your field, it is still imperative that you give them specific training in the methods and techniques you use. The more time spent training in the beginning of his or her tenure with the department, the fewer problems that will arise in the future. It is not always possible for a supervisor to play a significant role in an employee's training, so other colleagues may be used to assist. Keep in mind that the trainer should be thoroughly familiar with the job and know how to coach. Be sure that the trainer has a strong and positive attitude toward the company and the job. Arrange periodically a feedback meeting with new employees to review what they have learned, where they need additional training and to counsel them on how they can improve.

With the help of these techniques, you will establish rapport with your new employees and enable them to achieve a smooth transition into your company.

May 2009

Dear Carnegie Coach:

Our company's fiscal year just ended and I'm afraid there's more bad news than good. As the Vice President, I have to present these results at our next company meeting. Can you advise me on steps to presenting this information to everyone?

Ethan

Dear Ethan:

Every year leaders dread presenting negative results. However, it must be done to generate a better year with positive results. Try using these following guidelines to set your employee on the right path for the upcoming year.

1. Be honest. Tell your employees the truth. Letting them know what is going on will inadvertently show they need to work harder to meet company goals.

2. Be clear and precise. Send messages with clarity, specificity, and coherency. Confusing, ambiguous communication won't relay the correct news. Take the time to make sure your messages are plainly and pointedly stated. Ask them if they have any questions.

3. Choose other leaders to help. It's likely there will be questions after the meeting. Choose leaders from each department so employees can also speak to them about any questions or concerns. Brief the leaders with your report so the message can become tailored to each department.

4. Encourage feedback. Communication can't just be top-down. You need input - questions, concerns, ideas, and insights - from people across the organization. Small meetings with groups and individuals are a good way to foster two-way-dialogue. You can also get useful feedback by listening to the informal grapevine that exists in every company.

5. Keep morale up. Give praise to what has done well during the year. Give positive input on projects in the works.

6. Assess what you're doing. Measure the impact of your communications throughout the year. It's the only way to find out if you're actually achieving company goals. Are you communicating clearly and consistently? Are you providing timely, accurate and targeted information? Are you revealing what's known and isn't known?

Ethan, you are strongly encouraged to attend an upcoming meeting: Leadership Communication During Turbulent Times.

May 21st from 8:30 - 10:30am
The Highlander Inn
Manchester, NH

March/April 2009

Dear Carnegie Coach:

Answers to a simple question caused a huge debate among our team. The question was "Should we delegate something to someone simply because we have too much on our plate?" The answers we gave ourselves ranged from "If it's on your plate, if is for you to eat." to "It's okay to share our dinner with someone." to "Delegate when it is urgent" to "Delegate when you can't do it alone." We're reaching out because we simply all have too much on our plate and we're not sure how to engage others in helping us accomplish the goals. What insights can you offer us that can help us lighten our load and lead?

Thanks, Sue.

Dear Sue -

Your question raises a few very important points that can make the difference between growing a company and stunting a company, between growing people and growing resentment, the difference between assigning a task and delegating a responsibility. Here are some things to keep in mind.

For simplicity, first ask if you are delegating for a business need, for a function to be fulfilled or for the need to develop people? The business need typically is more urgent. Both business need and developing people are important to the overall well-being of the company.

You are encouraged to keep 'growing people' as a core responsibility of leadership and a key component to sustaining business through showing your high potentials that they can achieve more skills and are valued...'stick around' retention strategies are a necessity. That's the best way to lighten the load - to lose the need to do everything.

A couple of other preliminary concepts:

1. We can't delegate something that is already part of someone's job.
2. Assigning a task is not typically intended to grow people.

Here's the process:

1. Identify a need
2. Identify a person - delegate to ability, for development and most importantly, delegate to the individual's vision. Linking additional work to one's career path can engage people and be motivational to take on the project.
3. Plan for the delegation - prepare some guidelines to include financial budget, timeline, human resources, and other guiding criteria
4. Hold the delegation meeting - set the stage, ask for the other person's interest. Inclusive communication will serve you well. Once you get agreement to take on the project
5. Have the 'delegate' create a plan of action
6. Review the plan. Make recommendations, clarify and set the plan in motion
7. Implement the plan
8. Follow up: just checking in on previously agreed upon goals

For more insight, just give us a call: 603.434.4042

January/February 2009

Dear Carnegie Coach:

I'm a sales manager and my sales department is hurting. It seems that the recent economic downturn is directly affecting my team's revenue stream. My team is beginning to get very frustrated and morale is low. Everyone seems to know that at some point it will end but it is hard to work through this tough financial time. What can I do as the manager of my team to push through this rough time?
Ron

Hi Ron:
You are right to have an optimistic approach, knowing that the market goes up and goes down. Your sales environment has changed what worked last year might not work this year. You and your team need to adapt to the changing economic conditions. It is important to be steady and stable during an economic downturn.

Here are a few ideas to help you and your team through this economic downturn.

1. Do not dismiss top talent. They are your single most important variable in innovation. When you fire an experienced employee you are not only cutting costs but you are cutting revenues. These employees know how to close difficult sales and retain the corporate culture that has made your team successful in the past.
2. Re-research your customers - During an economic downturn companies needs and desires change. You need to re evaluate how your product or service can benefit your client in a changed economic condition.
3. Engage your staff - Bring your employees together for brainstorming sessions. Get ideas on how to cut costs and increase revenue.
4. Keep in touch with your clients - Keep in direct touch with your current clients. Their needs may have changed due to current conditions so think beyond your usual offering to see if there isn't something more you can add.
5. Network - Encourage your sales staff to network even more than usual. It is always important to get your companies name out there. Networking can also provide useful insight and possible opportunities in an area that you might not have realized before.
6. Be cautiously optimistic - When talking to your sales team acknowledge current difficulties but do not dwell upon them, rather paint a picture of the long-term success of your department.

Your Leadership Performance
How to Engage Your People to Perform with You.

For a moment, your business is an orchestra.

You are the conductor, your employees are the musicians, your customers members of the paying audience.

You, the leader are responsible for engaging the musicians to do their best work and create a great musical experience for the audience.

Now, ask yourself:

• How do we sound?
• Does everyone know their part?
• Do we have the right musicians, able to play the part with excellence?
• Do we stay in-time?
• Do we enjoy ourselves?
• Are we in tune with each other?
• Is everyone aware of and listening to parts from other instrumental sections?
• What is the expectation for rehearsals?
• What do the audience members do when we've completed a piece?
• Do they ever walk out mid-way through?
• If you were an orchestra, how well would you say you are performing?

Would you say there was an opportunity to improve?

Based on conversations with business professionals of small to mid-sized companies in NH, the answers to these questions are becoming increasingly important to address as they relate to the performance of their respective business.

While people acknowledge that this has always been important, it really gets one's attention when the audience gets up and walks out in the middle of a performance. The equivalent to this for business may be that customers don't come back, employees leave, quality dwindles and more.

Leaders and managers need to to explore whether or not they have the favorable attention and commitment from their people. If the musicians don't care to do their best, the audience won't care to stay for the performance, right? Right!

Here are some things you can do or think about:

Leadership: Do employees support and engage in a 'world' they helped to create?

• Have a one-to-one with each of your employees/ Focus on them, their concerns, their goals, their needs.
• Ask them about how they like being on your