| | In This Issue: | | When are Assumptions Good? TIP OF THE MONTH:
18 Ways to Motivate Different people in Your Workplace STRATEGIES FOR WINNING: See your Managers' Strengths from every Angle PRODUCT FOCUS:
Putting the Puzzle Pieces Where They Fit | | What's on at PROFILES | | Partner Training:
Tues 20th May 2008,
2pm - 4pm Seminar:
No seminar scheduled for May | | Product of the Month: | | The CheckPoint 360 System is a powerful three-part solution for a manager's professional development: 1. Checkpoint 360 Degree Survey provides managers with multi-rater feedback from those who observe their performance: their bosses, subordinates, and peers. This is an important process because increased awareness motivates managers to change the way they do their jobs. 2. Organizational Management Analysis System that alerts top management to potential managerial problems that can develop when managers’ goals are not in alignment with the goals of the organisation. It can strengthen communication and builds stronger organisations. 3. Skill Builder Series rounds out the 360 degree feedback solution and is an organised management and professional development program that addresses specific managerial skills identified in the Checkpoint as needing improvement. Consisting of 18 modules, managers develop and complete a customised personal development plan using SkillBuilder modules which are available online self paced and are easily integrated into a manager’s schedule and tangibly accelerate effectiveness and efficiency. Until Jun 31st 2008, for every Checkpoint 360 Survey ordered we will provide a complimentary SkillBuilder module. | | Quotes of the Month: | | "Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning." – Bill Gates, Microsoft Chairman "Assumptions are the termites of relationships . " – Henry Winkler, actor, producer "We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak. "– Epictetus, Greek philosopher "Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable." - Kenyan Proverb | | Contact Us: | | For Further Information Please Contact: Profiles International -Victoria 277 Moray St,
South Melbourne VIC 3205 T: (03) 9673 9888
F: (03) 9673 9898 . Email Us | | Q. When Are Assumptions Good? A. Never, When Options Exist Even employers with the best of intentions are guilty of assuming too much. As they see workers of different ages, genders and racial makeup working side-by-side, they might think that this one fits in a group that wants to multitask at a fast pace because she is young, while her counterpart from another generation is interested in slowing down.
As we learn from experience, assumptions are often wrong. That young person may prefer devoting her attention to one workplace issue at a time, while her older co-worker is the multi-tasker. Many things, including life stages, could affect each of them. And if a leader changes work assignments based on erroneous assumptions, he could end up with disgruntled or absent employees, high turnover and unfinished projects.
The only truly effective method of managing diverse employees is to look at each one as an individual and to understand what motivates them. Then, coach them regularly to get the behaviour you want.
Last month we stressed the importance of coaching and how effective coaches connect with individual employee needs. Supporting our goal of knowing what it takes to engage our workers and coaching them regularly to higher performance levels is research we conducted with The Concours Group and Age Wave. The findings, published in the manual WHY We Work, helpfully define six different segments of employees working in our organisations. This research found that different groups of people need different things to remain engaged on the job. This finding is widely relevant because most organisations, especially large ones, contain some of each group.
Briefly, the six worker segments include: 1. Fair and Square Traditionalists, who make up the largest part of the workforce at 20 percent. They are loyal and traditional, as their name implies, and want their work to provide stability and a secure future. 2. Stalled Survivors, who represent 19 percent of the workforce. These workers see their jobs as a necessity. It is not the most satisfying part of their lives. These are often a firm's younger workers. 3. Accomplished Contributors, about 17 percent of the workforce. These loyal players often go above and beyond. They place a high value on teamwork. 4. Demanding Disconnects, 15 percent of our workers. As their name suggests, they are the least satisfied with work and the least committed to it. 5. Maverick Morphers, also about 15 percent of the workplace. These workers are generally young, like excitement, and do not fear taking risks. 6. Self-Empowered Innovators, about 14 percent. These employees make up the most engaged segment of the workplace and derive personal satisfaction from the job.
As Baby Boomers retire in larger and larger numbers, the workforce will contract. That means you will have a smaller pool of potential employees to choose from, and they will reflect all of the differences you see in our changing society. To succeed at coaching and managing, employers will have to study their workforce more intently than they did before and learn what makes them tick.
You are likely seeing these different segments in your workforce now, and perhaps did not fully understand the transformation taking place or realise how widespread the changes were. Now that you know, why not take the time to find out what your employees want on the job?
Assessments can aid you in identifying job fit and worker satisfaction, which can lead you to the best segment makeup for your organisation. They can tell you which employees are well suited to their positions and which ones might benefit from a change. Once you know your employees, you will know which ones work most productively together and the combinations that could lead to disaster. And as your organisation delves more deeply into coaching, your leaders will thank you for charting the territory in advance. Jim Sirbasku, CEO Profiles International
PROFILES TIP OF THE MONTH:
18 Ways to Motivate Different People in Your Workplace 1. Fair and Square Traditionalists, who want their work to provide stability and a secure future. Motivate them by: 2. Accomplished Contributors, who prize teamwork. Motivate them by: -
Nudging them toward team leadership roles -
Giving them specific measurements of their success and growth -
Asking them what they want to do next 3. Stalled Survivors, who see work as work, not life. Motivate them by: -
Focusing on work-life balance and what to do when one is out of kilter -
Putting them on teams that provide support, empathy and role models -
Helping them plan for their career future 4. Demanding Disconnects, your least satisfied workers. Motivate them by: -
Giving them non-routine tasks -
Discovering their strengths to use on the job -
Paying attention to their ideas 5. Maverick Morphers are enthusiastic and like trying new things. Motivate them by: -
Providing a congenial work environment -
Letting them know what's going on -
Discussing their progress 6. Self-Empowered Innovators like work for the sake of work. Motivate them by: -
Giving them responsibilities that allow for learning and growth -
Ridding their path of obstacles -
Allowing them to stretch the company's vision
Strategies for Winning:
See Your Managers' Strengths from Every Angle A senior manager announces his decision to move to a competitor and the senior management team convenes a crisis-management meeting to figure how the organisation will survive. Meanwhile, for the rest of the team, it's party time! The champagne is flowing; everyone's wearing funny hats, blowing noisemakers, and toasting their good fortune. The topic du jour is "With that clown gone, maybe now we can get on with business." What happened? How can someone so valued by senior management work so badly with the troops on the ground? The reality is most senior managers have no awareness of how they or their fellow managers perceive them throughout their organisations – even at a time when so much is spoken about achievement of corporate goals through team-based efforts. No wonder that more than 30 percent of all people changing jobs are doing so to get away from their bosses. They're not leaving their jobs – they're leaving their managers! This sort of disaster can happen only in an environment where the performance of management is appraised using traditional boss-down appraisals, with performance of managers assessed only by their direct bosses. This traditional approach means that the views of those who most directly experience the effectiveness (or otherwise) of a manager's performance – peers and direct reports – are never tapped. If your success depends to any extent upon your team, that's just not acceptable any more. Multi-Rater Feedback
Modern business has rendered the traditional boss-down appraisal extinct, and a more appropriate approach to assessing management competencies and performance has emerged. That new approach is Multi-Rater Feedback, and Profiles Checkpoint is an excellent example of this new model. Every year, more than 250,000 managers worldwide use the Profiles Checkpoint Multi-Rater Feedback System – a system that provides managers and leaders with an opportunity to receive an evaluation of their job performance from the people around them – their boss, their peers (fellow managers), and their direct reports (the people whose work they supervise). From this feedback, managers can compare the opinions of others with their own perceptions, positively identify their strengths, and pinpoint the areas of their job performance that need improvement. The Profiles Checkpoint process is concerned with a manager's job performance in eight universal leadership and management competencies, and 18 skill sets: | Communication - Listens to others
- Processes information
- Communicates effectively
Adaptability - Adjusts to circumstances
- Thinks creatively
Task Management - Works efficiently
- Works competently
Development of Others - Cultivates individual talents
- Motivates successfully
| Leadership - Instills trust
- Provides direction
- Delegates responsibility
Relationships - Builds personal relationships
- Facilitates team success
Production - Takes action
- Achieves results
Personal Development - Displays commitment
- Seeks improvement
| How Does it Work?
Each participant completes an evaluation – a process that takes about 15 minutes. Participants are guaranteed anonymity (except for the boss) and urged to be honest and objective in their responses. Participants complete their feedback via the Internet, or on paper if desired, and results from all participants are compiled in a report that is returned to the manager. Checkpoint reports have colorful graphs and useful charts, as well as narrative descriptions of the results, to help the manager to read, understand and effectively use the data for self-development. The report has a special personal-growth section that coaches the manager and helps improve performance in development areas. The Checkpoint report also encourages managers to link directly into an online system called Checkpoint SkillBuilder, which takes them through the step-by-step process of developing a comprehensive and personalized development plan. Round and Round…
The upshot is a more detailed and objective assessment of a manager's strengths, and of any areas where additional development might be required. This assessment then forms the basis of a development plan between managers and their bosses – whereas the managers are fully aware of the dynamics of their relationships with the people around them, they are also effectively locked into the organisation by the commitment of the organization to their ongoing skill development. After a period of six or 12 months, the process is run again; the effectiveness of the development plan is assessed; and new development goals are set for the following period. Multi-Rater Feedback vs. Boss-Down Appraisals
There are several reasons managers at all levels are eagerly embracing this approach to performance appraisal. Equitable
For the manager being appraised, Multi-Rater appraisals differ from boss-down appraisals in the same way that judge and jury courts differ from "hanging-judge" courts. Managers benefit from a wide variety of feedback upon their actual job performance, and, to be deemed top-performing managers, are no longer solely dependent upon the extent to which they have developed a good rapport with their direct boss. Proven Effectiveness
For the appraising boss, a positive change is more likely when an appraisal draws upon multiple sources trusted by the manager. Multi-Rater appraisals have been shown to be more effective than boss-down appraisals in driving a manager to make necessary behavioral changes or to improve management skills. If your boss says you need some improvement in some particular area, you may think, "What would she know?" or explain it away as a personality thing. If, however, 11 different people of your choosing – people with whom you work closely and whose views you trust and value – send you the same message, you really have to listen. Team Motivation
Multi-Rater Feedback systems also have a positive team-building effect. Research has proven the motivating value of the exercise for those involved as reviewers. Your people are sent a clear message that their opinions are valued, and they can help effect positive change in the management where required. Traditional reviews have given way to this much more effective tool for management development, as Fortune 500 organizations are mandating their use. Used regularly as an integral part of a strategic development plan, 360-degree appraisals can lead to more consistent management development, better alignment of corporate goals with personal-development objectives, more open communication, and better team balance. From the book 40 STRATEGIES FOR WINNING IN BUSINESS by Bud Haney and Jim Sirbasku. © S&H Publishing Co.
PRODUCT FOCUS
Putting the Puzzle Pieces Where They Fit If your workforce resembles that of most organisations, many different kinds of people are toiling under one roof. In one area, you have a person striving for better pay and benefits working next to someone for whom the pay is secondary to the job duties. Nearby, an employee struggles to balance work and home life. And yet another worker on the same team is looking for a new position because he thrives on change and is seeing the same old tasks every day. Unless you know your workers' differences, the music they make together may sound more like a cacophony than a symphony. Profiles Performance Indicator™ (PPI) to the rescue. This key assessment measures the behaviour of individuals and the impact of their actions on your organisation's success. The PPI helps you understand each person's attributes, which allows you to motivate and manage more efficiently. Furthermore, it can help you reduce conflicts in personality and style that get in the way of problem solving. PPI tells you: - Whether the employee is self-motivated or requires external cues
- How he or she is likely to perform in job-related competencies
- How he/she responds to job stress, frustration and conflict
Two reports come with PPI – one for the manager and one for the employee. The manager's report contains essential information about productivity, quality of work, initiative, teamwork, problem solving, adapting to change, response to stress and conflict, work motivation and motivational energy. It offers the manager a way to coach and motivate better, and provides specific, individualized suggestions for working more productively with each person. The employee report provides feedback – information about performance and ideas for professional growth. It helps the worker understand his on-the-job attitudes and behaviors. The report also offers a guide to better communication and cooperation with coworkers. Leading the organizations of today and tomorrow requires knowledge that yesterday's leaders did not need. Think of managing today as trying to put together a jigsaw puzzle with millions of tiny pieces. You cannot force the pieces together; you must examine each one to see where each fits in the picture. Your goal is not to finish the puzzle, because it is ever-changing; your goal is to keep putting the pieces where they fit. |
