Creating the Environment for Success with Mike Frantz

September 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Creating the Environment for Success with Mike Frantz

By George Dise

What is success?  How do you achieve it?  According to Mike Frantz, a company like Starbucks maintains success through brand awareness and loyalty.  Mike believes that since a single negative experience stands out five times larger in the mind of a customer than a single positive experience, the number one most important thing to consider is consistency of service.  Well-picked co-workers tend toward providing positive service, but can occasionally lapse or make a mistake; the key to customer satisfaction is consistently providing the same service on a bad day that you’d provide on a good day.  While it may be difficult to maintain consistency throughout an entire brand, let alone a single franchise, it helps to formulate products and train employees to provide services that are always positive.  This is especially important for law firms like Frantz Ward- think about all the times people complain about “the lawyers” on TV.  “The lawyers say we have to do it this way,” “the lawyers say we can’t do this.” Like every business, law firms have to avoid being tarred as the company of no.  That’s why Mike thinks of- and advertises his services as- “figur[ing] out ways to get things done, not throw up obstacles.”  His firm exists to promote new ways of thinking to help clients get things done –to avoid obstacles.

Mike thinks the best way a lawyer should act in order to create an environment for success is as a “consigliere,” or trusted business advisor.  As a consigliere, he focuses both on what a client expects, and what a client needs.  In some cases, expectations may not meld well with needs, and clients need to be advised so they receive the maximum possible benefit from your company’s services.  In these cases, you have to give clients what they need packaged in a way that it appears to be what they want.  That requires a service provider to actively listen and figure out what keeps a client awake at night, then take an open-minded reconnaissance of the marketplace to figure out what other options are available.  With a thorough understanding of possible options, service providers need to take efficient and effective steps to resolve the issue.  Even if your client never figures out that their expectations and needs didn’t coincide, if you served them effectively, they’ll still ultimately realize that they did the right thing by hiring you, because your services provided a lasting benefit. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Filling key positions, Leadership, Managing Change Tagged With: , , , ,

Recruiting the Not for Profit Executive Director

June 29, 2011 By 2 Comments

Recruiting the Not for Profit Executive Director: Avoiding Serious Pitfalls

By George Dise

Executive Director search committees fall into three common pitfalls: too many members on the search committee, dragging out the process, and seeking candidates just like the incumbent.  Here’s how to avoid getting tripped up.

How large should the search committee be?  Five members is good, since an odd number eliminates ties in voting, and there are enough members that two can be absent from interviews.  More than five increases the chance of personalities clashing and dragging out decisions.  Or, there’ll be too many opinions to balance, dragging out the process.

When you’re putting together a search committee, it helps to mix in people who’ve experienced a search committee before with people who haven’t.  You’ll have more people on the board at the end of the search who now have experience working on a search committee.  It has the added benefit of forcing experienced members to justify their methods to newer members, forcing them to evaluate whether they’ve been doing it right.  Any bad habits the experienced members bring with them from other committees will be diluted.  It also helps to include representatives from different groups within the organization in the search committee.  When I worked with a search committee for a local high school an alumnus and a teacher were included on the committee to help ensure that the candidates were compatible with the character of the school. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Filling key positions, Leadership, Managing Change Tagged With: , , , ,

How to Identify and Keep your “A” Players

March 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Based on a dialogue of leading HR Professionals at the Senior HR Thought Leader Forum at the Union Club in downtown Cleveland

It’s a fact—towards the end of a recession, when the economy starts perking up—the most talented people start looking around for other opportunities.

The best are in demand

Think about your very best employee—either in management or in the field. There are probably several people who come to mind—and really stand out.

Now think about what you would do if these people were to walk into your office and give you two week’s notice today. It’s a scary thought, isn’t it?

Invariably, it is the best people who are recruited away. So now, as the economy is starting to show signs of life, you should take action to keep your “A” players productive, happy, and manage the risk that they accept an “opportunity” with a competitor.

Who are your “A” Players?

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Filling key positions, Leadership, Managing Change Tagged With: ,

Going With Your Gut: When Instincts Override Data

January 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Which “A” player is best for you?

By Bill Marshall, Vice President of Executive Search

Wedged between a recession and a recovery, most organizations have reduced their workforces to save money and remain viable. Many corporate bosses are evaluating talent to identify and retain top performers, and recruit the “A” players who will position them to be competitive in the years ahead.

Employers will be faced with higher turnover as the economy recovers. Good talent always leaves for what it perceives to be better opportunities as the economy pulls out of recession.

The Fed is reporting that recovery is underway, yet the labor market remains stalled—with unemployment hovering around 10%. This suggests that there will be many more qualified candidates than there are jobs available for the three to six months.

Then we must still have a buyer’s market, right? Yes and No.

There is a problem that every “buyer” must consider. With an abundance of seemingly qualified candidates, how can you determine which “A” player is going to be the best for your job? The risks and costs of choosing the wrong person for your company can be expensive – in terms of lost money, lost time, and lost opportunities.

It is critical to get it right.

Skills, values, and chemistry

At Dise & Company, when we conduct an executive search for a client, we evaluate candidates primarily for job fit and cultural fit.

Job fit and cultural fit are critical—that a candidate’s skills and experience are relevant to the job—and that the candidate finds the position’s activities and responsibilities satisfying. It’s critical that the individual and the organization possess shared values. Without good job fit and good cultural fit, you don’t have a good candidate. But what is the deciding factor when you have several qualified candidates for the same position?

“Sometimes the best candidate for the job doesn’t look that way on paper”

In my two and a half decades in Executive Recruiting, I have learned never to underestimate the importance of going with my gut, especially when faced with multiple candidates vying for the same position.

This is the “It” factor of hiring in a crowded marketplace.

The right hire is a combination of skills, values, and the elusive “It” factor.

When Instincts should override the data

Your gut instinct is a deep, subconscious voice inside that tells you: “This individual does not have the best track record, but she brings a package that makes her uniquely qualified for the opportunity—this is the person you need to hire. Don’t let this person get away.”

While the old adage that “Past performance predicts future behavior” holds true, there are exceptions to the rule, and you need to be prepared to recognize and capitalize on them.

“A” Players come in all shapes, colors, and sizes.

Sometimes a big setback can be the motivation to succeed in the next position. Sometimes you can find a diamond in the rough—a person who is hungry—and anxious to prove himself after what appears to be a failure or a mediocre-looking performance—“an underdog.”

If a candidate fell down in a previous position, the questions should be: “Did she get back up and dust herself off?” “Is he passionate about the industry?” “Did she learn from her mistakes?” Did he maintain his sense of humor?” “Does she emphasize practice over theory?” These character traits illustrate resilience and determination in the face of adversity—essential traits for success—no matter what the industry.

It all boils down to the chemistry between the candidate and the need. Going with your gut can be the deciding factor that will help you choose the right people to lead your organization and strengthen your competitive position in the years ahead.

Bill Marshall is the Vice President of Executive Search for Dise & Company. You can contact Bill directly at the People Page on Diseco.com.

Filed Under: Corporate Values, Filling key positions, Hiring trends, Leadership, Managing Change Tagged With: ,

Employer Branding: Stand and Deliver

July 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment

By Ralph A. Dise, Jr.

Why managing your company’s reputation is more important than ever

“Your reputation, good or bad, can make you or break you.”

Usually we think of managing a reputation in terms of individuals, but this axiom holds true for companies as much as it does for individuals.

Being known as “a great place to work” is highly desirable. Happy, contented workers are more productive, more considerate towards customers, co-workers, and suppliers—and are less likely to make mistakes.  

A company with a good reputation also finds it easier to attract and retain top people.  Attracting and retaining that one great person, the one that’s perfect for the job—who is able to create a workable plan and then marshal the troops to execute it—is the difference between merely surviving this recession or being positioned to take off during the coming recovery.

If your company has a poor reputation, the word gets around quickly, making it much harder to hire the best candidates. This leaves you with “B” players; and stuck in the self-perpetuating cycle of an unhappy workplace.

Companies with a poor reputation suffer because they:

  • Have difficulty recruiting the people who could help them the most
  • Experience high attrition rates and increased recruitment costs of both time and money, and
  • Have low employee morale and decreased productivity

Companies with poor reputations suffer the most during a down economy because consumers and business buyers alike are more cautious about with whom they are spending their money. If you lose a few deals or important new customers because people are skeptical about your company, the consequences to your bottom line will be serious.

 “Don’t promise what you can’t deliver”

There is often a disconnect between what companies promise as an Employer Brand and what they deliver as an organization.  This happens when there is a temptation—to attract higher quality candidates—to overpromise when it comes to the opportunities available. 

In business, as in life, what you do is often more important than what you say.  And that is why it’s critical to deliver on your Employer Brand Promise.  If you can’t deliver the moon and the stars, don’t promise the moon and the stars. Don’t make promises you can’t keep.

As a general rule, it’s always better to under-promise and over-deliver.

It’s the duty of the HR Leader to assure that the company has the ability to deliver on its Employer Brand… or change the brand promise.

Mistakes in recruiting are costly. They lead to high attrition, lost time, and lost opportunities.  It’s a shame because mistakes due to failure to deliver on an Employer Brand Promise are completely avoidable.

Your HR practices should deliver a consistent experience that supports and affirms your promise, not only in recruiting, but as these practices pertain to: 

  • Development of a compelling and concise Employer Brand
  • Skill and competency assessments
  • Training
  • Compensation
  • Performance Appraisals
  • Career development
  • Recognition
  • Social events

But what if your current operations are not “sustainable”?

How you separate from the people you no longer need affects your reputation as much as how you attract and retain the people you do need.

This recession has made it difficult for everyone. By the looks of things, it’s not over yet. Difficult choices are being made every day. Sometimes layoffs are the only solution.

Used sparingly and with advanced planning, layoffs can be an organizational lifesaver, but when layoffs are used repeatedly without a thoughtful strategy, they can have a disastrous impact on your company’s effectiveness.

Remember the “golden rule”

If losing a job is frightening during normal times, today it is even worse.  A sudden lay off can destroy a family’s financial health and lead to the destruction of the family itself. How you separate your unneeded employees in this economic climate really matters. 

Employees, both current and past, will remember their treatment, their severance pay, and whether the employer helped with outplacement services. They’ll remember whether they were treated with dignity, respect, and compassion—or whether they were simply let go with little or no warning. 

If layoffs are necessary, you need to separate your employees from your organization with as little drama as possible, and give them a chance to get back on their feet again.

It really matters—to the people who leave, and to the people who remain.

The most important rule to remember is, “Treat others the way you’d want to be treated.”

The bottom line? Your reputation as an employer, good or bad, depends on it.

Ralph A. Dise, Jr. is the President of Dise & Company, the Director Emeritus of Lincolnshire International, and has worked in the field of Human Resources his entire career. You can contact Ralph directly at the Pro People Page on Diseco.com.

Filed Under: Corporate Values, Filling key positions, Hiring trends Tagged With: ,

It’s an employer’s market. Or is it?

December 19, 2008 By 3 Comments

If you don’t know who you’re looking for, you’ll easily find him (or her)

The unemployment rate rose from 6.5 to 6.7 percent for the Month of November, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics—the economy shed 533,000 jobs in one short month. That’s up 2% from the same time last year.

So, that must mean it’s an employer’s market. Or is it?

On first blush it seems like it is.

The law of supply and demand tells us “the more candidates you have to choose from, the greater the choice you’ll have among candidates, and it’ll be like shooting fish in a barrel.”

Unfortunately, recruiting is not so simple.

In a time of uncertainty, with lots of people on the job market, calculating what they’re going to do next, there are many people to choose from who are “almost-good enough” to take your company to the next level.

But “almost-good enough”–is that good enough?

After you factor in the expense of the search, their orientation and training, having to put up with sub-standard performance and results for a period of time, and if it doesn’t work out, the severance you have to pay the employee to leave, it all adds up.

Real costs plus opportunity/lost productivity costs.

For a six-figure salary executive, the average mis-hire runs in the millions of dollars.

When you’re in survival mode, can you really afford to make a mistake that costs millions of dollars?

Out of all the people out there looking for jobs, there is one out there that is perfect for you.

One who has all the skills you need. One who is a match for your corporate culture.

One who’s able to do more with less people and less money.

One who can do things better, faster, and cheaper.

The real “A” player.

The question is “How do you know how to find him or her?”

Are you going to wait for this person to knock on your door?

If you don’t know who you’re looking for, you’ll easily find him (or her).

There are many people out there who are almost good enough.

Getting the wrong one could be a costly mistake.

The original premise is correct. It is an employer’s market—the employer is in the driver’s seat.

But the job of finding the right person just got harder not easier.

Mark Gonska is Executive Vice President of Career Transition Services for Dise & Company. You can contact Mark directly at the People Page on Diseco.com

Filed Under: Filling key positions, Hiring trends Tagged With: ,

What's your story?

December 17, 2008 By 2 Comments

The Role of Culture in Recruiting

Having a well-defined corporate culture, i.e., having a good story to tell, is by far the best way to help  you recruit and retain the people who can help your company achieve the success you are seeking.

Whenever I initiate a new  executive search, the first thing I always do is talk to several of the executives and managers get them to tell me their story by  asking them questions about their company:

  • Are you a learning organization? 
  • Are your contributions valued? 
  • Do you value teamwork? 
  • What’s it like to work here? Do you like it?
  • Are you proud to tell others who you work for? 
  • What do your associates think about working here? Are they psyched, engaged, excited by the challenges?
  • Do you have a system in place to evaluate new ideas from the people working “in the trenches”? 
  • What is your company’s reputation is in the marketplace? For collaboration? For innovation? For being productive? 
  • What “excites” you the most about coming to work?

And I get them to tell me the story of their company.

In my role as an executive recruiter, it’s very important to have a good story to tell. After all, the most sought-after candidates, the ones that every company is looking for, can afford to be choosy.

And if your company’s culture has room for improvement, or you don’t have a good story to tell, it makes it more of a challenge.

Unless the candidate we’re seeking is going to have a direct hand in improving the culture, they’re less likely to want to come work for you, or you’ll end up having to pay a premium to attract them.

So a less-than-desirable corporate culture is self-perpetuating.  You are unable to attract the people who can help you the most.

Fortunately, if you have a culture that’s broken, or needs help fixing, there are things you can do. And that’s an area where my company has some expertise.

I am glad to be working at Dise & Company where we are inspired by our leader, and encouraged to continually improve the way we do things, and the way we work together.

We have a learning organization, where I am treated with dignity and respect.

Even though we practice different disciplines of Human Resource Consulting (Corporate Outplacement, Executive Search, and Leadership Coaching), we work not in silos, but as a team.

We’re encouraged to engage in professional development, so I feel like I’m always learning something new, and continually improving.

The most exciting aspect of my work is to present opportunities to people –both employers and employees— that they never considered before, and to effect meaningful change that positively impacts the lives of so many.

And I find that personally and professionally rewarding—that’s what we do, that’s what I do—we make a difference.

That’s my story. What’s yours?

Susan Paley Zak is the Director of Executive Recruiting at Dise & Company. You can contact Susan directly at the People Page on Diseco.com.

Filed Under: Filling key positions, Hiring trends Tagged With: ,

Good leaders are made (not born)

October 1, 2008 By 4 Comments

Leadership takes practice—and here are 3 things you can do today to be a better leader

By Ralph A. Dise, Jr.

If you have ever needed to work with—and through—others to accomplish an important goal, then you know how important leadership skills are to your success.

Drawing from my own experience running a business for the last 18 years, and observations I have made throughout my career in human resources, it is my conclusion that while “natural-born leaders” do exist, they are few and far between. 

I also believe that leadership is a virtue.  Virtues are characteristics valued by our society because they promote both individual and collective well-being, and thus are “good” by definition.

My experience in Leadership Cleveland (Class of 2003) taught me that leaders are not somehow anointed by the “powers that be”, but rather, they are self-appointed. They stand up and take charge of a situation. Then they become acknowledged by others to be leaders.

 To be an effective leader you must display leadership qualities that other people want to emulate, and follow.

Getting the most out of your people requires thoughtfulness, an open-mind, and a willingness to approach challenges with a trial and error approach. Over time, every leader creates his or her special style that is reflected in the organization.

Yet there are three fundamental characteristics that all good leaders have in common:   

1. A good leader sets the example for behavior.
Your job is to establish the culture and the environment for your company (or business unit). You need to show by example the way that people (vendors, peers, associates, and customers alike) should be treated and the way objectives should be pursued. Your standard is the one your people follow. 

2. A good leader is attentive to the needs of his or her people.
Your people have needs, and you need to be on the lookout for what only you can provide them to improve their skills and their performance, whether it is in the form of:  compensation, recognition, appreciation, mentoring, and/or discipline.

3. A good leader is open to suggestions and ideas.
If you have employees who have ideas that you have tried once but failed, you can show how you trust them by listening and letting them make mistakes, too. We all make mistakes, and as long as we learn from them, we can only get better.

People need to know, most of all, that their leader trusts them. 

If you don’t show your trust, your best employees will leave you because they feel stifled, and they know they can do better elsewhere. This leaves you with the mediocre employees who will stay on because they are accustomed to being micromanaged anyway.

If leadership is a virtue, then ineffective leadership is a vice which is typified by micromanagement. 

Based on all my experience in business, and as an HR Professional for my entire career, the number one thing you should avoid at all costs is to be a micromanager because it is the antithesis of good leadership.

Being a micromanager means you are doing the work that you’ve hired your employees to do. It means you are doing their work for them (while neglecting your own), or supervising them to the extent that you might as well be doing it yourself.

No one likes to be second-guessed and no one likes to be shown how to do the job they were hired to do. It is unfortunate that many otherwise-savvy executives second-guess their people all the time, and they’re not even aware of this destructive behavior.

While unproductive leaders may achieve a modicum of job security, it comes at the price of an unhealthy, unhappy organization.

If you are in a leadership role right now, or you desire to excel in a leadership role, I hope that this provides an insight that will help you (1) set the tone for your organization (2) be attentive to the needs of your people, and (3) be open to ideas and suggestions, and thereby become a better leader.

Ralph A. Dise, Jr. is the President of Dise & Company, the Presiding Director of Lincolnshire International, and has worked in the field of Human Resources his entire career. You can contact Ralph directly at the Pro People Page on Diseco.com.

Filed Under: Filling key positions, Leadership Tagged With: , ,

“A” Managers Hire “A” Players

September 29, 2008 By 5 Comments

But making mistakes does not mean you’re not an “A” player, on the contrary…

By Greg Reynolds

You’ve probably heard that saying: “A players hire A players, and B players hire C players”.

But does this mean you can’t hire someone who’s ever made a mistake? Absolutely not. Or that you have to have a perfect hiring record or else you are a failure? Emphatically not.

Great people hire great people. Mediocre people hire candidates who are even more mediocre than they are, so they can feel superior to them.

Ineffective people typically hire very, very ineffective people, because they are threatened by anyone who is anywhere near as good as they are.

When you’re looking for talent you have to be sure to keep this in mind. It requires self-confidence and self-awareness. Don’t be afraid to hire people who are better than you. Hiring “A” players is the only way to build a top-flight organization.

Don’t be afraid to hire someone who’s made mistakes either. There’s another saying: “If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not trying hard enough.”

In fact, people who have made mistakes yet keep working in the same industry can be some of your best hires. “A” players who have been knocked down hard, and have gotten back up, will bolster your talent pool, help you compete more effectively, and will contribute in a big way to your be success.

Here are some key attributes to look for when searching for “A” players: 

Passion… Do the candidates show enthusiasm for your industry and the type of work you want to have done? This demonstrates that they’re in the right career.  If they’re happy and self-motivated, their enthusiasm will be contagious and will motivate other team members.

Practice over theory… Do the candidates demonstrate how to be practical and get things done? Past performance is the single best predictor of future achievement. It means they’ll be able to get more work done in less time, and that they’ll be thinking of tactics that can help them achieve their objectives. 

Emotional intelligence… Do the candidates demonstrate empathy and caring for others? The top candidates know how to motivate themselves and others, and are easy to work with.

So remember to look for “A” players, but don’t be afraid to hire people who’ve made a few mistakes along the way.

Greg Reynolds is the Director of Client Development for Dise & Company. You can contact Greg directly at the Pro People Page on Diseco.com.

Filed Under: Filling key positions, Leadership Tagged With: ,

A Way To Do Well and Do Good

June 2, 2008 By 3 Comments

More Executives Skipping Retirement and Working for Nonprofits

By Susan Paley Zak

According to the Center for Nonprofit Policy & Practice at the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University, 2 of 3 Nonprofits will experience an executive transition within the next 5 years.

Attrition due to retirement, crisis situations, and the increasing number of new non-profits is creating an opportunity for new leaders. So much so that Boards of Nonprofits are girding up for battle for a real war for talent, yet according to a nationwide survey by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, fewer than half had succession plans.

With the economy softening, and people living longer and desiring to work longer. This may create an opportunity for “third careers”, i.e., retired executives leaving the private sector, and moving on to meaningful work working for a cause they believe in.

This creates a potential win/win situation for everyone: Nonprofit boards, management, and the communities they serve.

According to the most recent information from the National Council of Nonprofit Associations, There were 837,027 charitable nonprofits in the U.S. in 2003; a 68 percent increase since 1993, and represent one of the 20 fastest-growing fields, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

There are a growing number of talented managers in the 50+ crowd, who’d like to “give back”, and who really stand out because of their passion, and who can bring a fresh approach to the mission.

The fact is you never know where good talent is going to come from, and you need to keep your eyes open so that you can turn what could be a crisis situation into a golden opportunity.

Susan Paley Zak is the Director of Executive Recruiting at Dise & Company. You can contact Susan directly at the People Page on Diseco.com.

Filed Under: Filling key positions Tagged With: , ,