Blog

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!

“Why should I hire you?” A hiring manager may not ask you this question directly but every question you answer in the interview should contribute to helping them understand why you’re the best person for the job. “Stay focused on why your background makes you an ideal candidate and tell them how you are going to contribute to that department and that company,” Teach says. “Let the interviewer know that one of your goals is to make their job easier by taking on as much responsibility as possible and that you will be excited about this job starting on day one.”

Reflect on previous interviews. Keep a computer or paper record of your interviews, Teach says. “Keep a record of the time of your interviews, how long they are, your impressions of the hiring manager, and perhaps most importantly, what questions were asked of you, what answers you gave, and record any questions they asked you that you felt could have been answered differently. “ Study these elements and your interview skills will improve, he says.

Figure out how to articulate your goals. Most of the commonly asked questions during an interview either dig into your previous experience or want to explore your future goals, Khare says. “Prepare and articulate your goals, and remain honest here.  Inconsistent answers won’t get you the respect and credibility that is a must to impress an interviewer.”

Be positive. When preparing for an interview and anticipating likely questions, plan to answer all questions positively. “Even if you were in a bad situation, think about how you can talk about the situation positively,” Attridge says. You always have a choice. It is much better to talk about a glass being half full then to talk about it being half empty. It’s all about your perspective, and in an interview being positive counts.

Never say anything negative about your prior employers or bosses, either–no matter how bad the situation may have been. “A negative answer actually is a reflection about your judgment and business acumen, and not about the employer or manager.”

Get comfortable. “Preparation and practice aside, the most important tip I would like to suggest to job seekers is to feel comfortable with the interview process,” Khare says. “You can read all the advice in the world about acing the interview, but none of the tactics will work out of you are not yourself during the process.”

Feeling comfortable and relaxed positively influences your confidence. “And interviewers always appreciate a relaxed and confident candidate, as opposed to a heavy promoter and edgy one,” she adds.  Practice calming your nerves, and focus on how you can prove you’d be a valuable asset to the company.

1. “Why are you leaving your current job?”

This question trips a lot of people up because it can get you into a negative mindset or a rant against your present (or previous) job. The interviewer only wants to know that you aren’t leaving purely for money and that you don’t have trouble getting along with people.

Even if you were fired, the key to answering this question is to maintain undying positivity. Put a positive twist on the negatives to show your interviewer that you’ve learned significant and valuable lessons.

If at all possible, show the interviewer that your moving jobs is all about passion and career growth.

2. “Tell me about yourself”

The idea here is to give the most important points of your resume and how these experiences make you a great fit for the job. All you need to do is show the interviewer why you’re the best fit for the position and leave all the other extraneous details out.

When interviewers ask this, they don’t want to hear about everything that has happened in your life; the interviewer’s objective is to see how you respond to this vague, yet personal, question.

Most people are quick to gush about their life story or their passions outside work. In the process, people have the tendency to slip up and to reveal things that cast them in a negative light. You don’t want to be too loose with your personal life with someone you just met.

3. “What are your weaknesses?”

It’s difficult to find a genuine weakness that makes you appear competent.

For instance, telling your interviewer that your weakness is working so hard that you have trouble prioritizing your family life is a little too cliché and comes across as disingenuous. But telling your interviewer that you lose interest in mundane tasks (though this may be genuine) makes you an unappealing candidate as well.

To answer this question perfectly, pick weaknesses that are minor and can be developed.

A great tactic is to choose a past weakness that you have an awesome story about fixing. For example, if your weakness is that you have difficulty confronting people with bad news, tell your interviewer that you’ve learned to begin with something positive before moving into the negative. This is a perfect example because the issue is minor (interviewers won’t consider it a deal-breaker), and you’ve shown that you’re someone who can learn and seeks improvement.

“What is your desired salary?”

The unwritten rule when it comes to salary is this: whoever proposes a number first, loses.

When you interview, you should never feel pressured to answer this question. Simply let your interviewer know that the most important thing to you is how well you fit the position.

Say something simple like, “Though I know salary is relevant, I don’t make decisions based solely on it, and I would prefer to discuss it later once you know more about me and I know more about the role.”

This shows the interviewer that you have put thought into the question and that you would prefer to focus on fit before pay. You’ll have far more leverage in a salary negotiation if you wait until they want to hire you before discussing it.

5. “Tell me about a time when you ­­­­­­_______”

This question sounds simple, but it’s difficult to clearly and concisely share a meaningful story.

Laszlo Bock, the head of HR at Google, says you should approach this question like this: “Here’s the attribute I’m going to demonstrate; here’s the story demonstrating it; here’s how that story demonstrated that attribute.”

Bock also says, “Most people in an interview don’t make explicit their thought process behind how or why they did something and, even if they are able to come up with a compelling story, they are unable to explain their thought processes.”

A perfect answer to this question shows what you did and why you did it (i.e., how you think).

Have stories prepared that demonstrate different desirable attributes of yourself. Just don’t forget to explain the thinking that went into your actions as you tell them.

1. Does this person set high standards? “It’s really about whether or not someone holds others accountable to his or her own high standards,” said Frappolli. “Because a lot of people who get into leadership roles have Type-A personalities, are driven to succeed and tend to focus on their own standards—but they don’t necessarily hold others to those same standards.”
2. Does he or she treat others with respect? Consider this: Would you want one of your children to work for this person? If you have to pause in answering, think twice before promoting him or her.
3. Does this employee manage performance? Does he or she provide honest and direct feedback on a consistent basis? Can he or she judge performance in an objective way and make decisions based on meritocracy?
4. Does he or she execute discipline? “Also ask: Is this person thorough in his or her business reviews?” said Frappolli. “Does he or she have good governance and controls?”
5. Does this person exhibit fortitude? “When I look at people who are successful, fortitude comes right to the top,” Frappolli told attendees. “Because if you can’t take feedback—if you can’t fail and pick yourself back up without losing confidence—you will struggle in a leadership role.”
6. Does this person face facts? Does he or she let the numbers tell the story, instead of trying to spin them to make situations look better?
7. Does he or she foster open partnerships? Does this person really encourage people to say what’s on their minds?
8. Does he or she have humanity? Consider whether or not this person shows compassion. Can he or she drive for high performance, hold people accountable, and yet, when others are struggling, try to understand why they’re struggling? “Does he or she then have the guts to make a tough call, like letting people go?” asked Frappolli. “It’s tough—I’ve found that some people are pretty binary in that way. They’re either too nice to make a tough call, wait way too long to do it or they’re just cold and disrespectful.”
9. Does this person set clients up for success? At the end of the day, does he or she ask the question, “Is this the right option for our client?”
10. Does he or she believe in innovation? “Innovation happens in many phases,” said Frappolli, “but often, it’s in small steps. What does this person do to help his or her team and clients constantly improve?”
11. Does this person think strategically? Is he or she intellectually curious? Does he or she ask the question, “why?” Does he or she know what’s going on in the industry? Is he or she aware of what your competitors are doing and whether or not they’re doing something better than you are?

To carry you through the weekend…

Achieving your dream life doesn’t just take smarts or ambition. It requires only eight traits. Think of them as your happiness list, and use it to get more out of life.

Everyone wants to be happy. And successful. Trouble is, happiness and success are so amorphous, so hard to define, that it can be tough to know how to make them happen. But what if you could focus on doing a few easy things that would let you be the best, most upbeat version of you?

Your life is about to get better, happier and more fulfilling than ever.

SELF-CONTROL

What it is: Doing what’s in line with your most fundamental goals, even when you’re tempted to stray.

Why it matters: Self-control pushes you to make the difficult choice (go to the gym) over the immediately appealing option (sleep) for a result that will eventually pay off (a better bod). College students who scored high on self-control not only earned better grades but also were less depressed and anxious, had stronger personal bonds and hardier self-esteem, and had fewer struggles with food, the Journal of Personality notes.

GRIT

What it is: The raw endurance, perseverance and passion that keep you going despite obstacles.

Why it matters: Realizing big dreams takes work. When researchers at the University of Pennsylvania asked people in various fields, from banking to art, to describe star performers, grit came up over and over. (It’s also closely linked with a higher college GPA.) Being gritty isn’t always fun. Says Peterson, professor of psychology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor: “It can mean working 24/7 if that’s what it takes.” That’s why grit requires passion. It’s easier to plug away at a goal if you’re fired up.

CURIOSITY

What it is: A penchant for seeking out the new and different.

Why it matters: People who describe themselves as intentionally curious report greater life satisfaction and a deeper sense of meaning. They’re also apt to push themselves to learn and meet their goals, Motivation and Emotion reports. Curious folks are also better problem solvers. “If you cast about for diverse solutions, you’re less liable to go with the first thing you come up with,” says Todd Kashdan, Ph.D., author of Curious? That’s good, because if you focus solely on finding the right answer, you’ll miss a chance to hit on something truly original. At the least, you’ll have fun exploring kooky ideas and have amazing conversations along the way.

OPTIMISM

What it is: Believing that the best may lie ahead.

Why it matters: If you have faith that good things are likely to happen, you may be more open to opportunities when they arise. Research from Duke University found that optimistic MBA grads got jobs faster, despite being pickier. “When you think you’ve got a shot, it makes sense that you’ll prep more and come across as more confident. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy,” adds Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D., author of The How of Happiness. Optimists also tend to see setbacks as temporary rather than as a sweeping negative judgment on their abilities—which makes it easier to persevere.

LOVE

What it is: Close, caring relationships where the good vibes flow both ways.

Why it matters: Love makes it easier to get through tough times and reach your peak potential. According to the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, when people were standing next to a friend, they perceived a hill as less steep than did those who were alone, and the longer they had known the friend, the less steep the hill seemed. Even cooler, merely thinking of ways a loved one had supported them had the same effect.

SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE

What it is: Your gray-dar—how well you pick up on the gray areas of a situation and intuit the things that people don’t say out loud.

Why it matters: When you’re dealing with tricky office politics, navigating a tense family dinner or trying to decode any interaction in which someone isn’t expressing exactly what she means, being able to read people and situations accurately will win you allies and make everyday encounters a lot more fun.

GRATEFULNESS

What it is: Fully appreciating and noticing the good in yourself, other people and the world at large, then giving that appreciation back in spades.

Why it matters: We all say thank you countless times a day, usually automatically. “But when you express true gratitude, you motivate others to be generous, which we know produces joy,” says Robert Emmons, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of California in Davis. And unlike self-control or grit, which tends to require a goal, gratitude can exist on its own: “You can be grateful to be alive,” Emmons says. The rest is gravy.

ZEST

What it is: Tackling life with energy, excitement, enthusiasm and eagerness.

Why it matters: People filled with positive energy tend to see their work as a calling—and end up more satisfied with what they do and with life in general, the Journal of Organizational Behavior reports.

HIRING DECISION STATISTICS

• The average cost of a bad hiring decision can equal 30% of the individual’s first-year potential earnings.Tweet this stat. (From the US Department of Labor and Statistics)
• The successful aren’t immune, and they’ve had to learn from their mistakes. Zappos CEO, Tony Hsieh once estimated that his own bad hires have cost the company well over $100 million. Tweet this stat.
• 66% of employers said they experienced negative effects of bad hires in 2012. Of these employers, 37% said the bad hire negatively affected employee morale. Another 18% said the bad hire negatively impacted client relationships. And 10% said the bad hire caused a decrease in sales.  Tweet this stat. (A study from the National Business Research Institute)
• 43% of respondents from the same NBRI study cited the need to fill the positions quickly as the main reason that bad hires are made. Tweet this stat.
• It costs $7,000 to replace a salaried employee, $10,000 to replace a mid-level employee, and $40,000 to replace a senior executive. Tweet this stat. (From HR.com)
• As much as 80% of employee turnover is due to bad hiring decisions. Tweet this stat.  (From Harvard Business Review)
• 36% of 1,400 executives surveyed claimed that the leading factor of a failed hire, aside from performance problems, is a poor skills match. The second leading factor at 30% was unclear performance objectives. (Study done by Robert Half)
• 41% of companies polled by Vitamin T Staffing Firm estimated that a bad hire cost more than $25,000, and 1 in 4 said that it cost them over $50,000. Tweet this stat.
• SayIt Communications calculated the ROI of a bad hire at -298%. Tweet this stat.
• 75% of the demand to hire new employees is simply to replace workers who have left the company. Tweet this stat.

BRAVE FIT
Leverage the BRAVE framework (Behaviors, Relationships, Attitudes, Values, Environment)
Behave: What impact. The way people act, make decisions, control the business, etc.
Relate: How connect. The way people communicate with each other (including mode, manner and frequency), engage in intellectual debate, manage conflict, etc.
Attitude: How win. Strategy, posture and approach.
Values: What matters. Purpose and principles. This is often the critical pivot point as it gets at why people do what they do. People follow engaging leaders for awhile, but they commit themselves to a meaningful and rewarding purpose or cause over time.
Environment: Where play. External choices around markets and competition. Internal choices around layout and formality.
The suggested approach for an interviewer is to assess the interviewee’s BRAVE preferences and then line them up with the organization’s preferences/culture.
The suggested approach for the interviewee is to do the same thing in reverse.
This is one area where no one should play any games at all. There’s no upside for either the organization or the interviewee to try to be something different than what they are. They will get caught sooner or later.
Preparing for Interviews
If you’re the one doing the interviewing, get clear on what strengths, motivational and fit insights you’re looking for before you go into your interviews.

Related: 8 Revealing Interview Questions to Hire Standout Staff

1. Who inspires you and why?

The job candidate’s answer often gives the interviewer a peek into who the interviewee models him or herself after. The response can also highlight the sorts of behavioral patterns the interviewee respects, says Craig Cincotta, chief of staff and vice-president of communications at online home improvement marketplace Porch, where he’s heavily involved in team expansion and hiring.

2. If you were starting a company tomorrow, what would be its top three values?

Every good relationship starts with trust and aligned values. Insight into a person’s priorities — as well as honesty and integrity — can emerge in the candidate’s answer, explains Robert Alvarez, the CFO of ecommerce platform Bigcommerce.

3. If business priorities change, describe how you would help your team understand and carry out the shifted goals?

Shifting priorities happen in every company, and every job, so look for candidates who are flexible and possess the skills to help carry out change. Hire employees who are self-aware, motivated and display empathy advises DeLeon. “These skills will help employees better work in teams.”

Related: The 5 Must-Ask Interview Questions to Determine if Someone’s a Fit

4. Did you build lasting friendships while working at anotherjob?  

It takes a while for people to build relationships — and being able to do so is a sign of solid emotional intelligence, Alvarez says. “[A lasting friendship] tells you that relationships and caring about people are important to the person.”

5. What skill or expertise do you feel like you’re still missing?

Curiosity and the desire to learn are vital signs that a prospective employee wants to get better at something. “People who struggle with this question are the people who think they already know it all,” warns Alvarez. “These are the people you want to steer away from.”

6. Can you teach me something, as if I’ve never heard of it before? (It can be anything: A skill, a lesson or a puzzle.)

A job candidate’s answer to this question can reveal several qualities:

• Whether the person is willing to take the time to think before speaking.
• If the candidate has the technical ability to explain something to a person who is less knowledgeable in the subject.
• Whether the candidate asks empathetic questions to the person being taught, such as, “Is this making sense?”

7. What are the top three factors you would attribute to your success?

The answer to this question can determine whether a person is selfless or selfish, Alvarez says. “When people talk about their own success, listen to whether someone talks about ‘me-me-me’ or ‘I-I-I.’ Or whether they talk about ‘the team,’ ‘we’ or ‘us.’”

“Look for a team player who brings something positive to the company,” Cincotta shares. “Someone can be the smartest person in the room, but if they are not someone you enjoy working with — because they are more concerned with their own success over that of the company — they won’t be a fit.”

Related: 7 Interview Questions To Help You Hire Superstars

Whether you’re a two person startup still operating in your garage or a 500-person corporation, one thing should remain consistent: your focus on hiring superstars.

When my co-founder Eddie Machaalani and I started our commerce platform company, we made a pact to personally interview the first 100 people we hired. It was hard, but we stuck to it and spoke to every person who joined our team during that two-year period.

Through that process, we created a foundation of amazing talent and set the bar high for new  employees and hiring managers who still adhere to our most important rule about recruitment: never hire someone who is “good enough;” always wait for the best. Waiting to hire the right person for a role is painful, but will save you time, money and your sanity in the long run. They are out there and you will find them.

More than anything else, hiring the right people can determine the destiny of your business. Hire superstars and they’ll get behind your vision and make it a reality. Hire the wrong people and you’ll find that as your business grows, you’ll have a culture of average performers who watch the clock and aren’t motivated nearly as much as you are.

So, how do you ensure you hire the right people? Ask these seven questions:

1. What do you like about our business? How would you change what you don’t like?

This question does two things. First, it gives you insight into how a candidate will verbalize something they don’t like. Will they talk about the problem and then immediately suggest a solution, or will they tell you that your business is perfect when in reality, it probably isn’t? Look for people who talk 5 percent about the problem and 95 percent about the solution.

Related: 6 Tips for Hiring at Your Small Business

By asking how they’d change what they don’t like, you get a chance to hear how they’d go about solving problems. For example, if they say your customer service stinks but can’t suggest even a basic idea to fix it, what chance do they have of fixing problems when they’re working for you? Will they just give up and move on to something else? Probably. The best employees solve problems fast and on their own.

2. Which book are you currently reading?

Passionate people tend to read books or listen to audio books to improve their skills. Whether the books are specific to a skill such as sales and marketing or they’re reading a book focused on self-development doesn’t matter, they are all good signs.

If they’re reading a fiction book and haven’t read an educational book for a while, that’s a red flag to me. Superstars are always looking to better themselves, and the smartest people I know are always learning and absorbing new information.

3. Tell me about a problem you were tasked with solving in your current job. How did you fix it?

Again, this surfaces their problem solving and creative thinking skills or lack thereof. Did they have a thoughtful approach to solving the problem or did they pass it on to someone else?

4. What’s the one thing you’ve accomplished in your career that you’re most proud of?

This gives you insight into what makes them tick and also lets you assess how they define success. If, for example, they worked at their previous company for 12 years and their biggest accomplishment was beating their sales target in a single quarter, they may not be a superstar.

On the other hand, if they were promoted five times in their previous role during a two-year period, then you may have a superstar on your hands.

Related: 7 Traits of Truly Sensational Startup Employees

5. Have you played any team sports before?

People who play team sports such as basketball, soccer and rowing are driven, focused on achieving goals and physically fit, which helps keep their mind in peak condition. Generally, they will also be great communicators, cope well under pressure and perform well during team events.

6. What do you do for fun?

Balance is an important part of success, and I’ve found that superstars strive to do well in most, if not all, areas of their life including physical fitness, relationships contribution and learning.

As an example, if someone hits the gym three days a week, volunteers on Saturdays and is learning how to play the piano “just for fun,” then it’s fair to say they value achievement, goal setting and are continually looking to improve themselves. This will translate into their job.

7. ‘I’m not sure you’re a fit for the role…’

This one works best when you’re hiring people with strong personalities that need to push through constantly hearing “no,” such as for sales reps or sales leaders, and it’s more of a comment than a question. By simply making this statement, they can do one of three things. They can ignore you and skip over the comment. They can agree and try to move on. Or, they can try to sell you on the benefits of bringing them into your business, specifically focusing on the main reasons you can’t afford not to hire them.

These questions aren’t a silver bullet for hiring superstars, but they’ve allowed me to better decide between people who will and won’t be a fit in the business, and their ability to achieve success in their role.

Outside of asking questions, never overlook your gut feel during an interview. If something doesn’t feel right or you’re not absolutely certain about hiring someone, then say no — every time.

It will take longer to hire the right person, but you want to build a company full of people that are right for their roles, instead of people that came along at the right time.

“A leader’s job is not to do the work for others, it’s to help others figure out how to do it themselves, to get things done, and to succeed beyond what they thought possible.” – Simon Sinek

Most organizations promote employees into managerial positions based on operational technical competencies.  Many times though, while these technical traits are valuable necessities in maintaining the status quo,  superlative management performance involves a higher level of true strategic leadership skills that challenge the status quo.  New managers are abounding with excitement and energy after being promoted to a leadership role with new heights of responsibilities.  Yet, companies do not provide the skills map to help guide or equip them with management training essentials to keep them and their teams on course to meet objectives.

A large number of Rookie Managers fail to understand the shifting leadership role:  Effective management performance is no longer strictly about personal achievement and success but more about empowering others within your team and company to achieve success.  Navigating through the new realities of leadership will in and of itself have normal intricacies that Rookie Managers must overcome.  Even the most outstanding employees have trouble adjusting to these new realities.  Invariably, Rookie Managers face a myriad of problems and obstacles especially in the beginning stages of their careers.  Without proper management training or leadership support, Rookie Managers struggle to balance the daily obstacles and challenges of the new role, exacerbating normal insecurities by internalizing their stress, thereby losing focus and eroding performance.  Rookie Managers fail to develop critical management skills that transform their mindsets to properly support their new role as strategic managers as well as effectively lead their teams to sustained peak performance levels.

We have seen a considerable surge in client requests for leadership training within the corporate arena.  Companies have found that even the smartest, most confident, forward thinking, resourceful employees struggle with the transition from individual contributors to newly promoted management positions.  Organizations can build the capacity for strategic leadership but are hesitant to invest in training and leadership programs for young managers.

According to a Gallup poll of more than 1 million workers employed in the United States, “Peo­ple leave man­agers not companies…in the end, turnover is mostly a man­ager issue.”  The poll found, “Poorly managed work groups are on average 50 percent less productive and 44 percent less profitable than well-managed groups.”  The number one reason employees leave a job is because of their manager. The problem is that training is seen as an expense and not as an investment.  Companies fail to see that leadership shortfalls are, and will continue to prove to be, the single greatest differentiator between high-performance and all other organizations.  Establishing a focus on achieving a single powerful purpose through integration of different specializations and maximizing distinctive capabilities will ensure the company’s overall success.

The typical Rookie Management scenario unfolds something like this:  Smart, confident, resourceful individual contributor is promoted to management position.  In the absence of proper comprehensive training and coaching, the Rookie Manager is hesitant to delegate work; unable to clarify goals and objectives; intimidated by upper management to seek help; overwhelmed by failing projects and mounting workloads; unable to project confidence or provide critical constructive performance feedback to struggling staff members resulting in high turnover of direct reports, low morale from lack of engagement and minimal productivity.  It is becoming more increasingly apparent that it is not enough to hire the best talent and promote managers from within and turn them loose.

Warren Bennis, renowned leadership expert and pioneer, stated, “Great leaders are made, not born.  Not everyone will become a leader…Most managers and CEO’s become bosses, but not leaders.  They wield power instead of transforming themselves, their workers and their organization.”  The Rookie Manager skills gap has substantial widespread effects on daily lives of people as well as operational efficiency across an organization.  Investing in training for young leaders is the best weapon company leaders have to develop the strategic leadership skills necessary for the organization to realize greater employee engagement, stronger teams, reduced turnover, more efficient operations and consistent innovation and higher profits.

Companies historically start with identifying competent, high-integrity team members but fail to empower them to maximize potential and optimize company goals.  Studies show that organizations must have a strong belief in providing educational development tools that become the focus for Rookie Managers to progress capabilities to become successful leaders in order to stimulate strategic growth and transformation.

The following 5 principles can help unlock the potential strategic leadership within the Rookie Manager to overcome early obstacles within the beginning stages of management.  These principles represent a combination of organizational systems and individual capabilities — the hardware and software of transformation – that will enable young managers to transform into strategic leaders.

1. EMPOWERMENT:  Empowerment is a core precept of organizational success and is the most difficult task for Rookie Managers.  Thrust into a new role with more responsibilities that include tight deadlines and greater pressures, new managers have the natural response to do everything themselves.  Failure to distribute responsibility effectively results in Rookie Managers working excessively long hours, frustrated and hesitant in taking on new projects and responsibilities, disengaging team members resulting in absenteeism and turnover and low productivity. It’s important to learn to cultivate power by building collaborative relationships and developing trust.  Strategic Rookie Managers must rely on empowering people at all levels to make decisions, be accountable for high productivity and encourage innovation through diverse points of view.  Leadership roles must shift easily among team members, without regard for hierarchical positions.  Collaboration of cross-functional forums that inspire innovative thinking creates a culture in which any member can spark interaction and conversation across teams and all levels with access to senior leaders as well as younger staff members.  Strategic leaders gain their skill through practice and are emboldened to take innovative risks, supported by upper management and recognized for all successes, no matter how small.  This environment increases the collective intelligence, adaptability, and resilience of the organization over time.  In high performance organizations, empowerment starts with choosing entrepreneurial  mindset individuals that take ownership of individual achievement and development, with acute understanding of personal goals and the company’s vision.
2. TRUST:  Many Rookie Managers are high octane individuals who make their way to the top of the hierarchy by demonstrating high levels of superlative performance with persistence and resilience.  Inexperienced managers view leadership as a vertical function, related to power.  These are valuable traits, but they are not the skills of a leader.  Strategic Leaders must no longer trust in power, using command and control techniques to manage, but instead rely on the power of trust, empowerment and development.  Rookie managers fear being vulnerable and are unable to build mutually trustworthy relationships with senior managers and team members, failing to integrate team members and unify efforts to a common vision.  New Managers flounder trying to cover up a failing project or hesitate asking for help due to mistrust.  At the core of significant success in growth and innovation in a rapidly changing economy based on knowledge and information, is the essence of trust in leadership.  Peter Drucker asserts that “…great organizations are no longer built on force…They are built on trust.”  Senior management, staff members, clients and partners must believe that a leader’s core values and decisions are formed from the cornerstone of trust.  Managers must consistently imbed trust as a governing mechanism in cultivating strategic partnerships and relationships in order to achieve optimal productivity that exceeds individual parts.  Strategic leaders know that real power is in creating an environment of trust that encourages open communication, creativity, collaboration and innovation without fear of failure.   Leaders must be able to cultivate a trust culture of transparency that fosters meaningful conversations for exchange of valuable information to improve everyday practices.  A climate of trust results in high employee engagement and productivity with reinforced heightened levels of commitment to the organization’s mission and goals and encourages loyalty and leadership that inspires to perpetuate strategic risk for continued innovation and growth.  Trust is the most critical element in fostering loyalty, true enthusiasm and positive participation, commitment and accountability amongst teams and ensures the best performance from everyone.
3. CONFIDENCE:  Rookie Managers must be able to project confidence at all times, whether they feel confident or not, especially in the very critical early stages of a new management role.  Confidence is a fundamental tenet upon which leadership is framed.  Strategic leaders have a rock solid foundation of confidence built on a deep sense of their core values – what is right and wrong.  They are easy to follow, because their words and actions are in alignment and consistent with personal and company values.  Leaders must be able to inspire, energize and motivate everyone around them, specifically staff and team members that look to them for guidance and mentorship.  The demeanor and actions of a Rookie Manager define the standard for acceptable conduct within a department or organization.  Rookie Managers many times are overwhelmed with the increasing challenges of a new role and are often so internally focused that they are unaware of the critical repercussions of their distress and erratic behaviors.  Leaders must portray a confident, thoughtful, optimistic demeanor with which to guide, empower and direct staff and team members.  Confident managers lead with compassionate authority, are able to make tough decisions, communicate with honest candor, provide consistent constructive feedback, are not afraid to fail, accept criticism and feedback more positively and encourage confidence in others.  Rookie Managers must be able to confidently establish credibility early on with senior managers and staff in order to achieve goals and objectives and ensure continued success.  Especially in a growing market confidence is more than a motivator for employees, it’s a key to success.
4. STRATEGIC THINKING:  To be successful at the next level of management, Rookie Managers must demonstrate that they can act and think strategically.  New managers have a habit of returning to an individual contributor mindset – instinctively running to the immediate rescue of emergency issues that arise.  They’re accustomed to fightng fires at the front lines.  However, strong leaders learn to think and perform strategically, understanding the difference between critical initiatives and goals versus common activities.  Rookie Managers  must be able to establish a goal-setting discipline schedule that differentiates between supporting activities and more tactical goals.  Clear and concise communication of individual, team and company goals will help ensure that staff and team members are responding and working on the right issues with proper delegation of resources.  Strategic Managers are able delegate authority and act on the bigger picture while achieving daily goals simultaneously.  They are able to create maximum employee engagement for peak performance in others while leading with respect and advocacy to cultivate trust, loyalty, passion and commitment.  As Steve Jobs famously said “it doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.”
5. FEEDBACK:  Inexperienced managers wait far too long to talk with staff about performance and offer feedback.  A common scenario may look like this:  A staff member is struggling to meet performance goals or is acting inappropriately.  The Rookie Manager waits to act, hoping that the situation magically improves.  Other team members observe the situation and become frustrated by the manager’s inaction, interpreted as acceptance of the behavior.  The inaction becomes a source of resentment and a sign of weakness for other employees.  The Rookie Manager’s dissatisfaction and annoyance also builds, unbelievable that the employee doesn’t get it.  What should have been a straightforward performance review has now evolved into a credibility issue that has eroded the team and destroyed morale.  When the Rookie Manager finally addresses the problem, it becomes personalized, and the team member feels attacked by criticism instead of empowered by feedback.  Rookie Managers must create an environment in which constructive feedback is perceived as a source of empowerment, not disparagement.   Managers may not always be able to deliver positive feedback, but the key is to foster within the feedback the desire to help others achieve individual as well as corporate goals.  Meaningful conversations with a true belief in individual development must emerge in a trust-oriented culture.  Performance management must be done frequently, voluntarily to include goal setting that aligns with strategic company incentives.  Performance reviews and real time frequent coaching must be conducted in a timely manner to have the greatest performance impact with career development in mind.  Managers must organize workers to optimize engagement, not just to maximize efficiency, but also to nurture skills, develop talent, and inspire them to achieve the highest potential.

The State of the Leadership Development studies indicate that 77 percent of organizations surveyed stated that their leadership strategy was minimally or not at all aligned with their business strategy.  In addition, 71 percent said their leaders are not ready to lead their organizations into the future; 51 percent said their present leadership is not at all ready to lead in today’s times.  In addition, 81 percent of organizations indicated their leaders are not at all effective at developing their employees.  Coaching was identified as the skill with the greatest gap in all leaders and communication, resiliency, critical thinking, collaboration and data analysis were also described as the five skills most essential but lacking the greatest in all managers.

Leadership shortfalls are, and will continue to prove to be, the single greatest differentiator between high-performance and all other organizations.

Jack Welch stated:  “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself.  When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.”  In today’s knowledge-driven, fast-paced economy, people have become an organization’s most precious and underutilized resource.  They are pivotal to a company’s success, and survival.  Especially for the state of Rookie Managers and future leaders, organizations must provide training and development tools as a guide for empowerment in order to effectively execute strategies, inspire and motivate employees and create peak performing cultures of leadership.  The most basic elements of strategic leadership management are very often taken for granted.  An organization that supports and develops its Rookie Managers will have far reaching advantages in cultivating high performance teams that aspire and inspire beyond projected goals of success.  In order to create the deep trust in a culture that enables an empowerment mindset to thrive, individuals who are trustworthy and whose vision is shared with the company must rise to the occasion, in a trustworthy institution that fosters and supports empowerment.

Millennials are going to make major shifts in corporations over the next decade and most people aren’t ready for the amount of change that’s coming. By 2025, millennials will account for 75% of the global workforce and by next year, they will account for 36% of the American workforce. At some companies like Accenture and Ernst & Young, they already account for over two thirds of the entire employee base.

Millennials are more connected than any previous generation.   Creating new conversations to find solutions.  More intelligent, intentional, systematic, leverages connections and people and resources.  Connectional Intelligence:  getting big things done through connections.  Thinkers, enablers, connection executors.  Understand how to mobilize connectors to get things done in a timely manner.  What are you trying to get done?

Multi-generational workforce. Four today  Baby boomers, gen x, gen y, millennials.   Generations are merely manifestations of the way that the world is changing.  Traditionalist, bb, talking about age, but more of set of experiences, way of working, values, descriptors.  75% workforce will be 2020 millennials.  What is so unique about millennials.  Research show 72% millennials want to be own boss.  Start their own company, join smaller organizations.  88% desire work/life integration.  Fortune 500 companies, best for work/life integration, highest rated have less turnover.  88% want collaborative work culture.  Research shows not a Significance decrease in turnover of highest rated companies have less turnover and it’s demanded all over.  Work life integration great perk that everyone wants.  74% millennials want flexibility.  Across the board, fully engaging best talent want flexibility.  Not just millennials.  Looking at future of work, If they asked people what want, responses are not necessarily indicative of reality.  Core competency of the future of work, working more intelligently with others, – connectional intelligence.  Ability to combine knowledge ambition and human capital to forging connections that create unprecedented value and meaning.

Relative to boomers and Gen X’ers, millennials have a different view of how work should get done and come into the workforce with a different set of expectations. We are already see changes happening as companies try to prepare for this emerging demographic and it’s just the beginning. Here are 10 ways that millennials are creating the future of work:

Solving problems in unique ways.  5 fundamental capabilities.  Curiosity – broaden perspective to solve problems – how can you use different tools and forums to find solutions, courage – having difficult and diverse conversations despite fear – lance Armstrong doping – 10 year history clearly indicated doping –spark courageous conversations that create transformational breakthroughs in target networks, engage in new ways to solve pressing challenges throughout community and world, combination – root of innovation – how can you source and combine information and knowledge from inside and outside your workplace –solve multiple problems simultaneously, combining disparate ideas to create innovation community – bringing people together to inspire together – solve problems through engagement of new communities – uber two way community of rating driver and customer to increase community and better behavior amongst customers , creating incentive for systematic structure of communities to solve solutions outside existing network, act in efficeietn proficient, combustion – ability to mobilize resources for solutions, starbucks – customer ideas –greenstick – my starbucks platform – receive thousands of ideas for combustion  mobilize networks for optimal collaboration outside of existing communities.  Leading player in sustainability of success is to connect with the world. Millennials are more connected than any previous generation.   Creating new conversations to find solutions.  More intelligent, intentional, systematic, leverages connections and people and resources.  Connectional Intelligence:  getting big things done through connections.  Thinkers, enablers, connection executors.  Understand how to mobilize connectors to get things done in a timely manner.  What are you trying to get done?

1. They will force companies to be transparent. Transparency is one of the top four qualities that millennials look for in leaders so it’s no surprise that when they become leaders that is something they will focus on. They don’t trust CEOs and politicians because they don’t feel like they are honest, especially how they are portrayed in the media. They want to create honest and open culture where there aren’t barriers between workers of different levels and everyone knows what’s going on in the company. As social networks penetrate the workforce, they will help open up companies even more.
2. They will choose corporate culture and meaningful work above everything else. 30% of millennials say that meaningful work is important versus only 12% of managers. Furthermore, only 28% of millennials feel that high pay is important versus 50% of managers. They want to know that the work they are doing is having an impact on their co-workers, on their manager and on the company at large. They won’t stay at a company long if they are doing busy work the whole time. When they become the leaders of organizations, they will try and align projects with employees better.
3. They will build a collaborative organization. Millennials like to work in teams, on projects to accomplish goals. It’s less about what company they work for and more about who they are working with and the types of projects they work on. In a recent study by IdeaPaint, they found that 38% of millennials feel that outdated collaboration processes hinder their company’s innovation and 74% prefer to collaborate in small groups. They are used to using wiki’s, social networks and other technologies to share ideas and innovate so when they become leaders, they will take those behaviors with them and spread them across their organizations.
4. They will make working from home the norm. In the next 9 years, 41% of the workforce will be working from home and currently over 13.4 million people work from home in America alone. While some employers are hesitant to allow their employees to work from home, Gallup reports that remote workers log more hours and are more engaged. In a study I did with oDesk, we found that 92% of millennials want to work remote and 87% want to work on their own clock, instead of the confined of a 9 to 5 workday. I know many millennials that would rather work from home than receive higher salaries. They value work life integration, not separation like older generations. When they are leading companies, everyone will be dispersed yet highly connected through the technology they are already using regularly.
5. They will recruit based on results over degrees. Currently, if you don’t have a degree it’s almost impossible to get a job at brand name companies because they filter you out in their HR databases if you don’t. Smaller companies are starting to review your online presence over your resume and startups care more about work ethic and experience over education. currently, college degree holders have a 5.2% unemployment rate compared to 10.3% for those who only have a high school diploma. Over the past few years, we’ve seen more college alternatives, from Udemy.com to Coursera to Khan Academy. Millennials are graduating college with $45,000 in debt, totaling over $1 trillion overall and that number keeps increasing. Millennials care more about what you achieve than your education level. When they are in leadership positions, they will recruit based on the results that person has achieved rather than the classes they took.
6. They will change the meaning of “face-time”. Older managers prefer in-person meetings over everything else when it comes to communication. That’s how they grew up and were originally trained so it’s what they are comfortable with. Millennials, on the other hand, grew up with technology and graduated college with social network profiles. There is no doubt that millennials will redefine “face-time” as more work from home each year and fewer want to pick up the phone or go into an office. This year, Cisco did a study of millennial executives and found that 87% believe video has a significant and positive impact on an organization. Millennials will embrace video conferencing over face-to-face interactions in the future, especially as video conferencing technology becomes better. Of course, if technology is going to facility the majority of interactions it will further hurt their soft skills, but there are always drawbacks to any major workplace shifts.
7. They will encourage generosity and community support. While millennials are often stereotyped as being selfish and narcissistic, the story that goes untold is their involved in supporting their communities. This trait will end up benefiting the image of corporations and force them to have a “why” instead of just a “how”, as Simon Sinek would say. Currently, millennials shun corporations and as a result, 60% of college students aren’t considering a career in business. They view corporations as being greedy, having no equality (especially at the CEO level where only 5% of CEOs are women), and at fault for causing the financial crisis. Deloitte found that 92% of millennials believe that business should be measured by more than just profit and should focus on a societal purpose and 83% of millennials gave to charities in 2012 (up from 75% in 2011).
8. They will eliminate the annual performance review. In a study that I did with American Express, we found that only 48% of companies give an annual performance reviews. Millennials often ask “why do I have to wait a whole year to get feedback?” They want feedback to be given in real-time just like they receive tweets from those they follow. It’s the instant gratification and learning that drives them and pushes them to improve. Adobe took a stand last year and abolished their annual performance review system. They now have check-in conversations that encourages ongoing feedback. To date, they’ve saved over 80,000 hours of their managers time by removing the annual performance review from their regular procedures.
9. They will turn work into a game instead of a chore. Millennials grew up playing video games and with their parents complaining about their jobs. They don’t want to settle and don’t want to work in an environment that isn’t fun and exciting (can you blame them?). One of the big trends that reflects this is the rise of gamification application. In a recent interview I did with Adam Penenberg, he explained the growth of gamification and how companies are using these applications and techniques to engage millennials (and the entire workforce). Gartner predicts that by 2014, more than 70% of companies will have at least one gamified application. As Penenberg notes, Cisco developed “myPlanNet”, an application where employees become CEOs of service providers to enhance its vitual global sales meeting and call center.
10. They will level corporate hierarchies. While older generations view organizations in the context of hierarchy, millennials are more focused on collaboration and equality. At the 2012 SHRM Annual Conference, Malcolm Gladwell said that millennials are more about “the network” than “the hierarchy”. They care less about titles, status and salaries. They are more drawn to projects that connect with their strengths and abilities and favor managers that support them through training and development. Menlo Innovations has built a strong culture in part because they don’t have managers, only leaders and thus have eliminated the “command and control” environment that millennials dislike.

“It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.”  Steve Jobs

Hiring people with the right skill sets for a job is no longer the most important factor in determining success of a company… managers must focus on the employees actually performance… According to Harry Sinden; it’s the attitude of the players, not their skills, that is the biggest factor in determining whether you win or lose… So how can an organization ensure that their people have the right attitudes, such that they work hard, effectively, and win? This can be achieved through– raise the bar on performance management! It involves setting objectives-goals and ensuring they are SMART (i.e., Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time Bound). To achieve SMART objectives, performance must be managed on a ‘continuous’ basis. This means the implementation of continuous review process that allows managers and staff to discuss elements of performance– frequently and when it’s most relevant. Ongoing transparent feedback, mentoring, coaching are all key elements of the continuous review process, which will help raise the bar on performance…

Raise the Bar means– change beliefs, change attitude, change behaviors, change results– it’s the ‘bar of expectations’.

Cultivate power by building relationships and developing trust.  Any organization that wants to succeed for the long haul must rely on COLLABORATION, INNOVATION, HIGH PRODUCTIVITY – share power, of teamwork, diverse points of view.  Enable people to do their best work generally means distributing power to those who earn it.

When we establish crystal clear expectations for our future, we create the foundation in our minds on how we will achieve our maximum potential. Steadily raise the bar of our expectations-aspirations just a little higher and a little out of our reach cause us to stretch out of our comfort zone. As we stretch out of our comfort zone we stretch our potential, as a result our potential steadily grows and will never return to its previous size. Continual raising the bar of expectations maximizes achievement. Raise the bar starts with taking responsibility for what you have, what you have to do to get the performance you need, what you should expect, and ultimately, what you are responsible for.

Full Employee Engagement.

Maximize employee potential for full optimization of skills.

Create culture of trust for initiative, innovation and success.

Only 45% of people are satisfied with their jobs.  29% feel engaged.

We live in a world that is blended more than it is balanced and feelings of entitlement and financial security are a thing of the past.  Job satisfaction is at a record low, a crisis with far reaching impact.  For businesses, a disengaged workforce means lower levels productivity and service, and ultimately lower growth and profits.  For individuals, our emotions from work spill over into other areas of our lives taking a toll on health and relationships.

Growth – Team members feel they are growing in their careers and learning new things

Recognition – Team members feel that their ideas and accomplishments are appreciated.

Trust – Team members trust senior management and feel confident about the future.

Case studies from innovative companies and  individual stories and about personal growth and achievement and actionable steps that will enhance your performance at work and transform your approach to leadership.

Being full engaged means that you are motivated to give the extra effort that advances the goals of your employer.  Your job might be tough, and it might be stressful, but when you are fully engaged, you want to do it; you want to go the extra mile.  Grateful for a job, new graduates.  Managers just want team to show up.  Full engagement a dream.