Leadership Blog

Unwrap This Present from i4cp Early

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:34:00 GMT

E-learning thought leader Dr. Nick van Dam recently provided the i4cp community with four chapters from his latest book Next Learning, Unwrapped!. These documents, available for free exclusively to i4cp members, are insightful samples illustrating how cutting-edge companies are using technology-based learning platforms to help shape their workforces. Each one examines a different aspect of the e-learning business case, addressing challenges and focusing on the resources needed to make an effective and strategic e-learning initiative.

Gain valuable insights from these i4cp member-exclusive preview samples.

Case Study - Microsoft on Standardizing Technology-based Learning: Microsoft uses a technology-based learning platform to support globally dispersed field employees, to provide up-to-date product and service information and to keep field employees on top of the latest innovations.

Case Study - Deloitte on Developing an Internal Social Networking Platform: In 2006, the company began its internal social networking initiative - dubbed D Street - to help appeal to Millennial recruits that prefer technology-based platforms for networking and learning.

Case Study - Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan on Transforming Culture Through e-Learning: Non-profit Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM), in an effort to better compete against their for-profit health insurance company competition, embraced technology-based learning as a conduit for their Performance Transformation initiatives.

Case Study - SAP on Continuous e-Learning: In the fast-paced world of business software, SAP recognizes the need to move beyond learning for simple informational awareness into the realm of on-demand, purposeful, high-impact learning delivered when needed to meet business demands.

See also Dr. van Dam's 2011 i4cp webinar on Next Learning, Unwrapped to learn more about the innovative, technology-based learning solutions that leading organizations are using now to help achieve their business goals.

Leadership Competencies for the Coming Zombie Apocalypse

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:47:19 GMT

(‘cause, let's face it, we all know it's coming)

Even though we know a zombie apocalypse is imminent - judging by the current glut of zombie-themed movies, TV shows and video games - don't think that the world being overrun by shuffling flesh-eaters will mean there will be no work for a resilient HR professional with a good head still attached to his or her shoulders. In fact, as humans become more and more of a scarce resource, human resource management should only grow in importance. So, you know … job security.

Subsequently, for this first installment of the HR's Role in the Zombie Apocalypse™ blog, I thought it would be a good time to talk about leadership competencies.

i4cp has recently released a new report on leadership competencies, Developing High-Performing Leaders: Emphasizing the Competencies That Pay Off, and seeing as how we are one superflu or nuclear accident away from disaster, I figure a good way to supplement it is to add some info that will be critical to more than your organization's survival. While this particular study shows us that the competencies that are popular aren't necessarily the ones that correlate with market performance, I intend to share the competencies that correlate to not being eaten alive by rotting mutant freaks.

We'll see which list comes in handy first.

Leadership Selection After Z-Day

Once there's a critical mass of survivors collected together in whatever shopping mall you happen to be trapped in (or underground bunker, Bed, Bath and Beyond, pub/tavern, Big Brother house etc.), there will inevitably come a time to select a leader. If you have a supernaturally empowered "chosen one" in your group it should be an easy process. Just check references and signs such as a jutting jaw, six-pack abs and flaring nostrils (the same is true if a supermodel in skin-tight leather rides in, double-guns blazing John Woo style while airborne on a Harley).

But absent those scenarios, selection needs to be tied to those traits that will make your group a strategically aligned, engaged and productive band of zombie stompers. While the leadership competencies of high-performing companies - strategy development, a global mindset, decision-making sciences, organizational development, and strategy execution - might be helpful in your new, gore-splattered reality, they don't agree with what street-level research (my movie-engrossed half-life) has shown me will be needed for battling a shambling horde of stinky, bile-filled malevolence.

Leadership traits correlated with success in this more than likely future will be:

A brooding persona - most likely from the loss of loved ones, and the pervasive stink of rotting human flesh - but still a resilient optimist.
An individual who's not easily startled, freaked-out or pushed to the edge of sanity.
A willingness to delegate authority (e.g. "How about you go check out that noise …").
A military or law enforcement background (mall security guard does count). In lieu of that, a retail outlet employee with a few facial scars and a chainsaw for a hand will do.
The ability to come up with snappy one-liners such as "No need to lose your head," or "You've got to pull yourself together, man!"

Those traits that are not correlated with success after (most likely) a top-secret, government black-ops "living-dead" research program subject escapes from a high-security lab and wreaks havoc on humankind as we know it:

A martyr complex. Key phrases to listen for include "I'll hold them off …" or "Maybe I can buy the group some time." As a note, these individuals might work out for a while, but keep a full succession pipeline at the ready.
A sensitive sense of smell and active gag reflex. Note: be mindful of reasonable accommodation requirements.
One who is easily tripped while running or is prone to twisted ankles. You know who you are.
Those who react to stress or deadlines by falling to the ground, curling into a fetal position and screaming for their Mommy.
Those with a significant other in the workplace. Murphy's Law doubles during zombie incursions. I've crunched the numbers.
A large cranium, exposed brain and/or a bacony body odor.

HR's Role in the Zombie Apocalypse

Here are some other areas where a solid HR background will be particularly helpful after Z-day that I might pursue in future installments of this blog. I'll keep them coming for whatever pockets of civilization hold out or until I'm inevitably … well … let's not dwell on that right now.

Change Management

It helps to envision this, or any apocalypse, as what it is: a paradigm shift, or one big change management initiative opportunity. This one just happens to be driven by the need to survive, destroy or possibly find a cure for a staggering horde of biohazardous reanimated corpses.

First, I think a "Who Moved My Cheese?" seminar might be in order. As you assemble your group of rag-tag survivors, you'll probably find many who are resistant to the work and lifestyle changes required after all the hoopla a zombie apocalypse entails. Some will be traumatized after watching friends and family being devoured or possibly infected - which probably necessitated a tear-stained, Old Yeller style goodbye in the back yard.

I think this is a good time for some straightforward corporate pragmatism and strategic planning.

Human Capital Measurement

While coming up with effectiveness metrics and performance goals will be a bit challenging (quality of attrition takes on new meaning), some metrics should now take care of themselves. Seriously, there's no need to do those T.P.S. reports in triplicate anymore.

Strategic Alignment

Those who don't run with the group aren't dissenters in need of a goal review; they're zombie bait.

Time Off and Leave Policy

It's important to let fellow survivors/employees know that, while their feelings are valid and understandable, there is no bereavement leave policy in place and they'll just have to suck it up. If possible, try to get them to focus that excess emotion on the job at hand.

Sometimes all people need to get back on track is a push in the right direction … and a machete or high-powered rifle with plenty of ammo.

Talent Acquisition

Bringing new talent on board should be as simple as checking for a pulse and - this is important - making sure there are NO VISIBLE BITE WOUNDS.

But that doesn't mean a little onboarding won't help make a traumatized, adrenaline-pumped survivor move past that "last man on earth" mentality and bring them back to the world of teamwork. A friendly face, a helpful mentor to explain why they should keep a last bullet for themselves, or just somebody handing them a baseball bat with some nails driven through it may be all it takes to make the right first impression.

Teamwork

Zombies are all about teamwork. Survivors, and especially HR, should be too.

Contingency Planning is a Must

Don't panic every time you see disheveled, drooling automatons blundering around the office, especially on Mondays. And if your co-workers are emitting offensive odors and communicating with grunts, it doesn't necessarily mean Z-Day has arrived. They may have just had lunch from the taco truck that pulls up in the back lot.

But if you see somebody mumbling about the need for brains and banging into walls, yet still making their way unsteadily toward the water cooler, start looking around for an emergency exit or means of inflicting some serious cranial trauma.

As a final note, if you're looking for me, I'll be holed up at our local Lowes or Home Depot (conveniently located across the street from each other, although the Lowes will probably be closed) until such time as I can clear off a medium-sized ship, establish supplies and set to sea.

If you want in, the password is three sharp raps in quick succession followed by anything other than a sickly gurgling moan or growl, the word "brains" or "Dude! Open up! They're right behind me!"

Happy Halloween! And good luck, meatbags!

Supplemental Journal Entry: 10/27/2011

Wow! That HR conference in D.C. was a blast! What a great networking opportunity.

Too bad all those people came down sick on the last day. Now they're all getting on planes and flying home.

But things aren't much better now that I'm back home. Five people called in to the office today, and it sounds like half of the ones that showed up look like presenteeism poster-children. Good thing I've been hibernating and flextiming it from home to blog the conference.

But honestly, even now while I write this, I can see people walking by outside that look all sickly and out of it.

Great! One of them is coming up to the door. What a pain! Better go see what they want …

Leadership Competencies for the Coming Zombie Apocalypse

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:40:00 GMT

A brooding persona - most likely from the loss of loved ones, and the pervasive stink of rotting human flesh - but still a resilient optimist.
An individual who's not easily startled, freaked-out or pushed to the edge of sanity.
A willingness to delegate authority (e.g. "How about you go check out that noise …").
A military or law enforcement background (mall security guard does count). In lieu of that, a retail outlet employee with a few facial scars and a chainsaw for a hand will do.
The ability to come up with snappy one-liners such as "No need to lose your head," or "You've got to pull yourself together, man!"

A martyr complex. Key phrases to listen for include "I'll hold them off …" or "Maybe I can buy the group some time." As a note, these individuals might work out for a while, but keep a full succession pipeline at the ready.
A sensitive sense of smell and active gag reflex. Note: be mindful of reasonable accommodation requirements.
One who is easily tripped while running or is prone to twisted ankles. You know who you are.
Those who react to stress or deadlines by falling to the ground, curling into a fetal position and screaming for their Mommy.
Those with a significant other in the workplace. Murphy's Law doubles during zombie incursions. I've crunched the numbers.
A large cranium, exposed brain and/or a bacony body odor.

Why You Should Be Tracking Quality of Movement

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:20:00 GMT

As organizations place more emphasis on getting the most out of their talent, the need for robust human capital analytics continues to grow in importance. Several i4cp research studies have shown that the companies who track advanced metrics and statistics, and subsequently have more integrated talent management systems, are more likely to outperform their competitors.

Through these studies, i4cp and several of its member companies - some of the largest and most respected in the world - have worked together to determine which metrics high-performance organizations are using, how they're using them and why.

One such metric is quality of movement, featured in a new, member-exclusive white paper by senior i4cp analyst Carol Morrison.

When any type of internal movement takes place - such as an employee's advancement (promotion) or lateral or even downward movement - an organization needs to know whether or not the action has addressed a need and delivered value toward achieving company objectives. They must track more than that the move occurred, but the business results of the move as well. Did productivity for that position rise? Has the promoted worker remained in the job for a specified period of time?

Quality of movement is especially important for tracking and measuring employees considered highly valuable to their organizations, such as high-potential (Hi-Pos) or high-performing employees.

And yet, few companies measure quality of movement for these employees.

The i4cp/Human Resource Executive 2011 High-Performance Organizations Survey shows that just over 20% of respondents agree or strongly agree that their organizations have transparent, formal processes to identify and develop their Hi-Pos. Even fewer - only 9% - strongly agree that they identify and track Hi-Pos well.

So according to i4cp research, few even know who their high-potential employees (Hi-Pos) are. These individuals, valued as future leaders to be developed in the organizations succession pipeline, have suffered through years of sagging compensation budgets and are considered a higher turnover risk once greater rewards and opportunities are made available. Added to this is i4cp data showing that less than a third of organization track metrics such as internal placement rates, promotion rates or time to full productivity - although more than two-thirds recognize that they should.

While high-performance organizations are more likely to identify and develop Hi-Pos (36%), that still means most companies are flying blind when it comes to some of their most valued employees. They have no way of knowing whether Hi-Pos are being identified correctly, promoted quickly enough and whether they remain at the company post-move.

Furthermore, measuring quality of movement also serves as a sort of acid test of organizational integrity. Often, firms publicize their commitment to hiring from within and advancing employees. Tracking of internal movement confirms that the organization actually does follow through by hiring internally and by promoting its existing employees. Taking the process a step further to incorporate tracking of retention after internal movement is the icing on the cake. It demonstrates the company's commitment to identifying glitches in the process so that action can be taken to correct them.

Quality of movement is an important metric in the shift toward more effective measures in talent management. It places the focus on how well a process is working by tracking results and making linkages to business results; a more strategic and forward thinking approach. This more strategic use of talent management metrics will also allow organizations to be more proactive and agile in the talent marketplace, responding to threats and opportunities before their competitors.

For more information, download i4cp's Quality of Movement White Paper, available exclusively to members.

Cynical CEO: Facebook is for Losers

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 17:10:00 GMT

Here's the asinine question of the week I received from someone in the HR department in my company: can we free up budget dollars to invest in a Facebook-like application internally?

Talk about a career-limiting question.

Let me get something off my chest: if you are a heavy Facebook user, you might as well put a big "L" on your forehead. Why? Because in my opinion there are only 3 kinds of Facebook zealots: the Lonely, the Lovers of self (otherwise known as narcissists) and those who are Looking to get Lucky (I could have used another "L" word there, but this is a PG site). In many cases, it's a combination of all three.

And, just so you know, I'm on Facebook. I signed up several years ago because I felt I had to. I was under the impression that, if I was going to be "with it" from a social network perspective, I better be on MySpace, LinkedIn, Plaxo, Twitter and yes, Facebook. I also signed up for a bunch of others that have probably gone out of business by now.

I haven't posted anything on FaceBook other than my basic information when I set it up. The problem is, once I created a page on Facebook, all of these so-called "friends" came out of the woodwork. I couldn't believe the requests I got. Most aren't my real friends; they're people I may have met at some point in my life, but not people I want to hang out with. If I did, I would. But I "friended" them anyway. I'm not sure why; I guess I felt obligated or thought that it would be rude not to. The upshot is, I haven't talked to or even thought about the vast majority of these "friends" in years; probably because they fit one or more of my 3 "L" categories.

Let me give you an example. Here's a real-time scan of what's going on with some of the "friends" from my Facebook wall:

A former employee of mine posted a picture of her baby sleeping.
A current employee posted that a new Star Wars movie is coming out.
A guy I went to high school with - and last talked to the day I graduated - said he's a happy guy but cold.
The wife of a good friend said she got her beach stickers today.
A former administrative assistant posted her horoscope.
A real friend posted an uplifting quote.
Another "acquaintance" wants me to play something called "Farmville." I have no idea what it is, but I'm having trouble thinking of a more boring name for an online game.
A guy I know in Japan posted something in Japanese. And something in French.
Another former employee posted a picture of her baby sleeping.

I kid you not! That's EXACTLY what's on my FaceBook wall right now. Riveting stuff. It's amazing that I can resist looking at FaceBook more than once a month. In truth, I'm not really sure why I look at it that frequently.

Now, you may think I'm a cold-hearted bastard. Maybe I am. But I'll bet my beach stickers there's thousands of CEO's that have the same perspective I do.

Here's the rub. Corporate executives everywhere are besieged by requests from their IT department, their marketing people and especially the HR department to "bring a Facebook-like application" inside the company. Are you kidding me!? Do you think I want my employees spending half their day on internal drivel when they're already spending half their day on external drivel?

Sorry for the rant, but I try not to hire losers and I sure don't want to create more by giving them a loser-creation-application like Facebook. I worry about productivity enough as it is. An internal Facebook-like application in addition to the real Facebook? We might as well just cut our earnings in half right now.

Now, I'm not a total Luddite. I can completely understand the need for an internal social networking system, particularly if that system helps us be more competitive and productive. If we can identify and locating top talent when we need it, we'll have something I've wanted for years. If there's an opening in one area of the company, I'd love to have a system that identifies possible candidates who didn't necessarily apply for it since they might not have known about it. Even if we have projects that require a specialized talent, or negotiations that require someone to speak a foreign language, having a system that helps us know where that talent resides could be a major boon. And I can see where a system that can be updated when employees develop new skills, one that act as a "baseball card" for employees, would be very helpful. Like an online resume that gets continually updated.

Wait. I know a system like that. And ironically it begins with an "L." It's called LinkedIn and it's the only social network I actually find useful. If someone pitched that to me internally, I'd sign off on it before you could tag a picture of your baby sleeping.

But I doubt HR will ever bring something like that to me. They're probably too busy playing Farmville or posting their horoscope.

Losers.

Make the Fat Cats Prove Their Worth

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:58:41 GMT

Two bits of compensation news caught my attention recently. The first was a Wall Street Journal story reporting that Fortune 500 CEOs are once again raking in multi-million dollar bonuses, a tribute to their lone struggles in coming up with the brilliant strategies that have miraculously restored the nation's economy and brought their companies back to profitability.

The second bit of news is that, while merit raises are slowly coming back for the minions who've been under pay freezes for the last three years, the rate of those increases will likely not reflect the cost-of-living increases and diminished healthcare benefit coverage that average workers have shouldered during that time. Also, it will be up to the individual to prove their worth when asking for a raise - with average performance not being good enough for a 3% increase anymore.

I'll start by saying that, in fairness, many of the CEO's cited in the WSJ article have quite publicly forgone bonus compensation over multiple recessionary years and are only claiming their added booty now that profit margins and stakeholder payouts are looking up. In fact, the new financial-overhaul law that took effect this year requires that every business whose stock-market value exceeds $75 million must let investors weigh in (to whatever effect) on rewards for the top brass at annual meetings. So if a company agrees to millions in bonuses for a top exec based on certain preset goals, I certainly think they should pay what they promised.

But let's face it, when your annual bonus is equal to ten times the average worker's lifetime household earnings, I don't think a little added scrutiny or requiring way above average performance ratings is out of line. After all, if the average worker who is living paycheck-to-paycheck has to exceed expectations to be considered worthy of a raise that amounts to 10,000 times less than a CEO's bonus payment, I personally want to see more rigorous proof of worth. Besides, CEO's probably have people to keep track of and market their accomplishments for them.

Far from wanting to rant about how this resurgence in excessive top executive compensation is being justified, however, I would just like to take a little time to talk about team efforts. After all, it hardly seems likely that these leaders could be achieving the goals they're being rewarded for without a dedicated, hardworking group of followers. Seeing as how a lot of brilliant executives' strategies during the recession seemed to involve laying off all but the most essential and productive personnel - many of whom were then required to absorb multiple jobs and roles, eschew vacations and contribute staggering amounts of un-compensated labor - it seems … let's say unappreciative … to signal a recovery by doling out millions in bonus money at the top while forcing the underlings to put in additional effort just to secure the scraps that trickle down.

Face it, if you couldn't find a reason to get rid of a particular functionary over the last few years, maybe they've already proved their worth. And when you only have high-performing employees left, at this point they may not appreciate the added hoop-jumping required for compensation increases that used to be considered a base hygiene factor in maintaining a workforce. In the face of that perceived ingratitude, why wouldn't they be more inclined to take their leave and go prove their worth somewhere else?

With the economic recovery still in its infancy and a brewing talent shortage and war on the horizon, organizations will soon realize that overcoming challenges as a team needs to culminate in sharing rewards as a team. Getting compensation plans up to date and competitive now (as Google did in November 2010) will be a big factor in retaining the lean and engaged team that has kept organizations afloat through the bad times. And if those at the top are truly part of that team and believe in a sustainable future for the enterprise, they may want to save taking the lion's share of the rewards for a later date.

Is your organization looking to modify compensation policies to offset anticipated post-recovery turnover rates that could reach 75% of the workforce? For top-performing executives, how do you defend a policy that doles out hundreds (if not thousands) of times the rewards to one employee while denying long overdue cost-of-living increases to hundreds (if not thousands) of other employees?

Nine Tips for Disaster Preparedness

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 11:23:00 GMT

While it may be some time before the extent of the devastation in Japan - both in human life and economic impact - is fully determined, police have already confirmed over 11,004 deaths and 17,339 others who are missing, according to Japan's Kyodo news service. All told, the number of deaths estimated by the Japanese government may exceed 18,400.

Currently, concern is focused on fuel rods at three nuclear reactors at the Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima Dai-ichi plant, which are believed to be in various stages of melting. Also, a container for spent fuel at a fourth reactor has been damaged and is leaking radioactivity. Japanese authorities have ordered the evacuation of a 19-mile radius around the plant while they work to restore power in hopes of bringing cooling systems back online. The U.S. has recommended that its citizens living within 50 miles of the plant evacuate the area or take shelter indoors. Approximately 180,868 people are staying in temporary shelters, while thousands of others are without power or clean water. Transportation and communications within the most affected areas is spotty.

Truly, disaster on this scale is something nobody wants to think about, but which organizations have to be prepared to deal with. Safety and security protocols for employees as well as company assets and business continuity are critical to plan for in advance and maintain, even to the extent of planning for the totally unexpected with scenarios that can utilize multiple flexible contingencies and guidelines.

There are also ripple effects from any event of this magnitude that require contingency planning. In the case of Japan, one factor has been the countries just-in-time supply chain, which in the wake of these disasters has begun affecting many businesses and trading partners in the region and around the globe. As radiation is now being found in some food and dairy products, any businesses sourcing farms in that area will also need to look to other options; and radiation traces are quickly being discovered around the globe. These concerns will likely expand as the extent of radiation contamination is continuously updated. Resources needed inside the worst hit areas will also impact supply chains for food, fuel and medicine that were previously directed elsewhere.

Harsh winter weather, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, terrorist threats and pandemic flus have all made headlines in recent years. Situations such as these, although unpleasant to contemplate, are all fodder for scenario planning. That is, organizations can develop scenarios around such issues and then draft up action plans - or at least a set of good ideas - to help them react more quickly when a real crisis emerges. This can help minimize disruption in case of emergencies.

In crafting possible tactics for dealing with crises, organizations should consider the following suggestions and principles:

Have emergency plans in place, written down, regularly updated and ready to deploy. Make sure those plans are as flexible as possible so they can be effective in a variety of circumstances. Don't wait until disaster strikes to build the flexible infrastructure you'll need to implement your plans. These plans should have an owner who is a senior executive involved in strategic planning.
Employee safety should always be the number-one priority. Whenever possible, cancel non-essential travel and have employees stay put until the crisis is over. Make travel decisions at the executive level, considering impact on business operations, the need for an on-site presence and the potential costs of rescheduling. Make special note of those with medical problems, as well as their required medical supplies and the availability of refills.
Keep communications flowing. Communicate your company's back-up plans and policys regularly with employees and ensure that employees communicate their status regularly through predetermined channels. Maintain links to appropriate authorities and monitoring agencies. Include travel departments and travel vendors in the process where necessary. Redundant and secondary communication channels are recommended, such as multiple but coordinated call-in lines located in different regions and monitoring of web-based and emergency services channels.
When appropriate, ask employees to make reasonable attempts to return to work in the aftermath of a crisis even as your company maintains flexibility and understanding of their circumstances. In some cases, contingent travel options may be equally inaccessible due to overburdening of those systems. Where applicable, having virtual work options and IT infrastructure that supports remote workers is optimal for maintaining productivity.
Make the most of regional offices or business units and set up pre-determined gathering hubs where stranded employees can connect. Map out where employees are and in what numbers and confirm contact details.
Alleviating worry and burden from a stranded or otherwise effected worker can positively impact short-term productivity, long-term engagement and morale levels. Absorbing costs and assuring security at home for those with child care and elder care responsibilities is a great comfort. Such over-and-above thinking in trying times will be appreciated and remembered.
While absences due to natural disasters are generally excusable, companies are not necessarily required to pay for time away from work. Clearly communicate telecommuting, flex-scheduling, paid time and unpaid time options, being as understanding to extenuating circumstances as possible. In cases where employees are stranded while on vacation, ask if they would consider using paid time as opposed to unpaid leave. If it's possible to make up time or swap schedules, this may also be preferable. Make sure that options are consistently offered to avoid discrimination claims.
Do not unreasonably burden workers who are able to report to work. In the event that staffing levels are seriously depleted for extended periods, scale workloads, adjust shift schedules and reset deadlines as needed to operate reasonably and sustainably.
Just because there's no direct effect of the specific event doesn't mean your business won't be affected somewhere along the line. Services, suppliers, partners and customers are all factors to account for. Make them a part of your scenario planning process. Consider what echoes and ripples could resonate out from the present situation.

It shouldn't take a catastrophic event to initiate a review of disaster preparedness and plans shouldn't be gathering dust between reviews. It's better to work on and streamline these plans between emergencies and not during a crisis. Although the current situation in Japan, a country with exemplary disaster planning protocols, shows that no amount of forethought can trump natures unpredictable nature, every layer of protection put in place has cushioned the impact of this tragedy to some degree. Response to this disaster has truly been a case of mounting the best response possible to a tragedy of epic proportions.

For more, a comprehensive list of resources, services and information - including EAP providers in Japan - is available from the Global Health Benefits Institute as a PDF document.

Please share your own disaster preparedness tips with other i4cp member companies. If your employees were affected by this tragedy, how has your organization responded and what plans did you have in place before hand?

Echoing the words of our friends at Osaka-based Takeda Pharmaceuticals: "We would like to express heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, and we also sincerely wish the safety of the people affected by this earthquake and the earliest possible recovery of the relevant region."

Also, see how i4cp member companies are stepping up to aid Japan.

The Learning-Succession Connection

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 11:10:00 GMT

When business leaders use the phrase "succession planning," their thoughts probably don't fly immediately to their organizations' learning functions. But perhaps they should. Because effective succession planning really isn't just about planning at all. It's about the successful union of both planning and development. And companies' learning functions are all about development.

There is some variation among business pundits when it comes to defining what is meant by succession planning. Canada' HR Council for the Voluntary & Non-profit Sector takes a simple approach, declaring succession planning to involve identifying and developing "individuals with a high potential for taking on leadership positions." HR expert Susan M. Heathfield expands the notion of succession planning beyond the executive level, charging organizations with intentionally recruiting talent to be developed for "each key role within the company." But it is business thought leader Marshall Goldsmith who takes up the cause of augmenting planning with development, cautioning organizations against the pitfall of regarding succession programming complete merely because a plan has been hatched and documented. "Measure outcomes, not process," he advises, opining that a name change "from succession planning to succession development" might be in order.

The Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp) and ASTD (the American Society for Training & Development) (2010) teamed for a major research study into the roles that organizational learning functions play in the succession planning process. The two organizations used a definition coined by Russo and Mitchell (2005) to include "identifying key positions, candidates, and employees to meet the challenges that an organization faces" in both short- and long-term time frames. ASTD and i4cp added to the process "developing and advancing employees in the succession pipeline."

The Challenge for Organizations

As is the case with every organizational function in this economy-traumatized business environment, it is important to understand the relevance of succession planning. That is, identifying the business-critical issues that succession planning addresses and how its effective execution supports organizational performance, now and in the years ahead.

Common sense suggests that companies need trained and capable leaders if they are to fulfill their missions and succeed over the long term. Indeed, they do, but they need to be assured that qualified talent is available to fill mission-critical positions as well. These two objectives emphasize the future orientation that characterizes succession planning. But the effort isn't only about the leadership and other talent needed to ensure an organization's continuity.

The i4cp/ASTD study analyzed responses from 1,247 participants representing organizations across a wide range of industries, company sizes and structures. When asked about their firms' reasons for adopting a formal succession planning process, nearly 90% of respondents cited identification and preparation of future leaders (to a high or very high extent), while about three-quarters said they did so to ensure business continuity. At the same time, more than half said their organizations pursued succession planning in order to offer opportunities for advancement and to support retention efforts. Among the other concerns companies look to succession planning to address are projected shortages of talent, replacement of employees with retirements pending, preparation for company growth initiatives, and support for undertaking change. Taken together, those reasons clearly state that succession planning isn't only about preparing tomorrow's leaders. Rather, it's a much more organizational-pervasive undertaking.

Planning for successors, not just in the C-suite, but in all positions that are crucial to an organization's ability to execute its strategy, provides vital support for overall performance. Ensuring that key positions are filled with qualified individuals who have been properly trained and prepared to effectively handle the duties of those jobs provides a strong foundation for organizational productivity. Successful succession planning also makes it possible to maintain continuity in management. In turn, a solid and dependable structure within leadership and other essential positions adds to an organization's effort to utilize its resources (both financial and human) effectively. Such stability contributes to employee engagement, retention, recruitment and many other functions. Absent an effective succession planning program, an organization stands to lose a great deal.

Unfortunately, that kind of potential loss isn't just theoretical. Participants in the i4cp/ASTD study acknowledged that they have a long way to go in order to master succession planning. Only a scant 14% of respondents characterized their succession planning efforts as being effective to a high or very high extent. Just 17% said that their planning efforts extended far enough into their organizations to ensure (again, to a high or very high extent) that key positions had successors in their pipelines. Overall, more than half of the study participants admitted that their companies didn't even have a formal succession planning process (though about half of those say they plan informally). When it comes to succession planning, the challenges for today's companies are all too apparent. But that means that the opportunities are plentiful for organizational learning functions to take an active role in improving succession planning programs.

The Elements of Succession Planning

The tactics companies use to execute succession planning range from the slapdash - "hit and miss as needed" - to the constructive - "key performers are identified and given stretch assignments" - according to feedback from participants in the i4cp/ASTD research. But certain components emerged from the study that paint a picture of the ways that higher-performing organizations structure their programs.

Responsibility for succession planning most often resides with a firm's entire executive team, and many business leaders see this as a best practice. "Leaders/managers have succession planning objectives as part of their annual performance objectives which drive bonuses," explained a representative from one firm. Another said that "senior leadership understands that they own the process and are actively involved in coaching and developing high potential leaders." Both approaches illustrate how the company brass can be encouraged to take a hands-on role in succession efforts.

In about one in four organizations, responsibility for succession planning falls to the HR department. While HR involvement makes sense because of the function's know-how in talent-related issues and programming, many sources opine that it is senior leaders' active participation that is a key underpinning for optimal succession outcomes. Perhaps it is that mindset that drives selection of candidates for the succession pipeline. Three out of four firms in the i4cp/ASTD study confirm that their favored method is nomination or selection by senior leaders. Some companies acknowledge that they automatically associate designation as a high-potential employee with the succession pipeline, while others say they rely on nominations made by workers' managers.

The Learning Function Is Crucial to Candidate Development

Once a candidate is chosen for the succession program, the role of the learning function becomes central to achieving success. Says a learning leader from an Ohio manufacturing firm, "Our function provides the structure, tools, and process for succession planning." Adding to that description, organizational learning and development director and study participant Lesa Becker of Idaho's Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center explains that her role ranges from talent-review participation to "design and delivery of learning and development plans."

Other study participants echoed Becker's pronouncement, with more than 55% saying their learning function defines content for leadership development programs to a high or very high extent. Almost half of companies look to learning for actual delivery of training, while others seek the function's involvement in integrating succession planning with other talent management programs and with managing succession efforts. Researchers from i4cp and ASTD noted that any involvement by organizational learning functions correlated with succession planning success, but recommended that chief learning officers "work with other talent leaders as well as with the organization's top executives" to ensure integration of succession planning with other talent management programs and to align development with organizational business strategies.

Indeed, learning professionals will welcome the interaction with other talent leaders in order to ensure that succession programs function effectively since multiple obstacles can impede optimal outcomes. The most-often-cited barrier to succession planning success that emerged from the i4cp/ASTD study was a lack of sufficiently robust development plans for candidates. Certainly, involving the learning function and its capabilities in planning and delivering content can help organizations avoid this common pitfall.

Like many talent programs, succession planning can suffer from a dearth of metrics to track results. One in four study participants admitted problems in this area. Other obstacles in the way of good succession planning outcomes include budget woes, issues related to program communication, lack of program reach beyond management levels and problems tracking and sharing data about succession candidates.

Learning professionals can prove instrumental in addressing those and other barriers to succession planning by applying a disciplined approach to the overall development process. As they do with other organizational training programs, learning professionals begin with rigorous planning that helps define the succession process and that includes formulation of custom development programs for each candidate. Learning also can add its voice to those of other talent leaders to encourage senior management's investment in and support for succession planning.

When senior leaders do become involved in candidate development, learning professionals may be called upon to help them prepare for roles as mentors and coaches. A close alliance between leaders and the learning function can help to ensure that candidate development activities actually address the needs identified for each candidate and are relevant to specific business challenges the organization faces, while also providing oversight to maintain consistency and quality in the development process.

Which strategies put "success" in succession planning?

In concluding the report of their study, i4cp and ASTD pointed to "the need to make development a more critical part of the succession planning process and the need to integrate succession planning with other talent management programs." Those two ideas emerged as the core findings behind the inquiry into succession planning.

Few organizations can speak to the value of integrating succession planning and talent management as knowledgeably as i4cp member company McDonald's Corporation. In fact, the fast food organization built its integrated talent management programming on a foundation of leadership development and succession planning. In an interview with i4cp, McDonald's Vice President, Leadership Institute and Global Talent Management David Small described the company's early interest in developing leadership talent as a means of accomplishing succession planning for McDonald's top management. Beginning with a focus on a "more robust performance management system," Small says that the company added a competency model to ensure that "competencies are aligned with our development strategy."

McDonald's early succession planning efforts proved vital to company continuity when the firm lost two CEOs within a single year's time. With a process already underway, McDonald's was able to name successors to both men within hours of their passing. Small notes that the "very unfortunate situation" gave the company's succession and talent programs "the firepower we needed to move forward with efforts that might not have moved as quickly otherwise." Given that history, current McDonald's CEO Jim Skinner's prioritizing leadership development and talent management speaks to the company's ability to learn from (and continue to strengthen) its succession planning experiences.

Companies can take to heart the lessons learned by McDonald's and devote greater focus to preparing viable leadership pipelines. The i4cp/ASTD study yielded a number of helpful recommendations to fuel such efforts. Some strategies likely to contribute to succession planning success include:

Securing senior leaders' championship for succession programs, including leaders' active participation in development activities.
Extending succession planning efforts deeper into the organization in order to address critical roles and those for which talent may be hard to find.
Determining appropriate metrics to gauge program effectiveness and applying them in a disciplined and consistent manner.
Honing the candidate selection process to include employees who embody high potential for leadership and to solicit nominations from company managers.

Finally, organizations are likely to enhance their outcomes by making learning leaders an active part of succession efforts, especially when it comes to shaping and delivering development programs that provide succession candidates with meaningful and relevant content designed to prepare them for the unique challenges that future leadership in their particular organizations will bring.

This article was originally published in the March 2011 edition of Chief Learning Officer magazine.

Effective Management Transitions

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 13:33:00 GMT

While personal efficacy is critical to a successful transition into a first-time management position, leveraging talent has become a strategic imperative to facilitate this process. Selecting and promoting new leaders is critical, but talent managers know that the lion's share of the work begins in earnest with the actual transition.

The primary challenge in managing a transition for a first-time manager is to aid two critical shifts. According to Joanne McInnerney, director of global talent development at Noevlis, addressing the change in hierarchy and the dynamics of relationships with colleagues and team members is key.

"The first thing that has to shift for the first-time manager is their perception of their relationship to the organization and their role," McInnerney said. "It's about how the manager approaches team members who were once peers but now are direct reports and how relationships with those former peers must significantly change.

"The second shift is how new managers spend their time, and that's a pretty significant core change. If you keep coming to work interacting with people and spending time in the same way that you did as an individual contributor, you're not starting off your leadership role the right way."

Managing effective job transitions can be accomplished with limited resources. McInnerney said she learned a great deal about supporting new leader development at the height of the financial crisis in her former role as an HR consultant with AmTrust Bank. She said the organization remained committed to developing new leaders and facilitating a smooth transition for first-time managers in spite of the fact that the financial institution was in an economic free fall. AmTrust coped with dwindling resources by working with Ohio State University to adapt its off-the-shelf e-learning modules to help equip new managers with the skills and techniques they needed to do their jobs.

"We created a curriculum, kind of a path of expectations that served as a baseline for first-time manager e-learning courses. It worked because it met our needs and the university charged us $3 per course," McInnerney said. Further, the strong coaching culture that already existed in the organization served as a supplement; managers were expected to meet for 30 minutes each week for coaching dialogues with their managers, which were documented.

"Part of that coaching session was feedback on what the new managers were learning in their e-learning courses and making sure they were getting what they needed," she said. "Gaps and opportunities were defined by review of the coaching session documentation, which provided a baseline for establishing where first-time managers stood and determining what they did not know. The weekly feedback and coaching sessions optimized the performance of new managers by assessing progress managing new responsibilities and supporting their growth and development."

Findings from the Institute for Corporate Productivity's (i4cp) "Internal Job Transitioning Pulse Survey" indicate that many new managers struggle to find their footing during the transition. Fewer than one-quarter of the respondents gave their organization high marks in assisting employees to transition from individual contributor to manager, and one-third reported their organization uses tools such as 360 feedback or performance metrics to determine the efficacy of such transitions.

Some organizations acknowledge this gap and address it by building programs to aid the transition to first-time manager. For example, Amway recently developed its Turn 101: Transitioning Into Leadership program for newly promoted first-line, first-time managers or supervisors during their first 90 days on the job.

"The reason we built this program was that research was showing that this is a difficult transition to make. We expect this program to help with this transition," said Erick Mowery, Amway's leadership development and succession management senior specialist.

Mowery said there are three primary challenges for new managers:

Going from managing oneself to managing others.
Going from managing one's own projects to managing team projects.
An individual's success is no longer measured only by his or her own performance, but by the performance of the team.

"So there's a value shift, a performance management shift. It's far more significant than other turns," Mowery said. Amway's management transition program is based on its global leadership model, called a "turns" model, which is derived from work done by Ram Charan, Stephen Drotter and James Noel and the subject of their book The Leadership Pipeline: How to Build the Leadership-Powered Company.

Mowery said the model depicts a picture of a skier as he makes turns up and down around ski flags. The metaphor is that the skier's momentum pushes him in the same direction, but when he moves toward the next level, there has to be some intentional movement and effort to successfully make that turn.

"If this doesn't happen, the newly promoted leader will continue doing many of the same things he [or] she did in their previous role, which will render them much less effective in their new role," he said. "Research would show the most difficult leadership turn is when an individual contributor gets promoted to first-line leader."

Mowery said he receives regular reports from HR information systems every other week that list any new promotions to first-line management — from individual contributor to someone with direct reports. He automatically registers these employees in the Turn 101 program. The curriculum in the LMS has all the learning activities associated with Turn 101.

The first activity for new Amway managers is a program overview. An e-mail is sent to the employee, and a separate one is sent to their up-line or manager, introducing them to the program and giving them a link to a 20-minute recording with slides and audio on why it's important and what to expect. At that time a kickoff meeting also is scheduled with the participant and their manager to help them understand the critical nature of their partnership during the 90-day transition.

"We need to get them off on the right foot so that the up-line is not saying to this newly promoted person, 'You go do your thing in this program, and let me know when you're done with it.' Rather it's a real partnership, because that's one of the critical success factors of this program, the relationship between manager and participant," Mowery said.

The Turn 101 curriculum includes 13 learning activities ranging from three e-learning courses to four assignments that participants must complete and submit. Other activities include a video recorded by Amway President Doug DeVos and Chairman Steve Van Andel that addresses the organization's core values as they relate to leadership at Amway, as well as some additional articles and other reading materials.

In two of the written assignments, or knowledge applications, participants record examples of new knowledge they've acquired and how they intend to apply it. These assignments are due at the 60- and 90-day marks. Employees have 90 days to complete the first 12 activities in the program. The 13th and final learning activity is a 60-day application activity in which employees discuss something they have learned, how they applied it, what impact it had and how they plan to sustain it.

According to Mowery, Amway employees who have completed the program report sharing what they learn with their team members, and the written assignments are viewed as accountability pieces and are reviewed with their up-lines.

"It makes them apply some of what they're doing, or at least that's the intent. Because you do it at 60 and 90 days, it also helps to keep them on track so they complete the program in 90 days. It helps us see what they are learning and some of the more effective elements in the program. Also, it reveals how they are applying them, and that's a way for us to determine the application and effectiveness of the program," Mowery explained.

Launched in late 2009, Mowery said that Turn 101 doesn't have a significant amount of data yet to measure effectiveness, but anecdotal information suggests there is growing interest in the program, and there has been an uptick in managers calling and asking that employees be included. He said that while metrics haven't yet been determined to measure program effectiveness, Amway will be developing surveys for participants and their managers to identify metrics at levels 1, 2 and possibly 3.

"Over time, if a participant completes more than one 360, we may be able to see that the program is effective when comparing results. I would also look for improvements in performance appraisal results. We will seek metrics that make it clear that our newly promoted employees are transitioning more effectively to their new leadership roles," Mowery said.

Mowery also said that eventually there may be retention measurement for participants, and Amway will look at promotions, reasoning that effectively making that first transition likely will influence later success and could lead to the next level of leadership.

This article was originally published in the July 2010 edition of Talent Management magazine.

i4cp Study: Companies are Gearing Up for the Coming Talent War

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 17:00:00 GMT

As companies begin to see the light at the end of the recession tunnel, many are beginning to confront the reality that employees are preparing to jump ship en masse. After several years of decreased investment in employee development, layoffs and salary freezes, employers are vulnerable to having their best talent picked off.

And, of course, the most talented employees are the first to get poached.

The new The Critical Human Capital Issues of 2011 report from the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp) is based on research conducted last month with hundreds of human resources professionals. Findings indicate a growing urgency among these organizations, driving them to focus on issues that will see them through what appears to be a potential talent free-for-all.

Nine of this year's top ten issues increased in criticality from 2010, a measure determined by an i4cp index that is calculated by multiplying the mean score for the importance of an issue by another number related to an organizations ability to manage that issue effectively. The only issue that didn't show an increase, change management, remained relatively flat with 2010 results.

The top 15 most critical human capital issues of 2011 are:

Several of the top issues of 2011 are perennial favorites that tend to bounce up and down the top rankings but never move far or fall off the list. What is more insightful is the difference between what's critical for higher performers and lower performers, as determined by i4cp's market performance index (MPI).

Studying what's important for successful companies as well as seeing what issues they identify as being in need of strengthening for effectiveness is where true competitive advantages are found.

A deeper examination of the top ten issues, including those deemed most critical by high-performance organizations, are analyzed in the new i4cp report, now available to all members.

IPOs and Organizational Leadership Capability

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 14:08:00 GMT

The book "The 2020 Workplace" by Karie Willyerd and Jeanne Meister discusses a future where organizational teams are hired intact into new organizations and where you are hired into an organization based upon your social capital. So it was with interest when I got a response from my blog on Leadership Capability Portfolio Management from one of my LinkedIn connections...Suranjan Benjamin Soans. He asked the following questions, which were intriguing:

"Keith, do you think sometime in the future, investors are going to have access to Leadership Capability Portfolio Management of companies? Or, is it better if that is treated as a company's secret? Do investment bankers take a good look at this (LCPM) before an IPO is issued?"

It's possible that understanding and measuring the overall organizational leadership capability as a critical component to an organization's financial rating in the future. Why? Let's look at some examples of why leadership capability already matters in organizations...

- Leaders impact the organization through factors such as employee retention and employee engagement. Both critical to organizational performance and financial performance.

- The 2010 IBM Global CEO Study indicates that CEOs continue to see the relevance of having a leadership capability that are creative, act under uncertainty, drive innovation and organizational performance.

While I study the impact of leadership and leadership development on organizational performance at the UPenn Chief Learning Officer (CLO) program, I know that before I invest in companies, I want to know what the company's leadership capability is. Companies leverage their position on such lists as Leadership Excellence's top leadership development programs and Fortune Magazines Best Places to Work when advantageous.

While award winning leadership development programs are good publicity, I reference Dr. Bradley Hall's quote from his book "The New Human Capital Strategy." There he states that "Success is not world-class leadership development but best-in-class industry leaders." If you believe that...we need an ability to measure the best-in-class industry leaders part of Dr. Hall's statement.

With this in mind, wouldn't you want to know whether an organization's leadership capability is having the intended impact on organizational performance...especially before you invest in it?

Cheers,

Keith

Twitter: JKeithDunbar

Linkedin: http://www.i4cp.com/E7wQeo

DNA of Human Capital: http://www.i4cp.com/1v5rPL

One-on-One with Stephen M.R. Covey

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 17:02:00 GMT

i4cp's managing editor, Lorrie Lykins, sat down with Stephen M.R. Covey, sought-after and compelling advisor on trust, leadership, ethics and high performance, who will be speaking at the i4cp 2011 Annual Conference, and asked him a few questions loosely based on the well-known Proust Questionnaire, which has been famously adopted by James Lipton, the iconic host of the A&E program Inside the Actor's Studio. We thank the speakers for their candor, humor, and willingness to participate in this less-than-traditional interview.

What is your favorite word?

"Create" or the derivatives of the word - creative, creativity, creation, the whole idea of being able to make something out of nothing. I also love the word "love."

What is your least favorite word?

Hate and its derivatives because of the connotations and it being the opposite of love.

What turns you on?

Insight. The whole notion of trying to not be predictable but to find insight that is of value in other people's work and to try to provide insight into my own work. If it's just predictable and not insightful then I don't think it carries the same value. So what inspires me is seeking insight.

What turns you off?

When I'm too focused on the here and now to the point that I'm heavily weighed down, it's the equivalent of being so bogged down with things on top of me that I'm not able to find space, be it mental or physical space - and I feel crunched for time.

Before I give presentations I have some processes that I go through - a sort of ritual. I try to make time to meditate and ponder and connect - I try to create those opportunities because life is too busy, so I have to make a conscious effort to seek some time to have quiet and solitude.

What sound or noise do you love?

I love the sound of children's voices -- not only because of how I love my own children but because of what children represent - hope, optimism, love, kindness, and acceptance versus judgment. So when I hear children, be it at a school or in church or in the home, I just love the sound of their voices.

I travel a lot and when I come home from a trip my favorite sound is to hear my eight-year-old daughter say "Daddy's home!" - There's nothing like that for me.

What sound or noise do you hate?

The sound of contention.

I don't mind people having disagreements but they need to be civil about it and be respectful and start from a place of good will. Contention, anger and hostility and situations in which there is no fair-mindedness involved and people aren't giving good will to one another is a turn-off. Whenever there is an agenda-filled environment it manifests into what I call a place of contention.

I remember that when I was growing up my father and mother had an expression in our home that let us know they wanted peace and harmony - they referred to "sounds of love" - which was a message that we should treat each other as brothers and sisters in spite of disagreements and all that goes on with kids.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

I would love to do something with documentary filmmaking. I find a well-done documentary to be fascinating and insightful and - well, there's just nothing like it. I don't know that I have the talent for it but the process behind it seems quite interesting.

What profession would you not like to attempt?

Anything that did not involve working with people and ideas would be very difficult for me.

Who or what has been the most significant influence on your professional career?

Two people, first, my father, Dr. Stephen R. Covey, who has been not only a great father to me but also a mentor and thought leader who helped shaped my thinking and view of the world profoundly.

And John Walsh, my first boss, who took a chance on me and hired me for my first meaningful job after college. This was a real estate development firm called Trammell Crow Co. I had been hired by the managing partner of the firm but none of the partners really wanted to put me in their office and I was really feeling like no one wanted me and that I wasn't the right fit for them. But John Walsh wanted me and saw something in me that I didn't see in myself and because he believed in me and extended trust, I responded to that and rose to the occasion. Today I try to reciprocate by doing the same for others that John did for me. My career since has shifted and I am involved in leadership development but I was on the business side for many years. Then I decided to shift to the thought leader side when I reached a point where I felt like I had something to say as a doer rather than as a theorist with an MBA - as a former CEO I have practical experience which lends credibility. Given that my message of trust is often viewed as a soft mission I'm now able to show that there's more to it than that.

If you could travel back in time and deliver a message to yourself at the age of 20 what might that be?

I would say to myself, "Stephen, things are going to work out beautifully. Enjoy the journey, enjoy the adventure and have a great ride. And don't worry."

Stephen M.R. Covey will present "The Speed of Trust" at the i4cp 2011 Annual Conference: Next Practices of High-Performance Organizations. The conference takes place March 15 - 18, 2011 at the InterContinental Montelucia in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Learn more about the conference and Stephen M.R. Covey's presentation.

One-on-One with Stephen M.R. Covey

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 17:01:00 GMT

Let the Ship-jumping Begin!

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 09:45:00 GMT

About three years ago a storm began that soon went full-economic tsunami, with unrestrained waves of cutbacks and layoffs that seemed to have no end.

At its peak you and your colleagues scrambled into a lifeboat and bailed frantically, hanging on as the indifferent seas pitched you around. At one point it seemed like your buckets were shrinking incrementally until you ended up bailing with cone-shaped paper cups from the water cooler. You watched helplessly as colleague after colleague drifted away and, after a while, you avoided eye contact with your fellow survivors who likewise hunkered as deeply into the lifeboat as possible. For a time you bobbed along, hitting pockets of turbulent waters here and there but for the most part things sort of calmed down.

But how long will that relative calm last? While there have been proclamations of the recession ending as long as a year ago, people are still losing their jobs, businesses continue to be sunk and underwater homeowners go on floundering. The recession may be over on paper but the uneasy sense of being adrift and utterly rudderless lingers.

And there's something else - lately you have noticed that your lifeboat has begun to tip to one side. In recent weeks the tipping has become more pronounced and sustained. You look around and realize that the tipping is caused by some of your surviving colleagues who are poised pre-swan-dive on the edge of the lifeboat. Yes, after everything you have been through together, your colleagues have had it with the all-hands-on-deck mantra and are about to jump overboard into awaiting speedboats that will carry them away to the higher salaries, better benefits and flexibility they dreamed of while treading water. You think you must be crazy not to follow.

Employers should get ready for the next tsunami - the wave of defections that will build rapidly once the U.S. labor market opens up in earnest. And who can blame workers for jumping ship? Longtime employees who took huge pay cuts, saw their workloads double, triple, then quadruple, and eschewed vacations for fear of appearing to be less than fully engaged at work may be the first to throw off their lines and navigate their own courses.

And professionals who were set adrift during the recession grabbed at any lifeline thrown to them the past three years, so the glut of people who are underpaid and ridiculously overqualified for the jobs they currently occupy is significant. Experts warn that employers will likely be caught unprepared, and Joe Light recently wrote in the Wall Street Journal that "employers who snapped up top talent on the cheap in the depth of the recession should start worrying about defections."

What can employers do to try to hang on to their top talent? Research conducted by i4cp found that the most commonly used retention strategies include increasing communication to employees, increasing focus on talent management and succession planning and offering leadership training for first-line managers/supervisors. But your best bet is sweetening the deal with pay increases and advancement opportunities.

Has your organization started ramping up its retention efforts?

Let the Ship-jumping Begin!

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:31:00 GMT