Windridge - Identify. Develop. Retain.

Developing a Great Team at Every Level

"Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There's plenty of movement, but you never know if it's going to be forward, backwards, or sideways. "
—Writer, H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

What is the divider between equally talented individuals? What will give you insights as to which candidate or employee is going to thrive and succeed or crash and burn?

• Ambition. Ambition measures drive, competitiveness and the discipline to push through the rigors and sacrifices of training to be successful in a competitive environment.
• Ambition is the one trait that separates two equally “talented” individuals.

Ambition is also a main factor when selecting competitive sports hires. Winslow Research’s sports division assesses all MLBA recruits. Over the years, there have been many talented young players that have the natural ability to play well, but have not developed into successful players because they don’t have the ambition – discipline, drive and desire needed to succeed.

To identify those talented (but undisciplined octopuses), make sure you spend time clarifying the vital behaviors for optimal performance in all of the positions you fill. This will ensure you are hiring and developing great-fit teams of people at every level.

 

Related articles

Joining Forces to Identify and Develop the Best

So What About Ambition?

Six Benefits of Assessing Your Current Workforces’ Behaviors

It is easy to wonder, what benefits as an organization (or as a manager) are we going to receive from using behavioral assessments in our employee / leadership development programs?

Below are six good reasons why behavioral assessments and the insights they provide are of benefit to you and your organization.

1. Assessment feedback encourages the leader or employee to become self-managed
   When I assess individuals I always encourage them to read through their Winslow Report feedback at least three times, and then to “sit with their results” for at least a week. Many times, upon first glance, a participant will miss the patterns of their behavior or only react negatively (“This can’t be me – the assessment got it wrong!”) to their “less than they desire” trait scores.  (Interesting how they never react negatively to their “higher than expected” trait scores, those are always spot on!) During coaching sessions around assessment results, I always ask the participant to start thinking about where their traits show up and which behaviors are important to their professional success. Once identified, we can work on what action steps they want to take around any less-than-desirable trait score(s).
2. A specific and customized developmental plan can be created
   We have all attended trainings and been momentarily motivated, but most of the time when returning to the “work-a-day” world, actual results and continued follow through on behavioral change can be disappointing. By integrating assessments into your employee’s professional development plan, you will be able to review each worker's professional developmental needs. Then add the advantage of Group Profiles and you will be able see the strengths and weaknesses of the team as a whole.  This information will enable you to focus training dollars and coaching needs with laser-accurate precision.
3. Morale is raised
   When coaching, I often hear that having assessment feedback that not only points out deep strengths but also areas of concern, has allowed the participant to identify practical steps to alter any “unproductive” behavior.  Many times someone who has struggled with their behavioral blind-sightedness for years, suddenly has a “name” for a behavior they have not been able to identify.  I often hear comments such as, "That's my low Endurance again, I’m giving up too soon," or "That's my high Nurturance, always making excuses for unprofessional behavior in my people." Identifying and naming, brings hope.
4. Results are immediate
   I have found that when challenged, people are eager to prove quickly they can overcome the undesirable implications of their less than favorable scores.  Sometimes during a coaching session, when someone wonders how to implement the desired behavioral change, I will tell them to “act as if” a certain trait score was higher (or lower if necessary).  For example, if someone has a very low level of Assertiveness, resulting in a failure to voice their opinion when needed, I will tell them to "act like a 7, just for this next one hour meeting. Once the meeting is over, go back to being a 2 again." This simple technique allows people to be themselves, while providing the opportunity to experiment with a new behavior that is more productive.  It is amazing to watch the self-modification that takes place as people try the stronger (or softer) personality level.
5. Retention is impacted tremendously
   Instead of promoting people to leadership because of technical competence, or time in service, or hiring them based on subjective data, these vital management decisions will now be made with hard, objective information. Do they have the communication and self-confidence to lead; do they have enough Conscientiousness to be aware of the needs of the company (and those around them), or Trust and Nurturance to encourage those working under their leadership?
6. Performance Evaluations can take on a completely new meaning
   With assessment results in hand, a manager can discuss specific behavioral traits against performance standards instead of the hasty and generalized "meets expectations" comments that often don't mean anything. "How do you view your progress in reducing conflict in your communication with Charles?" or "Do you feel you've made headway in being more decisive?” (Due to Low Autonomy and low Self-Confidence.) Now add meaning and value to the Performance Review process. 

I would encourage you to consider the ways that behavioral assessment feedback might be of help to you as you lead and develop those within your organization. It is never too early, or too late, to implement a behavioral development program and positively shift the behaviors of those you support and lead.

*** For help assessing your current workforce or screening candidates you are considering, contact Lindsay at 206.533.9700 / [email protected]

Related articles

So What About Ambition?

How to Use Assessment Feedback Past the Hiring Decision

An Example of Assessment Feedback

Interpersonal Traits - Why They Matter

The Balance Between Styles, Types and Behaviors

360 Surveys – The Importance of Understanding What and Why

I read this a few days ago in response to an inquiry about 360 surveys and best uses. Wendell Williams' Ph.D.response is so right on, I decided to share it here. 360 surveys can be helpful tools if used correctly... they can have little to no effect, or be damaging to the person or the culture of a company if used incorrectly.

“Please do not take 360 lightly. There are some real pitfalls, that if not addressed in the outset, WILL rise up to bite you later and you will find yourself scrambling to preserve your credibility.

They include:

1. Keep it job related and job specific...although managers will ask for it, avoid the "nice to know" or "big brother" questions.
2. Let each participant pick what he / she wants feedback on. One-size questionnaires fit no one (this is a very important step).
3. Keep it behavioral...valuate what people can see or hear...not what the rater "thinks." If it cannot be seen or heard, it will be subjective and error-prone. Do not buy into the nonsense that people will ignore what they cannot accurately rate.
4. Keep it relevant to the specific audience. For example, don't ask peers if Billy-Bob provides clear directions to subs, they could care less and probably have no idea. Ask subordinates.  
5. Separate these audiences: Top management expectations, subordinate feedback, customer feedback, team member feedback, and so forth.
6. Don't survey the universe...focus on a few critical areas...people can only work on one developmental area at a time. Too many questions creates a fog of confusion.
7. Examine each question carefully. If you do not know beforehand what you will do with bad answers, don't use it. Bad answers frustrate and confuse people.
8. Don't tie results to any kind of ratings, promotions, pay decisions, or other reward / punishment systems. Your system will quickly self-destruct.

These are key elements...avoid anyone or any system that either does not address or minimizes the importance of each of these issues. Good luck!”

Well said Wendell – very helpful information for those considering, or currently using, 360 degree surveys.

 

Related articles

Managing Managers

How to Use Assessment Feedback Past the Hiring Decision

Managing Managers

Management, especially front-line management, can affect turnover more than any other system. If your organization suffers from high turnover, then the first place to look is at your front-line management.

Key Management Skills

Front-line management jobs come in all shapes and sizes. On one hand, there are people with a management title, but their job involves "doing," not coaching. Their title could be a reward for good performance, an ego boost, or strategic positioning. This kind of manager does not manage. He or she is an individual contributor and should be evaluated for contributor skills, not management skills.

True front-line managers are usually coaches. That is, they are responsible for…

• Managing
• Developing
• Correcting

…the activities of the people they supervise.

Front-line managers get things done through people, not by doing the job themselves. Too many manager interactions with intelligent human beings are caustic.
Their behavior drives turnover.

Front-line managers do not have to be an expert in the jobs they supervise. They just have to know it well enough to give direction and guidance. This is not an easy skill to acquire; while some argue it can be learned, few people have the skills to coach effectively. In practice, they tend to dance around the issue or make veiled threats. None of which helps their direct reports get better.

Manager / Coach

When evaluating managers make sure they can intelligently question, discover problems, make appropriate suggestions, and get subordinate commitment. Most flounder in the coaching arena. To select or promote better managers evaluate your candidate’s abilities to do the following:

• Plan and organize complex activity.
• Coach and develop others.
• Be able to think analytically and see both the forest and the trees.
• Be able to perform the job, but not necessarily be an expert.
• Have the behaviors, interests, and motivations of a manager

Always remember that first-line managers are cited as an employee’s greatest source of stress. And stress can be a significant reason for turnover. Incoming and first-line management promotion decisions are the easiest to tackle. Forget about "promotions as a reward" and focus on "promotions based on job skills." Evaluate prospective front-line manager job skills by interviewing about past behaviors, administering tests and exercises, and watching the person perform in coaching simulations.

The bottom line: If you want to start reducing turnover, then make sure every incoming executive and manager has the right skills and behaviors for the job.

*** Adapted from a post by my colleague - Dr. Wendell Williams

The Balance Between Styles, Types and Behaviors

Personality assessments are typically broken into three distinct categories:

• Styles: A manner of doing something.
• Types: A category of people or things having common characteristics.
• Behaviors: The way in which one acts or conducts oneself, especially toward
  other people or situations.

Inevitably when I have conversations about personality assessments the talk always turns to “styles” or “type” assessments, as these seem to be extremely common these days. In addition, I imagine that you have either heard of, or taken, one of these types of tests yourself: MBTI, DISC, Enneagram to name a few.

In “styles” or “type” assessments, a participant’s scores are calculated and the test categorizes the test taker into various groups by first and secondary characteristics. I recently had a conversation with a woman sitting next to me on a flight from London. Her comment, when talk of “personality tests” came up, was how interesting it is to find out who all the “yellows” in the group are.

Okay… I understand that this may create a feeling of camaraderie for the moment, but I’m not convinced (past the initial “aha – this is fun!”) that a springboard for learning and personal development conversation will take place. Personally, I tend to react to labeling people and placing them in a “box” instead of allowing them to develop their individual strengths and overcome their weaknesses; no matter what color or animal they are.

Please don’t misunderstand me. I have taken a number of “styles” and “type” assessments over the years. While I find them somewhat fascinating and enjoyable, not one “style” or “type” assessment has ever moved me to make any positive improvement in my behavior. Moreover, at times I have even found myself sinking into the “Well, it’s just the way I am…deal with it” mode… which is not really helpful for self-development.

This is why I’m all about assessing behaviors, pure and simple. I believe that treating each person as a unique individual makes it easier to provide the feedback and the opportunity for opening up their potential…no matter what their “style” is.

In my coaching experience when I have clients with low Trust scores, those low scores are based on totally different, and individual, experiences and reactions to their life situation or circumstances. This is where receiving behavioral feedback can help someone identify steps for improvement versus providing them with the excuse of, “I’m just an XYZ - gotta love me.”

Bottom-line: While your “style” or “type” may be fascinating and fun, developing your own (or your
employees’) behaviors will help achieve the most success.

 

4 Possibilities of Succession Planning

Everyone seems to have their own preferred method of succession planning / succession management strategies. The most important thing to remember, no matter what "method" you use, is that succession planning is to identify who is ready now to move up in your organization, who will be ready next, and who may never be ready. How you keep track of your workforce is an important aspect of your people management skills.

First off, take look at yourself and your approach to the succession management process:

• Do you keep good records of available feedback and data?
• Are you fair and objective in your succession decisions?
• Are you providing those under your management the resources and opportunities to develop themselves so they can move forward in their career?

4 areas to identify when working up a succession plan.

1. One page - with columns; detailed simplicity is best.
2. Who is Ready Now?
   * Name
   * Current role
   * Strengths – what do they bring to the table now, skills and behaviors?
   * Weaknesses – where do you notice holes in skills and behaviors?
   * Responsibilities you know they are ready for now.
   * Areas you want them to develop as they fit into their new role; be specific.
3. Who will be Ready Next?
   * Name
   * Current role
   * Strengths – what do they bring to the table now, skills and behaviors?
   * Weaknesses – where do you notice holes in skills and behaviors?
   * Identify what specific skills and / or behaviors are necessary for them to move into “ready now.”
   * Help them obtain the training / coaching to develop themselves
4. Not Ready – these people are not ready now, next and possibly never will be.
   * Name
   * Current role
   * Strengths and weaknesses
   * Why are they not ready? Be very specific
   * Is their “not ready” related to skills or behavior?
   * Are they not ready because they need more stability right now in their work-life, instead of disrupting their known work environment? Will this change?
   * What will these individuals need to do to get themselves ready? And realize, they simply may not be able to move themselves to that place.
   * Are they failing now, and you simply cannot afford to invest any more resources into them?

I strongly recommend using behavioral assessment feedback to identify those “strength and weakness” areas of your employee’s succession plan. Combining assessment feedback along with your own observations (and others’ feedback) will provide a well-rounded overview for setting performance expectations and identifying the behavioral next steps relevant to career responsibility and development.

 

Windridge Coaching is Born!

I absolutely love the work I do around hiring and placement of behaviorally fit individuals. You know, the people who come into your organization and hit the ground running with little-to-no “surprises” in their personality. And I so appreciate the hiring managers, recruiters, business owners, and executive teams I work with around hiring and the positioning of their people. They are the best!

Still, much of my work even in the “hiring assessment support” realm is actually coaching, pure and simple. I am the listening presence. I am the objective outsider, a sounding board who is an asset when making those sometimes difficult hiring decisions.

And so, because I love this listening /supportive line of work and I seem to be doing more and more coaching within organizations, my decision to create a targeted website for Windridge Coaching was born!

This site will provide access in one place to useful professional development information and also allow access to some of the wonderfully skilled associates / coaches I have in my inner circle… There may be times when I am not the coach a person needs for their situation, and the ability to refer them to the capable skills of my colleagues will be a wonderful asset.

With the addition of Windridge Coaching I’m looking forward to allowing Windridge to grow and provide a broader range of support to professionals who are in the process of moving themselves, their careers and their organizations, forward.

Website is up – content will be growing and expanding - please check out Windridge Coaching!

Welcome Aboard: The 10 Commandments of Onboarding

At lunch a few days ago a friend was telling me about her new job, and sadly what stood out in her mind the most was the lack of support during her onboarding process. She was basically dumped into a newly created position and left to her own devises.

I know that her experience is all too common and it made me wonder about the needs of new hires and what can be done to make their transition from “welcome” to “comfortable productivity” a smoother one?

Here are The 10 Commandments of Onboarding – from  Career Builders

Rules to live – and work – by for a divine onboarding experience.

1. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy employee. Few things are more disappointing than the realization that the job you thought you were hired to do is sorely different than what you're actually doing. As an employer, misrepresenting your employee's new role destroys trust in you immediately, after which no amount of orientation efforts can undo the initial damage.
2. Thou shalt give a written plan of employee objectives and responsibilities. A written plan detailing objectives, strategy and expectations of future results helps diminish any confusion about a new employee's job functions and instead opens up the floor to discuss concerns or new opportunities.
3. Thou shalt give thy employ thy undivided attention. Letting email, phone calls or other employees distract you during orientation sessions sends the message, "I'm just not that into you" and kills morale. Prepare a checklist of subjects to review with your new employees, set aside the appropriate amount of time to do it, and let others know that you are not to be interrupted while you are orienting your new workers. This gives new employees the message that they are the most important item on your agenda. (Or: this lets new employees know that...)
4. Thou shalt have relevant paperwork ready. Make sure all administrative forms—such as employment, direct deposit, and benefits—are ready to be completed on day one so you don't have to waste time dealing with it later, and so that your employee can start getting these important matters taken care of right away.
5. Thou shalt introduce thy employee to thy neighbors. Provide staff members with the new employee's résumé and job description and advise them to follow a meeting format that includes sharing a description of their own positions, ways in which their roles interact with that of the new hire, and how they might expect to work together in the future. (This is also a good time to assign a mentor or buddy to the new hire as an immediate resource for any questions and key information about organizational culture and goals.)
6. Thou shall set up thy employee's workstation. An empty workstation is to a new employee what an unkempt home is to a houseguest. Before the employee arrives on day one, stock his or her workstation with everything from paper and pens to keys and, if possible, business cards. Make sure the phone and computer, complete with voicemail and e-mail accounts, are set up. Leave a copy of an organizational chart, staff list, and phone directory on the new hire's desk.
7. Thou shalt schedule one-on-one time to ensure you connect regularly with the new employee. If you can't do this on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, schedule meetings to provide feedback at 30- and 90-day checkpoints, or before a semi-annual review.
8. Thou shalt create a balance. The first day is always tough. Vary the first day's schedule by including less formal gatherings between meetings. Arrange for a group of staff members to treat the new hire to lunch on the first day to provide a little non-meeting relief and levity.
9. Thou shalt clarify the company culture. Again, to avoid future confusion (or embarrassment), provide the employee with company information, policies – including dress code and late policies – and benefits. If your organization has a new employee handbook, leave that on the desk as well.
10. Thou shalt think beyond the first few days. After 90 days, request formal feedback on the new hire's performance from his or her supervisor, and be sure to solicit feedback from the employee as well. Take this opportunity to address any issues of concern as well as note any accomplishments so that all parties are confident that the new hire is poised for success in his or her role.

Now it’s your turn, what have you found helpful in helping new employees fit into their new work environment? What daily support system(s) do you have in place? Please share!

3 Steps for Overcoming Failure

I read a post recently that stated: “For most businesses, failure is one of the most feared results possible,” and I thought to myself, for most business yes, and also for many people. Failure is many times the divider between those who succeed, because they persevere, and those who don’t succeed because they succumb to what they perceive as failure (when maybe they’re only one step away from success).

Personal failure typically causes you to first look for excuses (in everyone and everything besides yourself) and second (and more deadly) blame yourself and let the set-back rob you of the mental energy to pick up, dust yourself off, and keep moving forward.

Growth is about risks…and risk includes failure.

So how do you fail and yet keep your enthusiasm and perspective intact?

1. Fail quickly
   Okay, you failed…is it life threatening? Probably not, take inventory, examine what went wrong and why, and then start to strategize how to get back on your feet and back to your project quickly. Many times this will be as simple as “doing the next thing” and not letting yourself become distracted by the downward spiral of negativism.
2. Accept that failure includes valuable lessons learned
   Take time to understand why something didn’t work. Seek solutions outside yourself. Is there someone else who may be able to shed light or offer a viable perspective or solution? Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to reach out.
3. Learn from your weaknesses and find your strengths
   Be willing to look squarely at your contribution to your situation–positive and negative. Be willing to learn from, and modify if necessary, areas you are weaker in by talking to someone you feel comfortable with (a coach, or manager, or colleague). Use this person as a sounding board for your “next step” actions. As you work with them, learn to identify your strengths and use both strengths and weaknesses to identify and adopt new successful habits.

Understanding why or how you failed can help you avoid making the same mistake again. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing again and again, but expecting different results. Use your failures as prompts to identify next steps for desired changes that will assure personal / professional growth.

If you need any help with this process, feel free to contact me at [email protected]

Image: istockphoto

Perceptions and the Truth — Sometimes Worlds Apart

“The key to conversation at work is flexibility and understanding how what you say might be perceived by others.” —Deborah Tannen

It’s amazing, and slightly disheartening, how quickly sensationalism travels while the truth seems to take painstakingly long to emerge. We have become an extremely “quick to jump to conclusions” society, based not on fact, but on the scripting and tugging at our emotions through sensationalism, rumor and innuendo. The practice of too quickly forming opinions before the facts are known takes a toll in the workplace and also in our personal relationships.

Think about your organization, family, and friends. What travels faster? Information based on proven facts or the “Whoa… can you believe this” story. And if you’re honest with yourself which do you find easier to spread… the rumor or the corrected version of the rumor once the facts are known?

In our day of “instant” everything, we’ve become lured into taking every written word or sound-bite of information at face value and we form opinions before the facts have been revealed. What happens in an organization when negative rumors start circulating about an individual or event? Once perceptions are made, changing them, even when they are based on untruths or half-truths can be extremely challenging if not impossible. The art of “jumping to conclusions” has a huge impact on leadership, personal, and professional relationships, job satisfaction, productivity, and society in general.

How do rumors and innuendos affect your workplace? How does your ability to remain neutral until you have all the information affect your leadership? What steps do you use to make sure you are not communicating incorrect information or perceptions before you know the full truth about a person or situation?

Photo: istockphoto