ChangePosts

Talent Management For Organizations

I wanted to introduce a very unique and compelling company to you that may be of value to your talent management strategy. The company is EQmentor (www.eqmentor.com) and below is a link to a brief 1-minute video on them. They are truly doing some very cutting-edge work – in a cost-effective, highly scalable model that resonates with the challenging times we are presently in and addresses your unique needs.

http://www.eqmentor.com/managedcontent/video/marketing/marketing.htm

Also they recently completed a comprehensive 2008 Study of all the companies and participants of their program. I am attaching that ROI report - You will see that they are arguably the only company with a results-driven statistically-validated increase in EQ – which is the cornerstone of good decision-making for managers and leaders.

A few more short data points on them:

Their value proposition is the following:
•High-touch over long periods – learn based on needs and schedule
•EQ focus – a foundational competency that impacts all other competencies.
•Learn from Mentor, from top-notch global and cross-industry professionals, and from a massive repository of knowledge (articles, case studies, etc) – any combination of the three 24/7 should lead to much better decision-making and positive impact personally to mentees and to your organization.
•In addition to personal and professional growth, the mentee also gets to work on a company challenge – the outcome being 3-5 action items on a business issue facing your organization that have been researched and can be implemented within 6 months. So, theoretically if a company were put a very small number, say 20 people in the program ($50K), the result would be 60-100 action items (immediate impact) that the company could implement to see discernible results. Hiring a consulting company to come give you this same list would cost at least $500K – so the program pays for itself easily.

They have some brand name clients and are growing with great success. Contact me and I can connect you directly with Dr. Izzy Justice, the CEO.

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Are Customer Loyalty Awards Right For Small Businesses? - Part 1

  After working with a number of small businesses on the idea of a customer awards programs, I am certain that many of them are missing an opportunity.  Part 1 of this discussion will discuss some of the common misconceptions that limit small businesses from using an effective business growth option.  Part II will address some of the incentive options that could be useful to these very same businesses.

First, what are customer awards programs?  They are simply marketing systems that incent new prospects to become customers, and existing customers to stay loyal.  What if you had that formula figured out, wouldn’t that be valuable to your bottom line?   Let me answer that:  Yes!

Most large successful businesses today have put in place some sort of customer awards program to incent purchasing.  Why?  because they work.  Whether it is frequent flyer miles, or “two for the price of one, or punch cards, they all do them, if no other reason than their competitors do.  To not offer the customer such value would concede business to the competition.

Small businesses look at customer awards incentives very differently, and here is some of the common thinking:

• Incentives are unaffordable
• I would rather give away some of my own product than other merchandise
• This is slow season and it would be the wrong time to start a program like this
• Its too complicated to track who is giving referrals
• We’ll do whatever is cheaper

Really!!??  And how is all that working for you?

In short, many businesses do not stop and think what would be most motivational for existing or prospective customers.  Nor do they have the time or inclination to explore some of these questions in ways that provide them with viable options.  Many seem stuck not knowing what they don’t know.

So the first step for any business to look at incentives properly is to be truly open to the idea of customer loyalty awards.

In part 2, we will explore some possible solutions to these common questions.

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Online Training Video

Here’s a 3 minute video that explains the benefits of computer based interactive training.  Enjoy!

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The Leadership Center of Gravity

I just published an article on Ethics, Values, and Leadership on the online magazine - “The New Face of Leadership”.  You can see and dowload it on: http://j.b5z.net/i/u/2034291/i/Greg_Jordan.pdf.

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Innovation Leadership

One reason companies are not better at innovation is because Leadership may not fully understand how to create an innovation culture.  If an innovative culture is put in place, it will produce new ideas and new solutions from every corner and every level of the organization.  It will create a constant flow of ideas. 

So how do leaders create this innovative culture?

1. Make innovation an organization priority, and consistently and visibly support these efforts.

2. Reward innovative behaviours from people who contribute.  Organizations always get what they reward people for.

3. Understand that there will be failures and support those who fail.  This is particularly difficult, because there are often unrealistic expectations that there will be a 100% batting average on all new products or services.  There will not be.  There will be failed attempts, and “lost Money”.  Minimize failure, but expect them, and leaders will have to risk some capital and time.

4. Have an innovation process for collecting ideas, responding to employees or customer’s suggestions, and prioritizing the organization’s innovation efforts.

5. Celebrate successes and learn from failures

6. Give people the time, responsibility and expectatio that they will innovate.  Don’t just say ‘we are going to innovate” when the truth is that noone has time to do anything else except the day to day work.

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Because It Matters

As a result of the 2007 study “Better Together” which measured the impact of social capital in the workplace, a  new movement called “Because It Matters” has emerged in Florida’s Gulf Coast area to help businesses implement acceptance and civility into their workplaces. 

Their premise is simple, and I think, overlooked in the press to make a buck these days.  Brain research shows that our emotions are contagious, and that if you practice a few simple keys to civility, the payoff is not only feeling better ourselves but also making our community a better place.

I do believe this philosophy has great merit in any workplace, I have seen in consultations with many of my clients how the presence, or absence of something this simple, can have powerful impacts on attitudes and productivity.

Visit their site, www.becauseitmatters.net for more information on how to get started.  Its worth serious consideration for any organization that aspires to high performance.

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Kudos to One of Our Training Content Providers!

Bersin & Associates Recognizes Our Training Supplier - Business Training Library - as a Top LMS Provider
Bersin & Associates, the leading research and advisory authority for enterprise learning and talent management, recently released its annual study on Learning Management System (LMS) software, Learning Management Systems 2009: Facts, Practice Analysis, Trends and Provider Profiles. This new report recognizes Business Training Library as one of the Top 30 LMS providers. The 180-page study includes discussion of market drivers, major influencing trends, and predictions for what’s ahead; an in-depth analysis of LMS features from basic to advanced; best practices for system selection and implementation; and profiles and analysis of the top 30 solution providers.

Learning Management Systems 2009: Facts, Practical Analysis, Trends and Provider Profiles is available at no cost to Bersin & Associates research members. Non-members can purchase the study for $995 at www.bersin.com.

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Spotting Business Trends

There is an ald adage in market trading that says “The trend is your friend”.  Successful people and organizations seem to somehow discover and stay ahead of trends, so they can use them to their advantage.  Following are some tips to help spot trends that may affect your business:

• Scan your junk mail before throwing it away.  Make note of new trends in advertising, marketing and products that are emerging.  Let the junk mail collect for a week or two - its easier to spot a trend with more data, and more satisfying when you throw away all that junk mail at once!
• Reflect on the way your job has changed.  What is in your in basket compared to this time last year?  What new responsibilities do you have?
• Talk to the people you work with and for to uncover clues about the way ways, attitudes, values and commitments are changing.  Some organizations have made this kind of conversation a regular business practice, to keep up with new ideas and generate innovative products and services.
• Listen to a different radio station every week for a variety of perspectives.  Who is the market for for the station? who advertises? why?  Talk shows can be particularly useful.
• Watch, or record if you are not a night owl, late talk show opening monologues.  The humor is targeted at very popular and topical issues.  Note which ones spark your interest and follow up to find out more.
• Pick out and follow a few of those boring economic indicators that always make your eyes glaze over when reported on the news.  Finding out more about the indicator, by digging another level deeper into, for example,  the CPI (Consumer Price Index), or housing starts will give you a surprising amount of insight into what affects the business climate.  You’ll also find it is not as boring as you first thought.
• Start following a few of the business leaders on twitter.com.  Its amazing how much info can be found in 140 character messages.
• Find web forums that are connected to or related to your industry, and join - particpate in some of the dialogue.

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The Mystery of the Word Keepers

Today’s version of the disappearance of the ancient Mayan ruling class, is the shrinking population of word keepers.  Word keepers are people who actually do what they say they are going to do.

The most important thing that we give in business is our word, but many today do not act as if this were true.  All of the small missed deadlines, no call-backs, and ignored commitments  combined, make up a business culture where blowing off anyone we want, for any reason has become commonplace.

So why is it so difficult to be a word keeper?  Have we become a collection of business ne’er -do-wells?  For most of us,  I don’t think so.  Many of us just don’t have the time to do everything we intend to do, and our schedules override commitments with new and different daily priorities.  This is a subtle but dangerous reality, because a steady diet of this behavior begins to undermine personal credibility and that of the organization.    

There are many competitors for our daily attention - much of it unproductive.  Internet spam and telephone solicitors are great examples.  When our world is full of  these types of experiences, it can numb us to the need to respond to others - even to those who have legitimate claims for some action that we need to take.  But is this a legitimate excuse? 

Sometimes there are deeper issues related to bad or unethical management.  As an example, I had been working with a large local organization for over a year, bidding against another company to provide training, they committed to giving us a fair chance to present our proposal before awarding the contract.  When the leadership changed at the top, they decided to award the contract to a different company without providing the promised opportunity.  This action was from a leading community organization.  They seem not to have any idea how unprofessional this was, and  as a result, they have lost the respect of at least one supporter.

Think about what a huge professional advantage it is to be seen as a word keeper.  People who show up as being consistently committed to their word are memorable, and viewed as trustworthy.  If you are trying to do business with others, being memorable and trustworthy are huge assets.  Being a word keeper sets you apart. 

Here are three simple rules that will help:

1. Do not agree to do something or be somewhere unless you are totally committed to getting it done.  Even if it is hard to do, being honest and saying that you will not or cannot do it, will generate great respect for you as a leader.
2. Once you have committed to doing something, have a system to record and manage your commitments - so that you do not forget what you have promised. 
3. If for some reason circumstances arise where you cannot follow up, let the individuals involved know that you have to make a change, and let them know what your new plan is.

Not everyone is guilty of misdemeanor in this area, but the benefits of being a word keeper are so great that it is a real mystery why people today do not put more emphasis on it.

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How Good Are Our Online Courses?

Our research and experience continues to show that computer based interactive training courses that we offer -  http://www.peak-ps.com/5.html - can not only be more economical, but have more consistent quality (not dependant on the skills or orientation of the instructor) and better student retention, as compared to clasroom training.

One of our associates who uses the same online training courses that we offer was asked by a chamber board member. a very legitimate question: “Are the on-line learning courses we are offering to chamber members any good?”

Answer: These courses are from the top four producers of on-line learning for business. They are the same courses that are used by the Fortune 100 companies. Most of them have been have been approved for college credit recommendation by ACE CREDIT (American Council on Education’s College Credit Recommendation Service (CREDIT).) Please go to this site to learn more about their accreditation for college credit and for continuing education credits: http://www.skillsoft.com/about/credit_programs/academic_credit_programs/ace.asp

Select “Accreditation Programs;” then select either “Academic Credit Programs” or “Continuing Professional Education.”

Our partnership with Russell Associates of Le Sueur, MN makes these on-line learning courses available to businesses with less than 2500 employees through distributors like us.

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