Whoever said, “Early to bed early to rise makes a
man healthy, wealthy and wise,” only got it partially right when it comes to
finding the formula for personal success, because great time management skills
are also essential.
While some people are
millionaires and some people are paupers, all people are on the same playing
field with regards to time. Every living being is allotted 24 hours in a single
day—no more, no less. So being able to accomplish your goals in any given day
means being able to prioritize and multi-task.
If you compare any two
people at a particular workplace and analyze their work habits, you’ll
oftentimes notice differences in terms of productivity. Some people are simply
better at managing their time and, therefore, getting more done with the time
they have. If you’re not particularly good at prioritizing and managing tasks,
you need not worry, because if you weren’t born with time management skills, you
can learn them.
First of all, you’ll want to begin each new week
by drawing up a schedule of things to do in the coming week. Start off by
listing things you absolutely must do, and then jot down things you’d like to
do. Once you’ve done this, you’ll want to look over your weekly schedule and
consider whether, time wise, your schedule is realistic. If it isn’t, then
you’ll need to drop off non-essentials and maybe factor in more time for the
critical tasks.
Something else you’ll want to consider is that
people with good time management skills tend to be fairly organized. If you’re
work desk looks as though it were hit by a tornado, then tidy up a little bit.
You’ll be surprised at how much more efficient you’ll be if you don’t have to
wade through piles of paper to find what you’re looking for.
Combine time management skills with health, wealth
and wisdom, and you’ve got the formula for personal success.
Being Self-Employed Brings You a Whole New Level of Stress Management
Being self-employed, or
freelancing, is a truly unique environment in which to work. Basically, you
wake up every morning and “reinvent the wheel.” That means that you begin every
day knowing that you’ll be required to provide your customers with something
they feel that they can’t live without. That’s not an easy thing for your
stress level to handle.
Being self-employed is
synonymous with long hours, and working through those days that you really
should have taken off. It means that your stomach is repeatedly in knots and
the adrenaline just doesn’t flow anymore.
If this describes you, you’re
not alone.
Working for oneself from home,
in front of the computer on weekdays and weekends is becoming evermore popular
thanks to the internet and the World Wide Web. However, with this ever growing
popularity of independence, comes the increasing build of stress.
Symptoms of high stress in those
who are self-employed include:
The
inability to concentrate
The general
feeling of being uptight
Biting
everyone’s head off
Aching
shoulders and neck
A constant
headache
Indecisiveness
Fatigue
Insomnia
Of course, these are only a
sample of the symptoms, but they are among the most common. If left unmanaged,
stress can even develop further into more dangerous health conditions.
For people who are
self-employed, proper stress management becomes critical to living a healthy,
rewarding life. Stress management itself is a matter of recognizing your
individual stresses, finding the cause, and taking responsibility for these
stresses, making changes where they are necessary.
This can be as simple as taking
an aroma therapeutic bubble bath at night, yoga, or something more structured,
such as consulting a stress management therapist.
If you are self-employed, and
you wish to make certain that your stress level is managed effectively, you may
wish to consult your doctor, who can advise you with regards to the techniques
and strategies that will work best for you.
Hiring the Right Candidate for the Job and Your Company
Connecticut Secretary interviewed Bruce
Clinton of ASearch, LLC, a Connecticut based executive search firm, and
discussed the uniqueness of his business and the challenges faced by
companies that need to make a critical hire.
Increasingly, companies are evaluating job candidates on how well they fit their
corporate culture — not just the job.
It’s an important consideration, as shrinking
budgets and economic uncertainty put a squeeze on corporate environments and
demand smarter hiring practices.
Filling open positions can be a grueling,
expensive and lengthy process. According to recent research by global human
resources firm DBM, 94 percent find the average job search is taking four to six
months, with the majority seeing most job seekers taking about five months to
secure employment. And finding a new, senior-level position in the current job
market takes more than 12 months, compared to about seven months in 1998.
To manage the more extensive search process,
many companies are using personality assessments to find the right person for
their company. In fact, one third of
2,100 human resource managers recently surveyed by
the American Management Association were incorporating personality profiling
into their hiring decision-making process.
Personality testing allows companies to go
beyond first impressions and analyze the true value of candidates’ skills and
character. The goal is to determine how the combination of the two will fit into
the organization.
Considering a job candidate’s characteristics
can help employers determine if that person has the right ability and
adaptability for their work environment. For example: a new hire may have
outstanding abilities, but if he doesn’t have the communication skills to work
well with a team, he may not be the best candidate. The company may be better
off hiring a great communicator with average skills that can be improved upon
with training instead.
The bottom line is: Personality assessments can
help companies hire the right employee — and retain them longer. And employee
retention saves companies money and valuable time due to lost productivity and
costs associated with recruiting and hiring.
In addition to personality testing, more
businesses are relying on the expertise of innovative firms like ASearch LLC to
help them identify the best candidates for the job and company. ASearch is a
Connecticut executive search firm that heavily factors a potential employee’s
character into the recruitment and hiring process.
In his 30 years of organizational development
consulting, Bruce Clinton has watched too many poor executive hires endanger the
success of organizations. But very few executives fail because of their resume,
says Clinton, a founding partner of ASearch. “Most failures are due to lack of
the right behavioral or cultural fit.”
If you only hire on experience, he poses, how
do you deal with the behavior and chemistry that walks in the door? “We help the
hiring authority get beyond the tip of the iceberg, which is the resume,
experience, interview and references…to find the best fit for the organization's
culture and job requirements.”
ASearch takes an in-depth approach that helps
its clients lower their transaction costs. The company provides value-added
services such as a company culture analysis of the executive team. As a result,
job candidates submitted to companies will all meet the cultural and behavioral
requirements for the position and will have third-party assessments to verify
their qualifications. Therefore, their clients generally only need to review a
few candidates to find the best match.
ASearch’s process guarantees the suitability of
candidates and removes the risk of a poor fit. “Our value proposition is not
offered by all search firms,” Clinton says. “As a matter of fact, I don't know
of any that do all we do.”
The company’s approach is evidenced by its bold
slogan: “We go beyond the search. We take the risk and doubt out of your next
critical executive hire.”
ASearch is a major New England search firm that
represents decades of organizational development, executive search and
assessment experience. Following are questions and answers about the company’s
background and perspective on the executive search process. More information is
available at the company’s Website at
www.asearchllc.com.
Q: Why did you start ASearch?
A: I saw this as an opportunity to fill a gap in
an under serviced and misunderstood market of closely-held businesses. I believe
small and medium sized businesses are the key to our economic growth and felt
that this retained search business could make a positive difference. And between
my background and that of my two partners, we had an exceptional value to offer
key executives and company owners.
Q: Tell us about your experience.
A: My background is over 30 years of
organizational development consulting to closely-held and family
businesses. Prior to this, I was owner and president of a residential real
estate business with two locations plus a new home sales division; president and
owner of a land development company; and general partner of a limited
partnership which developed 200 acres of land into a luxury subdivision of 96
lots. I later joined the consulting company that helped me build my real estate
business when I sold it to one of my managers in the mid-seventies.
Q: What about your partners and their
experience?
A: Anthony Townley has over thirty years of
staffing and executive search experience. He conducts our searches once the
position requirements have been defined. Barry Foster has extensive assessment
knowledge and is a leader and innovator in the business and executive coaching
profession. Barry and I procure the retained search assignments, facilitate the
development of the position requirements with the position development team and
the selection team, and coach the integration process of the new executive.
Q: Describe the typical client you work with.
A: Closely-held companies with a sweet spot of
$25-100 million in sales. We have worked with organizations with sales of $4
million to over $300 million. We deal mostly with the CEO or President of the
organization or the COO.
Q: Can you give us an overview of your
company and its services?
A: ASearch takes the risk and doubt out of the
next critical hire an organization makes. We take an organizational development
approach to make this a reality. We help our clients understand their culture,
define the position and the goals for the first 30, 60, 90 and next 180 days
with agreed upon evidence of goal accomplishments, required and desired
experience and education and the objective psychometrics required for the new
position based on the understanding of the culture and position requirements. We
also make sure that the selection team understands its role in making this new
key person successful. Finally, we coach the integration process of the new hire
with reviews at the 45- and 90-day time periods. At that time, if all parties
are progressing as expected, we extend our guarantee for the balance of the
first year from the date of hire.
Q: Any additional information about your
services?
A : Because we become so knowledgeable about an
organization and are able to provide so much value, we often reach the level of
trusted advisor and are asked to assist in other organizational development type
assignments. In this case, we will do the assignment or bring in other
professionals who we have worked with to perform the services on behalf of
ASearch and the client.
Q: Have most of your clients had a negative
hiring experience?
A: Yes. Almost all of our current search clients
have had a poor hire in a similar position or understand the value of getting
the right fit the first time.
Q: Can you give us an idea of how much money
is lost due to these failures?
A: It’s hard to gauge the lost opportunity costs
-- which are the higher costs -- lost business, turnover of good employees, lost
production and bad comments about an organization which means opportunities you
will never get or know why. On the tangible side, are the transaction costs,
advertising, resume culling, extensive interview time, training costs of the
wrong person once hired, lost wages and benefits, placement fees, law suits for
wrongful discharge, contractual costs, relocation costs and contractual
separation costs if the executive is let go for any reason but cause. Minimum
figures for turnover of an executive have been four to five times the annual
salary.
Q: Why have those employees failed?
A: If you interview companies, you will find a
lack of cultural fit (chemistry) and behavior that did not allow the new hire to
perform i.e. no sense of urgency, low energy, not able to make a decision or
hold people accountable, etc.
Q: What are the challenges you see facing
employers who are trying to do it on their own?
A: Understanding the real requirements of the
position and their culture, being able to get below the surface or tip of the
iceberg to match the position requirements to the candidate, determine what is
success early on as well as long term, integrating the new hire into the
organization and working out the rough spots — especially if the position
requires different behavior(s) than the current culture.
Q: At what point do employers give up their
own attempts and seek your help?
A: I am not sure…the need to know that there is a
better way than the traditional search firm... Otherwise they will continue on a
hit or miss proposition. I knew of one firm that turned over a key executive
position three or more times and still did not get it right.
Q: Can you quantify the retention rate of
employees who were sourced on their own, compared to those hired using your
firm's services?
No, but the cost of any turnover is great …We know
that if you know how to define your culture and the position and have objective
means of measuring the culture and behaviors required for success in this
culture doing the position requirements, with the right experience and education
you will have little chance of turning over the position. That is why we offer
an unprecedented one-year guarantee to everyone who uses our process.
Business Coaches are a Necessity for Small Business Owners
No matter how large or small a business you
operate, hiring an executive coach is no longer a luxury – it’s a necessity in
today’s highly competitive business environment. No matter what your management
and personality style, there’s an executive or business coach for you.
Let’s face it, most business owners' stick to the
tried-and-true methods. We’ve all discovered, by trial and often costly error,
what works best for our companies. However, a business owner stuck in that
mentality may be missing out on great opportunities just by keeping the status
quo.
"You’ll
face issues that you hoped would never see the light of day."
That’s where a coach comes in. A business coach
is a trained third-party professional who helps clarify a business owner’s goals
and helps chart a path to meet them. A coach will offer a fresh perspective to
your daily challenges and hopes for the future.
Coaching may seem like a frivolous expense, but
at least one study has shown otherwise. A study of 100 executives, primarily
from Fortune 1000 firms, who employed coaches from Florida-based firm
Manchester, Inc., found that return on their investment was nearly six times
what each firm spent on coaching. Companies retained executives, had fewer
customer complaints and saw more productivity from their coached employees. What
business owner doesn’t want that?
"...a
business owner stuck in that mentality may be missing out on great opportunities
just by keeping the status quo."
So how do you choose the right coach? The key is
to find one you trust and who challenges you without having unrealistic
expectations. Some business owners see the stereotypical coach as a slick,
motivational manipulator who will seek to turn them into a business mixer
schmoozer. The truth is there are as many styles of coaches as there are people.
Here are some tips to help you find yours:
Know yourself and what you want. Before you
even begin the process of looking for a coach, ask yourself some honest
questions. What do I want? What do I expect? Are there some things about my
management style that probably need to change? Am I willing to consider
making these changes? What am I willing to do? What am I not willing to do?
Where do I want to be in five years? In 10 years?
Call several coaching firms and individuals.
Talk to others in your field to get referrals.
Meet with at least five possible coaching
candidates. Find out how they work.
Don’t’ be too concerned if your coach
candidates don’t “get” your business immediately. Sometimes it’s best to
have a coach that knows absolutely nothing about your field so that you can
get some fresh approaches and ideas.
Be sure your coach is willing to be honest
with you. In fact, if a coach candidate isn’t willing to tell you things you
don’t want to hear, you probably haven’t found the right coach.
Tell your coach candidates what you perceive
your goals are right now. Also tell each candidate what you are willing, and
not willing, to do to meet them. Ask them what they can do to help.
Discuss upfront how you and your coach will
work together when you don’t agree. A good coach will push you in directions
that you don’t agree with or that make you uncomfortable. Sometimes a good
coach will tell you about certain negative behaviors you have that you don’t
necessarily want to change. Ask how you and the coach will deal with these
issues.
Trust your gut. Some business owners prefer
a coach with a similar style, while others want to possess characteristics
they observe in a coach who has a different personality. Go with the one you
think you can best work with.
So you’ve selected your coach. What comes next?
Most coaches will want to re-evaluate your goals with you first. You’ll also
discuss strengths, weaknesses, problems and concerns. Next you will likely
develop a plan of action. Here are some things to remember when working with a
coach:
Nothing will change overnight. Commit to at
least a year of coaching before you re-evaluate its effectiveness.
Make coaching a priority. Business owners
tend to put the business at hand over every other function. However,
coaching can help you cut down on the time it takes to do business. Make
coaching the priority.
"...both
you and your business will grow in ways you never thought possible!"
Be willing to consider doing things
differently. Note that I’m not saying to actually DO things differently.
There’s a difference between that and considering the possibility. Most of
us need to ease ourselves into transitions and changes. Being willing to
change is the first step.
Be honest with your coach. You’ve chosen a
coach who you feel will be honest with you, and you must reciprocate. In
fact, not being honest will most likely be a waste of time for both of you.
It’s important that you develop trust with your coach.
Take crisis issues to your coach. As the top
person in your organization, your coach can be your sounding board for
dealing with tough problems. It never hurts to get a different perspective.
Working with a business coach is a rewarding
experience. You’ll learn about gifts and talents that you never even knew you
possessed. You’ll face issues that you hoped would never see the light of day.
And both you and your business will grow in ways you never thought possible!
Connecticut Secretary has Executive Coaches in
our Referral Program Network - If you are in need of coaching services for
individuals, executives or businesses, please contact us today:
kms@connecticutsecretary.com
Remember how you felt the first day you
opened your small business? It’s a time of excitement and joy for most of us.
We’re ready to go and conquer the world!
However, once the honeymoon is over and
reality sets in, we find that there are challenges as well as successes in the
world of business. Some days we get overwhelmed with the challenges. After a
string of those days, we begin to lose our motivation.
It’s challenging even when you are an
employee to stay motivated in a job. However, employees usually have peers they
can talk with to vent about their day or to keep their skills sharp. That’s not
true of employers. More often than not, we walk that road alone. And unlike an
employee, our motivation level is more likely to be tied to the performance of
our company! If our motivation is low, it could hurt the entire business.
Focusing on keeping yourself motivated
may not be what you think. Most of us think of motivation as cheerleading or
rallying the troops. That may be true for employees at times, but for business
owners self-motivation can be very different.
Here are five ways to keep being
motivated for business owners:
1.Take
a vacation. When WAS the last time you took time
off? Really took time off – without a cell phone, a laptop or a digital pager?
If it’s been more than a year, you need to do it! Taking time to relax and
recharge is the best thing you can do to keep yourself motivated. Vacations
help stave off burn out, and refresh you mentally and physically.
2.Join
an association. A trade organization is a
fabulous way to get contacts with your peers. You’ll have access to a large
pool of people who share the same success and challenges every day. Don’t worry
about being exposed to the competition – you can find people who have similar
businesses that are in a different part of the country or who focus on a
different area. Most associations have conferences and conventions that are
great places to learn about trends and develop your own new ideas.
3.Attend
training. Take a computer skills class or attend
a workshop to hone some of your skills. They don’t even have to be directly
related to your business. Try something general like communication skills, a
writing course or a workshop on how to close a sell.
4.Chase
a dream. Even corporations are sending their
executives to open a flower shop or to climb Mount Everest. There’s a lot to be
said about doing something far different than your day-to-day duties to give you
a different perspective about what you do. Fulfilling a dream, either
professionally or personally, has a profound effect on us in our careers and how
motivated we are.
5.Work
with a business coach. Working with a business
coach will help you set some goals for your business that can help keep you
motivated! Having both long-term and short-term goals are important. It pumps
us up to see instant success, but it’s also very gratifying to meet a long-term
goal, too! Both do a lot to keep small business owners motivated.
Most small business owners give their hearts and souls to
their companies, especially during the critical first five years. It’s
important to remember, though, that keeping our lives in balance always helps at
work. Nobody can consistently work 80 hours or more a week without becoming
burned out. Spend time with your family and friends, take time for your own
interests, create time for a spiritual life and take care of your physical
health, and you’ll be well on your way to staying motivated!
10 Key Strategies for Maintaining a Positive Attitude at Work and Home
Having a positive attitude is an important component of business productivity. When we view ourselves positively, we accept who we are and enable ourselves to soar to the greatest heights. But oftentimes, professionals may have the skills and expertise they need to work effectively but negative attitudes undermine their efforts and diminish their results. Here are 10 essential strategies for maintaining a positive attitude at work and home.
Self confidence drives your entire professional and personal life. It can shape your ability to overcome obstacles and achieve success.
Self esteem isn’t something you’re born with; it’s something you develop gradually throughout life. “Confidence is a habit that can be developed by acting as if you already had the confidence you desire to have,” according to success guru Brian Tracy. And successful coach Vince Lombardi says, “Confidence is contagious; so is lack of confidence.”
Whoever said, “Early to bed early to rise makes a
man healthy, wealthy and wise,” only got it partially right when it comes to
finding the formula for personal success, because great time management skills
are also essential.
While some people are
millionaires and some people are paupers, all people are on the same playing
field with regards to time. Every living being is allotted 24 hours in a single
day—no more, no less. So being able to accomplish your goals in any given day
means being able to prioritize and multi-task.
If you compare any two
people at a particular workplace and analyze their work habits, you’ll
oftentimes notice differences in terms of productivity. Some people are simply
better at managing their time and, therefore, getting more done with the time
they have. If you’re not particularly good at prioritizing and managing tasks,
you need not worry, because if you weren’t born with time management skills, you
can learn them.
First of all, you’ll want to begin each new week
by drawing up a schedule of things to do in the coming week. Start off by
listing things you absolutely must do, and then jot down things you’d like to
do. Once you’ve done this, you’ll want to look over your weekly schedule and
consider whether, time wise, your schedule is realistic. If it isn’t, then
you’ll need to drop off non-essentials and maybe factor in more time for the
critical tasks.
Something else you’ll want to consider is that
people with good time management skills tend to be fairly organized. If you’re
work desk looks as though it were hit by a tornado, then tidy up a little bit.
You’ll be surprised at how much more efficient you’ll be if you don’t have to
wade through piles of paper to find what you’re looking for.
Combine time management skills with health, wealth
and wisdom, and you’ve got the formula for personal success.
Being Self-Employed Brings You a Whole New Level of Stress Management
Being self-employed, or
freelancing, is a truly unique environment in which to work. Basically, you
wake up every morning and “reinvent the wheel.” That means that you begin every
day knowing that you’ll be required to provide your customers with something
they feel that they can’t live without. That’s not an easy thing for your
stress level to handle.
Being self-employed is
synonymous with long hours, and working through those days that you really
should have taken off. It means that your stomach is repeatedly in knots and
the adrenaline just doesn’t flow anymore.
If this describes you, you’re
not alone.
Working for oneself from home,
in front of the computer on weekdays and weekends is becoming evermore popular
thanks to the internet and the World Wide Web. However, with this ever growing
popularity of independence, comes the increasing build of stress.
Symptoms of high stress in those
who are self-employed include:
The
inability to concentrate
The general
feeling of being uptight
Biting
everyone’s head off
Aching
shoulders and neck
A constant
headache
Indecisiveness
Fatigue
Insomnia
Of course, these are only a
sample of the symptoms, but they are among the most common. If left unmanaged,
stress can even develop further into more dangerous health conditions.
For people who are
self-employed, proper stress management becomes critical to living a healthy,
rewarding life. Stress management itself is a matter of recognizing your
individual stresses, finding the cause, and taking responsibility for these
stresses, making changes where they are necessary.
This can be as simple as taking
an aroma therapeutic bubble bath at night, yoga, or something more structured,
such as consulting a stress management therapist.
If you are self-employed, and
you wish to make certain that your stress level is managed effectively, you may
wish to consult your doctor, who can advise you with regards to the techniques
and strategies that will work best for you.
Hiring the Right Candidate for the Job and Your Company
Connecticut Secretary interviewed Bruce
Clinton of ASearch, LLC, a Connecticut based executive search firm, and
discussed the uniqueness of his business and the challenges faced by
companies that need to make a critical hire.
Increasingly, companies are evaluating job candidates on how well they fit their
corporate culture — not just the job.
It’s an important consideration, as shrinking
budgets and economic uncertainty put a squeeze on corporate environments and
demand smarter hiring practices.
Filling open positions can be a grueling,
expensive and lengthy process. According to recent research by global human
resources firm DBM, 94 percent find the average job search is taking four to six
months, with the majority seeing most job seekers taking about five months to
secure employment. And finding a new, senior-level position in the current job
market takes more than 12 months, compared to about seven months in 1998.
To manage the more extensive search process,
many companies are using personality assessments to find the right person for
their company. In fact, one third of
2,100 human resource managers recently surveyed by
the American Management Association were incorporating personality profiling
into their hiring decision-making process.
Personality testing allows companies to go
beyond first impressions and analyze the true value of candidates’ skills and
character. The goal is to determine how the combination of the two will fit into
the organization.
Considering a job candidate’s characteristics
can help employers determine if that person has the right ability and
adaptability for their work environment. For example: a new hire may have
outstanding abilities, but if he doesn’t have the communication skills to work
well with a team, he may not be the best candidate. The company may be better
off hiring a great communicator with average skills that can be improved upon
with training instead.
The bottom line is: Personality assessments can
help companies hire the right employee — and retain them longer. And employee
retention saves companies money and valuable time due to lost productivity and
costs associated with recruiting and hiring.
In addition to personality testing, more
businesses are relying on the expertise of innovative firms like ASearch LLC to
help them identify the best candidates for the job and company. ASearch is a
Connecticut executive search firm that heavily factors a potential employee’s
character into the recruitment and hiring process.
In his 30 years of organizational development
consulting, Bruce Clinton has watched too many poor executive hires endanger the
success of organizations. But very few executives fail because of their resume,
says Clinton, a founding partner of ASearch. “Most failures are due to lack of
the right behavioral or cultural fit.”
If you only hire on experience, he poses, how
do you deal with the behavior and chemistry that walks in the door? “We help the
hiring authority get beyond the tip of the iceberg, which is the resume,
experience, interview and references…to find the best fit for the organization's
culture and job requirements.”
ASearch takes an in-depth approach that helps
its clients lower their transaction costs. The company provides value-added
services such as a company culture analysis of the executive team. As a result,
job candidates submitted to companies will all meet the cultural and behavioral
requirements for the position and will have third-party assessments to verify
their qualifications. Therefore, their clients generally only need to review a
few candidates to find the best match.
ASearch’s process guarantees the suitability of
candidates and removes the risk of a poor fit. “Our value proposition is not
offered by all search firms,” Clinton says. “As a matter of fact, I don't know
of any that do all we do.”
The company’s approach is evidenced by its bold
slogan: “We go beyond the search. We take the risk and doubt out of your next
critical executive hire.”
ASearch is a major New England search firm that
represents decades of organizational development, executive search and
assessment experience. Following are questions and answers about the company’s
background and perspective on the executive search process. More information is
available at the company’s Website at
www.asearchllc.com.
Q: Why did you start ASearch?
A: I saw this as an opportunity to fill a gap in
an under serviced and misunderstood market of closely-held businesses. I believe
small and medium sized businesses are the key to our economic growth and felt
that this retained search business could make a positive difference. And between
my background and that of my two partners, we had an exceptional value to offer
key executives and company owners.
Q: Tell us about your experience.
A: My background is over 30 years of
organizational development consulting to closely-held and family
businesses. Prior to this, I was owner and president of a residential real
estate business with two locations plus a new home sales division; president and
owner of a land development company; and general partner of a limited
partnership which developed 200 acres of land into a luxury subdivision of 96
lots. I later joined the consulting company that helped me build my real estate
business when I sold it to one of my managers in the mid-seventies.
Q: What about your partners and their
experience?
A: Anthony Townley has over thirty years of
staffing and executive search experience. He conducts our searches once the
position requirements have been defined. Barry Foster has extensive assessment
knowledge and is a leader and innovator in the business and executive coaching
profession. Barry and I procure the retained search assignments, facilitate the
development of the position requirements with the position development team and
the selection team, and coach the integration process of the new executive.
Q: Describe the typical client you work with.
A: Closely-held companies with a sweet spot of
$25-100 million in sales. We have worked with organizations with sales of $4
million to over $300 million. We deal mostly with the CEO or President of the
organization or the COO.
Q: Can you give us an overview of your
company and its services?
A: ASearch takes the risk and doubt out of the
next critical hire an organization makes. We take an organizational development
approach to make this a reality. We help our clients understand their culture,
define the position and the goals for the first 30, 60, 90 and next 180 days
with agreed upon evidence of goal accomplishments, required and desired
experience and education and the objective psychometrics required for the new
position based on the understanding of the culture and position requirements. We
also make sure that the selection team understands its role in making this new
key person successful. Finally, we coach the integration process of the new hire
with reviews at the 45- and 90-day time periods. At that time, if all parties
are progressing as expected, we extend our guarantee for the balance of the
first year from the date of hire.
Q: Any additional information about your
services?
A : Because we become so knowledgeable about an
organization and are able to provide so much value, we often reach the level of
trusted advisor and are asked to assist in other organizational development type
assignments. In this case, we will do the assignment or bring in other
professionals who we have worked with to perform the services on behalf of
ASearch and the client.
Q: Have most of your clients had a negative
hiring experience?
A: Yes. Almost all of our current search clients
have had a poor hire in a similar position or understand the value of getting
the right fit the first time.
Q: Can you give us an idea of how much money
is lost due to these failures?
A: It’s hard to gauge the lost opportunity costs
-- which are the higher costs -- lost business, turnover of good employees, lost
production and bad comments about an organization which means opportunities you
will never get or know why. On the tangible side, are the transaction costs,
advertising, resume culling, extensive interview time, training costs of the
wrong person once hired, lost wages and benefits, placement fees, law suits for
wrongful discharge, contractual costs, relocation costs and contractual
separation costs if the executive is let go for any reason but cause. Minimum
figures for turnover of an executive have been four to five times the annual
salary.
Q: Why have those employees failed?
A: If you interview companies, you will find a
lack of cultural fit (chemistry) and behavior that did not allow the new hire to
perform i.e. no sense of urgency, low energy, not able to make a decision or
hold people accountable, etc.
Q: What are the challenges you see facing
employers who are trying to do it on their own?
A: Understanding the real requirements of the
position and their culture, being able to get below the surface or tip of the
iceberg to match the position requirements to the candidate, determine what is
success early on as well as long term, integrating the new hire into the
organization and working out the rough spots — especially if the position
requires different behavior(s) than the current culture.
Q: At what point do employers give up their
own attempts and seek your help?
A: I am not sure…the need to know that there is a
better way than the traditional search firm... Otherwise they will continue on a
hit or miss proposition. I knew of one firm that turned over a key executive
position three or more times and still did not get it right.
Q: Can you quantify the retention rate of
employees who were sourced on their own, compared to those hired using your
firm's services?
No, but the cost of any turnover is great …We know
that if you know how to define your culture and the position and have objective
means of measuring the culture and behaviors required for success in this
culture doing the position requirements, with the right experience and education
you will have little chance of turning over the position. That is why we offer
an unprecedented one-year guarantee to everyone who uses our process.
Business Coaches are a Necessity for Small Business Owners
No matter how large or small a business you
operate, hiring an executive coach is no longer a luxury – it’s a necessity in
today’s highly competitive business environment. No matter what your management
and personality style, there’s an executive or business coach for you.
Let’s face it, most business owners' stick to the
tried-and-true methods. We’ve all discovered, by trial and often costly error,
what works best for our companies. However, a business owner stuck in that
mentality may be missing out on great opportunities just by keeping the status
quo.
"You’ll
face issues that you hoped would never see the light of day."
That’s where a coach comes in. A business coach
is a trained third-party professional who helps clarify a business owner’s goals
and helps chart a path to meet them. A coach will offer a fresh perspective to
your daily challenges and hopes for the future.
Coaching may seem like a frivolous expense, but
at least one study has shown otherwise. A study of 100 executives, primarily
from Fortune 1000 firms, who employed coaches from Florida-based firm
Manchester, Inc., found that return on their investment was nearly six times
what each firm spent on coaching. Companies retained executives, had fewer
customer complaints and saw more productivity from their coached employees. What
business owner doesn’t want that?
"...a
business owner stuck in that mentality may be missing out on great opportunities
just by keeping the status quo."
So how do you choose the right coach? The key is
to find one you trust and who challenges you without having unrealistic
expectations. Some business owners see the stereotypical coach as a slick,
motivational manipulator who will seek to turn them into a business mixer
schmoozer. The truth is there are as many styles of coaches as there are people.
Here are some tips to help you find yours:
Know yourself and what you want. Before you
even begin the process of looking for a coach, ask yourself some honest
questions. What do I want? What do I expect? Are there some things about my
management style that probably need to change? Am I willing to consider
making these changes? What am I willing to do? What am I not willing to do?
Where do I want to be in five years? In 10 years?
Call several coaching firms and individuals.
Talk to others in your field to get referrals.
Meet with at least five possible coaching
candidates. Find out how they work.
Don’t’ be too concerned if your coach
candidates don’t “get” your business immediately. Sometimes it’s best to
have a coach that knows absolutely nothing about your field so that you can
get some fresh approaches and ideas.
Be sure your coach is willing to be honest
with you. In fact, if a coach candidate isn’t willing to tell you things you
don’t want to hear, you probably haven’t found the right coach.
Tell your coach candidates what you perceive
your goals are right now. Also tell each candidate what you are willing, and
not willing, to do to meet them. Ask them what they can do to help.
Discuss upfront how you and your coach will
work together when you don’t agree. A good coach will push you in directions
that you don’t agree with or that make you uncomfortable. Sometimes a good
coach will tell you about certain negative behaviors you have that you don’t
necessarily want to change. Ask how you and the coach will deal with these
issues.
Trust your gut. Some business owners prefer
a coach with a similar style, while others want to possess characteristics
they observe in a coach who has a different personality. Go with the one you
think you can best work with.
So you’ve selected your coach. What comes next?
Most coaches will want to re-evaluate your goals with you first. You’ll also
discuss strengths, weaknesses, problems and concerns. Next you will likely
develop a plan of action. Here are some things to remember when working with a
coach:
Nothing will change overnight. Commit to at
least a year of coaching before you re-evaluate its effectiveness.
Make coaching a priority. Business owners
tend to put the business at hand over every other function. However,
coaching can help you cut down on the time it takes to do business. Make
coaching the priority.
"...both
you and your business will grow in ways you never thought possible!"
Be willing to consider doing things
differently. Note that I’m not saying to actually DO things differently.
There’s a difference between that and considering the possibility. Most of
us need to ease ourselves into transitions and changes. Being willing to
change is the first step.
Be honest with your coach. You’ve chosen a
coach who you feel will be honest with you, and you must reciprocate. In
fact, not being honest will most likely be a waste of time for both of you.
It’s important that you develop trust with your coach.
Take crisis issues to your coach. As the top
person in your organization, your coach can be your sounding board for
dealing with tough problems. It never hurts to get a different perspective.
Working with a business coach is a rewarding
experience. You’ll learn about gifts and talents that you never even knew you
possessed. You’ll face issues that you hoped would never see the light of day.
And both you and your business will grow in ways you never thought possible!
Connecticut Secretary has Executive Coaches in
our Referral Program Network - If you are in need of coaching services for
individuals, executives or businesses, please contact us today:
kms@connecticutsecretary.com
Remember how you felt the first day you
opened your small business? It’s a time of excitement and joy for most of us.
We’re ready to go and conquer the world!
However, once the honeymoon is over and
reality sets in, we find that there are challenges as well as successes in the
world of business. Some days we get overwhelmed with the challenges. After a
string of those days, we begin to lose our motivation.
It’s challenging even when you are an
employee to stay motivated in a job. However, employees usually have peers they
can talk with to vent about their day or to keep their skills sharp. That’s not
true of employers. More often than not, we walk that road alone. And unlike an
employee, our motivation level is more likely to be tied to the performance of
our company! If our motivation is low, it could hurt the entire business.
Focusing on keeping yourself motivated
may not be what you think. Most of us think of motivation as cheerleading or
rallying the troops. That may be true for employees at times, but for business
owners self-motivation can be very different.
Here are five ways to keep being
motivated for business owners:
1.Take
a vacation. When WAS the last time you took time
off? Really took time off – without a cell phone, a laptop or a digital pager?
If it’s been more than a year, you need to do it! Taking time to relax and
recharge is the best thing you can do to keep yourself motivated. Vacations
help stave off burn out, and refresh you mentally and physically.
2.Join
an association. A trade organization is a
fabulous way to get contacts with your peers. You’ll have access to a large
pool of people who share the same success and challenges every day. Don’t worry
about being exposed to the competition – you can find people who have similar
businesses that are in a different part of the country or who focus on a
different area. Most associations have conferences and conventions that are
great places to learn about trends and develop your own new ideas.
3.Attend
training. Take a computer skills class or attend
a workshop to hone some of your skills. They don’t even have to be directly
related to your business. Try something general like communication skills, a
writing course or a workshop on how to close a sell.
4.Chase
a dream. Even corporations are sending their
executives to open a flower shop or to climb Mount Everest. There’s a lot to be
said about doing something far different than your day-to-day duties to give you
a different perspective about what you do. Fulfilling a dream, either
professionally or personally, has a profound effect on us in our careers and how
motivated we are.
5.Work
with a business coach. Working with a business
coach will help you set some goals for your business that can help keep you
motivated! Having both long-term and short-term goals are important. It pumps
us up to see instant success, but it’s also very gratifying to meet a long-term
goal, too! Both do a lot to keep small business owners motivated.
Most small business owners give their hearts and souls to
their companies, especially during the critical first five years. It’s
important to remember, though, that keeping our lives in balance always helps at
work. Nobody can consistently work 80 hours or more a week without becoming
burned out. Spend time with your family and friends, take time for your own
interests, create time for a spiritual life and take care of your physical
health, and you’ll be well on your way to staying motivated!
10 Key Strategies for Maintaining a Positive Attitude at Work and Home
Having a positive attitude is an important component of business productivity. When we view ourselves positively, we accept who we are and enable ourselves to soar to the greatest heights. But oftentimes, professionals may have the skills and expertise they need to work effectively but negative attitudes undermine their efforts and diminish their results. Here are 10 essential strategies for maintaining a positive attitude at work and home.
Self confidence drives your entire professional and personal life. It can shape your ability to overcome obstacles and achieve success.
Self esteem isn’t something you’re born with; it’s something you develop gradually throughout life. “Confidence is a habit that can be developed by acting as if you already had the confidence you desire to have,” according to success guru Brian Tracy. And successful coach Vince Lombardi says, “Confidence is contagious; so is lack of confidence.”
Whoever said, “Early to bed early to rise makes a
man healthy, wealthy and wise,” only got it partially right when it comes to
finding the formula for personal success, because great time management skills
are also essential.
While some people are
millionaires and some people are paupers, all people are on the same playing
field with regards to time. Every living being is allotted 24 hours in a single
day—no more, no less. So being able to accomplish your goals in any given day
means being able to prioritize and multi-task.
If you compare any two
people at a particular workplace and analyze their work habits, you’ll
oftentimes notice differences in terms of productivity. Some people are simply
better at managing their time and, therefore, getting more done with the time
they have. If you’re not particularly good at prioritizing and managing tasks,
you need not worry, because if you weren’t born with time management skills, you
can learn them.
First of all, you’ll want to begin each new week
by drawing up a schedule of things to do in the coming week. Start off by
listing things you absolutely must do, and then jot down things you’d like to
do. Once you’ve done this, you’ll want to look over your weekly schedule and
consider whether, time wise, your schedule is realistic. If it isn’t, then
you’ll need to drop off non-essentials and maybe factor in more time for the
critical tasks.
Something else you’ll want to consider is that
people with good time management skills tend to be fairly organized. If you’re
work desk looks as though it were hit by a tornado, then tidy up a little bit.
You’ll be surprised at how much more efficient you’ll be if you don’t have to
wade through piles of paper to find what you’re looking for.
Combine time management skills with health, wealth
and wisdom, and you’ve got the formula for personal success.
Being Self-Employed Brings You a Whole New Level of Stress Management
Being self-employed, or
freelancing, is a truly unique environment in which to work. Basically, you
wake up every morning and “reinvent the wheel.” That means that you begin every
day knowing that you’ll be required to provide your customers with something
they feel that they can’t live without. That’s not an easy thing for your
stress level to handle.
Being self-employed is
synonymous with long hours, and working through those days that you really
should have taken off. It means that your stomach is repeatedly in knots and
the adrenaline just doesn’t flow anymore.
If this describes you, you’re
not alone.
Working for oneself from home,
in front of the computer on weekdays and weekends is becoming evermore popular
thanks to the internet and the World Wide Web. However, with this ever growing
popularity of independence, comes the increasing build of stress.
Symptoms of high stress in those
who are self-employed include:
The
inability to concentrate
The general
feeling of being uptight
Biting
everyone’s head off
Aching
shoulders and neck
A constant
headache
Indecisiveness
Fatigue
Insomnia
Of course, these are only a
sample of the symptoms, but they are among the most common. If left unmanaged,
stress can even develop further into more dangerous health conditions.
For people who are
self-employed, proper stress management becomes critical to living a healthy,
rewarding life. Stress management itself is a matter of recognizing your
individual stresses, finding the cause, and taking responsibility for these
stresses, making changes where they are necessary.
This can be as simple as taking
an aroma therapeutic bubble bath at night, yoga, or something more structured,
such as consulting a stress management therapist.
If you are self-employed, and
you wish to make certain that your stress level is managed effectively, you may
wish to consult your doctor, who can advise you with regards to the techniques
and strategies that will work best for you.
Hiring the Right Candidate for the Job and Your Company
Connecticut Secretary interviewed Bruce
Clinton of ASearch, LLC, a Connecticut based executive search firm, and
discussed the uniqueness of his business and the challenges faced by
companies that need to make a critical hire.
Increasingly, companies are evaluating job candidates on how well they fit their
corporate culture — not just the job.
It’s an important consideration, as shrinking
budgets and economic uncertainty put a squeeze on corporate environments and
demand smarter hiring practices.
Filling open positions can be a grueling,
expensive and lengthy process. According to recent research by global human
resources firm DBM, 94 percent find the average job search is taking four to six
months, with the majority seeing most job seekers taking about five months to
secure employment. And finding a new, senior-level position in the current job
market takes more than 12 months, compared to about seven months in 1998.
To manage the more extensive search process,
many companies are using personality assessments to find the right person for
their company. In fact, one third of
2,100 human resource managers recently surveyed by
the American Management Association were incorporating personality profiling
into their hiring decision-making process.
Personality testing allows companies to go
beyond first impressions and analyze the true value of candidates’ skills and
character. The goal is to determine how the combination of the two will fit into
the organization.
Considering a job candidate’s characteristics
can help employers determine if that person has the right ability and
adaptability for their work environment. For example: a new hire may have
outstanding abilities, but if he doesn’t have the communication skills to work
well with a team, he may not be the best candidate. The company may be better
off hiring a great communicator with average skills that can be improved upon
with training instead.
The bottom line is: Personality assessments can
help companies hire the right employee — and retain them longer. And employee
retention saves companies money and valuable time due to lost productivity and
costs associated with recruiting and hiring.
In addition to personality testing, more
businesses are relying on the expertise of innovative firms like ASearch LLC to
help them identify the best candidates for the job and company. ASearch is a
Connecticut executive search firm that heavily factors a potential employee’s
character into the recruitment and hiring process.
In his 30 years of organizational development
consulting, Bruce Clinton has watched too many poor executive hires endanger the
success of organizations. But very few executives fail because of their resume,
says Clinton, a founding partner of ASearch. “Most failures are due to lack of
the right behavioral or cultural fit.”
If you only hire on experience, he poses, how
do you deal with the behavior and chemistry that walks in the door? “We help the
hiring authority get beyond the tip of the iceberg, which is the resume,
experience, interview and references…to find the best fit for the organization's
culture and job requirements.”
ASearch takes an in-depth approach that helps
its clients lower their transaction costs. The company provides value-added
services such as a company culture analysis of the executive team. As a result,
job candidates submitted to companies will all meet the cultural and behavioral
requirements for the position and will have third-party assessments to verify
their qualifications. Therefore, their clients generally only need to review a
few candidates to find the best match.
ASearch’s process guarantees the suitability of
candidates and removes the risk of a poor fit. “Our value proposition is not
offered by all search firms,” Clinton says. “As a matter of fact, I don't know
of any that do all we do.”
The company’s approach is evidenced by its bold
slogan: “We go beyond the search. We take the risk and doubt out of your next
critical executive hire.”
ASearch is a major New England search firm that
represents decades of organizational development, executive search and
assessment experience. Following are questions and answers about the company’s
background and perspective on the executive search process. More information is
available at the company’s Website at
www.asearchllc.com.
Q: Why did you start ASearch?
A: I saw this as an opportunity to fill a gap in
an under serviced and misunderstood market of closely-held businesses. I believe
small and medium sized businesses are the key to our economic growth and felt
that this retained search business could make a positive difference. And between
my background and that of my two partners, we had an exceptional value to offer
key executives and company owners.
Q: Tell us about your experience.
A: My background is over 30 years of
organizational development consulting to closely-held and family
businesses. Prior to this, I was owner and president of a residential real
estate business with two locations plus a new home sales division; president and
owner of a land development company; and general partner of a limited
partnership which developed 200 acres of land into a luxury subdivision of 96
lots. I later joined the consulting company that helped me build my real estate
business when I sold it to one of my managers in the mid-seventies.
Q: What about your partners and their
experience?
A: Anthony Townley has over thirty years of
staffing and executive search experience. He conducts our searches once the
position requirements have been defined. Barry Foster has extensive assessment
knowledge and is a leader and innovator in the business and executive coaching
profession. Barry and I procure the retained search assignments, facilitate the
development of the position requirements with the position development team and
the selection team, and coach the integration process of the new executive.
Q: Describe the typical client you work with.
A: Closely-held companies with a sweet spot of
$25-100 million in sales. We have worked with organizations with sales of $4
million to over $300 million. We deal mostly with the CEO or President of the
organization or the COO.
Q: Can you give us an overview of your
company and its services?
A: ASearch takes the risk and doubt out of the
next critical hire an organization makes. We take an organizational development
approach to make this a reality. We help our clients understand their culture,
define the position and the goals for the first 30, 60, 90 and next 180 days
with agreed upon evidence of goal accomplishments, required and desired
experience and education and the objective psychometrics required for the new
position based on the understanding of the culture and position requirements. We
also make sure that the selection team understands its role in making this new
key person successful. Finally, we coach the integration process of the new hire
with reviews at the 45- and 90-day time periods. At that time, if all parties
are progressing as expected, we extend our guarantee for the balance of the
first year from the date of hire.
Q: Any additional information about your
services?
A : Because we become so knowledgeable about an
organization and are able to provide so much value, we often reach the level of
trusted advisor and are asked to assist in other organizational development type
assignments. In this case, we will do the assignment or bring in other
professionals who we have worked with to perform the services on behalf of
ASearch and the client.
Q: Have most of your clients had a negative
hiring experience?
A: Yes. Almost all of our current search clients
have had a poor hire in a similar position or understand the value of getting
the right fit the first time.
Q: Can you give us an idea of how much money
is lost due to these failures?
A: It’s hard to gauge the lost opportunity costs
-- which are the higher costs -- lost business, turnover of good employees, lost
production and bad comments about an organization which means opportunities you
will never get or know why. On the tangible side, are the transaction costs,
advertising, resume culling, extensive interview time, training costs of the
wrong person once hired, lost wages and benefits, placement fees, law suits for
wrongful discharge, contractual costs, relocation costs and contractual
separation costs if the executive is let go for any reason but cause. Minimum
figures for turnover of an executive have been four to five times the annual
salary.
Q: Why have those employees failed?
A: If you interview companies, you will find a
lack of cultural fit (chemistry) and behavior that did not allow the new hire to
perform i.e. no sense of urgency, low energy, not able to make a decision or
hold people accountable, etc.
Q: What are the challenges you see facing
employers who are trying to do it on their own?
A: Understanding the real requirements of the
position and their culture, being able to get below the surface or tip of the
iceberg to match the position requirements to the candidate, determine what is
success early on as well as long term, integrating the new hire into the
organization and working out the rough spots — especially if the position
requires different behavior(s) than the current culture.
Q: At what point do employers give up their
own attempts and seek your help?
A: I am not sure…the need to know that there is a
better way than the traditional search firm... Otherwise they will continue on a
hit or miss proposition. I knew of one firm that turned over a key executive
position three or more times and still did not get it right.
Q: Can you quantify the retention rate of
employees who were sourced on their own, compared to those hired using your
firm's services?
No, but the cost of any turnover is great …We know
that if you know how to define your culture and the position and have objective
means of measuring the culture and behaviors required for success in this
culture doing the position requirements, with the right experience and education
you will have little chance of turning over the position. That is why we offer
an unprecedented one-year guarantee to everyone who uses
Whoever said, “Early to bed early to rise makes a
man healthy, wealthy and wise,” only got it partially right when it comes to
finding the formula for personal success, because great time management skills
are also essential.
Being self-employed, or
freelancing, is a truly unique environment in which to work. Basically, you
wake up every morning and “reinvent the wheel.” That means that you begin every
day knowing that you’ll be required to provide your customers with something
they feel that they can’t live without. That’s not an easy thing for your
stress level to handle. 
