Extraordinary Business

By now most everyone has heard about Steve Slater. In case you have been hiding under a rock somewhere, Mr.Slater recently took a unique approach to quitting a rather long career with Jet Blue. After a heated exchange with a passenger, Slater went to the back of the plane, shared some choice words over the intercom, and exited out an emergency evacuation chute.

Since then he has been arrested, released, and become an internet sensation. Some are even calling hi a “hero”. So my question is when is it OK to celebrate bad behavior? To be fair, there were triggers to Slater’s actions. The passenger who launched this chain of events appears to be as guilty of slinging the expletives as Mr. Slater in this case. But should two wrongs make a right?

It seems our society is becoming increasingly angry. Whether it’s politics, work, or lifestyle, as a group we are more polarized than ever. I think the stresses of a struggling economy, stressful work conditions, and the constant bombardment of negative information has made people more cynical. I am seeing it everywhere from Facebook comments to golf league. People are angry and in some cases willing to exert bad behavior to get their frustrations out. To accept it, and in certain cases even praise it, is not good. At what point will these actions not be OK?

As leaders and employers it is important that we do what we can to change the momentum being created. In our own way, we need to start changing the mindsets of others. We need to start finding what is working. We need to get back to finding ways to grow and innovate. This country was created by people who took it upon themselves to create a strong, prosperous nation and as leaders we need to focus on that again. It’s time to stop pointing fingers and blaming. If you are angry, take positive action to change your environment.

It is time for us to be the positive example. Instead of celebrating our anger, we need to be celebrating our successes.

Labels: "Dan Paulson", "Daniel Paulson", "InVision Business Development", "Jet Blue", "Steve Slater", Business, Business Coaching, Communication, customer loyalty, customer service, InVision, Leadership

Imagine for a moment that over the next two weeks more than half of your top talent walked out the door. What's worse is they actually set their plans to leave six months to a year earlier. What would you do?

Many companies could start feeling that pain in the coming months. In a new article by Joe Light from the Wall Street Journal, the number of employees voluntarily leaving their place of employment was higher than the number of people being laid off or fired for the first time since October 2008. This is a sign that people are growing more confident in a strengthening economy and are willing to seek out a new employer. The article also mentions a poll conducted by Right Management that 60% of those workers intended to leave their jobs when the market got better which implies that there are many who may be working for you that have already checked out.

As our economy begins to grow again, companies may start experiencing a new form of downsizing where the talented work pool leaves the companies that sparred their positions. If your best talent were to leave and go to your competitor, what would you do?

Be proactive with your people. Speak to them openly. Engage them in the future of your company. Give them an active role in its growth. The costs of finding new talent can be as high as several times that person's salary.

What are you doing to keep your top talent?


Source: http://yhoo.it/aHTk8e

Labels: "Dan Paulson", "Daniel Paulson", "InVision Business Development", "Wall Street Journal", Business, Business Coaching, Economy, Organizational Development, Strategy, WSJ

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A few days ago we celebrated the 40th anniversary of Apollo 13. Though I was too young to remember when it happened, I know enough through history and the media to understand how important of an event this was.

Here's a recap for those younger than me who haven't at least seen the movie with Tom Hanks. Apollo 13 was one of several trips to the moon that the US made between 1969 and 1972. It was the only one that was scheduled to land on the moon but didn't. Early in the flight a malfunction created an explosion that damaged the craft and placed the lives of its passengers in jeopardy. The decision was made to use the gravity of the moon to bring the astronauts back as it was their best chance for survival. Enduring harsh conditions, the astronauts made use of their damaged craft and with the assistance of some very talented people on Earth, plus a little luck, managed to get back home safely.

The fact that these men survived when you consider the technology they were using is amazing. It represents what we as humans are capable of when we go beyond what we believe we are capable of. One of the challenges highlighted in the movie demonstrates our potential. At one point, the astronauts were using up all of their oxygen. The scrubbers designed to remove the CO2 from the air in the lunar lander was not designed to support three people or last as long as it was tasked for. To make matters worse, the filters in the module were not designed to fit in the lander. In order to give the astronauts enough oxygen to get back, the engineers on the ground had to literally figure out a way for a square filter to fit in a round hole. Under a severe time crunch and extreme pressure they were able to work a solution using the limited materials found on the craft at that time. This was just one of the many challenges that the astronauts and ground crew faced throughout their ordeal.

The success of Apollo 13 in spite of all its failures meant a great deal to our country during a difficult time. It demonstrated our ability to adapt to ever changing situations and to overcome many obstacles. We all face challenges in our lives. Hopefully none of us will have to go through the challenges these astronauts endured, and the reality is there are many who will face similar issues where it may seem like all hope is lost. No matter what your circumstances may be, know this: You are the only one who has the power to change your outcomes. When you use your mind and tap in to your talents, only then will you realize what you are capable of.

Labels: "Apollo 13", "Dan Paulson", "Daniel Paulson", "InVision Business Development", "Lunar Landing", Apollo, Business, Business Coaching, courage, Leadership, Personal Development, Strategy

Want to see how to destroy a great reputation that took years to build in just a few short weeks? You might want to talk with Toyota. In their quest to become the world's largest car company they made a mistake that GM was often considered guilty of. They let quality slip.

That alone probably wasn't bad enough to do the damage. But trying to cover it up was. Toyota knew there was a problem, but they weren't sure what it was or how to correct it. First it was the floor mats causing the accelerator to stick. When that didn't resolve the issue the public began questioning if they actually knew. Now it appears Toyota has the solution by fixing a faulty accelerator. Just when they thought it couldn't get worse, now there is a problem with the breaks on the new Prius. A recall has been issued in Japan, and the US is waiting to see what they will do here.

Recalls in the auto industry certainly aren't new. Actually they happen quite often. Check out http://www.automotive.com/new-cars/recalls/index.html and see for yourself. So what made Toyota's such a big deal?

I think the issue is trust. Toyota built its reputation around it. You could trust them, their vehicles were reliable, you could count on their resale value, etc. The recalls have people questioning that trust and it's going to take a lot to repair it.

People have become very skeptical in today's economy. Loss of jobs, the mortgage bubble, and questionable business practices have caused cynicism to increase. Rebuilding trust will be a challenge and it will take time. For others, it will create opportunities to grow. Trust is one of the most valuable things in your business. Make sure you don't squander it. Hire the right people, communicate and value them. Treat them well. Work with integrity and be a good community partner. Create a legacy that will have people wanting to do business with you and not driving them to your competitors.

Labels: "Auto Industry", "Dan Paulson", "Daniel Paulson", "InVision Business Development", auto, Business, Business Coaching, Communication, Economy, growth, InVision, Recalls, Strategy, success, Toyota

Throughout my career, I have been on both sides of the hiring scene. I have dealt with the frustrations of finding a position that best matched my abilities and beliefs, and I also played various roles in hiring at every company I worked for. In either case, I would say the objective was the same: find the right fit.

Today I find myself taking that experience and helping companies do just that, find the right fit. The theme that has repeated itself this year is the desire to have people match the culture they work in. More than one company has asked for help in the hiring process because of bad experiences in the past. Too often the decision to hire is made on technical experience and the decision to fire is a cultural one. Talent matters little when values and beliefs don't match. It's a lot like a bad marriage and usually the honeymoon period is much shorter.

So how can companies make better decisions? Whether you are someone seeking a new career, or a business looking at hiring, you need to consider these thoughts. The hiring process in many companies is broken. It's more about flash and dazzle while answering a rather standardized bank of questions the right way. The internet has plenty of resources available at no cost to help you interview better. If that is not enough, you can pay to have a professional create a resume, or consult you on your interview skills.

Employers play a similar game. The hiring approach is focused on weeding candidates out because they do not exactly match the criteria described in the job ad. On top of that the focus is more about technical aptitude and less about attitude. And I speak from experience when I say it is easier to work with someone who is motivated to do a good job than it is to work with an expert who isn't motivated at all. Technical skills are easier to teach while it is much more difficult to change behavior.

Here are some things to consider when hiring:

• Before posting a position. Define what will make that new person successful. Do it not only from technical expertise, but from behavioral as well. "Begin with the end in mind," as Covey would say.
  
  
• Ask for more than a cover letter and resume. You want a feel for what this person is like. Ask specific questions related to specific behaviors identified in the first bullet. Get the candidate to share past experiences and outcomes. This will give you a better idea of what they are like.
  
  
• Weed out candidates on multiple factors. Understand what level of technical skill you are looking for and weigh that against the scenarios they have shared. Look for a balance between behavior and expertise. Have your list of "need to haves" and "nice to haves." Avoid compromise on that which you deem critical to the position, and be willing to develop the rest. This list should be down to 3-10 candidates.
  
  
• The "pre-interview." Many companies do this. Have a short interview over the phone. This is to cover experience and discuss the scenarios shared in the correspondence from the interviewee. It may involve a few in depth questions related to the information already provided. You may also choose to ask some warm-up questions to see if this candidate goes on to the next round. After this step, you should be down to no more than four candidates.
  
  
• Interviewing. There are no shortage of interview questions available. Most questions focus on hypothetical outcomes. For example, "What would you do if..." The types of questions should focus on past behavior. These are tougher to prepare for and require facts to back them up. The questions you ask again should be a balance of technical experience and behavior/attitude.
  
  
• Don't ask for references. Most people in their right mind will not give you a bad reference. I would recommend gathering contacts identified through the interview process. The can validate information and help you assess its accuracy. Listen for names in the interview process. Seek out those contacts first. They will either validate or clarify what actually happened.
  
  
• Assessments. Personality assessment tools can provide valuable information in the hiring process. Instead of using them as an elimination tool, I help leaders use them to define what they will need to develop in the person they bring on. All of us have strengths and weaknesses. How we communicate, react and process information also affect how we do our jobs. Assessments provide a way to help leaders understand the communication style of the individual.
  
  

While this list is not complete, nor is it necessarily right for every hiring situation, it can help you make better choices with the staff you will be adding. In the coming days I will dig into these topics a little deeper and would love to hear your experiences and successes with hiring.

Labels: "Dan Paulson", "Daniel Paulson", "InVision Business Development", Business, Business Coaching, Careers, Hiring, InVision, Jobs, Leadership, Strategy

If the feedback I have been getting from executives holds true, 2010 will be the "Year of Performance." There is a common theme that has been popping up in virtually every discussion I have had over the last few months. And that is quote:"We believe we are at a point where we have the right people to take this organization forward. There is a lot to accomplish and the economy hasn't bounced back yet, but we need to grow. This year we need our people to work smarter, be more efficient, and believe in our company."

One CEO put it, "Our typical evaluation process isn't working to create better employees and grow the company. We need to do a better job with communication and innovation. Our leaders must empower their people to do the right things and teach them how to make good decisions."

From hiring to development, the companies that are making the transition back to growth mode are all wanting to do better with what they got. I am fortunate to say that I will be working with some of these companies to do just that through better strategy, better leadership and better execution. Momentum is building and growth will resume again. It will take time but we are on our way.

In future posts I intend to discuss some of the work I am doing and give some insight to how you might get your people working better, smarter, and more efficient.

Labels: "Dan Paulson", "Daniel Paulson", "International Business", "InVision Business Development", Business, Business Coaching, Coaching, Communication, efficiency, InVision, Leadership, Lean

It's amazing how our world has changed in a relatively short period of time. When I attended college (not all that long ago) things like email and the internet were either in their fledgling stages or unheard of. Heck, anyone having a computer in their dorm room was a big deal. Today we are interconnected in so many ways it's hard to believe. Now my phone is no longer anchored to the wall of my house, it's anchored to my hip... and sometimes my ear. Besides that it also connects me to the internet, email, and text messaging. With so many ways it should be easier to communicate, right? Not always so.

I am writing this post because today I got one of those many reminders that I am human and prone to make mistakes. The irony that it is centered around communication can make it even more painful since I work with many of my clients on just that. Like everything in life, I treat it as a learning opportunity and thought I would share while this one is still painful because it is too easy for many of us to make the same mistake.

Without getting into many of the details this is what happened: I have been working with a group of people on a collaborative effort. One of many I have going on simultaneously right now. With collaboration comes planning and the desire by all participants to get it right. This group is no exception. For those who may not know me should know I am very driven as well as action oriented. My personal drive combined with my need to have a process around it can sometimes be challenging. So I am constantly working against the clock in my head of when things should be complete vs when more planning needs to be done. In this particular case I desired the need to keep moving ahead when someone forwarded an email to the group of some follow up things that needed to be completed. These items definitely needed to be done and I thought it would still be possible for us to move ahead in other areas. I responded to everyone with my thoughts and didn't concern myself with it any further, that is until it surfaced later. My email came across the wrong way with other members of the group and I found myself making corrections and apologizing. I also kick myself for making this mistake. Email is a tool for communication.

Email has made our lives easier by allowing us to communicate information to others quickly. It has also become a crutch for many as the preferred method. I too have fallen into this trap. The problem with email is your inability to clearly share feelings and other thoughts. We make the communication short and sweet and abbreviate in areas we probably shouldn't. Interpretation is then left to the individual reading it to get the message out. I have a very direct style of communication when writing email messages and that can be interpreted differently than intended which was the problem in this example.

The thing to remember is email has its time and place, but it should not be treated as the only source of information. It is used too often in many cases because it is easy and quick. Yet sometimes it is better to just pick up the phone and make a call. At the very least, be mindful of your words for they are open to interpretation. Question yourself, "Should I send this as an email, or is this better delivered in person." We all make mistakes and I was fortunate enough to have people communicate back to me which may not always be the case. So be careful how you use technology so it doesn't come back to haunt you later.

Labels: "Dan Paulson", "Daniel Paulson", "InVision Business Development", Business, Business Coaching, Coaching, Communication, InVision, Leadership