The value of this Business Plan process is the thinking that it forces you to do about your business, your products and services, your goals and the actions you’ll take to achieve your goals. Even if no one but you ever sees the plan, you will have given purposeful and logical thought to the purpose and direction of your business. This process helps ensure that the many activities you squeeze into your limited hours are time well spent – focused on moving your business forward in an aggressive yet realistic way.
Part 1: Analysis
Core Services
- List the core services (or products) you offer
- Be as specific as possible, but put similar items in a group (e.g., “Editorial Services” includes writing, editing, etc.)
Target Markets
- List the market segments you serve
- Be realistic; if you realistically cannot serve large corporations, for example, then don’t include them
- Be as specific as possible, but put similar items in a group unless there is a compelling reason to list them separately (e.g., “School Groups” could include secondary schools and colleges, but these segments might have different needs)
Competition Analysis
- List your competitors and a brief description of them
- Unless a specific competitor presents unique challenges to your business, it is OK to list them in groups (e.g., “Independent Practitioners” or “Small Agencies”)
- The purpose is to provide yourself a picture of what your business is up against as you market your core service
Vision and Mission Statements
- It is useful to have Vision and Mission statements that keep you focused on what is important to you
- Vision Statement should describe the “ideal state” of your business; it should be achievable, but also something to strive for
- Mission Statement succinctly states what your business is about, its purpose, the role it plays in the market
Part 2: Assumptions
Business Principles
- It is useful to develop a set of Business Principles that guide how you will conduct your business
- These principles have a direct bearing on your relationships with customers and clients
- The reason to include it under “Assumptions” is because your Business Principles are conditions under which your business operates; as you will see further in this section, you will list other conditions under which your business operates as well
Economic Assumptions
- List things you know about the economy (local, state, regional, national, international – whatever you believe affects your business)
- Include relevant historical facts (e.g., “the U.S. economy fell into recession in 2001”) and how they affect your ability to do business
- Note the impact of past, current, or anticipated economic conditions on your business and the products/services you provide
Financial Assumptions
- List things you know about your personal and/or business financial situation that affect your ability to do business and to grow your business
- Include things like cash flow issues, savings programs, the financial picture as a result of actions or conditions (a recession, recent investments, loan approvals, etc.)
- Reflect financial “realities” about your business (e.g., the need to control expenses, taxes owed, upcoming capital expenditures, expanding payroll, etc.)
Technological Assumptions
- Since so many businesses – large and small – depend on technology (web, e-mail, phone, etc.) today, it is useful to think about how these issues affect your business’s ability to succeed
- Think about upgrades of hardware and software, the impact of growth and expansion on your technological needs, training that will be necessary, etc.
Part 3: Strategic Summary
SWOT Analysis
- List all the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats about your business
- Be honest with yourself; don’t hold anything back or ignore realities
Key Success Factors
- Out of your SWOT Analysis, what are the key factors that will affect the ability of your business to succeed?
- Examples: strong reputation, broad client base, repeat business, unique provider, etc.
Competitive Advantages / Disadvantages
- Create lists of your competitive advantages and disadvantages based on your analysis of everything else up to this point
- What unique advantages does your business have in the marketplace?
- What distinct disadvantages does your business have?
- Be honest and don’t hold back because you will develop strategies based largely on this informatio
Strategic Goals
- Develop two or three broad Strategic Goals for your business in the next year or the next 3-5 years, depending on the scope of your plan
- Strategic Goals should be “big picture” goals, but they should also be specific enough that you can measure them
- Under each goal, list one to three specific, measurable components
- Example of a Strategic Goal: “Grow Client Base”
- Example of specific, measurable component: “Add at least X new clients by X date”
- Make your goals SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-driven
Tactical Actions
- Out of your Strategic Goals, list specific actions you will take that will help you achieve them
- Examples: Meet with two new prospective clients per month; Join a professional association to expand my network
- Create a calendar that plots when each tactical activity will occur so you don’t forget to do them
… if I were hiring a “Universal PR professional” to guide strategic communications, here are some of my best practice tips to shape that PR person’s role:
1. Be proactive and don’t wait to be asked. Today, we are looking for people who will raise their hands to get involved. For example, with the development of a social media policy, training initiatives and governance (new responsibilities that require PR to participate). You should never wait for someone to give you the assignment, especially if you identify an area in your department or company that needs support. Propose new ideas, do the research, and offer your assistance. The initiative you take will make you stand out among all the rest.
2. Start with good communication on the inside. Take the time to discover how to be more efficient and productive with your teams. Make suggestions beyond simply using email communication on how to finish your projects on time and under budget. Use social collaboration tools on the inside of your company for better internal communications and then take the time to educate your peers on new ways to work together to increase overall productivity.
3. Test technology … always. Don’t be behind the curve, instead stay ahead for advancement. Be ready to answer those leadership questions asking “why” and “how” your brand should participate in new social communities. Take the time to “Tech Test” in different areas including collaborative platforms, applications, monitoring software, influence tools, etc., which will make you a more valuable asset to your organization.
4. Listen to be heard and to be relevant. Gathering customer intelligence is the best way to internalize information and then use it to communicate with meaning, through offline and new media channels. Since I started in PR, I was always told to listen first to solve problems. This is much more apparent today, as a result of social media. By truly “listening,” we can help people and build stronger relationships with our constituents.
5. You are always on! Social media doesn’t sleep, so your organization’s readiness is key. Creating the social media crisis plan (integrated into an overall crisis plan) requires knowledge and skills. It’s imperative for you to build a system that catches negative sentiment early on before it escalates, and to put processes and people in place for different levels of escalation through new media
Read full article by Deirdre Breakenridge on PR 2.0 Strategies
With his team, Saku Tuominen, founder and creative director at the Idealist Group in Finland, interviewed and followed 1,500 workers at Finnish and global firms to study how people feel and respond to issues in the workplace. Tuominen’s findings are easy to understand — 40 percent of those surveyed said their inboxes are out of control, 60 percent noted that they attend too many meetings, and 70 percent don’t plan their weeks in advance. Overall, employees said they lacked a sense of meaning, control, and achievement in the workplace. Sound familiar?
Based on the study and the insights of Teresa Amabile, a professor at Harvard Business School, Tuominen recommends new approaches to changing our work processes that all tap into our unconscious:
- Think about one question/idea that needs insight and keep this thought in your subconscious mind.
- Clear your conscious mind by using this two-step system: move your thought(s) from your mind to a list and then clear your list when you have a short break (if your meeting is canceled, for instance, or your flight is delayed).
- Plan your week and month by listing three priorities you would like to accomplish.
- Make certain you have at least four consecutive, uninterrupted hours a day dedicated to the three priorities you identified.
This last point is key. Tuominen deduced that if you can schedule four hours with continuous flow and concentration, you could accomplish a lot and improve the quality of your thinking. As Tuominen aptly states, “you can’t manage people if you can’t manage yourself.”
In turbulent times, it’s hard enough to deal with external problems. But too often people and companies exacerbate their troubles by their own actions. Self-defeating behaviors can make any situation worse. Put these five on the what-not-to-do list.
Demanding a bigger share of a shrinking pie
Leaders defeat themselves when they seek gain when others suffer, for example, raising prices in a time of high unemployment when consumers have less to spend, to ensure profits when sales are down. McDonald’s raised prices three percent in early 2012 and by the third quarter,faced the first drop in same-store sales in nine years. The executive responsible for that strategy was replaced.
At bankrupt Hostess Brands, bakery workers refused to make concessions (though the Teamsters did), thereby forcing the company to liquidate, eliminating 18,000 jobs. By trying to grab too much, the bakery union could lose everything.
This happens to executives too. A manager in a retail company demanded a promotion during the recession, because he was “indispensable,” he said. The CEO, who had cut her own pay to save jobs, fired him instead. Greed makes a bad situation worse.
Getting angry
Anger and blame are unproductive emotions. Post-U.S. election, defeated Mitt Romney blamed his defeat on “gifts” that “bought” the votes of young people, women, African-Americans, and Latinos for President Obama. Losing the Presidency is a big defeat, but Romney further defeated future electoral prospects with public bitterness and insults. History might remember the bitterness, not his gracious concession speech.
Anger hurts companies too, especially if misplaced. Years after a tragic explosion on an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010 in which 11 people lost their lives, BP was back in the news with a record fine and criminal charges. Former CEO Tony Hayward defeated himself and damaged the company in the public mind by issuing bitter statements about how unfair this was.
Angry words leave a long trail. An employee in another company who threw a temper tantrum over a denied proposal was surprised that this episode was still recalled two years later, overwhelming his accomplishments. He was the first terminated in a reorganization. Bitterness turns everything sour.
Giving in to mission creep
Sometimes self-perpetuated decline occurs more slowly, through taking core strengths for granted while chasing the greener grass. I can’t say that this is happening to Google, a company I admire, but I do see potholes ahead — although driverless cars are an extension of mapping software close to Google’s core strength in search. But should Google expand its territory to be a device maker and communications network provider, building a fiber-optics and mobile network? This could be mission creep. Perhaps Google should focus on improving Googling.
Read full article via Harvard Business Review
Emails are key to communication in the office. Yet, as a rule, they are badly written. So by consistently sending sharp, well-composed electronic messages, you will make yourself stand out from the crowd. Take careful note of the following:
1. Hone your subject line
Try to be more specific. Instead of giving your email the name ‘Byrne project’, call it ‘Byrne project: new deadline for phase 2’. Your email is already more interesting than most.2. Don’t bury the lead
If you want to annoy people, make them read three paragraphs before you get to the point. If you want to rise in the company, state your purpose in the first sentence or two and then get to the why and how of the matter.3. Request further action
End emails with a suggestion or a request for action. An example would be: ‘I will call you on Monday at 10am to discuss this’ or ‘When can we get this done?’. Otherwise, nothing is likely to happen.PLUS: 10 Best One-Liners
4. Be human
People who would never dream of being cold and abrupt in person, often come across that way in their emails. Being businesslike doesn’t mean being impersonal. Try to remember that the recipient, like you, is a human being.5. Proof your email
Just one misspelling, grammatical error or typo can make a sender look careless and disrespectful. Sending ‘clean’ emails lifts you above the sloppy crowd.
Face it every writer has days when they sit down to write and the words just don’t flow onto the page. You write one sentence and check how many words you just added in hopes it will miraculously be sufficient. The problem writers have is, when their heart isn’t in their writing, it shows. (Here’s how to overcome your writing demons).
To help you get your writing on track, here are twenty-one tips to prevent you from getting to the point where you have what I affectionately call blank-screen-syndrome.
- Create a list of articles you want to write but don’t have the time. I find that it’s easy to get inspired to write pieces about other topics when the pressure’s on to write a specific topic. There’s nothing like a deadline to make anything else seem exciting.
- Feed your mind. Read a book and/or other sources of insight such as blogs and news sites to get ideas. This isn’t an excuse to get a snack or other indulgence.
- Develop a story around a trending topic, even if it’s not in your area of focus. The objective is to stretch yourself to find a way to write about the hot topics. This can be useful for bloggers and company content where you need to keep your content relevant.
- Keep a swipe file. Sign up for a wide range of newsletters focused on your main topics to see what other writers and bloggers are covering. Save those articles that provide new insights or a different format for inspiration. This doesn’t mean you should simply copy someone else’s ideas or articles.
- Collect relevant questions you and others have on your main subject area.Think like you’re writing an endless FAQ. A list of questions gives you a hook to build your content around. This is particularly useful for blogs and company content.
- Get a jump before you quit. Before you quit a writing session, write down the ideas you have for the next session; form them into an outline added to the current document to make it easy to pick up where you left off.
- Close your digital door to remove distractions. This means close your social media sites, chat and email. To this end, it’s useful to have a dedicated space for writing.
- Make an appointment to write. Set your timer or alarm for a specific time and that’s when you have to start writing.
- Change writing environments. If you always write at your kitchen table, and you’re now stuck for new ideas, try writing at a coffee shop or local library.
- Seek inspiration. Do something that provides you with a muse. Go to a play, or museum.
First, you need to identify your audience. There are several methods to identify your audience, such as determining keywords that are bringing users to your website, creating user personae and more. Once you’ve identified your audience, you should create content that speaks to each user persona. Do not stray from this concept, because you will lose readers or followers. Readers are finicky at the beginning of any article or post. If you don’t capture their attention with the title, the remainder of the content might as well be in a language they don’t understand.
For example, let’s say you operate a blog about the exam for certified public accounts. Who is your audience? There are a few user personae we can identify without doing much detailed analysis. You can easily create personae for your audience in the same manner.
- Students: those in their early 20s who are working on an accounting bachelor’s or master’s degree, with the intent of taking the CPA exam eventually.
- Entry-level professionals: early- to mid-20s professionals working full time at a public accounting firm, after attaining a bachelor’s or master’s degree. This group is most likely to be actively involved in accounting practices or preparing to become a CPA.
- Career changers: adults looking to change careers or re-enter the workforce.
- Educators: accounting professors who might need to discuss CPA exam content with their students.
- Professionals: licensed CPAs who are concerned about the future of the profession.
Let’s say we want to target entry-level professionals, because this is likely the largest of the five personae we have identified. Many of these individuals have probably taken entry-level jobs as an accountant but have not yet sat for the CPA exam. One of the greater stresses about this exam is finding out one’s score for each section. Though the exam is largely computerized, it can take a few months for scores to be reported to the appropriate governing body. So “CPA exam score release” is a hot topic and sure to draw attention from entry-level professionals because this demographic would be interested in knowing exam scores.
This would be a perfect theme or title to create your content around. When reading this blog for the first time, readers will immediately be locked in because the content pertains to their situation — not their past, not their future, but what they are actively involved in at the moment. Most readers and discussion groups talk about what’s happening now. What’s buzzing? By focusing your title and content on “the now” of your target audience, you have a much better chance of each reader reading your article or post from beginning to end, which is the goal of any writer.
When selecting a topic, there are a few tips to keep in mind.
- Pick one that relates to at least one of your user personae. This drives at least one group of users to your content and is sure to relate to them.
- Topics should be useful or answer a question. This encourages social sharing, allowing your content to reach beyond its page.
- Pick a controversial or trendy topic. Readers usually show initial interest in current topics and trends compared with those of the past. That is, unless you are comparing a “now” topic with a past topic.
- Limit the sales and marketing aspect of your content. If you’re only trying to sell a product or service, you will probably fail. No one likes to feel as though he or she has been sold, but everyone likes to buy.
I’ve been paying attention to the things that command attention, both of myself and others, and I’ve made a list of 21 techniques that work. This list is far from all of them I’m sure, but it should be enough to get you started …
1. Be wrong
The world is full of people trying to do the right things. It’s become so common that many of us are bored by it. We long for someone that’s willing to do the wrong thing, say the wrong thing, be the wrong thing. If you have the courage to be that person, you’ll find lots of people paying attention to you.
2. Be right
You can also gain attention by being right … but only if you’re more right than everyone else. Run a mile faster than anyone else, explain your topic more clearly than anyone else, be funnier than everyone else. Embody perfection, and people will take notice.
3. Communicate what others can’t
As writers, we take ideas from our heads and put them on the page. Sometimes we forget how difficult that is for some people and how valuable that makes us. Lots of people would give anything to be able to say what they mean. But they can’t. So, they turn to songs, books, and art that communicate for them. Be a producer of those things, and you’ll never lose their attention.
4. Do something
Everybody online is trying to say something important, but very few are trying to do something important. If you want attention, dare not to just give advice to others, but to live that advice yourself. Then publish it to the open web.
5. Surprise people
Chip and Dan Heath, authors of Made to Stick, say that one of the best ways to set yourself apart is to break people’s “guessing machines.” Take a surprising position, making outlandish analogy, or otherwise do the opposite of what you normally do. As long as it’s unexpected, people will stop and pay attention.
What I have below is clearly not exhaustive, but they are the ideas that really resonated with me as a recruiter. Also, as we all know, many vital corporate communications skills are clearly timeless and I’ve tried not to put too much overlap of them here.
Increased Importance Of Ethics And Corporate Social Responsibility Considerations.
The concept of transparency as it pertains to the modern enterprise is relatively new and hugely transformational. Because of current and future technology, our organizations are going to be transparent whether we like it or not. We’re all living, or will shortly be living, in glass houses. As a result, it’s going to be largely up to the top communications leaders within the company to make sure this fact represents an opportunity and not a restriction. The silver lining of the existence of the challenge posed by transparency from the communications person’s point of view is that, if it’s within her purview, it gives her a lot more leverage for influence internally — and should mean even greater access to and cooperation from C-level executives.
Greater Flexibility In Writing And Speaking Style.
My PR friends tell me that in many cases the press isn’t the primary audience for their press releases anymore. More often they’re writing them for the end users, or they’re presenting the information in a short, web friendly video. As a result the savvy communications pro is very careful about balancing the use of conversational-style writing and speaking with the more formal, “professional” style. Use of the proper voice and tone in the company’s various channels of communication is key, and while it’s a task that in and of itself may not be that hard on a case by case basis, we have to remember that it all has to be integrated seamlessly with the overall messaging and marketing activities.
More Metrics And Quantitatively Oriented.
There is clearly debate about the extent to which lead generation and lead nurturing could and should play a role in what PR people are going to be asked to do in the near future, at least as it pertains to their role driving social media initiatives for their companies. What’s really not debatable is that the need to analyze what people do on the web (and how much they do it) will continue to grow. That means looking at numbers, data, statistics — web analytics. There’s no escaping it. Communications experts are going to need to know their stuff here, especially if they want to gain respect and get more influence with top management.
Further investigations were made, and finally it was discovered that the statue had been sculpted by forgers in Rome. The teams of analysts who did the 14 months of research turned out to be wrong. The historians who relied on their initial hunches were right.
I especially like this story because it aligns so strongly with my research in organizational creativity. Whether they call it a hunch, a gut feeling, or a flash of insight, thousands of successful managers and executives make business decisions using their intuition. Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, and Conrad Hilton are famous examples of executives who relied heavily on intuitive business decisions. A story about Conrad Hilton highlights the value of what was referred to as “one of Connie’s hunches.” There was to be a sealed bid on a New York property. Hilton evaluated its worth at $159,000. and prepared a bid in that amount. He slept that night and upon awakening, the figure $174,000 stood out in his mind. He changed the bid and submitted the higher figure. It won. The next highest bid was $173,000. He subsequently sold the property for several million dollars.
At the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Douglas Dean studied the relationship between intuition and business success. He found that 80 percent of executives whose companies’ profits had more than doubled in the past five years had above average precognitive powers. Management professor Weston Agor of the University of Texas in El Paso found that of the 2,000 managers he tested, higher-level managers had the top scores in intuition. Most of these executives first digested all the relevant information and data available, but when the data was conflicting or incomplete, they relied on intuitive approaches to come to a conclusion.
Computer whiz Allan Huang had puzzled for months over a recurring dream in which two opposing armies of sorcerers’ apprentices carried pails filled with data. Most nights, the two armies marched toward each other but stopped just short of confrontation. Other times they collided, tying themselves into a big red knot. Then one night, something different happened – the armies marched right into each other, but with no collision. Instead, they passed harmlessly through each other like light passing through light.
In all of our brains, there is a powerful subconscious process, which works to sift huge amounts of information, blend data, isolate telling details, and come to astonishingly rapid conclusions. Our job is to better understand that process so we can nurture it, trust it, and use it!
Carol Kinsey Goman, Ph.D. is the author of nine books including CREATIVITY IN BUSINESS and “THIS ISN’T THE COMPANY I JOINED” — How to Lead in a Business Turned Upside Down. She delivers keynote speeches and seminars to association and business audiences around the world. For more information or to book Carol as a speaker at one of your events, please call: 510-526-1727, email: CGoman@CKG.com, or visit her website: http://www.CKG.com.
Now that “doing more with less” is the universal business mantra, managers are scrambling to develop the innovative capacity of their teams. If you are looking to increase your team’s creative output here’s a review of a classic technique and an introduction to some strategies you may not have tried before.
Linus Pauling once said: “If you want great ideas, you need to have lots of ideas.” Brainstorming is the most popular technique for producing lots of ideas. But, although it is widely practiced, it is seldom utilized to its full potential. If your group uses brainstorming, check to be sure these fundamentals are in place:
- Start with a warm-up exercise – especially if the group doesn’t brainstorm frequently or when the group seems distracted by outside issues. Use word games or puzzles or humor to set an atmosphere that is relaxed, fun and freewheeling.
- Encourage everyone to participate, either with original ideas or “piggybacking” (adding on to) other people’s input.
- Focus initially on quantity, not quality of ideas. Write all ideas on a white board or large sheets of paper and number them to help motivate participants and to jump back and forth between ideas without losing track of where you are.
- Urge participants to say anything that occurs to them, no matter how wild or “far out” those ideas may seem.
- Realize that brainstorming sessions tend to follow a series of steep energy curves. When the momentum starts to plateau, the facilitator needs to build on what’s been stated (“That’s a great idea; now what are some other ways to _____________?”) or to jump to another point (“Let’s switch gears and consider _____________.”)
Ideally, the brainstorming session should be broken into two parts: the first for idea generation and the second for evaluation. During the idea generation phase, no one should be allowed to judge, criticize, or squelch any of the ideas presented.
- Stay alert for nonproductive comments such as, “We tried that last year,” “I don’t think that will work,” etc.
- Counter premature judgment with, “This isn’t the time for evaluation yet.”
And, as effective as brainstorming can be, remember there are many other collaborative techniques that stimulate creativity. Here are just a few:
Metaphorical thinking is a great tool for breaking out of current patterns of perception. By comparing your situation to another more well-understood system or process you may spot similarities and come up with an unexpected idea. The exercise asks: What can I learn from this comparison?
A classic example of this technique from my book Creativity in Business is of a defense contractor that developed a missile that had to fit so closely within its silo it couldn’t be pushed in. Comparing the situation to a horse that refuses to be pushed into a stall, the solution was to lead the horse in. The solution for the defense company: pull the missile in with a cable.
Forced connections is a technique for finding commonalities between two or more seemingly unrelated concepts or items. One practical exercise is to examine an industry that is very different from yours and look for things you can successfully imitate. Another is to bring “show and tell” items that help you visualize the wide variety of options and materials that could be applied to the session’s topic.
Back to the future starts with an image of the completed goal. Team members compare their answers to a series of questions: What does the ideal end result look like? How is the ideal different from what we have now? What changes are necessary for us to achieve the ideal? How can we make those changes?
Get visual. The most productive creative-thinking sessions are extremely visual. They include mind mapping, sketching, diagrams, cartoons and stick figures. Images stimulate emotion. Emotion opens creative channels that pure logic can’t budge.
Get physical. Get up and move around. Have your team stand rather than sit when grouping around white boards or easels. Act out the problem you are working on. A popular technique used by design firms is “bodystorming” where people act out current behavior and usage patterns to see how they might be altered.
Get fired. My favorite way to end a creativity session is to ask participants to take the last few minutes and contribute ideas that would probably work, but are so outrageous they could get the group fired. (Obviously, the task then becomes to tone-down the potential solutions so that the problem can be solved without risking any jobs.)
And, of course, you want to make sure that you are trying to solve the right problem. The European operation of a business started losing money after many years of outstanding profitability. Worried, the management team initially discussed ways to reduce costs in Europe in order to improve profitability. When the cost-cutting did little to stop the downward slide, the team finally faced the real issue: the geographical distribution of customers had changed drastically. The problem was then redefined as “How do we serve our customers more profitably on a global basis?” Hundreds of ideas were generated around this challenge that resulted in a customer focused business restructuring that not only cut costs in Europe but also added resources in other parts of the world.
By Carol Kinsey Goman, Ph.D. delivers keynote speeches and seminars on collaborative creativity to association, government, and business audiences around the world. For more information or to book Carol as a speaker at one of your events, please call: 510-526-1727, email: CGoman@CKG.com, or visit her website:http://www.CKG.com.
After two decades of advising organizations large and small, my colleagues and I have formed a clear idea of what’s required of you in this role. Adaptive strategic leaders — the kind who thrive in today’s uncertain environment – do six things well:
Anticipate
Most of the focus at most companies is on what’s directly ahead. The leaders lack “peripheral vision.” This can leave your company vulnerable to rivals who detect and act on ambiguous signals. To anticipate well, you must:
- Look for game-changing information at the periphery of your industry
- Search beyond the current boundaries of your business
- Build wide external networks to help you scan the horizon better
Think Critically
“Conventional wisdom” opens you to fewer raised eyebrows and second guessing. But if you swallow every management fad, herdlike belief, and safe opinion at face value, your company loses all competitive advantage. Critical thinkers question everything. To master this skill you must force yourself to:
- Reframe problems to get to the bottom of things, in terms of root causes
- Challenge current beliefs and mindsets, including your own
- Uncover hypocrisy, manipulation, and bias in organizational decisions
Interpret
Ambiguity is unsettling. Faced with it, the temptation is to reach for a fast (and potentially wrongheaded) solution. A good strategic leader holds steady, synthesizing information from many sources before developing a viewpoint. To get good at this, you have to:
- Seek patterns in multiple sources of data
- Encourage others to do the same
- Question prevailing assumptions and test multiple hypotheses simultaneously
There are three important keys that all companies should strive for: energy, focus and accountability.
Energy. In a healthy company, everyone is engaged. Next time you’re in a meeting, pay attention to how people are interacting. Are they staring into space? Checking e-mail? Working on other things?
You could get mad at them, but the problem is probably your lack of energy as a leader.
If you’re engaged, if you lead and set the tone, others will follow. It’s the same in leading meetings as it is in leading a company. Set the pace and expect others to keep up.
Focus. Energy is important, but if it’s not channeled correctly, it can become destructive. How do you prepare your team for a meeting? Do you think through what you want to discuss? Do you prepare an agenda? Does everyone know why you’re calling them to a meeting and what you expect?
Learn a lesson from Steve Jobs. Focus. He took a multitude of ideas and focused his team on one great idea. Channel your team’s creative energy into one specific task and goal.
Accountability. You can have all the energy and focus in the world, but if your employees don’t know what they’re supposed to do, your team will either do redundant work or give up because they’re not sure of what you want.
In meetings, everyone should also know what you expect of them coming into and going out of a meeting. It’s not enough to talk and dream, you also have to do. Bring crystal clarity to your team and follow up.
Want to change your company culture? Start today by working on your meeting culture.
You alone can consciously take the personal leadership steps in strengthening and managing relationships, including those with a boss. The often used phrase for this is“managing upward.” While the phrase describes aspects of managing relationships with bosses, the dynamics are deeper.
From my personal experiences and observations, here are 16 ideas to consider in creating a stronger working relationship with your boss. (BTW, I alternated “he” and “she” as personal pronouns throughout the list.)
16 Ideas for Managing Upward
- Understand your boss as a teammate and a client because both roles are relevant.
- Ask and learn how your boss likes to communicate? Deliver communications that work for him, with the “right” amount & type of information.
- What are the strengths & weaknesses of your boss? Complement both of themin your working relationship.
- What’s her decision making style? Propose recommendations in ways that fit how she evaluates & decides on things.
- Hone your skills to anticipate what he needs and see things coming before they actually happen.
- Demonstrate complete trustworthiness. Display the highest integrity. Don’t break confidences; safeguard the “vault.”
- Be networked – know who knows things and be able to share relevant information your boss might not be privy to in her relationship circles.
- Have a great working relationship with your boss’ assistant and the other key people around him.
- Be a strong negotiator.
- Ask questions – help her think through issues and get to stronger points of view based on your contributions.
The challenge for business leaders, then, is making sure that all of their managers stay on track and on task. Here are 10 rules that can help.
1. If it’s not on the calendar, it won’t happen. Using a shared team calendar allows you to make deadlines clear, schedule in updates to monitor progress, and let your team know when you want to see them. Setting several dates in a row can help you to force the pace of progress.
2. Focus on the follow-through. Big programs are often broken into smaller, more manageable chunks, each run by separate team leaders. As the person with overall responsibility for delivery, it is essential to make sure that each of these project leaders is executing as required. Do not allow unresolved issues to drop, and to be prepared to offer feedback as necessary.
3. No project owner means no progress. A great idea is a fragile thing: even the best ideas die fast unless someone takes responsibility for putting them into action. This project owner should have the time, resources, autonomy and talent required to succeed.
4. Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize. Few people enjoy the luxury of having all the time that they need to get things done; most of us spend our days constantly balancing priorities and choosing between options. The key to successful execution is choosing the important tasks – those which will have the biggest impact on whether or not you can achieve your objective – rather than the urgent tasks, which can often be left to wait. The other critical tool here is delegation: if you do not have to do a task personally, assign it to someone else.
5. Initiate: it gains time. Initiation means using your resources to get a project started, even if you do not have the time to get involved in it at that moment. This means that others in your team can get the ball rolling, for example by finding and analyzing relevant data, so that when you are free to get on board you do not need to waste time on any of this preliminary work.
Read all 10 at the Jakarta Post
Question #1 – What is the employees’ perspective?
Front-line employees deal regularly with customers and observe first-hand the issues, challenges, and successes of those they serve. The IT department sees advances in technology before the rest of the organization has adapted to the last update. Professionals throughout the company attend association meetings and have access to experts in their field. Your organization has hired the best and the brightest – and your task is to tap their expertise, points of view, and concerns. The first question to ask is: “What do employees think?”
Question #2 – Did you “set the stage” for change?
The best time to discuss the forces of change is well in advance of an organization’s response to them. Everyone in the organization needs a realistic appreciation of the precursors of change and transformation – the impact of globalization, market fluctuations, technological innovations, societal and demographic changes in the customer base, new products/services of competitors, new government and regulatory decisions. And here technology can be a great asset. Although it certainly shouldn’t be the only medium, the intranet can be a timely vehicle for competitive and industry information.
Question #3 – How will you track employee perceptions?
Employee interaction and feedback loops help communicators track the level of workforce comprehension. Whether you supply an email box or a phone number for individuals to ask questions about the change, use online surveys to query a sampling of the workforce, or create Communication Advisory Teams to represent their fellow workers, the greatest advantages come when organizational feedback is gathered immediately after the delivery of an important message.
Question #4 – Do you have honest answers to tough questions?
Not only can employees tolerate honest disclosure, they are increasingly demanding it. And when it comes to change, employees want straight answers to these tough questions:
* Will I keep my job?
* How will pay and benefits be affected?
* How will this affect my opportunities for advancement?
* Will I have a new boss?
* What new skills will I need?
* What will be expected of me?
* How will I be trained/supported for the new challenges?
* How will I be measured?
* What are the rewards or consequences?
Question #5 – Can you answer the most important question: What’s in it for them?
There are personal advantages to be found in almost every change, but people may need help discovering what the advantages are. Sometimes employees just need to be guided through a few questions: What are your career goals? What are the skills you would like to learn? What job-related experiences would you like have? In what ways might this change help you to fulfill some of your personal objectives?
Organizations send two concurrent sets of messages about change. Formal communication is what companies “say” to employees about the organization and its goals. Informal communication is what the company “does” in terms of rewards, compensation, training, leadership behavior, organizational structure, etc. to demonstrate and support what it says. For today’s skeptical employee audiences, rhetoric without action quickly disintegrates into empty slogans and company propaganda.
Question #7- Who’s vision is it?
Effective communicators understand the power of vision to imbue people with a sense of purpose, direction and energy. But if the vision belongs only to top management, it will never be an effective force for transformation. In the end, people have to feel that the vision belongs to them. The power of a vision comes truly into play only when the employees themselves have had some part in its creation. So the communicator’s role moves from crafting executive speeches to facilitating interactive events.Question #8 – Can you paint the big-little picture?
Vision is the big picture, and it is crucial to the success of the enterprise. But along with the big picture, people also need the little picture so they know where their contribution fits into the corporate strategy. And here’s where first-line supervisors can be the most effective communicators. In face-to-face discussions with their team members, supervisors become a vital link in turning the organizational vision into practical and meaningful actions.
Question #9 – Are you emotionally literate?
People have to understand the rationale for change – the business case, the marketplace reality. But change is more than just the logic behind it. Large-scale organizational change almost invariably triggers the same sequence of emotional reactions — denial, negativity, a choice point, acceptance, and commitment. Communicators who track this emotional process design strategies that help people accept and move through the various stages.
Question #10 – Are you telling stories?
Good stories are more powerful than plain facts. This is not to reject the value in facts, of course, but simply to recognize their limits in influencing people. People make decisions based on what facts mean to them, not on the facts themselves. Stories give facts meaning. Stories resonate with adults in ways that can bring them back to a childlike open-mindedness – and make them less resistant to experimentation and change.
Question #11 – Do you know how change really gets communicated?
Town hall meetings in which senior leaders speak openly about change, great stories that embody the spirit of change, well-designed intranets filled with pertinent information about the forces and progress of change, interactive “transformation sessions” in which a cross-section of the organization co-creates a vision and develops the strategy, online employee surveys that query and monitor a work force as it deals with the nuances of change, icons and symbols and signage that visually reinforce change, and (especially) first-line supervisors who are trained and prepared to engage their direct reports in a dialogue about what change means to them – these are (and will remain) vital tools for communicators. But, as powerful as they are, these are formal communication channels operating within the organizational hierarchy. And a single informal channel, the company grapevine, can undermine them all.In the hallways, around the water cooler or coffee pot, over the telephone, as part of a blog, in rouge web sites, and through e-mail messages, news is exchanged and candid opinions are offered. It is during these “off-line” exchanges and daily conversations that people decide whether or not to support change. Want to dramatically improve the effectiveness of your change communication? Then find ways to identify, involve, and enlist your organization’s social networks and informal opinion leaders.
Question #12 – Are you positioning change as an event or a corporate mindset?
In turbulent times, it’s hard enough to deal with external problems. But too often people and companies exacerbate their troubles by their own actions. Self-defeating behaviors can make any situation worse. Put these five on the what-not-to-do list.
Demanding a bigger share of a shrinking pie
Leaders defeat themselves when they seek gain when others suffer, for example, raising prices in a time of high unemployment when consumers have less to spend, to ensure profits when sales are down. McDonald’s raised prices three percent in early 2012 and by the third quarter,faced the first drop in same-store sales in nine years. The executive responsible for that strategy was replaced.
At bankrupt Hostess Brands, bakery workers refused to make concessions (though the Teamsters did), thereby forcing the company to liquidate, eliminating 18,000 jobs. By trying to grab too much, the bakery union could lose everything.
This happens to executives too. A manager in a retail company demanded a promotion during the recession, because he was “indispensable,” he said. The CEO, who had cut her own pay to save jobs, fired him instead. Greed makes a bad situation worse.
Getting angry
Anger and blame are unproductive emotions. Post-U.S. election, defeated Mitt Romney blamed his defeat on “gifts” that “bought” the votes of young people, women, African-Americans, and Latinos for President Obama. Losing the Presidency is a big defeat, but Romney further defeated future electoral prospects with public bitterness and insults. History might remember the bitterness, not his gracious concession speech.
Anger hurts companies too, especially if misplaced. Years after a tragic explosion on an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010 in which 11 people lost their lives, BP was back in the news with a record fine and criminal charges. Former CEO Tony Hayward defeated himself and damaged the company in the public mind by issuing bitter statements about how unfair this was.
Angry words leave a long trail. An employee in another company who threw a temper tantrum over a denied proposal was surprised that this episode was still recalled two years later, overwhelming his accomplishments. He was the first terminated in a reorganization. Bitterness turns everything sour.
Giving in to mission creep
Sometimes self-perpetuated decline occurs more slowly, through taking core strengths for granted while chasing the greener grass. I can’t say that this is happening to Google, a company I admire, but I do see potholes ahead — although driverless cars are an extension of mapping software close to Google’s core strength in search. But should Google expand its territory to be a device maker and communications network provider, building a fiber-optics and mobile network? This could be mission creep. Perhaps Google should focus on improving Googling.
Read full article via Harvard Business Review
With his team, Saku Tuominen, founder and creative director at the Idealist Group in Finland, interviewed and followed 1,500 workers at Finnish and global firms to study how people feel and respond to issues in the workplace. Tuominen’s findings are easy to understand — 40 percent of those surveyed said their inboxes are out of control, 60 percent noted that they attend too many meetings, and 70 percent don’t plan their weeks in advance. Overall, employees said they lacked a sense of meaning, control, and achievement in the workplace. Sound familiar?
Based on the study and the insights of Teresa Amabile, a professor at Harvard Business School, Tuominen recommends new approaches to changing our work processes that all tap into our unconscious:
- Think about one question/idea that needs insight and keep this thought in your subconscious mind.
- Clear your conscious mind by using this two-step system: move your thought(s) from your mind to a list and then clear your list when you have a short break (if your meeting is canceled, for instance, or your flight is delayed).
- Plan your week and month by listing three priorities you would like to accomplish.
- Make certain you have at least four consecutive, uninterrupted hours a day dedicated to the three priorities you identified.
This last point is key. Tuominen deduced that if you can schedule four hours with continuous flow and concentration, you could accomplish a lot and improve the quality of your thinking. As Tuominen aptly states, “you can’t manage people if you can’t manage yourself.”
By Marie Raperto
Before you visit any employer, you should have your references ready. Choosing the right people is very important in your job search process.
Employers want work references and, usually, supervisors. You should have at least three supervisor references, one peer and one subordinate. So let’s break it down to some tips to help you deliver references that will land you the job:
1. Have a list of references and all their current contact information.
2. Ask the employer what type of references they want. Then pull together a list that meets their requirements and that you feel serves you best.
3. Identify each reference separately with title and how you worked together (e.g., “supervisor,” “department head,” “associate,” “my assistant,” etc., “at XYZ Company”). Also include dates.
4. Do not include personal friends or family. Personal references would include anyone that might work in the field who can vouch for you work, e.g. the head of a non-profit where you volunteer, etc.
5. Remember to keep current with your references and be aware of their travel plans. If someone is not reachable, you should have a back up available. When a company asks you for references, have them ready and call each person to:
·Let them know they might be receiving a call. If you know who will be calling, let them know the person’s name.
·Give them an overview of the job description and how this position relates to what you did for them.
·Make sure references can answer: Why you left your last position or why you want to leave your current one. How you performed under pressure/deadlines. Why you were promoted or, if you are leaving because you weren’t, why you didn’t get that promotion. You’re greatest strength/where you need to improve.
6. Don’t hand out your references to everyone. Wait until they are requested and you are seriously considering an opportunity. Your references are doing you a very big favor … so respect their time.
Marie Raperto: Since resumes take up the better part of my day, I don’t have one and don’t want to post my boring bio either. So here’s the skinny: Worked in public relations/corporate communications in both the agency and corporate worlds. Moved over to the dark side and joined the head hunting world. I’ve been doing this since 1990 and loving it.
Negotiating for a corporate VP level salary and total compensation package can be undermined at the “get go” if you fall into the trap of answering the question, “What is the number?” So, what is the way to take the high road (not appear greedy) and still negotiate for the increase you want?
I have often said common sense is a lost art. Somehow when a “C” level executive starts the job hunting process, he stops thinking like an executive who has hired over a dozen professionals. If he makes this basic mistake at the “get go” and answers the question, it can haunt him right up until the end of the search when the offer is made.
Think about what it is like to hire a Director or Assistant VP. When your HR people establish a salary range and determine what bonus level and/or signing bonuses are possible, you are relying on them to be current with the market. You have been busy doing your job and have not made a science out of developing competitive compensation packages for your group.
When you create a package, to keep things simple, you end up with a “number” that is what you can offer the new hire, without doing battle with your compensation team. For example, if the range is up to $150,000 and the midpoint is $130,000, you don’t expect the offer to be above $130,000. You intend to be able to “play” with the additional pieces of the compensation program to make the offer attractive.
As you identify candidates, you ask for current base salary and that becomes their “number.” You do a quick mental check to be sure the salary is in the range you think you can afford so you are not wasting your time. That then becomes the number on file and the number your HR team will work with if an offer is made. Changing the number is incredibly difficult once it ripples through the hiring team. Unfortunately, that number is often too low and inaccurate.
What’s wrong with this picture? If you are now in the reverse role as the candidate, how can you sidestep having that number (your current base salary) haunt you when the offer is made?
Here’s what I recommend. Under NO circumstances do you want to put a stake in the ground with a current compensation figure at the start of this process. Once that number is circulated in an email, it travels with your record. Frequently, a senior executive who is not looking and is being contacted by a search executive will share a base compensation figure early in the process to determine if the new opportunity is attractive. I repeat, DO NOT PROVIDE A FIGURE.
Compensation is not one figure, it is a moving target. It is not a “number,” it is a complex group of numbers that can be on the verge of changing. It is your job to present the “story” of your compensation and not take the question literally.
That means if you have not thought about compensation when you receive a call from a “headhunter” and you are possibly interested in the search s/he is conducting, it is time to look at your current and near term estimated earnings. Also, what are you leaving behind? Timing is critical for raises and bonuses and must be considered. This is not as simple a formula as you think.
Once you have those numbers, get back to the search person with a comprehensive set of figures and it should be in writing. If any figure is an approximation, indicate that along with a timeframe to provide more precise data.
Here’s how to do your homework before you provide total compensation information (not base salary). Let’s look at computing compensation using real numbers with the example below.
Current Base Salary: $250,000.00 with raise shortly
Bonus potential: $40,000. This is a conservative estimate based on prior history: It is 15% of base (at the higher level you will be at within a matter of weeks). Of course, you must be currently employed at the company to collect this amount and it is normally awarded in February. (Other components may be added such as stock based upon overall company performance.) This suggests that either the offer makes you whole via a signing bonus if you leave before you can collect the $40,000, or you sit tight until you collect it.
Annual Performance and Salary review: $12,500 increase. The increase is due (let’s assume) in late October in conjunction with your performance review. Stock awards may also be granted for outstanding performance. Prior raises have been in the order of 5% along with restricted shares of stock and options. Your company has a history of counter offers so you can estimate that your normal raise of $12,500 will be accelerated and increased most likely on the order of another 5%.
Stock: what you will leave behind? Like many companies, your stock is vesting on a formula where no matter when you resign; you will lose a portion of the value. Depending upon how well the company is doing, particularly in these times, the value of what you leave behind can be from $25,000-$75,000 or more. (Conversely, the stock could be underwater now with better prospects later if you stay.)
Vacation: four weeks. As a senior officer you have a four week vacation benefit that you will not normally receive in your new position. Generally, you can negotiate for three weeks but you will need to ask for it.
Special Benefits: how to value them? At many companies, there are benefits that are unique to the organization. They may be in the form of health programs, special events, company trips for spouse, etc. Attach a dollar value to them since they will not translate into what the new organization offers.
401K contributions and other company funded benefits: will you lose them? If you leave in the middle of a year, do you lose the company’s contribution? When will your new employer begin contributing to your 401K? Will there be a gap and a loss of benefits? (Hopefully not, but it is worth asking.)
Having done your research, when a potential employer asks about compensation, here is what I would suggest. First, do not presume to ask for a particular figure; you are simply presenting factual information that will help the hiring organization understand what your numbers are. This is a non-threatening, reasonable approach. Second, put the information in writing and simplify the figures.
Base Salary: estimate your new salary and do not give a current figure. Say, “As of late October, I receive a normal raise bringing my salary (that I estimate) to: $262,000.” Promise to provide the precise number as soon as you know what it is. Do not state your base salary of today if you are within weeks of a raise.
Bonus: “My bonus award is conservatively estimated at 15% of base which I will receive in February. I will be notified of the precise amount in December.” (If that is the case or whenever the precise figure is known.) “I estimate the award at approximately $40,000.”
Stock: “I will receive stock awards in conjunction with my bonus and raise. While it is hard to put a precise value on the stock, I will leave behind approximately $xxxxx should I leave the company in February of ’09” (for example).
For you and the hiring organization, these are compensation figures that give a more complete picture and allow for accurate comparisons. Also, right at the beginning of the process, you have set realistic expectations about what the compensation numbers would need to total for it to make any sense to proceed.
Once you know you are a finalist, there is another point to consider depending upon what you require for a base. Some organizations offer a comprehensive compensation package with excellent long-term incentives that over time will be very lucrative. However, they do not offer salaries that are particularly attractive. Their point is if you are loyal and look at the long term, you will make a great deal of money.
It is important during the course of negotiations to indicate what, at a minimum, you would need for a salary that would cover family living expenses while you are earning these longer term benefits. In some instances, once this figure is on the table, the hiring organization provides a signing bonus to close a gap.
This approach should avoid the pitfall of answering the wrong question that has no good answer, which is: “What is THE number?”
By Judith Cushman, The Cushman Report October 2008 To subscribe: Email info@jc-a.com with “SUBSCRIBE” in the Subject line
Receiving an offer as Chief Communications Officer, head of Investor Relations or any “C” level job means you have sold the leadership team on fit. This is after you’ve demonstrated that you can do the job the hiring team “thinks” it wants done (more on what I mean by “thinks” later). Here’s how to navigate the interviewing process and leave a winning impression.
In my previous newsletter, I wrote about what the resume of a “C” level or aspiring “C” level executive should emphasize and it is not what you have done. It is not about tactics. It is about problem solving, strategy, demonstrating innovative thinking and results. The resume is action oriented and “reeks” of energy and impact.
Assuming you conveyed that message, and you are now moving through a series of interviews with a consultant/headhunter like me and then the corporate team, here is how to continue to compete.
First, here is a story of what not to do.
My client created a new position to head up the communications function. The company had been conservative and was carefully moving in a new direction by creating the position. While a job description talked about a relationship approximately three levels away from the Chairman, this job was critical to him and the leadership team. The unsaid but understood criteria were: could this hire be “blessed” by the leadership team and would the Chairman want to work with this person?
Like many “C” level jobs today, titles do not mean the incumbent orchestrates the work of others. These are “working” jobs and making sure the finalists are “hands on” is part of the screening process. At the same time, this organization would only hire an individual with the sophistication to be in a room with the Chairman and add value to the conversation (yet know his/her place and be appropriately deferential).
The resume of the candidate was excellent. His experience and the industries he was familiar with would make for an easy transition to this new organization. He was interested in the position and also saw the connection between his prior experience and this new opportunity, which was career enhancing.
I spent about an hour talking to this candidate and determined that he met our base line: he had done the work we were interested in. He was a “hands on” performer. This is the threshold to begin seriously evaluating a potential finalist.
There are two schools of thought about what I did next. Let me explain them and tell you why I made my decision.
In companies where finalists are invited for a series of meetings, some organizations will not interview candidates over a meal. They feel it is too distracting and unfair to the candidate. In some cases, the hiring manager finds it awkward to meet for breakfast or lunch and will only schedule formal interviews.
For “C” level jobs, while the job description will not explicitly say so, it is imperative that the new hire be seen as a peer who can interact in the various working situations he will find himself. His social skills are part of the job requirement and it is critical to know how he will behave in an informal setting at a luncheon or reception. I need to be able to assure my client a finalist will behave appropriately. That is why for senior level searches, a personal meeting over a meal is essential, in my opinion.
Back to our candidate – I offered to take him to lunch after our phone interview. We had already had our in-depth discussion about the details of his work experience and our lunch would not become a “formal” interview. Instead, we could talk about a variety of work and non-work experiences.
He had been alerted that my client believed its employees should dress professionally. He took that information seriously and came in a suit, formal business shirt and tie. Alas, it went down-hill from there.
The restaurant we selected was a favorite of his and he was really looking forward to the meal itself. The food he ordered was what he liked, but it was messy and hard to eat. He immediately tucked a napkin under his chin, spread it out and dug in.
During the conversation, I talked about the challenges of the position and his work experience. It was a very pleasant discussion where I also mentioned the rigor of the interviewing process. He continued to emphasize his achievements and ability to turn out award winning work. He thought he had a lot to offer. It wasn’t until we were ready to leave the table that he remembered to remove his napkin which obviously protected a tie he liked.
I reported all of these details back to my client and raised a cautionary note about how the luncheon had proceeded. The HR team had already screened him and decided, nevertheless, to bring him in for a lunch with several members of the leadership team.
The candidate was very pleased to know he was being invited back. He considered this an excellent opportunity. He had a busy schedule but was able to arrange a meeting within a week. During this process, he had received background information about the company and the position. There was also a webcast available to him.
When he joined the group for lunch, the focus of their questions was not on his achievements or work record. They wanted to know how he reacted to the information about the company and how his experience prepared him to help the organization. They knew he was qualified. Now the discussion was about problem solving and how effectively he could establish a rapport with them.
Despite the information provided to him, he did not come prepared to engage in a meaningful discussion about the company and admitted that he had not had the time to listen to the latest webcast or read the transcript. When we debriefed, he said that he did not expect the conversation to be about the company. He expected them to ask him about his background. Needless to say, he did not receive an offer.
Here is what a candidate for a leadership position should do to get the process right.
If there is a search professional involved, the focus of the initial interview is on qualifications. That is where you have to present yourself as stronger than a Director and ready to take on a “C” level role, if you do not already have that title. Balance the discussion between mastery of the Director-level job and strategic contributions. If you are already the head of a function, be prepared to talk about how you solved business problems, reorganized a function, or innovated in some way for the organization through communications.
Prepare for that first conversation by asking for a job description, non-published material (if not confidential) and reading about the company. Adjust the direction of your achievements to relate to the issues you believe the company is facing. Do not assume. Confirm these issues are relevant before you launch into a story about how you helped your organization. Also, ask how much time has been allocated for the conversation. If you tend to tell long stories, put a clock in front of you (if this is a phone interview) and discipline yourself to keep your answers brief. Ask the interviewer about the company, his/her observations about the culture and what working with the organization is like.
If you need help staying on topic, jot notes before the conversation and take notes as you proceed. Do not “wing” this interview because you assume it will be easy and because you have an excellent track record. It takes practice to be relevant, succinct and focused.
About those “informal” luncheon meetings – remember you are “on.” Every detail is important. Allow enough time to arrive so you don’t feel rushed. Know the dress code of the company and dress as though you worked there or one level up if the code is informal. Know the company story and that means checking the web site or other sources right up to the last minute. A press release that is only a day old could be relevant to the luncheon conversation.
One rule is: never go hungry to an interview over lunch. This meeting is a test of your social skills. Do not concentrate on the food. Eat ahead and follow the lead of your hosts and how they order. Do not select a salad course if they skip it. Chose something easy to eat that won’t stain a shirt or tie or distract from the conversation. Avoid sandwiches or anything you eat by hand. Do not order alcohol at lunch. Over dinner if your hosts order alcohol before you do, you can follow suit but never more than one drink.
These rules apply to the interview with the HR team or recruiter and they apply as well to a meeting with the executive team.
Here is additional advice about how to prepare specifically for a meeting with the executive team. Most importantly, these are not communications people and assume they do not understand communications terms. Practice telling a story about how you solved a problem that relates to the company so that you remove all the jargon. Translate communications speak to business speak.
Know their business issues based on what your research about the company tells you and broach these topics. Be thoroughly briefed so you are confident of your information and deferential – say that these are observations as an outsider and invite comments. Relate their issues to your work experience and tell stories about how you solved problems for your organization. After you describe how you see issues that might be relevant, ask them (without sharing confidential information, of course) what they see as issues where communications can be valuable.
Here is where my comment about what the hiring team “thinks” it needs is relevant. My experience has been that the client (if no one on the team is in communications or IR) rarely knows beyond a basic “headline” what the job consists of. I have seen job descriptions for one position outline a list of departmental activities that can only be accomplished with a staff of three professionals, at a minimum. Here is where you can demonstrate your knowledge and leadership by politely probing for the key priorities of the position and then discussing expectations for achieving their most important objectives.
I also think it is important to ask about the mission and culture and listen to the various viewpoints expressed. Are they aligned? At this point in the conversation, either you are having a free flowing discussion or the chemistry hasn’t clicked.
BTW, the same guidelines apply in a one-to-one discussion with the CEO. In addition, research and study his/her biography to find out about hobbies, awards, favorite charities, etc. This will help to establish a personal rapport.
If after all this preparation and effort, the chemistry is not there, graciously end the process. You have done your best.
Leave your comments.
By Judith Cushman, The Cushman Report April 2008. To subscribe: Email info@jc-a.com with “SUBSCRIBE” in the Subject line.