ThisScenarioIsAllTooFamliar

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Welcome to the August 27, 2008 issue of The Total View

Published by Success Performance Solutions, Written by Ira S. Wolfe

Visit our Human Resources Blog and Perfect Labor Storm Blog where we can post daily (and more often) human resource updates, news, and Perfect Labor Storm facts.

What's Inside this issue of The TotalView:

1. This Scenario Is All Too Familiar!

2.  Perfect Labor Storm Warnings

3.  Fall Webinar and CriteriaOne Certification Schedule

4. Firms Fight Generation Gap

5. Geeks, Geezers and Googlization

6.  Speaking Schedule

7.  The Perfect Labor Storm 2.0

8. Quotes from the Hire Authorities

1. This Scenario Is All Too Familiar!

Everyone was convinced that Steve was the right choice for promotion into the Chief Operating Officer position. So why is he struggling so much? Fact is, if something doesn't change, and fast, he isn't going to make it. The organization will have to go through yet another leadership change and productivity will suffer as people focus on the change instead of their jobs. How could this have happened? How did we get it so wrong?

As a business leader, you have no doubt witnessed this scenario. The challenge in selecting high-potential leaders is pervasive. The increasing number of failures is troubling. The costs are high.

And for all those reasons, an article submitted to me by Matt Angello, our strategic and collaborative partner at Bright Tree Consulting Group, hit the mark this week.

One particular challenge that he and Senior Consultant Bruce Timmcke described is the "natural, albeit inaccurate assumption that the [newly promoted or hired] leader has the skills they need (or else they wouldn't have landed the job in the first place, right?)."

Matt and Bruce echo the message I've been shouting from my soapbox: past behavior is NOT predictive of future behavior if the environment and circumstances change. What worked before may not work in the future. It's not the past behavior that's important but why the individual chose that behavior: Why did he choose one strategy or leadership approach over another. How did he or she develop the skills that evolved into a successful leadership and management approach? It's the why and how that's important because being a leader is not easy.

Their article continues, "Leadership requires a totally different set of skills, unique and distinct from those of the individual contributor. And as one advances in an organization, the expectations of how, and how quickly, work gets done shifts dramatically. What's more, many new leaders find that the very skills that enabled them to land that coveted promotion into a leadership position don't seem to work anymore. In the absence of other skills to fall back on, the only possible response to the new pressures is to just try more of the same. But this approach simply doesn't work, leading to frustration and failure."

"Adding to this challenge is the fact that the skills demanded of leaders continue to change as they ascend into higher and higher levels of leadership. For example, a critical skill for a first line supervisor - providing close oversight and frequent detailed feedback, is not appropriate for a director level employee, lest they run the risk of becoming the classic "micro-manager" that employees dread."

"As if these challenges are not enough, another interesting factor comes into play as leaders ascend an organization. There is a crisis of "busyness" in business that makes it difficult for seasoned leaders to provide the coaching and feedback that the new leaders need. So if there are maladaptive behaviors or skill gaps, there is less likelihood that the leader will be given the help they need to succeed. Meanwhile, the performance bar is consistently being raised and the pressure to produce is ratcheted-up. It is no wonder that so many leaders fail."

To read the full article, go to Leader Development article.

How do your leadership skills stack up? How will they stack up when faced with new challenges, complex problems, and dynamic change? Call us at 800.803.4303 or email us today to learn how to accurately assess your current and high potential leaders.

2. Perfect Labor Storm Warnings

Subscribe to the Perfect Labor Storm 2.0 blog and receive skilled worker shortage updates like this:

Oldest States by Median Age

Maine - 40.7 years
Vermont - 40.4
West Virginia - 40.3
Montana - 39.6
Pennsylvania - 39.3

Youngest States

Arizona - 34.1
Georgia - 34
Alaska - 33.4
Texas - 32.9
Utah - 28

Purchase the NEW Perfect Labor Storm 2.0 books (soft and hard cover versions) at PerfectLaborStorm.com.

New Perfect Labor Storm videos added. Watch now!

3. Fall Webinar and CriteriaOne Certification Schedule

Webinars

September 10, 4:00 PM - Screening Assessments: How to read Clues and SELECT
October 14, 10:00 AM - Selection Assessments: Basics of Prevue and ASSESS
November 12, 4:00 PM - Behavior and Values: Reading DISC and BVM

All times Eastern time

Space is limited. Call 800.803.4303 to reserve your seat today.

NEW!

CriteriaOne Certification - Last opportunity in 2008!

November 5-7, 2008 Lancaster, PA

Save $500 - register before September 20.

Click here for more details or call 800.803.4303

4. Firms Fight Generation Gap

Central Penn Business Journal, Aug 22, 2008

When different generations meet in the workplace, the encounters can easily create attitude wars. The conflict is a result of differing values, cultures and lifestyles that characterize each of four separate age groups, several staff-development consultants said.

Battles over work ethics, language differences or greeting styles can interrupt the atmosphere and productivity of a staff whose ages range from early 20s to mid-60s. The key to creating positive relationships is increasing awareness, understanding and acceptance, they said.

"Companies want us to change attitudes," said Ira Wolfe, president of Success Performance Solutions of East Hempfield Township, but the change must be in expectations of one another.