Monday, April 30, 2012
Coaching Tip #720
Demanding tasks and challenges are simply a part of life. They put you in touch with your mental and physical abilities as you take them on. Viewing tasks through a grateful and positive mindset allows you to meet them with strength, to persevere and find out what you are made of. Once the challenge is overcome, the wonderful feeling of accomplishment is yours.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Coaching Tip #719
Each morning, you have the ability to look out at your world through an empowered and inspired lens of perception. We have all had mornings where we "got up on the wrong side of the bed". How do these days typically turn out? You are a powerful person who can create any mindset that you wish to. Choose to create and maintain a mindset - a perspective on reality - that allows you to be your greatest self, as you live your amazing life.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Article: Increasing Productivity And Talent Retention
It is the intention of wise business owners to increase the productivity of their team and to retain top talent. However, many find themselves stumped as to how to actually accomplish this. The most powerful and effective place to start is at the beginning.
When you hire a new team member, they start out strong. In time, and without attention to ongoing training and effective management their productivity can fall off and they will likely move on or need replacing. This will leave you having to go through the lengthy, time consuming and expensive process of attracting, hiring and training someone new.
Extensive studies have estimated the cost of turnover to range from several thousand dollars to upwards of 150% to 200% of one’s annual salary. The “costs” are high and include not only lost revenue, loss of productivity and training expenses, but also the time, money, energy, stress and frustration of hiring someone new. When you add up all of these factors and spread them across the entire time your business has been operating, it is easy to see that your bottom line takes a significant hit, and will continue to do so until you make a change in your hiring process.
The average company hires new talent through a standard process of placing advertisements, accepting applications and resumes, interviewing “qualified” candidates, asking a few routine questions, and then hiring based on who feels like the best fit for the job. However, without in depth analysis and a real understanding of the position itself - it’s high payoff activities - and the type of person that would best fit it, the success ratio falls off quickly.
Through the statistically accurate and proven process of “Job Benchmarking”, errors in the hiring process all but disappear and biases are eliminated. The first phase involves meeting with the Subject Matter Experts - one to five team members that have a direct connection or experience with the position to be filled - to clearly define the position and identify its Key Accountabilities. We do this from the perspective of the job itself: If the job could talk what activities would it tell us it needs done on a consistent basis to be performed at a high level and who would it hire to do them.
During the next phase of this highly effective process, I work closely with the Subject Matter Experts to rank individual Key Accountabilities in order of importance and time requirements. Then, I guide them through the completion of the job assessment where they indicate their preferences in regards to the competencies, motivators, values and behaviors the person hired will need in order to perform at a the highest possible level.
Once the Job Benchmark is finalized, the next step is to identify the most qualified candidates and have each one complete a simple online assessment. Based on these results, a Comparison Report is then created that compares each candidate to the identified parameters created in the Job Benchmark. This sophisticated tool provides clear-cut, non-biased information revealing the person who is best suited for the job.
During the final phase of the process, with solid hiring information in hand, we interview the top candidate using behavioral-based methods and explain the Key Accountabilities of the position. This procedure clearly defines the position and manages the expectations of the new hire. After the person is hired, I can also work with them for successful on-boarding and further development of their behaviors and competencies for optimal job performance.
The benefits of Job Benchmarking for hiring new talent are numerous and powerful. Studies have shown that, done correctly, productivity improves by 30% and retention increases by 50%. Productivity rises because the person’s behaviors and competencies align well with what the job is calling for. Retention increases because their personal motivators match what the necessary motivators for the job are. In other words, there is symmetry between the job and the new hire.
The rewards of Job Benchmarking to the company, its team members and customers are inescapable. As biases are removed, and clarity and alignment are created, the door to successful hiring appears. If you are experiencing low productivity and expensive turnover, contact me today so that we can work together to change your business reality.
When you hire a new team member, they start out strong. In time, and without attention to ongoing training and effective management their productivity can fall off and they will likely move on or need replacing. This will leave you having to go through the lengthy, time consuming and expensive process of attracting, hiring and training someone new.
Extensive studies have estimated the cost of turnover to range from several thousand dollars to upwards of 150% to 200% of one’s annual salary. The “costs” are high and include not only lost revenue, loss of productivity and training expenses, but also the time, money, energy, stress and frustration of hiring someone new. When you add up all of these factors and spread them across the entire time your business has been operating, it is easy to see that your bottom line takes a significant hit, and will continue to do so until you make a change in your hiring process.
The average company hires new talent through a standard process of placing advertisements, accepting applications and resumes, interviewing “qualified” candidates, asking a few routine questions, and then hiring based on who feels like the best fit for the job. However, without in depth analysis and a real understanding of the position itself - it’s high payoff activities - and the type of person that would best fit it, the success ratio falls off quickly.
Through the statistically accurate and proven process of “Job Benchmarking”, errors in the hiring process all but disappear and biases are eliminated. The first phase involves meeting with the Subject Matter Experts - one to five team members that have a direct connection or experience with the position to be filled - to clearly define the position and identify its Key Accountabilities. We do this from the perspective of the job itself: If the job could talk what activities would it tell us it needs done on a consistent basis to be performed at a high level and who would it hire to do them.
During the next phase of this highly effective process, I work closely with the Subject Matter Experts to rank individual Key Accountabilities in order of importance and time requirements. Then, I guide them through the completion of the job assessment where they indicate their preferences in regards to the competencies, motivators, values and behaviors the person hired will need in order to perform at a the highest possible level.
Once the Job Benchmark is finalized, the next step is to identify the most qualified candidates and have each one complete a simple online assessment. Based on these results, a Comparison Report is then created that compares each candidate to the identified parameters created in the Job Benchmark. This sophisticated tool provides clear-cut, non-biased information revealing the person who is best suited for the job.
During the final phase of the process, with solid hiring information in hand, we interview the top candidate using behavioral-based methods and explain the Key Accountabilities of the position. This procedure clearly defines the position and manages the expectations of the new hire. After the person is hired, I can also work with them for successful on-boarding and further development of their behaviors and competencies for optimal job performance.
The benefits of Job Benchmarking for hiring new talent are numerous and powerful. Studies have shown that, done correctly, productivity improves by 30% and retention increases by 50%. Productivity rises because the person’s behaviors and competencies align well with what the job is calling for. Retention increases because their personal motivators match what the necessary motivators for the job are. In other words, there is symmetry between the job and the new hire.
The rewards of Job Benchmarking to the company, its team members and customers are inescapable. As biases are removed, and clarity and alignment are created, the door to successful hiring appears. If you are experiencing low productivity and expensive turnover, contact me today so that we can work together to change your business reality.
Coaching Tip #718
With all that is going on around you, don't forget about what is going on within you. Be aware of how you feel - whether you are happy or not. Notice your thoughts, actions and words. Do they support your desire to fell good - to be happy? Your happiness is an inside job. Cultivate an inner awareness that positions you to change whatever it is that detracts from the good feelings you want to have.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Coaching Tip #717
You have the power of choice, and it is the decisions you make on a daily basis that determine your outcomes in life. Be aware, and consciously exercise your power of choice to make decisions that will take you, and your life, in a direction that is rewarding and pleasing to you. Why settle for mediocrity and the status quo, when you can make choices that lead you to excellence, success, happiness and true fulfillment?
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Life Coaching Tip #716
Some days become much fuller than you anticipated due to unforeseen circumstances, yet they provide a wonderful opportunity to find out what you are made of. Rather than becoming frustrated, take deep breaths as needed, be grateful that you are alive to meet your challenges, stay focused on a positive attitude and outcome, and do your very best. With all of this in place, you will be able to reflect on your hectic days with a sense of accomplishment and personal pride for how you rose to the challenge and prevailed.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Life Coaching Tip #715
Self-approval is a vital ingredient to your happiness and success in life. When you think, act and speak in ways that let you respect yourself on a consistent basis, you are in alignment with your true self. This, in turn, allows you to approve of and like yourself, and your happiness follows.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Life Coaching Tip # 714
Your past, was once your now and, your now, was once your future. Take the lessons from your past, use them to consciously build in the NOW and create the past and future that you really want going forward.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Life Coaching Tip #713
Living a life that is meaningful and that brings you satisfaction on a consistent basis is very important to your overall happiness. You can discover your truth about what adds meaning to your life, and what gives you the feeling of satisfaction by creating two lists. Simply stating these things on paper makes you aware of them. With your lists in hand, prioritize the top 2 or 3 and begin making them a consistent part of your life. Once you create clarity for yourself about what makes you happy, and then take the actions to make it so, all that is left to do is enjoy it.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Life Coaching Tip #712
There is a tendency within us to take our health, relationships, career, time and a multitude of other things for granted. Yet reality points our wisdom in another direction. We have all witnessed lives changing on a dime - where life and its benefits suddenly, and without warning, drastically change or disappear. Use this knowledge to your advantage, by choosing to live now, with a profound gratitude for the precious gift of life which has been bestowed upon you.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Life Coaching Tip #711
Fear is a box and the more afraid you are, the smaller your box is. Fear prevents you from trying new things, taking educated risks, being spontaneous, making changes, being happy and living fully. Most fears are an illusion brought on by the unknowns in life. How many unknowns have you faced? How many of your fears actually came true? Walk into your unknowns with courage, strength and the desire to LIVE each day as fully as you can. Be alive, not afraid!
Monday, April 16, 2012
Life Coaching Tip #710
Love, is the greatest expression of your being. Compassion, kindness, giving, caring, sharing, joy, peace and happiness all are offspring of your love. And, so is the ability to say "no" to the toleration of abuse, gossip, hatred, greed, lies, discontentment, and unhappiness. Love is an all encompassing power from which the most wonderful things in life are born. In truly loving, you shall witness the coming of your greatest life.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Life Coaching Tip #709
Consider all the challenges you have faced to this point in your life. There were some, perhaps many, which you did not know how you ever would make it through, yet you did and here you are. You are stronger, more resilient and smarter than you realize. You have what it takes to face the challenges in life, and to come out on the other side even stronger than you were before. Embrace your challenges, and go for the gold!
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Article: Do You Build High ROI Relationships?
Success in business is a byproduct of the relationships that are built within the organization itself, and ultimately with the customers that choose to point their purchasing power in your direction. When relationships are nurtured in a caring and consistent manner, they grow strong and the return on investment for everyone involved is high.
Think about the strong relationships you have in your life, the ones you enjoy, and repeatedly return to. They are meaningful simply because the experience is a consistently positive one. The same is true in business. When customers have a wonderful experience while engaging your business, they will think of you first, frequently purchase your products and/or services and they will spread the word by referring you to other potential consumers.
To illustrate how relationships in business can be both neglected and nurtured, and the effects of both choices, I will share with you two very different experiences I had with the same business over the past year.
I have been frequenting a local restaurant for years. Why? Because the experience has been consistently positive, pleasant and fulfilling. As a customer, the R.O.I. was high. About a year ago, Kellie and I visited this restaurant with the intention of having a wonderful evening out. However, this was not the case. While it wasn’t a terrible experience, we definitely did not feel cared for like we wanted and had grown accustomed to.
On this night, the food did not match their usual quality, and the service lacked the energy and high degree of caring we had come to know. It was as if our meals were thrown together without the attention to detail that normally goes into them. As a consumer, when you invest money to purchase a product or service you are looking for an experience that at least equals, and hopefully exceeds, your investment. When this does not happen, the business relationship is tarnished and sometimes permanently damaged in the mind of the consumer.
With only the desire to bring awareness to the situation, we contacted the owners the very next day and discovered that the head chef was not there at the time of our visit. Without his presence, quality oversight in the kitchen had been absent. They took responsibility for our poor experience, and reassured us that this was not their standard of business. We were asked to give them another try, and assured that our next visit would be on them.
In spite of our positive history with this restaurant, this one experience instilled a lack of desire or excitement on our part to go back again. It took a full year for us to return and take the owners up on their offer.
I am glad we did! Throughout our entire experience we were treated very well indeed. Our waiter was amazing, as were the support staff and the owner himself, who visited our table at the completion of our meal to personally apologize for the past experience and hear our opinions of this one. The food was again, top notch. In addition, we did not pick up on any negativity coming from the ownership and staff throughout our entire visit.
The owner kept his word regarding taking care of our meal, and he and his staff followed through on the promise that we would have a very different experience if we gave them another chance. The relationship was cared for and nurtured in this instance, and through the process, it was rebuilt. Kellie and I are now excited to return for another wonderful evening out at this establishment. And, because our confidence has been rebuilt in the entire organization due to the solid effort that was put forth, we now feel good again in referring the people we know to this restaurant.
This represents how, with integrity and constructive action, even a damaged relationship with a customer can be rebuilt.
It is important to understand that if your relationships with your customers are neglected, they are likely to stop doing business with you, and they won’t be giving other consumers positive recommendations. This is how businesses shoot themselves in the foot. Conversely, businesses that deliver a consistently positive and rewarding experience to their customers strengthen the shared relationship, and grow as a result. To put it another way, in order for you to increase your R.O.I., the customer must receive a high return on their investment with you.
Think about the strong relationships you have in your life, the ones you enjoy, and repeatedly return to. They are meaningful simply because the experience is a consistently positive one. The same is true in business. When customers have a wonderful experience while engaging your business, they will think of you first, frequently purchase your products and/or services and they will spread the word by referring you to other potential consumers.
To illustrate how relationships in business can be both neglected and nurtured, and the effects of both choices, I will share with you two very different experiences I had with the same business over the past year.
I have been frequenting a local restaurant for years. Why? Because the experience has been consistently positive, pleasant and fulfilling. As a customer, the R.O.I. was high. About a year ago, Kellie and I visited this restaurant with the intention of having a wonderful evening out. However, this was not the case. While it wasn’t a terrible experience, we definitely did not feel cared for like we wanted and had grown accustomed to.
On this night, the food did not match their usual quality, and the service lacked the energy and high degree of caring we had come to know. It was as if our meals were thrown together without the attention to detail that normally goes into them. As a consumer, when you invest money to purchase a product or service you are looking for an experience that at least equals, and hopefully exceeds, your investment. When this does not happen, the business relationship is tarnished and sometimes permanently damaged in the mind of the consumer.
With only the desire to bring awareness to the situation, we contacted the owners the very next day and discovered that the head chef was not there at the time of our visit. Without his presence, quality oversight in the kitchen had been absent. They took responsibility for our poor experience, and reassured us that this was not their standard of business. We were asked to give them another try, and assured that our next visit would be on them.
In spite of our positive history with this restaurant, this one experience instilled a lack of desire or excitement on our part to go back again. It took a full year for us to return and take the owners up on their offer.
I am glad we did! Throughout our entire experience we were treated very well indeed. Our waiter was amazing, as were the support staff and the owner himself, who visited our table at the completion of our meal to personally apologize for the past experience and hear our opinions of this one. The food was again, top notch. In addition, we did not pick up on any negativity coming from the ownership and staff throughout our entire visit.
The owner kept his word regarding taking care of our meal, and he and his staff followed through on the promise that we would have a very different experience if we gave them another chance. The relationship was cared for and nurtured in this instance, and through the process, it was rebuilt. Kellie and I are now excited to return for another wonderful evening out at this establishment. And, because our confidence has been rebuilt in the entire organization due to the solid effort that was put forth, we now feel good again in referring the people we know to this restaurant.
This represents how, with integrity and constructive action, even a damaged relationship with a customer can be rebuilt.
It is important to understand that if your relationships with your customers are neglected, they are likely to stop doing business with you, and they won’t be giving other consumers positive recommendations. This is how businesses shoot themselves in the foot. Conversely, businesses that deliver a consistently positive and rewarding experience to their customers strengthen the shared relationship, and grow as a result. To put it another way, in order for you to increase your R.O.I., the customer must receive a high return on their investment with you.
Life Coaching Tip #708
How do you want to feel today? Do you want to be happy, full of life and inspired? The power of choice is all yours, and once you decide; you are much more likely to make it so. Have a decided heart, follow through on your decision and create for yourself the kind of day you want to have.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Life Coaching Tip #707
How you feel - whether you are happy or not - is a byproduct of your thoughts, actions and words. The great news is that you have the power of choice regarding these aspects of your life. The secret to being happy on a consistent basis is to consciously choose your thoughts, actions and words so that they align with the feelings you want to experience. Choose the feeling you want to have then, entertain only the thoughts, actions and words that give you the feeling you desire.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Life Coaching Tip #706
One sure fire way to feel great about yourself is to care deeply at all times. Give your very best - go all in, in everything you do - and you will be able to look upon your efforts and yourself with a profound sense of respect. The quality of everything you do reaches new heights and everyone wins when you approach life in this way. Self-respect is a wonderful feeling, and it is attained through caring deeply, and doing your best on a consistent basis.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Life Coaching Tip #705
Let the sights, sounds, smells and warmth of spring enliven you. Be grateful for your senses that allow you to soak up this amazing time of year. Feel the pulse of life growing stronger all around, and within you. Dive into life, and let its flow guide you to places yet unimagined. Go forth with strength, and fill up on joy and happiness as you engage your own unique adventure.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Life Coaching Tip #704
Not being who you are – not living your life in an authentic way that is meaningful and true to you - creates internal stress and unhappiness. When you align with your true self, happiness grows. Rather than being who you think others want you to be, out of a fear that they won’t approve, be who you are, and let the chips fall where they may. You will find that things turn out much better than you imagined.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Life Coaching Tip #703
The weight of your problems can definitely diminish your strength and bring you down, if you let them. When you consider that millions of people are facing their mortality due to illness, starvation, war and poverty, perhaps you can see that your "problems" really aren't the burden you perceive them to be. Even for those in dire straits, you are still here and therefore, hope lives. Look upon your particular situation with gratitude, and come to see that what you have is the gift of LIFE, not problems.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Life Coaching Tip #702
Have you noticed how focusing on what is "wrong" - what you don't want - makes you unhappy and does not lead to the achievement your desires? Being aware of what you do not want is helpful in creating clarity about what you DO want, but focusing the majority, if not all, of your time, attention and energy there is disempowering. The key to getting what you want is focusing on exactly that. As you direct your thoughts, actions and words toward your desires, you become happier, and what you want is realized.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Life Coaching Tip #701
Fear is a prison from which escape can seem impossible. However, fear is self-generated - it is YOUR reaction or thoughts about the situation you're facing - which means that you hold the key to your freedom from crippling fears. As you become aware of the hold fear has on you, stop and work through your thoughts to gain clarity, and therefore, control over it. You will find that the vast majority of your fears are an illusion. You are the great liberator in your life. Free yourself from fear whenever you find it operating in you. Be alive, not afraid!
Monday, April 2, 2012
Life Coaching Tip #700
Wherever you go and whatever you do, be grateful that you have this day of life. Today is a finite resource - you cannot recapture it - so make the most of your precious time. Access the joy in your life and live this day fully!
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