Small Changes, Big Results

I am up to my neck in work.   I have a full-plate of search assignments and a consulting gig.  I have a major presentation to deliver in September.  I am talking with a client about beginning a C-level search. That is the good news!   The bad news is that I am six months behind on some tasks, like completing my expense reports, and three months behind in balancing my accounts.  Am I worried?  No!  I learned a valuable lesson (not sure when) that eliminates the stress of dealing with past due work.  Now, don't misunderstand, these tasks are not customer related.  They are merely administrative; important, but not urgent.   The secret I learned and came to embrace is that a little effort, over time, can support big results.  By investing just ten to twenty minutes a day, I will be back on schedule.

You may be wondering why I am completing expense reports given that I own my business.  Well, honestly it is a hold-over from my corporate career.  It is a useful discipline that I have maintained in my executive search business.  Quick Books allows me to print out weekly expense recaps which make it easier to compile my expense report.  Of course, those reports do not include cash expenses or mileage.  

I have learned that investing a few minutes a day on important but not urgent tasks improves my effectiveness.  It might not seem like much, but, I continue to become more productive.  It is far better than procrastinating until one is forced to make an investment in time to tackle the issue.  When I look back, I am reminded of a habit I developed early in my career.  I began each day by reading a chapter of a non-fiction business book, or the Wall Street Journal.  That practice helped me steadily advance my career.

Not long ago, I took some advice from Bill O'Reilly, the host of The Factor on the Fox News Network.   Mr. O'Reilly caught my attention when he suggested that a glass of water with a lemon wedge before every meal would help prevent overeating.  It was not the first time I had heard that, but I was receptive to the idea.  I had lost control of my weight and knew I must make some changes.  I tried it, and it worked.  Creating that habit was a small step.  It led to additional dietary changes.  Over time I shifted toward more fruit, vegetables, and protein.  These adjustments have allowed me to maintain my weight without spending time in the gym or on crash diets.  Significant changes begin with a single step.   

Last week I met a CMO, who  noted that I had recently published my first book.  He asked me how long it took to write.   Somewhat tongue-in-cheek, I told him that it took five years of weekly blog posts.   The book did grow out of my Blog, so my response wasn't entirely facetious.  My colleague Stan, and I have a running joke about ideas for his book.  I ask him why he doesn't start by writing a blog.  He tells me that his working style is to sit down and bang it out all at once.  I just laugh.   We both know he is too busy to block out that amount of time, so I keep poking him.

In my view, productivity improvement is all about replacing less than optimal work habits with more productive behavior.  Technology is very helpful.   The voice to text service on my landline eliminates the need to check my voice mail box. Using the "rules" option in Outlook helps me organize my email by topic, client, and assignment.  It is another valuable time saver.    My iPhone has been a major productivity enhancer.   Now I need to find an app to integrate my mileage and cash expenses into my Quick Books account.   If I can eliminate that irritant, well, you get the idea. 

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox. Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is important to me so; please leave a comment.


Jim Weber, President
Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal
New Century Dynamics Executive Search

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Conflict Resolution 101

I was talking with a friend this week, well listening actually.  He was venting about difficulties he was having with a client.   He was agitated.  It seems the client’s demands are beyond their agreement.  Meeting their needs is taking time away from other, more substantial clients.  He said that he needed to find a way to end the relationship and move on.  No value judgments here.  Finally, he asked me how I would deal with this client, based on my experience.  "How do you handle conflicts like this, Jim?"  I quipped that I preferred a flanking maneuver over a frontal assault.  In other words, find a way to finesse the situation.  Look for a win-win outcome.  Then I explained that I liked to step back, confer with colleagues, and take the time to craft the proper response.   That seemed to make sense to my friend, and we moved on to other matters.       
 
Later, our conversation got me to thinking.  Building a productive business relationship requires an investment of time and energy.  Protecting those relationships is fundamental to success.    How does one protect that relationship  if conflict develops?   So much of our contact today is via email.  Communication moves very fast.  It is easy to misinterpret one's intent.  Often,  we don't take enough time to evaluate the tone of our missives.   It is easy to talk past one another and raise the ire of the reader.  Consider the crass language one encounters across social media sites.
 
Early in my career, back when we had secretaries typing our memos, my boss continually reminded me that the written word, by its nature, tended to be cold.  It is all too easy to misinterpret one's intent and to take offense.   He coached me to be careful with my tone to ensure that my message was accurately received.   Believe me; I needed the coaching as I carry the "snarky" gene.   I haven't always followed his advice, but when I have    the result is always better.  I have had situations with clients that were going in the wrong direction, possibly to a dissolution of our relationship.  In very few cases a divorce was the best outcome, so I let it happen.   Usually, the association was too important to lose.      
 
I have found that conflicts can be resolved by whatever media one chooses, mail, phone, or face-to-face.  My preference is via phone or in person as we all tend to behave better and can assess the other's emotional response.  Often a two-step process can be effective.  I like using a dispassionate email to outline the situation and then request a phone conversation or personal meeting. The important point is to step back, cool off, and get the perspective of a trusted colleague.  Never respond in the heat of the moment, unless you want to end the relationship. Even then, terminating a relationship has consequences.   Your reputation is at stake. However, that is a topic for another post.      
 
In a recent situation, following this process, I presented the facts from my perspective.  Based on those facts, I outlined the strategy I was following.  I did not make any attributions to the other party as to his intent, motivations, or the validity of his position.  At best, that would have been speculation which would further inflame the situation.  I did suggest some actions that would put the project back on track, and invited the other party to schedule a phone conversation.    The outcome was the win-win situation I had hoped for.  The project was put back on track and successfully concluded.
 
Our actions have consequences which impact our reputations and livelihood.   Resolving conflicts require a cool head and a good plan.  You must keep your emotions in check even if it means biting down hard on your lip.  Remember Steven Covey, seek first to understand.  Let the other present their position and suggestions to resolve the impasse.  Repeat back their statements to ensure that you understand their concerns.  Make your points while working to find common ground.    Most of all, never, ever respond to any email or voice mail message while you are angry. 
 
 
 
Thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox. Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is important to me so; please leave a comment.


Jim Weber, President
Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal
New Century Dynamics Executive Search

Current Search Assignments

1. GM, Private Club based in Southeast,  Confidential Search:  New
2. Director of Business Development, Atlanta-based B2B Professional Services Company: New
3. Training Director – Southeastern-based Restaurant Group:  New
4. Senior Accounting Manager – Atlanta-based Manufacturer.  New
5. Controller - Orlando, FL-based Restaurant Company:  New

For more information, contact Jim Weber:  JimWeber@NewCenturyDynamics.com


Thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox. Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is important to me so; please leave a comment.
Jim Weber, President
Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal
New Century Dynamics Executive Search

Beginning A New Job

Beginning a new job is exciting.  So it was for me this week.  I began work for a new client, a small but established professional services company.  My sponsor and I have been talking about this project for three years, and now we are on.  The client employs about 20 people.  They are dealing with the same issues and stresses faced by most small businesses today.   The competitive landscape is changing, along with technology, and the needs of their customers.  I have been hired to help this company build and manage an internal recruiting and selection function.  In the past,  whenever they needed to hire someone their recourse was to use external recruiters,  at great expense.  The client understands that their recruiting and selection function is not working.  It is not supporting the needs of the business.   There have been too many misfires.   

When starting a new project, as with any job, it is a good idea to get to know who you will be working with, how they view the business and the capabilities of the organization. It is just basic onboarding.  It is important to build relationships with key team members.   It is important to understand the decision process so recommendations are well-received, without distraction from protocols one doesn't understand.  It is important to know the technical capabilities and limitations so that recommendations will have validity. 

This first week was about cultural immersion and learning their management style.  I was encouraged to attend the Monday morning staff meetings where the team updates current projects.  Later in the day, I  discussed my assignment with the Executive Steering Committee to ensure that we are in agreement on goals and deliverables.  The client currently lacks a Director of Business Development.   Filling that position is my first milestone. 

During the remainder of the week, I spent time with the individuals on the team.   My client wants to ensure that the team understands my objectives to be clear that their jobs are not at risk.  I want to understand the culture so as to learn how things are done in this company.  I also want to learn their capabilities around social media in support of their recruiting efforts.   

Everyone was very friendly and helpful; however, some were more guarded than others.  They want the company to be successful and to share in that success.  Some of the employees have been with the company for over ten years, with a few over 20, and one over 30-years tenure.  Then there is the other half of the team who have been with the company three years or less.  A few of the employees have only six months’ time on the job.  The culture is changing, but full alignment still needs to be achieved.  There is some concern that the company is falling behind technologically and that they could be more efficient.  Since they work on a project basis, there are issues around communicating updates.  The reporting structure is another opportunity which is understood by the client.  

I thought this would be a fun and exciting project when I accepted the contract, and so far that seems to be the case.  By the end of the week, I had talked with all but four team members and had completed the communication plan to begin the search for the Director of Business Development.   I have a better understanding of the client company and how it works.   Getting off to a good start on any new job or assignment certainly improves the likelihood of a successful engagement.  Based on my assessment of this week's work, this project is right on track. 

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox. Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is important to me so; please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President
Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal
New Century Dynamics Executive Search

Resume Fundamentals, Summarized

Your resume must be interesting, easy to read, and user-friendly for digital (i.e. email) transmission and retrieval if you are to be considered a viable job candidate.  To be viewed as a savvy professional, pay attention to the details.  Put your recipient’s needs first.  The following bullet points will set you apart from the rest of the pack.

Make it easy to put into the recipient’s database and retrieve.

• Your resume file name should put your last name first, and then first name and date.
• Use File/Properties menu option to list keywords and other data to make it easy to find. 
• Use appropriate keywords in the body of the resume.

Make it easy for the recipient to read.

• Use header and footer function to retain continuity.
•  Use Table function to hold formatting for Employers, Job Titles, and Dates. 
• PDF is the best format for integrity in transmission. 
• Adjust typeface; larger for headers, 14 to 16 pt. 
• Use 12 pt typeface size for the body of the resume, larger for headers. 
• Use spacing to break up career experience and to transition from different formats. 
• Use underlining to separate Employers

Make your resume fun and interesting reading;

• Use an Executive Summary at the beginning to set the stage. 
• Use paragraph format for Career Summary, and Job responsibilities.
•  Italics font for job responsibilities will make the resume more interesting to read. 
•  Use bullet format for accomplishments and skill sets.
•  Use bold and underline functions to make headers stand out.Give a brief description of each employer and the purpose of each position.

Make your resume Professional:

• Leave off Personal interests and “references available upon request.” 
• Use industry specific terminology. 
• Accomplishments should be predominant 
• Executive/Career summary must address your  Functional discipline, the level of accomplishment; and industry/segment expertise. 
• Give a short, one-line explanation for employer changes.
  

Make it Easy to contact you:

• Cell phone and email addresses are required.  
• The home mailing address is unnecessary  
• Make it smart-phone friendly.

Failure to follow these basic principles will prevent you from getting out of the starting gate.  A great resume will not guarantee that you get the job.  It is, however, the price of Poker.  The ante, if you will.  Once you have a solid resume product to present it will become easier to create alternate versions to be used in more specialized situations.  Your resume will become the template for other documents you will need in your searches, such as a short biography, cover letters, and a key accomplishments handout.  This is a task where professional help is readily available.  You will have no trouble finding competent professionals to help you if needed.

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox. Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is important to me so; please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President
Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal
New Century Dynamics Executive Search