I am back

Ok, I am guilty; I have not posted an entry (excluding twitters) on my blog since January 4th. While I have no excuse for the lack of postings, my first quarter both business and professionally was fast paced, filled with difficult decisions and was focused on moving forward.

As I look back since my last post, corporations in the first quarter had to make business decisions based on market factors that were affecting their business. Being a business news junkie, I found myself reading stories about the recession being the predominant theme repeatedly in the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and Bloomberg.com. While the stories are relatively the same, capital reductions, workforce reductions and cost containment, I found the overall messaging to be consistent. Statements like "live within our means", "right size for business conditions" and "making tough business decisions" are a few of the phrases that were embedded in every article.

While I am in now way am I making light of the serious conditions we are currently facing, I thought over the next few blog posts, I would list my favorite "Business Speak/Phrases and Definitions" that are commonly used. Some of the following I find myself of using (actually overusing), some I made up, and some are just funny.

Please feel free to add to this list.

Deck: word for a PowerPoint presentation.

"Please send me a copy of the most up-to-date deck before the meeting"


Administrivia: trivial tasks/items that everyone has to do even though you personally do not see the value.

"Sorry, I can't help you right now, I am up to my neck in administrivia"


Ego surfing: Searching the web (Google and Yahoo) for references to yourself.

When you are done ego surfing, could you join us for the meeting you arranged"


Multi-slacker: employee who can perform many unproductive tasks at the same time -phone conversations, instant messaging, and web surfing on company time

"Jonathan should be proud, he is the best multi-slacker I have ever seen"


Irregardless: merger of regardless and irrespective

I can't even use this one in a sentence because it is NOT a real word.

2009 - What will be different

Well, 2008 came to us on a high note and ended on what many have said is the lowest of lows. Mortgage crisis, housing decline and the US automotive industry on brink of collapse were the highlights of the low lights.

Going into 2009, what can we expect recruiting? I do not have a crystal ball, or even a magic eight ball, but I would venture to say to following should happen in your departments during the upcoming year:

1. Companies will continue recruiting but the focus will be on up-grading positions and selective replacements.
2. Companies will rely more on in-house recruiting than 3rd party agencies. In-house recruiters will have to dust off their Rolodex's and get in the trenches to source candidates.
3. Web 2.0 networking will be critical - good recruiters always work on their networks, even during the tough times.
4. Alternatives to sourcing will need to be explored and maximized. It may be time to add some pep to your ERP program and/or strengthen your military recruiting program.
5. Recruiting departments will need to go through some level of business process re-engineering to streamline processes and take costs out.
6. ATS optimization - training your recruiters to get the most out of what you currently have.
7. Re-evaluation of metrics - Does it make sense to focus on time to hire, when upgrading talent is the goal?
8. Business acumen - this is a great time for recruiters learn more about the business they serve. Recruiting leaders should be doing everything they can to aid in this process. Cross functional projects, sites visits or attending operational reviews should all be considered during this time.
9. HR acumen - Recruiters that have interest in other areas of HR should take this time to build their internal networks, learn about other discipline's within HR and participate in cross discipline projects. I guarantee that learning as much as you can about compensation, especially executive compensation, will help build anyone recruiting competency.
10. Prepare, Prepare and Prepare, so that when things start to turn around, you and your departments are leading in the war for talent, not lagging.

Moses on Management

I just finished a book by David Baron called Moses on Management : 50 Leadership Lessons from the Greatest Manager of All Time. I must say this book gave a unique perspective on a subject that has been extensively written about within organizations, Management Principles.

Baron calls out that if we are able to embrace the the ten commandments and the other 60 603 "laws of human kindness", they will also balance business and the ethics involved. Ten words can be interchanged to describe Moses leading the Jews out of Egypt and though difficult times to leading and managing people in a business environment.

Accept: One must accept the role of leadership, even if reluctant, unwilling, and feel unequipped for the job. Moses on the surface appeared to be the least likely to be a leader, but he was able to step up and lead magnificently. Those that do not see themselves as leaders are the ones with the most innovative ideas.

Assess: Just like Moses has to constantly assess his situation, ( the Egyptians, Jews, environment, terrain) leaders have to also make continuous assessments. Items like assessing your staff, management, culture and goals of an organization are always top of mind.

Connect: Just like Moses made a connection with G-D and the people around him, a manager must also make similar connections. One must establish connections with the goals of the organization and connect with the people you manage.

Deliver: Let's face it, if you deliver results, you earn the respect of your colleagues, bosses and the organization. Moses not only delivered G-d's message to the people, he passed on prayers and pleas that the people had for G-d. A good manager engages in two way communication to his/her subordinates well as management.

Persevere: Moses guided his people for forty years and it was his perseverance that made success possible. Leaders in business must do the same, you must demonstrate that no matter what obstacles arise, you are there for them.

Solve: Business is about solving problems as they always come up. Don't give up, find partners to help if you need to. Moses was always solving problems, finding food, teaching them how to survive and preparing them for a new life. Innovation is probably one of the most critical competencies in business today just like it was back in Moses' time.

Search: Search out people and ideas that will help you. Moses sought out information from many sources, including Egyptian royalty, his family, his experiences from his days when he tended a flock. Just like Moses, a leader in business draws on information from many sources, not just one.

Enforce: As managers, rules must be enforced and if they are not enforced, then they are meaningless. Just like the Ten Commandments prescribes a code for humanity, organizations have policies the procedures that must be followed.

Endow: Moses gave his people a mission, to secure the Promised Land, a belief system and to survive. Managers also endows their subordinates with a mission for the future and beliefs about what a company stands for.

Depart: Know when to pass on the role of leader. What concerned Moses towards the end of his life was making sure his people thrived after he was gone. Good leaders also make plans for the for the next generation to take over and lead.
Note: -- the above was STRONGLY paraphrased from pages 278-285.

If you have a chance, I strongly recommend you take time a read this book. I can tell you that it was a quick read, packed with useful information that ties our past managemen skills to the present.

Commentary re: Snack Vendor -- or Undercover Job Recruiter?

I read the article Snack Vendor -- or Undercover Job Recruiter? the other day in the WSJ and I have to tell you I am not so sure I would want to retain a firm that would use such non traditional methods to recruit candidates on my companies behalf. Paying janitors for a phone number and going undercover as a snack vendor is not my idea of a search firm best representing its clients brand and image. Having said that, I do believe recruiters have to be creative in sourcing candidates and always looking for new and innovative ideas. Just remember, search firms work for the company, not the candidate. We hire you find the best individuals in the market (that are recuitable) who not only have the skill set we desire, but have the competencies and values that would make them a fit in the organization. Ask yourself before entering into the "gray area" when sourcing, is the method chosen to source and develop the short list, in the best interest of my client.

Rest in Peace Reggie Dunlap

Paul Newman -1925-2008

Reggie Dunlop: Let 'em know you're there! Get that stick in their side, let 'em know you're there! Put some x@#%'in lumber in their teeth, let 'em know you're there!

Reggie Dunlop: How about it tonight, guys? Old Time Hockey!

Footnoted.org

As a Talent Management professional who has been involved with executive recruitment, it is always a challenge to make individuals whole on certain components of their compensation. I found a website the other day that highlights unique aspects of executive compensation as reported in the SEC filings. Check out www.footnoted.org and let me know what you think.

Executive Interview Questions

Having recruited at the executive level, I thought I would share some of my favorite interview questions I have used in the past.

• Tell me a significant mistake you have made in rolling out a new business strategy?
• What type of decisions are most difficult for you to make?
• What have you done to develop/grow your team?
• Describe a major decision you made this year that affect your companies overall strategy?
• What three qualities does a ".........fill in the position...." require in order to be successful?
• What has been your biggest success in developing someone? What did you do?
• How do you get your team to work at it's peak potential
• Give me an example of how you handled risk?
• What metrics do you use to track your organization?
• Describe a decision you made, that looking back, you would do it differently if given another chance?
• What have you done for your current company that you will be remember for?
• What would you do in the first 90 days?

Obviously I am not the creator of most of these questions, I just have found them to be very effective when interview executives .

Hope they help.