Excellence Awards
Executive Performance

A Cornerstone of Executive Success

by Mike Cooke on April 24, 2012

What makes executives successful? It’s a rhetorical question, and here’s the answer: The number one reason executives are successful is because they have great people. That’s it. It’s not to say it’s not important for leaders in companies today to have a wide assortment  of competencies and skills – it’s vital – but your skills as an executive are not scalable – you are only one person, with just so much time in the day to get things done. We’ll discuss the value that executives bring to their teams at a later day; for now, let’s look at how to ensure you hire the best people. After all, this is one of the most important processes to master and it’s not easy.

1.  Be involved with selecting the candidates. Do not leave it to just one function such as HR or the Sales organization. Don’t hand the hiring of key employees off to other functions and then allow yourself to be surprised when people join your organization that do not share your organization’s goals and values. Of course, at a large organization an executive cannot be involved in every hiring decision, but that just reinforces the importance of selecting great people so they, in turn, can also select great people.

2.  Have clear hiring objectives. For each position you need to know what you are looking for in terms of experience, skills, attitude, and aptitude. If you need a new hire to be proficient in a particular software program, or to have great sales skills, don’t hire someone without those skills. And remember, hiring for soft skills is essential. If a potential hire isn’t personable in an interview, they aren’t going to transform in a customer facing situation.

3.  Consider the “upside” of each candidate – the #1 problem I see with executives or hiring managers is that they fail to truly understand the upside of an individual candidate. For example, Candidate A may be the most experienced, but is only going to be so good – they will probably always be a steady B level performer. Candidate B may not have as many years of experience, but given some time and coaching will provide more value to your organization in the long run than Candidate A .What candidate would you hire? Think long term and never be afraid to take a risk on someone who you believe can be a great employee.

4.  Take time when hiring. When a key person leaves, or an urgent need is recognized if your first response is to say “we need someone in here now, who can we hire?” you will end up making costly hiring mistakes. Just hiring a body to fill a position without taking the time to understand the needs of the position and do a thorough interview process will result in a poor hire which will not benefit your organization long-term.

5.  Consider assessment testing (SHL.com or hoganassessments.com) or assessment center services where appropriate and valid –  Especially for key employees, appropriate assessment testing based on the type of job, skills needed, personality traits and the additional information about your candidate can help clarify your hiring decision. Balance the investment in testing with the potential value in return.

6.  Be honest about the work environment. Every organization has frustrating aspects of culture and certain situations. It’s okay to communicate both the positives and negatives of the workplace. Otherwise, you will see your retention rates lag behind your industry average. Plus, who wants to work for someone who isn’t honest?  You will be far more respected and trusted if you are honest from the start and set the standard for integrity. And your employee won’t leave after six months requiring you to start the hiring process over again.

7.  Use common sense and don’t make hiring a silo. Get feedback from multiple areas of the business. Get your client service people to interview an engineer. Have your technical people interview someone for a marketing role. You have a lot of great people working for you – why not let those same great people help you select great people?

There’s a tremendous amount of activity now in Talent Acquisition and companies are investing heavily in these systems. Technology is very important for enhancing the Talent Acquisition process, but you, your people and how you manage and lead your organization will be the determining factor for your organization’s continued success.


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Objectivity and Advisory Firms: When What Works Doesn’t Work Anymore

by Mike Cooke on April 11, 2012

Objectivity.

This is an important consideration to keep in mind when working with research and consulting firms. After all, you want to know that the information and guidance you’re getting is as unbiased as possible. And when making a purchasing decision, you’re counting on a recommendation based on your needs, not one influenced by any sort of financial relationship.

In recent weeks, we’ve seen other analyst firms that seem to be suffering from an identity crisis – instead of sticking to objectivity and neutrality as an analyst firm, due to whatever internal challenges they may have, these analyst firms are becoming more consultancy than unbiased analyst firms.

At Brandon Hall Group, we grapple with objectivity every day. My colleagues and I talk with hundreds of insiders every month. We must continually monitor and filter what we say and write, so as not to disclose private information, market rumors, or personal opinions (unless asked). We do our best to weigh research data so that results aren’t skewed or misleading. For sure, it’s not easy, and we find ourselves in frequent, but healthy debates over the issue.

It’s no secret that as analysts in the space that we – and virtually every other research and consulting company on the planet – work with solution providers. On a tactical level, they leverage us for directed research and to share our research in their hosted webinars. We offer insight and perspective that can guide their strategies and product plans. We also work on deeper strategic issues with providers in the Learning, Talent, Sales, and Marketing spaces, such as due diligence M&A projects and are part of the due diligence process based on our expertise as an analyst firm.

As an analyst and research firm, if we’re to maintain a healthy level of objectivity, we cannot enter into any kind of relationship that may be perceived to obligate – or even set expectations – of recommendation or favorable treatment of specific products or companies no matter how lucrative such a partnership might be. It’s what makes us a true analyst firm and it’s what has enabled Brandon Hall Group to thrive for 20 years in the business.

Before you engage any research and consulting firm, we recommend that you do some homework to ensure a level of objectivity that meets your expectations and comfort. Ask pointed questions! Do your own due diligence!

Just as any reputable media company will disclose up front all advertising and business relationships that could be construed as having influence, any analyst firm should be willing to honestly discuss any vendor relationships relevant to your engagement. You should be comfortable asking for a list of current and recent solution provider clients. Get details about the work performed. Understand what kinds of ongoing partnerships may be in place. When reading research – any kind of research – you should question the methodology, the credentials of the writer, and how the research was funded.

I’ve personally been in the research business since 2004 and I’ve been in the learning industry for 20 years. I know the value of a reputation built on objectivity – as well as the risks of compromise. Please know that Brandon Hall Group encourages your questions and welcomes any discussion around this important topic.


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Building Teams Through Assessments

by Mike Cooke on December 1, 2011

Recently I had the pleasure of attending SHL’s (www.shl.com) L.I.N.K. event in Orlando, FL. L.I.N.K. stands for Learn, Interact, Network, and Know, and I had the opportunity to do all of those at this event. I also had the opportunity to learn about what SHL is doing in the assessment arena. SHL is an industry leader in the assessment area and it appears they have an assessment for every job, in every industry. My interactions focused on assessments and their importance to organizations.

Learning, interacting, and networking is important, especially as we (Brandon Hall Group) know that from the research we have conducted, assessments offer different opportunities for both technology providers and for client companies. Assessments are the next big opportunity for Talent Management Providers and LMS providers to buy or build into their existing systems, and they also represent an amazing opportunity for clients to better understand their talent pools.

Every organization wants to have a great team of people working to make their organization better. Successful enterprises take many things into consideration when building a team, but to the surprise of many, group or team intelligence doesn’t have a whole lot to do with the intelligence of individuals. Assessment testing allows the organization to determine if the most important traits of a world class team are possible with the available individuals. In building a great team, the ability of the team members to listen and provide feedback constructively is critical to its success. Of course, a good team member is intelligent, but these individuals must also display emotional intelligence.

In the past, I have had outstanding opportunities to work with many wonderful team members, many of whom I would consider to be the best and the brightest anywhere. However, this intelligence does not always translate into a great team. I have seen team dynamics that were more focused on individuals trying to focus on their own strengths rather than working towards goals as a team. This game playing does not make for a sustainable team in today’s workforce. Your best people won’t want to be part of a team where someone is always trying to prove their superiority by putting down the rest of the team, and if assessments are done on potential team members before they join the team, the organization can determine whether or not individuals are a good fit from an emotional intelligence standpoint.

Generational norms are also becoming a factor for companies to consider when building teams. In 2010, US Bureau of Labor Statistics projected that by 2013 the millennial generation will make up 40% of the work force. Millennials were born between 1982 and 2002, and companies sometimes forget that members of this generation will be turning 30 next year, and are becoming organizational leaders. Some of these people are managers and a select few may become your next boss or the company’s youngest CEO or VP if they haven’t already. I believe the millennial generation is going to be very successful and as they learn to have a voice and a seat at the table, they are going to be a very important part of the team. The advancement of this generation into company leadership is especially important when organizations are looking to create teams to function well together.

The necessity of teams functioning well together leads me back to assessments. Americans happen to be one of the lowest users of assessments in the world. However, our initial research shows that if a company is embarking on any kind of a learning strategy, a talent strategy, or heck, a new business strategy, any of these initiatives will be more successful if the organization engages in assessments before moving forward. Having a talent strategy without utilizing scientifically proven assessments is like getting married before dating. Sometimes the results are positive, but most people would agree they wouldn’t want to operate that way. Some advanced assessment of potential team members and team characteristics is critical for a team’s success.

I would love to hear your thoughts around assessments and how your organization conducts assessments for its team members. It is a fascinating topic and one we want to hear from all of you on as we conduct our research in these areas.


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No Longer Separate Silos

December 1, 2011

Recently I had the pleasure of speaking at Richardson’s event in Philadelphia. Richardson (www.richardson.com) is a top sales training company and focuses on sales performance and business impact for their clientele. I also had the honor of learning more about this 32 year old company from their senior management team and in meeting the founder, [...]

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