The Future of Training

A few months ago I wrote an article, What Should Your Business be Focused On?, summarizing some of the exciting and new topics I learned about when I attended the SHRM Atlanta Conference. One of the most interesting presentations was entitled Future Skills 2020, presented by Dr. Tracey Wilen-Daugenti. In her presentation, Dr. Daugenti talked about the need to develop skills for creating computer games to train new employees on various aspects of their jobs. According to an article in the May issue of Delta’s SKY Magazine, the future may already be here.

The article by Dan Heilman illustrates how companies like Cold Stone Creamery are using games to teach store employees how to do their jobs and, as a result, are improving the company’s bottom line. By teaching employees through a game how to serve just the right-sized scoop of ice cream, they are avoiding the mistake of oversizing scoops which, when served thousands of times a year, could significantly impact the company’s ability to be profitable. But it’s not just ice cream stores. What about the medical device manufacturer training physicians on the proper way to use a new surgical robot? One company developed a simulator that was connected to a high-definition 3-D screen and awarded doctors points and a new level of gaming with every training module they mastered, putting an incentive and some fun into the learning process.

The future of immersive learning or "serious games" is growing. However, as Dan points out in his article, using games to teach is nothing new. Polo, for example, was invented for the purpose of training cavalry forces. Today games are proving to be an inexpensive and effective training tool, easily repeated and definitely engaging to a workforce comfortable with game technologies.

According to Stanford University professor Byron Reeves, "training is often boring and companies spend substantial money on videos and other materials that don’t get as much us as they desire or as they anticipate. The promise of games is that using consumer sensibilities and ingredients of great games can increase engagement with the materials." Seems like it’s a win/win for everyone.

So What’s Next?

I believe Dr. Daugenti’s assessment that the future will require competencies for designing training using gaming techniques is right on. In addition, here is what some other experts are saying about the future of training design and delivery:

"Companies will start doing what the U.S. Army does, requiring you to spend hundreds of hours in a simulator before you actually command a tank in battle – except it will be on a desktop computer as an avatar in a virtual environment and learning best practices about whatever environment you’re in." Bryon Reeves, Stanford University

"It will all go online. With teams and workers geographically dispersed, clearly face-to-face training is logistically challenging. Training will be a virtual world." Kate Hixson, Person Learning Solutions

"What seems like game play now will just be a part of your job, and it will be ongoing. It won’t be such anovert case of ‘Play this game, then go do your job.’ It will be more a situation of interacting with game mechanics every day as part of your job." Aaron Dignan, Undercurrent

Although we can see the influence technology is having on training, I think we also need to pay attention to the advice Google CEO Eric Schmidt gave students in his recent commencement address, "Take one hour a day and turn that thing off [referring to technology]," Schmidt told graduates at Boston University. "Take your eyes off that screen and look into the eyes of the person you love. Have a conversation, a real conversation." Mr. Schmidt is singing my song. There are lots of opportunities to teach new skills and techniques using games and the latest technologies but let’s not overlook the importance of also learning how to connect person to person, communicate with compassion, resolve conflicts in a positive manner, and celebrate the learning, successes and dreams of the people we live and work with.

So what types of training could you take on line? What about some of your technical training, regulation updates, customer service skills, on-boarding, soft skills, or supervisory skills? Once you start investigating what other organizations are doing, it may be easy to come up with a training portfolio and format that allows each module to build on the other – and perhaps build on the characters or the gaming objectives. Be creative and have fun. Check out the examples available on my whiteboard below.

HR professionals have a challenging future – balancing people interactions with computer learning. It’s an exciting time and I look forward to hearing your thoughts about our changing role. If you found this article interesting I’m happy for you to share it with friends and colleagues.

This article was written by Deborah A. King, SPHR, CEO and Sr. Organization Effectiveness Consultant with Evolution Management, Inc. Debbie and her team are ready to assist with organizational change to improve effectiveness, efficiencies and the overall workplace experience for employees. If you’re interested in learning more about our services, please contact us: www.evolutionmgt.com or 770.587.9032.

Examples of Training Games

Department of Continuous Renewal – Striving for a Holistic Approach to Change

Should organization's view change as a program, or as an event? This was the topic of an interesting conversation I recently had with a colleague responsible for guiding his organization through successful change. As a result of that thought-provoking exchange, I thought it might be helpful to my readers to explore ‘change’ and the field of ‘organization development’ since we’re all dealing with some kind of change.

In 1965 John W. Gardner, writing about change, speculated that perhaps what was needed in a world dealing with so much change was a "department of continuous renewal that could view the whole organization as a system in need of continuing innovation." Gardner, along with management consultants including McGregor and Argyris, was trying to identify a workable solution for dealing with the magnitude and complexity of change occurring in our country at the time in politics, society, and workplaces, as well as in relationships between different generations and races.

Gardner’s idea for the Department of Continuous Renewal does exist in many organizations today. It may or may not be titled Organization Development (OD) Department but that’s what the assigned staff is responsible for. However, almost 50 years after Gardner brought attention to the need for managing continuous change the OD profession, as well as the organizations in which we work, continue to struggle in clearly defining what organization development is and how to intentionally apply it.

Primary Characteristics of OD

OD is often defined as an educational strategy adopted to bring about a planned organizational change. With that said, be aware that the strategies designed and implemented can differ enormously from one situation to another. In some cases the need may be focused on assessing and understanding the organizational culture in order to make intelligent and well-informed recommendations about ways to improve performance. In others, the need may be helping employees adjust to the dynamics of working with peoples that are different from each other – in traditions, backgrounds, gender, years, education, work styles, etc. Yet another example might be helping a team impacted by a merger or acquisition realign with a new mission, vision and goal. Whatever the strategy, OD almost always concentrates on the values, attitudes, relations, and client – the ‘people side’ of business.

Secondly, the focus of the change work is directly linked with the demands the organization is facing, which vary in intensity and can be as extreme as changes required for the organization to survive.

OD relies on that educational strategy mentioned above to emphasize experienced behavior. Utilizing assessment, feedback, training, meeting facilitation, and other experience-based methodologies, the OD professional is able to generate publicly-shared information and experiences needed for adequate action planning.

Most often, the individuals guiding change - ‘change agents’ - are external to the organization. Certainly internal OD consultants do great work. I’m not declaring that they don’t. What I am suggesting however, is that external consultants have the benefit of bringing an innocence, or unbiased perception, when observing the organization and clarifying surfaced problems. Having experience working internally and externally, I find that there is usually, rightly or wrongly, a real or perceived notion that the ‘external’ consultant is bringing more experience to the engagement, which often aids in gaining executive commitment to change.

OD implies a collaborative relationship between the consultant and the client system, and that’s where my passion lies. The word collaboration can mean a lot of different things. As you consider the word, what does it mean to you? For me, it involves working with people jointly committed to a goal, working in a way that demonstrates mutual trust and influence. It’s a way of coming together where no one is alone.

OD leaders of change share a set of values about the world in general, and human organization in particular, which influence their strategies, interventions and responses to client system behaviors. We believe that bureaucratic and impersonal values reduce organizational effectiveness while values supporting human factors, open communications and trust lead to healthy and productive organizations.

And last, but not the least OD professionals are guided by a set of goals which include:

• Improve interpersonal competence.
• Shift values so human factors and feelings are considered legitimate.
• Develop an increased understanding between and within working groups in order to reduce tensions and improve efficiencies.
• Develop effective teams.
• Develop better methods of conflict resolution.
• Share and develop an understanding that the organization is an organic system; not a mechanical machine.

So What’s Next?

Considering these characteristics of OD, it’s easy to see that a program, or holistic approach to change, is one that can be more efficient and effective in producing and sustaining change across an organization rather than approaching it in small and random pockets dependent on the leader’s willingness to deal with change.

What difference would it make to your organization if the change program was managed by the ‘Department of Continuous Renewal’? What impact could an orchestrated change plan, with at least the following eight components, working simultaneously in concert with each other have on the success of your requirements for change? Noted below is a brief overview of EMI’s Holistic Change Model.^©

I.   The foundation of the change program is built on the desired vision, mission, goals and culture, intentional values, performance objectives, behavioral standards, leadership expectations.

II.  Surrounding the core foundation are eight gears working in harmony with each other:

1. Strategic Change Planning – including a Transition Plan, Communication Plan, clarification of language and definitions, structure and chartering of change team
2. Individual Check-In – opportunities and tools for employees to identify where they are now, where they are going, what they need to let go of, as well as acquire, training needs, and chances for collaborating and participating in change initiatives
3. Team Realignment and Development – understanding restructuring and impact of change, individual contributions, re-engagement, performance metrics and training
4. Leadership Assessment and Development – clarification of leadership styles needed for organizational impact and goal achievement, assessment of competencies, attitudes, skills and passions, executive coaching and development
5. Stakeholder Integration – assessment of needs, clarification of expectations, opportunities for collaboration and involvement with change team
6. Performance Expectations – modified position descriptions, updated development plans, relationship building (internal and external), continuous performance management feedback and development
7. Communications – frequent updates, two-way (horizontally, vertically and diagonally engaging employees) dialogues, integration of technologies and social media, effective planning and facilitation of meetings, easy to understand messages, attention to WIIFM (What’s In It For Me?) questions, town hall/brown bag opportunities for staff and management to dialogue
8. Change Metrics and Plan Modification – periodic check-ins, alignment of change plan with other internal and external impacts, celebration of achievements, program modifications

III.  Surrounding these eight dynamic components is a Program Management team to ensure:

• Knowledge sharing occurs between the Change Team, organizational leaders and internal and external change consultants
• Timely follow-up on action plans and open items
• Barriers to change are addressed and resolved
• Future needs are anticipated and planned for as the organization shifts

So often I observe an organization focused on an individual OD intervention, such as meeting facilitation, or executive coaching. It’s excellent that leaders understand there is a need. However, my observation is that the time and investment made in that one engagement would have a much better ROI if it was integrated into a more holistic approach to organizational change.

As you think about how change is occurring in your organization, I hope this glimpse of a holistic approach is helpful to you. As always, I welcome your comments to my posting; please click below. I also appreciate your sharing a copy of this article with others you believe will find it interesting. Have a great week.

This article was written by Deborah A. King, SPHR, CEO and Sr. Organization Effectiveness Consultant with Evolution Management, Inc. Debbie and her team are ready to assist with organizational change to improve effectiveness, efficiencies and the overall workplace experience for employees. If you’re interested in learning more about our services, please contact us: www.evolutionmgt.com or 770.587.9032.

Tom Orths

Appreciating The Power of What’s Best

When asking for advice about how to proceed with a specific situation, isn’t it frustrating when the response is, "Well, it depends"? Sounds like the advice is coming from an attorney, doesn’t it? It turns out Organizational Effectiveness Consultants also use that phrase too. I know I do. 

My initial engagement with my clients starts with them contrasting for me what their current workplace environment and performance levels look like and what they’d like to see in the future. Ultimately they ask, "So how do we get there?" and honestly, it really does just depend on the answers to some additional questions.

The dependencies we usually explore include workplace elements such as the organization’s:

• culture
• readiness for change 
• commitment to the new vision
• quality of current communications
• level of trust
• patience for working on behavioral change

After playing with the lens through further discussions, we’re able to bring the organization into a clearer focus. Only then can we start discussing the Organization Development (OD) options for moving the organization in the direction of the restated vision. One OD methodology available for involving as many stakeholders as possible in the design of the organizational change plan is known as Appreciative Inquiry (AI).

Appreciative Inquiry

I first learned about AI at an OD Conference I attended years ago, probably in 1990. David Cooperrider, a professor from Case Western University, delivered a compelling presentation on his research with a new methodology he and Suresh Srivastva had developed that he was calling Appreciative Inquiry. What’s exciting about this process is that it takes a totally different approach to change than we normally experience. Rather than approach change from a perspective of developing methods for change designed from understanding what’s not working, AI approaches change by understanding and being attentive to the best and the highest qualities of the organization.

AI is often defined as, "A process of collaborative inquiry, based on interviews and affirmative questioning, that collects and celebrates good news stories of a community; these stories serve to enhance cultural identity, spirit and vision."

OD consultants find the use of AI extremely helpful in situations where there is:

• support for full stakeholder participation
• understanding and commitment to change as an on-going process, not a one-time event
• strong leadership dedication and belief in the affirmative process as a viable change driver
• available systems and resources that encourage sharing "good news stories" and support creative action

AI is distinctly different from problem-solving as it focuses on a desired future or outcome built on the strengths and passions of the past and present. The AI methodology is guided by the following principles:

1. Every system works to some degree; seek out the positive and appreciate the "best of what is."
2. Knowledge generated by inquiry should be applicable; look at what is possible and relevant.
3. Systems are capable of becoming more than they are, and they can learn how to guide their own evolution – so consider provocative challenges and bold dreams of "what might be."
4. The process and outcomes of the inquiry are interrelated and inseparable, so make the process a collaborative one.

So What's Next?

The work of David Cooperrider and others dedicated to the power of AI continues to demonstrate how focusing on the positive and appreciating the best is a healthy, less stressful manner in which to approach change, motivate and engage employees and improve performance results.

What would it mean for your organization, business, customers and employees if you could:

• change the orientation from problem-focused to possibility-focused?
• create a culture that welcomes and embraces stories, shared values, and a sense of identity?
• establish a culture that encourages continuous learning and inquiry?
• renew organizational energy, hope, motivation and commitment?
• improve working relations and minimize conflicts?
• increase in self-motivation?

What would these types of outcomes do to employee engagement, turnover, productivity, sales, profits?

AI is not the methodology for every situation; remember, "It depends." However, in those situations where it is applicable, the potential for engaging stakeholders in dreaming about what the organization could be and then taking the steps to achieve that dream is extremely powerful.

If you’re interested in learning more about how AI can help your organization I’d enjoy the opportunity to discuss it with you. In addition, there are also many books available on the subject, such as Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Revolution in Change by David Cooperrider and Diana Whitney.

The important point that you need to be aware of is that there are many OD techniques and methodologies available for planning and designing change initiatives, AI being just one of them. Take the time to explore what’s the best for your specific situation, culture, workers and the type of outcomes you are in search of.

This article was written by Deborah A. King, SPHR, CEO and Sr. Organizational Effectiveness Consultant with Evolution Management, Inc. Debbie and her team are energized about changing times and can help your organization navigate the human and operational journeys to the future. Contact us for more information: www.evolutionmgt.com or 770.587.9032.

 

Author Jackie Kelm

The Colors of the Holiday Season: Red and Green; Pink and Blue

We all know the #1 goal of a for-profit organization is to make a profit. The additional objectives, such as treating employees with respect and fairness and being a good social and global steward, are hopefully priorities met along the way to the profits.

My experience about how executives approach the final quarter of the year echoes what I hear colleagues mentioning - most organizations have their eyes on two things: the financial performance for the year ending, and the strategic goals for the new year. Finding the right balance between profits, quality performance, future consumer demands, staffing levels, workload, and advancing technologies is quite a leadership art. CEOs usually find the solution for balance wrapped in organizational assessments and restructuring activities focused on integrating new processes and technologies in order to provide greater efficiencies while reducing costs. Unfortunately, this often results in cutting jobs.

As if on cue, earlier this month we began to learn of plans within the semiconductor industry to address a downturn in business through layoffs and the closing of plants. The first announcement came from Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) on November 3rd; ten percent or approximately 1,400 positions being eliminated through restructuring efforts. Next, Adobe Systems announced it would be restructuring and reducing its workforce by seven percent. Additional semi industry firms are reportedly also anticipating layoffs, and who knows how the domino effect will play out across other direct and indirect industries. To get an idea of how far-reaching the impacts of layoffs can be, check out the creative, interactive Domino Effect posting on my Whiteboard at the end of this blog. It specifically addresses the housing market, but you’ll get the idea.

So What’s Next?

The new norm for annual planning appears to be a hand-in-hand combination of business assessment along with strategic and workforce planning. This newly-established partnership between operating executives together with finance, organization development and human resources leaders seems like a "dream team." Get the right people in the room with the right information about future expectations and facilitate a creative and innovative exploration of practical options for achieving the appropriate balance between financial, stakeholder and employee expectations. As I wrote in my book, Learning to Live With Downsizing, layoffs are not the only solution – but in order to identify others, the team needs the leadership and courage to explore out-of-the box alternatives, along with the likely risks associated with each.

The simultaneous timing of organizations’ strategic planning and restructuring framework with a holiday season of personal reflection and connections with friends and family in a spirit of love and kindness seems ironic. While employees are being thankful for what they have and sharing with others less fortunate, the rug may be about to be ripped out from under their feet.

I believe as a result of this emerging trend in planning and subsequent layoffs during a season framed in kindness and celebration, organizations should pay particular attention to the emotional needs of the employees being let go, as well as those remaining. Both will be impacted by the changes the organization is introducing; albeit in different ways.

As organizational leaders, we have a responsibility to employees who have contributed to the journey so far to be as fair and respectful as possible with the process of separation, and the process they face for moving on. In a blog I published in July 2010, I addressed this specific issue. I felt it might be helpful to repeat it here, so here is a link to Separation – Do It with Grace.

If your Year-End To-Do List includes an event that will impact employees such as restructuring, layoffs, rebranding, mergers, etc., consider these pillars in framing your approach:

1. Promote honesty and openness – tell the story of why the event is necessary for the success and/or survival of the organization.
2. Prepare to communicate, communicate, and then communicate some more – not everyone will hear the entire message the first time, or even the third time. Remember, if you don’t tell them, they’ll fill in the gaps with their own ideas.
3. Don’t ever say "that’s the end, we’re done" – you just can’t know what’s around the corner. So if you have to initiate layoffs, don’t announce that there won’t be more.
4. Prepare your managers – this type of organizational work gets personal and can be painful. Decisions being made will impact the lives and families of your employees. Managers may need assistance to deal with their own emotions and should be prepared for reactions that most likely will be emotional. Use EAP and outplacement experts, as appropriate.
5. Offer assistance – the re-employment process is not impossible, but in this market it is very challenging. Offer as much assistance to separating employees as possible. Firms such as ours offer books, coaching, workshops, webinars, and one-on-one sessions to meet the needs of employees and managers. Remember, employees will be watching and judging how friends and colleagues are treated, influencing their future engagement and motivation levels.

Economists are suggesting that 2012 will continue to be a challenging time for business, and perhaps we won’t see any clear signs of a strong recovery until after the November elections. If that’s the case, what advice would you add to improve the success of restructuring and layoff processes?

Tim Logan and Josh Renaud

Branding Isn't Just for Marketing

This morning while enjoying my three-mile walk, I passed a service truck with the advertisement "We Protect Your Brand" painted on the sides. Branding of course is a critical business element, so it caught my attention and I wondered how they did that – protect your brand?

As I considered the tagline, I couldn’t imagine how a vendor could provide this protection. Shouldn’t protection be provided by employees? Thinking about how employees understand and protect brand strategies, it occurred to me that unless the organization does a good job of communicating the brand strategy, it would be difficult for the employees to protect it. Those thoughts led to others focused on the best practices for ensuring employees "get" the brand and acknowledge their responsibility to promote it, as well as protect it - something I’m not sure we’re always paying attention to.

Why Branding is Important

I think when most people think about branding, they think about a logo. The American Marketing Association (AMA) goes a little further as they define a brand as a "name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of other sellers." Businesses focus a lot of time and money on the creation of the appropriate brand because it can give them an edge in an increasingly competitive market.

The brand is the organization’s promise to its customers. Not only does it help an organization differentiate itself from others, it also assures the organization’s customers of what they can expect from products and services. The foundation of a brand is understanding what the customer needs and is usually anchored through the company’s logo and then builds throughout the marketing and communication channels: website, marketing materials, packaging, and promotional products.

However, another key area where branding is critical is human resource engagement. It’s a very logical connection – recruiting and hiring processes are very similar to the processes used by marketing to attract and retain customers. We want talented individuals to understand what the company’s vision, mission, goals and values are so they can evaluate if the organization is a fit with the type of philosophy and culture they believe in, and can excel in.

Building the Brand through Employees

The objectives of a good brand which should consistently be applied to marketing and communication efforts, as well as human resource management activities, include the following:

• Clearly deliver the message of what your company stands for
• Confirm the credibility of your organization
• Connect with customers, as well as employees on an emotional level
• Motivate action – to buy – or to come to work
• Solidify the loyalty of the customer or the employee

Integrating the importance of understanding and demonstrating brand into human resource processes can be accomplished through the following eight practices:

1. Ensure sourcing and recruiting materials are consistent with the brand messaging
2. Provide training and certification for internal and external recruiters so they understand and can clearly communicate the brand before they begin talking with potential candidates
3. Include values, goals and mission statement information on the career opportunity section of your website
4. Incorporate the company’s mission and values into the interviewing process by asking open-ended questions to identify if the candidate’s personal values align with the firm’s
5. Integrate brand messages into the on-boarding process and help the new employee understand the responsibilities for demonstrating and protecting the brand
6. Periodically offer employee training on business ethics including case studies challenging brand protection and re-enforcing how to appropriately handle business and ethical situations 
7. Include a focus on brand in development goals and executive coaching engagements
8. Align the strategic business, marketing and human resource plans with the brand messaging

It takes more than just a talented individual to help your organization be the best that it can be. That individual of course must do a great job, but they also have to do that great job with the passion and commitment to deliver on the promises you’ve made to your customers. Your brand is derived from who the organization is, who the organization wants to be, and who your customers perceive the organization to be. Your employees are on the front lines. Help them understand how their personal actions reflect brand. For example, if the brand is focused on quality services, it’s imperative that employees do what they say they are going to do. There’s a complete mismatch when the organization says they deliver quality, and then employees consistently do not return phone calls or respond to emails.

I have an excellent example of such a mismatch of brand values from a shopping trip the other day at my favorite grocery store, where I am a loyal customer. Usually this store employs staff who go out of their way to ensure that you find everything you need. The cashiers, especially, engage with shoppers to produce a personalized and "we’re so glad you shopped with us" experience. This gentleman unfortunately didn’t engage with anything or anyone, other than his poor attitude. There was nothing about my experience working with him that matched the brand. On my way out I commented to the manager and she knew exactly who I was speaking about without me even mentioning his name. Her comment was, "We’ve been trying to work with him to see if he’s going to be a fit."

Even in an organization where the recruiting and hiring processes are focused on aligning with the brand, some mistakes are made. Once it’s obvious the values of the employee do not align with the organization’s brand, it’s best to reassign the employee to a job away from customers, develop a performance improvement plan, or terminate the employee. Misalignment of personal and organizational brands results in lost customers! I’ll go back to that store because I know that wasn’t the usual experience, but if I was a first time shopper there, I would definitely find a different store!

So What’s Next?

The recession has complicated the marketplace. There are many organizations redefining their brands as customer needs and expectations have changed. If your organization is reexamining your brand, make sure the process and final results are communicated not only to customers, but existing employees as well. Help job candidates and employees understand how to communicate and demonstrate the new brand through successful performance interactions. The success of the organization rests on their performance. Take immediate actions to review your Human Resource processes to ensure you are sharing the most appropriate information about your expectations for how the brand looks and sounds in the everyday workplace.

It turns out the truck I saw belongs to an organization that calibrates scales used in the distribution of food products. After I researched the company and understood the service they were providing, the tag line makes complete sense. They help ensure that the public can rely on the quality, consistency and trust of the products their clients sell.

There are many voices out there competing for business in my profession and yours. Defining our brands is a journey of business self-discovery. I’m curious, what practices are you employing to ensure that human resource strategies align with company branding? Post comments, questions, ideas below.

Brett McQuinn

Collaborate for a Solution

www.evolutionmgt.com

770.587.9032

The Reality of Information Overload

I know I’m not alone with this situation – constant email, text, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIN alerts, multiple notices from groups I want to stay connected with, calls on the business line while my cell phone is ringing, and the unscheduled "visit" from a co-worker who just needs a minute of my time. Wow! No wonder I’m having a hard time getting things done! We all have a lot of information coming at us. How do we make sense of it in order to not miss things we should know or do? The technology age has shackled us. Do we have the skills to free ourselves?

According to a recent survey, employees and employers are worried about the impacts of information overload on productivity, morale, and work quality. We’ve modified our behaviors to embrace new technologies and now many of us have trouble controlling our desire to know what’s happening continuously on issues related to work, family and friends, politics, entertainment and business. And even though I don’t like to admit it, I too have to put on an "out of office" message, and sometimes even really do work outside the office, in order to get real work done. The truth be known, my most productive time is on a cross-country flight. Wow, four hours of uninterrupted time! Don’t give me WiFi and please don’t let passengers start using cell phones on planes. This is the best uninterrupted time you can hope for.

One report produced by the Burton Group states that our expectations for responsiveness have increased greatly and individuals now feel an instinctive need to respond immediately, or they are consumed with guilt. They refer to the "CrackBerry effect," and although we might use the term jokingly, both about ourselves and our friends, it’s beginning to look more and more like the truth.

Like many, I’m questioning if technology and our expectations for staying connected have gone too far? Jack Santos, the author of the Burton Group report, wrote that "the cumulative responses from the CIO community to all of this info-insanity is: ‘Stop the world! I need to get off!’"

Looking at our behaviors and the problems we encounter when we try to disconnect from technology for any period of time (say a vacation week) I think it’s reasonable to ask "are our skill sets for emotionally and psychologically managing the volumes of available information in step with the pace of technological advancements?" Jonathan Spira, a researcher who studies worker productivity, has written a book on the topic of information overload, quite perfectly entitled "Overload: How Too Much Information is Hazardous to Your Organization."  According to his research, a worker reading and responding to 100 emails a day can easily occupy one half of the work day! Think about that – how many emails do you respond to in a day? Spira’s research goes further to reveal, "for every 100 people who are unnecessarily copied on an email, eight hours of productivity are lost." So what’s the answer? How do we tame the information overload beast eating up precious hours of productive time for each worker?

Suggestions from The Experts

Spira and others suggest a few "simple" things we can do to change our productivity metrics:

1. Stop sending emails that only say "thanks." I know that on some occasions it is important to acknowledge that "I got it," but make these the exception rather than the rule.
2. Schedule e-mail time two to three times a day for 10 minutes at a time.
3. Discontinue smart phone use, or at least check it only on a predefined schedule rather than at every vibration.
4. Before you hit the "reply all" button – does everyone need to know what you’re about to say? Good question!
5. Turn off email and text alerts (sound and vibration) so you’re not tempted to be distracted from what you are focused on.
6. Learn to block those advertisements that you don’t need to be bothered with in order to cut down on interruptions.
7. Think twice - or maybe three times - before forwarding that chain notice or joke – what a waste of time.
8. Set aside immersion time. –Bill Gates is probably the best at this with his "Think Week" retreat. This time is for getting away from technology and focusing on consuming ideas, books, articles, conversations that will stimulate new ideas without interruptions and distractions.

Tools to Assist

A survey conducted by LexisNexis suggests that businesses aren’t doing enough to help workers manage the information they are exposed to. Workers from each market said they would welcome up-to-date technology and customized tools for managing information, as well as training on best practices and self-discipline. Until better tools are available, consider utilizing available support and time management skills to manage the stress and impact of this phenomenon:

1. Turn on your Out of Office Message so you won’t feel so guilty about not responding as soon as a message hits your mailbox.
2. Use an RSS Reader to organize the most important information you need to access.
3. Stay focused on connecting with the most important information you need to know and don’t worry about the rest.
4. Form "support groups" at work to discuss the problem and to share ideas for disconnection.
5. Practice shutting down cell phones, email, etc. about two hours prior to bedtime in order to give your brain a chance to disengage.
6. Establish an electronic system for filing your emails and attachments to shorten retrieval time.

So What’s Next?

Information overload is not a new problem. According to an article in Harvard Business Review by Ann Blair, in 1255 the Dominican Vincent of Beauvais articulated the key ingredients of the feelings of overload which are still with us today: "the multitude of books, the shortness of time and the slipperiness of memory." Sound familiar? No one doubts the fact that the age of information and knowledge is here. What we need to do is build the skills and disciplines to properly survive it.

When attending a time management workshop you probably learned about time wasters – the people who stop by your office and ask, "do you have a few minutes?" and 30 minutes later you’re still trying to get them out of your cubicle. The colleague that calls and before you can say hello, says "I’ll only keep you for five minutes," but before you know it, an hour has passed. Or, the meeting you’ve been requested to attend that has nothing to do with the work you are currently responsible for. And the list goes on. Well it’s time to add the time wasters of email, Twitter, Facebook, etc. to that group. These are all good tools when properly utilized to add value to our lives, but when they begin to dictate daily priorities, they can turn into the biggest time wasters.

Research continues to demonstrate that our brains are not structured for multi-tasking in a time efficient manner, and in fact, we should try to avoid multi-tasking at all costs. As Mr. Spira’s research concludes, "when it comes to cognitive tasks, our brains aren’t really capable of competently doing more than one thing at a time." The research seems to be clear, "workers distracted by email and phone calls suffer a fall in IQ more than twice that found in a marijuana smoker"! (2005 University of London Study). If we can hardly walk and chew gum at the same time, what’s to be done about all these pulls for our attention and engagement with information?

Surprisingly, there appears to be movement away from supporting distractors like email and the like. An August article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that "Companies like PriceWaterhouseCoopers have put out requests urging employees to not email over the weekend, so as to not create a false urgency for action. And the French service company Atos Origin plans to go email free in the next three years to cut down on what it calls ‘information pollution.’ There’s even an effort underway to ‘conquer information overload’ and restore sanity to working professionals. The site InfoVegan is dedicated to information obesity, diets and civic accountability." What’s your organization doing about this problem?

Whether it’s email, social media, YouTube or whatever, informative availability has invaded our homes and work zones. Establishing a work culture that honors "nontechnical" time and values a healthy expectation for a balanced and realistic number of "connected" hours is a good step in the right direction. Helping our employees develop reasonable and practical skills for managing the 24/7/365-paced global environment should be on the priority list of every leader. I would suggest denying access to the technologies is not the answer. In addition to shifting the culture, organizations should begin to offer workshops about the impact of information overload to brain functionality and productivity along with training focused on building new skills to better manage the information produced by the expanding access to technology channels.

What’s your experience with information overload? What’s working for you and your employees, and where are you struggling? Please share your comments below.

 Raise Awareness and Change Behaviors

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Crisis Management - A Must in Today's Business Environment

We’re all aware of the dramatic news reports and instant images sent around the world when there is a disaster. Certainly no one can forget the images of September 11, or the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina and the massive destruction resulting from the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

The business community, as well as communities at large, is constantly being reminded of the vulnerable nature of our world and the extreme cost of these types of disasters. Certainly some are the result of Mother Nature’s work, but other events can be just as devastating, such as financial failures from poor business management, cybercrime, computer viruses, violence in the workplace, and union strikes. Is your business ready to handle these types of crises? Do your employees know what to do in the case of an emergency?

FEMA Director Craig Fugate spoke at the National Hurricane Conference in Atlanta last week and stressed how important it is for public officials, as well as communities to be prepared to fill in the gaps in support when a disaster occurs. His message is a call to action for business leaders to ensure that each organization is prepared, that employees are aware of and preparing for disasters in their homes - mirroring what they see being demonstrated at work - and that clients and customers know how to connect to ensure continuity with on-going orders and projects. So what is your business doing to answer this call?

Crisis Management Planning
No one wants to think like a terrorist or imagine the worst case weather disasters, but that’s what needs to happen in order to be prepared; we have to imagine what types of disasters could come our way. Developing a plan using the available resources and ideas of what others are doing is best approached as a team effort. Preparedness is important naturally for an organization’s human responsibilities, and also for the financial and economic impacts disaster can bring. Establishing and implementing a practical plan to address disasters can help minimize disruption, down time, and operational chaos.

The planning phase should be led by a credible senior leader, often the Human Resources Manager. The role of this leader is to collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to systematically examine and plan for what is required based on the results of strategic and analytical discussions focused on:

1. Considering the entire universe of things that can go wrong, i.e., terrorism, pandemics, epidemics, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, etc.
2. Analyzing each event and assigning a likelihood that it will actually happen
3. Addressing those situations with the highest likelihood of occurring and considering both contingencies: your work sites are operational, and your work sites are closed or capacity is reduced

The Internet offers a broad range of information about various specific types of crisis management planning which may be helpful to your team. FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security offer information on how to plan for continuity and disaster management in the workplace, as well as provide resources for individuals to utilize when planning for managing disasters with their families at home. In addition, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) offers some excellent articles, templates, and tips to assist both planning processes. HR should be evaluating catastrophes through three distinct lenses:

1. Employees severely impacted by the disaster (loss of family members, homes, etc.)
2. Employees impacted by the disaster (energy or transportation losses)
3. Employees not directly impacted

Get a Kit. Make a Plan. Stay Informed.
The American Red Cross program for disaster preparedness works under the mantra Get a Kit. Make a Plan. Be informed. It’s easy to remember and work with, and similar to the one utilized by the Department of Homeland Security. Working with the information available at websites such as the one provided by the Red Cross your Planning Team can gather helpful advice on how to integrate this information at work, as well as how to design and communicate tips to share with employees for preparing at home.

The Kit should contain at least the basic supplies, and someone should be identified as responsible for rotating the food and water items based on shelf-life.

The Plan should contain at least two places for employees to meet, one outside the building for sudden emergencies, and the other outside the immediate area should employees not be able to return to work in the case of an evacuation. In addition, create a Communications Plan so everyone knows who and how to contact (depending on what lines of communication are open) in the case of a disaster or evacuation. That emergency contact information, perhaps a toll free number, should be provided in writing and each employee should be requested to program the information into their mobile phones.

It’s important for the Business Continuity and Disaster Plan as well as the Communications Plan to be in writing but they also must be integrated into day-to-day business strategies. A roll out campaign with employees will be necessary initially to share the information. It should then be reviewed in on-boarding sessions with new hires, as well as periodically for updating. In addition, periodic practice sessions should be designed and conducted, just as you currently do with building fire drills.

There are a few things the HR Manager or Planning Team can do to implement the Be Informed step:

• Research what types of disasters or emergencies may occur in your area; what are other businesses planning for?
• Build relationships with local emergency preparedness officials and ensure you are staying up to date on information relative to health-related or terrorist events.
• Identify how local authorities will notify you during a disaster – radio, TV NOAA Weather Radio, etc. Identify someone responsible for making sure this equipment remains in working order.
• Know the difference between different weather alerts and educate your employees to be mindful of these distinctions, especially in parts of the country where conditions can change quickly.
• Educate employees who travel about possible disasters and emergencies that may occur in those locations and what to do in the event of such a disaster.
• When a disaster occurs, the workplace can change immediately. If there are injuries, emergency response is likely to be delayed. Make sure a representative number of employees are trained in first aid and CPR; and if an automated external defibrillator (AED) is available, that someone knows how to use it.
• Provide all employees and their families with Emergency Contact Cards, available through the Red Cross.

So What’s Next?
We are more vulnerable at work than we’ve ever been, making developing, implementing and sustaining a realistic Crisis Management Plan no longer a luxury. It needs to be a critical element of your strategic business plan, aligning with your HR, operations and financial strategies.

The Weather Channel recently reported the confirmation of 292 tornadoes as of April 19, 2011, beating the previous April record of 267 in 1974. According to the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, OK, the average for April is only 116. You may not live and work in a part of the country that is prone to tornadoes, but look at the devastation caused by the tornado in St. Louis last Friday - and they haven’t had a tornado this strong in 44 years. The time to plan is before disaster happens, not after.

I know raising awareness to possible risks and threats isn’t the best motivator for driving business leaders to take action. I’m hoping that by writing this blog on this important topic that we can start a dialogue of sharing ideas that will spark others into action. Regardless of what industry we work in, what part of the country our employees live in, or what size organization we support, a plan for what to do in the case of a disaster is good business sense for everyone. We need to keep employees as safe as we can while putting strategies in place to allow us to continue running the business and servicing our customers.

So my wish is that you’ll share a little something about what steps your organization is taking towards emergency planning, and what helpful things are you are doing to engage employees to be prepared for a disaster at work, as well as at home. Thank you for participating in this dialogue. I look forward to reading your comments.

Feel free to share this blog so we can expand the discussion, as well as information about available resources.

Business Continuity & Disaster Planning

Good Supervisors Make a Difference

In his book Rethinking Retention, author Dick Finnegan suggests that turnover has such a significant impact on profits that making senior managers accountable for hanging on to "high potential" talent will put the focus where it needs to be -- keeping the right people and reducing sourcing, recruiting, hiring, relocation, training and orientation costs.  He further suggests that a shared-responsibility model for retention can work just as it does for other business functions such as sales, quality, and safety. For this model to be successful, it’s imperative that good supervisors are actively engaged forming the foundation for a solid approach to retention. Would this work for your organization? How would you rate the level of competency of your supervisors?

Finnegan quotes a number of studies that tally the price of turnover in a number of ways. The bottom line: it’s an expensive activity, costing businesses approximately $25 billion annually. To fix the problem, it’s important to understand that turnover impacts every aspect of the organization because we’re dealing with people – and no matter what business you are in, you are first in the business of people. According to Mr. Finnegan, "People answer phones, make sales calls, move products, and make hundreds of decisions every day that impact your customers. No amount of technology will replace the impact of the people you hire, train and then lose or retain." Yes, he’s also talking about the impact of the employee you retain even when they are not good performers.

With so many job seekers in the marketplace, employers who are preparing for the upswing are more selective in their hiring, looking for the very best. Unfortunately, the best may still be working for you and ripe for picking. So what’s your defense? Better supervisors to engage with your employees, especially those you do not want to lose.

The Rethinking Retention Model and Strategies
There are three basic principles to Finnegan’s Model:
Point #1 – Employees quit jobs because they can.
Point #2 – Employees stay for things they get uniquely from you.
Point #3 - Supervisors build unique relationships that drive retention … or turnover.

Finnegan suggests that implementing the following strategies based on these principles will lead to reduced turnover and a new way for the organization to view retention:

• Hold supervisors accountable for achieving retention goals.
• Develop supervisors to build trust with their teams.
• Narrow the front door to close the back door.
• Script employees’ first 90 days.
• Challenge policies to ensure they drive retention.
• Calculate turnover’s cost to galvanize retention as a business issue.
• Drive retention from the top, because executives have the greatest impact on achieving retention goals.

The Supervisor’s Toolkit
In far too many situations technical superstars become supervisors regardless of their abilities to be a good supervisor. That strategy has become obsolete and needs to be replaced. Today a better model connects succession planning and professional development strategies in preparing great contributors to move up the management ladder by ensuring their interpersonal and communications skills, as well as their work styles align with the organization’s values and goals, including goals set for employee retention.

Start by identifying potential supervisors and begin to provide them, as well as your existing staff of supervisors, with training and development experiences to build, modify and strengthen their expectations of the performance success factors involved with supervision. For example, if your organization’s culture values an open, transparent and collaborative approach to projects and you promote an employee with a supervisory style based on a mindset developed while in the military (hierarchical, top down), the result will probably be a direct conflict with what employees are expecting from a supervisor in your organization. I’m not suggesting you not promote this employee, I’m just suggesting that before being granted the promotion he has the chance to understand his current style and the impact he has on others, learn about other management styles and demonstrate his style alignment with your culture, values, and operating standards.

Supervisory training can take many forms: formal classroom, self-study, topic workshops, mentor programs and leadership one-on-one coaching. Individuals already in supervisory roles and those being considered for the transition to supervisor should receive, at a minimum, assistance in understanding the following issues as they relate to the goals and culture of your organization:

1. What is supervision? Usually supervisors are responsible for the functions of: basic management activities (making decisions, solving problems, etc.), hiring, training and development, and ensuring compliance with policies and procedures. Taking on these responsibilities without understanding the dynamics of how they relate to and impact performance, relationships, and profitability can result in a great deal of discontentment in the workplace.
2. Do I have to manage all of this adminis-trivia? Most likely coming from an operational/technical background this can be overwhelming. Supervisors need to know what resources are available to assist them. They also need to understand the legal and strategic reasons administrative functions are important.
3. Why do I need to achieve open and honest communications – isn’t it enough that I said do it? Understanding what his/her communication style is and how that style impacts others is priceless. Most of the problems we see in organizations can be traced back to a lack of communication or poor communication choices.
4. Isn’t HR responsible for finding and keeping good people in this organization? It’s very important for supervisors to realize the significance of the supervisor/employee relationship and the critical role this factor plays in an employee’s decision to terminate. Understanding the shared-responsibility for linking development, relationships, motivation, and performance feedback is important. In addition, just as important is knowing what to do when an employee’s skills and interest are not in alignment with the job requirements.
5. Isn’t there a one-size-fits-all motivation to satisfy everyone’s needs? Learning what motivates each employee and being able to offer positive reinforcement options in recognizing good work is critical.
6. What does my department have to do with Customer Service? Content employees usually deliver better services to their customers. Creating alignment with employee and customer satisfaction could be a meaningful metric.
7. I’m ready to step up from supervisor to manager. At some point in the supervisor’s career there may be interest in moving on to a management position. Start raising the curtain on management challenges and opportunities through a mentoring process to provide a realistic demonstration of what’s expected of managers and to share techniques, tools, and knowledge that will be appropriate as the supervisor assesses his/her preferred leadership style and readiness for advancement

So What’s Next?
It appears a few elements are aligning that may quicken the beat of voluntary terminations:

• Employees continue to report they are "ready to jump" as soon as the right opportunity comes along, mainly because they haven’t seen any growth in their organization in the last year or so and they feel stagnant.
• Employers are beginning to search for "superstars" to lead key initiatives as they prepare to bounce back from the recession. Most often this is being accomplished through headhunters calling on successful prospects who are currently working for the competition.
• Customers are beginning to spend a little more now that they too are feeling more confident about the future; which will result in a greater demand for goods and services in the supply chain.

So what’s next? I’m suggesting that if you haven’t already identified the top talent you want to hang on to that you do it now. Armed with that list and working with upper management and key supervisors, begin dialogues and design motivational strategies to strengthen relationships and commitments to the organization’s goals. Help these employees understand how and why they are a valuable part of the organization’s future, where their talents fit in the ‘big picture’, and what’s in it for them to stay on and grow with the organization. Taking these key steps will help to improve the probability that they’ll recommit and stay to help build the future.

Now is also a good time to begin working with supervisors, all the way to the front-lines, to build their knowledge and skill sets to help you retain the workers you have already hired and trained. Don’t give your employees an excuse to leave.

What suggestions do you have for how to improve talent retention and reduce turnover costs? What’s a strategy that you’re finding helpful? Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts on this important topic.

Situational Leadership