Human Resource Leadership

Organizational Challenges and Solutions

Responding To “Special”

Large-Scale Challenges

Human Resource

Leadership

Special Challenges??

Recruitment of Quality Employees Retention of Quality Employees Negative Workforce Culture Poor Workforce Skills Many Mistakes Many Misunderstandings Low Productivity High Costs Low Profit Outcomes

Special Challenges Require Special Solutions

Soooooo. . .

…the only thing that makes any sense is to create “Change” within the

Organizational Culture

First…

Do Some Old Fashioned Homework!!

Homework 1: Understand Pragmatic Objectives 

Productivity Quality Pride Teamwork Loyalty Commitment Cohesion

Mistakes Misunderstandings Turnover Absenteeism Sabotage Complaints Frustration

PROFITS REVENUE COSTS

Homework 2: Understand Your Workforce Circumstances

Technical Competence Poor/Fair/Superior/Outstanding 

Communication SkillPoor/Fair/Superior/Outstanding

 Professional PerspectivePoor/Fair/Superior/Outstanding

Workforce Health Poor/Fair/Superior/Outstanding

Jerk Factor Jerks/Acts Like a Jerk/OK Folks/Heroes 

Homework 3: Develop/Review Mission Statements

1. Financial Organizational Mission Statement

2. Public Organizational Mission Statement

3. Workforce Mission Statement a. Organization b. Department c. Program

Homework 4: Develop/Review Leadership Style

Blake and Mouton, The Managerial Grid , Houston, Gulf Publishing Co. 1964

Country Club (9/1)

Team (9/9)

Middle of the Road (5/5)

Improverished (1/1) Task (1/9)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Concern for Productivity

Co

nce

rn fo

r P

eo

ple

Homework 5: Explore Decision-Making Options

Who makes What kind of decisions How?

A. AloneB. Alone after InputC. Leadership GroupD. Representative Workforce GroupE. Workforce

Homework 6: Review Underlying Workforce Motivators

Brainstorm list of 100 Positive Motivators Brainstorm list of 100 Negative Motivators

Are these active motivations in your workforce?1. Being more than mediocre2. Achieving a role of significance3. Reaping the rewards associated with a role of significance4. Being accepted, admired and respected by leaders, peers and subordinates5. Being associated with an organization that one can brag about with a great deal of pride6. Working in a healthy, high-quality environment where:

a. Misunderstandings are minimized b. Productivity is admired c. An atmosphere of teamwork, friendliness and

competence abounds

Step #1 A

ESTABLISH A MODEL OF EMPLOYEE EXCELLENCE

Share With Your Workforce A. Challenges (e.g. competition, costs, circumstances, mistakes, misunderstandings etc.) B. Dreams (An extraordinary, healthy organization where employees and the organization are proud of each other!) C. Your Plan to overcome Challenges and generate the dream organization

Request input on a model of employee excellence from all leadership levels and workforce units

Compile prototype model of ideal employee

Distribute model for review

Obtain feedback

Make decision

PROCESS

STEP #1B

ESTABLISH A MODEL OF EMPLOYEE EXCELLENCE

Fair set of expectancies.

Reasonable set of expectancies.

Simple, but complete.

Buy-In.

Well-being of the organization.

Success of the workforce.

CRITERIA

Step #1C

ESTABLISH A MODEL OF EMPLOYEE EXCELLENCE SAMPLE MODEL PROTOTYPE

The Perfect Employee will have the following three qualities:

1. Technical Competency

2. Quality Communication

a. Listening

b. Talking

c. Reading

d. Writing

3. Professional Perspective

a. Positive Approach

b. Solution-makers

c. Continual Improvement

Step #2

CLEARLY ESTABLISH THE NEW EXPECTANCIES FOR WORKFORCE SUCCESS THROUGHOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION

Employees should never be able to say that they just didn't know that you were really serious about this new program. Everything must reflect the qualities in the new Model of Excellence!

Meetings, Meetings, Meetings!! Position Descriptions Appraisal System Reward and Recognition System Employee Handbook Employee Orientation Program Employee Recruiting and Hiring Criteria Public Awareness Campaign Internal Newsletter Support Posters in all facilities

Step #3 A

REALLY HELP YOUR WORKFORCE DEVELOP THE SKILLS THAT MEET THEIR NEW STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE!

Quality internal communication must become systematic and dependable.

A. Conduct Communication Audit (Policies, Procedures, Practices, and Perceptions)

B. Implement appropriate recommendations

Quality development sources must be used.

A. Formal EducationB. Vocational/Technical SchoolsC. Adult EducationD. Community EducationE. Special Programs (associations, SB Co-op, external consultants and trainers, vendors)F. In-house Development (mentors, apprenticeships)

Step #3 B

REALLY HELP YOUR WORKFORCE DEVELOP THE SKILLS THAT MEET YOUR STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE!

Motivational Internal Reinforcement

for Continual Improvement

Must be Provided!

Enjoyable Support Activities for Participants

Must be Provided !

Step #3B

REALLY HELP YOUR WORKFORCE DEVELOP THE SKILLS THAT MEET YOUR STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE!

Motivational Internal Reinforcementfor Continual Improvement

Must be Provided!

Desired qualities must be in appraisal review Desired accomplishments must impact promotions Desired accomplishments must impact raises Desired accomplishments must impact assignments Desired accomplishments must receive public recognition Leadership must be bragging about workforce accomplishments

Step #3B

REALLY HELP YOUR WORKFORCE DEVELOP THE SKILLS THAT MEET YOUR STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE!

Wooden Nickel Give-away Contest

Discussion Group Names

Tips for the Needy Week

Lunch/Break Spotlight

Discussion Group Letters

Improvement Buddy Week

Pre-arranged Candid Conversations

Distribution of Support Gifts

Warm Fuzzy Week

Bi-weekly/Monthly Newsletter Focus

Newspaper Clippings of Best Example of Poor Communication

Dear Dr. Communicate Column

Complete Accuracy Week

Save-a-Buck-a-Day Contest

Holiday Tip Program

Bulletin Board/Banner Update Responsibility

Cross-group Coffee/Lunch Breaks

Best Communication Suggestion Recognition

Show-Me-What-You-Do Week

Identify Improvement Areas in a Decoratively Prepared Food Dish

Communication Joke of the Week

Birthday Tip Program

Recognition for Outstanding Customer Management

Self-improvement Library Loan Program

Customer Award for Best Communication Tip

On-site Break-time Competitions

Acronym Contest

Community Charity Drives

Quote-of-the-Week Recognition

Unit-based Skit and Award Meeting

Customer Involvement Programs

Poetry Contest

Enjoyable Support Activities for Participants Must be Provided!

KICK-OFF CELEBRATION

Dr. Will Powers, FounderConcept Keys, Inc.10165 Regent Row

Benbrook, TX 76126 817/996-2808 wgp@conceptkeys.com

Background

Will Powers (Ph.D.) has been an executive consultant in the area of workforce leadership for over 30 years. His candid and pragmatic focus upon organizational leadership and communication systems has helped thousands of business owners and executives reduce the headaches and heartaches of managing to succeed during challenging times.

During this time, Dr. Powers also served as Department Chair, Associate Dean of Graduate Programs, and Acting Dean of the College of Communication at Texas Christian University where he is currently a Full Professor. Dr. Powers has published almost 200 books, articles, and papers. While maintaining a solid global perspective, he is in the unique and fortunate position of being able to focus intensively upon a small number of organizations each year. A sample of those organizations appears on the next slide:

Selected Consulting/Development Organizations Fredonia State Bank Northeast MO Bankers Assn. Chillicothe Bankers Assn. American Heart Assn. United Way American Lung Assn. Kelly Services Fisher Guide Motors Weber Aircraft Solstice Corporation Texas Forestry Assn. Grandy's Inc. Quaker Oats Dist. Center Fort Worth Texans Hockey Team Fort Wayne Komets Hockey Team Univ. of Nebraska Football Staff Purdue Univ. Football Staff Vanderbilt Univ. Football Staff U.C. Berkeley Football Staff North Carolina State Univ. Oklahoma Christian College Ball State University Football Staff Indiana School Board Assn: Indiana Principals Leadership Academy.

. Ball Memorial Hospital Larue Carter Hospital New Castle State Development Center Indiana Health Care Administration Flow Memorial Hospital First Texas Medical Jay County Hospital Residential Management System Sparbanken i Kalmar, Sweden Indiana agriculture Leadership Program U.S. Plywood Corp. Great Potential Achievers, Inc. Snelling and Snelling Harcourt Road Internists ABB 3M Corporation Dynamerica Howard Community Hospital Kosciusko Community Hospital Key Plastics Thomson Consumer Electronics Cassidy Restaurants Girl Scouts of America NASA.