Giving an A

At the University of Southern California, a leadership course was taught each year to fifty of the most outstanding students out of twenty-seven thousand in the school, hand-picked by each department. At the end of the semester, the grader for the course was introduced to give one-third of the student A's, one-third B's and one-third C's--even though the work of any member of this class was likely to surpass that any other student in the university. Imagine the blow to the morale of the eager and hard-working student who received the requisite C.

Not just in this case, but in most case, grades say little about the work done. When you reflect to a student that he has misconstrued a concept or has taken a false step in a math problem, you are indicating something real about his performance, but when you give him B+, you are saying nothing at all about his mastery of the material, you are only matching him up against other students. Most would recognize at core that the main purpose of grades is to compare one student against another. Most people are also aware the competition puts a strain on friendships and too often consigns students to a solitary journey.

Michelangelo is often quoted as having said the inside every block of stone or marble dwells a beautiful statue;one need only remove the excess material to reveal the work of art within. If we were to apply this visionary concept to education, it would be pointless to compare one child to another. Instead all the energy would be focused on chipping away at the stone, getting rid of whatever is in the way of each child's developing skills, mastery, and self-expression.

We call this practice giving an A. It is an enlivening way of approaching people that promises to transform you as well as them. It is a shift in attitude that makes it possible for you to speak freely about your own thoughts and feeling while, at the same time, you support others to be all they dream of being. The practice of giving an A transports your relationships from the world of measurement into the universe of possibility.

An A can be given to anyone in any walk of life--to a waitress, to your employer, to your mother-in-law, to the members of the apposite team, and to the other drivers in traffic. When you give an A, you find yourself speaking to people not from a place of measuring how they stack up against your standards, but from a place of respect that gives them room to realize themselves. Your eye is on the statue within the roughness of the uncut stone.

This A is not an expectation to live up, but a possibility to live into.

Read more...

A Universe of Possibility

Let us suppose, now, that a universe of possibility stretches beyond the world of measurement to include all worlds: infinite, generative, and abundant. Unimpeded on a daily basis by the concern for survival, free from the generalized assumption of scarcity, a person stands in the great space of possibility in a posture of openness, with an unfettered imagination for what can be.

In the realm of possibility, we gain our knowledge by invention. We decide that the essence of a child is joy, and joy she is. Our small business attracts the label, "The Can-Do Company," and that exactly who we are. We speak with the awareness that language creates categories of meaning that open up new worlds to explore. Life appears as variety, pattern, and shimmering movement, inviting us in every moment to engage. The pie is enormous, and if you take a slice, the pie is whole again.

The action in a universe of possibility may be characterized as generative, or giving, in all senses of that word-producing new life, creating new ideas, consciously endowing with meaning, contributing, yielding, to the power of contexts. The relationship between people and environments is highlighted, not the people and things themselves. Emotion that are often relegated to the special category of spirituality are abundant here: joy, grace, awe, wholeness, passion, and compassion.

There are moments in everyone's life when an experience of integration with the world transcends the business of survival-like seeing a grandchild for the first time, witnessing an Olympic record broken or the uncommon bravery of an ordinary citizen. For many, the experience of attending the dismantling of the Berlin Wall or witnessing the emergence of Nelson Mandela from twenty=seven years of imprisonment may have been such a moment. Some find admission ti the realm of possibility at a religious gathering, some in meditation, some by listening to great music. Often people enter this state in the presence of natural beauty or at the sight of something of infinite magnitude, and expanse of ocean or a towering sky. These are moments when we forget ourselves and seem to become part of all being.

Read more...

Bird Dog Biscuits

Rewarding people, and not just employees, for referring new hires to your company is both economical and effective. If you think about how much a search firm charges for finding warm bodies (20 to 30 percent of the first year's compensation), doesn't it just make sense to be willing to reward other people you know for doing the same thing? Many organizations, particularly technology-based ones, are paying hundreds to thousands of dollars to successful bird dogs, which is a bargain when you consider what these organizations are getting. Over 40 percent of Microsoft's new hires come from employee referrals. Nearly 65 percent of Silicon Graphic's new hires begin as referrals from current employees.

Statistics also hires begin the employees will generally refer higher-quality candidates than other sources because their reputation is on the line as well. Similarly, most people with whom you do business and with whom you have developed a relationship (vendors, customers, suppliers, etc.) will also be judicious in the types of people they refer. Current employees and others with whom you do business can be your best recruiters (and screeners) because they already know and understand what you do, your values, your culture, and all those intangibles that cannot be as effectively communicated in an ad or through other traditional sources. In any event, isn't it the job of human resources to screen and select the best people? This just improves the odds for them.

In fact, one of the best times to ask employees for referrals is when they are newly hired. Not only do they want to please their new employer, but they just left another organization for some reason, and there are probably others in the new hire's circle of influence who may also be interested in improving their lot in life. This isn't limited to former coworkers; it could also include spouses, friends, mentors, and many others. (Just as an aside, if you ask for references, you know that they are always going to speak well of the candidate, so instead of just asking them for their input, see if they are looking for a job, too.)

Most companies require more than just a warm lead or a name. In some, bird dogs are expected to talk with the candidates before the interview to tell them about and sell them on the company, to host them during their visit (also see "Birds of a Feather"), to talk with them afterward to see if they have any questions or concerns, and finally to talk with them after an offer is extended to help close the deal.

Another important twist on this concept is in how you pay the bonus. In order to improve and reward retention as well as hiring, some organizations pay the bird dog bonus in installments. In other words, the bird dog might get half of the bonus on the date of hire and the other half six months to a year later, or some other variation of the installment plan.This give the bird dog (friend) a stake in keeping his or her referral with the company long enough for you to realize a return on your investment. It encourages an ongoing, supportive buddy system. It also creates an incentive for the bird dog to stick around because if the bird dog leaves, she or he loses too. Both the new employee and referring employee must stay if the referring enployee is to get paid in full.

One company actually pays the bird dog a second bonus after one year if the employee he or she referred receives an excellent performance review. (Also see "Headhunter Hostage Pay.") There are even some companies that pay different amounts based upon the level and difficulty of the position (s) to be filled. In other words, for "commodity" talent, you might pay a few hundred dollars, but for "rare" talent, it could be thousand. Again,if you compare the cost of traditional sourcing, this is an obvious bargain.

There are also companies that will pay a special bounty for stealing talent from the competition. In fact, some are particularly interested in stealing the competition's top internal recruiters, because this not only improves the company's recruiting ability, but also cripples the competition's recruiting efforts for a while.

Lastly,some organizations enter referring employees into a drawing (the more referrals hired, the more entries in the drawing) and periodically award somethi8ng really grand, like a new car. MCI WorldCom gave away a brand new Porsche and was even smart enough to display the car in the lobby where everyone had to walk by it every day.

Read more...

Birds of a Feather

Finding and recruiting the best and the brightest talent has become as much an art as a science. That's why you have to do more than just sell yourself and your company. This is especially true with entry-level and younger candidates,who place great emphasis on the quality of their non work life, their peers, and other so-called intangibles.

"Birds of a Feather" is a way to involve non-Human Resources, peer-level people in the recruitment process. They can serve as hosts, tour guides, or in any other role that allows your candidate to get to know firsthand someone who has already been through what she or he is considering. Because they are of the same general age, background, and experience, there is also an enhanced credibility and connection.

Cisco Systems starts the connection on their Web site. The "Make Friend@Cisco" icon begins a process of establishing an email pen pal. The objective is to connect potential recruits to real people in the company. What's in it for Cisco employees? A referral bonus (see "Bird Dog Biscuits") if the person is eventually hired! The referring employees also get a Cisco Lotto Card. Lotto winners receive mugs, athletic bags, or some other logo paraphernalia.

And, to demonstrate to prospects that Cisco has a practical sense of humor, there is even a button on the Web site that says "oh, no!My boss is coming," which when clicked immediately pulls up a new screen with the "Seven Habits of Highly Successful Employees" or "Gift for Bosses & Co-workers". After all, most people surf of for new jobs while at work in their current one, regardless of policies intended to restrict such behavior.

Let's take it a step further. If and when an out-of-town candidate is invited to visit your company, the peer host can pick her up at the airport, show her around the area, escort her through the interview day and generally be an "at-ease link" in the recruitment process.

This idea not only is a real plus for the candidate, but can also be positioned as a perk for the host employee. Many employees would love to get away from the daily grind once in a while to represent the company in this way. This is particularly true of people who are in jobs that do not have a lot of outside activities or contact.

One caveat, however: Any non-Human Resources people you involve in the recruitment process should be trained. Perhaps a group orientation for peer host could cover the dos and don't of recruitment (i.e., the types of question and inquiries that are off limits and why), what their role is and isn't, what routes to take to and from the airport to give the best impression, what to do in the event of a problem, and so on.

Even though the host many not be conducting interviews and you may not consider him to be part of the selection process, the law may see things differently, since valuable insights may be obtained during the candidates' non structured times with their peer hosts. At the end of the visit, allow your peer hosts to complete a simple observation form, which is completely optional and open-ended.

You've got nothing to lose and everything to gain. Just be aware that your host can now be legally construed to be a participant in the screening process, which is why some basic training in recruitment (dos and don'ts) is essential.

Read more...

Wanna Trade?

When human resources personnel at Service Ware walk through the halls where the produce customer care software, they typically hear the staff oohing and aahing about the hottest new science fiction films. Thus, when a marketing company approached Service Ware about a recruiting thrust tied to a popular sci-fi flick, the light bulb clicked on. The result was perhaps one of the most unusual one-time recruiting events: a special showing of George Lucas's Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace at two theaters located in what Service Ware defined as "candidate-rich" locales.

About six weeks before the scheduled commercial debut of the film,Service Ware placed a large ad in the local paper's Sunday classified section featuring a galactic theme and artwork and offering two free tickets for submission of a quality resume. The company also produced a series of introductory slides promoting the company. (Lucas would not permit full-motion video to immediately precede the showing).

What is the learning point?Find ways to trade (barter) something your recruits want in exchange for something you want (resume). You can combine this with the "Rock Me, Baby!" idea and the tickets to a concert. Or tweak the "All the Wrong Places" idea and give away tickets to sporting events. Set up a booth outside the event several hours or a half-day in advance and be very specific about what types of candidates and resumes will qualify for the tickets. Make it a tailgate party.

Identify your primary market of candidates and what activities and "things" they like, then offer a barter. Keep up with concerts and other special events coming to your area and buy tickets in bulk. Or, if you really want to make a splash, sponsor the event. Then get the word out. Believe me, if you build it, they will come. The best way to find out what types of barters would have the most appeal is to ask the people you already have, who are of the same ilk. Maybe those with the best ideas can serve as hosts.

As the case with most of the ideas in this book,your options are almost unlimited. Just find out what would have the greatest appeal (and don't forget to leverage the public relations impact), then go for it!

Read more...

Headhunter Hostage Pay

OK, so maybe you can't rely exclusively on your in-house recruiters-which means it hat it may be time to go to the "out-house" recruiters. But who says you can't change the way they are paid? They work for you, don't they? With the trend toward pay for performance on the rise, start looking at how you pay everyone, including your third-party service providers. This idea can be applied to more than just headhunters.

Pay drives behavior. If you pay headhunters for finding people,that's what they'll do. Whenever I speak to a room full of recruiters, employment mangers, and the like, and suggest paying for retention or success, they look at me like I have two heads. (I think that's the reason.) That no the way it's done! Says who?

There are plenty of search firms that will guarantee their placements for to ninety days, which usually means that they will offer you a credit toward the next search, as if it's OK to keep trying and failing. You've lost a lot more than the cost of the fee already! But few, if any, will offer to tie any portion of their fee to the person's actually staying and doing the job. Even used cars have warranties.

Here's an offer they can't refuse: Offer to pay more than normal. If the person stays for a certain period of time (maybe a year) and if key,clearly defined performance objectives are met, the search firm will be eligible for a performance bonus or some other incentive, like first preference in future searches. You can create whatever incentive you want, but if it is above and beyond the "normal" compensation, the search firm has no room to complain. My suggestion is to make the base fee less than standard, with a kicker (the added incentive) that can take it above the standard fee.

The first response you will get from headhunters is that they have no control over these things. However, headhunters do have control over sending you people with the core competencies and credentials, if you, the employer, can identify them. In fact, it's their responsibility to do so. Headhunters are paid to screen and select, not just to find warm bodies. And, if they are not willing to get paid more than usual for doing more than usual, find another firm.

You can apply this pay for performances concept to any number of variables, but the biggest ones should be retention and performance. And you should be willing and able to pay a premium(albeit a minimal one) for someone who stays long enough and contributes significantly enough to provide a return on you investment. Another way to tie the longer-term value to the headhunter's compensation is to tie the headhunter's bonus to the employee's first-year pay, rather than to the hiring salary. This works only if you have a strong pay for performance plan in place already. And if you do, the better the person performs, the more the headhunters stands to earn, too.

The managing director for the Chicago-based firm A. T. Kearney actually recommends this type of gain sharing for his firm. For example, in one case, the firm negotiated with a Fortune 100 technology company to place executive in a new, high-end sales operation. In exchange, the firm earns bonuses based on the sales performance of the executives they place.

Some companies are actually paying outside consultants in equity (stock). The Parthenon Group, a Boston management consulting firm, is one that accepts equity payments. They give up a portion of generous fee to build an investment portfolio that includes a hot new company. The advantage to the client is that it encourages consultants to focus on long-term success, rather than quick fixes. It also increases the odds that the consultants will perform at their best because they stand to profit from your profit. It ties both client and vendor to the same goal(s). It's now a shared risk, instead of a onesided deal.

Smaller companies and start-ups are particularly suited for this type of arrangement because they usually have limited cash, but also have lots of potential (they hope). It also allows smaller or younger companies to start utilizing the services outside consultants and benefiting from their expertise earlier than they might otherwise he able to afford under traditional fee-for-services arrangements. Hold 'em hostage for their bounty!

Read more...

Press Release of the Future

This is a visioning technique that involves projecting what the press might be saying about you or your organization if you are successful in accomplishing your mission, goals, or objectives.

One example of how this technique was used successfully was in educating and exciting an entire workforce about a company's vision and mission statements. A "contest" was set up in which employees were to write a fictitious press release five years into the future with the assumption that the company's vision had been achieved. Not only did this get everyone to learn the vision and mission, but the employees actually applied that learning to a visualized future state. That's the first step to real organizational change.

To ensure thoroughness of thought,be sure that the basic journalistic questions of who, what, when, where, why, and how are answered. In this case, the most important question is the how, because this will help define the tangible actions that will need to be taken to realize the company's vision and mission. A follow-on activity is to have a panel of judges made up of a cross section of employees select the best entries in a variety of categories, such as most creative, most motivating, most competitive,etc.

Then publish your own newspaper with all the press releases in it and ask for people's reactions, as well as how they plan to put their words into action. This also reduces resistance to change because the future is now desirable, definable, and determined by those who have to make it happen.

Read more...