People Solutions: Recent Episodes
Strategic Talent Management
People are the most important ingredient for your business or organization’s success. We believe the way to take your organization to the next level begins with knowing your people and yourself. When leaders and managers are spending fewer hours addressing the fallout of disengagement, mediocre performance and unclear communications, they have the time and energy to achieve organizational goals.
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Music: Geovane Bruno, Hello World - pixabay.com
In the latest episode of STM’s People Solutions podcast, Sue and Chris, STM’s Senior Consultant for Training & Development, talk about internal career mobility. Small businesses are under more and more pressure from their employees to create paths for growth within the organization or risk losing good people. But that doesn’t have to result in false hierarchies. Tune in to learn about:
- Impacts of internal mobility on engagement and retention
- Creating career lattices vs. ladders
- Benefits to organizations who support internal mobility
- Supporting a culture of lifelong learning
Younger generations are putting an increasing emphasis on learning and doing meaningful work. Now’s your chance to give them those opportunities! If you need some guidance on how you can support mobility and learning within your organization, reply to the email with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch to help.
In today's fast-paced world, balancing work, life, and family can be challenging. But what if we reframe this challenge as an opportunity for work, life, and family integration rather than balance? In this episode of STM People Solutions podcast, Sue and Alyssa discuss the differences between the two and tips for integrating life and work for yourself and your employees.
- Balance is separate but equal; integration is harmonious co-existence and is healthier and more attainable.
- It goes beyond work-from-home models and includes finding solutions for on-site employees as well.
- In integrated workplaces the focus is on productivity, contributions, and accomplishments, not on hours worked.
- The 4-day work week is coming! Studies have shown that employees are more productive in a 32-hour/4-day week than the traditional 40-hour/5-day week. There have been other positive results for employees and for their employers. Happy and refreshed employees are productive employees!
We're always interested in fielding your questions, hearing your stories, and learning about what's working for you. If you have anything to offer on this or any other people-related topic, don't hesitate to reach out. Perhaps we can even feature you on a future podcast!
In our latest podcast we're tackling a topic that's been on many minds lately: remote work productivity. If you're crushing it, good for you! If not, you're not alone. As more businesses are trying to return to the office, what's the best choice for productivity and how do you make a remote or hybrid environment work for you.
- Remote work can be successfully managed with the right tools and systems in place.
- Tone of voice and body language are important elements of effective communication. How does that translate (or does it) into today's remote workplace?
- Informal communication is an important element of on-the-job knowledge transfer that is difficult to replicate in a remote world.
- Remote work isn't right for every person or every organization.
There's no one-size-fits-all answer, but STM is here to help. For more information, download our resource 5 Key Traits of Successful Remote Workers.
In our latest podcast, Sue and Alyssa talk about the distinctions between job descriptions and job expectations.
The differences are important to understand and your expectations should guide hiring decisions and performance management activities.
- Job descriptions are a list of things you want an employee to do. Job expectations are what you want them to accomplish.
- Job expectations are measurable elements that define success.
- People can't exceed your expectations if they don't know what they are!
Do you need help in defining success and clarifying your expectations? STM offers comprehensive hiring support and performance management services, so just reply to this message with TELL ME MORE and we'll be in touch to help you out.
Recently, Art and Sue sat down with Dr. Shane Tracy to talk about coaching. Dr. Tracy has been in the coaching business for 20 years and has trained approximately 300 coaches in his career. He's seen the business evolve and describes it as the "wild west" with 2 million coaches worldwide. With so many choices, how do you choose?
- Not all coaches are created equal. Know what you're really looking for and who you're dealing with.
- Transparency about methods, expectations, objectives, and commitments is essential.
- Key to success is engaging the coachee's supervisor in the process.
Are you considering taking on a coach for yourself or a member of your team? STM can help you with a needs assessment and options. Reply to this email with TELL ME MORE and we'll be in touch to talk about it.
We've all met them throughout our careers and difficult employees come in many forms. The negative impacts they can have on our business can't be ignored: lower performance and morale, poor customer relations, turnover, etc. In this podcast, Sue and Alyssa define various types of difficult employees and provide tips for leaders to confront these situations with less stress and more objectivity such as:
- Critiquing the behavior, not the person
- Identifying the causes of the problem
- Being open to feedback. Are there factors involved over which you have some control?
- Documenting expectations and consequences
We have a tool we use here at STM that helps to facilitate these conversations in an objective and less threatening way, Start-Stop-Continue . Do you need some individual support with handling a difficult employee? We can help! Simply reply to this message with HELP and we'll be in touch to give you a hand.
Sue recently had an opportunity to be a guest on Predictive ROI's Sell With Authority podcast. Stephen Woessner is a terrific host, and they had a great conversation about how small business owners can put themselves first, allocate their time more effectively, build depth on their teams, and make the space and capacity to focus on business development.
- Identify what you're doing that would best be delegated (and trusted) to someone else. What are you too expensive to be doing?
- Analyze the untapped talent and capacity of the people on your team. Not sure? Ask them!
- Be intentional in reevaluating roles and responsibilities to maximize efficiency and growth.
- Think about the real cost of mediocrity and stop putting up with it.
Do you need help to make the most of your people resources so you can spend more of your time on business development and the things that will allow you to grow? Contact STM for a complimentary consultation.
Art and Sue recently attended the annual AMI Build a Better Agency Summit hosted by Drew and Danyel McLellan. Although the conference targets leaders of small to mid-size marketing and advertising agencies, the struggles are common across many industries and the solutions are applicable across the board. Tune in as we talk about our experiences.
- Providing opportunities for your people to learn, grow, and take things off of your plate
- Developing a deliberate, structured, and consistent selection process to improve hiring success
- Managing today's onslaught of change in all aspects of our businesses
Do you have a question about people challenges we can answer for you? Is there a topic you wish we'd address in STM's People Solutions podcast? Let us know! Either reply to this message or reach out to us any time at solutions@strategictalentmgmt.com.
In this episode, Art and Sue are joined by Drew McLellan, CEO of Agency Management Institute (AMI). Drew literally co-wrote the book on Selling with Authority and talks about how to apply the same concepts used to attract right-fit clients to attracting right-fit candidates.
- The power of knowing exactly what you do and who you do it for
- Making the connection between brand and culture
- How to attract the right people and repel the wrong ones
Drew was kind enough to provide a tool (Click Here) he uses with his clients to help narrow focus, specify what you do and who you do it for, and start selling with authority to attract the right people. If you need additional resources to attract right-fit candidates, STM can help. Simply reply to this email with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch.
In the second of this two-part series focused on internal leadership development, Art and Sue are joined by Danyel Newcom McLellan, partner and president of Agency Management Institute (AMI). AMI teaches and consults with small to midsize marketing agencies about running their businesses better and Danyel is an expert and developing leadership internally. She talked to us about transitioning leaders into owners. Tune in as we discuss:
- How to identify leaders who have the capacity to transition into owners
- The benefits of internal succession
- How to prepare and when to get started
- How to avoid common pitfalls
STM has been a strategic partner in helping businesses of all kinds identify and develop internal successors. For more information on how we can help, reply to the message with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch with more details and resources.
In the first of this two-part series focused on internal leadership development, Art and Sue are joined by Danyel Newcom McLellan, partner and president of Agency Management Institute (AMI). AMI teaches and consults with small to midsize marketing agencies about running their businesses better and Danyel is an expert and developing leadership internally. She talked to us about growing young high performers into leaders. Tune in as we discuss:
- How to identify people who have the potential for leadership
- How to create opportunities and a culture of growth
- Identifying key objectives and measuring success
- Avoiding common mistakes
STM has been a strategic partner in helping businesses of all kinds identify and develop young talent. For more information on how we can help, reply to the message with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch with more details and resources.
In this episode of STM’s People Solutions podcast, Sue and Alyssa are joined by Sydney Walsh, a senior at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business. Full disclosure, Sydney is Sue’s daughter! Normally we wouldn’t have family members on the show, but Sydney had been sharing her ups and downs of the job search and had some interesting insight to share with those listeners who are trying to attract new graduates.
· What do college students find attractive in the candidate experience?
· What obstacles and challenges do they face?
· What should you be thinking about if this is your target market for talent?
Whether hiring right out of college or seasoned professionals, the candidate experience can make or break your ability to attract top talent. If you’d like to get information about STM’s Candidate Experience Audit, reply to this message with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch with the details.
Workplace burnout is very much on the rise and has significant negative impacts on employee productivity, energy, drive, and engagement. In this podcast, Sue talks with the woman who literally wrote the book on the subject, Shauna Moran. Tune in as we address the key elements driving this shift.
- What exactly is workplace burnout?
- How can you deal with it?
- Why should you care?
Read STM’s blog related to this subject, High Performance Punishment. Do you need help combatting workplace burnout? Simply reply to this message with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch to talk about it.
In the second installment of our Leadership Fundamentals series, Sue was joined by special guest Dr. Sandra Bryant. Dr. Bryant has a wide variety of significant leadership experience as is currently a professor teaching leadership to MBA and PhD students at Tidewater Community College, Hampton University, and St. Leo’s University. In this episode they address the topic of “Mindful Leadership”.
- How to purposefully cultivate being present in the moment
- What mindful leadership means to your business
- How to engage younger workers through being present
- The power of asking, “What is your intention?”
We encourage you to download STM’s 13 Stages of Leadership. Where are you on this ladder and where do you want to go?
In this podcast episode, Art and Sue are joined by George Foster of Foster Marketing to talk about his “succession journey” which involved transitioning ownership to an internal successor. He talks candidly about how he determined who would succeed him and how he was able to make that happen.
· Answer the question, do you want a lifestyle business or a legacy business?
· It’s never too early to start.
· Determining the “who” (people) will drive the “how” (legal and financial).
· The best exit plan may not be a transfer to an external buyer, but to a valued employee.
STM played a role in helping George answer the “who” question, and we can help you to. Click here to download information about our approach to the succession process or reply to this message with TELL ME MORE and we can set up a time to talk about how STM can support you in your succession journey.
In this episode, most of the STM team comes together to introduce the first in our series Leadership Fundamentals which will cover essential tools and techniques of leadership. In this episode we tackle Agility & Adaptability and its importance in making connections.
- Everyone comes to the table with a natural style and preferences, but the most effective leaders can adapt to meet others where they live.
- Agility and adaptability are essential to build connections and create buy-in.
- The ability to understand yourself and your people as individuals and the agility to adapt accordingly is leadership superpower.
For guidance on how to recognize your own style, those of others, and how to adjust to build rapport, download STM’s Behavior & Communication Guide and the 13 Stages of Leadership.
A subject about which Alyssa is particularly passionate is the link between job hopping and people’s desire to climb the salary ladder. In this podcast, she and Sue talk about that link and the potential consequences of responding to pay increase requests with “we just can’t afford it”.
· Younger generations prioritize career growth (including salary growth), flexibility, and sense of purpose over career stability.
· Job hopping is often influenced by a desire to climb the salary ladder and studies show this to be an effective strategy.
· Turnover is expensive, often more so than meeting employee demands.
· Retention is directly connected to providing growth opportunities, including salary growth.
Not sure how your employees feel you stack up when it comes to the salary issue? Ask them! Download our guide to Exit & Stay Interviews. This includes a list of questions you should be asking in the Stay Interview in order to avoid the Exit Interview.
On this week's episode, Art and Alyssa re-opened a recent conversation in which they discussed different communication tactics and communicating with remote employees.
· It goes beyond scheduled formal conversations
· Don’t underestimate the power of spontaneous and informal interactions
· Communication has to be a priority, and it is especially important with remote employees
· Frequent conversation in the early days of employment build a sense of belonging and increases engagement and retention
We hope you find this conversation insightful and don't forget to drop your communication tips in the Q&A box!
In our latest podcast episode, Sue talks with Sharon Toerek of Legal + Creative about the legal implications of using AI in business applications. Listen in as we discuss:
- Who owns what goes in and how to protect what comes out
- Avoiding unintended consequences and liabilities
- What you should be thinking about when adopting AI in your work or in your hiring practices
- Creating policies and standards
Sharon has provided access to her AI Resource Center for our listeners. If you have questions about using AI in your hiring or performance management process, give Sharon or STM a call.Here’s the link to the resource she talks about: https://mailchi.mp/legalandcreative/6jkhz52z8a
In our latest podcast, Sue was joined by Karley Cunningham of Big Bold Brand to talk about differentiation – both from a company/product/service perspective and from an employer perspective. Listen in to hear what Karley had to say about:
· Looking internally to define what makes you unique and special
· Defining the language that you use when you talk about your brand
· Interweaving branding and culture
· Getting started in defining your differentiators
· Documenting, communicating, and taking action
· Being authentic and sticking to your truth
Karley has provided her Surefire Audit as a resource for our listeners. You can download your copy of the audit and guide at www.bigboldbrand/surefireaudit. Do you need to work out the kinks in your culture or employer brand? STM can help. Contact us for a complimentary consultation.
Art and Sue recently had an opportunity to talk with David Jean, a partner at Albin, Randall & Bennett and head of their succession planning division, Altus Exit Strategies. David is very knowledgeable in the areas of the financial challenges of business succession and often works with STM to address the people side of the equation. David tells us that it’s never too early to start thinking about who your successor might be. Are they ready?
Listen in as we talk about:
• Business owners are often so busy working in the business, that they don’t have a chance to work on the business which puts their legacy at risk.
• The more time you have to plan, the better the outcome.
• Having a comprehensive exit plan can increase the value of your business 2-3 times!
Listen Now
What can you do TODAY to get started on a succession plan? Check out David’s resources at www.arbcpa.com for answers to your financial questions.
Wondering how to choose and prepare your successor? Contact STM for a complimentary consultation.
Unless you’re living completely off the grid (in which case you wouldn’t be reading this email) you’ve been hearing a lot about artificial intelligence (AI) – some of it fascinating and some of it downright terrifying. In this podcast Art and Sue talk with Melinda Byerley, founder and CEO of Fiddlehead Marketing and an experienced marketing analytics leader. Earlier this year, her clients urged her to expand her practice to include AI and she has a uniquely practical approach to the topic that we knew would be of interest to our listeners. Tune in while we talk about:
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AI is nothing new, but the landscape is changing.
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Beware of “hallucinations”. Fact-checking AI is critical.
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Talk to AI as if it’s human, but remember that it’s not.
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How to prepare your business to address legal, ethical, and privacy issues.
Melinda has created a page for our listeners on which she offers up tools and information to help you make the most of your experience with artificial intelligence – fiddleheadhq.com/stm. Check it out!
In our latest podcast Sue is joined by Noel Andrews, CEO of JobRack.eu, who specializes in helping businesses hire amazing remote team members. As we all struggle to find awesome talent in our own markets, and more potential employees are expecting to be able work anytime from anywhere, being able to successfully manage remote teams is an essential leadership skill. Listen in as Sue and Noel talk about:
- Advantages of hiring remotely
- Managing accountability
- Maintaining a great culture
Art and Sue recently had an opportunity to talk with one of our clients about their experience with STM’s leadership coaching. Listen in as we chat with Ellen Didier and Sarah Macaluso of Red Sage Communications and discuss our unique approach to this process:
• It’s not about fixing a weak performer; it’s about helping someone with strong leadership capacity improve their leadership skills
• Focus on addressing specific challenges in a defined time frame.
• Involvement from senior leadership is essential to define expectations and hold people accountable
Learn more about STM’s Leadership Coaching - https://strategictalentmgmt.com/solutions/coaching-and-development/
Do you have a rockstar who has the capacity and drive to grow but/and could use more tools in their leadership toolbox? We can help!
In a recent team meeting, the subject of work-life balance came up and how people from different generations have different perspectives on what it really means. It was then that we realized that among the four of us on the full-time STM team, we have four generations represented. That would make a great podcast, right? Listen in while we talk about:
- Common threads
- Differences
- Maximizing generational advantages
Appreciating generational diversity and making it work to your advantage can be a challenge. STM can help
In our latest podcast, Art and Sue tackle the issue of Influence vs. Manipulation. Empathy and the ability to read people is an asset, right? What if that ability is used for selfish or political gain? Listen in as we talk about:
- What are the differences between these closely related capacities?
- Why is it important to be able to determine one from the other?
- How can you determine if someone is genuinely empathetic and interested in making a connection, or if they’re using their ability to use social cues to just feed to what you want to hear?
Need more tools to help you avoid falling into the manipulation trap? STM’s assessments can help!
In our latest podcast, Sue and our Senior Consultant for Training & Development, Chris Massaro, discuss internal mobility and how to give your employees opportunities to grow without creating false hierarchies in your organization.
- What is internal mobility?
- How can business leaders provide meaningful growth opportunities?
- What are some strategies that ensure internal mobility benefits both the aspirations of employees and the objectives of the organization?
Leadership training and/or individual coaching can play a role in your internal mobility strategy. To learn more about how STM can support these efforts, click here https://strategictalentmgmt.com/solutions/coaching-and-development/ to learn more about our Coaching & Development services.
Sue and Alyssa have been talking a lot about engagement, both with employees and with candidates, and put their thoughts into our latest podcast. Listen in as they talk about:
- The Candidate Experience & Onboarding
- Factors that Affect Engagement
- How to Measure Engagement
We’ve created a complimentary resource that we hope you find helpful – The Dos & Don’ts of Engagement https://strategictalentmgmt.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/stm-dos-donts-emp-engagement-sheet-062923.pdf
If you’re struggling with issues around engagement, or would like for us to perform a Candidate Experience Audit, call STM today!
In the second part of our conversation with Jim Robins of Spectrum Assessments – the creator and mastermind behind STM’s assessment technology – we dig into the issues of how to choose and use assessments. In that discussion, we address:
- Privacy and informed consent
- Issues of legality and the appropriate use in hiring selection
- Validity and reliability
- What to look for in choosing assessments for your company
Never taken an STM assessment before? Jim Robins is offering a complimentary assessment for our listeners. Try it today and we'll schedule a 30-60 minute call to go over your results with you.
All Things Assessments with Jim Robins
In our latest podcast, we offer up part one of our recent conversation with Jim Robins of Spectrum Assessments. Jim is the creator and mastermind behind STM’s assessment technology and has a wealth of knowledge about assessments in general. In this first installment, we talk about:
- How to know if an assessment is really measuring what it claims to measure (face validity)
- What our assessments measure and how they compare to other commonly used tools
- The potential for social desirability bias and how Spectrum addresses it
- How assessments can inform your hiring decisions
Never taken an STM assessment before? Jim Robins is offering a complimentary assessment for our listeners. Try it today and we'll schedule a 30-60 minute call to go over your results with you.
All Things Assessments with Jim Robins
Art and Sue just returned from Chicago where they attended the Agency Management Institute’s Build a Better Agency Summit. They each hosted a roundtable discussion – Art on leadership development issues and Sue on effective interviewing. There were so many good conversations and ideas that we thought it would be helpful to share some of the things we heard. Whether you’re with an agency or in another industry, we hope you find some tips and suggestions that can make managing people a bit easier.
- What issues are business leaders struggling with in terms of hiring and developing good people?
- What tools and techniques are working?
- How can STM support businesses that want to improve their hiring success and leadership development?
There is a wealth of resources on our website, but particularly relevant to this conversation is our Interviewing Guide and recently released resource on Exit and Stay Interviews.
If STM can help you address your people challenges, get in touch!
We’ve been talking a lot about the power of the exit interview and an emerging concept of the stay interview. In this podcast, Sue and Nicole discuss the reasons for having these conversations and the importance of using the information to make changes that improve the employee experience.
- Why are they useful?
- What questions should you be asking?
- What do you do with this information?
Visit the resources page of our website for a complimentary summary and lists of suggested questions you should be asking . If you need help putting together a program for your business, give us a call!
In this episode of our People Solutions Podcast, Sue is joined by Dr. ClauDean Kizart, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Tidewater Community College. We’re hearing a lot about DEI, and it can be daunting to take on this issue in a proactive and meaningful way. Join us as we discuss:• What is the definition of DEI?• Why is it important for businesses?• How can we get started in embracing and implementing DEI programs?
In this episode, Sue talks with Lori Highby, founder of strategic digital marketing agency Keystone Click. Lori works with a number of clients in the area of Employer Branding. Tune in to get answers to these questions:
· What is employer branding and why should you care about it?
· What are the biggest mistakes companies are making when it comes to employer branding?
· What are steps that you can take right now to improve your employer brand?
· Do you need help defining and improving your employer brand?
In this episode, Art and Sue are joined by Craig Cody, CPA of Craig Cody & Company. Continuing in the vein of our recent podcast about the legal ramifications of having out-of-state remote employees, Craig helps us address some of the financial considerations.
What are the administrative costs?
What are the tax implications?
How can you avoid unpleasant surprises?
In this episode of STM’s People Solutions Podcast, Sue is joined by Tawny Alvarez, an attorney with Verrill Dana who specializes in employment law. This subject recently came up here at STM when Sue relocated to Virginia and there were unexpected legal and administrative issues we had to address.
Sue and Tawny discuss the legal implications of having remote employees working in other states and how to be prepared so you avoid trouble. Tawny’s advice:
- Think before you hire: do I have the time, energy, resources that may be necessary to begin doing business in another state by hiring a hybrid or remote worker in that state?
- Check out the state’s DOL website: this is a great resource for employers who are starting business in the state to understand their obligations.
- Resource assessment: do my team members have the assessment to manage individuals remotely (in addition to making sure they are complying with state and local laws)?
Tawny has put together a checklist (link: https://strategic-talent-mgmt-1.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/14095418/Hybrid-How-To-Tawny-Alvarez.pdf) that can help you be prepared and avoid common pitfalls. Although we’re no legal experts here at STM, reach out if we can be helpful in selecting or managing remote employees to maximize productivity and engagement.
In this podcast, Art is joined by David Jean, one of our strategic partners and a partner at Albin, Randall, Bennett. In a recent conversation, the question came up, “Why do we treat our best people so poorly?” Are you falling into any of these traps?
- Taking the path of least resistance and overloading your best performers because you know the job will get done right without any hand holding
- Spending so much of your time trying to develop green or underperforming employees that you ignore the needs of your rock star
- Failing to invest in developing other talent because you know you can always turn to a handful of your best people
Don’t risk burning out and losing the best people on your team.
How to spot people who are just "too nice."
Our latest podcast episode features Art and Alyssa as they discuss competency shifts and what they mean. Some highlights include:
- Trends we've seen in job candidates’ attitudes about people, productivity, and planning
- When an over focus on people can be too much of a good thing
- How to screen out candidates who are too focused on people to the detriment of the competencies you really need
You can contact STM to learn about how our assessments can help you improve your success rate in hiring and promotions, including identifying those who are just “too nice” for the job.
In our latest podcast, Sue is joined by Kathy Dockry, founder of Significa Group. Kathy is a leadership coach hired by large global companies to work one-on-one to accelerate the growth of top talent and is a thought leader on the power skills of influence, persuasion, and presence.
Join us as we discuss:
- Why “What do you do” is a trick question
- Why it’s important to focus on the VALUE of your people and yourself rather than the ACTIVITIES you perform
- How to articulate your own value and unearth value in others
For more information on this subject, download Kathy’s white paper - Click Here
(or copy and paste this linkhttps://strategic-talent-mgmt-1.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/18092959/What-Do-You-Do-Is-a-Trick-Question.pdf?inf_contact_key=97112c5505bf3715f8d7d234cd29b349)
In this episode of STM’s People Solutions podcast, Sue, Art, and Alyssa discuss the differences between skills and values and why it’s an important distinction for hiring or promoting people.Listen in as we discuss:
- Don’t be blinded by surface behavior. Dig deeper to uncover core values and motivations.
- Value alignment allows for intuitive understanding of vision and direction and helps ease conflict.
- Bet on and invest in people whose values align with the organization and who are open to coaching and developing new skills.
Need help navigating the hiring or promoting process? Download STM's Interviewing Guide and Interviewing Questions from the resources page on our website.
In this episode of STM’s People Solutions podcast Sue and our Senior Consultant for Training & Development, Chris Massaro, talk about how to navigate the critical first 90 days of employment. Break your strategy down into 30-day increments: learning, planning, executing This is a two-way street. The same structure applies to the employer and the new leader. This is not the time for big, bold moves. It is a time for listening, observing, and asking a lot of questions.
In this episode of STM’s People Solutions Podcast, Art and Sue talk about the importance of ongoing communication as a key element in an effective performance management process.Some of the topics we touch on in this episode include:
- Regular communication about performance increases retention and reinforces strategic vision.
- Performance management is a continuous process of improvement and goal setting.
- If managed effectively, no one should be surprised at the annual review.
In this week's episode of STM's People Solutions Podcast, Alyssa and Art talk about what you might find when you look beyond an individual's education, experience, and skillset. Consider their capacity, and the importance of looking within your organization first when trying to fill a position. Join us as we discuss:
- Hiring young or inexperienced people is risky because you do not know if the candidate is worth your investment of time, energy, and dollars to train or develop.
- Capacity is more important than skill, because if the candidate has the capacity, you can train them for skill.
- Don’t forget to look around your organization for individuals who may have the capacity and drive to fill vacant roles first, otherwise they may end up at your competitor's business!
In this episode of STM’s People Solutions Podcast, Art and Sue talk about leadership capacities within the framework of the 13 Stages of Leadership Excellence.Join us as we discuss:
- Understanding a person’s capacity for leadership and how they fit your current needs.
- Developing your people to align with your plans for the future.
- Improving the overall leadership culture of your organization.
Click here for more information on the 13 Stages of Leadership Excellence.
We recently circulated a report around our team that was based on a survey by Adecco. The report asserted that although we all understand that the best way to address the global skills shortage is through re-skilling, up-skilling, and an overall commitment to career development, the research showed that leaders and the people they lead have radically different perspectives about whether that is being achieved. What does this mean and what can you do about it?
- At its core, this is a communication issue. Regular and meaningful career conversations with your people is a worthwhile investment.
- We tend to know more about the career aspirations of our new hires than our long-term employees. Make it easier to hire internally than externally.
- Set up the aspiration to build a culture of life-long learning and internal mobility.
- Create the expectation that your employees need to take charge of their own careers. They need to have skin in the game.
We spend a lot of time talking about onboarding, but are we paying enough attention to offboarding? Regardless of why and how your employees leave you, they will still be talking about you. How they’re treated on the way out the door will impact what they say. Will they be an ambassador or an adversary? In this episode we discuss:
- Recognizing exiting employees for their contributions.
- Creating a plan for handing off projects and responsibilities.
- If it's an involuntary exit, providing constructive feedback to help them be more successful in the future.
- Not underestimating the power of a structured exit interview!
We at STM talk a lot about energy & drive and how important it is to uncover it in the interview process. In this podcast, Art, Sue, and Alyssa talk about future focus as a key indicator.
- Too low and you risk a mediocre hire, disappointment, and a lack of commitment and engagement.
- Too high and you’ll have someone who will accomplish their goals with you or without you. Is all of that energy pushing them in the direction you need them to go?
In this episode, Art and Sue address client questions about handling difficult situations with valued employees.
- Someone who is driving others away
- Two people who do great work but just can’t get along with each other
- Managing up
If you have a question you’d like us to address in a future episode, get in touch. We'd love to hear from you.
In this podcast, Art and Sue are joined by special guest David Jean, Managing Director of Altus Exit Strategies. An important aspect of growing a successful business is creating transferable value. Transferable value is what your business is worth to someone else without you at the helm.
To get started in determining your business’s value and creating an effective exit strategy, ask yourself these 3 Universal Questions:
- How much do you as the owner want to take out of the business when you exit?
- When do you want to scale down? To exit?
- Who are the future leaders of your company and are they ready to step up?
Selecting people who fit your culture is important, but if you’re all too much in lock step, you open yourself up to blind spots and the perils of groupthink.
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Too many differences, and you’re susceptible to conflict, mistrust, and miscommunication.
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Too many similarities can discourage creativity, innovation, and individual responsibility.
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“Fit” is more about people sharing the same broad values rather than thinking exactly the same way. Planned diversity is healthy.
Hi STM Subscriber,Are you struggling to find the right interviewing formula? Do you feel that your interviewing practices aren’t screening for top talent the way you’d like? STM can help!
Check out our latest podcast episode where we discuss interviewing tactics like:
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Be aware of your own bias; look beyond behavior.
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For every question you ask, know why you’re asking it and what you do and do not want to hear.
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Don’t stop with the first answer; dig deeper for validation.
Art and Sue recently hosted a series of roundtables at a conference centered around the issues of hiring, development, and retention. In this podcast, they share some of the ideas and issues that came up in those conversations.
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How can we compete in this crazy hiring market?
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What benefits and incentives can we offer to attract and retain good people?
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Do we really have to put up with mediocrity? Is it better to have a marginally productive person than an empty chair?
Are you providing your employees with rewards and incentives that are meaningful to them, or are you making assumptions based on what's meaningful to you? In this podcast, Art and Sue talk about the clues that help you determine what your individual people value and what rewards and incentives will resonate with them.
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Hobbies and the roles your people play on your team can give you valuable clues to their motivators.
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Everybody likes a raise or bonus, but it’s not always all about the money.
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Customizing rewards to zero in on what your people really value is a powerful tool.
Outsourcing work to contractors is a common practice, but are you really getting the most out of these relationships? In this podcast, Art speaks with STM’s marketing contractor, Graham Nash, to address common challenges managing your external people. Join Art and Graham as they discuss:
- Effective onboarding is essential. Make sure your contractor has access to the resources and information they need to do the job.
- You're not their only client. Respect their boundaries, bandwidth, and scope of work.
- Communication is key. Contractors are not mind readers or magicians.
What's holding you back? To maintain and grow your business in today's world agility and adaptability are more important than ever. They are essential to navigating change and seeking out the best of each situation as you confront them. In this podcast we cover:
- Now is the time to analyze how you do what you do. Is it out of necessity or is it just a habit?
- Take a look at your culture, your people, and your systems. Are they serving you well in this new reality?
- Trust your employees. Is how it gets done as important as that it does get done?
We often talk with companies who use behavior assessments in making hiring and promotion decisions. Behavior is a good place to start, but you shouldn’t stop there.
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Using behavior assessments alone in hiring decisions is as effective as flipping a coin. Any behavior style can do any job.
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Personality (a.k.a. behavior) can mask both strengths and weaknesses in your employees and candidates.
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Using the right assessments can accelerate and sharpen your hiring process.
To prepare your company for planned or unplanned succession, you should prepare legally and financially. But you should also identify people who fit your culture and who can build on your organization’s success. The most important concern for your potential buyer is the quality of your management team, so that should be your number one concern as well.
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Every business problem is about process or people and how STM addresses the people issue
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The buyer of your business expects to see a strong management team in place after you leave
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Your next generation of managers will need coaching and development to prepare for taking charge
The recruiting landscape has changed and having an engaging selection process is critical in this competitive market for talent. In this episode we talk with STM’s most recent hire, our Executive Assistant Nicole Rodrigue, about her job search experience. What got her to engage, and what practices turned her away? Join us as we discuss:
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Are you painting an accurate picture of the opportunity and your organization?
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Are you asking for information you don’t need or won’t use?
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Are there ways you can streamline your selection process without sacrificing quality?
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Ghosting goes both ways. You can’t expect candidates to fully engage with you if you’re not communicating with them.
Listen Sue MacArthur and Art Boulay answer some questions from our clients.
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How many interviews are adequate and how many is just too much?
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Are you really communicating or just talking?
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When is enough really enough? How do you know it’s time to cut ties with a mediocre employee?
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Are you rewarding employees the way they want to be rewarded, or the way you like to be rewarded?
The upheaval of the last two years and today’s highly competitive hiring market have forced us to rethink how we position ourselves in the world. Whether you’ve clearly defined your company culture or not, now’s the time to pay attention to who you are and how your people fit together.
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Significant changes in the makeup of your leadership team, the business climate, your industry, or the way you do business (i.e. in person vs. remotely) are key triggers for taking a closer look at your culture. Is it what you thought? Is it what you need to get you where you want to go?
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If you haven’t measured it, how do you know how you’re doing? Using specific and repeatable measurements are the only way to track your cultural progress.
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Once you’ve defined your culture, creating benchmarks for hiring, promotion, and succession take the guesswork out of making critical people decisions.
Listen in as Sue MacArthur and Chris Massaro, STM's Director of Training & Development, discuss relevant topics including:
- The most impactful leaders in your organization may not have a management title. Leadership is more than just a title; it’s an attitude and behavior.
- Do you have people who just work for you, or do you have followers? A leader without followers is just a manager.
- An organization’s culture is defined by its leadership. What values do your leaders bring to your culture?
Listen in as Team STM discusses relevant topics including:
Don’t start with the future, start with the past and the present. You can’t develop a realistic plan without knowing where you are and where you’ve been.
Get EVERYONE involved! Creating buy-in from day one increases your chances of successful execution.
Don’t be afraid to talk about the “great unsaid,” the elephant in the room.
Tune in for valuable insights for developing
Listen in as Team STM discusses relevant topics including:
- Behavior (whether someone is an introvert or extrovert) is about how we approach communication and problem solving. That’s ALL it is.
- Behavior alone cannot accurately or consistently predict a person’s potential for success in a particular role.
- Behavior shows us how someone behaves, but not why they do what they do or if they have the attitudes, energy, and drive to actually perform.
Listen in as Team STM discusses relevant topics including:
- What’s happening in this crazy recruiting market? Good people go fast!
- What adjustments should you be making in your selection process? You don’t have to sacrifice quality, but there is a need for expediency.
- How is STM responding? Gone are the days of the 30 to 60 day screening process. We have to move on good candidates immediately. If we don’t, someone else will.
Check out this week's episode, The Great Resignation, with host, Stephen Woessner, CEO of Predictive ROI and host of the Onward Nation podcast. Listen in as Stephen and team STM discuss a wide range of topics including:
- Why the recurring theme STM hears from employees leaving their jobs is “I just couldn’t go back there”, and what factors are contributing to The Great Resignation
- Why it’s equally important for candidates to know who they are and what their goals for their career are
- Why you shouldn’t be looking for “perfect candidates” but rather should be focusing on what you need in a role and then finding someone who fits those needs
- Why your existing team can be an outstanding resource for building a pipeline for talent and bringing in great candidates even during The Great Resignation
Tune in for valuable insights on how to attract and hire the right employees.
This part two of a two-part discussion on employer branding with special guest host, Drew McLellan, owner of the Agency Management Institute (AMI). Listen in as Drew and team STM discuss a wide range of topics including:
- Employer Branding - It’s just as important to market to prospective employees as it is to market to prospective customers.
- Hiring Process - You need to accelerate your selection process–good people go fast!
- Company Culture - It’s a new landscape out there! Be prepared to deal with social/political issues.
This part one of a two-part discussion on employer branding with special guest host, Drew McLellan, owner of the Agency Management Institute (AMI). Listen in as Drew and team STM discuss a wide range of topics including:
- Employer Branding - It’s just as important to market to prospective employees as it is to market to prospective customers.
- Hiring Process - You need to accelerate your selection process–good people go fast!
- Company Culture - It’s a new landscape out there! Be prepared to deal with social/political issues.
Listen in as Craig Cody, host of the Progressive Agency podcast, interviews Art Boulay on a wide range of topics involving today’s hiring and management challenges. Join Art and Craig as they discuss:
- Causes and solutions to today’s high rate of turnover
- The value of assessment tools for your current team and new hires
- Management tips for retention
- And when all else fails, how to handle an exit interview
Tune in for valuable insights on how to strengthen your relationships with your team members to ensure that they feel valued, how to be flexible in meeting their expectations, and how to speed up and improve your hiring and onboarding processes
In the episode we discuss:
Do you know yourself? You need to know your own management and communication style.
Do you know your team? Getting the most out of your team means understanding what motivates and drives them.
Do you know your culture? Recognize the impact you have on your organization’s culture.
In the episode Art and Sue discuss:
- Salary Competition - How do you determine the salaries of your remote employees? Do the same rules for calculating in-office employee salaries apply?
- Talent Pool - There’s an opportunity to recruit and hire employees from a much broader talent pool, but there are certain pitfalls you’ll want to avoid.
- Effective Management - How do you maintain engagement with a partially remote team? You’ll need to find ways to connect remote employees to your culture.
Art and Sue are joined by Chris and Alyssa.
You can download our "5 Key Traits for Successful Remote Workers" handout from the link in the episode description:
https://strategic-talent-mgmt-1.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/17115100/5-Key-Traits-for-Successful-Remote-Workers.pdf