The Leading Edge - Winter 2009 - (Page 8)

cover Derailed? Get BACk oN trACk bonnie hagemann, CEo of Executive Development Associates, has researched the issues involved with top performers. She offers the top five areas of concern. continued from page 7 Derailment issues Lack of communication. When responses to requests aren’t given, engagement decreases. Employees no longer go above and beyond. back-on-track solutions Increase feedback and communication to surface the problem and take action. you don’t want to learn about the employee’s problem the day she or he resigns. Get close to them early on. If you are proactive in employees’ development, you won’t be surprised. put together a plan of action and management controls. personal issues and outside stressors. Nine out of 10 times, derailment is related to personal issues. No follow-through on responsibilities/assignments. Maturity issues, including poor self-control, lack of self-awareness, low or under-developed emotional intelligence. Character issues such as ego, self-serving attitude and lack of integrity. those talents, not only do you create a more engaged and energized employee, but you also enhance opportunities for your business.” At SBTV.com, Solovic hired a production manager for the technical side of the business. Later, she learned the new manager had started his career on-air and soon he was contributing as an anchor/reporter in addition to his primary responsibilities. “Identifying employees’ hidden talents requires creating an environment where employees feel comfortable allowing them to be discovered,” Solovic says. She offers these suggestions: • Host a company social outing that offers employees the opportunity to demonstrate or share more about their interests, background and experience. • Bring in creativity consultants who use exercises and conversations that unveil employees’ hidden abilities. provide coaching. rotate aSSignmentS Boswell says providing development experiences and encouraging rotational assignments have been shown to increase retention of key players by 15 percent. “Rotational assignments move leaders from one area of the company to another to stretch themselves, develop new talents, develop cross-functional skills, groom them for higher positions, expose them to other functional areas and help them acquire a holistic sense of the company,” Boswell explains. The Forum worked with a global consumer products company that sought to develop its leaders, including implementing rotational assignments. So, Boswell says, a marketing executive might have worked in finance, learning about the budgeting process. As a result the marketing executive developed cross-functional skills and applied them, such as building better customer awareness (marketing) into the budget planning process (finance). “When designed well, these experiences can also develop awareness of innovation, storytelling, communicating, scenario planning and networking. All of those skills benefit both the company and the individual,” Boswell says. e VOLUME 9 n Find a suitable spot for individual if she or he has a strong history or track record. Cut losses for individuals new to the organization. Cut losses and move on. 8 ISSUE 2 n WInTER 2009 http://www.SBTV.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The Leading Edge - Winter 2009

The Leading Edge - Winter 2009 Contents Stay on the Climb New Business Often Hinges on an Exceptional Proposal 2009: What’s Ahead and What's Behind for Businesses, Consumers and More Top 10 Misconceptions of Doing Business in Canada In a Nutshell: Q&A The Leading Edge Alliance

The Leading Edge - Winter 2009

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