Corp! Magazine Publishes the Article "Want an All-Star Team?" Based on Interview on New Book: LEADERSHIP REQUIRES EXTRA INNINGS

My sincere thanks are extended to Corp! Magazine and Contributing Editor Karen Dybis for interviewing me for her article in Corp! Magazine. The full title of the article is: "Want an All-Star Team? Try Some of These Leadership Techniques"

Here is the link to Corp! Magazine if you'd like to read Karen's entire article:http://www.corpmagazine.com/break-room/inspiration/best-practices/want-an-all-star-team-try-some-of-these-leadership-techniques/

HR Executive quotes me in their article on interpreting Military Resumes

Many thanks to Lin Grensing-Pophal for including me in her article "Cracking the Code on Military Resumes" in today's issue of Human Resource Executive.

Cracking the Code on Military Resumes

Thanks to a wide range of varied experiences, extensive training and personal challenges, military veterans often make exceptional candidates in the private sector. Yet, due to HR's mistranslation of skill sets from the military to the civilian sector, they are often overlooked.

By Lin Grensing-Pophal, http://www.hreonline.com/HRE/view/story.jhtml?id=534356840&

Monday, March 17, 2014

The work experience our nation's military personnel receive during their service period is, by all accounts, unique and varied. Indeed, according to a new report from Washington-based Center for a New American Security titled America's Veterans: A Sound Investment., many of them are quickly forced into leadership and decision-making roles they may not have been prepared for, and most of them will rise to the challenge and gain both valuable – and marketable -- experience in the process.

"By and large, [military personnel] have a tremendous work ethic," says Los Angeles-based consultant Ritch Eich, who is also author of Leadership Requires Extra Innings: Lessons on Leading from a Life in the Trenches. "They're not afraid to roll up their sleeves and work long hours -- it's what they've become accustomed to."

Eich says some employers may view job candidates with military backgrounds as "highly rigid, bureaucratic kinds of folks." But because of their unique experiences, most veterans actually have a tendency to not "sweat the small stuff," he says, because they are able to remain calm in stressful situations and are adept at working as part of diverse teams.

Yet, such candidates are often challenged to land post-military positions that fully leverage the value of their skills and competencies. Why? Eich calls it a "language barrier."

HR professionals and hiring managers, he says, often fail to make the connection between military backgrounds and the skills and competencies they require in their organizations. The roles and jobs are different. The terminology is different. And much of this is foreign to the vast majority of those HR professionals charged with reviewing resumes and making decisions about who to bring in for an interview.

Meanwhile, transitioning military candidates may also limit their own ability to land a job, says Linda D. Henman, president of Henman Performance Group in Chesterfield, Mo., and a member of the Air Force Association.

She says ex-military candidates tend to mention the activities they did during a particular assignment, instead of the results.

"They often led large numbers of people, oversaw significant budgets or made pivotal decisions," she says, "but they don't give themselves credit for what they did."

Further complicating their job-seeking efforts, she says, is how these candidates tend to convey their experiences in written form. "Many of them write as though the reader will realize the breadth and scope of a particular kind of assignment, so they don't provide enough detail," she says.

And they often don't position themselves in the most positive light for employers, she adds, because they don't know how to do it and they may think it sounds boastful.

So, who is ultimately responsible for overcoming these disconnects? Just like most things in life, it depends upon whom you ask.

"Employers should not spend time translating military candidates' resumes," says Joseph Terach, CEO of Resume Deli, a career-services firm based in New York. "That's the candidates' jobs."

A valid point, certainly, and there are a wide range of organizations, institutions and business professionals helping these candidates to do just that. But other experts stress there also is opportunity for organizations to ensure that they are doing their part to help those who have served the country find jobs once they return to civilian roles.

"Both sides need to be working with good intentions," says Edward Reilly, president and CEO of the American Management Association in New York.  But, he says, "I'd like to think that these folks represent a real opportunity for companies to find long-term, stable, committed employees. It's worth digging just a little bit further to see what these people are really made of."

There are a number of resources that may help HR professionals to do that digging, and some of them are even closer than HR leaders may realize.

"One idea to for human resource professionals is to ask for help from their current employees who were members of the military," says Sara Sutton Fell, CEO/founder of FlexJobs in Boulder, Colo. "They can give first-hand insights into military candidate resumes, help translate things such as certifications and responsibilities, and they already have great knowledge of your company and how those candidates might be a great fit."

If there are no former military employees currently in your organization, Fell suggests partnering with organizations such as the Wounded Warriors to Work Program, or Bonds of Courage, to enlist their expertise.

"As an HR professional," she says, "it's absolutely worth it to educate yourself on military candidate resumes because you'll be able to tap into a whole new pool of job candidates."  

One resource that Reilly recommends is an AMA publication titled Field Tested: Recruiting, Managing and Retaining Veterans. In addition, he suggests, when preparing to interview a veteran, take a few minutes to look at the web site from their branch of service -- Army, Navy, Marines or Air Force. Each, he says, displays very prominently their core values, which can present a good starting point for conversation and help to link military values to corporate values.

A new report titled Veterans in Solar: Securing America's Energy Future also provides some insights into best practices for identifying and engaging veterans. According to The Solar Foundation, the U.S. solar industry employs 13,192 veterans of the armed forces, a figure which represents 9.2 percent of all solar workers in the nation. Compared with veteran employment in the overall economy (where, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, veterans constitute 7.6 percent of all workers), the solar industry can be

seen as a strong employer of former service members.

Unfortunately, some tools currently used by HR professionals may actually be working against them when it comes to finding veterans who would fit well within their organizations.

For example, online resume-management systems that screen for specific keywords may automatically screen out veterans' resumes that don't contain the proper "management-speak." A way around this for those committed to finding and recruiting from veterans' ranks would be to add keywords like "veteran," "military" or other similar terms to search queries so that these resumes get sent through and can be more thoroughly evaluated.

But ultimately, if an ex-military candidate's resume is presented in an unfamiliar manner or contains military terms or acronyms, "do not hesitate to have the person explain whatever it is you do not understand," Eich says.

"You may find this information reveals a lot about the person's experience, and knowing these terms will help in screening other applicants with military backgrounds," he says. "As a bonus, that explanation will give you a greater sense of the person's communication skills."

Copyright 2014© LRP Publications

Dallas Morning News Reviews My Book: LEADERSHIP REQUIRES EXTRA INNINGS

Business book reviews: Time Management and Leadership Requires Extra Innings

 

By JIM PAWLAK

Special Contributor

Published: 08 March 2014 05:33 PM

Updated: 08 March 2014 05:33 PM

Time Management

Brian Tracy (Amacom, $19.95)

Managing time requires good habits. Good habits evolve from personal programming. That starts with changing your inner dialogue from “ too much to do and so little time” to “I am well organized and highly productive.” By repeatedly saying and thinking “I am well organized,” your subconscious accepts these words as a behavioral command and triggers motivation and productive action.

You also need to understand that action is “self-determined and goal-directed.” You control your approach and response to situations (workload, shifting priorities, deadlines, etc.), and when your mind-set shifts from “under pressure” to “get it done,” you motivate yourself.

Author Brian Tracy believes that “every minute spent in planning saves 10 minutes in execution.” Think through what it’s going to take to accomplish the goal, write out a sequenced-action road map and follow it. The thinking process involves identifying potential obstacles you’ll encounter and the resources and people you’ll need to overcome them.

Integrate the written plan for your tasks into a list. Prioritize within your list following Tracy’s “Law of Three”: 1. “If I could only work on one thing on this list all day long, which one would contribute the greatest value?” 2. “If I could work on two things on this list, what would be the second activity that would create the most value?” 3. “If I could work on three things on this list, what would be the third activity that would create the most value?”

As you accomplish 1, 2 and 3, other tasks take their place. Without prioritization, you run the risk of wasting time.

As a manager, the priorities also allow you to multiply your productivity through delegation. The added benefit of delegating: You help develop the skills and time-management capabilities of your team.

Leadership Requires Extra Innings

Ritch K. Eich (Second City Publishing Services, $14.99)

Ritch K. Eich burrows into the art and science of leadership by identifying 10 leadership traits and pinpointing their importance to success. Here are a few of my favorites:

A genuine love of ideas and people. Eich believes that employees are intellectual capital, not assets. Why? They don’t just do the work, they create the work. Their ideas foster continuous improvement, find solutions to problems and answer the what if and what’s next questions. A leader understands the interplay of relationships; a boss does not.

Cultural competence. How a business does business drives the business. Trust, truth, transparency, fairness, standards, teaching, mentoring and social responsibility are the foundation of culture. When these become a leader’s message, employees embrace their work’s purpose and its value to the firm and the community.

The ability to speak in a clear, respectful, down-to-earth manner. When communication is concise and consistent, the likelihood of misinterpretation decreases. Employees know what needs to be done.

A knack for being adaptive and enduring. Leaders need to “shift gears as circumstances demand while still maintaining long-term goals.”

Jim Pawlak reviews business books for The Dallas Morning News.

bizbooks@hotmail.com

http://www.dallasnews.com/business/headlines/20140308-business-book-reviews-time-management-and-leadership-requires-extra-innings.ece?ssimg=1505267#ssStory1505268

FastCompany publishes my article "12 Ways Real Leaders Handle Complex Problems"

LEADERSHIP NOW

12 WAYS REAL LEADERS HANDLE COMPLEX PROBLEMS

YOU COULD BECOME AN EXEMPLARY BOSS IF YOU MASTER THESE SKILLS. IT'S TIME TO ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES.

BY RITCH K. EICH

Real leaders, the kind we want to follow and emulate, are rare in today’s global, hyper-competitive and financially driven-world.

Often in their place are fast-track wannabes and impostors focused on unsustainable, short-term results. Instead of mentoring employees and looking for long-term solutions to lasting profitability, they seek to drive performance by bullying and focusing on personal glory over the success of the entire organization.

For most of my career, I have typically reported to the president, CEO, or chairman of the board. As a result, I’ve been fortunate enough to see chief executives in action in many different industries and organizations. Along the way, I have observed what the best leaders do and learned a few lessons about what never to do.

Enlightened leaders limit poor behavior by recognizing that problems will occur, communicating clearly about consequences, and staying true to their principles and commitments.

The following is a mosaic of what you can do to emulate how real leaders handle complex problems:

1. ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES

Work alongside your team. Your actions promote collaboration and cooperation, allow you to see how your team interacts, and provide you with a great opportunity to be a mentor and coach.

2. ENCOURAGE CROSS-TRAINING

Cross-training allows everyone to be ready to pitch in when needed. It provides people with the opportunity to lean a new skill and can be a lifesaver in an emergency.

3. EXPRESS GRATITUDE

After completing a project successfully, recognize everyone (and I do mean everyone) who contributed.

4. BE HUMBLE

Don’t be afraid of hiring someone because you feel they might outshine you--their accomplishments will reflect well on you.

5. BE ACCESSIBLE

Be available to your team when they need you. You may be inconvenienced at times, but respect is reciprocal, and your accessibility demonstrates their importance to the organization.

6. REALLY LISTEN

Establish and promote an environment where everyone feels safe, valued, and empowered to contribute--keep an open mind and listen. Identify input that is actionable, act on it, and always give credit where it is due.

7. RECOGNIZE THE LITTLE WINS

Don’t overlook base hits by only focusing on home runs. Singles and doubles can add up over the long term and build energy, momentum, and trust along the way.

8. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

Don’t blame others for your own mistakes. One of the surest ways to demoralize your team is to blame them for something that isn’t their fault. Own up to your mistakes, focus on lessons learned, and then move on.

9. DEFLATE YOUR EGO

The very best leaders check their egos at the door, are humble, and support their teams, especially during difficult economic times.

10. WRITE WELL

It may seem passé in an era of texting and digital shorthand, but being an effective communicator means being able to write clearly, succinctly, and thoughtfully. You will enhance your organization’s reputation--as well as your own.

11. ESTABLISH YOUR VALUES

Develop your own philosophy of leadership--have a clearly defined system of beliefs and practices and use them regularly, but not rigidly. Convey your philosophy consistently to your team. Expand your philosophy as you gain more experience and more knowledge but resist fads and quick fixes in favor of long-term solutions.

12. NURTURE EMPLOYEES

Like baseball, leadership encompasses many innings and requires a strong team. Spend more time developing your team, teaching them regularly in a formal leadership development program where you as the leader play an active roll, and share some of your successes and some of your failures as well.

Most of us would probably agree that a leader--whether of a large corporation, a small business, a hospital, college, or military unit--has an inherent strategic bent and a knack for important details. But real leaders go the extra innings, as demonstrated by how they address problems, whether those problems rest with a peer, a subordinate or someone else.

Investor's Business Daily Article Mentions LEADERSHIP REQUIRES EXTRA INNINGS

Thanks go to Sonja Carberry for including me in her article "Delve Into Data For Deeper Understanding."

Here is the link if you wish to read her article online. It will be appear in print on Monday.http://news.investors.com/management-leaders-in-success/030714-692492-executives-delve-deeper-into-data-for-perspective.htm