So, you’d like to start a Corporate University. Great! I don’t think you’ll regret your decision to do so; but, before we talk about all the great outcomes that a university can provide, let’s take a step back and define a “corporate university.”

There are probably as many definitions as there are organizations that have universities (which is estimated to be about 2,000 today), but the best definition I found was from Mark Allen, Ph.D, and the author of The Corporate University Handbook (AMACOM 2002). Dr. Allen defines it as “…an educational entity that is a strategic tool designed to assist its parent organization in achieving its mission by conducting activities that cultivate both individual and organizational learning, knowledge, and wisdom.”

More than anything, a corporate university strives to align employees’ performance with the strategic direction of the company. The training is connected to competencies, for example, or to specific business objectives. It’s typically built using a leveled approach and with frequent benchmarks to measure success in achieving the corporate mission.

A university is so much more than a name, a new logo, and t-shirts. That’s why it’s critical that you first define what the university is for your organization.

In the coming months, I’ll review a corporate university that we recently developed with one of our clients. I’ll also share other key aspects about this comprehensive training solution, including:

• Defining outcomes
• Crafting a vision
• Achieving support
• Getting funds
• Designing the structure

We’d love to hear what you think about corporate universities, what definition you might offer up and, if you have one, how it works and what advice you can provide.

Linda Dausend is a consultant at FlashPoint. She consults with clients on talent management, helping to align their human resources programs with organizational strategies.

Stay tuned for more from Linda in this blog series about corporate universities. It’s easy to get our blog updates! Just look for Feed Subscription in the right column of our blog and enter your email address. Our blog updates will be delivered to your email inbox.

Image: winnond

This post currently has 1 response.

Recently, during the kick-off of a twelve-month leadership development process (using the Leadership Challenge^® Workshop content), a past participant described his experience to a group of leaders being introduced to the process. He summed up his experience as “life changing” and shared examples of ways the experience had impacted him.

As I’ve facilitated these types of long-term engagements, I’ve heard hundreds of similar descriptions. Below is a sample of reactions, pulled from emails I have received from participants in the Leadership Challenge^® Workshop experience:

• “This is life changing and could not have come at a better time. I learned a lot about myself as a leader and have cemented my core values—honesty, achievement, dependability, and happiness. My core values are what drive me every day and if I hold true to them, they should allow me to focus on what I feel is important.”
•  “This process has brought me closer to my true self. There is always a trigger behind one realizing one’s destined path – I have seen it countless times in my life. I am so thankful that this has come into my life – the trigger which has helped shape my professional and PERSONAL evolvement.”
• “I had a moment today that the training helped me through…I got really frustrated because of something a team member said, and instead of reacting, I remembered my values; I listened and filtered out the content and helped my team member with a solution.  I can see that I have really grown through this process.”

I’m not surprised when I hear these reactions as something magical happens during the process—participants are reminded of their intrinsic value. What they often discover is that which makes them most effective as a leader has been with them all along—they just need to get out of their own way.

FlashPoint offers a public Leadership Challenge^® Workshop each spring. If you are interested in learning more about this experience, please click here for additional information.

Andrea Moore is a Senior Consulting Manager at FlashPoint; Andrea focuses on leadership development, training and performance improvement solutions, and one-on-one coaching.

This post currently has no responses.

For many managers, end-of-the-year activities include completing employee reviews as part of a performance management system. Giving year-end feedback is something that some managers view as “checking one more thing off the list.” Some employees view the activity as a “necessary evil.” Often, this is a missed opportunity to start the new year with a bang—especially with high performers. In 2011, the high performers did most things very well; yet, managers often feel compelled to give “developmental” feedback. Managers feel they aren’t doing their job if they can’t find something that is less than awesome. As a result, high performers leave the review slightly miffed that the manager documented an obscure area of improvement just to ensure the review wasn’t too glowing.

I am going to suggest a very radical approach to performance reviews for high performers. Focus on all they did well and … end the review. Resist adding the developmental feedback—unless it is actually a critical success factor.

High performers are high performers because they self-analyze and independently seek to improve. Ask them what they would like to improve in 2012, identify how you can help them, and conclude the review without saying anything negative. Discuss personal growth and development in 2012, but frame it from a perspective of what they want to accomplish and not from the often misused perspective of “no one is perfect,” “we don’t want them too big for their britches,” “everyone has the ability to improve,” etc.

While some of those axioms are true for some people, I believe that high performers will appreciate managers identifying how they can help them move in the direction they want to go. Try ending the review with a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and keep up the great work in 2012.

Jennifer Rufatto is a consultant at FlashPoint. She focuses her consulting in the areas of workplace learning and leadership development.

Image: Keattikorn

This post currently has 2 responses.

Some years ago, while working for a Fortune 100 financial institution, I took over a large collections department. I had a passionate and talented supervisor working for me whose team was struggling to meet its goals. This individual enjoyed great success because his contagious passion, skill as a collector, and dedication to his team inspired his employees to excel. But then the economy turned sour. Business conditions, customer circumstances, and meeting goals became significantly more challenging. The supervisor’s response to these challenges was to pump up the passion to improve performance through sheer force of personality. It didn’t work. While his passion was admirable, it was not balanced by a strong set of fundamental management skills.

This is not an uncommon scenario. Many people promoted into management positions rely on their natural talent and passion for continued success. This works well until the going gets rough.

The great recession has changed the way business operates. Passion and talent are not enough anymore; strong business acumen and management skills are more critical now than ever before. Successful managers in today’s business environment will be those who can channel their passion into skilled execution.

The good news is that anyone willing to put in the sacrifice, time, and effort can become a skilled AND passionate manager. There is no mystery to the process, only hard work. Michelangelo stated, “If people only knew how hard I work to gain my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful at all” (brainyquotes.com). Managers need to become students of business in general and students of their own businesses in particular. This involves becoming an avid reader, researcher, and practitioner of business fundamentals.

In the end, employees, customers, and organizations will benefit from Michelangelo managers who sacrifice in order to find the artful balance between passion and skill.

Bill Mugavin is a consultant at FlashPoint. He focuses his consulting in the areas of organizational development, and leadership and management development.

Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

This post currently has no responses.

We recently received a comment on one of our blog posts from a frustrated job seeker, someone whose applications had fallen into the proverbial “black hole.” Keith (not his real name) applied for jobs that aligned perfectly with his experience and skills—yet, no replies. When he did receive a response, it was a generic message such as “Thank you for applying. While your experience and skills are impressive, they do not match what we’re looking for right now.” If you have looked for work, you’ve likely had similar experiences.

I’ve been on both sides of the resume, as a recruiter/hiring manager and as a job seeker, and there are opportunities to improve for all parties involved. In this blog post, I’ll focus on HR’s role in creating a valuable experience for job seekers, one that can impact your ability to hire the most qualified candidates.

1. Know the job. Understand not only the duties that are essential, but also the behaviors that will best fit with the organization and the department. 
2. Use limited pre-employment questions and make them targeted so you can learn what you really need to know. Nothing is more frustrating to an applicant than rehashing the information on their resume into open-ended comment boxes.
3. Use an objective scoring system. Also, specific measurables will help you determine which candidates best align with the requirements for the job—don’t just go with your gut.
4. Respond to everyone who applies.
5. Create a wonderful experience from start to finish. View applicants as your customers—because they are customers. 

From the application process to the interview to the timely follow-up, your ability to provide a positive experience will go a long way toward your future recruiting efforts, your organization’s image, and your role as an HR professional.

Linda Dausend is a consultant at FlashPoint. She consults with clients on talent management, helping to align their human resources programs with organizational strategies.

This post currently has 2 responses.

I recently came across a couple of articles published by the Society for Human Resource Management, both with the same theme—how performance reviews are ineffective and put organizations at risk (rather than offering legal protection, as most people think). The articles, both written by employment attorneys, highlight the following flaws: 

• Supervisors are not prepared to conduct the reviews
• Supervisors are not honest in their feedback
• The feedback isn’t objective or timely

The authors point out that in their long legal careers, they’ve found that performance reviews most often work against employers and often serve as the plaintiff’s key piece of evidence. One author was forthright—throw the review form in the recycle bin!

Advice such as this seems counterintuitive to most HR professionals and refutes what most of us have learned and advocate. When I read the articles, I had to pause and consider how to reconcile the two positions.

The key reasons the authors list for why performance reviews fail boil down to a common element—supervisors don’t have the skills they need to conduct them. I’m still convinced that a well-developed and well-executed performance review serves a useful role if the organization invests in the process and in preparing supervisors to carry it out. Some areas to focus on include: 

• Creating a well-thought-out form that not only promotes open and meaningful dialogue around the employee’s performance but also provides sections to spell out yearly goals and development plans.
• Outlining a process that includes quarterly update meetings, encourages regular feedback, and involves both employees and supervisors.
• Training supervisors so they understand the review process and tools and how to use them effectively.
• Regularly evaluating completed forms, asking questions, and coaching supervisors on how they can better carry out their reviews.

Sources:
Janove, Jathan. “Reviews—Good for Anything?” HR Magazine, June 2011.
Keyes, Judith Droz. “The Legal Case for Eliminating Performance Reviews.” SHRM Legal Report, April 2011.

George Hanlin is a consultant at FlashPoint.

This post currently has no responses.

As the business world evolves, development tools evolve to fit the needs of today’s learners. For example, the traditional mentoring relationship with a rigid meeting structure now looks much different, as mentoring occurs virtually and just-in-time. Certainly the traditional mentoring structure is still applicable in some scenarios.

As mentoring has evolved, it is also increasingly confused with other development activities, such as coaching. The challenge with confusing these two disciplines is that when used inappropriately, we miss opportunities to leverage their full potential. Human resources professionals and managers must understand the purpose and desired outcomes for both mentoring and coaching to ensure they are used in the most effective way.

The visual below shows the different focus of mentoring and coaching. Notice that mentoring is more directive—its purpose is knowledge transfer from the mentor to the protégée, so key activities within the mentoring relationship include sharing expertise and offering advice. Coaching is more non-directive, with a focus on eliciting ideas and thoughts from the participant, hence, the focus on asking questions. 

I am currently in the midst of a coaching engagement, focused on helping a person transition from individual contributor to leader of a new team within her organization. Specifically, I am coaching her to develop a vision for her team and create a structure that best supports their direction. The essence of the engagement is asking key questions to help her identify what she needs to do; it’s an empowering process. My colleague, Jennifer Rufatto, wrote in a blog about demystifying coaching, “the essence of coaching is helping someone learn to think better.”

Because this manager has the management skills (from previous positions) necessary to lead this group of people, coaching is the most effective development opportunity for her; she is getting what she needs to support her success, and ultimately the organization’s success.

Andrea Moore is Senior Consulting Manager at FlashPoint; Andrea focuses on leadership development, training and performance improvement solutions, and one-on-one coaching.

This post currently has 2 responses.

In part 1 of, The Secret to Gaining Competitive Advantage, we discussed ways organizations seek to create competitive advantage by optimizing employee performance and engagement. We determined that a fundamental contributor to employee performance/engagement is the work environment¹. I introduced a tool to help us identify the variables that influence the behavior of an employee and to help us diagnose any performance problem—The Human Performance System (HPS)². The HPS is comprised of the five components illustrated below.

In part 1 we examined potential input factors that can impact optimal performance and engagement. In this post I will share potential performer, output, consequences, and feedback factors.

To apply this to your organization, think about an employee who is underperforming. Ask yourself the questions below. Any “no” response indicates a potential problem that bears investigation.  

Performer Factors

• Has the required level of knowledge and skill for each position been identified?
• Is a systematic training program in place?
• Do employees have the willingness to perform (given the incentives available)?

 Consequence Components

• Are there sufficient positive consequences to perform (financial and non-financial)?
• Are incentives meaningful, administered fairly, and in proper relationship to the level of accomplishment?
• Are there any disincentives to perform (the employee is asked to complete the work of co-workers because he/she is more efficient)?

Feedback Components³

• Do managers provide feedback on a consistent, regular basis?
• Is manager feedback specific and performance-based?
• Do managers immediately praise employees for progress against goals?
• Do managers immediately re-direct employees when performance gaps are caused by a lack of competence?
• Do managers immediately reprimand employees when performance gaps are caused by a lack of personal commitment?

References 

1. Thomas F. Gilbert, Human Competence: Engineering Worthy Performance (San Francisco: Pfeiffer, 2007). View this book on Amazon.com
2. Geary A. Rummler, Serious Performance Consulting According to Rummler (San Francisco: Pfeiffer, 2007). View this book on Amazon.com
3. Ken Blanchard, Leading at a Higher Level: Blanchard on Leadership and Creating High Performing Organizations, rev. ed. (Upper Saddle River, N.J.: FT Press, 2010). View this book on Amazon.com

Bill Mugavin is a consultant at FlashPoint. He focuses his consulting in the areas of organizational development, and leadership and management development.

This post currently has 2 responses.

Many of the books I am reading emphasize optimizing employee performance and engagement in order to create a competitive advantage. Ideas presented include providing employees with career development plans, designing engagement programs, offering flexible scheduling, etc. All of these play a role in optimizing performance/engagement. Based on my consulting and operations management experience, I recommend managers and human resource professionals also examine a fundamental contributor to employee performance/engagement—the work environment. 

The work environment has a significant influence on employee productivity and goal achievement¹. Goal achievement impacts an employee’s sense of accomplishment; a positive sense of accomplishment increases job satisfaction and engagement².  

Therefore, it is important to identify aspects of the work environment that can impact an employee’s ability to perform and engage. I recommend an excellent tool—the Human Performance System (HPS)³. The HPS describes the variables that influence the behavior of an employee and can be used to diagnose any performance problem. The HPS is comprised of the five components illustrated below.

In this post I will share potential input factors that can impact optimal performance and engagement. In part 2, I will share potential performer, output, consequence, and feedback factors.  

To apply this information to your organization, think about an employee who is underperforming. Ask yourself the questions below. Any “no” response indicates a potential problem that may need investigation.   

Input Factors

• Are competency models and job descriptions available?
• Does the job allow for the use of a variety of skills and abilities, for the freedom to make decisions, and is it considered important inside the organization?
• Are job outputs and standards linked to process requirements?
• Are job steps/tasks in a logical sequence?
• Have clear performance expectations been communicated (SMART Goals)?
• Are the necessary resources available?
• Have the right people been recruited, selected, and placed?

References

1. Thomas F. Gilbert, Human Competence: Engineering Worthy Performance (San Francisco: Pfeiffer, 2007). View this book on Amazon.com
2. Ken Blanchard, Leading at a Higher Level: Blanchard on Leadership and Creating High Performing Organizations, rev. ed. (Upper Saddle River, N.J.: FT Press, 2010). View this book on Amazon.com
3. Geary A. Rummler, Serious Performance Consulting According to Rummler (San Francisco: Pfeiffer, 2007). View this book on Amazon.com

Bill Mugavin is a consultant at FlashPoint. He focuses his consulting in the areas of organizational development, and leadership and management development.

This post currently has 1 response.

Recent economic challenges have caused many employers to make tough decisions regarding wage cuts, hiring freezes, cost-sharing in employee benefits, and more. As I help organizations make post-recession tweaks to compensation and performance systems, I meet frustrated employees who wonder when normalcy will return. My reply is simple: Cuts your company made to stay in business won’t be restored. This is the new reality.

These experiences have led me to ponder the employer-employee relationship—and, in particular, what professionals should expect of their employers. I’ve decided that people put too much emphasis on their employers and not enough time on their co-workers.

How many times have we heard our friends and family (and maybe even ourselves) lament about how much they dislike their company? A company is nothing more than an inanimate legal shell, so why do we spend so much energy on it, instead of focusing on the relationships we can build? The reason is because it’s easier to focus on the corporation or the boss than it is to focus on what we can control.

When I look at my career, I see that all my successes and opportunities have grown from the relationships I’ve developed. What if we viewed our careers as the baton in a relay race? Our careers pass through many hands. In order to ensure the baton doesn’t drop, we need to cultivate our relationships—to be sure we have strong hands to carry us forward. It’s about the people with whom we surround ourselves.

In part two, I’ll share three thought-provoking tasks to help cultivate relationships. I’ll also share what role the employer must play in creating a culture where talented people want to work.

Meanwhile, what do you think about placing emphasis on your relationships versus on your company?

Krista Skidmore is cofounder and principal of FlashPoint.

This post currently has no responses.