Dr. Curtis L. Odom2013-06-19T21:58:15-04:00Dr. Curtis L. Odomhttp://www.huffingtonpost.ca/author/index.php?author=dr-curtis-l-odomCopyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc.HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Dr. Curtis L. OdomGood old fashioned elbow grease.Checking All The Boxestag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.30137812013-04-04T17:50:20-04:002013-06-04T05:12:01-04:00Dr. Curtis L. Odomhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-curtis-l-odom/
We talked about how she was doing. It was evident in the feedback, that her team was supportive. She started to address all concerns early on and often. She brought issues to the table, aired them out and worked as a team to solve them. She prides herself on never assigning something to her team that she herself wouldn't do. Things were working, the team started to hum. She talked about the long term state and what the team and work would look like once they got through all of this. They celebrated wins and put to bed old habits. She followed the script for change to the letter.
But the one recurring piece of constructive feedback was (the perception of) her lack of visionary leadership. Something was wrong. We talked through the steps and the actions, what she was doing, what was working, what was resonating and I asked her to describe for me the end state. It sounded very reasonable.
But when we dug a little deeper, that is where it stopped. It was reasonable. It made sense, but it didn't necessarily inspire. She was in a space where she could get her head around the idea. Her team understood the direction and was up to follow, but they did not feel the passion. They were missing the inspirational messaging. Her drive was not what they expected. They knew she was committed. They just did not know how inspired she was to the idea. To me listening in, it felt like the path was dictated to her, out of her control and influence. So she made the most of it, put together a detailed plan and went along for the ride. But she never put the brakes on to find the inspiration to compel her team to new heights.
She had checked all the boxes, but one necessary emotional intelligence component was a glaring omission.]]>Training Employees? Take Tips From a Coachtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.29698792013-03-28T12:54:06-04:002013-05-28T05:12:01-04:00Dr. Curtis L. Odomhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-curtis-l-odom/
Think globally, it is not just about sports. It could have been a teacher, a friend, a colleague, a boss or a family member as well. What was it about what they said to you that made you think and challenge your assumptions? Good coaches have a special quality about them. They are able to get you to a place where you feel confident enough to take on a challenge or comfortable enough to confront an issue.
If you are thinking about moving your career along, or are thinking about how to coach someone who is ready to jump, keep in mind the following tenets:
Do your homework
Research and network in advance of making a move. Know who the key players are, talk with people in that space and get a sense of what it is really like on that side of things.
Timing is key
When it comes to managing your career, timing is critical. Do not jump too soon, and do not wait too long for the right opportunity to come along. A good coach will help you understand when the timing is right and when you should make the move, and when you should stay put for a little longer.
Lateral moves are good too
Do not just always assume that you have to move up in an organization. Gaining breadth of experience and exposure will help your long-term potential.
Think two to three moves ahead
Think before you act, what opportunities will this next role set you up for? Be strategic about what roles you take, try and avoid pigeon-holding yourself into what area.
Get on the ground experience
Get as close to the customer as you can, understand how the company operates and do not be afraid to get dirty.
Navigating a career takes effort and a good deal of work, it takes a support system and for many people that means it takes a good coach; someone who can get you to see through any biases that you may have about a particular role or person.
Keep these tenets in mind as you think about how to coach your employees through critical career transitions.
]]>Don't Let Yourself Be Invisible at Worktag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.28828582013-03-15T12:52:53-04:002013-05-15T05:12:01-04:00Dr. Curtis L. Odomhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-curtis-l-odom/
And then there are the days that you are so consumed by your work that you forget to grab lunch. Your conversations are short, hurried and brief. You do not even have time to check the web. You rush, you're frantic, but you are delivering. You are really pounding it out. Only problem is, no one notices. You are still hidden in plain sight. Only thing people see is you in distress. Each interaction that you had was so frantic, you have pushed people away. And maybe they are talking, and if so, it is not in a good way.
If this sounds like you, ask yourself how do people know about the work that you do? I know in most organizations they measure success based on metrics, and results. But what are you doing to show your true value to the organization if what you do goes unnoticed? This is the paradox of being stuck in the middle. Sometimes, the harder you work, the deeper you dig and the more invisible you come.
I am not suggesting that you stop working and you loaf about and pound on your chest all day long. I am saying that you need to find a balance. You need to make sure your value is evident throughout. You need to own what you do well and make sure people know it, but be confident, not arrogant.
If you want to move in your career, and get unstuck, think about who sees you, what they see and go do something about it. Take the time to walk the floors. Check in frequently, albeit briefly, with your people. Share the learnings that you strike upon. Share the successes and the war stories. Learn to lead and guide others.
Oh, and its not 1992 anymore, staying late in the office for appearance sake went away with MC Hammer pants.
]]>The Role Of The Informal Networktag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.28271742013-03-07T06:59:15-05:002013-05-07T05:12:01-04:00Dr. Curtis L. Odomhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-curtis-l-odom/Harvard Business Review got me thinking deeply about the duality of organizations.
In every organization, there is the formal and the informal network. And within each of those, there are nexuses of power dynamics that arise. In the traditional and more formal organizational structure, you have command and control. People gain power based on title and place. In the informal organizational structure, the network, people gain power through information and connections.
What Kotter does that's interesting is he names this distinction, and he challenges companies to accept the distinction and to embrace it. The article talks about creating a dual structure where the network is uninhibited by the formalities of the hierarchies bureaucracy and command and control structures.
The challenge for most companies is that people are resistant to change, and creating an informal network that focuses on strategy and is not controlled by a formal hierarchy is ripe for resistance. The irony is, it is already in place... you just have not named it. And more importantly, you have not sanctioned it. It operates like a favela in Rio. You know it is there, it is impossible to miss, but because the law hasn't sanctioned them, they operate under a veil of secrecy.
But here is the catch: they are organized. They have structures and rules, they have guiding coalitions that are responsible for the upkeep and in that way they gain legitimacy. So the question is, what is taking you so long? Why not name it, sanctioned it and use the informal network to inspire and engage your people?
Maybe you just have not paid much attention to its existence. Maybe you know it is there, but you refuse to believe in its inherent value. Whatever the case, it is time you embraced it. If you are unsure of what it looks like. Ask people in your organization how they get work done. Do they go through the formal hierarchy, or do they work around people? My bet is they move around the hierarchy to get work done.
Are you sending out notes to people telling them that they have to notify the formal leadership team before talking above their station? If so, it is right there in front of you. You cannot stop it, so name it, sanction it and use it.
Remember the old adage... if you cannot beat them, join them!]]>Stinging Tentacles in the Organizationtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.27858352013-03-01T21:04:25-05:002013-05-01T05:12:01-04:00Dr. Curtis L. Odomhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-curtis-l-odom/
What I realized was an exaggerated sense of self on the part of my boss and an exaggerated sense of their importance on my part. It is not like they did not have allies or were not in a high powered role, but they thought they suffered from over-confidence. Their tentacles had limited reach. They did not extend beyond their fiefdom. Their peers knew they were like this. They wouldn't do anything openly to provoke a reaction, but they would work tirelessly behind the scenes to get what they wanted.
On one occasion, I remember my colleagues sending me warning signals. Do not make the move or s/he will chew you up. But the job was so bad that I could not stand it anymore. The two-up boss at the time was fierce, an emerging star in the organization, and all of us thought s/he had influence. I could not take being stuck in the middle. So I took a chance. I went for it, applied for a new role, kept it hush until I got the job. The worst was yet to come. I was pulled into an office and berated for a 20 minutes. I mean, red-in-the face type yelling. I was young, I sat there. I took it. But I never forgot it.
I settled nicely into the new role. Was never stung by the tentacles, but did have to work with the boss on multiple occasions. The tone of those meetings changed as I progressed in my career and s/he started getting moved around. A line was crossed. Their boss noticed. S/he was exiled and pushed into a dead-end career path. I have moved on since. Last I heard, s/he was looking elsewhere, even came to me for a job once. You can imagine what I did. While I was not vindictive, I did nothing. Literally nothing, I sat on it.
Moral of the story: don't be afraid to get stung, but mind who you sting.]]>And the Leverage Goes to the Talentedtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.26890922013-02-15T11:34:48-05:002013-04-17T05:12:01-04:00Dr. Curtis L. Odomhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-curtis-l-odom/
"Organizations need talent more than talent needs organizations."
I heard Dan say this and I looked at my colleague sitting beside me and had the proverbial light bulb turn on inside my head. It is not necessarily a new way of thinking about talent, but it is a clean way.
And if you are in the talent business at a large organization it has to shake you to the core a bit. You do not have the leverage the way you used to have when you are trying to bring people into your organization or stopping them from leaving your organization. Your leverage is gone!
Organizations gave up a good deal of their leverage when the opted for more flexibility with their workforce. Roles were no longer safe from the chopping block. Employee loyalty was no longer rewarded or recognized. It was the business and the profit that mattered. You know the story, roles off-shored and organizations went flat, less people, less overhead, more profits.
But the tides are turning. Once the stability of organizational life went, so too did loyalty. You wanted flexibility, you have it now. It is so flexible in fact that the company can do just fine without you.
My guess is that in the late 80s and 90s nobody could have predicted it to take on this extreme. Organizations still have the capital, resources and wherewithal to do great things. But technology has leveled the playing field.
If you are talented and you have an idea, you do not need direct organizational support to make it happen. You can go alone. And people are, and get this, they are enjoying it. I in fact happen to one of them. But you already knew that if you have been reading along.
According to a report by MBO Partners, the rate of independent workers has gone up 5.5 per cent in the last year. No doubt some of that has to do with layoffs and restructuring, but do not expect independents to return to organizations when the economy turns. MBO also projects that by 2020 the independent workers will account for more than 50 per cent of the private workforce.
So if you are in the talent management or talent acquisition business and you are making a case for why talent should consider coming to you, it better be a good one. Because you are swimming against a tide of forces where it may soon be difficult to just stay afloat.]]>What Happened to Integrity Among Leaders?tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.26371182013-02-07T17:29:41-05:002013-04-09T05:12:01-04:00Dr. Curtis L. Odomhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-curtis-l-odom/Politifact. I would check the site regularly because it felt like half of what was being said by both parties was either a blatant lie or it was a twisted accusation of the other party or candidate. I did not like it, but it is what American politics has become. Sadly, it has always been this way in some form or another, but now we are so inundated with information that it was hard not to notice it. And it was a real shame. In my opinion, political elections are supposed to be about core values. And when I think about core values, the first value that comes to my mind is integrity. It matters, and most importantly it matters in leadership.
Unfortunately, we have created a system bent on sound bites and quick hitting verbal assaults. We like the one-liner and a good zinger. But as leaders, this is not realistic. It does not provide context and it does not enable people to understand the whole story, the full account of what has happened or of what has been said. The details are critical elements to any story (and this is coming from someone who prefers the big picture view) we need to be able to speak truth in our politics, our boardrooms and our offices. We need people to stand up for integrity. Without it, there is no trust, and without trust there is no real communication.
Beyond the political realm, take a look at what has recently happened in the Citigroup Boardroom recently with Vikram Pandit. A day after announcing corporate earnings, the CEO abruptly resigned. Millions of dollars of investment decisions were just made the day before based on the implied trust that Pandit would continue to lead the company and build for a better future. It did not happen. He bailed. But why? Early indications are a lack of trust from within the boardroom. They had seen enough of Pandit, which is their prerogative, but it brings to question their integrity when both parties knowingly go into the earnings call and act as if nothing is happening. Investors depend on reliable and accurate information to make decisions, and this impacts too many people.
Leaders need to step up and act with integrity when so much is on the line -- politically or financially, because integrity matters.
]]>How to Make a Change -- And Keep Ittag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.25888242013-02-04T12:43:35-05:002013-04-06T05:12:01-04:00Dr. Curtis L. Odomhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-curtis-l-odom/The only constant is change, continuing change, inevitable change, that is the dominant factor in society today. ~ Isaac Asimov
It feels to me like this holds especially true in the world of business, particularly in how we constantly look to institute new structures, new processes and new innovations in the hope that it gives us an edge over our competitors.
I have seen organizations introduce the newest and greatest management theory only to replace it a few months later with another idea. I have seen CEOs turnover frequently in organizations and each time one leaves another one comes in to implement their change agenda.
I am not making a case that change is bad, but I am saying that for change to work, that is, for it to be sustainable, it needs to become a habit. And it feels like the only habit that we know right now is how to change. Not how to sustain it. We have been so inundated with the idea and the practice of change that we have become used to the idea that something will not stick. So automatically, we resist it.
We undermine it from the start, because our brain recognizes the cues and we revert into our traditional habits, which in this case is to shut down and revert into sleep mode. It is a normal response, for our brain to recognize a trigger and go into sleep mode. It is what allows us to drive home every night, or put on our clothes in the morning without going into intellectual overload.
The irony is that we are so wired for change, that we do not let the change play out because we expect it to fail or to get swept up in the tide of change and get pushed out before it even gets started, like so many of the initiatives before it.
Every time that you roll an initiative out that does not stick, you undermine the chance of the next change initiative actually working.
Real change requires new habits to be formed; remember this the next time you want to roll out the flavor of the week.]]>Don't Micromanage Your Staff, Coach Themtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.25448302013-01-25T12:20:59-05:002013-03-27T05:12:01-04:00Dr. Curtis L. Odomhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-curtis-l-odom/
You need to stay close, but not burdensome; you need to be there to provide the right guidance when needed. And, perhaps most importantly, you need to know when to step away. This is not rocket science, but it is an art and a science. You need to become adept at reading your people and understanding when you need to be there for them, and the science is in how you show up for your people.
If done wisely, your coaching sessions can replace your performance management conversations. It is unlikely that you will be able to sway your company to drop performance management completely, so it is important that you set proper expectations with your people. Not every coaching conversation should be a part of the formal performance record. You need to create a space where it's ok to provide coaching and guidance. A space where employees understand that coaching is not a form of discipline and that it isn't something that will always land in the formal record. That being said, it is also important to make it clear that if the guidance provided in some of the coaching sessions continues to go unheeded and performance continues to dip, it may very well become a part of the formal performance process.
Coaching is a balance between art and science. You do not want to appear that you are micro-managing your people, but you do not want to leave them in the wilderness. To become a good coach, you should think about the dynamics at play that include the culture of the organization, the business goals and objectives, the interpersonal relationships and the hard science of how to get results in a competitive environment.
This is your team, it is time to step up and coach... and then get out of the way and let them do their thing.
]]>Why Performance Reviews Are a Shamtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.24553202013-01-11T08:20:18-05:002013-03-13T05:12:01-04:00Dr. Curtis L. Odomhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-curtis-l-odom/
The year just officially ended, and companies the world over are sleep walking through the motions. It is not just the employees who dread the process, its human resources and management. It is not fun, it doesn't work, but yet, here we are all over again. I have been on both sides of this in my career and whatever way you slice it, the process is broken.
Let me give you an example of the process from a company I used to work for. Management would meet during the late part of Q3 to start the calibration process where employees would be force ranked into 20/70/10 splits (20 per cent exceeds expectations, 70 per cent meets expectations and 10 per cent need improvement).
Managers would have their people ranked prior to going into this meeting, and the politics would ensue. One manager would make a case for their employee having a great year and exceeding expectations, while another would do the same. This would go on and on, until each employee was placed into a rating category.
Coming out of the calibration session, employees would be given until the end of November to write up their self-evaluation. But here is the catch; the employees didn't know the results of the calibration session. So the business, in effect, is asking each employee to spend a few hours of their time writing up a review that will have absolutely no impact on the final rating. It's already been determined. And the employees know this, but they comply. They check the box, they meet the deadlines. They've been told this is the system of record.
So here are a few tips on how to shake things up:
Create a structure that incorporates and gives weight to employee and peer evaluation
Get rid of the formal performance evaluation process
Coach your people daily
Do not be so rigid on the 20/70/10 split. In fact get rid of it (this takes time and a serious psychological overhaul- but it can be done)
Employees cannot be continually told that if you want to move forward in the organization, your next boss will want to see what you have done. This official story is instead urban and urbane legend. But how often does the hiring manager just ask for the rating? Most don't look into the details written by the employee. They ask for the rating and they ask the old manager how they did.
In other words, it is all much ado about nothing. And serves as proof that this is the most shameful farce of the year.]]>How to Get What You Want at Work in 2013tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.23959352013-01-02T09:57:24-05:002013-03-04T05:12:01-05:00Dr. Curtis L. Odomhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-curtis-l-odom/
If so, then shame on you! Set them higher this year and really push yourself! You need a few goals in there that you will always have to work toward. It should not be easy. The point is that you stretch and challenge yourself. So, it is 2013 -- what is your plan for this year? Have you even thought about it yet? Personally? Professionally?
I have worked with companies that did not start planning for the new year until January 1. That was always a head scratcher for me. Felt like we wasted a full quarter of the year not knowing what the goals were for the upcoming year. Are your people in limbo or have you already rushed out of the gate with your goals for the year? If so, kudos to you; it is always nice to work with a clear understanding of what is expected for the upcoming year. If not, get on it!
Here are some tips as you think about what you want to accomplish this year:
1. Set 4 or 5 goals for the year, any less is too easy, any more is too confusing
2. One of the goals should be a stretch goal, something that you most likely will not be able to accomplish, but something that raises the bar for everyone
3. Keep your goals aligned to the needs of the business. If they are not, they are basically workday hobbies, not goals
4. Make the goals exciting. If they are all business and you do not get any enjoyment from accomplishing them, trying to achieve them will quickly become a chore
5. Communicate, over communicate, and communicate again... Put the goals front and center and let everyone know what you are gunning for
It is not too late if you have not started the planning process, but it is getting close to fiscal cliff proportions if you do not get on it soon. Take the time over the next few days and get it together. It is time for a new year and a new set of challenges that produce positive outcomes.
Happy New Year!
]]>Do Dirty Tactics Equal Leadership in the NFL?tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.23369662012-12-20T12:02:08-05:002013-02-19T05:12:01-05:00Dr. Curtis L. Odomhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-curtis-l-odom/
Here is the scenario if you are not much into football. With one second left in the game, the Giants are up 41-34 after coming from behind in a big way. The New York Giants Quarterback, Eli Manning, goes to kneel down and run out the clock. Instead, he gets tripped up by a Buccaneers defensive lineman who submarines the play in an attempt to knock the ball loose.
The unwritten rule in the NFL is that when players take a knee with the game conceivably out of reach, the other team backs down and lets them. The Giants took offense to the play when their quarterback was knocked down, but Schiano insists that his teams play until the final whistle.
So I ask you, is this the case of a new leader who does not understand the etiquette of his new office, or is this the case of a new leader trying to establish himself and his team as fighters?
I have gone both ways on this one. I respect that he was trying to establish himself, but I take issue with the fact that he went against etiquette. Normally, I am OK with that, but in this situation someone could have been seriously hurt. The tipping point for me in deciding against the call was when I heard the sound bites from his players. Most sounded embarrassed by the call. They were not defending the play, but rather took a non-committal approach and said, our coach told us to do it.
It made me draw a distinct parallel to leadership and the importance of setting the tone and gaining commitment from your people. My question is not whether you agree or not with the call, but instead, how do you think this call impacts the team? Was it a true display of leadership? Or was it instead a case where the intent did not yield the intended impact?
What call would you make?]]>The Job Market is Turning -- Are You Ready?tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.22951112012-12-14T17:56:54-05:002013-02-13T05:12:01-05:00Dr. Curtis L. Odomhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-curtis-l-odom/
Is your company positioned well enough in the market to keep your current high potentials and simultaneously attract new A-players? Have you thought about putting a plan in place to prepare for what many are expecting to be a good deal of movement in the labour force? If not, you should. If you have already started to lay the groundwork, now is a good time to refresh the plan and get your ducks in a row.
When the market does turn, people are ready to jump, question for you is, are you prepared for the change that lies ahead in waiting? What steps have you taken to develop an employee brand that will attract talent to you? Are you known in the labour market as a good employer? Do you take care of your people? Do you create compelling products? Do you invest in your people?
If you were to randomly ask your current employees, what would they say about your company? And, I am not talking about through a formal survey, but rather, word on the street. How are you perceived and are you ready to capitalize on the movement when it comes?
This change could be big. People have not had the opportunity to move in some time. There will be a period of change where people will start jumping for new opportunities with other companies. There will be a flow of talent out and a flow if talent in.
This could be a good thing, fresh eyes and new blood can reinvigorate your culture. Everything depends on the type of talent that is walking out versus the type of talent walking in. Hopefully, for your sake you are net talent positive. But, in order to be that, you need to plan accordingly and be ready for the winds of change.
]]>Newsflash: The Lottery is Not a Career Plantag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.22570062012-12-09T08:49:59-05:002013-02-08T05:12:01-05:00Dr. Curtis L. Odomhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-curtis-l-odom/
Office pools everywhere popped up. Entire departments bought tickets in the hopes of a mass exit from working. As a talent strategist, my first thought was that none of my clients have workforce contingency plans to account for this happening.
People were pinning their next career move on winning. But why? And what does that say about your current job? Well, I am guessing you don't like it. But I have news for you... the lottery is not a valid career plan. By now, if you have been reading my blog, or read my book -- you know how I feel about the wait and hope method of career success. If there's something out there that you love to do, that you have been dreaming about, find a way to go do it.
Do not gamble your career away by waiting on odds that are one in 175 million to make your move. You have better odds of getting hit by lightning, or being bitten by a shark. It is just not a sane career plan. If you're waiting on the big bucks to make your move, they may never come. So quit waiting and start moving!
The fun of the lottery is dreaming about what you would do if you were not inhibited by money. But, interestingly, I did not hear anyone talk about starting a hedge fund, or investing in rocket design. What I heard were people that would start a non-profit, go back to teaching, or run their own small business. Sure, they would buy boats and homes, but almost all said they would keep working in some capacity.
All of the ideas I heard for what they would do for work did not require a lot of money. They simply required lifestyle choices, sacrifice, and a little bit of guts. And they were all attainable.
So the next time you start thinking about what to do with your career, let yourself dream. Think about what is possible and then wake up, get up, and get moving!
]]>Millennials: Want More Work Skills? Learn From Boomerstag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.22135982012-11-30T12:38:49-05:002013-01-30T05:12:01-05:00Dr. Curtis L. Odomhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-curtis-l-odom/
In fact, it's not true. Boomers are at the stage in their career where they're starting to think about the legacy they leave behind, the challenges they overcame and the success that they built. It may not be easy, but its the right time to tap into this and use it to your company's advantage. You can take some fairly simple steps to make this happen.
1. Set up a coaching community
2. Create rotational assignments
3. Build a knowledge sharing platform
4. Establish mentoring programs
You can appeal to one's ego and let them know that they will indeed leave behind a legacy, that the torch needs to be passed and you're asking them to rise up to one more challenge before they go.
The coaching community would provide Boomers with the opportunity to coach high potential future leaders. You can structure it so that they are able to provide on the ground advice and consultation. If done right, it can even be an avenue for them to stay on with the organization after retirement. For the rotational program, you should find younger employees who have the ability and aspiration for broader roles and move them under Boomers for short periods of time.
The knowledge-sharing platform is a way to capture the knowledge that your Boomers have and it enables them to continue to support and grow the company's legacy and culture. Lastly, you can create a formal mentoring program open to all employees that enable the Boomers to share their wisdom while simultaneously learning from others.
Even in the sunset years, the engaging your Boomers is a critical people strategy that can lead to longer term success.