Valhalla Business Solutions - Business Management Consultants

Sales Management Consulting Specializing In... Sales and service Systems, Managing younger generations, Management protocols Coaching effectiveness

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Keep Your Employees

Keep you Employees

Hiring Process
High Expectations
Recognition
Feedback
One on one
Promotions

I felt compelled to write this after a conversation I had with a client. This manager was truly torn with the idea that one of his employees was leaving his organization to work for someone else. He really struggled with the lack of loyalty. When the truth is what process have you as the business owner done to create loyalty? You may as the manager emotionally feel it. You have invested time, money, etc. However that is what a business owner values in a relationship. An employee has different values.

Valhalla has many solutions for creating loyalty, however here is some simple steps...

Hiring process- Behaviorally determine if this employee has a track record for loyalty. Ask questions such as...

Talk about a job you were truly passionate about, why?
Tell us about a time you felt your loyalty was in question, what was the situation? What did you do?

These are questions that can assist you in determining loyalty. However loyalty absolutely cannot be your only basis for hire.

High Expectations- A manager often has really high expectations for themselves, but as they begin to hire folks, they begin to negotiate the standard to win over their employees emotionally. Never, ever negotiate a standard. In the long run your people will lose respect for you as the employer. Employees frequently need to be challenged and they deserve to have high standards. Your customers deserve the same.

Recognition- this may seem simple, however it is not done nearly enough. Valhalla believes a worst case scenario would be recognizing once a day. Recognition is NOT gift cards, time off, celebrations. Recognition is catching people in a behavioral act doing it right. Then providing feedback.

Feedback- your team deserves to hear what is correct and incorrect from you regularly. Team members want to know they are doing it right. Or what they need to do to improve. If they are not growing they are more likely leave.

One on one- this is just a piece of Valhalla's "Effective Manager Calendar," but its the most important. Your team members deserve their time with you. Time discuss successes, concerns, personal life, etc. It is another great tool for evaluating progression. This is where they need to hear about how they are progressing in their career. They need vision and goals to obtain.

Promotions- Promote good results, good behavior and good skills. Tenure means absolutely nothing. If tenure is your value I wouldn't recommend anyone work for you, nor would I patron your business. I want the best service every time! Setting performance as your standard encourages better performance.

Labels: Coaching Teams, corporations, economy, human resources, Sales Coaching, small business, Small Business CEO, Small Business developing your team members

posted by Valhalla Business Solutions at 9:07 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Prior to Hiring an Employee, Hire a Management Consultant

Why?...

Inexpensive investment in comparison to an employee

Employees can cost 30k+
Consultant is significantly less cost
No health care costs
Tax advantages
More monetary return for your investment

Consultants bring vast experience relative to an employee
Consultants are proportionately compensated based on incentive
Sales Management Consultants bring an uncultured perspective
Consultants can bring resources that save an organization a lot of money

Often we encounter companies who refuse to hire a management consultant. One of the most common objection is cost. When in reality the cost is substantially less in comparison to an employee. Employees have training costs, benefit costs, salary costs, resource costs. (i.e., parking, travel, etc.) In our experience we have helped companies grow 40%- 500% year over year. Very rarely will an employee deliver these results. The bulk of a consultant's payment is directly driven based on the growth year over year.

Frequently business owners, high level executives and managers have an emotional objection based on ego. If hiring a consultant is an admission of inadequacy? Fact is the best and most experienced clients we work with have no strife with reaching out and resourcing the most effective ways to make their team successful. That was what they were hired to do. That's why they started their own business. A manager is hired to drive revenue, help the company grow and advance development of the organization for the future. It is extremely difficult to do on his/her own. Especially if culture change is in order.

Other innovative organizations we've worked with have well-rounded process already. They lead their team, their staffs are well coached and they are delivering double digit growth nearly every year. In these situations we are hired to evaluate the one person who doesn't receive much coaching, the CEO/Owner! This is done for the betterment of the organization. If the CEO/Owner is not being evaluated regularly than their growth becomes stagnant and as a result the company and his/her employees suffer.

Lastly a consultant brings a fresh look to a business. An outside perspective that can diagnose issues much more effectively. Consultants observe hundreds and sometimes thousands of companies in action. Sales Management Consultants will use those insights to help improve your company.

Labels: employees, hiring, human resources, interviews, management, Small Business CEO