As a human resources professional with more than 5 years of experience interviewing hundreds of applicants, trust me: I haven’t seen it all! Applicants go to their interviews without having a clue about the company and products, not knowing what to ask about the position, dressing poorly and in many cases with no idea of what they want. Getting prepared for a job interview is very similar to getting prepared for a date. Let see how job interviewing is related to a first date.

Carefully select your clothes

If you look at yourself in the mirror and realize that it is an outfit that you can use to go to the mall or for a ladies night out, please turn around, open your closet again or visit your nearest department store! Prepare your outfit a day in advance, earlier even better. Pick your outfit accordingly to the position you are applying for. If you are applying for a clerical position, it is ok to use a suit but is not a must. A long sleeve shirt with a tie and a good pair of pants, neutral colors, is safe (some creative or artistic positions might be different).

Please avoid multi color nail polishes, creative or exotic hairdos; the simpler the better. Make sure your clothes are clean, free of wrinkles and smell good. Avoid perfumes, especially strong ones. A perfume can be a turn off for an interviewer, it can remind him/her of someone they don’t like too much and guess what? They will relate them to you! Use something subtle and in a very small amount, maybe soap and water is all you need; go safe!

Research about the company

A job interview is not an adventure. You look very bad when the interviewer ask you what you know about the company and you reply: – “not too much” or even worst: -“I did not have the chance to go to your website; my computer crashed last night”. Don’t we have libraries? or friends with computers? There is not a valid excuse for not knowing about the company; don’t be a looser before you even start the game.

 It is known that blind dating is an adventure but also a risk, you don’t know who you are meeting. Your date could end up being someone amazing, but there are more chances of meeting someone you don’t like. We are not that naive, with all the technology and social networks available to us today, you have probably goggled your date’s name, visited their FB page or asked someone you know to tell you more about him/her. If you are intelligent enough to do that, you should do the same before job interviewing. You never go to a job interview without researching about its values, vision and mission, knowing the owner or president’s name and getting to know the services and products the company offers. It is very important that you learn more about the company and the job you are applying to, that way you can decide if it is the right fit for you. Also please keep in mind that the ideal job is not necessarily the one the pays more, it could be the one that offers more challenges, opportunities to grow and that is aligned with your values as an individual, as well.

Get prepared for possible questions and answers

 Don’t you rehearse what you would say to your date? Or how about what you like or what your goals are in life? Wouldn’t you ask questions to your date too? When job interviewing you need to be ready to answer questions related to your career goals, skills, what do you do better or about your weakness (yes we all have them). If you don’t know the answer of these basic questions, start deducting points.

There are plenty of websites with information about possible questions that you might be answering during the interview, don’t be lazy and do your homework. Also, it looks bad if you don’t have questions about the company. Not having questions might be perceived as lack of interest in the company, that you are only there to get a job and a paycheck. Employers want employees with initiative to learn and do more, and who genuinely care about the company and where it is heading. Employers hire not only a set of skill, also a set of values and high ethic.

These are only the basics, there is much more to do before and during a job interview. Please be prepared:

1. Do not EVER chew gum, even if you try to hide the gum by sticking it on your teeth;  we can see it!
2. Remove your tongue piercing or any other piercings you might have; there still are traditional companies out there; do not take chances because a piece of metal.
3.  If you are a female, avoid excessive cleavage or fancy shoes; you are not dating or clubbing. Use a neutral color long sleeve shirt or suit, make sure buttons close comfortably and please use closed shoes. We don’t want to see your high heel sandals, your funky nail polish and we definitely do not want to see flip flops either; yes, you read it right: I have had applicants coming in flip flops for their interview, Welcome to Florida the Sunshine State, where you will find a lot of palm trees, alligators, and flip flops.
4.  Would you call or text your date the next day after going out? “Thanks for last night”, “l had a great time yesterday”. Out of 10 applicants only 2 or 3 send thank you letters; that is sad. Are you aware of how many applicants you are competing with? First and last impressions are important; not knowing about your date after a night out could be a bad sign. Please thank your interviewer for taking the time to meet you. Recruiting and finding the right candidate is time consuming and challenging, even more challenging and disappointing when applicants are unprepared. Stand out among the mass, send a thank you letter. If you don’t know how to write one, there are plenty of letter templates on the internet, use them as a reference and make sure you mentioned something that was discussed over the interview; it shows you were paying attention.

I do not pretend to touch every single aspect on how to prepare for an interview; there is much more, maybe 100 pages on the subject will not be enough. Please, do not harass the employer calling repeatedly after you phone interview, we have lots of applicants and you are not the only one. Please get the message, when your date does not respond to your calls after the first date, he/she might not be interested in moving forward.  If you want to call your recruiter or the HR Manager to follow up after the interview, please call just once and leave a short message; no more.

Please proof read your resume, one misspell might be ok, a couple of them maybe, but many misspellings on your resume are a call for disaster; the job interview… that you cannot control, but misspellings can be prevented 100%. If possible and before your interview, rehearse questions and answers with someone you know, maybe with a Manager or someone with HR experience, or ask a friend who has recently attended an interview to share his/her experience with you.

And please remember my analogy before attending an interview. Thinking about what you do before going on a date, getting ready in advance, being presentable, and doing a little research, it might be helpful before attending a job interview. If you get prepared, chances are you might be going in the right direction to make a good impression and getting that job you want. I will be writing more articles about this subject and will go in more details in each step of the process; from the application trough the job interview and the follow up. If you have questions about this article you can contact me at majeanettes@yahoo.com. Good luck in your interview and in your future endeavors.

Is your business making the decisions and taking the actions needed to succeed? Have you ever asked yourself what makes a business or organization successful? This restaurant doesn’t have the best food in the world, neither the prettiest facilities; is a restaurant within the reach of most pockets. So what makes this business successful? Some believe that business success depends on its employees, others claim that depends on it product and their customers, others say that marketing and advertising. Despite different opinions, there is one thing in that everyone agrees; the success of a business does not depend on a single element. As I mentioned in a previous article, is not enough to have a good product or service, there are some supporting elements that are essential to achieve a successful business. Let’s discuss it.  

We start from the premise that every organization or business has a defined strategy and a roadmap to achieve it. To work on a plan, it is essential to know the dimensions that embrace a business; this will avoid overlooking key elements that are necessary for success. The organizations are projected in three dimensions: PEOPLE, PROCESSES and FACILITIES, and behind each one of these dimensions there are elements which must not be overlooked.

PEOPLE-When I said people I refer to human resources and how they impact business results. Businesses need knowledgeable, can attitude and willpower people who feel passion for their jobs and help them to accomplishing their goals. They need people with skills, knowledge and abilities. They need people who CAN; trained people with the necessary resources, using the correct tools (FACILITIES) and standardize processes (PROCESS), to perform their jobs efficiently. They need people who WANT to do their jobs, people who feel motivated. Management (PEOPLE) plays a major role in creating a healthy work environment that promotes collaboration, teamwork, continuous learning, and an atmosphere of mutual respect to achieves that.

PROCESS- When I said processes I refer to policies, procedures and guidelines that dictate how, when and where PEOPLE carried out their tasks. The processes are essential to keep uniformity and a continuous flow in order organization can delivers its products and services, and to facilitate the process of training and preparing PEOPLE to execute them. The processes are also essential for an organization to ensure compliance with necessary regulations, required by law for the business operation. The processes go hand in hand with facilities; can you imagine high volumes salesman using just one telephone (FACILITIES) to conduct their business? Will be impossible to communicate with prospect customers in a timely manner and increase sales. Imagine, on the other hand, five employees in a small company with a high content of facsimile transmission to go out, with a single fax machine (FACILITIES); they would have to wait too long to carry out their work and the waiting time is waste. When employees are waiting, they are not producing and companies are losing opportunity to attract customers and increase profits.

 FACILITIES- Facilities mean physical structure, work areas, the surroundings and working tools, among others. We can have the best processes, but unless we have the appropriate physical facilities can hardly carry them out. Here is an example: If you have visited a hamburger restaurant, and I am sure you do, and look at the kitchen area noticed that the workstations, ovens and stoves are in a specific order: is strategically put together in the order the product is to be assembly. There is a first station where the bread is placed, the next station where mayonnaise and ketchup is added, then meat station, and so on. The stations are pre-arranged in that order to reduce the time of preparation of the product, which will in turn reduce costs, promote better employment conditions (PEOPLE), and meet customer expectation and needs: fast food and well prepared. An extraordinary example of facilities is Disney; the attractions have been designed so customers waiting in line know in advance how long they have to wait before enjoying the attraction. Isn’t that amazing? Achieving that requires a lot of strategic planning, engineers, brilliant mathematicians and a full staff of passionate employees (PEOPLE) willing to make things happen.

Unfortunately, many organizations overlook or do not understand how important it is to have adequate facilities. In many organizations, departments who must work hand to hand and need to communicate constantly are distant from each other; which delay the communication process and prevent important processes to flow smoothly and efficiently. As I explained before, all dimensions are meant to complement each other in order for good things to happen. An intelligent strategic planning considers every dimension in the organization to achieve business goals.

 So back to my favorite casual dining restaurant, what I have found is:

1. The bar is strategically placed between the area that go to the dining room and the sitting area at the bar (FACILITIES); reducing the distance the waiters and servers have to walk to serve its customers and decreasing the delivery time of the food and drinks.
2. The drinks are made with exact measurements to avoid waste (PROCESS); too much increase cost and too little compromise quality. That is the reason behind why beverages at this restaurant always taste the same.
3. Many ingredients are share in different plates, reducing food storage area and in turn providing more space for customers (PROCESS, FACILITIES).
4. Employees (PEOPLE) receive customers always in the same manner and with the same protocol (PROCESS) – This restaurant training program is intensive and aggressive which emphasizes in consistency and uniformity when carrying out the tasks (PROCESS). If customers know in advance what they will receive, and they like it, will likely returning to the establishment again and again.

A successful business depends on the leader’s ability to have a broad vision and his/her ability to understand that when it comes to decision making all dimensions must be considered. What good is having modern or luxurious facilities if there are not the necessary processes and/or the right people to deliver the product? Without appropriate process employees will not be able to provide customers in an excellent and consistent manner. What good is having managers whom fail in providing their people the motivation needed to feel passion and be proud of their company and their roles? A good leader thinks of everything and everyone; in their people, in processes, and facilities. Organizations are not flat, are dimensional and the leader who understands it this way will have a better chance to increase profits and achieves goals. Leaders who think that their product or service alone is sufficient to be successful will encounter sooner or later organizational issues that will impact the end on the chain: the customer.

Be smart: think dimensional!

¿Está tu negocio tomando las decisiones y medidas necesarias para tener éxito? ¿Te has preguntado tú qué hace a una organización o negocio exitoso? Este restaurante no tiene la mejor comida del mundo, tampoco las mejores facilidades;  es un restaurante al alcance de la mayoría de los bolsillos. Entonces, ¿qué lo hace exitoso? Algunos opinan que el éxito de un negocio depende de sus empleados, otros aseguran que de el producto y sus clientes, otros dicen que de el mercadeo y la publicidad. A pesar de las opiniones diversas, hay algo en lo que todos están de acuerdo; el éxito de un negocio no radica en un solo elemento. Tal y como mencioné en un artículo anterior, no es suficiente tener un buen producto o servicio, existen unos elementos de apoyo que son indispensables para lograr un negocio exitoso.  Entendamos un poco de que se trata todo esto.

Partimos de la premisa de que toda organización o negocio tiene una estrategia definida y un plan de trabajo para lograrla. Para poder trabajar en un plan, es indispensable conocer las dimensiones que componen un negocio, esto evitara que pasemos por alto elementos claves que son necesarios para tener éxito. Las organizaciones se proyectan en tres dimensiones: GENTE, PROCESOS Y FACILIDADES, y detrás de cada una de estas dimensiones hay elementos que no deben ni pueden pasarse por alto.

GENTE-Cuando hablamos de gente nos referimos a los recursos humanos y como estos impactan los resultados de negocio. Se necesita gente que sepa, pueda y quiera hacer su trabajo para lograrlo:

Gente que sepa- Gente capacitada con destrezas, conocimientos y habilidades.

Gente que pueda- Gente capacitada y que tenga los recursos necesarios para llevar a cabo su trabajo; herramientas (FACILIDADES) y procesos documentados (PROCESOS), por ejemplo.

Gente que quiera hacer su trabajo- Gente que se sienta motivada. La gerencia (GENTE) juega un papel primordial en crear un ambiente de trabajo saludable que promueva la colaboración, el trabajo en equipo, el aprendizaje continuo, y un ambiente de respeto mutuo.

 PROCESOS-Cuando hablamos de procesos nos referimos a políticas, procedimientos y guías que dictan cómo, cuándo y dónde deben llevarse a cabo las tareas. Los procesos son indispensables para que exista uniformidad en la manera en que la organización entrega sus productos y servicios, y para facilitar el proceso de adiestrar y preparar al personal (GENTE) para que los ejecuten uniformemente. Los procesos también son indispensables para que una organización se asegure de cumplir con los reglamentos necesarios, requeridos por ley para la operación del negocio. Los procesos van de la mano con facilidades; imagine usted que cuatro vendedores de autos con alto volumen de ventas tengan que compartir un mismo teléfono (FACILIDADES); será imposible comunicarse a tiempo son sus clientes y generar sus ventas. Imagínese, por otro lado, cinco empleados con un alto contenido de envío de facsímil con un solo equipo de fax (FACILIDADES); tendrían que esperar demasiado para llevar a cabo su trabajo y el tiempo de espera es dinero que la compañía pierde pues el empleado está esperando y no produciendo.

 FACILIDADES-Cuando hablamos de facilidades nos referimos a la estructura física, las áreas de trabajo, los alrededores y las herramientas de trabajo, entre otros. Podemos tener los mejores procesos,  pero si no tenemos las mejores instalaciones físicas difícilmente podremos llevarlos a cabo. Explico en más detalle: cuando visitamos un restaurante de hamburguesas, por ejemplo,  y miramos el área de la cocina notamos que las estaciones de trabajo, los hornos y las estufas están en el orden en que se monta el producto; es decir, que hay una primera donde se coloca el pan, la próxima estación donde se añade la mayonesa, la siguiente donde está el horno y se calienta la carne y así consecutivamente. Las estaciones están previamente organizadas en ese orden para reducir el tiempo de preparación de los alimentos, lo que permitirá a su vez reducir costos, promover mejores condiciones de empleo para los empleados (GENTE), y satisfacer las necesidades del cliente: comida rápida y bien preparada. Un buen ejemplo de planificación de facilidades lo posee Disney; las atracciones han sido diseñadas de tal manera que el que espera en fila sabe de antemano cuánto tiempo va a esperar antes de disfrutar la atracción. ¿No les parece maravilloso?

Lamentablemente, muchas organizaciones pasan por alto o no entienden cuán importante es tener las facilidades adecuadas. En muchas organizaciones, departamentos que deben trabajar mano a mano y tener una comunicación estrecha se encuentran distantes el uno del otro, lo que dificulta el PROCESO de comunicación e impide que otros  PROCESOS importantes fluyan sin complicaciones. Como ya expliqué, todas las dimensiones se encuentran. Un plan estratégico para establecer, desarrollar y cumplir los objetivos de negocio, considera todas las dimensiones y los elementos que los componen para poder satisfacerlos.

 Entonces, volviendo a mi restaurante de comida casual favorito, encontré: que la barra esta estratégicamente colocada entre el área de los que van al salón comedor y los que se sientan en el área de la barra (FACILIDADES); acortando la distancia que tienen que caminar los meseros para poder servir a sus clientes. Las bebidas son confeccionadas con medidas exactas para evitar desperdicio de recursos (PROCESOS); es decir un poquito más es desperdicio y costo, o un poco menos compromete la calidad de la bebida. Con los mismos ingredientes se confeccionan diferentes platos, reduciendo el área de almacenaje de alimentos y proveyendo a su vez mas espacio para los clientes (PROCESOS). Los empleados (GENTE) reciben al cliente siempre en la misma forma y con el mismo protocolo, pues participan de un programa de adiestramiento agresivo que enfatiza en la consistencia y uniformidad de llevar a cabo las tareas (PROCESOS). Si el cliente sabe de antemano lo que va a recibir y le gusta, hará como yo: regresará al establecimiento una y otra vez.

El éxito de un negocio depende de la habilidad del líder en tener una visión amplia, y de la habilidad de éste en entender que para tomas decisiones todas estas dimensiones tienen que ser consideradas; de qué sirve tener unas facilidades modernas si no existen procesos adecuados para entregar el producto, o de qué sirve tener procesos si los empleados no están capacitados o no están motivados para llevarlos a cabo. De qué sirve tener una gerencia, si ésta no cumple con su rol de motivar a su gente y asegurarse de que éstos lleven a cabo los procesos de manera eficiente. Un buen líder piensa en todo y en todos; en su GENTE, en los PROCESOS, y en las FACILIDADES. Las organizaciones no son planas, son dimensionales y aquel que lo entienda de esta forma y haga conciencia tendrá mejor oportunidad de alcanzar sus metas que aquel líder que piensa que su producto o servicio por si solo es suficiente para cumplir con ellas.

I had the opportunity of experiencing my first steps in Human Resources within a successful company. The two main pillars that guided and still guide the philosophy of that company are continuous improvement and respect for others. I dedicated myself to my profession with passion day and night; I did post-graduate studies, and made all I had at hand to grow within that successful company. When I thought that I was ready to assume a bigger responsibility I suffered a big disillusion: The opportunity that I had been waiting for so long and for which I had worked so much never came. I felt mad at myself and with everyone around me. It took me some time to understand that it was me who had failed because I had not done everything that was at hand. I realized that what I knew and the passion I felt for my job was not enough. Later, a new opportunity came up within that same organization. My new role required that I work with more people; now I needed others to execute my job and other people needed me to execute theirs. I started relating to more people at all levels of the organization, my professional relationships started to get better, and people around me started “seeing” me executing my new role. It was then when I started to understand that success is not an individual matter, it is part of a collective, and that it is the result of common effort from various individuals. We need others and other people need us. In order to be successful, interpersonal relationships are important within and outside our job or organization.

Keith Ferrazzy, author of the bestseller “Never Eat Alone”, mentions in his book that the worst assassin of our career is independence. You can be the best in your field or in your job, but if you don’t relate to others, it will be difficult for others to “see” you; it will be difficult for them to recognize you. You need to relate to people that can positively contribute and influence your professional growth, and to whom you can also help to be more successful. This is what is known as Networking, a tool skillfully used by successful salespersons, outstanding executives, leaders in various industries and professions, professional musicians, and owners of small businesses, among others, in order to attain their objectives, and personal and business success. Networking is a reciprocal relationship where there is no place for egotism and secrets. Its principle lies in constructing a network of colleagues, friends and/or family members that in the future or right now could help you in finding a new job, contacting a new client, attaining a recommendation for a job. They are the people that are going to help that others “see” you. If you are seated behind your desk sending resumes here and there, and you do not go out and relate to other people, you will be another version of the invisible man. If you continue sitting behind your desk for long hours, without attaining any concrete objective, you are doing only part of your job, or less.

I invite you to start right now to build up on your network of friends. Stop and think if the time that you have dedicated to them is enough. When was the last time you went to a seminar or symposium related to your profession? When was the last time you invited a customer for a cup of coffee? Don’t wait until you need them; start constructing your network now, as tomorrow can be a little too late. Networking is more than a reality, it is a need. Seek opportunities to support and help others in their job, in your community, and in your family. Remember that your network grows when you give your time, your knowledge, and your experience to other’s network. This is the way that you add value to your career, to your business or company, and to your life. Access all levels of your job and every person that you know. This is not being a hypocrite, it is developing a mutual interest relationship, respect, loyalty, confidence, and becoming interested in helping others, which is the most important of all principles. Build on a network that stays with you during your entire life. Teach your children and friends the importance of Networking through your example. Networking is an art that we should learn and an art of which I keep on learning every day. Be aware that: “You are not only what you know, but also who you know.”

Recent Statistics

According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the year 2020, 40% (10.3 million employees of baby boomers) will be ready for retirement, affecting business continuity and putting in a difficult situation thousands of organizations around the world. Replacing a key contributor could cost in between 20-40% of the placed employee annual salary; considering time, training, work delay, recruitment efforts, among others. It takes around six to nine months for an employee to achieve an acceptable level of execution once is hire, and up to five or six years to prepare a high potential employee to assume a leadership role. That’s why succession planning plays an important role.

Why Having a Succession Plan

Do we really need a succession plan? Let’s take a look into the past. In September 11, 2001 the world watched in terror as commercial airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center towers, facing the destruction of property and more important, life. Many companies lost key executives who were in the buildings and/or in the airplanes at the time of the unfortunate event; 3Com, Cisco Systems, and Oracle were among these group. These companies were severely affected.  In another separate event, Jim Cantalupo, McDonald’s CEO, died suddenly of a heart attack in 2004, but this time and thanks to a well design succession plan a new CEO was appointed the next day, resulting in a minimal disruption and a smooth transition for the corporation.

According to a study by Watson Wyatt in 2007, only 33% of companies surveyed said they are working on a succession plan. Why is that? Why companies haven’t understand yet the storm that is about to come? Succession planning is a MUST; those who are not prepared for these events are risking the continuity and stability of their business. Succession planning should be incorporated into every companies’ strategic planning process. Identifying and developing high potential employees and those with special skills can lead the company  to meet future demands for talent in key positions.

Businessdictionary.com defined succession planning as the identification and development of potential successors for key positions in an organization, through a systematic evaluation process and training. This is a simple definition, and for me, the best way to define the term. At the end, the goal is creating a solid bench of talents that could be used in the future or tomorrow.

How succession planning works?

There are some basics steps that are key in developing a succession plan program:

1. First, it is important for a company to have a clear understanding of business current and future strategies- If company know where is heading, it will know what it needs to arrive there.
2. Identify the gaps between talent in place and the talent you need to drive your business- Will require a need assessment to correctly identify the real needs.
3. Identify key roles in the organization- Would vary depending on industry. Key roles are those difficult to hire or those that involves a lot of specialized and technical knowledge.
4. Close the gaps, that means that you have to find what you don’t have in place- You can identify potential employees within the company that are ready for leadership roles and hire at a lower level (hiring at lower level increases availability and reduce recruiting cost). Later you will be able to create a domino effect up to the organizational ladder.
5. Develop and/or reinforce your recruitment and promotion program to make sure you get the best talent for the right positions.

What are we looking for in future leaders?

1. Competencies- Behaviors associated to the success of an individual.
2. Personal attributes- Motivation and disposition to do the extra mile and help company achieve its goals.
3. Knowledge-Technical or professional knowledge associated with successful performance in the workplace.
4. Experience- Achievements and past experiences.
5. Judgment- Learning agility and adaptability; these are difficult to learn or develop but not impossible.

Looking at some benefits of having a succession planning

Besides, what we already have discussed there are some other benefits of having a succession plan:

1. Employees need challenge and meaningful works; that promotes engagement and loyalty.
2. By identifying talents gaps the organization will be able to train and prepares talents across the organization creating a solid bench that you could use in the future or maybe TOMORROW!
3. Reduces cost of recruiting due to an adequate planning.

Please, do not reduce your personnel without considering first that the economy will rebound and you will be short and lacking of talent pool to keep going. Revise your plan constantly and measure the outcomes to make sure you are developing the right pool of candidates. Measure the % of promotion that come from the talent pool; if the percentage is low either you choose the wrong candidate for the position or the wrong candidates for the pool, or worst you are not following up on your plan and your money is going directly to the trash.

Those who have work with succession planning know that creating this program is not an easy task; it requires knowledge, company executive’s constantly support, money, commitment, ethic, and planning. It takes around five years to create and develop and pool of candidates ready to performance at a leadership level. If your company has an average age of more than 45 years you are probably running out of time to prepare for the upcoming shortage of candidates that we all soon will face. If your company is not ready, it will be fighting for candidates as wild animals for their food; recruiting cost will increase due to national and international recruitment too. So, why not be prepared? Take action today, tomorrow could be a little too late. And remember that different generations have different needs; take that into consideration not only to develop a succession plan, but also for recruitment, talent management, recognition and other organizational programs.

 A common mistake

 Many organizations recruit new staff or promote employees to positions of leadership for which they are not prepared. These organizations fall into the trap of “Trial and Error”, which sooner or later result in a very costly mistake of recruitment, training and replacement. Sometimes these errors affect the stability and company credibility in front of business partners and customers. On the other hand, represent a major problem for the leaders, whom when are not performing up to expectations, are affected in their careers. This situation negatively impacts everyone.

 Intelligence and knowledge are not enough for a leader to be successful. It is not enough to recruits graduates from the top best universities or graduates with the highest academic honors; ACADEMIC SUCCESS IS NOT A SYNONYMOUS TO BUSINESS SUCCESS.  The key to a leader’s success is in continuously developing their skills. When leaders are not qualified or trained it may lead to commitment, loyalty and morale issues in the organization; this happens, mostly, when there are other individuals  that are probably ready to assume the role, but do not possess all the technical knowledge and professional background that is expected to perform it.

Competency model

 So how do we develop our leaders? How do we ensure that they add value to the organization? First of all and for a leadership development program to be successful, the organization needs to be clear of what it wants, where is heading, how it wants it to achieve it, and the values that are important to achieve business goals. Then, is when a competency model becomes important. A competency model is a set of characteristics that the organization and its leaders need to successfully contribute to business success and enable continuity of the business. The competency model must be aligned to the goals of the organization; it cannot be limited to the skills needed by the leader to improve in their operational areas or in their people management skills, for example.

 To assist in the development of leaders is necessary for the competency model to be translated into specific behaviors that leaders understand and live, more important that leaders can permeate these behaviors to the rest of the organization. Let’s see an example of a competency, how to define it, and how to translate it into specific behaviors. Each competency should be defined and translated into one set of behaviors, will depend on the leader to be develop and the organization needs.

 STRATEGIC THINKING-Developing strategies that are aligned to the organization goals. Setting goals and priorities, anticipating potential threats and opportunities.

 An Executive expected behavior would be:

• “Turning goals into strategies and policies that direct the organization to change.”

• “Ensuring that the financial metrics are integrated in to the business goals”.

 For a Supervisor would read as follow:

• “Contribute to the strategic planning process, providing feasible suggestions for the achievement of objectives”.

• “Communicate to your employees how to perform their tasks and how to prioritize them according to business strategy.” 

In order for the competency model to work effectively is necessary a 100% of support from the management team. If the business strategy changes, the competency model also changes. The model must be built by levels, in according to the type of organizational hierarchy.

 Using a competency model is not a guarantee of success in the process of developing leaders, it takes time and is not achieved in a training session or a seminar; to function properly it needs constant follow up and probably a coaching program. A while ago I had the opportunity to work in the construction of a competency model for senior executives; is a task that takes time and requires patience. The hard part is not necessarily establishing the characteristics, is to put them into behaviors that make sense for leaders and business strategy. However, the effort is worthwhile, not only competency model serve to develop leadership skills, also serve for recruiting and other organizational programs.

 Needs Analysis

 After the competency model has been built and approved by senior management, will require an analysis to see how close or far the leaders in the organization are to model these behaviors. This process can be accomplished through a needs analysis which may be conducted by the human resources department or an external consultant as wish, and/or I suggest a 360 tool, which will allow leaders, peers, supervisors and supervised anonymously have a word about on the level of knowledge or preparation of the leader in each of the competitions. With this information in hand, we have a clearer picture of the areas to be focused and be ready to begin the process of developing them.

 Conclusion

In conclusion, it is important to understand that leaders needs to be developed, no matter how good or how successful they were as a students or in past roles. To ensure business continuity, leaders need to learn continuously. Great leaders are not those who know more or born talented; great leaders are the ones who have the ability to positively impact the behavior and performance of their people, those who respects, lives and shapes the organizational values. Leaders are those whom everyone wants to follow; only the management will have to make sure to prepare them well so they can positively impact others. A great leader is one that recognizes that progress is synonymous of constantly learning and developing.

Un error común

Muchas organizaciones reclutan nuevo personal o promueven empleados a posiciones de liderazgo para las cuales estos no están preparados. Estas organizaciones caen en la trampa del “Trial and Error”, lo que resulta más temprano que tarde en un error muy costoso de reclutamiento, adiestramiento y reemplazo. En algunas ocasiones estos errores afectan la credibilidad o estabilidad de compañía, afectando a su vez la imagen ante los socios de negocio o clientes. Por otro lado, representa un gran problema para el líder; cuando este no se desempeña a la altura de lo esperado, se perjudica a si mismo afectando su carrera profesional. Esta situación impacta negativamente a todos.

La inteligencia y el conocimiento no son suficientes para que un líder sea exitoso. No es suficiente con reclutar a los egresados de las universidades más prestigiosas o a aquellos individuos graduados con los más altos honores; ÉXITO ACADEMICO NO ES SINONIMO DE ÉXITO PROFESIONAL. La clave del éxito en un líder esta en desarrollar sus competencias. Cuando los líderes no están aptos o capacitados pueden surgir problemas de compromiso, lealtad y desempeño moral en la organización. Esto ocurre, mayormente, cuando hay otros individuos en la organización que probablemente están listos para asumir el rol, aunque no poseen todo el conocimiento técnico y el historial profesional que es esperado para desempeñar dicho rol.

Modelo de competencias

Entonces, ¿cómo desarrollamos a nuestros líderes? ¿Cómo nos aseguramos de que añaden valor a la organización? Antes que todo y para que un programa de desarrollo de líderes sea exitoso es necesario que la organización tenga claro hacia dónde se dirige, cómo quiere lograrlo y los valores que son importantes para lograr las metas del negocio. Es entonces cuando un modelo de competencias cobra importancia. Un modelo de competencias es un conjunto de características que la organización y sus líderes necesitan para poder contribuir exitosamente al éxito del negocio y permitir la continuidad del mismo. El modelo de competencias tiene que estar alineado a las metas de la organización; no puede limitarse únicamente a las competencias que necesita el líder para mejorar en sus áreas operacionales o en sus destrezas de manejo de gente, por ejemplo.

Para facilitar el desarrollo de los líderes es necesario que el modelo de competencia se traduzca a comportamientos específicos que los líderes entiendan y vivan, más importante aun que los líderes puedan permear estos comportamientos al resto de la organización.  Veamos un  ejemplo de una competencia, como definirla, y como traducirla a comportamientos específicos. Cada competencia debe definirse y traducirse a varios comportamientos, según el líder a desarrollar y la necesidad de la compañía.

PENSAMIENTO ESTRATEGICO-Formular estrategias que estén alineadas a la organización. Establecer objetivos y prioridades, anticipando posibles amenazas y oportunidades.

 Para un ejecutivo el comportamiento esperado sería el siguiente:

• “Transformar objetivos en estrategias y politicas que dirijan a la organización al cambio”.
• “Asegurar que las métricas financieras y de negocio este integradas para lograr las metas del negocio”.

 Para un supervisor leería:

• “Contribuir al proceso de planificación estratégica, aportando sugerencias viables para el logro de objetivos”.
• “Comunicar a sus empleados como desempeñar sus tareas y darles prioridad de acuerdo a la estrategia del negocio”.

 Para que el modelo de competencias funciones tiene que haber un 100% de cooperación de parte de la gerencia. Si la estrategia de negocios cambia, el modelo de competencias cambia también. El modelo tiene que construirse por niveles y de acuerdo al tipo de jerarquía organizacional.

 Usar un modelo de competencias no es garantía de éxito en el proceso de desarrollar líderes; toma tiempo, no se logra en un training o en una charla. Para que funcione tiene que haber seguimiento. Hace algún tiempo tuve la oportunidad de trabajar en la construcción de un modelo para altos ejecutivos, es una tarea que toma tiempo y requiere de mucha paciencia. Lo difícil no es necesariamente establecer las características; es llevarlas a comportamientos que hagan sentido para los líderes y la estrategia de negocio. No obstante, el esfuerzo vale la pena; no solo las competencias sirven para desarrollar líderes, también para reclutamiento y otros programas organizacionales.

Análisis de necesidades

 Luego de que el modelo de competencias se haya construido y aprobado por la alta gerencia, será necesario hacer un análisis para ver cuán cerca o lejos están los líderes de la organización para modelar estos comportamientos. Este proceso puede lograrse a través de un análisis de necesidades llevado a cabo por representantes de recursos humanos y/o una herramienta 360, que permitirá que los lideres, sus compañeros, sus supervisores y supervisados opinen anónimamente sobre el nivel de conocimiento o preparación del líder en cada una de las competencias. Con esta información en mano, tendremos un panorama más claro de las áreas en las que hay que enfocarse y estaremos listos para comenzar con el proceso de desarrollo de los líderes.

 Conclusion

Para concluir, es importante que entendamos que el líder tiene que ser desarrollado, sin importar que tan bueno sea o cuan exitoso haya sido como estudiante o en sus experiencias pasadas. Las necesidades de las compañías cambian. Para que haya continuidad de negocio, el líder necesita aprender constantemente. Un buen líder no es el más que sabe o aquel que nació talentoso, un buen líder es el que tiene la habilidad de impactar positivamente el comportamiento y desempeño de su gente; aquel que respeta, vive y modela los valores organizacionales. El líder es aquel que todos quieren seguir, solo la gerencia tendrá que asegurarse de haber preparado bien a este líder de manera que impacte positivamente a los demás. Un buen líder es el que reconoce que para progresar hay que seguir desarrollándose y aprendiendo constantemente.

The process of evaluating and measuring the performance of an employee is an unpleasant task for many, something that many supervisors try to avoid and do at the last minute. Why is this task so difficult? What makes it difficult? How can we make this process more positive and less painful for both parties?
I always remember a supervisor with whom I worked with a couple of years ago. This was the first time that this supervisor had to evaluate their employees. His greatest fear was that their employees do not agree with the score he had given them. “What if they say they have done more?” or “What if they claim that I do not take enough time to see how they perform?” His problem? His performance expectations were poorly written, were not specific, and were subjective rather than objective. Unfortunately, the supervisor could not prove that the employees had not complied and had to incline the evaluation in their favor.

When expectations are not well written, it is almost impossible to determine whether the employee met expectations or not. Worse, it creates an awkward and painful situation for the parties involved in the evaluation process. In some cases, this process has ended in the resignation of a good employee, in a bad atmosphere at work or in a legal dispute in court. It is for this reason that many supervisors avoid this “encounter’. These bad encounters have happened too many times in so many places; perhaps all of us have been in that position at some point, as supervisors or as employees, as well. These meetings have a relevant and direct impact on other support systems that are important for the proper functioning and development of the organization. It is important, then, that we are clear on the importance of it and mastered it to perfection.
For the performance evaluation process to be successful it should be planned in advance:

 When the time of writing the expectations arrive, you can use the employee job description or their assigned projects as a resource, this will give you a good starting point in this process. Please, make sure expectations are job related.  

1. Identify if there is any obstacle or if the employee needs to improve some skills in order to meet those expectations. You, as the supervisor, are responsible for providing the tools and resources necessary for employees to perform efficiently.
2. When writing up the expectations, it is imperative that you are aligned to the goals of your business unit and the organization, make sure that the goals support the vision and mission of the organization, otherwise you will not be rowing in the same direction. This is like a dance where all the dancers have to dance at the same time.
3. How do we redact the expectations?
   1. Every project or task can be measured, for example, if your goal is to increase your business unit percentage of sales, you must establish what percentage is the responsibility of the employee, the expectation would read more or less like this: Achieve a 5% of increase in sales …
   2. Expectations must be realistic and achievable, if the increase in average annual sales is 7%, going  way to high above this average can be counterproductive to achieve and might cause that employee does not want to work to achieve an impossible goal. Make sure to write a realistic goal, but challenging enough to allow the organization to grow and prosper.
   3. Expectations have to be time-defined- Employee must have a deadline or multiple deadlines to complete their task. Set those dates clearly from the beginning. Continuing with the example in point “a”:  Achieve a 5% of increase in sales volume, in or before December 31, 2009…
   4. Expectations have to be specific- Continuing with the develop of the previous example, the expectation will read as follows: Achieve a 5% of increase in sales; both retail and wholesale in or before December 31, 2009, and always guided by the sales guides previously established by the organization. In this example you have been clear, and at the same time have take this opportunity to remind the employee the importance to comply with organizational values.
4. It is recommended and desirable to involve the employees in the development and writing of the expectations, this creates excitement and, therefore, employee will be more willing to comply with them.
5. Once you finish writing expectations, discuss them with your employees and make sure they have understood. Clarify any questions.

 The key aspect in the performance evaluation process is FOLLOW UP. You do not write expectations for evaluating purposes only; you write expectations because you want to achieve organizational goals and develop your staff. It is important and desirable that you monitor the fulfillment of these goals regularly, do not wait until the end of the year to see if it was fulfilled or not, it makes you look bad as a Supervisor. Your role as a supervisor is to ensure that your employees are performing well from the beginning. If the employees perform a good job, you look good too! Typically, the performance evaluation is reviewed once or twice a year; however this does not prevent you to do it more frequently to discuss progress and give feedback.

When expectations are specific, time-defined and measurable, you have the advantage that the employee always knows whether or not have fulfilled them. In the perfect scenario, you will sit with the employee on the day of the final evaluation and talk about achievements and what can be done better. You can make the final evaluation “encounter” constructive and of benefit for both parties; at the end of the road the goal is to meet and achieve individual and organizational goals, and make your company or business unit the ideal place of work where others want to work.

And always remember: What is not measured, does not improve.

El proceso de evaluar y medir el desempeño de un empleado, es una tarea desagradable para muchos; algo que muchos supervisores tratan de evitar y dejan para último momento. ¿Por qué es tan difícil esta tarea?, ¿Qué la hace difícil?, ¿Cómo podemos hacer de este proceso uno menos doloroso y más positivo para ambas partes?

Siempre recuerdo a un Supervisor con el que trabajé hace algunos años. Esta era la primera vez que éste supervisor tenía que evaluar a sus empleados. Su mayor miedo era que sus empleados no estuvieran de acuerdo con la puntuación que él les había otorgado. “¿y qué tal si me dicen que han hecho más?” o “¿Qué tal si alegan que no saqué el tiempo suficiente para ver como se desempeñaban?” ¿Su problema? Las espectivas de desempeño estaban mal redactadas; no eran específicas y se prestaban a opinión más que a subjetividad. Lamentablemente este supervisor tuvo que inclinar la evaluación a favor del empleado, ya que no pudo probar que este último no había cumplido.

Cuando las espectivas no están bien redactadas es casi imposible determinar si el empleado a cumplido o no. Peor aún, crea una situación incómoda y dolorosa para las partes que participan en el proceso de evaluación. En algunos casos, este proceso ha terminado en la renuncia de un buen empleado, en una mala atmósfera de trabajo o en una disputa legal. Es por esta razón que muchos supervisores evitan este “encuentro”. Estos malos encuentros les ha ocurrido a muchos, tal vez todos los hemos tenido en algún momento como supervisores o como supervisados. Estos encuentros tienen un impacto importante y directo en otros sistemas de apoyo que son importantes para el desarrollo y buen funcionamiento de la organización. Es importante entonces que estemos claros en la importancia del mismo y dominarlo a la perfección.

Para que el proceso de evaluación de desempeño sea exitoso debe planificarse con antelación:
1. Cuando sea el momento de redactar las expectativas, puede utilizar como recurso la descripción del puesto o los proyectos pendientes que tengan que ver directamente con el empleado; esto le dará un buen punto de partida en este proceso.
2. Identifique si hay algún obstáculo o si el empleado necesita mejorar alguna destreza para poder cumplir con dichas expectativas. Usted como supervisor es la persona responsable de proveer las herramientas y recursos necesarios para que sus empleados se desempeñen eficientemente.
3. Cuando redacte las expectativas, es imperativo que estén alineadas a las metas del departamento y la organización- Asegúrese de que las metas de su departamento apoyen la visión y misión de la organización, de lo contrario no estarán remando en la misma dirección. Esto es como un baile donde todos los bailarines tienen que bailar al mismo compas.
4. ¿Cómo redacto las expectativas?
a. Cada proyecto o tarea puede medirse- Por ejemplo, si la meta de su unidad es aumentar el porciento de ventas, usted deberá establecer qué porciento es responsabilidad de su empleado; la expectativa leería: aumentar un 5% el volumen de ventas…
b. Las expectativas deben ser reales y alcanzables- si el aumento en el promedio de ventas anuales es de 7%, ir muy por encima de este promedio puede ser contraproducente logrando que el empleado no trabaje para lograr una meta imposible. Asegúrese de establecer una meta realista pero a su vez retante, que permita que la organización crezca y prospere.
c. Las expectativas tienen que tener un tiempo definido- es decir, el empleado tendrá una fecha o varias fechas límites para ir cumpliendo con estas; usted deberá establecer con claridad cuáles son esas fechas. Seguimos con el ejemplo del punto “a”. aumentar un 5% el volumen de ventas, en o antes del 31 de diciembre de 2009, fecha en que termina el año fiscal.
d. Las expectativas tienen que estar especificas- Elaborando aun más el ejemplo anterior, leería de la siguiente manera:
i. Aumentar un 5% el volumen de ventas al detal y al por mayor en o antes del 31 de diciembre de 2009, y siempre guiándose por los procesos de ventas previamente establecidos por la organización. En este ejemplo usted ha sido claro y de paso, aprovecha la oportunidad para que el empleado recuerdo que hay unos procesos que hay que seguir y unos valores organizacionales que respetar.
5. Es recomendable que el empleado participe en la elaboración de sus expectativas, esto crea entusiasmo y, por lo tanto, se esforzara más en cumplir con las mismas.
6. Una vez haya terminado de redactar las expectativas, discútalas con su empleado y asegúrese que éste las ha entendido. Aclare cualquier duda.

El éxito en el proceso de evaluación de desempeño es el SEGUIMIENTO. Usted no redacta expectativas únicamente para evaluar al empleado; usted redacta expectativas porque usted quiere cumplir una meta organizacional y de paso desarrollar a su personal. Es importante y deseable, que usted monitoree el cumplimiento de estas metas periódicamente; esperar hasta el final del año para ver si lo hizo bien o mal, lo hace quedar mal a usted. Su trabajo como supervisor es asegurarse de que el empleado haya cumplido bien, desde el principio. Si su empleado desempeña un buen trabajo, usted también lucirá bien. Comúnmente las evaluaciones de desempeño se trabajan una o dos veces al año; no obstante esto no impide que usted se siente con el empleado frecuentemente para discutir el progreso.

Cuando las expectativas son especificas, tienen tiempo definido y pueden medirse, usted tiene la ventaja de que el empleado sabe en todo momento si las ha cumplido o no. En el escenario perfecto, usted se sentará con su empleado el día de la evaluación final a resumir como ha sido el año, en qué aspectos fue exitoso y en qué puede mejorar, según aplique. Usted puede lograr que el proceso de evaluar a sus empleados sea un “encuentro” cómodo y constructivo para ambas partes; al final del camino la meta es alcanzar metas individuales y grupales, y lograr de su compañía o unidad de negocio un lugar donde todo el mundo quiera trabajar.

recuerde siempre: lo que no se mide no mejora.

I arrived to the aquarium facilities five minutes before the scheduled time. When I went to the front desk one employee told me to wait twenty minutes in the hall and in the meantime I should complete some release forms required before the dolphin experience. I completed the forms and half an hour later a young man came in from one door and said: – “those who are going to swim with the dolphins?” It wasn’t exactly the welcoming I was expecting, but nevertheless, we were so excited about what was about to happen that we gave not much importance to that detail. This same young man then continued walking without saying a word and we follow him without knowing where we were heading. The young man pointed to an area where there were diver suites so we figured out we have to get them ourselves. Minutes later, after the kids has changed a second young man stood next to a bunch of lockers, the kids put their clothes there, by that time forty five minutes had already passed.

We were escort to a conference room where someone came to run a video and left us there without any explanation. The video was about dolphins, it looked interesting but no one told us we would see one; after ten minutes we began to feel uncomfortable for the long waiting. Another five minutes passed and a young woman, who seemed tired, began to give a presentation about the dolphins that were there in the aquarium. She asked who were there to swim with the dolphins; it wasn’t obvious that the ones who were using the diving suits? She continued with her presentation which seemed more like a speech and with a voice tone that caused that almost everyone there started to yawn in a choir. She had no enthusiasm at all and I thought – “It is so difference in Disney.”

Finally the time had come for the kids to their experience. They only were twenty minutes with the Dolphin and they actually swam 15 seconds with them! Of course I took a lot of pictures; I wanted to have memories of the experience. The staff of the aquarium was taking pictures too, from an angle that I did not have access; “They are going to sell some pictures”, I thought. They arranged the poses with the dolphins jumping behind the kids, it promised to be nice ones. My kids finished their experience with the dolphins, went to the lockers and changed their clothes. We left the facilities by the same door we entered when we arrived; nobody escorted us to the exit. Nobody offered us the pictures that were taken back there and we never got to see them, either. The experience just finished.

What is customer service? What is it that customers expect? “More importantly, do we know what that experience is? Now that the economy is fighting fiercely to get better we cannot afford to lose our customers, now is the time to retain them and offer them a shopping experience that makes them come back for more. According to recent statistics, eight out of ten customers who are dissatisfied with poor service, not only do not return to the same place, but also keep quiet and do not give feedback to the management. I was not only upset because I did not get what I was expecting for my money, also and most of it because the lack of Magic, like for example the magic that Disney offers; That kind of magic that antecedes when something great is about to happen.

I think almost everyone agrees that when we go to a restaurant and the food is not very good but the service is excellent, we do not bother as much as when the food is excellent and the service is poor. The customer today is willing to pay more for a product, what is not willing to negotiate is the way it receives it. If the service at the aquarium had been exciting, if I had been given a proper welcome, if I had been explained step by step what was going to happen there, if I had been offered the pictures, and I had been given a proper farewell: the price paid would not have been so important. For example, when you go to a Disney park, you not only pay for enjoying the attractions, you pay for a magical experience: the music is magical, when you get in line you know how much you have to wait, someone greets you with excitement and you know that at the end of the attraction you’re going to see the pictures.

 Disney has a standard procedure of providing it service, always delivered in the same manner, and the customer knows what to expect at all times. The whole atmosphere of Disney’s parks is designed for you to enjoy and be excited: Do you remember what colors are or where are the trash cans in the park? They are everywhere but you probably do not remember because they are strategically placed so it doesn’t steal the show. That is exactly what you as a business owner or manager has to look after: delivering a quality product, consistently and in the right way. I would suggest the following:

 1.  Prepare a standardized process (SOP) on how to take care of your customers, this way you will ensure that all of them are treated the same way and with the highest standards of service. Managing by walking around, and make sure the process is been followed.

2.  When preparing the SOP, have the customer’s needs and expectations in mind, and avoid preparing it only thinking about your convenience.

a.  Train your staff as often as necessary so they can learn the process and make sure they are applying it uniformly all the time. Do not waste your money on training if you’re not going to follow up on your staff.

3.  Ask your customers if they are satisfied with the service before they leave your establishment, after that it will be a little too late to ask; the customers will be more difficult to recover if we have not offered them the service that they were expecting

 Providing quality service is not easy; much less finding employees who possess customer service skills. It is easier to teach employees how to use a machine than teach them how to please a customer; when you recruit, take this into consideration. If you want your business to prosper or survive do not forget that the customer experience is as important or perhaps more important that the product itself. At the end of the road, employees with little technical knowledge of their work can be a better resource than those who are experts, but whom lacks on the necessary skills to offer their customers an unforgettable service experience.