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August 25, 2015 by Jodi Davis

Reaping the Benefits of Onboarding

In a Talent Driven Market, more companies are embracing the need to effectively recruit, develop and retain the very best employees.   A strategic onboarding process is a critical component of effective Talent Acquisition programs, and yet it is often overlooked as a priority. Does your company employ this valuable strategic tool?

According to an Aberdeen Group report in 2014, only 32% of companies have a formal onboarding process in place.   This fact is more alarming when compared to research that asserts nearly 40% of newly hired executives fail or quit their positions within the first 18 months.  Further, the Aberdeen Group reported in 2013 that 80% of new hires decide whether or not to leave a company within the first six months and 25% (one in four) actually do leave before making a valuable contribution.

Companies spend a great deal of money recruiting key talent. They also recognize the high cost of losing top talent. Turnover can negatively impact employee morale and organizational productivity.  The sudden departure of a newly hired executive may influence a company’s image, making it more difficult to recruit additional new talent.  The first months of a new hire’s tenure go by so quickly and they are critically important. Are you setting your new recruits up for success?

What is onboarding? Onboarding is more than employee orientation. It clarifies roles and outlines expectations and success criteria.  It aligns goals with the organizational vision and identifies behaviors and competencies necessary for success.  Onboarding maps out key relationships and delivers insightful feedback from key stakeholders.  It focuses on the early months of an executive’s tenure and includes a custom designed onboarding document to guide the executive’s cultural integration. There is often a one-on-one executive coaching partner to guide and monitor the executive’s onboarding experience.

Why don’t more companies use onboarding? In 2013, SilkRoad, a global provider of end-to-end HR Solutions, surveyed 250 HR professionals, from a range of companies and industries.  Their research revealed that many companies do not have a formal onboarding strategy mostly because of lack of time commitment to the process, budget and limited expertise on how to develop or manage a program.

What are the benefits of onboarding? A strategic approach to onboarding accelerates a new hire’s integration with the organizational culture, business strategy and leadership team. The process, when done well, can transform a new hire into a highly productive, contributory leader faster and more effectively.  It enhances communication and collaboration while strengthening relationships. It increases retention and in doing so, lowers the overall cost of recruiting.

Set up for Success: I recently had the privilege of helping a prominent Twin Cities organization implement a structured onboarding process for a new senior executive.  We designed the program to ensure the success and retention of a highly regarded executive who was aggressively recruited.  Our onboarding process started before the executive’s first day of employment.  The hiring manager and I outlined a 90-day plan. I interviewed him, significant peers and the hire’s direct reports to draft a “Blueprint for Success” guide for the new executive.  Our engagement included an executive coaching component with monitoring check-ins to ensure success or manage course correction.

This process was overwhelmingly embraced by all participants. People were forthright, engaged and committed to helping the new executive quickly acclimate to the culture. The interviews were powerful and participants shared personal and professional information increasing the win-win potential for themselves, the new executive and the organization.  The new hire welcomed the onboarding plan and the executive coaching partnership.

My client experience validated the efficacy and wisdom of taking a strategic approach to onboarding. The company and the new executive shared a commitment to success. They leveraged onboarding and are positioned well to achieve their full potential.

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Filed Under: High Performance, Leadership

April 1, 2014 by Jodi Davis

Is Your Board Working?

JD Coaching & Consulting produced a benchmark study regarding nonprofit board performance. The results formed a framework that helps boards attain high performance.

Since then numerous boards have worked with us to analyze performance. The result? Their boards are now better able to safeguard the mission, vision and assets of the organizations they serve.

Interested in assessing your board’s performance? After some initial consulting, here’s how one aspect of the assessment works:

1. Your board takes the survey and the results are compared to the benchmark study.

2. We analyze the results to uncover your board’s strengths and weaknesses.

3. We report customized details of what is—and isn’t—working for your board.

4. We present the results to your board.

5. We recommend targeted solutions.

Ultimately, your board can focus on improving key areas. Your board gets stronger, and the nonprofit organization benefits.

An interesting fact discovered in the study is that 98 percent of respondents thought their board had the potential to improve its performance. Can your board be improved?

Interested in reading our benchmark study? Request your copy today. For help on improving your board’s performance, contact Jodi Davis.

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Filed Under: Featured, High Performance, Leadership, Nonprofits

March 7, 2014 by Jodi Davis

Five Tips for a Fabulous Résumé

Today recruiters are speaking out—they want to see a résumé that is clear, concise, comprehensive, current and clean. As a résumé writer, I’ve worked with professionals at all levels of the employment spectrum, from college grads to senior executives. They share a similar need: to craft a résumé that will successfully advance their career.

Writing about your own strengths and accomplishments is a challenge. Some of us lack clarity on which transferable skills and talents will actually attract prospective employers. Others draft pages of detailed job responsibilities that drown out their true value and employ-ability. Many people make the mistake of writing about their own objectives, failing to focus on the employer’s needs.

What makes for a winning résumé? Be authentic, have integrity and present yourself with passion. When JD Coaching & Consulting works with clients, we tailor our services to their specific needs. A résumé service that touts the thousands of people they’ve helped is likely developing boilerplate résumés. While that may be helpful for some job seekers, a more personalized service is often more benefical.

Follow these top recruiter tips to create a résumé that resonates:

  1. Be clear about the qualifications you offer, including career experiences and transferable skills.
  2. Be concise and articulate measurable achievements. Don’t use fluffy adjectives – they will dilute the power of your accomplishments.
  3. Provide a comprehensive summary of your career—education, employment, advanced training, awards and contributions.
  4. Keep your résumé current with your most recent position and success. Always keep a personal log and track current work accomplishments to strengthen your next job search.
  5. Design a résumé that is clean. The document needs to have significant white space, making it easier to read. A cramped résumé will get crumpled quickly!

Remember that while your résumé is an essential element of a career strategy, networking is also critically important to your success. People read résumés, people open doors, and people are the ones who offer jobs. Be sure to network with people during your search!

Executives who utilize the services of a résumé writer are not only saving time, but they are adding value to their career advancement. Spend your time and money wisely. Instead of writing your own résumé, network to meet that next great opportunity!

Learn more about our résumé writing services by contacting Jodi@JodiDavis.com.

 

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Filed Under: Career, Featured, Leadership

February 21, 2014 by Jodi Davis

Transforming The Leadership Paradigm

Imagine a world where all individuals are empowered to develop their full potential. Imagine the strength of an organization that is able to tap into the intellectual capacity, resourcefulness and creativity of its entire workforce. Imagine the employees who are embraced for their innate talents and unique gifts – producing quality results with a profound sense of fulfillment. Imagine the possibilities in your organization and in your life.

Today, people and organizations are being pushed to perform. There are increasing competitive demands for productivity and growth. Leaders are being called upon to guide and inspire their teams to achieve desired results. Effective communication, collaborative teamwork and quality leadership have never been more important.

In response to the critical demand to develop effective leaders, a variety of leadership approaches have been proposed and popularized. Well-known authors and leadership experts such as Peter Senge, Ken Blanchard, Jim Collins and Stephen Covey have offered their own strategies and tools for developing leaders who inspire and empower others to be their best.

All of these contemporary leadership authors identify essential competencies that an individual should possess and practice to be an effective leader. These attributes are vital if one is to become an authentic, strategic, collaborative and visionary leader. Furthermore, many of these prominent leadership approaches are synergistically aligned with the leadership philosophy conceived of by Robert Greenleaf in his essay “The Servant as Leader. “

His paradoxical term, Servant Leader, has created a quiet revolution and a paradigm shift in management philosophy during the past forty years. Written in 1970, Greenleaf’s thesis highlights characteristics of a leader who successfully serves the needs of others. Upon close examination, the same attributes that Greenleaf espouses are either explicitly or implicitly present in today’s most popular leadership training methodologies.

Servant Leadership draws its strength from Greenleaf’s premise that “the first and most important choice a leader makes is the choice to serve, without which one’s capacity to lead is severely limited.” The focus is clearly on serving the needs of others. Leaders who possess these qualities have the ability to recognize the intrinsic value and unique talents of others. Their capacity to affirm other people’s self-worth is what initiates growth and unleashes potential.

For more information visit The Greenleaf Center.

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Filed Under: Featured, Leadership

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