Fast Focus on Your Success

Welcome to FAST FOCUS ON YOUR SUCCESS

		(This is a sticky post, please find current news items below) By Susan Battley in Leadership

Before internet radio became mainstream, my radio program -  Fast Focus on Success (tm) - was available online to a global audience.  Its pioneering status was recognized by the Clinton White House Office of Science & Technology.

This blog carries on the Fast Focus tradition.  My goal is still to focus on timely commentary and actionable tips that are linked to real-world leadership and career challenges.  I've updated the title to Fast Focus on Your Success to emphasize that this is about and for you!.

Best regards,
Susan

Follow Me on Twitter Until 2010!

		Sunday, 25 October 09 - 10:36 AM (GMT -05:00) By Susan Battley in Corporate News

I am practicing what I preach in terms of strategic time management and executing against priorities.  I am excited about the writing project I'm doing for Oxford University Press.  Since this is a research-based project, I'll be wearing my scholar's hat for the next few months in addition to my usual consulting activities.

Also upcoming this fall and early winter....I'll be lecturing in several academic graduate programs.  Interacting with advanced graduate students is always a pleasure!

With these additional activities on my calendar, I intend to take a "sabbatical" from my blog postings until 2010. 

I've made the point on numerous occasions that there's only so much top quality work that any person can do.  When you undertake an important big project, something needs to be moved "off your plate" to make room for it.

In the meantime, please follow me on Twitter where I will continue to "tweet" regularly.

My Fast Focus on Your Success blog entries will return in 2010.  Till then, my best wishes.

Susan

Hiring For A Great Fit? Assess at Three Levels

		Monday, 19 October 09 - 02:55 PM (GMT -05:00) By Susan Battley in Leadership

Hiring the right person for the job is a high-stakes activity that can be tough to get right.  Lots of smart, experienced executives and corporate boards have a hard time making the right choice, as we know from unwanted executive turnover and premature departures.  What accounts for this costly revolving door?  Often, there was a poor fit between the person and the position or organization right from the beginning that the hiring decision makers did not see.  To maximize the chances of a great "whole person" fit between job candidate and organization, it's imperative to take these three levels into consideration.

Three Levels of Goodness of Fit

Level One:   Expertise and Skills.  Does the candidate have the professional background, credentials, work experiences, and relevant track record to be successful in the position? 

Level Two.  Mindset and Attitude.  Does the candidate possess curiosity, flexibility, and openness to new ideas and approaches?  Or does s/he come across as an "expert" with all the answers?

Level Three:  Organizational Culture.  Does the candidate recognize and appreciate the organization's values and accomplishments?  Does s/he demonstrate true awareness of how culture affects execution and change initiatives?  (Not just lip service.)

Just like an iceberg, Level One criteria appear "above the water line."  Hiring usually focuses on a candidate's goodness of fit as determined by a match in expertise and work experience.  But Levels Two and Three - those criteria that occur "below the water line"  - are where true selection compatibility needs to be assessed.  Level One compatibility is necessary but not sufficient.  For a winning hire, the successful candidate needs to be a great fit in terms of personal attitude and compatibility with the organization's culture.  Otherwise, s/he is likely to be rejected like a bad organ transplant, since individual style and outlook are inconsistent with organizational values and ways of doing things.

Sometimes, when an executive or manager is faring poorly, her/his performance is really a symptom - not a root cause - of a mis-match from the beginning that no one recognized.  When organizations assess candidates on all three levels, they dramatically  improve the chances of a great fit and hire who goes on to deliver outstanding results.

Pack These! How to Stay Tip-Top on the Road

		Thursday, 24 September 09 - 03:08 PM (GMT -05:00) By Susan Battley in Performance Improvement

When you're traveling on business, it's especially important that you are fit and operating at optimum level.  Whether you're meeting with customers or staff, giving a presentation, or seeking new business opportunities, your ability to communicate clearly, think quickly, and make smart decisions is key to success.  As if travel doesn't present enough challenges and stress under "normal" circumstances, now we have to be prepared for the H1N1 flu virus.

Here are some obvious and not so obvious items to have when you travel:

1.  Hand sanitizer or wet wipes.  Clean hands are the best way to avoid picking up nasty bugs.

2.  Ear plugs.  These are an inexpensive way to silence jet engines, passengers on cells phones, or unwanted noises when you're trying to sleep or work  in your hotel room.  They are also smaller to carry than sound-cancelling headphones. 

3.  Melatonin tablets.  This over-the-counter product helps deal with jet lag when traveling across time zones.  I find this natural substance very helpful in adjusting quickly to local time.

4.  EKG scan.  If you're of an age where you have an electrocardiogram scan as part of your annual physical, then ask for a copy from your physician.  Keep it in your wallet.  Should you ever be out of town, or out of the country, and seek medical assistance for a cardiac condition, a copy of your baseline EKG can be a valuable comparative tool for those treating you. 

5.  Aspirin.  Speaking of your heart, health care professionals recommend chewing an aspirin if you think you're experiencing a heart attack.  So keep a few in your handbag or briefcase.

These recommendations are not meant to scare you.  Rather, they are simple ways to be prepared for expected nuisances and the rare serious health situation when you're on the road.

Why People Are Reluctant to Lead

		Wednesday, 23 September 09 - 08:00 AM (GMT -05:00) By Susan Battley in Leadership

With all the emphasis on leaders and leadership development, it's easy to overlook the fact that some gifted and capable professionals are reluctant to assume leadership positions.

Why is this?

I've been in two situations recently where this phenomenon - reluctance to move up the ladder - has come up.  One of these was a talent review session.

In my experience, three fears can hold people back:

• Fear of Responsibility - People shy away from being evaluated on anything other than their own work and effort.  Running a project or managing a team can feel like losing control of the outcome.
• Fear of Unpopularity - Some fear losing their friends or popularity among co-workers if they move from peer to supervisor.
  
• Fear of Failure - Those who are risk-averse by nature or perfectionists who worry about public criticism may avoid high-visibility roles.

Often, more than one of these fears operates in tandem.

So the next time, you see someone under-achieving relative to their potential, consider if fear may be holding them back.  Often, bringing the subject out into the open in a supportive, non-threatening way can help the person realize that their concerns are overinflated or groundless.  Or you can help them identify what skills or experiences would help them become more confident and ready to move up.

Does Your Reputation Shine?

		Tuesday, 22 September 09 - 08:31 AM (GMT -05:00) By Susan Battley in Leadership

I recently saw Shakespeare's play Othello performed in Manhattan by an A-list cast.  

Personal reputation - its importance, use and abuse - are major themes that drive the play's plot.  For example, the treacherous villain Iago exploits his (false) reputation as an honest man to deceive Othello and everyone else. 

Shades of Bernie Madoff! 

Othello says about reputation :

Who steals my purse steals trash....
But he that filches from me my good name
Robs me of that which not enriches him
And makes me poor indeed.
                                     -  Act 3, Scene 3

Reputation is a success-critical asset.  Once people have formed an impression of you, it can be very difficult, if not possible, to change their minds.  So you need to be mindful that your actions polish and promote your reputation at every turn.

Four Reputation Questions to Ask Yourself

• Are you known professionally and by whom?
• What are you known for?
• Is your reputation consistent with the professional image you want to convey?
• How are you enhancing and extending your reputation?

As a final thought, remember that whenever you put your reputation in the hands of others - for example, business partners, vendors, consultants, recruiters and independent contractors -  you should be sure they are worthy and capable to protect your good name. 

... More items are available in our News Archive