People Solutions

In recent conversations, Sue and Chris (STM's Senior Consultant for Training & Development) realized that there are some surprisingly similar pitfalls in hiring, job seeking, and dating.  Tune in as they have a lot of fun talking about common themes:

• Profile vs. Reality
• Intentions & Expectations
• Ghosting
• The cost of ignoring red flags
• Desperation leads to lower standards

We hope you enjoy listening to this podcast as much as they enjoyed recording it.  You may even learn something along the way!

In the latest episode of STM's People Solutions Podcast, Sue and Alyssa talk about structured interviewing - what is it, why is it important, and how do you do it.  The basic elements are:

• Be very clear about your expectations
• Be deliberate in your choice of questions
• Have consistent and objective evaluation standards

For more information about structured interviewing and how to build a winning process, download our Interviewing Guide .  Consider enrolling your hiring team in our customized Structured Interview Training to take your interviewing process from ordinary to extraordinary.  Simply reply to this email with TELL ME MORE and we'll be in touch to schedule a complimentary consultation.

In this solo episode of STM's People Solutions Podcast, Alyssa dives into the dos and don'ts of the hiring selection process.  Whether you're an experienced hiring manager or just getting started, this episode has valuable insights for everyone.  Listen in as she talks about:

• Preparing for success
• Effective interviewing
• Keeping candidates engaged
• Making a final selection

Listen in now and elevate your selection process.  Need more help?  Contact us to learn more about our Hiring Success Services

There's a lot going on in the hiring market and employers need to rethink how they approach attracting and retaining top talent.  Although it's calmed down a bit in the last year or so, we're still in a candidate-driven market which is a real challenge for companies who are trying to add to their teams.  Tune in to our latest podcast where Sue and Alyssa talk about what you can do to attract great people.

• What are job seekers really looking for?
• How have priorities shifted?
• Why can you do to compete?

Taking a more holistic approach to attraction and engagement will help you be an employer of choice.  Need some help figuring it all out?  Contact STM for a complimentary consultation.

In the latest episode of STM’s People Solutions podcast, Sue and Chris, STM’s Senior Consultant for Training & Development, talk about internal career mobility.  Small businesses are under more and more pressure from their employees to create paths for growth within the organization or risk losing good people.  But that doesn’t have to result in false hierarchies.  Tune in to learn about:

• Impacts of internal mobility on engagement and retention
• Creating career lattices vs. ladders
• Benefits to organizations who support internal mobility
• Supporting a culture of lifelong learning

Younger generations are putting an increasing emphasis on learning and doing meaningful work.  Now’s your chance to give them those opportunities!  If you need some guidance on how you can support mobility and learning within your organization, reply to the email with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch to help.

In today's fast-paced world, balancing work, life, and family can be challenging.  But what if we reframe this challenge as an opportunity for work, life, and family integration rather than balance?  In this episode of STM People Solutions podcast, Sue and Alyssa discuss the differences between the two and tips for integrating life and work for yourself and your employees.

• Balance is separate but equal; integration is harmonious co-existence and is healthier and more attainable.
• It goes beyond work-from-home models and includes finding solutions for on-site employees as well.
• In integrated workplaces the focus is on productivity, contributions, and accomplishments, not on hours worked.
• The 4-day work week is coming!  Studies have shown that employees are more productive in a 32-hour/4-day week than the traditional 40-hour/5-day week.  There have been other positive results for employees and for their employers.  Happy and refreshed employees are productive employees!

We're always interested in fielding your questions, hearing your stories, and learning about what's working for you.  If you have anything to offer on this or any other people-related topic, don't hesitate to reach out.  Perhaps we can even feature you on a future podcast!

In our latest podcast we're tackling a topic that's been on many minds lately: remote work productivity.  If you're crushing it, good for you!  If not, you're not alone.  As more businesses are trying to return to the office, what's the best choice for productivity and how do you make a remote or hybrid environment work for you.

• Remote work can be successfully managed with the right tools and systems in place.
• Tone of voice and body language are important elements of effective communication.  How does that translate (or does it) into today's remote workplace?
• Informal communication is an important element of on-the-job knowledge transfer that is difficult to replicate in a remote world.
• Remote work isn't right for every person or every organization.

There's no one-size-fits-all answer, but STM is here to help.  For more information, download our resource 5 Key Traits of Successful Remote Workers.

In our latest podcast, Sue and Alyssa talk about the distinctions between job descriptions and job expectations. 

The differences are important to understand and your expectations should guide hiring decisions and performance management activities.

• Job descriptions are a list of things you want an employee to do.  Job expectations are what you want them to accomplish.  
• Job expectations are measurable elements that define success.
• People can't exceed your expectations if they don't know what they are!

Do you need help in defining success and clarifying your expectations?  STM offers comprehensive hiring support and performance management services, so just reply to this message with TELL ME MORE and we'll be in touch to help you out.

Recently, Art and Sue sat down with Dr. Shane Tracy to talk about coaching.  Dr. Tracy has been in the coaching business for 20 years and has trained approximately 300 coaches in his career.  He's seen the business evolve and describes it as the "wild west" with 2 million coaches worldwide.  With so many choices, how do you choose?

• Not all coaches are created equal.  Know what you're really looking for and who you're dealing with.
• Transparency about methods, expectations, objectives, and commitments is essential.
• Key to success is engaging the coachee's supervisor in the process.

Are you considering taking on a coach for yourself or a member of your team?  STM can help you with a needs assessment and options.  Reply to this email with TELL ME MORE and we'll be in touch to talk about it.

We've all met them throughout our careers and difficult employees come in many forms.  The negative impacts they can have on our business can't be ignored: lower performance and morale, poor customer relations, turnover, etc.  In this podcast, Sue and Alyssa define various types of difficult employees and provide tips for leaders to confront these situations with less stress and more objectivity such as:

• Critiquing the behavior, not the person
• Identifying the causes of the problem
• Being open to feedback.  Are there factors involved over which you have some control?
• Documenting expectations and consequences

We have a tool we use here at STM that helps to facilitate these conversations in an objective and less threatening way, Start-Stop-Continue .  Do you need some individual support with handling a difficult employee?  We can help!  Simply reply to this message with HELP and we'll be in touch to give you a hand.

Sue recently had an opportunity to be a guest on Predictive ROI's Sell With Authority podcast.  Stephen Woessner is a terrific host, and they had a great conversation about how small business owners can put themselves first, allocate their time more effectively, build depth on their teams, and make the space and capacity to focus on business development.

• Identify what you're doing that would best be delegated (and trusted) to someone else.  What are you too expensive to be doing?
• Analyze the untapped talent and capacity of the people on your team.  Not sure?  Ask them!
• Be intentional in reevaluating roles and responsibilities to maximize efficiency and growth.
• Think about the real cost of mediocrity and stop putting up with it.

Do you need help to make the most of your people resources so you can spend more of your time on business development and the things that will allow you to grow?  Contact STM for a complimentary consultation.

In the second of this two-part series focused on internal leadership development, Art and Sue are joined by Danyel Newcom McLellan, partner and president of Agency Management Institute (AMI).  AMI teaches and consults with small to midsize marketing agencies about running their businesses better and Danyel is an expert and developing leadership internally.  She talked to us about transitioning leaders into owners.  Tune in as we discuss:

• How to identify leaders who have the capacity to transition into owners
• The benefits of internal succession
• How to prepare and when to get started
• How to avoid common pitfalls

STM has been a strategic partner in helping businesses of all kinds identify and develop internal successors.  For more information on how we can help, reply to the message with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch with more details and resources.

In the first of this two-part series focused on internal leadership development, Art and Sue are joined by Danyel Newcom McLellan, partner and president of Agency Management Institute (AMI).  AMI teaches and consults with small to midsize marketing agencies about running their businesses better and Danyel is an expert and developing leadership internally.  She talked to us about growing young high performers into leaders.  Tune in as we discuss:

• How to identify people who have the potential for leadership
• How to create opportunities and a culture of growth
• Identifying key objectives and measuring success
• Avoiding common mistakes

STM has been a strategic partner in helping businesses of all kinds identify and develop young talent.  For more information on how we can help, reply to the message with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch with more details and resources.

In this episode of STM’s People Solutions podcast, Sue and Alyssa are joined by Sydney Walsh, a senior at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business.  Full disclosure, Sydney is Sue’s daughter!  Normally we wouldn’t have family members on the show, but Sydney had been sharing her ups and downs of the job search and had some interesting insight to share with those listeners who are trying to attract new graduates.

·         What do college students find attractive in the candidate experience?

·         What obstacles and challenges do they face?

·         What should you be thinking about if this is your target market for talent?

Whether hiring right out of college or seasoned professionals, the candidate experience can make or break your ability to attract top talent.  If you’d like to get information about STM’s Candidate Experience Audit, reply to this message with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch with the details.

In this podcast episode, Art and Sue are joined by George Foster of Foster Marketing to talk about his “succession journey” which involved transitioning ownership to an internal successor.  He talks candidly about how he determined who would succeed him and how he was able to make that happen.

·         Answer the question, do you want a lifestyle business or a legacy business?

·         It’s never too early to start.

·         Determining the “who” (people) will drive the “how” (legal and financial).

·         The best exit plan may not be a transfer to an external buyer, but to a valued employee.

STM played a role in helping George answer the “who” question, and we can help you to.  Click here to download information about our approach to the succession process or reply to this message with TELL ME MORE and we can set up a time to talk about how STM can support you in your succession journey.

A subject about which Alyssa is particularly passionate is the link between job hopping and people’s desire to climb the salary ladder.  In this podcast, she and Sue talk about that link and the potential consequences of responding to pay increase requests with “we just can’t afford it”.

·         Younger generations prioritize career growth (including salary growth), flexibility, and sense of purpose over career stability.

·         Job hopping is often influenced by a desire to climb the salary ladder and studies show this to be an effective strategy.

·         Turnover is expensive, often more so than meeting employee demands.

·         Retention is directly connected to providing growth opportunities, including salary growth.

Not sure how your employees feel you stack up when it comes to the salary issue?  Ask them!  Download our guide to Exit & Stay Interviews.  This includes a list of questions you should be asking in the Stay Interview in order to avoid the Exit Interview.

On this week's episode, Art and Alyssa re-opened a recent conversation in which they discussed different communication tactics and communicating with remote employees.

·         It goes beyond scheduled formal conversations

·         Don’t underestimate the power of spontaneous and informal interactions

·         Communication has to be a priority, and it is especially important with remote employees

·         Frequent conversation in the early days of employment build a sense of belonging and increases engagement and retention

We hope you find this conversation insightful and don't forget to drop your communication tips in the Q&A box! 

Art and Sue recently had an opportunity to talk with David Jean, a partner at Albin, Randall & Bennett and head of their succession planning division, Altus Exit Strategies. David is very knowledgeable in the areas of the financial challenges of business succession and often works with STM to address the people side of the equation. David tells us that it’s never too early to start thinking about who your successor might be. Are they ready?

Listen in as we talk about:

• Business owners are often so busy working in the business, that they don’t have a chance to work on the business which puts their legacy at risk.

• The more time you have to plan, the better the outcome.

• Having a comprehensive exit plan can increase the value of your business 2-3 times!

Listen Now

What can you do TODAY to get started on a succession plan? Check out David’s resources at www.arbcpa.com for answers to your financial questions.

Wondering how to choose and prepare your successor? Contact STM for a complimentary consultation.

In a recent team meeting, the subject of work-life balance came up and how people from different generations have different perspectives on what it really means. It was then that we realized that among the four of us on the full-time STM team, we have four generations represented. That would make a great podcast, right? Listen in while we talk about:

• Common threads
• Differences
• Maximizing generational advantages

 Appreciating generational diversity and making it work to your advantage can be a challenge. STM can help

In our latest podcast, Art and Sue tackle the issue of Influence vs. Manipulation.  Empathy and the ability to read people is an asset, right?  What if that ability is used for selfish or political gain?  Listen in as we talk about: 

• What are the differences between these closely related capacities?
• Why is it important to be able to determine one from the other?
• How can you determine if someone is genuinely empathetic and interested in making a connection, or if they’re using their ability to use social cues to just feed to what you want to hear?

 Need more tools to help you avoid falling into the manipulation trap?  STM’s assessments can help!

Art and Sue just returned from Chicago where they attended the Agency Management Institute’s Build a Better Agency Summit. They each hosted a roundtable discussion – Art on leadership development issues and Sue on effective interviewing. There were so many good conversations and ideas that we thought it would be helpful to share some of the things we heard. Whether you’re with an agency or in another industry, we hope you find some tips and suggestions that can make managing people a bit easier.

• What issues are business leaders struggling with in terms of hiring and developing good people?
• What tools and techniques are working?
• How can STM support businesses that want to improve their hiring success and leadership development?

There is a wealth of resources on our website, but particularly relevant to this conversation is our Interviewing Guide and recently released resource on Exit and Stay Interviews.

If STM can help you address your people challenges, get in touch!

We’ve been talking a lot about the power of the exit interview and an emerging concept of the stay interview.  In this podcast, Sue and Nicole discuss the reasons for having these conversations and the importance of using the information to make changes that improve the employee experience. 

• Why are they useful?
• What questions should you be asking?
• What do you do with this information?

Visit the resources page of our website for a complimentary summary and lists of suggested questions you should be asking .  If you need help putting together a program for your business, give us a call!

In this episode, Sue talks with Lori Highby, founder of strategic digital marketing agency Keystone Click.  Lori works with a number of clients in the area of Employer Branding.  Tune in to get answers to these questions: 

·      What is employer branding and why should you care about it? 

·      What are the biggest mistakes companies are making when it comes to employer branding? 

·      What are steps that you can take right now to improve your employer brand? 

·      Do you need help defining and improving your employer brand?

In this episode, Art and Sue are joined by Craig Cody, CPA of Craig Cody & Company.  Continuing in the vein of our recent podcast about the legal ramifications of having out-of-state remote employees, Craig helps us address some of the financial considerations.
What are the administrative costs?
What are the tax implications?
How can you avoid unpleasant surprises?

In this podcast, Art is joined by David Jean, one of our strategic partners and a partner at Albin, Randall, Bennett.  In a recent conversation, the question came up, “Why do we treat our best people so poorly?”  Are you falling into any of these traps?

• Taking the path of least resistance and overloading your best performers because you know the job will get done right without any hand holding
• Spending so much of your time trying to develop green or underperforming employees that you ignore the needs of your rock star
• Failing to invest in developing other talent because you know you can always turn to a handful of your best people

Don’t risk burning out and losing the best people on your team.

How to spot people who are just "too nice."

Our latest podcast episode features Art and Alyssa as they discuss competency shifts and what they mean. Some highlights include:

• Trends we've seen in job candidates’ attitudes about people, productivity, and planning
• When an over focus on people can be too much of a good thing
• How to screen out candidates who are too focused on people to the detriment of the competencies you really need

You can contact STM to learn about how our assessments can help you improve your success rate in hiring and promotions, including identifying those who are just “too nice” for the job.

In this episode of STM’s People Solutions Podcast, Art and Sue talk about the importance of ongoing communication as a key element in an effective performance management process.Some of the topics we touch on in this episode include:

• Regular communication about performance increases retention and reinforces strategic vision.
• Performance management is a continuous process of improvement and goal setting.
• If managed effectively, no one should be surprised at the annual review.