Workplace 101: A Profiles Global Business Blog

Hiring Outside Superstars Doesn't Guarantee Success

There are many comparisons to be made between business and sports. This year’s Philadelphia Eagles team provides plenty of examples of talent management issues from assembling the best team of players to selecting the right coaching staff to lead them, then getting them to function as a team and perform at their best. Each of these touch points and more represent variables that factor into wins, losses, and ties on the field or in the office.

In case you are catching up on your reading or just joining us, check out the hot topics in Leadership & Management.

Guest post by Ali Schwanke

I'm an excellent leader. I always communicate effectively. I'm visionary and dedicated to results. My employees know just how much I appreciate their contributions to the organization.

Really???

Stop and consider this: If you think you are a great leader in all of these areas, how do you know this is true?

Mergers taking place between two companies can be a scary time for all involved. Employees fear the unknown, managers gain an increase in staff and workload, and leaders worry about the change in their company culture. Employee assessments and determined leaders can create the perfect cocktail for a successful merger.

What does Thanksgiving mean to businesses? Besides the obvious – the start of the holiday shopping season on Black Friday – there’s an opportunity for all organizations to harness the spirit of Thanksgiving year-round as a way to engage your constituents and improve your business. Show that you not only appreciate your organization’s accomplishments, but the people who make them possible.

Original content by Deiric McCann, Profiles International

Would you like to be a successful charismatic leader and get extraordinary results from your people?

Leadership Charisma covers many steps to developing this, and outlines when you put to work in service of your business, it can have enormous impact. Since the launch of Leadership Charisma in January 2011, one topic in particular proved most popular.

Recruit and select the best to reduce further employee turnover

So your employee left. Now it’s time to start recruiting top talent to find that golden employee. To prevent further employee turnover, job fit is critical. Recruiting and selecting the perfect person for the job can be costly and those costs also factor in to the total cost of employee turnover.

Motivating employees can be one of your biggest challenges as an employer, but learning how to inspire each individual -- especially those with quirky personalities -- is the key to a successful organization.

Whether it’s a raise, a promotion or simply the chance to work on a new project, all people are motivated differently, that is undeniable. People have different priorities in the workplace, the intern is hungry for experience, the young sales rep trying to meet goals for that juicy bonus, the VP struggling to balance home and work life.

Profiles International is proud to sponsor the 2012 Sales Performance Optimization Survey from CSO Insights. CSO Insights is a research firm specializing in providing sales best practices, trends and industry comparisons. This study is one of five annual research reports CSO Insights presents. Their research helps companies, managers and sales employees around the world. 

Although your business may be profitable, that doesn't mean you should ignore issues that could be causing serious long-term damage. If you are experiencing high staff turnover, or your new hires are not fitting well with your organization and its values, follow these 6 steps to ensure smart hiring processes and that you get the most out of your people.

In case you are catching up on your reading or just joining us, check out the hot topics in Leadership & Management.

On Veterans’ Day we honor current and past members of our Armed Forces for the sacrifices they make and thank them for their commitment to keeping our country and the freedoms we enjoy safe. While serving in the military, they also perform jobs not unlike civilians. So the next time you need to fill roles within your organization, consider hiring military veterans for their skills and leadership abilities.

In 2011, organizations must capitalize on their most powerful resource: their people. Making an informed decision to increase leadership effectiveness is fundamental for successful growth strategies.

John Bradford is Senior VP of Training and Consulting Services at Profiles International. He specializes in the design, development and implementation of our assessment solutions. He is a renowned public speaker and leadership mentor, travelling all over the world sharing his knowledge with our clients and partners.

John works with leaders on five continents and currently 720 of his clients worldwide are engaged in developing leadership initiatives. In this article, we share some of John's research findings and recommendations for leaders in todays world.

Don’t Gamble That Your Top Performers Will Succeed in Their New Roles

It’s been more than four decades since Dr. Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull articulated the talent management blunder known as “The Peter Principle.” Their book provided a comical view of organizational hierarchies that explains why incompetent people are promoted into positions for which they aren’t suited. The trouble is, when you work for that person (or are that person), it isn’t funny. How can you avoid falling victim to The Peter Principle?

Harvard Business School Prof. Advocates Developing Talent From Within

You might laugh at the thought of being able to hire new employees right now. But there are companies hiring these days, and you will eventually need to replenish or add jobs, too. When the time comes to fill your vacant positions, will you promote from within or hire outside talent? Is your talent management strategy to coach or poach?

10 Initial Costs Due to an Employee Leaving

It’s a busy time in the workplace. Projects are underway. Deadlines are approaching. Sales quotas need to be met. And managers and employees need to be as productive as possible. In the midst of all the activity, organizations always face speed bumps – a major one being: employee turnover.

In a recent blog article published by Harvard Business Review, Kenneth Freeman presents the case for focusing on long-term shareholder value through an engaged workforce. He boldly states that the way to approach this goal is to first create employee satisfaction before customer satisfaction.

Employee turnover is inevitable. We know this. Sometimes it’s management and sometimes it’s beyond an organization’s control. But one thing is certain: employee turnover isn’t cheap. With high employee turnover rates, you’re not only losing employees, but you’re losing profits!

Developing leadership capabilities are essential to ensure focus on the short-term and long-term health of any organization. Effective leadership development enables companies to react quickly to change and to endure in difficult times.

Volunteerism Builds Employee Engagement and Customer Loyalty

Participating in charitable and community events as a company enables you to pursue team building in an unusual way while engaging and motivating your employees and supporting worthy causes.

Dr. Scott Hamilton selected to the ATP board of directors for 2012

Profiles International Chief Research Officer, Scott Hamilton, Ph.D., has been elected to serve on the board of the Association of Test Publishers for a two-year term starting in 2012.