Could This Be Trouble?

Recently I have heard from members of the legal profession regarding recomendations that are posted on Linkedin.  The concern is that these postings could be used against a past employer in the event an employee is released from their job.  There is an additional concern that this practice is a violation of a companies printed reference policy (if the policy is to not provide references). 

It seems to me that as social media moves further into the work place that we as employers should re-think the topic of references and how they can be regulated.  If we all end up putting disclaimers on our various sites, does the message become diluted?  Can we change the definition of what constitutes a reference?  It’s worth asking the questions.

There is a common belief that a candidate would never give a bad reference to a prospective employer so why would a recomendation on Linkedin be any different?  We have the opportunity to review the post prior to release.  The person we asked can decline.  So really what does it matter and is this simply another aspect of the world around us being over thought? 

My preference is to take these testimonials for what they are.  Use common sense both when asking for a recomendation and when providing one.  Let’s keep this social and not make it legal.

Accountabilities

Why are people afraid of accountability?  Setting standards is a way of marking progress.  It can be a way of identifying areas of improvement.  Perhaps it simply boils down to a fear of success. 

Being measured is an aspect of life.  Live well!

Why We Do Things

I had the opportunity to speak with a number of people this past weekend about why we do the things we do.  The conversations centered on coaches and teachers and the perceived intent of their activities.  Without exception, we all had examples of both good and bad and there really wasn’t much of a middle ground.  It’s easy to pick apart the actions of others and to be critical of their work. 

While the topic is troubling and we are quick to find those around us that may not be doing things for the right reasons perhaps change starts with each of us as individuals.  Are we living our lives for the right reasons?  Are we in “it” with the intent to make our work, marriage or relationships better?  What can we do to demonstrate a true interest and commitment to the things that we do?

Be honest with ourselves and follow through is a start.

A Mile Is Still A Mile, Still

It is suggested that in running a mile that the first person to finish the race is the only person to be rewarded.  While there are medals for second and third, the first place finisher does get the “gold”.  Still, there is more to finishing a race than being the very first to cross the line.  There is first by age or gender at the very least.  More to the point, a person can be running to qualify or are running  against themself and simply running for time.  There were many races that I finished where I was participant on an individual level and was not positioned to win.  But yet I did.  Finishing ninth with a personal best can be viewed as a win.

 In business, not every employee can be the “star”.  There are various levels of achievement and they are matched by the appropriate reward.  More importantly as was pointed out by lisaamorao, managers are not looking for the “one hit wonder” rather we are looking to hire the individual who can create repeatable success.  There is a place for steady performers.  They might not win the President’s award but you can count on them to compile strong numbers month after month and this is what pays the bills that allow companies to grow.

Success is a funny thing………..it can mean different things to different people.  While there is only one Bill Gates there are many successful people out there in the world!

Contract Employee Ownership

Just a thought.  As previously discussed, the staffing industry has attempted to institute structure to the sale of contract labor through the use of various tools including contracts.  Suppliers have their own as do the clients and time is spent trying to amend the verbage of each.  To that end, even with a contract do we really own or have rights on what we sell?

Certainly we represent people and would like exclusivity to submit them for an appropriate period of time and attempt to hold agreements such as this.  Realistcally, it’s hard to enforce such an arrangement.  Candidates look for multiple agencies to increase their potential.  Clients do the same.  Large companies have different buying mechanisims and our right to a candidate might be good in one department but not another.  Without the benefit of the knowledge that a staffing firm is getting all orders from their client and in turn can submit a candidate to all appropriate requisitions, it is hard to say that that firm owns the rights to any candidate.

Small to mid-size clients allow staffing firms to rely on relationships to protect their interests but not so in a larger environment.  At best, a staffing firm can submit a candidate on the openings that they currently hold and if that same candidate turns up on another requisition in another department through a competitor, take it for what it is worth and look for ways to penetrate that account further.  It appears that this is not an issue of ownership but rather of relationship (both with the client as well as with the contract employee) as well as an ability to fully develop an account.

At the end of the day a staffing firm will win some as well as lose some and it is how the loses are managed that will dictate the further development of relationships and account penetration!

Staffing as a Solution

Some number of years ago when I first “fell” into the staffing world it looked as if the job was a simple task of matching orders to available talent.  There were few if any contracts, terms were discussed and implemented and the contract employee was put to work.  Simple enough in theory and practical in application.  Work was done for reasons like, maternity leaves, vacation, peak work loads and projects that were facing deadlines.  Throw in that there were projects that entailed work for extended periods of time but not a person on staff once the work was completed and we had reasons for doing business.

 As the staffing industry has progressed, so have the rules of engagement.  Contracts were created by both the staffing firms and their clients.  The process has become much more a formal  start to finish and that is just on the simple vendor to client relationship.  Throw in the VMS (Vendor Managed Services) and now we start to add layers and cost to the process.  Without going overboard, we now can include third party arrangements, off-shore and near-shore options and the menu has become one that can be confusing for companies that are considering/ utilizing staffing as an option.

With all this in mind, I offer one simple thought.  Companies have needs that entail the use of contract labor.  At the end of the day it is about finding the best possible candidate at an appropriate price.  Layering the process can dilute the end result and leave all parties less than satisfied.  Respect the need for what it is and utilize the solution that fits the need.  If we look at this process much like we approach shopping for a new sport shoe I believe that there is a parallel to be found.  Certainly there are different shoes for different sports and I can’t take away from that basic premise but can say that the majority of us can use one shoe for multiple situations.  If I were to go and but a pair of shoes for a spin class but have another pair for weight training and then a pair to jog in but certainly then require another pair to walk to the car and to drive home in and …………….we would need a bigger bag and a fair amount of money.  So has become the idea of staffing as a solution. 

At the end of the day staffing is all about the right candidate at the right price.  If approached in the proper fashion it can be a beneficial process that doesn’t require a heavy amount of structure.  Keeping perspective is a wonderful thing and staffing can still be a positive solution.

Where have all the sales people gone?

Recently I was speaking with a business manager who was frustrated with a perceived lack of sales talent available in the greater bay area. He indicated that in the past 15 months he had hired four new business development types and that all four had turned over with a consistent record of low to no success. His concern is shared by others if I am to take into account the conversations that are appearing on various boards dedicated to hiring as well as conversations with hiring managers and recruiters. Where is the talent and why are companies finding it to be increasingly difficult to retain producers? In my own case, the need is not to find sales types with years of experience, rather I am looking for raw talent and a sense of self motivation. Don Shula, who was known for an ability to produce winning teams year after year summed it up in this fashion. “I can teach skills but I can’t teach attitude.” This is a statement that rings true and is representative of my desire in hiring sales talent. Show me a desire and a willingness to learn and I will teach you the mechanics of successful sales. It is a simple process that only requires the determination and desire of an individual to see a task through from start to success. Perhaps the challange is not a shortage of people but rather the need for instant gratification. In our lives we are able to find, buy or simply obtain what we want in immediate fashion. Sales takes time. Is this simply a question of drawing from a pool that expects and possibly needs a more immediate return? It is a simple question but the answer is perhaps more involved that it has been in the past………….