Employee Performance Management - Connecting IT Companies

Oct 7, 2007

To keep great people and drive great business – add some SALT!

Employee performance management can not only boost your productivity but also ensure that you hold onto your best people. In business, the phrase “people are our most important asset” is frequently used but infrequently lived out. No matter the company size, the work gets done by real, live people who interact with a myriad of stakeholders . . . customers, communities, colleagues, suppliers, and shareholders.

Workforce statistics point to the probability that there will be a significant gap in the number of available workers in the future. This problem becomes even more pronounced when we look at the very real potential for a drastic decline in the availability of skilled individuals in the workforce. The challenge of employee performance management comes down to retaining high-performance workers and attracting bright new employees in order to deliver excellent results. All this is against the backdrop of increasing competition, technology moving at warp speed, and the global economy shifting almost daily.

As I look at the twin leadership challenges of attracting and retaining the best people, there is a connection between employee performance management and the way that SALT has been used throughout history to preserve food, add flavor, and protect and heal. In the Middle Ages, salt as a precious commodity was even more highly valued than gold. In the current business environment as we study high performance teams and consider the teams of the future, perhaps the time is right to think about SALT and how this special ingredient can assist with attracting and keeping the very best people. Using the acronym of S-A-L-T, we will review the four critical areas that directly impact business success . . . serving, applauding, listening and teaching.

1) Let’s start with serving and how SALT can enhance employees’ taste for the business

First, when serving others it is dramatically important to provide the proper tools so as to maximize their potential for success.

Second, encourage and model the best processes and highest values making sure that you are not asking employees to do anything you would not do. It is the wise person who remembers that he or she should “not be a leader with servants, but rather a servant who is a leader.”

Third, humility is another important trait of the mature and caring leader. Great leaders are humble and readily seek to give credit to others while avoiding self-promotion. In his bestselling book, Good to Great, Jim Collins discusses level 5 leaders and the strength they command by seeking genuine humility. This kind of leader is ready to take the blame when things go wrong, and to give praise to others when projects result in success. When sincerity and humility are honestly displayed, people are willing (and often eager) to push with extra effort toward reaching goals and achieving excellence. President Harry Truman said, “You can accomplish anything in life, provided that it doesn’t matter who gets the credit.”

2) Applauding is a key ingredient in the SALT recipe for business success

First, great teams and great employees want to be recognized for accomplishment. This is particularly true for younger people in the workforce. Enthusiastic, motivated employees set out to be the best, finish first, or complete a task with recognized distinction. Take care, however, to ensure that the recognition is directed to genuine accomplishment. People easily see through “staged” recognition.

Second, high achievers want to celebrate success and enjoy recognition. Key to properly employing applause is ensuring clear measures, defining accountability, and expressing meaningful recognition. In successfully using recognition, it must be clear to everyone how success is defined and what it will take to get there.

Third, consider how you successfully deliver applause to others. Try celebrating in fun and unusual ways such as having a company executive (or two!) make ice cream sundaes for people at a recognition event. This provides the opportunity to serve others and celebrate in a relaxed and “tasteful” way . . . Guaranteed! People will love it! Another simple idea with big impact is sending a hand-written note or email to someone who has accomplished a major goal, or, for that matter, some small event in an employee’s work life. People truly appreciate personalized, thoughtful and unexpected expressions of recognition.

3) Listening is another critical element in the makeup of SALT.

First, people need and want their employer to listen attentively and to communicate a positive, caring attitude. This all translates into the basic human need to feel valued and appreciated. As an added dividend, an attitude of “I care . . . I want to hear what you have to say” is a healthy contribution to the business. Listening opens the door to greater trust by encouraging honest and effective feedback. When employees feel valued at work, attitudes change, morale gets better, productivity goes up, innovation happens, and generally the enterprise gains through the input of fresh ideas and motivated people.

Second, find unique ways to listen by soliciting feedback in different forms. Get out of the office and have face-to-face conversations. Send a personalized email. Distribute a survey to get input on important issues. Whenever possible “ask the questions that tell more than just the answer to the specific questions.” Work hard to “hear what is not said” and, as appropriate, probe for better understanding. As the employer going through these exercises, it’s important to have the mindset that valuable insights can be unearthed from anyone at anytime with the results potentially leading to big discoveries for the business. Important answers and fresh ideas are often just a brief conversation away with an employee who feels secure in the fact that you care and are willing to listen. Give it a try!

4) Teaching tops off your business SALT shaker!

First, business success today requires that your workforce is continuously learning and being challenged to grow. Do you have a “teachable” point of view? In other words, can you teach what you preach with the same passion as you preach? If management sets the example for your people, the organization will quickly benefit from a positive culture of learning (self-improvement, career development, continuous education, and skills training). Business is changing too fast to not have people who have a passion and devotion to learning. A key essential to job satisfaction (along with attraction and retention) is the distinct opportunity to learn, grow and develop as a business professional and as a person. Especially for younger workers, remembering the fact that they highly value skills development and new learning experiences is critical. The profundity is that a person’s value in the market is directly related to the skills he or she has and the skills currently being developed. No clear-thinking career person wants to be in a position where opportunity for learning and growing is missing. As President John Kennedy said in the speech he was to deliver while in Dallas in November of 1963, “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.”

So, how are you dispensing SALT from your business salt shaker?

We face the challenge each business day to deliver better results while doing so at an increasingly faster pace. In addition, we are asked to excel with diminished headcounts, win battles in spite of an increasingly competitive landscape, and, perhaps most importantly, deal with the ever-changing demands of our customers. Companies succeed today through good management, wise stewardship, innovation and the all-important ability to change and grow. Part and parcel to these truisms, however, is the fact that people make the business; people who feel engaged, valued and prepared to meet the challenges of business now and in the future. Those at all levels of management and leadership are charged with making this happen.

As you give thought to the opportunities and challenges ahead, and how you can better your seat at the business table, consider grabbing the SALT. A generous sprinkling on the people who make your business wheels turn will go a long way as you labor to taste business success.

BIOGRAPHY
James H. Reese
President and Chief Operating Officer
CCCi - "Our people make it work"
www.cccitpeople.com

Jim is President and COO of CCCi, an IT staffing company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. He joined the organization in 2006 with a vision to leverage CCCi's successful 28 year history in IT staffing for growth and expansion. His primary focus is insuring that CCCi achieves its vision, "To be the South's most sought after partner for IT staffing." He has responsibility for the current locations in Atlanta, Dallas, Charlotte, Birmingham, and the new location in Raleigh. Before joining CCCi, Reese was a member of the Executive Board of Netherlands-based Randstad Holding NV, and the CEO of Randstad North America with oversight for Randstad United Kingdom. As CEO of Randstad North America, Reese had responsibility for more than 500 offices and 2,300 staff members, who together put more than 53,000 individuals to work each week across the United States and Canada.

Prior to joining Randstad, Reese was COO for the Honeybaked Ham Company. He was responsible for more than 125 retail stores in addition to catalog business, new business development, business-to-business services, corporate gift services, real estate, store construction, purchasing and quality assurance. Reese served as Division Vice President of Operations for Frito-Lay, the $5+ billion Snack Food Division of PepsiCo. In addition to overseeing the company's engineering and quality assurance programs, Reese was responsible for supporting sales in excess of $900 million. Prior to working at Frito-Lay, Reese managed the General Food's Maxwell House Coffee Plant in Jacksonville, Florida.

In 1980, Reese earned his B.B.A. in Marketing and Business from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Reese is a board member of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, a past member of the Board of the American Staffing Association and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. He also serves on The Carter Center Board of Councilors and as Chairman of the Elders at Fellowship Bible Church in Roswell, Georgia. He has addressed audiences at Yale University and at Western Michigan University, and at various business conferences. Reese lives in North Atlanta with his wife, Dina, of 25 years and three daughters.

Author Name	Jim Reese, COO & President
Author Company	CCCi
Body of Topic	Oct 7, 2007 *To keep great people and drive great business – add some SALT!* Employee performance management can not only boost your productivity but also ensure that you hold onto your best people. In business, the phrase “people are our most important asset” is frequently used but infrequently lived out. No matter the company size, the work gets done by real, live people who interact with a myriad of stakeholders . . . customers, communities, colleagues, suppliers, and shareholders. Workforce statistics point to the probability that there will be a significant gap in the number of available workers in the future. This problem becomes even more pronounced when we look at the very real potential for a drastic decline in the availability of skilled individuals in the workforce. The challenge of employee performance management comes down to retaining high-performance workers and attracting bright new employees in order to deliver excellent results. All this is against the backdrop of increasing competition, technology moving at warp speed, and the global economy shifting almost daily. As I look at the twin leadership challenges of attracting and retaining the best people, there is a connection between employee performance management and the way that SALT has been used throughout history to preserve food, add flavor, and protect and heal. In the Middle Ages, salt as a precious commodity was even more highly valued than gold. In the current business environment as we study high performance teams and consider the teams of the future, perhaps the time is right to think about SALT and how this special ingredient can assist with attracting and keeping the very best people. Using the acronym of S-A-L-T, we will review the four critical areas that directly impact business success . . . *serving, applauding, listening and teaching. 1) Let’s start with serving and how SALT can enhance employees’ taste for the business* First, when serving others it is dramatically important to provide the proper tools so as to maximize their potential for success. Second, encourage and model the best processes and highest values making sure that you are not asking employees to do anything you would not do. It is the wise person who remembers that he or she should “not be a leader with servants, but rather a servant who is a leader.” Third, humility is another important trait of the mature and caring leader. Great leaders are humble and readily seek to give credit to others while avoiding self-promotion. In his bestselling book, Good to Great, Jim Collins discusses level 5 leaders and the strength they command by seeking genuine humility. This kind of leader is ready to take the blame when things go wrong, and to give praise to others when projects result in success. When sincerity and humility are honestly displayed, people are willing (and often eager) to push with extra effort toward reaching goals and achieving excellence. President Harry Truman said, “You can accomplish anything in life, provided that it doesn’t matter who gets the credit.” 2) Applauding is a key ingredient in the SALT recipe for business success First, great teams and great employees want to be recognized for accomplishment. This is particularly true for younger people in the workforce. Enthusiastic, motivated employees set out to be the best, finish first, or complete a task with recognized distinction. Take care, however, to ensure that the recognition is directed to genuine accomplishment. People easily see through “staged” recognition. Second, high achievers want to celebrate success and enjoy recognition. Key to properly employing applause is ensuring clear measures, defining accountability, and expressing meaningful recognition. In successfully using recognition, it must be clear to everyone how success is defined and what it will take to get there. Third, consider how you successfully deliver applause to others. Try celebrating in fun and unusual ways such as having a company executive (or two!) make ice cream sundaes for people at a recognition event. This provides the opportunity to serve others and celebrate in a relaxed and “tasteful” way . . . Guaranteed! People will love it! Another simple idea with big impact is sending a hand-written note or email to someone who has accomplished a major goal, or, for that matter, some small event in an employee’s work life. People truly appreciate personalized, thoughtful and unexpected expressions of recognition. 3) Listening is another critical element in the makeup of SALT. First, people need and want their employer to listen attentively and to communicate a positive, caring attitude. This all translates into the basic human need to feel valued and appreciated. As an added dividend, an attitude of “I care . . . I want to hear what you have to say” is a healthy contribution to the business. Listening opens the door to greater trust by encouraging honest and effective feedback. When employees feel valued at work, attitudes change, morale gets better, productivity goes up, innovation happens, and generally the enterprise gains through the input of fresh ideas and motivated people. Second, find unique ways to listen by soliciting feedback in different forms. Get out of the office and have face-to-face conversations. Send a personalized email. Distribute a survey to get input on important issues. Whenever possible “ask the questions that tell more than just the answer to the specific questions.” Work hard to “hear what is not said” and, as appropriate, probe for better understanding. As the employer going through these exercises, it’s important to have the mindset that valuable insights can be unearthed from anyone at anytime with the results potentially leading to big discoveries for the business. Important answers and fresh ideas are often just a brief conversation away with an employee who feels secure in the fact that you care and are willing to listen. Give it a try! 4) Teaching tops off your business SALT shaker! First, business success today requires that your workforce is continuously learning and being challenged to grow. Do you have a “teachable” point of view? In other words, can you teach what you preach with the same passion as you preach? If management sets the example for your people, the organization will quickly benefit from a positive culture of learning (self-improvement, career development, continuous education, and skills training). Business is changing too fast to not have people who have a passion and devotion to learning. A key essential to job satisfaction (along with attraction and retention) is the distinct opportunity to learn, grow and develop as a business professional and as a person. Especially for younger workers, remembering the fact that they highly value skills development and new learning experiences is critical. The profundity is that a person’s value in the market is directly related to the skills he or she has and the skills currently being developed. No clear-thinking career person wants to be in a position where opportunity for learning and growing is missing. As President John Kennedy said in the speech he was to deliver while in Dallas in November of 1963, “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” So, how are you dispensing SALT from your business salt shaker? We face the challenge each business day to deliver better results while doing so at an increasingly faster pace. In addition, we are asked to excel with diminished headcounts, win battles in spite of an increasingly competitive landscape, and, perhaps most importantly, deal with the ever-changing demands of our customers. Companies succeed today through good management, wise stewardship, innovation and the all-important ability to change and grow. Part and parcel to these truisms, however, is the fact that people make the business; people who feel engaged, valued and prepared to meet the challenges of business now and in the future. Those at all levels of management and leadership are charged with making this happen. As you give thought to the opportunities and challenges ahead, and how you can better your seat at the business table, consider grabbing the SALT. A generous sprinkling on the people who make your business wheels turn will go a long way as you labor to taste business success. BIOGRAPHY James H. Reese President and Chief Operating Officer CCCi - "Our people make it work" www.cccitpeople.com Jim is President and COO of CCCi, an IT staffing company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. He joined the organization in 2006 with a vision to leverage CCCi's successful 28 year history in IT staffing for growth and expansion. His primary focus is insuring that CCCi achieves its vision, "To be the South's most sought after partner for IT staffing." He has responsibility for the current locations in Atlanta, Dallas, Charlotte, Birmingham, and the new location in Raleigh. Before joining CCCi, Reese was a member of the Executive Board of Netherlands-based Randstad Holding NV, and the CEO of Randstad North America with oversight for Randstad United Kingdom. As CEO of Randstad North America, Reese had responsibility for more than 500 offices and 2,300 staff members, who together put more than 53,000 individuals to work each week across the United States and Canada. Prior to joining Randstad, Reese was COO for the Honeybaked Ham Company. He was responsible for more than 125 retail stores in addition to catalog business, new business development, business-to-business services, corporate gift services, real estate, store construction, purchasing and quality assurance. Reese served as Division Vice President of Operations for Frito-Lay, the $5+ billion Snack Food Division of PepsiCo. In addition to overseeing the company's engineering and quality assurance programs, Reese was responsible for supporting sales in excess of $900 million. Prior to working at Frito-Lay, Reese managed the General Food's Maxwell House Coffee Plant in Jacksonville, Florida. In 1980, Reese earned his B.B.A. in Marketing and Business from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Reese is a board member of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, a past member of the Board of the American Staffing Association and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. He also serves on The Carter Center Board of Councilors and as Chairman of the Elders at Fellowship Bible Church in Roswell, Georgia. He has addressed audiences at Yale University and at Western Michigan University, and at various business conferences. Reese lives in North Atlanta with his wife, Dina, of 25 years and three daughters.

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