Management Archives - Scott Patchin

Transformation or Training?

Talent management is too often focused on putting in what was left out. Real change takes energy, and acknowledging that helps the performance evalutation and professional development focus take on more significance. We need to ask up front “Are you ready?” and then the leader needs to ask “How can I help?” Leaders need to remember that their role in talent management is to help define the what and how – – then support in the journey to a new place. Great followership involves making a choice to go to a new place.

Leadership Development Starts – BEFORE you lead

David Baker wrote a book to help new managers make their transition successful. As I read Managing Right For The First Time in preparation for writing a review, I will share things that make me go Hmmmm. Some thoughts are around leadership development, while some are just about self awareness or individual development. This is about starting your development before you lead.

Where Leaders Learn and 3 Ways To Make It Stick

Most learning is free. The challenge is slowing down long enough to recognize it or to be purposeful about finding a friend to help process it and make the new knowledge a habit. Here are some tips about talent management of ourselves as leaders. Included is a Talent Scorecard to help you see where your own habits as a leader need to be built.

5 Habits To Build a Trust Savings Account

Truth and trust are the two areas that all leaders need to focus all of the time. Here are 5 Habits to build a Trust Savings Account (aka: Emergency Fund). The Birkman Method is a great tool for helping to understand the individual needs of your people. This is s cornerstone of both leadership development and the development of the culture of your team.

WISHRM2011 – How to support development plans?

This is a question from the Wisconsin State SHRM Conference in 2011. I was invited to speak on the Talent Management Scorecard. The question was How do you recommend supporting momentum once development plans are established?

Learning to listen to ourselves

Resilience and leadership starts with an awareness of self, and gets done with a practice of coaching ourselves when we feel our perceptions taking over. We have to rely on our instincts, but we cannot lead effectively if the people we have to trust feel like we are not listening to them. Here is a coaching example of resilience and building trust.

Do we need a Talent Management Initiative? No . . . Part I

Talent managment is not an initiative, it is about habits. My talent scorecard helps leaders ask themselve “Am I doing all of the important things that my people need”. Leadership development is about helping leaders become skilled at the What of leadership, and this scorecard helps them understand the Why as well as the what.

Words that make me go Hmmmm – Hold accountable

Leadership and accountability is a double edged sword. Accountability is too often used around revolutionary or punitive rhetoric. Be careful, because it is a powerful word and it can result in some very distructive actions. Talent management has to have accountabiity to work, but it starts with a great conversation and a strong relationship.

Boss Watching: 3 Actions to Manage it

Is boss watching the #1 sport in the office? Not sure. But leaders need to have the self awareness to know people are watching and lead with transparency. Leadership is about building trust and generating truth to such questions as Why is this happening? or What are you thinking about? Boss watching is about followers filling in the blanks.

Lifeguards for Leaders: Who is watching?

Safety around water is important because the risk is real, and a drowning victim has a name. This lesson hit me during a recent swimming lesson, and it has application in leadership development. What do new leaders need? A lifeguard of sorts – called leadership development, an on-boarding plan, or a mentor.

Why People Don’t Hear – 3 Actions To Help

Listening is not always THEIR problem. Leaders need to be clear and people need to have time to digest either positive or negative news. Too often there is confusion and surprise. Here are 3 steps for leaders to make sure the news is heard and it makes a difference.

Your voice is smiling

Attitude is contagious. Smiles also become contagious, and people can hear smiles. Here is a thought about how leading with a smile makes a difference.