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In this article, I will explore the reasons why and how leaders change and the most effective approaches for doing so.

In the world of work, the following are the most common catalysts for change:

• Results you desire are not being achieved. You are not personally satisfied with them nor are those to whom you are accountable.
  
• It is challenging to get buy-in and commitment to your goals. You feel a strain or superficiality in your relationship with peers, direct reports, the Board or investors. You often find yourself suppressing conflict; or when you express disagreement, you find it is damaging to the relationship and your credibility.
  
• You come to the realization you need to grow your leadership skills to gain greater responsibility and to move up in your career. You recognize your lack of formal or recent leadership development. This is common when a person is promoted because of their functional or technical expertise.
  
• A performance review or 360° assessment indicates you are capable of achieving and contributing more by improving your leadership skills.
  
• Getting fired. Albeit too late, you realize your lack of development of some serious leadership behaviors. You are determined not to let it happen again and want to "fix" the problem.

How Leaders Change

How does a leader change and develop leadership behaviors? I firmly believe we are all created to grow, achieve and contribute throughout our entire lifetime. It is within our capability to improve our leadership behaviors. Yet improvement rarely happens overnight. Change takes time. But there are effective approaches to improving leadership skills. These consist of getting a current assessment, identifying gaps, developing a strategy and action plan and, finally, implementing the plan.

Self-awareness is the start. The Greek philosophers were right when they said "know thyself." Volumes of books have been written with methods and systems on how to improve. There is no silver bullet; there is no one way that works best for everyone. However, there are fundamentals to the change process. Change takes time but also motivation, determination, humility, sharing, understanding and the assistance of others. And it begins with a willingness to recognize our "blind spots" and confront our issues.

Sooner or later in a person’s career, they get feedback about a blind spot - that is, a negative behavior they are unaware of. Often, a leadership behavior that has worked well for years no longer works because the individual is in a new situation. This may be due to a promotion or company reorganization, for instance, with new challenges and a different staff.  For example, leaders often get feedback that they are not tough enough, that they don’t "hold people’s feet to the fire."  Conversely, leaders can be seen as too direct, insensitive, dictatorial and only interested in their own goals and no one else’s. 

Do either of these sound familiar to you? Behaviors such as these hurt a leader’s relationships and ability to deliver results.  Feedback, which is critical to improvement, is often tough to accept.  Often, people are shocked to discover their blind spots.  It may be that they have never been given the feedback before; or they may have received but not "heard" it because the behavior did not negatively impact their overall effectiveness at the time. The individual described in Case 1 was completely unaware of how his behavior was perceived by others. His initial reaction was one of denial.

Specific, detailed, actionable feedback is key to recognizing blind spots and correcting the behaviors that interfere with a leader’s effectiveness. What is it about the way you interact with people, including tone of voice and non-verbal cues, that has a negative effect upon others?  You need specific examples in order to understand and begin to know what and how to change.  It is then important to pick one or two behaviors to work on; specifically, those that will have the greatest impact on your effectiveness, your challenges and your organization’s goals.

Case 1 -  Moving a Research Organization to a Product Sales Organization

The Challenge: As his organization grew, the president of a company was becoming increasingly frustrated that his leadership team was not making the shift from a research organization to a more production- and sales-oriented focus. He found that silos were beginning to form, resulting in competition among groups. Although he had successfully taken the company through key phases, including an intensive research organization buildup, establishment of a breakthrough technology platform and small scale production, growth into its next phase was hampered by his leadership style.

The Solution: Through a 360º leadership assessment plus other instruments, he realized that he was a significant part of the problem. He was seen as dictatorial and unsympathetic. The assessment results convinced him that he had serious blind spots. Coaching focused on helping him make the needed changes.

The Results: A 360º progress assessment one year later indicated he had made substantial improvements in managing disagreements, giving feedback and taking an active interest in developing his people. His strengthened relationships played a key role in his ability to shift the company from a research organization to a production- and sales-focused one.

As a leader begins to work on changing behavior, the reality sinks in that change is indeed very hard work. They often feel that nothing is changing.  They become frustrated, particularly if they are trying to change a negative behavior. It feels like the behavior is ten times worse as they attempt to change it.  They feel inept and begin to doubt that they can change.  This is because they are now fully aware of the problem and its negative consequences.  They need to give themselves a break and recognize that there will be setbacks along the way.  They need to understand that this is a critical stage which I call the "try and try again stage," similar to learning to ride a bike by falling off and trying again and again.

Case 2 describes such an individual. He quickly accepted the feedback he received and plunged into the hard work needed to change his behavior but became frustrated because his expectations for progress were initially unrealistic. Changing behaviors developed over a lifetime can be a slow process; however, this is no excuse for putting growth on the back burner. 

There is "no learning in the comfort zone nor comfort in the learning zone." Leaders attempting to change ingrained behaviors need to push themselves out of their comfort zone and get continued support and feedback from those they have enlisted to help them make the change possible.

Case 2 - Managing Venture Capital and Board Relationships

The Challenge: A technology company’s president and CEO had taken the company from research to pilot production. His relationships with board members and investors were rocky. In order to gain the next round of funding, he needed to improve them significantly and quickly.

The Solution: Through one-on-one interviews with his entire staff and investors, leadership and other assessments, he came to realize the specific changes he needed to make. The interviews and assessments showed that he needed to show more confidence, push back on board members more and build more personal relationships. He also saw clearly how specific non-verbal behaviors were seen as negatively judgmental of others and came to understand the situations which would trigger these behaviors. He improved his ability to face and manage conflict, specifically in high stakes situations where there were strong differences of opinion and emotions ran high.

The Result: He built stronger relationships, managed board conflict better and received a new round of investment that enabled him to take the company to the next phase of growth.

Can any leader have all the leadership strengths they desire?  No, the key is to fully utilize current strengths and develop those needing growth. In some cases, there may be neither the time nor the ability to develop all the leadership strengths and knowledge required.  A very practical solution can be building or using team strengths to compensate for leadership limitations. Another practical solution, as illustrated in Case 3, is to change the individual’s responsibilities or restructure to align their strengths with the organization’s needs.

Case 3 - Aligning Strengths with Business Needs

The Challenge: A highly valued scientist and technical manager was promoted to director and became a member of the executive staff. He was not participating in strategic discussions, even though his boss felt he had the knowledge to competently do so. He was also seen as so respectful and caring of others that it interfered with his ability to achieve performance objectives.

The Solution: The organization gave him an opportunity to develop his leadership capabilities. Assessments showed he was highly introverted and that he had difficulty holding people accountable. Persuasion was a critical behavior that he also needed to build. Interestingly, he felt that his scientific credibility had suffered during the five years he had spent as a manager and that this negatively affected his ability to use persuasion effectively, particularly with his direct reports. His boss did not see this as an issue.

Both he and his boss filled out a "role expectations questionnaire" that indicated which leadership behaviors were critical to success in his new role. Results showed that the scientist placed a higher value on asking others for their opinions than on his own independent decision making. In contrast, his boss felt the scientist should rely on his own expertise in order to shorten the decision-making process.

The Results: Through coaching the scientist was able to improve his leadership behaviors and made major progress in meeting project deadlines. He also gained a greater sense of confidence and learned to constructively challenge his boss in making product research portfolio decisions. However, he soon came to the conclusion that his improvement curve was insufficient. Through a series of discussions he was promoted to the individual contributor position of Distinguished Scientist. The leadership development process was successful in that it led the scientist to a position that was a perfect fit for his strengths and helped the organization meet its short and long term research strategy development needs.

The goal is for a leader to become the best they can be.  In the case of changing an ineffective behavior, the change process involves four major steps, as indicated below.

Step 1 - Awareness Level: Unconscious; Performance Level:  Incompetent (your blind spot)
Step 2 - Awareness Level: Conscious; Performance Level:  Incompetent (developmental opportunity and challenges)
Step 3 - Awareness Level: Conscious; Performance Level: Competent (mastery)
Step 4 - Awareness Level: Unconscious; Performance Level: Competent (effortless mastery)

In Step 1, behaviors that need to be changed are identified. In Step 2, as we work on changing these behaviors, we look back at an interaction and still see the ineffective behavior. As we progress through this stage, we actually begin to catch ourselves exhibiting the very behavior we vowed to change.  In the final phase of Step 2, we begin to recognize problematic situations in advance and prepare for them, preparing to apply the new behaviors we have learned. In other words, we adopt the right frame of mind and anticipate using the new behavior before we get into the situation.  In Step 3, we are conscious of using the new behavior. Finally in Step 4, the new behavior is so ingrained we are not even aware we are using it effectively.

A key to gaining the confidence to try a new behavior is to first practice with a trusted colleague or coach. Then plan to use the new behavior in a specific upcoming situation and debrief afterwards. What were the results and what do you need to improve the next time you encounter a similar situation? 

As you change your leadership behavior, it can be unsettling for others you interact with.  They are often concerned about how you will judge their leadership capabilities and how it will impact your mutual working relationship.  Indeed, you may begin to see them in a new light.  Be assured that in time they will become comfortable with your new behavior and see it as authentic.  Furthermore, many leaders need to improve the leadership capability of the people who report to them.  By actively working to strengthen their own leadership skills, they will be setting an example that will inspire their direct reports to do the same.

In my career as a leadership coach, I have seen this process (self-assessment, develop action plans, practice, fail and try again) work successfully to enhance growth in leadership skills and behaviors.  These changes often enrich both the personal and professional lives of those leaders who have committed to change.  The work is not easy but it is worth it. 

The enemy of becoming a great leader is being a good leader.  The enemy of becoming a great company is being a good company.  Great companies are made up of great leaders. A great leader believes we are never finished, that we never "fully arrive."  To live is to change. To have changed often is to truly live.  As my father and his family, who truly showed great leadership by immigrating to this great country, would say, "Buon Viaggio e Buona Fortuna!" I wish you a good journey and good fortune!

About the Author: Joe Maressa is currently vice president at Fitzgerald, Stevens & Ford, Inc. / OI Partners, a global talent management firm. During his 30-year career, Joe has held a variety of corporate positions ranging from traditional human resource business partner to training manager and internal organizational development consultant. As an external consultant, his focus has been on team building, leadership assessment and one-on-one executive coaching. Joe can be reached at jmaressa@fsandf.com.

If your company is poised to add to its workforce, you may be surprised to learn the talent pool has shifted dramatically over the past several months. When the economy plummeted, the only people looking for work were those who were out of work. With an improved economic outlook, "passive" job-seekers (those who are currently employed) are starting to think about exploring other possibilities. A short time ago, these same people felt thankful just to have jobs, but now they feel confident enough to begin job searches. This means the pool of potential candidates may be more plentiful, but these people may also have more options for employment (including staying put!) so competition for finding and hiring top talent has increased. Companies that can move quickly and tailor their interview process to accommodate this changing dynamic—yet still perform the due diligence necessary to make sound hiring decisions—can put themselves in a better position to succeed.

Here is how your company can gain an advantage in attracting this top talent.

Know What You Want

Don’t just jump into the hiring process. Have a plan. Talk to managers and staff to determine what your organization REALLY needs and what roles need to be filled within the company. Once you have determined the positions, get specific. Identify the particular skills and experience the people who fill those roles should possess. Where can you be flexible? What skills are non-negotiable? The more you know about the type of candidate you’re looking for, the easier it will be to find that person.

Create a Timeline

It is helpful to make the hiring process task oriented and develop a timeline with milestones to keep everyone on track. A timeline might look something like this:

• Respond to resumes within 24 hours.
• Conduct initial (phone, in-person) screenings within 48 hours of the resume review.
• If the initial screening is successful, inform the candidate that same day and schedule a second interview within three days.
• If required, have the candidate complete and submit a job application.
• If multiple rounds of interviews are necessary, schedule them as soon as possible. Remember: If you really like this candidate, chances are there are other companies and hiring managers who do as well.
• If required, begin the background and reference check process.
• Be prepared to extend a verbal offer as soon as possible after all interviews have been completed—even if the verbal is contingent on successful background or reference checks.
• Be ready to extend a written offer within a day of a verbal offerKnowing the milestones upfront can keep you in the running to hire the top talent, especially if you need to move quickly.

Review Your Process

Is there any way to streamline hiring procedures? A rigorous or time-intensive process may mean missing out on that "perfect" employee. That doesn’t mean you should rush. The hiring process should be deliberate and thorough as the costs of hiring the wrong person are too great. There may be ways to combine or eliminate steps. For example, could you replace an in-person meeting with a phone interview, or schedule multiple face-to-face meetings on the same afternoon? Are you open to meeting employed candidates before or after normal business hours if necessary?

Emphasize Communication

Everyone wants to be "loved." If your team is truly interested in a candidate, don’t play hard-to-get. Replace "We’ll let you know" with details as to where the candidate stands. If the process gets delayed due to illness, vacations, business trips or busy schedules, let the candidate know the reasons. When delays occur, a call from the hiring manager to explain the situation and reinforce the organization’s interest can go a long way.

Plan for Flexibility

Summer is almost here and with summer comes vacation schedules—for employees and candidates. Don’t let vacations stall the hiring process. Consider taking some unconventional approaches to "meeting" during the summer months. Is it possible to have a conference call or meet via web cam? Do you have a back-up plan in place for in-person meetings? For example, if the VP is unavailable, can a Director do the interview? Could a colleague from a department sit in for a manager?

In just a few short months, the job market and the talent pool have changed. There are more talented people and more competition to get them. Organizations that can tighten up and expedite their hiring processes will be better poised to draw in the best candidates—and hire the best people.

About the Author: Dave Sanford is Executive Vice President of Business Development at Winter, Wyman (www.winterwyman.com), a leading staffing firm specializing in permanent and contract placements in Accounting and Finance, HR and Technology and headquartered in Waltham, MA.

Many people may be familiar with gender stereotypes in the workplace. They tend to occur because of a preset ideal both men and women feel they must maintain.

Parnagian noted gender conflicts can also happen because men and women are programmed from an early age to use a certain conflict-resolution style.

For the full article, CLICK HERE.

Doing this will ensure that we have the most current information on your:

• Employer
• Job title
• Work address
• Primary email
• Telephone contact information

The process is easy: 

Log in at www.nehra.com. Go to the tab on the left side of the Home Page that says "Update Your Membership Profile".

The new year for NEHRA Community Forums will begin in September. We encourage you to check out the website and discover an already full calendar of meetings scheduled. If you are not familiar with the Community Forums you should visit the website and explore how they can help and support you.

The Community Forums offer:

• Opportunities to network with other NEHRA members on a regular basis
• Opportunities to develop leadership skills
• Opportunities to share useful information and best practices within the Community Forum content area

Currently NEHRA has nine active Forums (click HERE for more info) and is eager to work with members to create more. Specifically we are looking for members interested in helping to form a Benefits Community Forum. If you are interested in this please contact Pat DiSalvo at pdisalvo@nehra.com.
 
If you have ideas for other Forums and are interested in helping us to pull a group together please contact Carole Edson, Director of Membership, at cedson@nehra.com.

• To become a fan of NEHRA on Facebook, CLICK HERE.
  
• If you are already a member of LinkedIn, CLICK HERE to join the NEHRA LinkedIn Community!
  

If you are not already a member of LinkedIn, you will need to follow the easy steps to create your profile. Once your profile is completed you can follow the steps below to become a member of the Northeast Human Resources Group.

• Find the tab for "Groups" on your home page and select "Group Directory."
• Use the search function in the upper right and type in "Northeast Human Resources Association."
• Click on "Join this Group."
• This will bring you to a description of the group and you will be asked to make selections about your preferences for display the group logo on your personal page.
• Enter a contact e-mail address, a digest e-mail address, delivery frequency, announcements and messages.
• Once you have made these choices click the button "Join Group."
• Your message will come to the NEHRA Group Administrator to verify membership and approve you for the group.
  

To Join a Community Forum Subgroup on LinkedIn

• Once you are a member of the Northeast Human Resources Group, select "Subgroups."
• Select all the groups you are interested in joining.
• Your request goes to the NEHRA Group Administrator for approval.
• You will receive a message that you are a member of this subgroup and you can begin to read and post information on the Subgroup page.

Current NEHRA Subgroups

• Learning and Development Community Forum
• Diversity and Inclusion Community Forum
• Consultants Community Forum
• Small Business HR Community Forum
• HR Technology Community Forum
• Talent Acquisition Community Forum
• Flexible Workplaces Community Forum

As you may know, NEHRA is continuing to evolve to better meet the needs of members. Therefore, we have created a new membership category: Group Membership.

This category is created to recognize the need, and often the desire, of many organizations to control spending and manage membership expenses for their employees.

What does this really mean for you? It means that if your company has five or more current members, you could experience a savings of 10 percent or more on the total cost of these NEHRA memberships through Dec. 31, 2011. In addition, the group membership allows you to renew all memberships at the same time—reducing the hassle and workload of individual renewal dates. Finally—and perhaps most importantly—it ensures that all members of your team have access to programming, to our new webinars, to resources and information at our website and to networking and professional development opportunities.

• How does the program work? All current members from your organization are renewed on a pro-rated basis—based on the individual membership type (NEHRA or NEHRA/SHRM), to bring them to a common renewal date, Dec. 31. Any new members are added and pro-rated, based on a Dec. 31 end date. The entire group is then renewed for another full year, based on this common renewal date.
• Can I add new members? New members can be added to your group at any time during your membership cycle, and their membership will be pro-rated to maintain them on the single renewal date.
• What if someone leaves? You can easily transfer that membership to another employee within your team, with one quick call.
• How does the membership work? Each group member is assigned an individual membership number, allowing them to access information on www.nehra.com and to register for events, webinars and professional development throughout the year.

This is an exciting new opportunity for you to expand access to NEHRA and save money!

If you are interested in learning more about the group membership or getting a quote for your group, please contact Carole Edson, Director of Membership and Alliances, at (781) 239-8705 or cedson@nehra.com.