Talent Search Partners, Inc.

TALENT SEARCH PARTNERS, INC.

Menu

Leadership

“I Could Never Work For That Guy!”

Career Insight, Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

He was on his phone during the interview…………and it wasn’t the candidate. It was the CEO/Founder of a multinational company with roots that span over half a century… It was shocking to me and the candidate that a CEO would behave in this manner… What a first impression for a seasoned executive who had great meetings with everyone up to that point within the organization… The fit was strong, and the ROI was clear… The candidate had a strong leadership background working for a variety of manufacturers and expertise in the standardization of processes, something the company lacked and desperately needed to compete outside of their immediate marketplace… He was also excellent at developing talent. His people-centric style of leadership resonated with his potential counterparts and addressed major retention issues with the company… It’s tough, I get it. Change breeds uncertainty, which is the reason it’s avoided. The human element is also prevalent in these cases. We are innately biased & insecure, and that influences decision making… A few things come to mind… 1️⃣ If you’re running a company that produces a product for customer use, then you need standard processes and procedures that will exist beyond your tenure with the company. The opposite of standardization means that you’re constantly moving your goal posts based on present day circumstances, and you don’t understand the essence of succession planning. Standardization essentially allows you to effectively plan for the future, while holding people accountable. You don’t get to make things up as you go… 2️⃣ As a leader, you have to be able to trust the team under you. This sounds simple, but it’s the hardest thing for many leaders to do. They are hyper-active in areas that should be delegated to their leadership team… 3️⃣ Decency is required to succeed. It’s inappropriate to be on your phone while you are interviewing someone for a position within your company… 4️⃣ Empowering others to make decisions doesn’t diminish your authority… 5️⃣ If longevity is truly your goal, then you’ll do what it takes to accomplish that, even if it means checking your ego.

“I Could Never Work For That Guy!” Read More »

He Brought A Sledgehammer To Work On His First Day

Career Insight, Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

As a newly hired business leader within an organization, the first 6 to 18 months should be a learning period. You should be spending the majority of your time getting to learn the company, your team, the culture, & your customers. Avoid making any major decisions during this time until you’ve had a chance to survey the landscape of this organization – this requires patience. As a leader, you’ve become a steward of the organization’s assets, primarily its people. Unless you were hired with a specific mandate with an aggressive timeline to achieve a set of goals, the agenda should be to understand the business and forge alliances within your team. This does not happen on your first day. For any leader who is going through the interview process, one of your primary questions to the CEO or President of a company should be: What is your vision for this position within the first year? If that goal is cost-cutting centric for instance, then I’d question that. There’s a lot that you don’t know about the company and won’t know until the completion of your first year, in some cases longer. You may discover through your own exploration that there are issues that require a different approach that will ultimately lead to the same end goal. One of my most tragic placements came with a company that I had served for several years. I built a great relationship with one of their key executives and became a trusted partner for him in the development of his engineering team. Through that relationship, I was able to break into other areas of the business, culminating in a conversation with the CEO to help him find a new VP of Operations. I sifted the marketplace to find someone who had served in a similar capacity in his previous role. He was young, energetic, communicated well, had great references, and he genuinely hit it off with the team. He was hired! Shortly thereafter however, things took a weird turn… Hidden within his briefcase was a sledgehammer (not a literal one) and he wasn’t timid about using it. He made his primary agenda to find and expose problems, rather than formulating solutions. He alienated members of the leadership team, rather than leaning on their expertise and experience to understand the business and its direction. Granted, there were issues within the company, but as a new leader and someone who had been hired to drive new processes and procedures, his first course of action should’ve been to get to know the people by watching what they do and learning how they do it. Along that growth path, some people will be weeded out, but that should be handled delicately, not with a shotgun as one of the team members shared. He was ultimately fired by the CEO, and his departure came as a sigh relief to those within the organization. Lessons for newly hired leaders…

He Brought A Sledgehammer To Work On His First Day Read More »

The Real Measure Of Value

Career Insight, Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

My walk last night did little to solve my value conundrum. The dog feces left along my path certainly didn’t help the situation… I’m struggling with value… Every recruiter pitches their value the same… “a huge database of resumes” “years recruiting in your industry” “a team of recruiters who will be dedicated to your roles” “flexible fees” …a great list of value cliches, but this is not real value because it doesn’t address the needs of the end user… Recruiters are in over-supply and the demand for talent is at an all time high. There is a recruiter on every street corner and the trail of scarred executives runs deep… I’ve encountered executives within companies who would rather struggle to fill positions through their own efforts than work with “another recruiter.” Hard to blame them… 3-months, 6-months, 9-months, a year goes by, and the position still hasn’t been filled… If recruiters are in over-abundance with demand for talent running at the same pace, then why haven’t these two variables been able to marry each other at this equilibrium point… If there are so many of us and an equal number of roles to be filled, then why are executives reluctant to sign on that dotted line to engage that recruiter? Why would they rather deal with the lost revenue and frustration of having positions go unfilled for quarters… I believe the issue lies in quality, not supply… Recruiters for years have over-promised and under-delivered. They talk a big game but fail to show up when it counts. This has happened so many times over the years that companies have caught on and would rather forgo the trauma of another failed attempt to work with a recruiter… The missing link in this relationship has nothing to do with statistics and experience. It has everything to do with doing what you said you would do… Executives are tired of being taken on a roller coaster ride. For most, the thrill no longer exists, and they are exiting the ride in droves… Most executives in my opinion could live with the result of a failed attempt to fill their position if recruiters demonstrated traits of resilience and integrity… We don’t need another recruitment agency. These days anyone with Wi-Fi and a cell phone plan can be a recruiter… What we need are professionals who understand the importance of what they do and how they can drive an economy forward. The key is to serve, not extract, with the end goal of facilitating lasting partnerships. This remains the greatest stumbling block within the recruitment process… I don’t mind paying for a service (even overpaying) if I believe there will be a true exchange of value & a commitment to quality. The reason why there is so much negotiation is because of a misunderstanding of how both sides benefit in this equation.

The Real Measure Of Value Read More »

Progress Is A Collection Of Small Steps

Employer Insight, Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

✅ We want to be a market leader by 2040… ✅ We want to increase our revenue by 50% in 3 years… ✅ We want to surpass our competitor in the development of… Goals are great, but they are only achieved by focusing on the details. These are the seemingly insignificant tasks that we take for granted. We all like to put “excellent attention to detail” in our resumes, but how many of us actually pay attention to the details that matter the most? We’ve become so fixated on distant goals, that we’ve forgotten about the process. Tucked away within the process is how you treat your most valuable asset, your people. We’ve forgotten that people achieve goals, not numbers in an excel sheet, not investing in automation, or buying your competitors. If motivated and treated correctly, your people can become the engine behind attaining market leadership by 2040 or increased cash flow by 2028. It’s interesting when I hear business leaders talk about their goals. Take me inside your company and let me see how you treat your people. I’ll tell you whether you’ll attain your goals or not. Even if you do, it won’t be sustainable. You’ll spend all of your profits filling holes along the way. So, what are “the details” that are often overlooked by business leaders… 1️⃣ “Good morning, Team!” 2️⃣ “Take the afternoon off to spend with your kids” 3️⃣ “Let’s talk about equity in this company that you’ve served faithfully for years” 4️⃣ “Thank you for a job well done on this project. Without your contributions, it wouldn’t have been possible” 5️⃣ “Thank you for cleaning the restroom, Steve” (Comment to Janitor) 6️⃣ “Tell me how I can serve you better” 7️⃣ “What are your financial goals and what do you need to make to achieve that?” We’ve spent years focusing on the wrong things. Let’s start bridging the disconnect by doing the little things well & consistently.

Progress Is A Collection Of Small Steps Read More »

The Engine Of The Enterprise

Human Resources, Leadership, Recruitment /

HR is one of the most undervalued business units within a company. I’m not quite sure when the shift took place, but it’s apparent from my experience that Human Resources is operating at a diminished value within most companies. Transactional at best, and often abused. Think about it, they are looking after the greatest assets within a company, and they architect the policies, procedures, and programs that have the greatest impact on those assets. They hold everyone to a standard and call things out when they don’t align. It’s no wonder why we have witnessed an increase in dejected employees. The governing body that is supposed to be looking out for them has become an afterthought by many business leaders, leveraged only when it’s convenient. Case in point; I was recruiting an executive leadership role for a customer of mine late last year and there was a candidate who had entered into serious contention for the role and had received good reviews internally amongst key people. Being the astute leader that he is, he noticed that HR was not amongst the decision-making cabinet and that worried him. Perhaps a sign of other issues within the organization according to him… Why does Human Resources in some cases fall under the leadership of the finance department or CFO of a company when the interests & functions of these 2 business units are completely different?! Both are working towards the success of the company, but the goals are distinct. Those lines shouldn’t be crossed. Investing in Human Resources should be intentional & consistent.

The Engine Of The Enterprise Read More »

Business Lessons From The Basketball Court

Career Insight, Employer Insight, Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

I love basketball banter! As I’ve aged, I have come to appreciate the pre & post game analysis more than game action. The news that still has the basketball world buzzing and the Dallas community in fury, is the trade that happened behind closed doors, finalized in the wee hours of the night to avoid public scrutiny & backlash. Coined the most shocking trade in NBA history, the move of one of basketball’s rising legends is still mind-boggling to many. How could a franchise with playoff aspirations at the beginning of the season now be facing a missed opportunity to make the postseason? I’ll leave the conspiracy theories to the experts, but there are important lessons to takeaway for the business world: Whatever you are trying to accomplish as a business leader should be clearly communicated. It’s unrealistic and counterproductive to reach a consensus on every decision, but leaving your team in the dark is certainly not the way to build a winning organization. Hidden agendas provide a smooth runway for your best people to take their talents elsewhere.

Business Lessons From The Basketball Court Read More »

What Do You Need To Earn?

Employer Insight, Leadership /

What are your salary expectations? What are you presently making?? I’d like to see business leaders take a different approach to the topic of compensation. Disclaimer: The following only applies to top performers in their industry – opening this question & train of thought to any and everyone does not work. I am directing this to those top-tier candidates who operate from a place of professionalism, integrity, and who can deliver on what they’ve communicated. My recommendation… Rather than asking for a prospects salary expectations which is really only used one dimensionally to rule someone in or out, I’d like to hear business leaders ask the question this way – “what do you need to earn?” This question has a degree of empathy that I think has been lacking from a lot of conversations surrounding money. For years, we’ve heard executives talk about what their budget is, what they’d prefer to pay, and what they think a person is worth. This is not considering what someone is presently making and what they need in order to maintain (& improve) their standard of life. I’m challenging business leaders to shift their focus, their language, and their mindset surrounding money and to start making real investments that will pay dividends in the long-run. Salary negotiations don’t need to be contentious if we can get back to what intrinsically motivates people to change careers. Only those who are bold enough to change will reap the benefits that come with it.

What Do You Need To Earn? Read More »

You Can Be Traded!

Career Insight, Career Preparation, Inspiration, Leadership /

The basketball world was left in a state of confusion by the Luka Doncic trade early Sunday morning. How could a franchise that just went to the NBA finals a year ago with a roster designed to make another championship run so callously part with their best player in the prime of his career? What took place by the leadership of the Dallas Mavericks happens on a daily basis in the business world and doesn’t come as a surprise to me. As I consider the situation, here are my takeaways and lessons learned: I’ve facilitated many great connections over my career in recruitment. I’ve also seen relationships fall by the way side despite efforts to turn things around. If you’re a top performer within your organization, understand that you can be replaced if business needs change. We see this where there is new ownership or a change in the structure of an organization. I’ve witnessed enough of this throughout my career and the best way to handle it is to look after yourself. Your work is what you do to make a living and to provide for your loved ones – your identity should never be defined solely by your profession. Employees are expected to serve notice to ensure a smooth transition out and transfer of knowledge, but organizations can end that relationship in a moment regardless of your past successes & commitment. Work hard, be professional, but remember that you are a chess piece to that company, and they will continue to make moves that benefit the bottom-line.

You Can Be Traded! Read More »

I’m Taking My Talents To…

Career Insight, Employee Retention, Inspiration, Leadership /

In my line of work, I am privileged to speak to a variety of professionals who are passively open to hearing about new opportunities or active in the market. This is of course good for business, but it’s boggling to the mind why business leaders are not doing a better job of providing a career growth trajectory for their best people. You shouldn’t be surprised when a top performer walks into your office with a letter of resignation. Oftentimes, counteroffers are seen as insincere and a tactic used by leaders to prevent a disruption to their business. A true professional will see right through it, thank you for the opportunity, and proceed to their notice period. But why are business leaders allowing it to get to that point and why aren’t they proactive in grooming their talent and finding meaningful ways to keep them motivated? Few companies have figured this out, and the rest are learning the hard way. People stay where they are wanted, appreciated, paid well, and most importantly, where they can see an evolution of their career in the short term. If you’re a business owner or leader of a division, realize that you have the ability to create a roadmap for your best people by engaging in conversations periodically and crafting a legitimate and tangible career path based on certain accomplishments being met along the way. Why should your talent have to look outside of your company to find that next level up when you have the autonomy to create a new role for that individual and pay them accordingly? You are foolishly allowing your superstars to take their talents to South Beach (🏀), and you’ve become a spectator like everyone else. Taking people for granted is expensive. If you think hiring comes at a cost, replacing your best people is even more taxing on your time, resources, and money. If you have the ability to move a top performer into that coveted Vice President role, why not do that? If you are not taking care of your best talent, someone else sure will.

I’m Taking My Talents To… Read More »

Try Something Different

Career Insight, Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

I received a call from an executive leader of a company a few months ago. He wanted to enlist my help on a couple of searches that his organization was having trouble filling. These were not highly complex roles to fill by any means, but given the tightness of the marketplace, finding the right people and keeping them beyond a year is proving to be a challenge. My kickoff call went well, but ultimately, discussions stopped there. I was told during the call that they had a few recruitment partners that were working with on the searches, but for reasons unclear to me, they were not able to successfully fill their positions. Essentially, they wanted to add me as another recruiter since I was known to one of their executives in the company, under the pretense that more eyes on a search means greater odds of a successful outcome. I challenged the train of thought by suggesting that perhaps your approach to date is not working and maybe you should try something different. I realized today that most business leaders are afraid of change, and they are wired to engage in the same behaviour hoping that somehow circumstances will work out differently in the future. I think by definition you can call that insanity, yet most people are okay to remain in this state and this has somehow translated to be what’s best for business. It’s like repeatedly hitting your head against the wall and complaining about your headache. We are okay to have multiple recruiters working on a given search at the same time, yet we employ the services of one mechanic if our car needs an oil change or one law firm if we are being sued. I’ve never heard anyone say that they were going to use multiple surgeons to remove their gallbladder to increase the chances of a successful operation. Yet, this has become the dominate thought related to recruitment and then we wonder why positions are taking longer to fill and hires don’t make it past the first year of employment. Let’s try something different.

Try Something Different Read More »