When NOT To Use A Consultant (aka, "Keep the Simple Stuff In Mind")

(This blog is the temporary landing spot for Advisory and Consulting Services.  If you want to reach us, please contact us at richgrunenwald@columbus.rr.com, or 614-561-3412)

We have consultants for everything: career coaches, Life Coaches, spiritual advisors, personal trainers, golf coaches, business strategy consultants, sales consultants, etc.

While an advisor can be of tremendous help, we have the power within ourselves to do much of the same analysis on our own.  My experience is that at the root of many challenges is a situation where we perhaps forgot or did not pay attention to the simple things, the basics of positive habits and personal interaction:

• Why did that person react that way? Are they unreasonable or are there maybe considerations I did not take the time to uncover?
• How come this medication for my blood pressure isn't working?  Is it the wrong medication or perhaps I have lifestyle habits that are damaging?
• Why does my teenager not talk to me?  Are they withdrawn or am I too quick to judge or maybe do not really understand their world?
• Why do I have turnover in my staff?  Do people today not want to work or maybe how I lead them makes them feel unempowered?

Admittedly, this objectivity is often difficult to attain.   Simply getting to a frame of mind that enables us to be reasonably objective about our situations, especially when under duress, is a struggle.  However, we've all done it from time to time, and need to practice removing the clutter from our minds to gain clarity:

• Sitting alone, in a quiet place.
• Mediation and / or prayer according to ones beliefs 
• Reading a book and pausing.
• A drive in the country with a stop at a cafe' for coffee
• Listening to audio books.
• A walk

...or any other number of things.  Most of the time, we have the solution to our challenge within ourselves. We need to allow it to come to the surface.

There are times when we are limited by our own knowledge or skill or other resources.  We aren't aware of options or solutions, or legitimately don't have the time to think about it.  Recognize these situations, and turn to an advisor or mentor. This is when one can be of tremendous help, quickly cutting through the noise and distortion to get to the heart of the matter and providing a path to resolution.

It just shouldn't always be where you turn first.

The Sweetest Sound One Can Hear...

(This blog is the temporary landing spot for Advisory and Consulting Services.  If you want to reach us, please contact us at richgrunenwald@columbus.rr.com, or 614-561-3412)

Those that know me also know one of my favorite sayings:

"There is nothing so sweet as the sound of one's own voice."

I am not the originator of this saying, but most certainly I have been known to get carried away in presentations and conversations on topics I am passionate about. 

But, this saying is not quite true.  There is one sound that is even sweeter than hearing your own voice, and that is...

...the sound of another person speaking your name.

Whether it is in casual conversation or a formal business meeting, greeting another person by their name is a simple and effective acknowledgement of respect and makes the interaction much more personal.  Sadly, in the hustle of of our world, we all to often ignore this simple tool that always pays dividends.  As a result, our interactions with co-workers, clients, and even our friends and loved ones become transactions, essentially exchanges of information as if we were simply components of a machine accepting inputs for processing and giving outputs to move on to the next step.

The power of using a person's name in conversation is great, particularly with more casual acquaintances. My father was a master at this, almost to a fault. I watched him as he dealt with many people who were not naturally, let's say, pleasant individuals, and within a short time be able to work with them in a positive manner.  

Of course, he was also known to take a person's name and break out into song, but that's a story for another day! 

Try it for a week. In your cube or on your monitor, pin up a note "C.M.B.N", short for "Call Me By Name" to remind yourself. Make a conscious effort to address others. The coffee shop server, the security guard at the office building, colleagues you don't work with but see in the hall every day. 

A simple "Good morning, Bob" or "Thank you, Sue" will go a long way in the quality of your interactions, and thus your relationships.

And, you will make a positive impact on your world. 

Networking Tips

(This blog is the temporary landing spot for Advisory and Consulting Services.  If you want to reach us, please contact us at richgrunenwald@columbus.rr.com, or 614-561-3412)

"Networking" is a topic all over the media for the past several years as a panacea for all of our professional and personal challenges:

• How to find a job
• Generating sales leads 
• Finding help for home repair 
• Getting a referral for a physician

Like a lot of buzzwords, there are different interpretations of what networking really is.  In my eyes, the following definition fits best:

“True networking – effective networking – is based on relationships that are cultivated and nurtured so that a mutual exchange of information, advice, referrals and support takes place.”

L. Michelle Tullier, Ph.D. Networking for Job Search and Career Success

I like the following words and phrases:

• "...relationships ..."
• "...that are cultivated and nurtured..." 
• "...mutual exchange..."

The first phrase, "...relationships..." is at the heart of it.  First and foremost, networking is about establishing relationships.  It is not simply meeting folks. It is about establishing a launching point for an ongoing dialog.

The second phrase, "...cultivated and nurtured...", means that it is not a one time activity. It is an ongoing activity.  Professionally, I have relationships that span decades.  Sometimes, the "...cultivating and nurturing..." is a phone call to say hello.  Other times it's an email to let a person know there name came up in conversation and made me think of them.  Yet other times, it's to get together for coffee or lunch to get caught up or go to an event of mutual interest.  The message here is that it requires ongoing investment.

The third phrase, "....mutual exchange...", implies that the benefits go both ways.  The folks most successful at networking generally give something first before asking to receive something back.  It could be as simple as facillitating a connect the other person to a resource or providing an email address.  The point is, give first - pay forward.

Reach out to somebody today.  Happy networking!

Paying Forward - Seeing Results

(This blog is the temporary landing spot for Advisory and Consulting Services.  If you want to reach us, please contact us at richgrunenwald@columbus.rr.com, or 614-561-3412)

I had coffee a couple of weeks ago with good friend and career coach guru Janice Worthington.  Janice and I are both, let's say, "seasoned professionals", and part of our discussion was about what we want out of the next ten to twenty years of life and  careers.

I told Janice that one of my motivators is do do something of "social benefit or value", something to make the world a slightly better place. Somewhat to my surprise, Janice replied, "You 50 somethings are all alike.  You all want to help the world!".   She's right as I have this same conversation with my contemporaries fairly often.

In my role as Managing Director for Experis, "paying forward" occurs during the normal course of business as we help folks find their next job and enable people to make connections to others as they navigate through the world of work. In my position as "Coach" in the TechColumbus CareerTrack program,  I am able to provide tools and techniques to folks who are looking to make their next career move, something most of us  learn through the school of hard knocks!

Engaging in a "Pay Forward" mentality and seeing the results is immensely rewarding, and helps make us see how our positive actions impact the world around us. Recent examples in my life, big and small:

- My neighbor's wife, "Kesang", is new to the country and coaching and guidance led to landing a great job. She's received two promotions in six months.
- At a recent Career Track meeting, I presented  "Networking for the Introvert".  "Bob" attended, and applied some of the techniques at his next event.  He walked out of it with four new connections and two follow up meetings.
- I received an email from "Nick", a young professional in his second year of real estate. He had his biggest month ever and is looking at hiring his own team of folks.  He thanked me for advice I gave him a year ago on selling as it has been a cornerstone of his success.

I have been similarly blessed as the benefactor of the efforts of others' good deeds, coaching, guidance, and favors. It all comes around.

Beyond the intrinsic rewards of helping out and seeing others flourish, there is business and professional benefit.  I have no doubt that at some point my path will once again cross directly or indirectly with those above, and the foundation of trust will be there that will enable us to collaborate.

We all have room for this in ways that may seem easy or small to us but collectively make a huge impact.  Make "paying forward" a habit, and enrich the lives of others as well as your own.

And, it makes our world a better place.

The Talent Mismatch - What To Do

(This blog is the temporary landing spot for Advisory and Consulting Services.  If you want to reach us, please contact us at richgrunenwald@columbus.rr.com, or 614-561-3412)

Today an article concerning the "The Talent Mismatch" appeared in the Columbus Dispatch. I offered some thoughts in the article, which deals with the phenomenon of relatively high unemployment coupled with an inability of employers to find suitable talent.  I posted the link on my Facebook page, and received a number of comments and questions.  These include: 

• "Why won't companies train?"
• "Companies are way too picky in what they are asking for, and therefore can't hire anyone that fits the description"
• "Companies won't take a chance so I am starting my own business"

The Employer

Let's give some thought as to how and why this happens, particularly with larger companies.  It is not generally by design or intent, but more by organizational roles and dynamics, and a lack of strategic vision for talent acquisition. 

The ability to acquire the right talent at the right time is an increasingly strategic differentiator for companies, and one that few have figured out. A typical large company has a division of labor and workflow that lends itself to solving pieces of the talent mismatch but not the complete challenge.  

For example, the Hiring Manager is judged on their ability to get things done. They need a person to be productive quickly and hence looks for the perfect candidate.  The Corporate Recruiter, on the other hand, is judged on number of hires they get a month.  The Corporate Recruiter is typically working on 40 to 50 openings at a time, and so the Corporate Recruiter will direct their efforts towards the candidates that are easiest to hire and openings that are easiest to fill.  If the concept of training people comes up, that involves a Corporate Trainer with their own set of priorities.

The net is the overall talent mismatch challenge is never really examined and addressed.

During past recessions, it was feasible to find and hire the "ideal" candidate that met the laundry list of, say, 12 technical skills and five years of specific experience. With the recovery that began late 2011, these "ideal" candidates have found new positions and are no longer on the market.  The candidates on the market tday maybe are 70% fit. But the Hiring Manager is still faced with getting projects done so they continue looking for the "ideal fit" rather than the "teachable fit" as their organizations are not equipped to accommodate the "teachable fit".

Few companies are taking a look at this, and even fewer are taking action. Those that figure it out will win.

The Employee / Candidate

At the same time, it is not just the employer that has challenges. From the Employee / Candidate perspective, we need to think of the implications of the "talent mismatch". I believe we can agree that the days are gone where job requirements and workplace demands stay relatively stable, and the economy and industry allow the job to remain relatively secure.   

Given this, why should we feel that it is a company's responsibility to train and educate prospective talent?  In fact,  it is our personal responsibility to be lifelong learners, adapt, and position ourselves for tomorrow's world of work .  

What does this mean for the Employee / Candidate?  Here are some thoughts: 

• Acknowledge the pace of change in the world of work. We don't have to like it, but we do need to acknowledge it. What we are seeing today are industry sectors, product lines, and related jobs that arise and decline in short periods, maybe as short as 10 years.  The pace of change across industries are unprecedented. 
• Seek and develop a basic understanding of your industry, company, and job from the perspective of how changes in the economy might impact your world of work. Is the industry growing or shrinking?  What products / services are competing with your industry? How is it changing?  What is your  company doing to deal with this?  How might it impact your job and profession?  
• Personal and professional development is key.  Whether it be something as simple as exercising or reading professional / business books, or formal training and development, with every bit of acquired knowledge and capability comes benefit.  Even if not directly applied, you add a tool to your toolkit that allows you to do more than you could before.  I've tracked this by creating a career tracking and assessment summary that relates job, compensation, and personal development activities.  I find that successful people share a common habit of continual self development. 
• Networking and personal branding play into it.  We all owe it to ourselves to be continually talking to others to understand what is happening in the world around us so we can take advantage of opportunities and trends as they arise. 

Summary

Resolving the talent mismatch will take institutional effort on the part of industries and organizations, and personal investment on the part of individuals.  It is not an easy path for organizations, but as individuals we can certainly make a difference in our own professional lives.

Pursuing Dreams / Achieving Goals

(This blog is the temporary landing spot for Advisory and Consulting Services.  If you want to reach us, please contact us at richgrunenwald@columbus.rr.com, or 614-561-3412)

I started to title this "Pursuing Dreams", but I didn't particularly care for the title. "Pursuing Dreams" implies trying to reach for something that isn't real, that is a figment of your imagination and conscience, something that will never really happen.

What brought this on is the recent accomplishments of friend and motorcycle racer, Pete Cline. Pete has raced bikes at the amateur level for 15 years or so, and has achieved multiple regional championships and numerous victories. By any standard measure, he has had strong success. Yet, he's also one of those folks that has been just on the cusp of being able to make it to the professional ranks, and probably would have made it if a couple breaks had fallen his way.

 Pete made his dream a goal, and executed the steps needed to get there. I got involved with him several months ago, advising on his sponsorship proposals and how to fund this effort. From there, he pursued numerous avenues, and creatively involved the Wounded Warrior project in his race team.

The end result is that Pete competed in the AMA Pro Racing XR1200 race over the past weekend, in front of 50,000 spectators and hundreds of thousands more via television coverage. He turned his dream into a goal, and executed the steps to achieve it.

Too many of us envision where we want to be, our "dreams" if you will, and never take the step of turning our dreams into goals. We treat them simply as things we want to happen, and over time, the dream becomes dulled and we give up on it.

 In fact, we all have the ability to turn our dreams into goals, and set a path that will take us there. We all have the power. It is a matter of conviction and execution.

Make it happen.

For more on Pete Cline, Team Ohio, and the Wounded Warrior Project, go to http://www.facebook.com/TeamOhioRacing and http://youtu.be/whzpTdjYHR8

College Grads - A Few Tips on Working Job Fairs

(This blog is the temporary landing spot for Advisory and Consulting Services.  If you want to reach us, please contact us at richgrunenwald@columbus.rr.com, or 614-561-3412)

I just returned from a job fair at a mid sized university here Ohio. Overall, it was a great experience, and I was pleasantly surprised with the amount and level of talent that attended. Similarly, I was impressed with the number of companies that attended.

According to the directory, there were over 100 companies, ranging from startups to Fortune 100 organizations, spanning relatively staid industries to rapidly growing and evolving business in internet marketing and advanced health care technology.

Pretty obvious to me the talent mismatch is real!

(See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzUz9B6ct7g for a good illustration of the talent mismatch - the ability of companies to find the right people in the right place at the right time.)

As a parent of a recent college grad and a soon to be college grad, I wanted to coach about half of the students:

DO dress appropriate and professional for the type of company you are targeting. Spike heels and mini skirts don't play well, even with fashion merchandisers. Business casual is fine for most college job fairs; business formal is a plus. Similarly, even if you did just roll out of bed, don't look like it.

DON'T wander up and down the aisle without a clue as to who you might want to talk to. I am not looking for lost puppies to take in. I am looking for folks with a foundation of interpersonal skills and techncial knowledge that will help my company to be successful.

DO Have a few companies pre-identified and do some light research on them and have a factoid or two ready: "I saw that you just came off your best year ever. That's great. How come it was such a great year for you?".

DO introduce yourself and shake my hand. Look me in the eye. Smile. Even if my company and your goals are not an obvious fit, companies can often hire people with the right personal characteristics and train them on their business.

DON'T throw up on me. In other words, don't walk up and immediately start talking about all your background and make me listen to five minutes of stuff that might not be relevant. I will likely interrupt you. A simple greeting goes a long way: "Hi, I am Sally and will be graduating in March with a Bachelor's in Economics. What types of people are you looking to join your company?"

DO have a couple general questions ready for any company you speak with: "To be honest, I am not at all familiar with your company and what you do. Can you give me an overview?".

DON'T worry about knowing everything. You are a recent or soon to be college grad, and I don't expect you to know much, if anything, about my company.

DON'T fret about your GPA or the fact you haven't had an internship other negatives that you might have. At this point, I am more interested in your poise and foundation of knowledge. We'll sort out the rest later.

DO talk to as many companies as you can. The more experience you get in the informal setting of a job fair, the better off you will be when you get that formal interview.

DO leverage your career services group and others that can help with technique. If you are nervous, or not sure what to say, do role plays with others in the same position as you - one time you are the candidate, the next time you are the hiring manager. If you are fortunate enough to know somebody that is a recruiter or HR professional, talk to them for advice and prep.

Admittedly, a lot of the above sounds a bit harsh and abrupt. The person at the booth won't be rude or mean to you; after all, all companies want to leave you with a positive impression. At the same time, companies invest in attendance and want to maximize the benefit their participation. Given this, both the employer and candidate need to quickly come to a decision whether there might be mutual interest. This isn't good or bad; it just is. You don't want to waste your time talking to me if I can't help you out.

In summary, recognize that a job fair enviroinment is more like a big social gathering than a formal interview. Be yourself. Ask questions. Be inquisitive. Engage in a dialog. Establish relationships.

It might take you somewhere you never even thought was possible.

Search For The Champion Within

(This blog is the temporary landing spot for Advisory and Consulting Services.  If you want to reach us, please contact us at richgrunenwald@columbus.rr.com, or 614-561-3412)


A friend of mine, Pete Cline, is an active and avid motorcycle racer who has had a fair degree of success in the sport of motorcycle road racing. Getting to know Pete and getting familiar with his activities has prompted me to think of my own goals and striving to be the best.

Pete put a video together for a contest sponsored by Champion Spark Plug Company, and it is quite impressive:

http://contest.alwaysachampion.com/contests/showentry/1011981/null/4

In the video, Pete asks a number of questions related to "What defines a champion?":

- Is it the wins and losses? We can all point to situations where a "winner" does not garner our respect.

- Is it setting aside self interest to support the good of all? Certainly champions make those around them better.

- Is it the way a person acts humbly in accepting victory and graciosly in defeat? That's part of it.

All of us have the opportunity to be champions. With our families and loved ones. At work. In our hobbies and interests.

What does being a champion mean to you? Define it, and strive to be that person in at least one aspect of your life.

It could be contagious.

PS - Vote for Pete!