| Many if not most organizations consider employees its | | | | additional information or just click on the link at the |
| most valuable asset. Unfortunately many don't walk | | | | bottom of this article. |
| the walk. Anything the organization can do to retain | | | | There is a lot of talk about employee development but |
| and enhance those assets should be a top priority. | | | | very little specific training is available. It seems like |
| Employee development is one of the most important | | | | success is dependent upon surrounding yourself with |
| aspects of building and maintaining a successful | | | | the right people and hoping they have the skills |
| organization. Research proves when employees fail in | | | | necessary to do the job. Compassion often prevents |
| their positions in more than 90% of the cases the | | | | us from replacing those that don't have the skills in a |
| failures are directly attributed to some aspect of | | | | timely fashion and very little coaching and mentoring |
| human behavior. Individuals do not usually fail because | | | | support is available within the company. |
| of lack of education, experience, training, or skills. They | | | | A sad commentary considering that employee |
| fail because their personality and behavior is not | | | | development and teamwork skills are critical to the |
| compatible to the behavioral requirements of their | | | | effectiveness of the management team. Success of |
| particular position. If employees are not suitable for their | | | | your management team can be defined by what they |
| position or if they do not achieve their potential, the | | | | accomplish as a group. A synergy within the team that |
| organization can fail or never achieve its potential. Do | | | | creates unity, clarity of direction with a common |
| an internal assessment of your organization. Start by | | | | purpose that is in alignment with strategic initiatives. |
| asking the following questions:o Are your employees | | | | Many company executives pay far too little attention |
| success oriented? Are they:o Ambitious, competitive, | | | | to this part of their businesses. Often the mindset is |
| goal orientedo Self-confidento Conscientiouso Are | | | | that this is the "touchy-feely" stuff that's a non-revenue |
| your employees dedicated and cooperative?o | | | | producing necessary evil. Maybe that thought process |
| Coachableo Trusting and trustworthyo Flexibleo | | | | didn't hurt the company in the 80's or early 90's when |
| Responsibleo Do your employees have leadership | | | | unemployment in some areas reached 10%, but that's |
| potential?o Leadershipo Sociabilityo Exhibitiono | | | | not the case today where the labor unemployment |
| Nurturanceo Calculated risk takerso Do your | | | | rate in many markets is less than 4%. When |
| employees meet the intellectual requirements for their | | | | unemployment is that low, most people who are |
| position?o Alertnesso Structureo Organizationo | | | | unemployed just don't want to work. As a result, there |
| Controlo Do your employees have the required | | | | is a lot of corporate raiding going on. |
| emotional maturity and discipline?o Composureo | | | | The question is not, "Can you afford to invest in this |
| Tough-mindednesso Autonomyo Do your employees | | | | soft touchy-feely stuff?" The question becomes, "Can |
| have an inherent sales and/or management | | | | you afford to not invest in your most important asset, |
| personality?o Sociabilityo Enduranceo Assertivenesso | | | | your employees?" |
| Tough-mindedness | | | | A bias that exists in many companies is almost as |
| These are extremely difficult questions to answer | | | | though admitting that employees are the most |
| under any circumstance. But, the answers are critical | | | | precious of corporate assets will lead to an anarchy |
| to the success of your company. Simply put, it's your | | | | on which owners and managers will fall at the mercy |
| employees that generate competitive advantage and | | | | of the workforce. Well, shake your head in disbelief if |
| they create profit. There is help available. I found the | | | | you want to, but the reality of the situation is that you |
| Winslow Employee Development Program. This is an | | | | are at the mercy of your workforce. The rules have |
| Internet-based system to measure the personality, | | | | to continue to change. If you aren't willing to admit that |
| behavior and attitudes of employees. It provides | | | | and get your head in the game then you won't survive |
| feedback to organizations on the employee's behavior | | | | in the new millennium. |
| compared to the behavioral requirements for their | | | | Take action now and deal with the biggest challenge |
| specific position. The user-friendly system enables | | | | that will face your industry for the next ten years ---- |
| management to administer their assessment activity | | | | recruitment and retention. And I haven't even |
| and have total control over the process. E-mail for | | | | mentioned the retirement of all the "baby boomers". |