Tag: Service Sector

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Sr. Staff Accountant Search – Atlanta Based

June 25, 2018: New Century Dynamics Executive Search announces new assignment:  Sr. Staff Accountant for Atlanta-based Not For Profit

Atlanta based company is seeking to hire a Senior Staff Accountant to oversee accounting and finance functions.  This is an exciting challenge for a well-rounded, hands-on leader.

We are looking for an experienced Senior Staff Accountant that will thrive in a challenging, collaborative and empowering mission-focused work environment. This full-time position will be based in the Corporate Office in Norcross, Ga. and reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The position will have primary responsibility for the full accounting function, including general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, fixed assets, account reconciliations and financial reporting.

For more information and your referrals, contact Jim Weber:  JimWeber@NewCenturyDynamics.com

 

James E. Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

770-649-7051

 

Current Assignments

  1. COO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – Completed
  2. CEO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – Completed
  3. VP Operations – Southeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – In process
  4. Sr. Staff Accountant – Atlanta-based Not For Profit – New
  5. Corporate R&D Chef, Atlanta-based Home Meal Replacement Company – Complete
  6. Area Supervisor – Legacy Pizza Chain, Carolinas – New
  7. Operating Partners – Legacy Pizza Chain – New
  8. Controller – Atlanta-based Consumer Products – Digital Company – Completed
  9. Outplacement Assignment – Atlanta-based Manufacturer:  Complete

Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal

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Beyond Delivery: A Guest Post by Eric Norman

By Eric Norman, Partner,  ITB Partners

Thinking back on both the successes and disappointments I’ve experienced in my career as a leader of organizational initiatives, the recollections that surface most often are not the successes… or even the difficult efforts I’ve led. The thoughts and underlying concerns that haunt me most frequently gather themselves around the discovery, after-the-fact, that some of the initiatives I believed were successfully delivered had actually been only a temporary fixes, or when viewed at a later date were revealed to be failures masquerading as success – to be discovered for what they really were only after the passage of time.

Let me briefly explain. The challenged initiatives (projects, programs, portfolios of work) I’m referring to were efforts that defied easy resolution – every step a difficult and exhaustive slog upstream.  These “successes” were initiatives that had effectively ticked all the traditional performance boxes… meeting project or program objectives, achieving initial acceptance criteria and benefits targets, delivered within budget, on schedule. On later review, however, the changes we understood to be successfully delivered and implemented were nowhere to be found.  New products, practices or systems sat idle – never to be used; new processes and guidance regularly circumvented or entirely ignored; new organizational structures reworked or fully replaced, no longer recognizable.  In these cases, what had initially been seen as resounding success was, in reality, complete and utter failure.

Fortunately, this did not happen often, but when it did, I found it particularly disturbing and difficult to accept.  I found myself asking “what had we, as the leadership team missed, what had we not done to ensure success – what had I overlooked as the initiative leader that enabled and led to this outcome?”

Answers to these questions have not come quickly. It’s taken more years than I care to admit to gain adequate perspective on the common thread that ties these failures together. Taking time to look more deeply into the initiatives I’ve led, I’ve focused specifically on the challenged initiatives and those initial successes I found later to be failures. I looked for common themes and conditions embodied in these efforts and what I found surprised me.  Here are three themes common to all of them that stand out:

  • Solutioning, not Solving Business Problems:  Common among nearly all of these challenged and failed initiatives was the notion that we were delivering “solutions”.  In many cases, they turned out to be fixes to symptoms that truly didn’t address underlying business issues and conditions. Examined more closely, these were often “pet” initiatives sponsored by influential leaders intent on changing something within the organizations they led, without much real concern for, or understanding of long-term organizational or business impact. Many times these came as mandates or pronouncements, such as: “we are going Agile… every project in the organization will now follow Agile principles”, or “Regardless of what the demand study says, we are going to deliver that product by September”. To help ensure we, as initiative leaders aren’t led down this dangerous path, perhaps we should inquire about the strategic significance of such initiatives, asking organizational decision-makers: specifically, what business problem are we trying to solve? Then follow that question with another: and how will this _______ (fill-in-the-blank initiative) help achieve that outcome?  In the end, it is our responsibility to ensure that the degree of clarity in the answers we receive actually guide our actions.
  • Delivering, not Generating Business Outcomes: Another striking similarity among this group of initiatives was the continual drumbeat of process and delivery – and we followed that drumbeat dutifully, attending to the management plans (process), and getting the job done (delivery) with mechanical precision. Whether the initiative was heralded as a model for success or one that struggled to cross the finish line, we celebrated at the conclusion and congratulated ourselves for a job well done. What becomes obvious now recalling these initiatives as a collection, was that in nearly every case the work wasn’t complete. We had prematurely declared success when we hadn’t actually achieved it. We had entirely ignored the need to measure progress against intended business outcomes. To put it simply, what we missed with our exclusive focus on process and delivery was the awareness that if we were delivering a new or changed product or service, delivery wasn’t the end of the process, it was the beginning. Measures and activities that would have served to focus the team, stakeholders, and sponsors during the initiative were entirely absent. How will we ensure adoption of the new ______ (fill-in-the-blank product or service) during and after the close of the effort?  What must we do now, during the initiative, to ensure the benefits we achieve can be sustained after the effort ends, and what must we put in place to make certain these benefits continue to accrue into the future? Who, specifically, will own sustainment of the changes we’ve implemented after the current champion, sponsor and team move on? I call these questions and others like them outcome-oriented thinking, and this approach now shapes and influences the methods, processes, tools, and systems I put in place for initiative leadership, benefits achievement and sustainment.
  • Maintaining Systems, not Sustaining Benefits: Finally, short-sighted or limited post-delivery planning characterized many of these failed efforts. Because we had focused so intently on delivery, our post-delivery plans emerged mostly as traditional, backward-facing maintenance activities. Warranty periods, call centers, support plans, problem/issue tracking, all targeted at correcting fallout from the delivery itself – and only for a relatively short period of time. On reflection, what I noticed common among these initiatives was the absence of a forward-looking sense of sustainment and continuous outcome improvement. During the initiatives, we hadn’t anticipated and planned for systemic issues that may have occurred. We viewed support as a passive, reactive activity, without planning-in the necessary components for acting on support information and feedback, employing this key information for ongoing outcome improvement. We spent little effort on defining post-delivery adoption, utilization or effectiveness measures, or the people and processes required for monitoring and acting on them. This reinforced our view of delivery as an endpoint, leaving the difficult follow-on work to others. Related to this – and most importantly in all these initiatives, we neglected to specifically identify the individuals responsible for carrying forward the new structures, products, services or benefits sustainment activities. This was a significant omission, leaving critically important considerations completely unaddressed. In effect, we had actually built short-lived success into these efforts, without a foundation for ongoing business value generation behind it.  Armed with this insight, I now regularly begin thinking of the post-implementation “who” and “how” during the planning stages of the initiatives I take on.  To summarize, in my view these three “Beyond Delivery” themes are inseparably linked, and to employ them as effective initiative leaders, we must:
  • Ensure alignment exists between the organization’s strategic objectives and the efforts we lead
  • Focus attention on post-delivery activities. Identify what must be put in place during initiatives to ensure durable and sustainable success after
  • Anticipate and plan for process ownership and sustainment activities, specifically identifying the individuals who will carry on the good work delivered by initiatives long after the original efforts have ended

Outcome-oriented thinking; it’s what results from considerations of things that occur in business…Beyond Delivery

Eric Norman

For more articles, presentations, books, and lectures by Eric Norman, check out his website: https://nncweb.net/publications/

Thank you for visiting my blog.

I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, Managing Partner

ITB PARTNERS

Jim.Weber@itbpartners.com

Current Assignments

  1. COO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – Completed
  2. CEO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – Completed
  3. VP Operations – Southeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – In process
  4. Sr. Staff Accountant – Atlanta-based Not For Profit – New
  5. Corporate R&D Chef, Atlanta-based Home Meal Replacement Company – Complete
  6. Area Supervisor – Legacy Pizza Chain, Carolinas – New
  7. Operating Partners – Legacy Pizza Chain – New
  8. Controller – Atlanta-based Consumer Products – Digital Company – Completed
  9. Outplacement Assignment – Atlanta-based Manufacturer:  Complete

Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal

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More On Networking And Team Building

My favorite way to conduct business is over cigars, preferably with an adult beverage.   It isn’t something I can do every day, but I make the best of the times when I can.  As I am always looking for new places to enjoy a cigar, I was willing to accept a 3:00 p.m. meeting this past Tuesday at Highland Cigar.   Highland Cigar Company is located in a neighborhood just east of downtown Atlanta.  This neighborhood, like many others close to downtown, is enjoying re-gentrification.

If you know anything about the traffic in Atlanta, the last thing you would want to do is to put yourself in a situation where you must commute home during rush hour.  It is especially true if you are returning to the northern suburbs from downtown.  Notwithstanding the traffic issue, I thought this meeting was worth the effort.  It was an opportunity to spend time with Eric, one of my newest Associates.  I arrived five minutes early and found a parking space on the street in front of Highland Cigar Company.  Karma was smiling on me.  When I stepped inside, I saw Eric sitting comfortably in front of his laptop enjoying a beer and cigar. We exchanged greetings, and he invited me to check out the humidor at the back of the store.  It isn’t the largest or the best-stocked humidor I have seen, but it featured a number of my favorite brands.  I picked out a Perdomo Habana, ordered a Guinness and rejoined Eric.

“Highland Cigar Company provides an uncompromising environment for acquiring and enjoying premium cigars and spirits. Our state-of-the-art ventilation system, comfortable leather sofas and high definition televisions create an experience like no other in the Atlanta area.”

As I settled in, lighting my cigar and savoring my first sips of Guinness, Eric told me a little about his affinity for Highland Cigars.  It’s within walking distance to his home office, a convenient place to take a break.  Highland Cigar Company is comfortable and inviting.  It offers a variety of seating options including traditional seating at the bar.  There were groups of over-stuffed leather chairs for quiet conversation as well as computer-friendly tables.  As with most retail venues, they offer free wi-fi, so one can enjoy a cigar and a beverage and still be productive.  In fact, many of the patrons in the bar were working on their Laptops.  I view Starbucks as a suitable venue to work in the morning, whereas a cigar-bar is my preference for the afternoon.  I came to realize that Highland Cigar Company was Eric’s home-away-from-home.  I can appreciate that.  After the background on Highland Cigar, we got down to business.

Eric began by saying that he was looking for guidance.  He wanted to understand how to fit into our team and to make a meaningful contribution.  He told me of a recent meeting with two other Members with similar skills.  He sees value collaborating with them as they form the nucleus of a Practice Group.  Our meeting was a great start as I am encouraged by proactive people, willing to contribute.  [Tweet “I find it easier to lead other leaders than to motivate followers.”]  It pleases me to see folks willing to take a leadership role in the organization.  We discussed the importance of networking within the Membership, to understand their capabilities.  We talked about opportunities for him to present at our monthly meetings; when we schedule time for one Member to discuss their business model in greater detail.  Eric liked that idea.  I suggested that he join our Marketing Working Group, which would benefit from his contribution.  That team is working to improve our brand positioning and value proposition.  It was at this point that I recognized an increase in Eric’s energy level.

Eric has a strong background in project and program management. He is an accomplished professional with experience and connections that make him a valuable team member.  He walked me through a deck related to one of his rebranding projects. Fabulous material!  It was an outline of the project plan, complete with storyboards and deliverables.  After he presented that material, he showed me the finished product which included a revised website.  His work was impressive; highly professional and compelling.  His contribution to our Marketing Working Group will be significant.

My meeting with Eric was very productive!  I learned more about his capabilities to better position him within our team.  I provided him with guidance to enhance his effectiveness.  I found a new venue to conduct business while enjoying a favorite cigar.  It was time well spent.

We concluded our meeting just ahead of rush hour, so my return home was uneventful.  During my drive, I phoned another colleague to recap my meeting with Eric.  We dialed him into the Marketing Group and invited him to their next meeting.  I anticipate great things from that group.   These one-to-ones are an essential component of our team-building efforts.  It is an integral part of my plan.  I become energized by these meetings.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.



Jim Weber, President

NEW CENTURY DYNAMICS EXECUTIVE SEARCH

JimWeber@NewCenturyDynamics.com

Current Assignments

1. COO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New

2. CEO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New

3. Corporate R&D Chef, Atlanta-based Home Meal Replacement Company – Complete

4. Area Supervisor – Legacy Pizza Chain, Carolinas – New

5. Operating Partners – Legacy Pizza Chain – New

6. Controller – Atlanta-based Consumer Products – Digital Company – Completed

7. Outplacement Assignment – Atlanta-based Manufacturer:  Complete

Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal

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So, You Need A Marketing Budget!

Guest Blog Post By: Michael Sick, Partner, ITB Partners – San Diego

 

While every company is unique, a common question among business owners is “how much should I spend on marketing?” The correct answer is…it depends. There are many factors to be considered to establish the optimal spending level for marketing and advertising. Here are a few issues to consider:

 

Industry Norms – Most industries have a “success model” that defines line item spending ranges.   Understanding this model is an important first step. Previous experience, feedback from other firms in the industry, or searches on the internet or trade publications are all good sources for this information.

 

 According to a report in Ad Age, ad spending in the United States as a percent of GDP was 2.2%.  That number is just for advertising and does not account for all marketing expenditures.  Marketing services (trade shows, research, consulting, design, production, staff, etc.) can often comprise 25 to 50% of the total spending.  McDonald’s (MCD) reports about 9% selling G&A with about half of that funding TV advertising.  Boston Beer Company (SAM), maker of Sam Adams beer spends 25 to 30% of its revenues on advertising, promotional and selling expenses.

 

Spending ratios are influenced by the business model for the industry.  Unlike lower margin business (consumer electronics or banking), high margin businesses (beverages and software) can afford to spend a greater amount of their revenue on advertising.

 

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“Fixed” Program– Some brands require a “minimum” level of marketing expenditures to be competitive. For example, a company may know that it needs to attend a given number of industry trade shows or regularly advertise in certain publications to maintain market share.   In this case, their budget is driven by a “fixed” set of expenditures.  As their business grows, these fixed costs will become a lower percentage of revenue.

 

Competitive Position – If Company “A” is in an industry where the norm is to dedicate 5% of sales to marketing, consideration needs to be given to the size of the competition.  If the company does one million dollars in revenue, an advertising budget at 5% results in $50,000 of expense.  If the other direct competitors have combined revenues of five million dollars and also spend 5%, they will spend five times the budget of Company “A”.  To break through the noise, consideration should be given to increasing the spending percentage, focusing the budget on a specific vertical customer segment and/or limiting the geographic reach of the marketing plan.

 

Growth Goals – If a company has aggressive revenue goals, they should consider the additional cash flow available for marketing generated by achieving the higher revenue goal.  Establishing the marketing budget as a ratio of the revenue goal is another approach.  Growing quickly requires increased working capital for inventory, staffing, and accounts receivable.  The prospect of increasing marketing spending can be challenging for high growth companies. Companies with plans to grow rapidly may need to spend a higher percentage of sales to achieve that goal.

 

Budgets in Recessions – Some companies find themselves losing customers and revenues during recessions.  A natural tendency is to reduce marketing expenditures to keep them “in line”.   If revenue is down 10%, should the marketing budget be reduced by 10%?  Logic dictates that if you reduce your budget by 10%, your revenues should fall by the same percentage.  Reducing marketing spending is likely to reduce the acquisition of new customers or jeopardize the company’s current share.   Brands should resist the urge to reduce marketing budgets in a recession.  Focus instead on improving the media mix, the creative or relevancy of the message. Recessions present an opportunity to gain market share, so look to reduce other expenditures first.

 

While marketing expenditures are recorded as expenses on the P&L, smart managers know that these expenditures are investments in the future.  The “Chicken and the Egg” dilemma is confounding for some businesses.  Which comes first, the revenue to support the marketing budget or the marketing budget to generate the revenue.  Your CFO and CMO are likely to answer that question differently!   They can probably agree, however, that revenues tomorrow are likely to be higher if you spend more on marketing and advertising today.

 

Setting a budget for marketing expenditures can be perplexing to business owners as the promised benefit is elusive.  Every business has a slightly different situation that needs to be considered to establish a marketing budget. Prospects generally need to be exposed to a brand multiple times before they are willing to change providers or make a purchase.  The Savvy marketing professional knows that it takes months, years even to nurture a prospect.   [Tweet “Optimizing marketing expenditures by benchmarking and tracking metrics specific to the company’s situation is the foundation for success.”] Reviewing the approaches discussed in this article is a good first step.  ITB Partners (www.itbpartners.com) has broad experience across many industries and domains, so we are capable of advising our clients on this subject and all other issues facing the enterprise.

 

 

Michael Sick, a nationally recognized, innovative management consultant specializing in strategic marketing, advertising, and business development. He spent 25 years in corporate marketing and was a Marketing Vice President for Jack In The Box, Pearle Vision, Arby’s and others. Currently, he serves as the part time Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for some clients around the US. Learn more at:   www.itbpartners.com/michael-sick.html

 

 

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox. Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is important to me so; please leave a comment.

 

 

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal

JimWeber@NewCenturyDynamics.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Assignments

1. COO- Atlanta-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New

2. Controller – Atlanta-based Consumer Products – Digital Company – New

3. Director of Biz Dev, Atlanta-based B2B Professional Services Company:    Completed

4. Payroll-Benefits Manager, Atlanta-based Retail Company:  Complete

5. Senior Accounting Manager – Atlanta-based Manufacturer. Complete

6. Controller – Atlanta-based Restaurant Company: New

7. Outplacement Assignment – Atlanta-based Manufacturer:  New

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Posted on

Eight Years Later

Eight years is a long time to maintain a relationship with a client, especially if they haven’t had a need for your services.  It would seem that the risk of losing that client would be high.  As I came to learn this week, that assumption isn’t necessarily true. 

I am the Business Manager for a Woman-owned remodeling business that specializes in Kitchens and Baths.  This weekend my client and I celebrated her latest assignment over a glass of wine.  Her client is a couple she worked with in 2008.  At that time this family had considered their options to provide a more livable home for their growing family.   They had evaluated the cost of building or buying a new home, vis-a-vis remodeling their existing home.   As their home is in a good neighborhood they could afford to invest in upgrades, which they viewed as a better financial decision at the time. 

This wasn’t a major project, but it did present some challenges.  The Kitchen had a simple layout with space constraints.  They wanted an Island but did not have enough space.  There was a problem with the proximity of junction boxes to the Secretary desk.   My client worked through these issues to the satisfaction of her client.  In fact, she found a solution to the space constraints by putting the island on casters so that it could be moved out of the way when necessary.  

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Today, eight years later, this couple is in a better financial position and the real estate market has increased the value of their 20-year old home, a Georgian Colonial.  Now they can build their dream home and want my client to design the kitchen and baths, and help them acquire cabinets and appliances.  They also want her to help stage their existing home when they put it on the market.  This is a big project as the new home will be about twice the size of their current abode.    

This wasn’t the first time my client has been called back to take on bigger projects for past customers.   I know the power of referrals and repeat business but I was curious as to what set my client apart in this highly competitive market.  I assumed that she had met her client’s expectations and established rapport and trust.   But, what was it that motivated them to call her, eight years later?  So I asked my client “what did you do for this family that made them want to hire you again?”  She responded by breaking the project down into three major components.  She said that she kept the project on time and within their budget; she helped them make timely decisions; and she helped them save time, so as to be more efficient.  She went on to say that she advised the client about problems they may encounter down the road.  In most cases, her predictions were accurate.   I don’t doubt her project management skills, but I found it a bit amusing that she did not mention another very important point.

Eight years is a long time in “The New Normal.”  Relationships wax and wane. Many companies in the construction trades failed and went out of business.  My client had to scale back her business.  The fact that she received a follow-on call from these folks is remarkable.  But, my client had some help.  I have been working with her to maintain and build on her relationships, employing an email marketing strategy.  This effort was not that difficult.  We established a Mail Chimp account and imported her mailing list.  After that, it was just a matter of developing interesting posts to share with her network.   Periodically she has communicated with her contacts keeping them updated on her activities and projects.  Former and prospective clients know that she is still helping homeowners with their remodeling needs.  By staying front and center with these folks, she has maintained these relationships, generating calls even after eight years time.

We live in a fast-paced, rapidly changing world.  [Tweet “Businesses are challenged to retain existing customers while closing new prospects.”]  Fortunately, we have tools to keep our networks alive and healthy.  Email marketing platforms like Mail Chimp and Constant Contact are viable solutions.  Starting a blog is another useful strategy.  These services are easy to use and relatively inexpensive, a real force multiplier.  Whether you are working to grow a business or manage your career, maintaining a healthy network is fundamental to success.  Using social media and other digital solutions is a viable solution for most.

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox. Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.  

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is important to me so; please leave a comment.

 

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

JimWeber@NewCenturyDynamics.com

Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal

 

Job Search Strategy For The New Normal

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Assignments

1. COO- Atlanta-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New

2. Director of Business Dev, Atlanta-based B2B Professional Services Company: Complete
3. Payroll-Benefits Manager, Atlanta-based Retail Company:  Complete
4. Senior Accounting Manager – Atlanta-based Manufacturer. Complete
5. Controller – Atlanta-based Restaurant Company: New

6. Outplacement Assignment – Atlanta-based Manufacturer:  New

 

 

 

Posted on

New Century Dynamics Executive Search announces new assignment: Controller for a Southeastern-based Casual Dining Brand.

January 8, 2017: New Century Dynamics Executive Search announces new assignment:  Controller for a Southeastern-based Casual Dining Brand.

$100M Atlanta based company is seeking to hire a CONTROLLER to oversee accounting and finance functions.  This is an exciting challenge for a well-rounded, hands-on leader.

 

 

 

Responsibilities:

·         Period-end closing and preparation of necessary financial statements

·         Hands-on management of general ledger including journal entries, accruals, AP/AR oversight and reconciliation of cash and other accounts

·         Analysis, research and recommendations for budget variances

·         Financial schedules for taxes and year end external audit

·         Establish and improve internal controls

·         Vendor relationships including review and negotiation of contracts

 

Requirements:

·         Bachelor’s degree in accounting

·         5+ years of accounting experience

·         Supervisory experience

·         Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

·         Excellent proficiency with Excel

 

$100k – $130k.  Bonus in the 20-30% range

 

Jim Weber, President
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal

 

 

 

Current Assignments

 

1. Strategic Partner – Atlanta-based B2B Professional Services Company – Complete
2. Director of Business Dev, Atlanta-based B2B Professional Services Company: Complete
3. Payroll-Benefits Manager, Atlanta-based Retail Company:  In Process
4. Senior Accounting Manager – Atlanta-based Manufacturer. In Process
5. Controller – Atlanta-based Restaurant Company:  New

 

 

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It’s Not Personal. It’s Just Business

 

 

It has been a very interesting week.  Most are these days.  It wasn’t because it has been snowing in Atlanta, although that has created its own issues.  No, what made this week interesting was the extremes of networking results we encountered.  My team was reminded that not everyone is a viable networking partner.  That will never change.

While discussing our business development activities I told a colleague about my progress with a new partner.  This contact, John is a referral from an associate who recently joined our team.  John owns a Professional Services Firm whose model is very complimentary to ours.  He is very personable and clearly understands the benefits to networking.  After three visits to explore mutual interests and opportunities, with a handshake, we agreed to work together to exchange leads and referrals.  In fact, both of us have already made connections on behalf of the other.

I then recapped a list of people I had contacted to set up meetings in the coming weeks.  When I got to a specific name my colleague stopped me.  “Don’t expect any help from him.  He is funny about referrals.”  In other words, this person will accept your help, but don’t expect him to reciprocate.  I was a bit surprised, to say the least.  I was fascinated by my colleagues’ recap of several encounters that made his point.

It is a sad part of life that not everyone is interested in the give-and-take of effective networking.  Some people, albeit a small percentage from my experience, are about taking, not giving.  It may be conscious or not, but not everyone is blessed with the networking gene.  It just isn’t in their DNA.  I have seen this phenomena all too often in my work.  I cannot count the number of people who would not give me the time of day when I called on them, only to find that I am their long-lost friend when they need my help.  Clearly, not the norm.  Over time it has been a source of amusement.  I have recognized this to be a fact of life.  It is a cost of doing business.  It’s not personal.  I have long had the policy of helping these “long-lost friends” as best as I can without expecting anything in return.  Punishing bad behavior with equally bad behavior is a poor business practice which likely leads to bad Karma.  It’s not personal.  I took my colleague’s admonition to heart but still plan to follow through on our meeting.  Who knows, it might lead to some interesting intel.

In life, I have learned that I cannot expect everyone to behave to my expectations.  Networking is no exception.  So, when planning your networking activities follow the 80/20 rule.  Focus on those people who are adept at networking and avoid the takers.  Help everyone you can without expectation.  If they do not reciprocate, recognize their behavior for what it is, a cost of doing business.  It isn’t personal.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so please leave a comment.

 

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

www.newcenturydynamics.com

 

Posted on

“We Will Sell No Wine Before Its Time”

The Paul Masson brand is best remembered for its 1970s marketing association with Orson Welles, who promised for Masson: "We will sell no wine before its time." An infamous outtake for one commercial from the Orson Welles campaign features Welles attempting to deliver his lines while very severely inebriated.  From Wikipedia.

Recently, one of my best clients called to discuss an organization issue.  The leadership  was planning to terminate a key manager who was not meeting the expectations of the job.  The partners, however, had different ideas as to how to fill the void to be created.  Two of the partners were behind the promotion of a highly respected, but inexperienced employee.  The CEO had another point of view, so he looked to me to provide an unbiased, third-party evaluation.  His specific request was for a written report justifying our position.

The client company, a relatively new business, well-funded, it is headed by accomplished industry professionals.   They have a proven concept and are moving into a period of rapid growth.  In order to be successful it was our view that their key positions must be staffed with self-starters with proof of concept or rely on out-sourced solutions. 

My first reaction was great pleasure to know that our firm was held in such high esteem to be chosen to complete this assignment.  My next reaction was the realization that this request presented risk to our ongoing relationship.  We would be touching on the political dynamics within my client’s culture.   My goal was to give the client our very best advice packaged in a way that would be useful and accepted by all parties involved, a win-win-win.  I was looking for a solution that would be a factual aid to the client’s decision; that would result in meaningful career counsel for their internal candidate; and which would demonstrate our integrity, protecting our long term relationship.  After all, isn’t that the goal of any engagement?  Especially since we focus on finding solutions that will ensure our clients long term viability.

The plan we developed consisted of six fundamental steps as follows:

  1. Initial review of internal candidate’s experience vis a vis the client’s job description.
  2. Personal interview with the candidate
  3. Candidate’s completion of Career Insights Profile diagnostic to reveal personal strengths, orientation to work, and personal motivators.
  4. Consultation with our associates to evaluate all relevant findings and craft the appropriate recommendation.
  5. Recap findings and recommendations to the client.
  6. Debrief key members of client’s team and internal candidate.

Our prep work revealed major gaps between the internal candidate’s background and the job requirements.  Essentially she was too junior to have the skills and experience to perform the job.

My personal interview revealed that she is intelligent and articulate.  She demonstrated her passion for the restaurant industry as a career choice, however she was uncertain about a specific path.  She revealed stress related to less than clear communication and direction.

The results of her Career Insights Profile showed her to have a Supporter Style Profile.  According to that profile, the candidate is “not outgoing by nature, they tend to rely on more assertive people to take the lead.” 

Our team determined that putting this candidate in position at this time and without significant support and direction had a high probability of failure.  We discussed the cost of failure to the client, both in financial terms and to their credibility as leaders.   We spoke to the cost to the candidate’s ego and motivation to build her career.  We believe that she will  likely be a long term contributor given the proper positioning, training and development.

The debrief with the key players on the client team did not produce any significant challenges.  Their decision now is to determine if they should initiate a search to fill the position in question, or to find an outside resource to manage that function.  They must also give consideration to a development program for their internal candidate.

We were successful in this effort, accomplishing our goal for a win-win-win solution.  We presented issues the partners had not considered.  We were sympathetic to the needs of the internal candidate.  We did not put on the hard sell to initiate a search or to provide the needed out-sourced solution.  Our report was thoughtful and non-threatening.  To successfully navigate any sensitive situation one must clearly understand the needs of all interested parties while maintaining one’s integrity.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so please leave a comment.

 

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

www.newcenturydynamics.com

 

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Jim, What am I Doing Wrong? IS Professionals in the New Normal

As I write this post it is a balmy 72 degrees with clear skies over Tampa Bay.  Yes, life is good.  I drove down yesterday to meet with my protégé as a part of the USF College of Business Mentor Program.  Yesterday was down-time, so I caught up with friends and family.  It was an interesting afternoon and evening that perfectly framed the “new normal.”    

Upon arrival I enjoyed lunch, a few beers and a cigar with friends.  Shortly after the arrival of our beer and a brief toast, Mark asked; “Jim, what am I doing wrong?”  Mark spent 25 years with a global technology company, followed by 5 years with a local governmental body.  Now unemployed, he is seeking his next opportunity.  Mark is most adept at directing large teams, but not close enough to the actual technology.  He is finding it difficult to gain employment in the same line of work.  I reminded him again that those jobs don’t exist anymore and that he must explore other options.   My comment to Mark was clearly hyperbole, but not completely.  As in most recessions, employers have reconfigured their overhead to the chagrin of highly compensated executives.  This time around, technology has created more options for employers, particularly out-sourcing.  Everyone has heard about activity moving to “the cloud.” 

Later that evening I had dinner with relatives.  Christopher, a recent honors graduate, is learning his new job.  He is literally on the front lines, using technology to help management make better decisions.   Christopher is making a good salary and has some excess funds to save and invest.  He had a lot of questions about investing, so we talked about 401ks, IRAs, and the benefits of mutual funds in general and index funds in particular.  We also talked a little about advancing his career skills.  He is like a sponge, soaking it all in.

His father has a good, middle-management job with a global professional services company.  He spoke about his relief to have passed a series of technical proficiency exams required by his employer.  He clearly understands the importance of staying current in his career, so he welcomed the training, even if it was a bit unnerving.   Interestingly, Mark, Christopher, and his father,  are MIS/IT/IS professionals, and USF Alums.  I can hardly think of better examples of the current employment situation.

I am reminded of two IS Professionals I met recently through a referral.  Chris and Joe have backgrounds very similar to Mark but they decided to start a Consulting Group when they lost their jobs.   These guys have a very clear understanding of the new normal, taking a proactive approach to achieve their career goals.  They have developed a positioning strategy which they are diligently working to validate via client acquisition.  As with any start-up, they are having their ups and downs.  The key take-away is that Chris and Joe are in the game.  They are learning how to be relevant to the market, making adjustments on the fly.  I am confident that their abilities and tenacity will ensure their success.  I hope to be helpful to them in this connection.

If you are going to be in the game, (my metaphor for gainful employment) be in the game!   We live in a very competitive world which requires constant learning to find your niche and maintain a competitive edge.  The game has changed in the new normal.  You must adapt or plan to warm the bench.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so please leave a comment.

 

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

www.newcenturydynamics.com

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2014 Was a Tough Year for Faith.

2014 was a tough year for Faith.  Displaced from a Fortune 500 insurance company early in the year, Faith finally landed a great job before the Holidays.  Faith is not her real name, of course, but it fits her well.  Faith is in her mid-50’s, single, with an excellent image and a solid work history.  Admittedly, her last job was not a good fit to her profile.  She is excellent at building relationships and supporting customers so she is much better suited to the Account Executive job she eventually landed.  Faith is also the inspiration for many of my blog posts. 

I have known Faith for over ten years.  We are friends, and partners in a networking group.  She considers me a mentor and I consider her my go-to person for information on insurance matters.  She is a role model for anyone in transition.  Faith was not surprised to have lost her job.  Her employer had been through a lot of change and turmoil.   She took the news in stride and was totally professional on her exit.  She did not spend much time wallowing in self-pity, but got right to work.  The first step in her journey was to develop a job search strategy.

She spent a lot of time with friends and colleagues, listening to their thoughts and advice.   By the end of this process she came to understand that she was best suited to working with existing clients, building relationships that would keep them in the fold.  This revelation become the foundation for her job search strategy.  Since her entire career has been in the insurance industry, she focused on opportunities in that field.  The insurance industry has seen many changes, however, new opportunities are emerging.  Faith understood that she had many viable options.  Crafting the right strategy led to a very positive result.

This is not to say that it was smooth sailing for Faith.  It was a tough, grueling search.  There were many ups and downs.  Great opportunities came and went.  Prospective employers took their time moving from one step to the next.   In some cases, employers changed their thinking and canceled searches.  The length of time involved in her search was a constant source of frustration.  She knew she was doing all the right things.  She knew that she could not control the employer’s selection process.  That was what made it so frustrating.  Their timetable was beyond her control.  It is easy to say that you should not worry about that which you cannot control.  It is something else entirely to live it.   I am sure she got very tired of my reminder; “the employer does not work off your timetable.”

Faith’s coping skills were put to the test and then some.  But she is well grounded and stayed true to her plan.  She maintained a positive, optimistic attitude.  She made optimal use of her network, gaining strength from their support and encouragement.  Always enthusiastic about leading a healthy lifestyle, Faith maintained her exercise routine and diet.  She also pursued opportunities to take on short-term assignments to help supplement her cash flow needs.  She is a class-act and true professional.  She kept the faith.  Eventually it paid off.    The lesson is to begin with the right job search strategy then work your plan.   Stay focused, stay positive, and stay in the game.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so please leave a comment.

 

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

www.newcenturydynamics.com