The Worst Advice I’ve Ever Received

Bryan Gillum • February 25, 2021

Seeking business advice from the right people pays off more than you'd expect!

I have a friend who is a doctor. It’s always interesting to hear his stories from patients with a health issue and took medical advice from a friend (or webMD). I’m sure you also know someone who will listen to anyone who confidently gives advice; even if they don’t know the difference between a stethoscope and a gyroscope. It's time to think through the advice you are receiving.

In the world of team performance, we hear from business owners and leaders who take advice from friends, colleagues and family members. On one occasion, a business owner described a time when he thought he received great advice from a bartender who recently graduated college. While it could be possible that she had some unexpected insight about what drives team performance and individuals behaviors, the advice he followed resulted in unexpected turnover and a higher level of disengagement within his team.

When you have a medical issue, it is easy to assess the expertise of a doctor or other medical practitioner. You can investigate where they studied medicine or you can go to websites like ratemds.com. But how can you assess the expertise of a professional who can help you evaluate and improve the performance of your leaders and employees? The results of team and leader effectiveness initiatives can be difficult to measure. As a result, a leader may not realize that a program was marginally effective if they have not seen the benefits of a successful intervention.

Leaders can consider the following criteria when identifying and evaluating leadership and team effectiveness experts:

Have they succeeded and failed at leading teams?

Developing strategies to improve performance requires both art and science. Consultants who have not experienced failures when leading teams might rely too much on a singular approach that won’t work in every situation. To have the greatest impact, strategies and approaches need to be modified and adapted to meet your organization’s unique characteristics and culture.

Do they have a Proven Process?

While every situation is unique, using a standard, proven framework is a great start to diagnosing key issues and developing some initial approaches to address the pain points. The best frameworks are developed through industry research and with methodologies that have been proven with data and analysis. Consultants should be able to describe the key principles and underlying sources of research that was used to develop their framework.

Does the consultant have technical expertise?

Gaining expertise in team and leader effectiveness in different from learning how to be an accountant or an engineer. Credible and technical experts perform a significant amount of individual research to learn more about team and leadership effectiveness issues. They become experts at assessment tools and approaches, competency models and frameworks, and coaching and development strategies.

Before taking advice from a colleague or even a consultant, consider the factors above to evaluate their experience, knowledge and expertise. This will help you increase the likelihood of finding the right consultant to improve your team’s and leader’s performance.

We have credible experts who have succeeded and failed at leading team, with our new proven process we take what we have learned from those successes and failures to help you succeed! Get in touch with us today!

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5 Signs You May Need a Recruitment Partner

By Grant Covault • March 7, 2023

In today's highly competitive job market, finding and retaining the right talent for your business is more critical than ever. In fact, according to a recent release from Monster.com, 96% of workers will be seeking some type of new position in 2023 . However, the hiring process can be challenging, and many businesses struggle to find the right candidate for the job. That's where recruitment partners come in. A recruitment partner can help you find the right talent and streamline the hiring process. In this blog, we'll discuss 5 signs that indicate you may need a third-party to help you with your hiring needs. 1. Inability to Attract Qualified Candidates If you're struggling to attract qualified candidates for your job openings, it may be time to consider partnering with a recruitment firm. A good firm can assist you in identifying the root cause of the issues and collaborate with you to create an effective hiring strategy. With their extensive network of both active and passive job seekers, they can help you find the ideal candidate for your organization. 2. Time Constraints and Limited Resources Another sign that you may need to seek out help is when you feel pressed for bandwidth, and you are unable to dedicate the necessary time to the hiring process. A recruitment partner can handle the hiring process for you, from posting job openings to screening candidates and conducting interviews. This frees up your time to focus on other aspects of your business. 3. High Turnover Rates Nothing is more frustrating than making a hire only to lose that persona a short time later. Additionally, high employee turnover can be costly and affect productivity and morale. By bringing on a consultant, they can help you objectively identify why employees are leaving and find ways to improve retention. They can also help you create job descriptions that accurately reflect the role and company culture, ensuring that you attract candidates who are a good fit for your organization. 4. Lack of Industry Knowledge If you're not familiar with the job market in your industry, it can be challenging to find the right candidates for your organization. A recruitment partner has industry knowledge and can provide insights into the job market and salary trends. They can help you create competitive offers that attract top talent and ensure that you find the right candidate for the job. 5. Employer Brand Reputation Your employer brand reputation is essential to attracting top talent. If your business has a poor reputation, it can be challenging to attract the right candidates. Having the right consultant can help you improve your employer brand by providing insights into what candidates are looking for in a job and what makes a company attractive to potential employees. They can also help you create a positive candidate experience, ensuring that even candidates who don't get the job leave with a positive impression of your organization. In conclusion, hiring the right talent for your business can be challenging to do by yourself. However, with the help of the right recruitment partner, you can streamline the hiring process and find the best candidate for the job. If you're experiencing any of the signs outlined in this blog, reach out to us today for a free consultation to see if we are the right fit to help your team.