Recruitment Ads : The Boss Factor

Most recruitment advertisements trumpet the basic incentives - salary, perks, facilities, etc but I have yet to see a hiring notice that takes into account the NUMBER ONE reason why employees quit. Shouldn't it be logical that if I desire to hire for loyalty that I also find out what is the main cause for disloyalty and have this consideration as upfront as possible in the hiring process?

Here's the ONE major insertion in your next recruitment ad that will make all the difference :
"This job will place you in relationship with a boss/supervisor who cares for you as a person, recognize your efforts and spend regular time discussing your growth and prospects in the company. He will not outsource your growth to the HR department as he believes in personally coaching all his direct reports".

Employees do not leave companies, they leave managers. If that is true, then the NUMBER ONE attraction factor for people to join the company is also the quality of the hiring manager. So, why not flaunt it?

BFM Radio: The Myth of Unlimited Potential

Did an inaugural chat session at BFM Radio today on a new series called "Finding Your Strengths - An Affirmative Approach to Leadership". Much stress is created when leaders buy into this myth which shouts - "You can become anyone you want to be as long as you put your mind to it! You have unlimited potential!"

The truth is our talent is limited and the leader can only do so much. That is why there is a need to focus on strengths rather than on fixing weaknesses. By identifying your strengths, you become more of who you already are rather than force-fitting yourself to become something you are not.

Click here to listen to the radio interview.

The R.A.T. Way of Influence

The shortest and surest way of killing off your influencing skill is by nagging and telling! People automatically put up a barrier of resistance of when they are told what to do. If you rely upon positional authority to exert your influence and hoping to get your subordinates to toe the line - of course they will but their actions will not stem from a heart of loyalty. They will only do what you want when you are constantly "on-their-back" and it stresses you out because you will have to micro-manage their actions.

There is a better way. It is the R.A.T. way of influence -

1. Reflect - Spend time to read and reflect upon your own leadership traits and style. Get feedback and invest effort in a process of self-discovery to know yourself better. Without a thorough understanding of what makes you tick and motivates your behavior, you will merely be reacting instead of responding to situations.
2. Action - Then take action on what you have learnt in the reading and reflection process. Taking action does not mean a total transformation, rather the focus is on consistency and repeatability. Many read but not many translates thoughts into habits. A disconnect between thoughts and behavior is simply known as hypocrisy.
3. Teach - Now, you are in a position to teach and to share with others what they should do. Often, we are too eager to teach! However, if you follow the right sequence of Reflect & Action before Teach, then your teaching will be authentic because you would be one who is already walking the talk in an authentic manner. Followers look for authenticity before they commit their allegiance.

So, are you ready to be a part of this influential R.A.T. race?

How is Your Face Value?

It is interesting to note that when we clothe, we cover most parts of our body but not the face. Why is this so? I believe, my face displays a certain countenance which reflects the inner state of my heart. Many desire to project the right image of themselves by focusing on fashion, cosmetic and physical appearance but miss out on the all-vital ingredient of their countenance which is the story of the heart written on the expression of the face.

Instead of spending time (and money) dressing up too much, I would recommend that we take time to focus on improving the countenance of our face rather than the "cosmetic" of our face. Beyond just smiling more often, getting to the root cause of a cheerful heart involves the following :

1. My relationship with the Creator of my heart. Without a strong spiritual center, there is really little to shine on my face. If I am not at peace with God, then the stress will eventually show on my face.
2. My relationship with my life partner. The most stable of all human relationship is that between the husband and the wife (till death do us part...). Now if the state of this relationship is under duress, then it will also show on my face.
3. My relationship with my boss/supervisor/authority figure. British scientist George Fieldman claims that boss-induced hypertension could increase the risk of stroke by one-third! Obviously, there are a lot of sour-looking faces on the streets today that are caused by a sour relationship with the boss.

So, if you do not want to "lose face", take care of the three vital relationships in your life as stated above. Then your face will really shine!