Leadership » Scott K. Goss

7 Common Hiring Mistakes You Want to Avoid

Sep 232012

Hiring the wrong person is one of the biggest, most costly mistakes a business owner can make. Here are some tips of what not to do:

Your job posting looks like a laundry list of tasks … and doesn’t inspire anyone. Instead create a classified ad that speaks more to the heart of the type of person you are looking for. The posting should focus on the entire person and describe their attributes. The thought is that people will compare themselves to a particular ad and respond accordingly. Remember, you are selling the position so focus on the positive aspects.
Not applying enough resources … may produce too few quality candidates. Do a broad search and don’t cut corners. Think outside the box when it comes to posting your classified ad. You want to cast a wide net and get as many candidates interested as possible.
Prescreening candidates purely based on what’s on their resume … then finding out they’re much better on paper than in person. When bringing a new person into your organization what’s more important, what’s in their head or what’s in their heart? Most people I ask this question respond “heart”. Well, how are you going to tell that from their resume?
Failing to court candidates … may mean no marriage! The “getting to know you” process should not be just a one-side two hour interview. Realize you are marketing yourself and your business to candidates as much as they should be to you. You have only one chance to make a good first impression.
Not checking references … is probably the most common mistake. Prepare a list of questions to ask references and then do it! Also contact former employers and ask them the same questions.
Not testing to determine if they truly have the skills … and just believing what you’re told. You wouldn’t buy a car without test driving it, so why are you hiring someone without test driving them? Determine the 4 or 5 key skills necessary for them to perform the job and make sure they can really do them.
Hiring too quickly … even when recommended by a friend, may be a mistake. Do proper due diligence and don’t let pressure to fill a vacancy force you into a premature decision.

If you are unhappy with the results you have achieved in your past hiring attempts, then you have to change up what you have done in the past.

13 Critical Characteristics Every Top Performer Must Have

Leadership No Responses »

Sep 082012

Do you want to be a leader or an expert in your field or industry? Do you want to advance your career and income?

If you answered yes to these questions, then you need to become a “Top Performer” in your profession. If you are now a manager, executive, consultant or sales specialist, performance skills will be one of the keys to your success. Experience and knowledge in your area of specialty may make you an above average performer, but to be a “Top Performer” start with the these skills and action items today.

1. Goal-Oriented Thinking: Define both long term and short term measurable goals. Concentrate your efforts on the short term goals. These can be goals that are measured either weekly or monthly. The long term goals will come.

2. Measurement and Assessment: Measure and assess everything that will increase your effectiveness. Develop a scorecard system that tracks your target goal versus what you actually achieved.

3. Support: Top performers don’t try to have every answer themselves, but will often look outside to gather guidance and support. Aligning yourself with others who have complementary skills or strengths will allow you to access a larger body of knowledge as you move toward your goals.

4. Resistance to Adversity: The key is to not panic when everything isn’t going according to plan. It is important to remain solutions based especially when the pressure is on.

5. Balance: In the journey toward success there are bound to be peaks and valleys of success and failure. Celebrate the successes and learn from the failures.

6. Patience and Resilience: Every top performer understands that the journey to excellence does not happen overnight. Your patience will set you apart from the crowd.

7. Risk-Taking: The willingness to take smart and calculated risks is essential for optimal results. Cultivate a willingness to be exposed in front of one’s peers without a fear of consequences.

8. Tenacity: Top performers are never excuse makers. If there is an obstacle getting in the way of their success, they go over it, under it or around it. But they never see it as an obstacle and they don’t let it stop them from reaching their goals.

9. Life-long student: Top performers are always students. They not only know their products and services inside and out, they also know about the industry or industries they are working in. They read. They stay on top of market changes. They share news. They get to know other top performers. And they learn the ins and outs of the industry as it changes.

10. Stamina: Top performers are in it for the long haul. They are committed to their career or business. The long-term focus means they will invest more time into their work every day than others are willing to invest.

11. Investors: Top performers invest in themselves. They are okay with spending more time and money for things, if necessary. They purchase whatever is necessary to make their job easier and better. They purchase training audios, go to seminars and read industry magazines. They are always on top of what’s happening.

12. Networkers: Top performers align themselves with other successful people in business. They understand networking and how to reach a level of networking that gives them a pipeline of referrals and referral sources. You need to be connecting clients and associates to other successful clients and associates. This type of network will allow you access to resources when you need them.

13. Positive Action Takers: Top performers are can-do people. They are confident, but not arrogant. Some people make excuses for not taking action. Can-do people make decisions that they’re going to be successful, no matter what. Nothing and no one will get in their way.

The Bottom Line
If your desire is to be a top performer, study this list carefully. Are there items on the list that describe you? Are there items that do not describe you?

By making a concerted effort to embody all of these characteristics, you will begin to strengthen your performance and become that exceptional performer you wish to be.

The Power of Thinking Big!

Leadership 2 Responses »

Jul 052012

With the tough economy we have all experienced over the past couple of years, I have started to notice that many of the business owners I meet have begun to think very small in terms of growth and expansion. In fact, some businesses still have the survivalist mentality.

The problem with this type of thinking is that it causes entrepreneurs to think too small. It causes them to think about growth in very conservative terms that could be their downfall. After all, when we are thinking about growth in the 5%, 10%, or even 20% range we are probably just trying to leverage what we are already doing, “pushing” our business into the future. This slow incremental growth simply isn’t going to keep you ahead of the curve, or your competition for that matter!

Whereas Thinking Big forces you to re-think everything! It causes you to re-evaluate

what you are doing and how you do it,
what you invest your time in,
your skills and what you need to get better at,
your team and the skills they must master,
your products, pricing, and client mix, and even
your business model

It has been my experience that without this periodic re-evaluation, business people will just keep doing what they have always done … and they will keep getting the same results they have always gotten!

Another advantage of Thinking Big is that once you have begun to really think at this level, your “radar” is now set to see outstanding people, innovations, technologies, and other factors that could help you significantly multiply your results. These opportunities are all around you but unless you’re looking, you’ll never recognize most of them.

And the last advantage of Thinking Big is how it will transform your team! As you roll-out this Big vision for growth you’ll see team members step-up, you’ll have a more enthusiastic group, people will become more creative and suggestive, leaders within the team will emerge, and people will either buy-in to your bigger picture of the future … or they’ll realize that they no longer “fit in.”

The Bottom Line:

If you want your business and people to thrive, and not just survive, then start Thinking Big. You’ll be surprised at the opportunities available and the transformation that both your team and YOU will experience.

Five Basic Leadership Skills

Leadership No Responses »

Jun 062012

When you get down to it, your business is all about meeting the needs of people. Customers, employees, vendors, lenders, investors and members of the community are all people with very human needs. And to make all of that happen, a business needs leadership. The qualities of leadership drive the ability of the business to meet its own needs and the needs of the people who depend on it.

So the real work of the business owner is rising to the constant challenge of developing the leader within themself. If you don’t develop the skills and attributes of a leader, your business will stagnate. Then it’s only a matter of time before you sell it or close the doors for good. And it will slowly drain the life out of the people who come into contact with it, including you!

Are leaders born or made?

Some people believe that leadership is something that’s innate … you’re either born with it, or you aren’t. While it is true that some individuals are born with leadership traits, there is more to being a true leader than genetics! The truth is that leadership is a combination of skills that can be learned, practiced, and perfected by anyone willing to put in the time and effort.

Leadership, what is it really?

At first glance, business leadership looks like it’s simply a matter of style. But when you get to the core of it, leadership isn’t about style at all. It’s about substance. Vision, action, and spirit … these comprise the essence of leadership. They have nothing to do with style and everything to do with substance. The substance of leadership consists of knowing what to do, knowing how to do it, and influencing others.

The style of leadership is largely a matter of personality. There are quiet, low-key leaders as well as aggressive, charismatic leaders, and an infinite variety in between. Style is superficial. Style doesn’t create vision, doesn’t get anything done… it just looks good or bad.

“Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall.”

Stephen Covey

Five basic leadership skills

It’s not enough to just acknowledge your need to be a leader, you need to know exactly what is involved. Let’s look first at what makes up the five basic skills of effective leadership:

Vision – This is the ability to formulate ideas about the business or parts of the business; to understand opportunities; to create a mental picture of what the business will be in the future; and to articulate all of that clearly in words and images. At the highest level, it’s the creation of the entrepreneur’s dream.
Discrimination - Being able to see what’s important, to understand the available choices, and to make sound, practical decisions. It’s knowing what questions to ask, and being able to answer them in the absence of rules or previous experience.
Strategic Thinking - The ability to see the big picture and devise an effective path, the right actions that will lead to realizing the vision.
Commitment – This is the determination and energy to follow through and make the vision a reality even in the face of obstacles, opposition, uncertainty, and risk. Without an underlying passion for your vision, commitment is difficult to maintain.
Inspirational Communication – This is the skill of communicating vision and strategy, and being able to infuse the organization with enthusiasm, dedication, and some of your own passion.

The Bottom Line: The good news is that through consistent and intentional application, these skills can be developed and strengthened by any business owner. The critical point to keep in mind is that developing leadership skills is a process … it won’t occur in a day, or even a month … but will gradually happen as you apply these skills in the day-to-day operation of your business.

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Scott K. Goss