Staffing Blog

---

Building A Growth Oriented Organization

Thursday, August 13, 2015  by julie

When employees are placed in an environment where they are given clear and challenging goals, targeted feedback in regular performance-focused conversations and opportunities to learn from their successes and failures, they can and will grow. And if they can grow, the business can grow. This philosophy is called a Growth Mindset.

This philosophy is built on evidence-based, scientifically proven research conducted by Dr. Carol Dweck, a professor of Psychology at Stanford University. Through more than three decades of systematic research, she has figured out why some people achieve their potential while other equally talented people don’t. The key she found isn’t ability, it’s whether you look at ability as something inherent that needs to be demonstrated or as something that can be developed.

Her work has led to the identification of two distinct talent mindsets: A fixed mindset and a growth mindset.

FIXED MINDSET
A fixed mindset is a belief that talent is fixed or static. In other words, employees are fixed in a certain way and can’t change. If you have to put forth effort to be successful, it must mean you lack talent.

Companies and leaders with this orientation may:

• Create easier, task-oriented goals and avoid challenge and risk taking, because failure proves you are “not smart”

• Assume employees have a decreased response from coaching and therefore use feedback primarily as a tool to “manage performance” and identify the people who aren’t performing vs. using it as a tool to unlock potential.

• It also drives a tendency to be past orientated and focused on title, grade and pay in performance management

 GROWTH MINDSET
Dr. Dweck believes the best managers are those with a growth mindset. In other words… those who believe in the ability of an individual to change, the transformative power of effort, and the conviction that learning is the way forward.

A key to understanding growth mindset is the concept of neuroplasticity – the ability of the brain to reorganize itself with learning. Also fundamental to this mindset is the belief that criticism may not always be agreeable, but are necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body, it calls attention to an opportunity, and allows us to readjust, recalibrate and improve.

 With this orientation, companies and leaders will:

• Achieve a winning mentality

• Seek and relish opportunities to exchange feedback and engage in challenges

• Be future oriented and focused on development, excellence, and mastery

• Create goals with a stretch element that consistently raise the standard of success

Bohan & Bradstreet can help you find your opportunity to grow.  

Top

---

Building Career Capabilities – Analytical Skills

Tuesday, August 4, 2015  by julie

“Big Data” has been embraced by companies – large and small.  Building a brand as someone who can interpret data and provide actionable business intelligence can set you the part.  The key is to provide information that can be digested by multiple audiences.  

Most company’s measure individuals on the following when evaluating the analytical skill competency - can you identify root causes of opportunities or problems, do you secure relevant information, and present possible solutions.  The following questions typically dictate your competency level:

• Asks the right questions to size up situations
• Seeks our data from several sources to inform a decision
• Makes sense of confusing or conflicting information
• Generates alternative solutions

Top

---

Influencing

Tuesday, July 28, 2015  by julie

Most job descriptions in today’s market list “influencing without authority” as a requirement to be successful in a role.  The ability to positively influence people in such a way that others follow and act willingly is a key skill regardless of title within an organization. Both an art and a key business asset, influence is essential in all aspects of life, and constantly at play in the workplace. 

Outlined below are several approaches to influence without authority – both a “pull” approach and a “push” approach to influencing.

Pull Approach

·        Future-Oriented – looking ahead to solve problems or resolve issues.  People might say, “How can we do this?” or “How would that turn out?”

·        Intuition – this is normally a reaction to non-verbal communication from the receiver.  “You do not look happy with that…” or “You look uncomfortable…” are examples.

·        Drawing Out – asking a question and “rewarding” the receiver with a response.  For example, “That is interesting.  Can you help me understand?”

·        Support – An empathetic response to someone’s situation: “I heard that you are losing more people.  I understand exactly how rough that is….”

Push Approach

·        Self-Disclosure – essentially me-oriented and will contain expressions such as, “My experience shows that…”

·        Evaluation – also me-focused.  For example, people using it will say, “That is good!” or “That is bad!”

·        Logic – meaning my logic.  People using it will say things such as, “Surely you can see the logic,” or “It is obvious what is happening here…”

·        Past Oriented – this is a backward-facing method that is not effective when influencing behaviors yet to take place.  For example, a person may say, “and another thing, last month…”

There are other variables to consider when “influencing without authority” like resistance to change, different social styles or how someone receives information, emotions, or sequencing of your talking points as examples.  You need to observe the situation and your audience, and leverage multiple techniques to achieve your goal.  Be mindful and carefully think through your action plan.

Together, we can influence your career by establishing a road map and action plan.  Lets start today!!  

Top

---

Recent Placements (June 10 to July 20, 2015)

Tuesday, July 21, 2015  by julie

Here are our most recent placements. It has a been a great month so far! We are proud to work with so many great companies and to deliver top candiates and talent.

• Hr Business Partner – Labor within a Multi-site healthcare organization in Connecticut.  Salary is $105,000
• Controller within a regional CPA firm in Connecticut.  Salary is $85,000.
• Director of Human Resources within an established, profitable and expanding multi-plant manufacturer with 30% of revenues from international customers.
• Accounting Manager within a leadingengineering and professional design services consulting firm in Connecticut. Salary is $85,000.00.
• Sr. Marketing Manager  within a division of a multi-billion dollar global parent company with products related to health and nutrition in Connecticut.  Salary is $160,000 plus sign-on and bonus.
• Accounting Specialist  within a regional CPA firm in Connecticut.  Salary is $100,000.
• Marketing Controller  within a consumer products division of a global leader in Connecticut.  Salary is $125,000 plus bonus.
• Chief Financial Officer within a $200M privately held multi-entity, multi-divisional company.Salary is $300,000 plus bonus package of 50-100% of base.
• Senior Accounting Analyst within an expanding global financial services business. Salary is $85,000 with a $5,000 sign on and bonus.
• Manager, Financial Reporting & Compliance within a pre-IPO medical device company growing rapidly through the success of innovative new products and market expansion. Salary is $110,000 plus bonus and equity.
• HR Generalist within a Internationally recognized consumer products company in Ohio.  Salary is $75,000.
• Director of Operations within a local manufacturer with a global presence that is known for their product innovation and manufacturing capability. Salary is $130,000 with a bonus plan.
• VP, Credit Officer within a leading global financial services company in New York City.  Salary is $140,000 plus sign on bonus.

Top

---

Career Movement Motivators

Monday, July 20, 2015  by julie

As advisors to both clients on the acquisition of talent and talent on career guidance, B&B is constantly measuring the stimuli for why career professionals seek and the reasons why accepting new employment. We call it the "Push Factor" and the "Pull Factor". To measure current trends, we recently looked at the last 100 hundred senior staff to executive level talent that B&B placed in accounting, banking, customer support, engineering, general management, human resources, IT, manufacturing, marketing, sales, and supply chain. Compensation packages ranged from $75,000 to $1+ million.

Primary reason for changing employment:

#1 Not challenged enough in current setting; wanted a more impactful role to develop and showcase skills and abilities (43%)
 #2 Wanted to be aligned with a company with a brighter future and more committed to growth (28%)
#3 Sought a company with better culture and leadership (17%)

Noteworthy was that 5% wanted to be closer to home, 4% were unemployed or underemployed, 2% want to gain global experience and 1% listed compensation as #1 driver.

Primary reason for accepting new employment:

#1 Opportunity to contribute in a more meaningful role (35%)
#2 Identified with leadership and culture (24%)a
#3 Felt business and/or business model was more aligned to their interests (22%)
#4 Upside potential was excellent (15%)

3% moved for compensation and 1% accepted because closer to home.

In the 2008-2011 period job security was #1 reason for looking and accepting new employment. Today, the ability to contribute, leadership, business model and career growth are the key stimuli.

Top