Flight of the High Performer

It is estimated that 47 percent of high performing employees are actively looking for new jobs while just 19 percent of low performers and only 25 percent of middle performers said they were looking.[1]

Failing to take action against the potential loss of talent poses significant risks to companies. When your best people leave, it has been demonstrated that revenue drops, quality suffers, and problems increase.

Recommended Solutions:

• Implement a Career or Professional Development Process including Assessments to demonstrate areas of improvement or interests

• Implement Leadership Modeling or Leadership Training Processes that demonstrate the company’s interest and commitment to the growth and development of the high potential

• Implement a communication vehicle or forum for personal development and presentation of innovation

• Cross train in areas of interest as opposed to their current role and responsibility

What other suggestions would you have for solutions?

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[1]Flight of the High Performers, Risk & Insurance (10/08) Vol 19, No. 12, P.32 Michael O’brien

Change Must be Believed in

Just yesterday we watched President. Barak Obama inaugurated into office. His campaign slogan was Change We Can Believe In. . .now translate that into your business.

Here are a few questions to think and act on:

• As a business owner, what Changes will you be making in 2009 that your employees can believe in?
• As a Business owner, what Changes in Your Plan of Actions will keep your employees more engaged?
• How does your Strategic Plan reflect the Change Plan by the new President?

Change must be believed in.....use the right type of training and development to achieve employee engagement

What are you planning to do differently in 2009? Let's make a list of Five "To Do's"

1. Conduct more one on one conversations with employees

2. Use meetings to both gain insight and focus on innovation

3. Use Training and Development that includes practical ideas that can be applied in the workplace today that can make a difference.

4. Formulate a budget and monitor the results monthly

5. Focus on the strengths of the employee and the commitment by your customers.

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Article written by Richard J. Hohmann Jr., Senior Business and Management Consultant for Innovative Leadership, a strategic partner with Fitzpatrick, Bongiovanni, & Kelly, PC, and also a member of the Collaboration Team for Leadership Management International. Richard can also speak at your next organization’s meeting, to invite him to speak call 609-390-2830, For your business solutions click here: http://www.ILDV.org

Key Areas of Focus for Managers

In these turbulent times, it is imperative that management create a plan of action that reflects the Strategic Business Objectives of the company and gets each and every staff member to be engaged in activities that will produce the desired outcomes. Here are my recommended resolutions for managers:

1. Focus on your key clients and make sure you understand the Pareto Principle…..the 80-20 rule that reflects the fact that 20% of your clients provide 80% if your revenue.

2. Improve communication with your staff and make sure that your platforms are effective. Make sure you spend the time for One-on-Ones with all team members.

3. Identify your key employees and make sure their development plan reflects a succession plan for your company.

4. Create Dashboards that reflect the financial implications including revenue generation, operating costs or expenses, and profitability by your area or department. Use Dashboards to make quicker decisions or take actions that are more effective.

5. Focus on your strengths and how you can elevate your performance without dwelling on your weaknesses.

6. Create specific metrics for your department and individual team members

7. Be open to create cultural change in your department and company.

8. Delegate and cross-train to the maximum.

9. Use technology to become more effective, not efficient.

10. Lead by example: exhibit a goal-oriented process at all times.

Key Business Resolutions for 2009

In these turbulent times, it is imperative that companies optimize their strengths and utilize their resources to provide the customer with quality products and/or services. So here are my recommended resolutions for Businesses:

1. Strengthen your relationship with your client
- Use every possible tool and practice to both touch your clients frequently. Determine what is important to them and show them how you are meeting their expectations.

2. Make a Plan
- Create a plan that is both tactical and strategically. Make sure you include a creative and financially sound marketing plan.

3. Improve communication with your management team and employees
- Focus on your key employees and make sure that they understand the need to improve communication and be accountable for results.

4. Implement cost cutting techniques without sacrificing quality
- Be prepared to budget accordingly in relation to the external and internal factors affecting your highly competitive market.

5. Build a support team
- Lean on your advisory team of professionals to help you formulate a financially focused action plan that offers the metrics to define success.

6. Become goal-oriented
- Create a goal-oriented culture that thrives on achievement.

7. Monitor your progress
- Make sure you create dashboards for you and your management team to monitor the key performance indicators.


Article written by Richard J. Hohmann Jr., Senior Business and Management Consultant for Innovative Leadership, a strategic partner with Fitzpatrick, Bongiovanni, & Kelly, PC, and also a member of the Collaboration Team for Leadership Management International. Richard can also speak at your next organization’s meeting, to invite him to speak call 609-390-2830, For your business solutions click here: http:// www.ILDV.org

Experience and Training Teaches Managers to Make the Right Choices

It's Time to Pay Attention to Personnel

We should never lose sight of the fact that people make a company what it is today and what it will be tomorrow. Also, we should not forget our people in the development and organizational sense as well as the retention situation. Have we taken our people for granted? Like other industries, the employee in the Home Healthcare market does not always feel as passionate as the owner about the mission of the organization, and they may be confused about how they fit in to the organization’s changing future. Many employees are becoming discouraged when they hear or read about the industry’s problems.

In all types of industries, the training and development of the employee is usually ranked first or second by most surveys listing the Top Five Methods to increase employee retention. 73% of all companies provide Leadership Development Programs, with Team Building, and Empowerment Programs. However, in the Home Healthcare Industry, many of the key executives, managers, and supervisors in a Home Health Care company are licensed professionals with extensive clinical backgrounds, but they possess very little in the way of formal management training. Is it like this for your company?

Home Heathlcare example of business: Take orders for products. Process the order after it has met all the qualifications. Deliver product in a timely manner with minimal expense and upon receipt of acknowledgment of delivery, bill the appropriate payer and await the payment that normally takes approximately 85 days or more. Phew!

How many people in your company get involved in any of those above processes? Now is the time to develop both your people and organization simultaneously to improve productivity and profitability through training and education. Leadership starts at the top. The application of this type of training, both philosophical and practical, must be instilled in all managers and supervisors by the executive team. Many companies suffering from the normal industry problems can provide resolutions to such by looking at organizational and personnel development that can lead to enhanced performance with improved productivity. There is no better time than now for the small to medium sized business owner is to start acting like a real leader and develop your people to make your company stronger to handle this highly competitive environment.

Leadership Management Programs are available in presentation, seminar, or spaced- repetition formats. A spaced - repetition program is convenient for most management in the fact that the time required for presentation will allow the manager to miss the least amount of time from the office. It also will provide multi-sensory impact, compliment the classroom activities with audio reinforcement, and allow the participant to complete assignments at home or at work. More importantly, it has been demonstrated that participants completing such programs implement more course techniques into their daily work activities and change many of their current behavioral processes. Almost any program, product, or process can be customized to meet the needs of your company. Every member on your management team should participate in a Leadership Management Program custom designed to compliment your mission, vision, and values. Quality management starts at the top and the best way to demonstrate such is to “lead by example”.

For more information on our management training visit www.ILDV.org or call 609-390-2830.