Employers: Fear the Beer (or Wine) Truck

Buddy Young is a stellar employee.  He works in wine sales and has great rapport with his clients, his coworkers and his boss.  He outperforms his peers, and wins the President's Club award every year.  Buddy has been loyal to his company for ten years, and isn't interested in leaving to work for a competitor.  To an employer, Buddy Young is about as good as it gets.  So what happens if that Budweiser truck or Young's market delivery truck T-bones Buddy's car, sending him to the emergency room and causing him to suffer amnesia during the OND sales period?  Your company might just be in trouble.

Back in the day I worked for a large recruiting company.  We had tons of Buddy's doing extremely well for the company.  They were the reason the company was successful in so many markets.  But some of these people embraced the database and others couldn't be bothered with data input and upkeep.  My old boss, and now good friend, would always say that we had to "Fear the Beer Truck".  This meant that our company was doing well as long as those employees did their job, but that we were in big trouble if they ever left.  All the client information; including names, locations, past buying history, pricing plans and forecasting was often locked up in the employees' brains.  If Buddy left the company, or was hit by the beer truck, we wouldn't have any clue what was going on with his work.

Now at the old company we also had Rock Star, who was the most productive employee.  Rock had great rapport with his clients, and also worked the database like no one's business.  He put personal information, past visits, as well as all feedback and planning information into the database.  He could quickly manipulate that computer system to get updates, forecasts and call lists for sales blitzes.  He was always two steps ahead, and had the income to prove it.  But luckily for everyone, he put his data in the computer.

When Rock Star left the company, the company had all the data at their fingertips, and could keep the business moving forward.  They knew what clients were being called on, what their buying patterns were, and what pricing they were receiving.  For the company, they were able to carry on in a professional manner when Rock Star was gone.

Oh good, the company can carry on.  That will equal success right?  Well it is better than having no clue what was going on.  And I think it can often allow you to make the company look proficient and trusted when a employee leaves.  But success does not lie in data alone.  I put a great deal of stock in those personal relationships our employees foster.   No amount of data can outweigh a well connected salesperson, and no database can independently come up with a new angle to help our clients deal with a problem. 

So how can you attract and retain top talent and ensure the company will benefit?  I think a commitment to our employees is the first step.  Making the company valuable for the employee to work at and promote to others is paramount to getting those Rock Stars to join your company.  Once you have your Rock Star and Buddy Young on board, you need to build a culture that encourages the personal touch while capturing important data.  Along those same lines, a company needs to have an overlying culture that creates a company identity that envelops and enhances the individuals' contributions.

Creating great companies is a complex proposition.  But creating a strategy to avoid "fearing the beer truck" is a key piece of the puzzle.  Work to compliment your employees' talents with a usable reporting system.   You have to have very simple-to-use systems that your employees will get valuable information out of.  Our friend Rock Star was able to put his data into a finely-tuned computer program that let him continue making sales and making money.  So of course he used it.  Now Buddy Young was keen on getting his data into a useful system, but his company's technology was old and antiquated.  Why would he sit and put information in if it isn't going to help him make more money and keep his place as top salesperson?  He isn't going to.  He's going to be out on the road making calls, selling wine and making money.  So my recommendation to employers is to get great computer systems in place, foster the smart use of them, and recognize your employees who use the systems to their advantage.  Their advantage turns out to be the company's as well, and a puzzle piece that equals success.  

2011 Salary Review Published

The October issue of the Wine Business Monthly has the annual salary review for wine industry jobs.  Go to www.winebusiness.com to find out how to pick up the latest issue.  Past salary reviews are available online, and the recent one will be available in coming months.  And a perk, I was quoted in the 2011 copy--so you can learn what I and other recruiters have to say about the wine job market.  Overall salaries have increased this year and it seems like companies are hiring again.

Undercover Boss: Labor Day Edition

Over the Labor Day weekend I promised myself I would not work.  Luckily Undercover Boss was on all evening yesterday on the TLC channel.  I hadn't seen much of it before, besides the pilot with the CEO of Waste Management.  It was funny to see that CEO walking around a landfill trying to pick up trash--and getting fired for poor performance.  Come on, how hard can it be!

Ah yes, how hard can it be?  Yesterday I watched the leaders of Norwegian Cruise Lines, the Chicago Cubs, Subway and DirecTV pretend to be entry-level employees in a wide range of jobs.  I did enjoy the Norwegian Cruise Lines episode the most.  Seeing Kevin Sheehan on board a ship doing maintenance work, putting together a portable ice-skating rink (that was never used by a guest), helping rock-wall climbers strap on their harnesses and learning how to dance was very funny.  Seeing the real employees' comments on how he did was very truthful--and insightful about the jobs and the company.  Haven't we all been in a position where we have to train a completely inept person, wondering how the heck they got the job? 

But these aren't new employees, they are the leaders of large domestic and international corporations.  They can't be inept--at least we hope so.  And I think watching how the different leaders react and handle situations is very interesting.  While I laughed at how the CEO of the cruise line was dancing, I was very impressed with how he handled himself under pressure.  When he was strolling through one of the dining areas, a server spotted him and called out his real name--over and over.  While he was flat footed at first, he took the opportunity to sit with her one-on-one and get to know her challenges and why she has worked for the company for several years.  He explored some issues that may have been troubling him and his employees, and got first-hand input on it.  Later on at the "reveal" he brought up some of the silly programs (ice-skating at sea, come-on!) and put an end to them.  Thank Goodness.  (Ok, so personally I would never want to ice skate while sailing the seven seas, maybe someone does--but it wasn't a good use of resources. )

I was also impressed with the new CEO of DirecTV, Mike White.  When the show was being taped he had only been in the position for 6 months.  Going undercover allowed Mike to learn some of the real issues the company was facing, and hopefully learn how to solve some problems.  Watching Mike try to put up a satellite dish before a lightning storm (my favorite part was when he noted the tools weren't easy for a lefty to use), deal with part numbers, stand around a customer's house while the main technician was on hold to customer service and learning how to crawl through an attic were things that are going on daily for the company and their customers. 

Seeing him witness part shortages and poor systems was intriguing.  But what I liked the most about Mike was what he took away from it.  His company puts more satellites into orbit than any other company, yet his company is reliant on its employees.  Every one of his guides in his different roles were exceptional employees.  They were trying their best to do well in their jobs and to make the company look good.  Through their dedication, shortfalls within the company were able to be overcome.  And he saw this.  He also was very appreciative of their efforts at the "reveal".  And what struck me the most was one of the gifts he gave one of the employees.  He offered to personally mentor the young woman.  That means he is going to give his time and his knowledge to this woman to help her with her career.  That's more than a $5,000 check to her college fund.  That's giving of himself for her benefit.  I think he also gave her some monetary gift--but his mentoring was very impressive to me. 

Why was this part so impressive?  Because he really understands the value of each person and what they can contribute to a company and to the community overall.  With all of the DirecTV employees he stressed how he understood how much their contributions affect the company.  He also knows that to further the company he needs to invest in his employees.  No faster, more efficient or cheaper satellite is going to fix the company's problems--his employees are. 

So remember this when you are working with your staff.  Investing in them is an investment in your company.  Skilled, educated and committed employees can create a world-class organization.  When you see a problem with your organization, learn about the real issues involved, and learn what the people who are doing the job have to say about the problem and what solutions they may have.  This may seem fundamental, but sometimes the best solutions are.

Business Leaders Press for More H1-B Work Visas - WSJ.com

Business Leaders Press for More H1-B Work Visas - WSJ.com

CEOs Say Don't Expect Much Hiring - WSJ.com

CEOs Say Don't Expect Much Hiring - WSJ.com

Behavioral Interviewing

You have an opening within your company and you need to find someone, STAT!  Of course you run an ad, post it on any online job boards and put it out to your network.  Then you are inundated with resumes.  After getting through the bulk of them you begin interviewing promsing candidates.  You need people to do the job, but how do you find out if they know what they are doing, and if they will work well at your company.

Welcome to Behavioral Interviewing.  This is the world of open-ended sentences, situational questions and room for interpretation.  But it also gives you some insight into how someone will handle themselves in the future.  Many companies have converted their interviewing to be behavioral because you can learn how someone has reacted under certain conditions in the past, and offers insight into how they will conduct themselves at your company.  While these types of interviews can tell you how someone has dealt with a similar situation, it does not eliminate people who haven't experienced that.  Instead of not answering the question, they can draw on many areas of their lives to give a good example of how they think and how they handle themselves. 
 
So how do you conduct a Behavioral Interview?  Well, it's the same way you would conduct any interview, but you ask more situational questions.  Interview questions should be open-ended and give the interviewee plenty of topics to cover. 
Some examples:

• What was the biggest personal challenge you have had to deal with and what have you learned from it
• Have you ever had a situation where you needed to convince someone that your viewpoint was correct, and how did you do that?
• Give me an example of how you have dealt with a difficult co-worker to work together to produce results on a project.

When you are interviewing, give the person ample time to think and form an answer to the question.  With some of them being detailed questions, it can take a little time for the interviewee to frame an answer that addresses the topic and explains their response.  But their responsiveness can be telling too--if they fumble and don't provide you with enough information about the situation and their solution, are they good communicators?  Or are they quick on their feet.  Not everyone needs to be, and you need to decide if it is  needed in this role?  So, note instances where they respond strongly, and those they struggle with.  It will be telling about how they handle themselves in the future.

Now I think it is hard to have an entire interview conducted this way.  Here's my formula for interviewing:

1. Introduction:  Welcome the interviewee to your office and company.  Thank them for making it to the meeting.
2. Break the Ice:  Engage in light conversation to get both of you comfortable with each other.  Remember, interviewing is nerve racking, and sometimes the best employees don't have a lot of experience doing it.  So engage them in some chit-chat about someting applicable to the interview, company, season, anything.  You may also want to let them know a little bit about your company and about the position you are hiring for.  But give general information, so that you don't lead their information too much during the interview.
3. Transition into the substance of the interview:  I like to bring up areas of their background that interest me.  I may mention that they have a very interesting title within a department or that it is impressive how long they have been with their last employer.  I also like to ask questions about where people have lived if they have moved around a bit.  It tells me a little about their background and personality.  During this serious part of the interview, ask some general questions along with some behavioral questions.  I think this keeps the conversation flowing, and keeps the energy up.  Keep notes on their resume or application, especially items that are very relevant to your company and to the job opening.  
4. Share Information:  If appropriate, tell a little more about the challenges of the position or anticipated outcomes, and have the person respond with information about how they've dealt with similar issues or effected positive changes.
5. Do they have the skills you need?  Specific skill questions should be brought up early in the interview.  Examples would be finance responsibilities, software systems used, number of people managed, etc.  These are necessary skills you need in the position, and if they don't have them, most likely you don't need to continue on with a lengthy interview.  
6. Dig deeper.  If an answer seems deficient, ask for more detail or clarification.  You want to make sure you feel you delved into areas that are important for the position, for you, and for the company.  If you have a nagging feeling about something, rephrase the question again or ask it again in regards to a different situation.  It's those little questions that sometimes cause you to make the ultimate decision about an employee--so ask now.  It could be a misunderstanding or a true point of concern for you. 
7. Wrap Up:  Wind down the interview by asking if they have any questions, let them know your timeline for hiring and any next steps.  Next steps can include reference checks, additional interviews, drug screens and physical exams.  Thank your interviewee for coming in.  If you think they are a viable candidate and it makes sense, introduce them to other staff members or give them a brief tour of the facility.  
8. Write down your thoughts:  When the person has left, make notes about your impression and plans for follow-up.  Compare these notes from all of your interviews so that you can determine who had the skills, abilities and personality to match the position.  
9. Move Forward:  Identify your best candidate and then get that person moving through the hiring process, because you have a job that needs doing, and you just found the best person for it.