Career Partners Internatinal LLC | CMI International Atlanta-based CPI Partner

September 2009:  Delivering Differences In The Best Possible Way

You may recall seeing the recent Wall Street Journal article about outplacement (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125069793645343423.html).  The writers recounted the experiences of a number of people who went through what can only be described as a "cookie cutter" career transition process while working with “big box” outplacement firms.  They referenced “mass produced resumes, canned job advice, and slipshod counseling.”  The upshot of the article was to bring into question the real value of all career transition services.

I have owned CMI International for almost twenty years and have client companies who have worked with us for almost that long.  We have always recognized that losing a job is a major and painful life event for the individual and that companies and the people who survive layoffs suffer too.  People in this kind of a transition need to have real, personal support, as well as the technology and processing skills that are available with the help of highly competent and experienced consultants. Our candidates in career transition programs are entrusted to our care. We have never, and will never, offered programs that are "cookie cutter" and impersonal. Every person who goes through our individual programs works with an assigned consultant who stays with them throughout their career transition. While it is common for the large, corporately-held companies who answer to Wall Street to have candidate/consultant ratios of 150:1, at CMI no consultant ever has more than 40 clients at a time.  This means that our consultants truly know and have relationships with our candidates, care about them as individuals with differing needs, and do their absolute best to help them succeed wherever they are.

Ask anyone who has worked with us, client companies, individual clients, and people who know Human Resources in Atlanta.  They will tell you that we care, that we do wonderful work, and, for many, that we have made critical contributions to their businesses, careers and lives.

If you question whether your people are truly getting value from career transition, please talk to us.  In a world of "cookie cutter" services, CMI International delivers differences in the best possible way. Our practices are shared by our global partners in 160 offices worldwide, known as Career Partners International or CPI.

Best regards,

John A. Connor
Chief Executive Officer
 

June 2009:  The Value Of Reconnecting

I met with a former colleague for breakfast the other morning, the kind of person you connect with easily even when way too many years have passed between visits.

He was telling me about his company, and the realization that their leadership had become “disconnected” from each other and those who touch the customer, the people who really establish the brand through their day-to-day behaviors.  It’s something that sneaks up on you -- the troops become quiet and hunker down in tough times, with no one wanting to be singled out.

Like him, you may want to consider the benefits of using an organizational assessment, a tool and process that takes the pulse of your team and validates what is important to your people.  Sometimes called employee satisfaction surveys, there is enormous value in creating an opportunity for everyone’s voice to be heard.  Major themes will emerge that illustrate how well the team is working together and which offer key areas for improvement.   

Focus groups can clarify the results, and then you can use town hall meetings to present the findings to everyone and  – most importantly – to solicit “grassroots” feedback and calibration.  

But where’s the real impact?  That comes when you organize action teams to tackle the initiatives that the organization as a whole deems worthy of investment… ways to make the company better, a more satisfying place to work.  There is real power in having everyone participate, not only in seeing “where we are” realistically but also in “rolling up our sleeves” to move forward together.

Wherever you find yourself, we welcome a conversation about ways we can help you address the tough people issues around employee engagement, retention, leadership development, and performance.

We’d love to connect with you – let us know whenever our team might be helpful, OK?

Best regards,

John A. Connor
Chief Executive Officer
 

May 2009: Letting Go

Most of us face a common dilemma, particularly in times of stress.  We like to hold on to those things that have brought us success in the past.  The greater the stress, the more tenaciously we hold on. 

Letting go can be difficult at best and frightening at worst.  However, if today’s leaders are going to equip their organizations for future success, a “letting go” process is essential – for innovation or succession planning.

There are 3 steps that make the process easier:

1. Recognize that good work has been done.  Take time to validate the past, but recognize that today’s circumstances and opportunities are different.
2. Set your focus on a new horizon, where the present intersects with the future.  It is absolutely essential that leaders not remain stuck in their past glories.  Working on the present with the future in mind will move you forward.
3. Set new challenges, those worthy of your full investment.  Successful people are driven by problems that need to be solved and overcome; they thrive on charging up the hill and looking at a new landscape. 

Ron Strieker, CMI’s Talent Management Practice Leader, speaks to this process of change in his recently published article “Succession Planning: Finding Your Successor and Then Letting Go.”   I invite you to read more at http://www.btobmagazine.com/Articles/2009/April/Succession_Planning.html.

Finally, remember the value of using an external resource, such as an executive coach, to provide perspective and insight along the way.  We can help you manage change, develop organizational resiliency, and build succession – without unnecessary struggle or distraction.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Best regards,

John A. Connor
Chief Executive Officer
 

April 2009:  Where To Begin

Late last week I had the opportunity to visit with one of CMI’s clients who is always a source of thoughtful discussion and insight.  He was sharing his frustrations with all of today’s negative news and the distraction that this “background noise” makes in the workplace.  That’s because people at work cannot separate themselves from the legitimate feelings they have for others who are experiencing job loss, the erosion of lifetime savings, or mortgage woes.  The result, of course, is a pervasive sense of anxiety – even helplessness.

He told me of an ancient practice that he has adopted, one that brings the individual back “in control” with clarity and satisfaction.  Around noon each day, he stops for a few minutes to quietly and honestly consider 3 questions:

(1) What has happened over the last 4 hours that has been meaningful to me?
(2) What can I learn from what has happened?
(3) What am I going to do in the next 4 hours that will make a difference?

He regularly repeats this exercise at 4pm, and on most days again before his bedtime.  This simple process can be powerful and so I wanted to share it with you.  Let me hear how it works for you, OK?

We are often asked the question, “When an organization needs to change, where do you begin?”  CMI’s SVP and Practice Leader for Talent Management, Ron Strieker, reminds us that personal change always drives organizational change -- so you start small, wherever change is realistic, and then you build on progress by engaging others who become allies in a shared vision.

 “As this process unfolds, the leader will be directing a process of fluidity instead of rigidity,” Ron states.  “Instead of resistance and protest, the leader will be engaging others as partners recognizing their assets as well as their fears, and together moving toward opportunities of the future.  When done right, change becomes a very dynamic and positive process for all.”  I invite you to read more about this in Ron Strieker’s Managing column in BtoBmagazine.com. 

Whenever Ron and his Talent Management Solutions Team can assist you in tackling change – creating short term wins with cultural impact – please let us know.  I promise you that we will start small, and work with you every step of the way to deliver meaningful differences.

Best regards,

John A. Connor
Chief Executive Officer
 

March 2009: Straight Line to the Bottom Line?

How do executives who are facing critical decisions during this challenging economy respond to the question “What are the key ingredients for improving the bottom line?”  Many will list process refinements, reduced time to market, superior technology, sale of non-core assets, or even better risk management.  Well all of these are important, of course, but none actually hit the heart of the issue.

Even strategic thinkers often underestimate the importance of developing talent and the direct impact that engagement, skill development, and leadership have on organizational performance, including client satisfaction and profitability.  So if you’ve invested in hiring good leaders and top talent, why not develop them to their full potential?  At CMI International, we offer a time-tested approach to building the bottom line through talent.

Take a top-down look at performance

CMI’s executive coaching programs are geared toward personal development and increased effectiveness, building on the incumbent’s considerable strengths rather than problem remediation.  With our systemic approach to coaching – delivered by coaches with a wealth of practical business experience – executives can have confidence that their investment will hit the mark and yield returns many times over – for them and for their teams.  We work with real business challenges that are consequential, rather than relying on programmic workshops and theoretical exercises.  Plus, our one-on-one coaching also offers the flexibility that busy executive schedules demand.

Look within

The notion of born leaders is largely a myth.  Even leaders with seemingly natural talent can benefit from CMI’s tailored development engagements that are based on real-time work situations within the leader’s actual  work environment.  This reality-based approach offers the leader an opportunity to bring clarity to ambiguity, taking advantage of resources at hand and providing the executive a freedom to act in a manner that is aligned with organizational needs.

CMI will assess, align, and develop your leaders and potential leaders to create a pipeline of executives who can fulfill and expand the organization’s long-range strategy. CMI also helps you avoid the high cost of recruitment and accelerate assimilation and integration, while giving young leaders incentives to stay and contribute.

Smooth the path

Changes in strategy and leadership are inevitable in response to challenges from clients, competitors, regulators and technologies.  Businesses that make changes quickly and smoothly will soon out-pace their competition.  CMI’s highly experienced consultants can supplement your internal resources to:

·         Integrate new leaders quickly into the corporate culture;

·         Help top performers make the transition from functional management to strategic leadership roles;

·         Identify, confront, and execute the organizational changes essential to a new strategy;

·         Optimize the fit between existing talent and new strategic roles and opportunities.

Unless your organization is immune to change or content with current performance, we can help by working with you to develop your talent’s full potential.  For nearly 20 years, CMI has supported organizations and their leaders around the world with relevant solutions to complex human resource challenges.  We invite you to join them.

Please call on us whenever we may be helpful.

Best regards,

John A. Connor
Chief Executive Officer
 

February 2009:  What Follows the Downsizing?

The other day I was talking with one of our candidates in career transition, a single mom who recently lost her job as a result of corporate downsizing.  There’s no doubt about her need to find a job quickly so she can continue supporting herself and her children.  We’re working hard on that – but do you want to know what she really wanted to talk about?

She was focused on her former colleagues – those who still had their jobs at the company – and the impact that reorganization was having on them.  Many of those colleagues had become good friends during their time working together, and she remains connected to them.   And while those friends escaped the reduction-in-force, as “survivors” they are filled with anxiety about what will happen next.  And they are feeling grief and sadness about those who were told to leave.

Layoff survivors are victims, too.  Because being left behind is often as distressing as being told to go.  The workload doesn’t go away; rather it simply is spread among fewer people.  The flow of communications often slows as people hunker down, but that just invites rumor and speculation.  MSNBC.com recently posted an excellent article on this topic at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28196734/from/ET/print/1/displaymode/1098/, titled, “Guilty and stressed, layoff survivors suffer, too.”

Layoffs are among the most difficult tasks that talent managers face today.  And while organizations plan for growth and invest in their expansion, most leaders are so disheartened by the need to downsize that they fail to reinvest in the staff who remain. 

There are ways to minimize the negative effects of downsizing by reinvesting in the success of the restructured organization and by stabilizing your top performers.

The talent management professionals at CMI focus on three dimensions that are absolutely essential during this time of transition: (1) managing the change process, (2) developing the realigned teams, and (3) communicating with consistency and compassion.

In order to move forward as a team following a downsizing, talent managers and their leaders need to send a clear message throughout the organization.  Surviving employees need to hear again the business reasons for the cutbacks, how the affected positions were selected, and the expected “upside” that can result from successful restructure. 

Survivors need to understand the skill sets that will be needed for the future, and how they can take advantage of new opportunities for personal and professional development.  There’s never a better time to focus on the development and retention of your top “A” performers and the cultivation of your “B” performers as well.

Managers need to become more available than ever, prepared to listen to employees’ legitimate concerns and able to coach them through anxious and challenging times.  Engage your teams in reassessing their workloads and workflows to improve efficiencies and morale.  Everyone wants to feel like they can control things that affect them, so get employees involved and participating.

Finally, clearly demonstrate your commitment to your surviving staff; otherwise they will wonder if they are next. 

We can help you with these critical steps for improving your company’s performance.  For nearly 20 years, CMI has supported organizations and their leaders around the world with relevant solutions to complex human resource challenges. 

We’d love to hear from you!

Best regards,

John A. Connor
Chief Executive Officer
 

January 2009:  Good Results From Bad Times

Warren Buffet recently described current events as the economic equivalent of Pearl Harbor.  Financial institutions, including some of the businesses we have worked with throughout our firm’s 15-year history, are listing like wounded battleships.  Crew is being sent overboard (monthly unemployment figures continue to climb) without much of the personal touch that our clients generally show.  This lack of care compounds the negative impact on people whose world is already being rattled by shocks and tremors. 

Since the last downturn, decision-making on Outplacement programs has been shifting from HR to Procurement, with the notion that all such services are a commodity, with no difference.  To reduce costs, programs are being shortened, and individual attention has given away to group lectures at most outplacement firms.  High touch has yielded to high tech. And lately, we are given fewer opportunities to meet with exiting employees to discuss their outplacement benefits and to implement their support from ‘day one’.  Information is simply inserted into exit packages, with those fortunate enough to be offered Outplacement too shell-shocked and dispirited to wade through the pile of papers and figure out how to best benefit.

Many folks aren’t being offered Outplacement at all.  We’re seeing echoes of the post 9/11 stress level, and among many of the same people who were affected then. 

But, let me emphasize, there is some good news, too!  There are opportunities out there, and we see people land every day.  Smaller, younger companies are recognizing the value of seasoned employees and are snapping them up.  We’re seeing expanding roles on the consulting side of business.  And in some cases, companies are discovering that the intellectual capital they let walk out the door is not easily replaceable, and are hiring back.

Some of our candidates are pursuing alternatives to traditional employment – acquiring or starting businesses, entering the nonprofit sector, becoming consultants, moving into interim employment situations, and exploring other life options.

Hungry for advice, intelligence, and training, our candidates are taking advantage of their unlimited access to our ramped up offering of seminars, workshops, online resources, and the bedrock of our service – time with experienced and caring Career Transition Consultants in private, 1:1 settings.  We have always found that the higher the level of engagement and participation, the faster the candidate lands.  That’s up to 40% faster!

“High Touch with High Tech” remains our distinguishing characteristic at CMI.  We know that in the best of times you can’t really help people in transition without genuine “touch.”  In the worst of times, it’s more important than ever.

If those of us at CMI can help you in any way, please let us hear from you.  We welcome your call.

John A. Connor
Chief Executive Officer
 

December 2008:  Asking For Your Help

Each day our team at CMI International receives phone calls from clients who have the tough job of laying off employees due to declining economic conditions that impact businesses today.

Employees who come to us for help receive our undivided attention because we understand the pressures they face in supporting their families.  Just this morning I talked with a single father trying his best to raise his kids; getting back to work is his top priority -- and so it is now our top priority at CMI.
 
I need your help. I have two favors to ask. The first:  If I should reach out to you to introduce someone who is out-of-work, please do whatever you can to help.  I recognize how busy we all are with work and personal commitments especially at this time of the year but trust me, when you help someone restore hope and purpose, it is the greatest feeling in the world.
 
The second favor: If you and your organization have to make difficult people decisions and cut back on staff, please offer them Outplacement assistance. I am very proud of our team and the high level of personalized attention we give to transitioning employees. We add a lot of value and support to each individual, and measure ourselves only on the "outcomes" we provide.
 
I realize times are tough, but I ask you to offer the support that will empower your teammates to get back on their feet and into another good job. I realize that budgets are tight, but be assured that Outplacement does not only benefit the individual. We have created an executive summary of the benefits to the organization as a whole, helping justify the business necessity of offering Outplacement programs. You can download this information at www.cmiinatlanta.com/Benefiting_from_a_Solid_Outplacement_Program.pdf.

If you refer any of your transitioning employees to us, I assure you that no one will work harder to get your former teammates focused and back to work.
 
Many thanks for your consideration. Please call me or email me if we can help.
 
Best regards,

John A. Connor
Chief Executive Officer
 

A History of Success