There are defined parameters for every executive job description, which are based on tangible job specifications.  Any CEO position description would lead with the words, “Must have Lead”.  There is a reason those words are positioned early on in any creditable executive job description.  Mainly, because businesses cannot afford to take chances these days with a “Newbie” in a leadership role.

Today’s leaders have to be able to make critical and important decisions on a daily basis. This means the decisions they make have to be right more often than wrong, There is very little room for error, and without good leadership the business may not survive.

Common sense dictates that an individual who has never had to make important and critical decisions, or never had to come up with tangible solutions to organizational problems on a regular basis, cannot do so all of the sudden.

These types of leadership shills need time and experience to be honed and developed.  However, often hiring personnel focus exclusively on academic credentials and other knowledge based sills. Valued leadership skills are not something most people were given at birth.  On the contrary, leadership skills are developed over time with experience providing the critical element.  In the end leadership is really more of an art rather than science.

When we reflect on history and the great leaders we see they developed into great leaders, initially through leadership education and training. This foundation was then followed up by real world experience where; mistakes were made, lessons were learned, and winning results were obtained to the level of an established track record.

When your organization is need of finding leaders with a proven track record call Robert Dexter of SVR Network at 408-954-7340.

As we come down to the end of 2011 it is evident that 2011 was not an easy time to be a CEO of a major corporation.  As much of the business publications have shown, being a CEO of company is not what it used to be.
Some of the changes in leadership during the year were a result of companies seeking help through difficult crises or simply looking for someone to give them a new perspective.  In the end it appears that many of the new CEO’s either left on their own or were shown the door by the end of the year.

HP
One of this year’s interesting hire was the decision to bring in former SAP CEO Léo Apotheker to take Mark Hurd’s old job.  Some commentators have argued that Apotheker didn’t have expertise in the consumer market, which still accounts for a large portion of HP’s revenue. This was evident when he announced that HP would spin off its PC division entirely.  With the sales of phone and TouchPad dropping, HP’s board, asked Apotheker to leave in September.  Next, the HP board filled the CEO spot with Meg Whitman, former CEO of eBay.

AVON

This December, Avon announced that it would split the CEO and chairman roles in two.   Avon has been dealing with a few crises in the past years ranging from an SEC investigation related to bribery allegations, to analysts slamming the company over earnings. The current plan is to keep Andrea Jung on as interim CEO until the company finds a replacement, at which point she’ll become executive chairman. Andrea Jung has held the CEO position the longest of any female at a Fortune 500 company.  Yet, she has been quoted as stating, it’s a different world out there for direct-sales cosmetics than it was when she became CEO in 1999.

Olympus
One of the shortest terms for a CEO this year goes to former CEO of Olympus, Michael Woodford.  His demise allegedly came after he  uncovered some upsetting information about the company’s financials not showing up to $1.5 billion worth of investment losses.   When Woodford brought the issue to the board, he was then fired.

Yahoo

Back at the farm here in Silicon Valley there was the removal of Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz. According to some reports Bartz was let go over the phone by Board chairman Roy Bostock  who read her a lawyer’s statement over the phone.  The reason?  During Bartz’s last days,  employee approval ratings dropped down to 24% from 99% when she was first hired in Janaury Furthermore, Yahoo recently suffered from an ugly public argument over the spin-off of promising Chinese online payment platform Alipay from Alibaba.

Time

Time Warner ran into this problem this past year, when Ann Moore, the head of its magazine division Time Inc., left her job in August 2010, after 32 years with the company.
In came Jack Griffin who was formerly the president of Meredith Corp’s magazine group. But, after just six months on the job, Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes made it clear that that Griffin’s management style “did not mesh with Time Inc. and Time Warner.” Then, in November, Bewkes announced that Digitas CEO Laura Lang would fill the vacant chief exec spot at the magazine publisher in January.

So, there you have some of the highest profiled CEO transitions of the year.  It is true that being a CEO is not easy these days.  Many executives now understand that these positions are more volatile than ever. In fact, today’s executives need to have a flexibility and instinct to manage and lead during a time of uncertainty not seen before.

When your organization is looking for executives who possess the right skills and attributes to take your company forward, call executive search consultant Robert Dexter of SVR Network . Robert Dexter is one of Silicon Valley’s premier search consultants.  You owe it to yourself to talk with the best.  Call Robert Dexter today at (408-954-7340).

For the greater part of the last century most employers have hired employees to work the usual 9am to 5pm shift.  This traditional approach to working hours has worked well for most of the workforce until now.

However, recent surveys from employers worldwide are showing that young workers don’t want the same the same working conditions their parents had.  Instead these new workers are looking for flexibility in the working environment and schedules.  This can mean everything from working odd hours and days, to telecommuting and project driven positions.

Then numbers behind the changes

Euro RSCG Worldwide recently released its top 12 trends for 2012.  In this report they show how Gen Y (those born between 1982 through 1993) is overturning the traditional workday.

Why is this so important?

It is because employers will be dealing with more Gen Y employees than ever before.  An survey conducted by the Business and Professional Women’s foundation estimated that by 2025 over 75% of the global workforce will be made up of  Gen Y.  Yet, we do not have to wait until then, as early 2012 Gen Y will comprise 60% of the employees in most major companies in the United States.

This new generation of workers is making it clear that the employers have to be able to accommodate the employees’ personal lives if they want to retain them.  Understanding this trend will make it easier for employers to recruit and retain these young employees.

The Rub

This growing trend does pose a problem for older organizations with a traditional working structure.   Traditionally many companies have focused on the control and command style of employee management.  This younger generation is requiring a different structure requiring companies to trust their young employees even if they are not being constantly supervised.

Facebooking and checking in with friends while working

Cisco’s “Connected World Technology” report shows that more than half of Gen Y employees prioritize social-media freedom over a higher salary when evaluating a job offer. Furthermore, more than half say the Internet is an integral part of their lives.

New Thinking Required

As you can see the coming workforce is going to change drastically the way employees are managed.  For some companies this may mean the need to have executives in leadership positions become more flexible and agile in the management of the workforce.

When your organization is looking for those executives who possess the right skills and flexible styles of leadership, you need to talk to Robert Dexter of SVR Network.  Robert Dexter understands these changes and has been predicting the changes that are occurring and will occur in the work place.  You can get a free copy of his timely report, “The Key Critical Aspects of Hiring Leaders in the New Decade”.  Why not call Robert Dexter today and have a confidential discussion on the executive needs for your organization.  You can reach Robert Dexter at 408-954-7340

Everyone should know that planning is one of the most important characteristics of a good leader.  Planning is also an important characteristic of a successful person.  Without the regimentally of detail plans, objectives are seldom met and success wanes off into the distance, never to be really accomplished.

Planning for success, in my opinion, should be taught at the academic level as a required course, starting at the earliest ages.

If you ask 50 people on the street, if they plan for daily events they probably would all say they plan to some level.  If however you were to ask these same 50 people to produce their plan so that you could see it, most would be hard pressed to show you, saying something like “its in my head”.

I have found that the further a person moves up in life and career, meaning the greater level of responsibility he or she assumes, that the very best leaders always plan in the most minute of details.

They always plan daily to plan. They make it a priority to do it everyday, usually around the same time of day, which is late afternoon or very early morning. They understand the value of detailed plans and that if you don’t plan a daily, weekly, monthly, yearly planning session, you can’t expect to provide the appropriate due diligence necessary for make things happen in a big way, and on time.  And if you can’t do that successfully, day in and day out, it is next to impossible to achieve your goals, unless of course you happen to just get lucky which only occasionally happens, but not consistently, like it should be.

I have seen many, who understand this concept, can preach it till the cows come home, but often fail to be consistent planners, because they failed to set time aside, feeling the sense that they need to get a couple of more things done, and they can always find the time later, after work, or early morning.  Yet when those alternative times come around, they have somehow found an excuse to not plan, and rather just want to get the heck out of the office and on to something they enjoy personally.

That is why planning must be a”must do” daily.  It must be listed in your to do column and given the highest level of priority, just as important as the key work you have to do daily.  It’s not just an important thing to do, but instead it has to be labeled an imperative, meaning a must!

Normally, added responsibility, such that a leader would be given, is usually coupled with more task that have to be met.  An individual contribution may have 4 or 5 major task that they have to do on a routine basis, but a leader has many more task related issues he or she have to deal with.  They may have as many as 25 things a day they need to touch and address.  If they fail to plan on how and when these  25 things get accomplished in a detail manner, they will probably only get about a quarter of these things done.  If this happens with any level of regularity, then they will be failing their organizations and themselves and results will dissipate from view.

Understanding the fundamentals of leadership is key to executive recruiting. Robert Dexter of SVR Network can help you find the right executive for your organization.  Call Robert Dexter today at 408-954-7340 for a confidential discussion.

To all my readers and subscribers:

I wish all of you a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving Holiday. 

May your homes be full of peace and love.

All The Best,

Robert Dexter

SVR Network

During recent times we have been witnessing the fall of leaders in all sectors of our society including business, politics, and sports.   At times it appears it is only a matter of time until we hear about another fallen leader in the news.

In a new book entitled, “ The Championship  Formula” by Jack Stark PhD, he  looks at what may be at the root cause of these fallen leaders  and at the same time he outlines how to be a successful leaders.

According to Dr. Stark there are two reasons for what terms a “fatal flaw in a leader.  Dr. Strak states, “The cause of the “fatal flaws” is twofold – one moral and the other psychological.”  With this foundation he begins to look at the 10 reasons leaders often fail.

Top 10 Reasons Leaders Fail

1.  Greed. I’m going to get mine since everyone else is and besides, I deserve it. Look at what I have done.

2.  Insecurity. Poor self-esteem based on family experiences – shockingly high.

3.  Power. I am in control – I want and get the attention I need.

4.  Arrogance. Delusion belief: I am better than anyone else.

5.  Narcissism. Severe form of selfishness and often an inability to love others.

6.  Paranoia. Never trust anyone – no such thing as loyalty.

7.  Manic Behavior. Obsessively driven which often results in a big crash.

8.  Addictions. Drugs, alcohol, gambling and sexual compulsions.

9.  Burnout and Depression. Often hidden and at least subconsciously reasons for irrational behavior.

10. Moral Deficiencies. Primitive moral development and rationalization and blaming.

Even Dr. Stark understands that everyone has flaws.   Yet, he states the key to” success and to being a great leader is to not have too many flaws and especially to not have a fatal flaw.”  The book is a good read and when placed against the backdrop of our current events, shines some light on where things went wrong. When your organization has a need to find the next executive give Robert Dexter of SVR Network a call at 408-954-7340.  Robert Dexter is Silicon Valley’s premier executive search consultant.

Hiring the right executive is a serious matter for any organization. It goes without saying that much trust and hope is placed on executives these days. Therefore, hiring the wrong executive can end up costing the organization significantly in so many different ways.  All this suggest that now more than ever, understanding the background, and skills set of an executive is paramount to making a hiring success.

Many companies have used credit checks as part of the routine background examination of executives. In fact, according to a 2010 poll conducted by the Society for Human Resources Management, 60% of employers regularly conduct credit checks as part of their hiring process. However, new research is showing that the information obtained from those credit reports may have nothing to do with the ability of the person to do the job.

A group of researchers from three universities, Louisiana State University, Northern Illinois University and Texas Tech University, ran a study to determine if credit scores really had anything to do with employee performance.

At first glance, the answer appears to be no: these researchers had access to both credit scores and performance reviews of a group of employees, and found that credit scores didn’t predict job performance.

Overall, the researchers found that workplace performance and credit scores did not appear to be linked.

They also failed to find a link between so-called “workplace deviance” and poor credit. That’s important, because employers often claim they check applicants’ credit because they’re worried about theft.

However, the researchers did find credit scores were correlated with certain personality traits. Now, these traits are traits employers care about. It should be noted that in this study the credit scores obtained were from Fair Isaac and had more detailed than the general credit reports most employers have access to. Nevertheless, the credit scores do show a correlation to three areas: conscientiousness, loyalty, and agreeableness. Let’s examine the results.

Employees with higher credit scores tended to also score higher on conscientiousness on a personality test. Similarly, workers with higher credit scores scored higher on a scale of “organizational citizenship,” and were more likely to show loyalty to their employers. Next, the study showed, people with higher credit scores actually turned out to be less agreeable than people with lower credit scores.

The researchers believed this might be because ‘nice’ people are more likely to co-sign loans for their less credit-worthy friends or relations, and may even be more susceptible to sales clerks trying to get them to sign up for credit cards.

The bottom line is that like most things, credit scores are only one piece of the overall view of a potential hire. There is nothing magical that these reports can show us that other interview techniques cannot uncover.

One of the most accurate methods for selecting qualified executives is to use evidence based methodologies that can then be properly interpreted by a seasoned and experienced professional search consultant.

At SVR Network, Robert Dexter, brings over three decades of experience finding and evaluating the best executives for the right positions. Robert Dexter always begins his executive search by fully understanding the needs of the company and then finds only the candidates who can meet those needs. This is why you owe it to yourself to call Robert Dexter today, at 408-954-7340.

Hiring executives for any company is a lot harder than it may appear on the surface.  It goes without saying that the process would be more complicated than hiring a personal assistant or a secretary.  Yet, may times organizations do not invest the time, or have the right processes in place to do an effective search for a new executive.  Many times it can be extremely, time consuming unless you know the particulars involved in an executive search.  Here I have included some of the common mistakes many organizations make during a typical executive search process.

1. Hiring Your Closest Friends: We all know that hiring a friend especially our closest ones can add a lot of fun in the office. The problem is becoming too familiar with the relationship you have with your friends and blurring the boundary between work and friendship. There is a thin line between these two that will make it hard for you to make professional decisions, which would sometimes involve sacrifices.

1. Hiring Your Golf Buddies:   More than once I have personally witnessed a CEO make a hiring decision on the golf course without going through any formal inquiry.

At times this is done simply because the CEO has a good gut feeling about this person and figures it will all work out later down the road.  The fact is nobody can hire someone without doing full background checks especially for the executive position. It’s not really advisable to take a chance on someone without doing the necessary background checks. The chances of putting your business in jeopardy are high.

1. Hiring a Family Member: Now this is probably the toughest one because you’ll be dealing with your own flesh and blood. The problem arises if they ever end up slacking around to the point of being totally complacent in the workplace. The involvement of a family member is not only hard when it comes to hiring them, but also it can even get more complicated should the time come to get rid of them.

When it comes to making an informed and unbiased decision regarding a potential new executive you need to work with Robert Dexter of SVR Network.  Let Robert Dexter take all the guess work out of finding the right executive for your organization. For more information on how you could achieve this, please call 408-954-7340 .  All conversations are confidential and without obligation.

There are times that a leader may not have the authority to request others to take a specific action, or he may have the authority but really doesn’t want to use it.  In these two cases using the enlistment approach is often effective.  The enlistment approach is a straight forward approach, which often does not require any thing more than to just ask for what you want.

Naturally sales people use this approach regularly to close a deal. Donation seekers do as well and most any good leader regardless of profession.  It works in some cases, obviously.  It also, doesn’t always work, but it is still a viable option in many cases.

To provide more persuasive substance to the enlistment approach, providing a reason why you want something done, will generally get most to follow-along with the request. Oddly the reason doesn’t always have to line up or even make sense, according to one social scientist who conducted a study on motivating others.

In one study that was conducted and observed it was noted that people standing in line at a copy machine allowed someone to go in front of them, if that individual asked to g ahead and also provided a reason.  The strange thing is that the reason didn’t even have to make sense. It was noted in this study that the reason was a lame statement like, “May I move ahead of you, because I have to make copies.”

A great example of using the enlistment approach in a leadership scenario was given by General William Cohen in his book on leadership titled,  The New Art of the Leader General Cohen gave the example, in this book, of Colonel “Pappy” Boyinton, a famous WWII Marine Corp Leader, who wash in charge of an air squadron in the Pacific.  If you are not too old, you will remember the television series title “Ba Ba Black sheep” which was a realistic account of this famous hero and leader.

At one point, he was given instruction to pack it up along with his unit, and return to the rear, after many months of intense fighting with the Japanese Migs.  As was the custom in the Military in those days, particularly with the air squadrons since they had better access to beer and whiskey, a huge party was thrown and everyone indulged at bit too much in beer and spirits.

Everyone had turned in after the drunken ordeal with only dreams of returning home and away from the stressful and obviously ugly ordeal they had to face daily for many, many months. Col Boyinton received a call soon after everyone, including himself had retired. His boss had contacted him with the most distasteful task. He was commanded to re-invigorate his fighting unit to go out on one more mission immediately.  This after his unit was told that the fighting had concluded and that they could look forward to returning to home.  When Colonel Boyinton was given the orders, his men had just had the biggest party of their lives, and were no longer disposed to walk, much less fly, on a combat mission.

Colonel Boyinton of course had the authority to order his men to take this on, but he did not want to give that as in order in light of what had just transpired.  How could any leader get his subordinates to do anything under these circumstances?  Having given much thought to how he was going to motivate his men, he decided to ask the question, while walking between the bunks, If, there was anyone as crazy as him, willing to  fly one more mission?

He simply asked, and did not bark it out as an order, like you might see in some movies. As the men lay nude in their cots in a drunken stupor, one of his men said,” I’ll fly with you Pappy.”  Then another one said “Me to,” and it finally snowballed, so that the entire unit had assembled, not by a command order, but instead through a simple request for enlistment.

Does this approach work all the time?  Of course not, but it is one indirect approaches that definitely needs to be considered, particularly if you team has great admiration and trust in you as their leader.

As an executive search consultant Robert Dexter understands what makes a good leader and where to find them.  Therefore, when your organization is looking for the next executive or leaders who possess the right set of skills, turn to Robert Dexter of SVR Network.  Call Robert Dexter today at 408-954-7340 and discuss your needs.  All conversations are confidential and without obligation.

Over my last four blogs I discussed the four tactics used when demonstrating the direct method of influencing and leading.  As a review these were:

1. Direction
2. Persuasion 
3. Negotiation
4. Involvement

The next 4-series I will speak on how to Indirectly Influence others you would like to lead or are required to lead.

The 4 indirect influencing tactics are not direct or straightforward regarding your aims, your means, or both.  This does not necessarily make them wrong when they befit those you lead.  It does reemphasize that your leadership must be for the benefit of others, not yourself.  Indirect tactics are more risky than the four direct tactics because

They can cause negative feelings such as:

• They can cause a future lack of credibility
• If the action they cause turns out to be wrong, you may not be forgiven.

The risk is acceptable when:

• They are used for the primary benefit of your mission, task, organization and those you lead, not yourself.
• The situations are dangerous or critical
• The four direct-influence tactics either can’t be used or are less effective.

The four Indirect-influence tactics are

• Indirection
• Enlistment
• Redirection
• Repudiation

As before, with the direct-influence tactics I will discuss each approach separately.  The main thing to remember when using any of these four approaches is that you have limited authority in the situation and those you want to lead will resist a direct-influence tactic.

In the business of recruiting for example, there is the direct approach and there is the indirect approach.  In the direct approach the recruiter specifically appeals to the person he or she would like to attract and recruit to a given career opportunity.

In the indirect approach, the recruiter appears to approach the situation with a potential Candidate they want to recruit from the standpoint of presenting a problem solving scenario.  The potential candidate, an apparent authority on the problem topic, might be able to help them solve the issue for their client.  The recruiter hopes that the candidate will see the problem solving situation as a means to enhance their own opportunity in the realm of career progression and will take the bait, so the speak.

Children are very good at using the indirect approach and often do.  When they take the initiative to clean up their room extra nice or volunteer to take out the garbage, chances are they are using a method of indirection, in order to gain some benefit they have their minds set on.  This could be borrowing the car to take out a date, or obtaining some extra cash for an upcoming ski trip they have planned.

History gives us many good examples, but one worth bringing out as it relates to the indirection tactic goes back to George Washington after the War of Independence.

At the time, the Continental Army had not yet disbanded and Congress was slow in authorizing back pay.  The righting of various other wrongs had been frequently promised by the Continental Congress, but had never been done.

The Continental Army officers knew that George Washington would never go along with seizing power from the civilian authority no matter how just the cause.  They asked him anyway.  They wanted to march on Congress and give Washington the title of “Dictator.” This was wrong, it was treason, and he told them so, only they wouldn’t listen.  Moreover, he was no longer their official commander and so had no formal power over them.

They had a meeting to organize what amounted to a rebellion.  Washington went.  He hoped to dissuade them, and they actually let him speak.

Washington spoke to these officers for more than an hour.  Remember, these weren’t mercenaries or shirkers.  Among them were many of the heroes of the war.  Men such as Alexander Hamilton, John Knox, and “Light Horse” Harry Lee all listened to Washington.  Washington talked about why they had fought, what would happen should they rebel, and what Congress was trying to do.  It was to no avail.  Too many times before they had received promises from Congress only to see those promises broken.  These officers were determined to take the law into their own hands!

Finally Washington reached into his cloak and pulled out a pair of spectacles.  No one had ever seen Washington with spectacles, before.  In the thinking of those days, it was the kind of physical weakness that commanders didn’t admit to.

As he slowly put the glasses to his face, he said his final words to his former officers. “Gentleman, I have grown old in your service, and now I am growing blind.”

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.  Washington turned and left.  At first there was only silence.  Then, somebody said, “Oh, what the heck.  Maybe George is right.  Let’s give Congress one more chance.”  The rebellion, of course, never took place.

Washington’s officers didn’t know that he had worn spectacles for years.  Even his closest aides didn’t know that he wore glasses.  Washington judged that the loss of his vanity and the risk of his prestige in opposing this treason was a worthwhile price to pay for an America free from a military dictatorship.  He used the indirection influence tactic to get what he wanted after direct tactics, such as persuasion, failed.

To use the indirection tactic, those that you want to follow must know what you want.  Then, you do something that will influence them to do it without asking for what you want directly.

Robert Dexter of SVR Network can help any organization find the right executives who will posses the skills mentioned above.  For over 30 years, Robert Dexter has used his own proprietary system called FIP to make sure the right executive is found the first time.  Call Robert Dexter today at 408-954-7340 and discuss your hiring needs with one of Silicon Valley’s premier executive search consultants.