Finding The Right People Now Is Tougher - The Key To Success Is Preparation

Employers say that finding the right people has always been a challenge. But high unemployment has made it even tougher. That doesn't seem to make sense. But our clients place as much if not more emphasis on preparation for recruiting and selection of critical positions in high unemployment markets as in tight labor markets.

Careful preparation is necessary to overcome certain beliefs and behaviors that always seem to show up at times of high unemployment. The behaviors and beliefs our clients cite most frequently as needing to be overcome by careful preparation are the following:

The belief that critical positions should be easier to fill in this economy. With so many people out of work, shouldn't it be easier and quicker to hire the right person for the right job? That expectation and the pressure it places on recruiters and hiring managers can result in taking short cuts in the selection process.

The high number of applicants has made it harder to separate the qualified from the not qualified. It's not uncommon to get 500 resumes or on line applications for a position that, a few years ago, may have seen one or two qualified applicants.

The high volume of job applicants hasn't changed the fact that at least 90% of them will continue to be unqualified for specific positions. Except now it can take a lot longer to sort that out, and the exposure to lawsuits based on discrimination in hiring increases. With so many applicants, the number of discrimination and bias complaints has grown.

There's a real temptation to hire “overqualified” people for jobs – opening the possibility of higher turnover as soon as the job market for their particular qualifications improves.

It's tempting to “raise the bar” for applicants in high unemployment markets. As a conscious choice in a strategy to upgrade a workforce, it may be OK. As a choice based on the assumption that more people, and, therefore, better people are available, it's not so good.

It's easier in today's market for hiring managers to take the “throw them up against the wall and see who sticks” approach to selection. It's a lazy approach to hiring, and speaks poorly of the organization that allows it.

Many of the unemployed got that way by being “cherry picked” by their previous employer. Problems of behavior, performance and other issues that were allowed to fester in good times become the reason for laying them off in bad times. Those issues often carry over to a new employer – and reference checks rarely uncover the real reason for their being laid off or terminated. Prepare to do the digging yourself.

The “cast a wide net” theory of recruiting is hard to resist. With so many people out there, why not throw out the biggest net and get the most applicants and then sort them out? The assumption that a larger applicant pool will somehow result in better selection is false. The large applicant pool is not nearly as valuable as one right person for the job.

It's human nature to see people from the outside as better possibilities than people from the inside – there are no warts on the outside applicant – yet. The temptation to take a chance on hitting a home run with a new hire rather than promote from within is greater in a high unemployment market. The results can be lower morale and commitment and a loss of trust. It's tempting to take the existing employees for granted in high unemployment. After all, with few jobs available, they'll sit tight, won't they?

With so many applicants, it's tempting to not do the homework before recruiting. But lack of preparation slows down the process. Good people don't last long, even in a high unemployment market. Without the confidence of knowing what the right person will bring to the table, it's likely that decision making will be slow – and that right person ends up going somewhere else.

To manage these behaviors and beliefs, and at least a few of them exist in every organization, the key is good preparation.

Here are six elements of good preparation that create the benchmarks of the job – not the candidate - that are key to success in selection.

1 - A written job description covering the who, what, where, when, how and why of the job is critical – not just some boilerplate piece that hasn't been updated for years, but an up to date description that can be shared with all those involved in the selection process – from recruiters to interviewers to applicants.

2 – Separate from that description, but even more critical is a statement of the top 3 to 5 Key Accountabilities for the position. What are the things that this job will contribute, and how will performance be measured? It's amazing how often this key step in preparation uncovers substantial disagreements between stakeholders. Without agreement and alignment on these KA's, how can a selection team possibly make the best decision on candidates?

3 – The stakeholders and those with significant knowledge of the position need to be part of the job description and Key Accountabilities discussions and development. Don't expect a staff person with no real skin in the game to be able to give the same depth of input as a hiring manager or a person who was successful in the position or a person who will depend on the position to support their own.

4 – A profile/benchmark of qualifications including education, experience, industry knowledge, specific skills and other relevant hard data needed for success is developed. This is critical to avoid letting particularly attractive candidates - for reasons other than criteria critical to the position - introduce irrelevant criteria into the process. At this point focus needs to be on the job – not the applicant.

5 – A profile/benchmark of the Behaviors, Attitudes and Motivators, and the Personal Skills critical to the job is developed by the same stakeholders that developed the Job Description and the Profile of qualifications. The best way to accomplish this is to have the stakeholders use the same assessments that will be administered to candidates of interest.

6 – The selection team is briefed on their roles in evaluating candidates, and are given training in the interview and evaluation of candidates.

Once these six steps are taken, attention can be focused on candidates. The focus on the candidates is in the context of a well developed and communicated understanding of what the job needs.

The more critical the job, the more critical preparation becomes. What it does is ensure the investment of time, effort and money spent on acquiring the right talent in the right job is maximized. The proof of the effectiveness of this kind of focused effort in selecting talent is seen in lower turnover, more successful hires and promotions and transfers, and a reduction in the costs associated with selection. An added benefit of this approach is in the acceptance of the person selected. When people in an organization see careful attention being spent on decisions that will directly affect them - in terms of new bosses, new peers and new support talent - they know they are part of a special place, with special people. There is a lot of pride and commitment in knowing that.

Take inventory of how the high unemployment labor market may have influenced the behaviors and attitudes toward selection in your organization. Then compare your preparation steps with the six steps described in this article. Then decide the best way you can use preparation to gain a competitive advantage in the selection of talent for your organization.

Written by Andy Cox, President

Cox Consulting Group, 4049 E Vista Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85032 Ph & Fax: 602-795-4100; E Mail: acox@coxconsultgroup.com;Website:www.coxconsultgroup.com; Blog: http://multiplysuccess.blogspot.com

Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved

What To Do When Where You Are Is Not Where You Want To Be

One of the most limiting things we can tell ourselves is that what we are doing and where we are is not where we thought we would be or where we want to be. Lots of people feel that way right now. With all the changes that have happened over the past few years, many people have seen their worlds turned upside down. They have seen their assumptions disappear. They aren't where they thought they would be – and they have a real problem adapting to the realities of their situations.

It happens to all of us at some time – the feeling that where we are isn't where we want to be, or where we deserve to be, or where we planned to be - in work, relationships, emotions, career. And when that feeling occurs, it's really tempting to give in and feel like a victim. Feeling out of control, blaming causes outside ourselves, feeling tempted to give up and give in and blame all the forces that have conspired against us. To do that is fatal. Once the victim disease sets in its hard to see opportunities, even if they're right in front of us.

Our daughter told me a story about the person their pest service sent for a service call. She started to describe the problem she was having with ants. The pest “expert” told her he was just doing this job to pay the bills, that as soon as something better opened up, he would be doing a higher level, more prestigious job than just spraying for ants! I suspect he wanted our daughter to know that he was “better” than the job he was doing. She didn't care – all she wanted was an expert to help with the ant problem.

I met two investment bankers in Miami recently. Both work for a small firm. We got to talking about the impact of the recession on their business. They both admitted business was tough. They observed that many of the people laid off from the large investment firms were simply not equipped to work in smaller firms. They had become used to generous pay, lots of resources and the prestige of being highly educated members of a worldwide firm – work had flowed to them. They didn't have to go looking for it. But in small firms you gotta beat the bushes. Having to pick up the phone and ask for business was not where they wanted to be – and many of the ones that found themselves in that situation hadn't survived. They weren't where they thought they should be – and either wouldn't or couldn't adapt.

Many of the companies I work with are small to medium sized enterprises – anywhere from ten people to twenty five hundred. Most have small support staffs and expect a high level of self reliance and resourcefulness from their people. Most of their experience with executive level hires that have come directly from large companies has not been good. Most of those hires carry a load of assumptions about what they should have to do and what levels of support should be available to them. They are almost always disappointed and frustrated with what they find. The succesful ones adapt. The others fight the situation, try to change it to meet their expectations based on their past experience – with the result that they just survive or get fired. They weren't where they thought they should be. Many of those who failed in their first job after being in a big company learn the lesson, adapt their expectations and perceptions, and succeed using the lessons they learned. Those are the people to recruit.

Here are seven strategies to use when you feel you aren't where you want to be. These are strategies to guard against falling into the the victim trap – or getting yourself out of the one you may be in.

Make Choices - Realize that while you may not be able to control the circumstances that put you where you are, you have complete control over how you respond to them. The key word is choice. A scary word for about 70% of the population. Choice is that space between stimulus and response. Sometimes that space is small – sometimes it's large. It's there for everybody – all the time – even if it doesn't seem to be. That pest “expert” had a choice – and lots of space - to choose how to describe the work he was doing. The choice he made was a negative one. It did not serve him well. Think about how he could have made it positive.

Determine to Adapt – One of the most powerful Personal Skills any person can have is to adapt positively to the situation they find themselves in. Observing and analyzing the situation, then making a conscious decision on how to best succeed – or survive - without compromising basic values is a behavior of the successful. The investment bankers that can see their world as bigger than any one employer, and change to meet different situations, are better equipped for so many more future opportunities than if they had continued to insist on finding work as they had known it. It makes little sense to mourn what no longer exists – adapt.

Create and Review Expectations – Expectations must be reviewed and analyzed and conscious decisions made about them. It's important to accept that expectations need to change to meet changing circumstances. It's also important to realize that expectations that are always too high to be met can drain enthusiasm, energy and self worth. You can keep them as ideals, but don't make ideals into expectations. Think about it – waking up every day and failing to meet your own expectations. Even the most optimistic soul would wilt under those circumstances It's important to realize that expectation are influenced by circumstances – often. We're taught from an early age that we can do whatever we set our minds to do. But when a high school dropout tells me he wants to be a doctor I may suggest he start by striving to get his GED and become an Army medic. There are always new stretch expectations that can be created.

Resolve To Act - No single thing can overcome that feeling of being a victim more than acting. What actions are taken are really less important than just getting out there – whatever that means – and doing something. The Nike Just Do It ads have been so successful because they are simple, they are direct. They mean whatever you want them to mean, and they require Just Doing It. Right now, write down ten things you can do to better your situation, bring you closer to your expectations, overcome the victim disease. Don't just think about ten things – write them down – do them – celebrate the action. And avoid the trap of being busy but not effective. Steven Pressfield, in his book ”The Art of War” suggests you ask yourself one question if in doubt about the effectiveness of what you are doing. The question is “ If you were the only person left in the world, would you continue to do what you are doing right now?” Tough question.

Never, Never, Never Give Up. - Realize there is a real nobility in working to pay the bills, to honor commitments, to feed a family, to survive so you can greet another day with the possibility of success. Never apologize for the work. And realize and guard against giving up. Oftentimes giving up doesn't happen all at once, it can be sneaky. Cormac McCarthy wrote a line in his book “The Road,” about a man and his son, trying to reach the East Coast after a nuclear holocaust, facing untold difficulties. The father at one point turns to his son and says ” When your dreams are of a world that never was or of a world that never will be, and you are happy again, you will have given up.” Hope is critical, dreams are a must, but they need to translate into effective action in today. Make sure the actions you take are important and contribute to your expectations. They can carry you through the roughest of patches.

Develop Observation Skills – See the world around you as it is – not as you wish it would be – or as you dream it could be – or as it used to be. Hard eyed realism is an invaluable tool to moving forward, creating realistic expectations and using today in the best way possible.

Dwell In Possibilities – Stephan Schiffman, in his book “Make It Happen Before Lunch” offers the advice to “dwell in possibility – there is always a door somewhere waiting to be opened.” Possibility thinking leads to opportunities in places you may never have dreamed of.

Use these strategies to help overcome so much of the negative emotions and feelings of powerlessness that the steady barrage of bad news provides us with every day. At the same time, adopting the seven strategies will set the stage for the success that is sure to come to those who stay focused on it – and realize that success may be found in places far away from where you are now - what an exciting thought!

Written by Andy Cox, President

Cox Consulting Group, 4049 E Vista Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85032 Ph& Fax: 602-795-4100; E Mail: acox@coxconsultgroup.com;Website:www.coxconsultgroup.com; Blog: http://multiplysuccess.blogspot.com

Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved

Place High Value On The Small Stuff - It's Key To Success

Small stuff needs to be celebrated. How often have you been to a meeting, been involved in a project, attended a convention or a gathering where things clicked – where it became apparent that there had been a great deal of planning and attention to detail – and the overall effect was terrific. The small stuff got the attention it needed to ensure success.

Think about kaizen – the Japanese philosophy of “continuous improvement.” It has had a huge positive impact on productivity and profitability – but it depends on a lot of what some would call “small stuff” for its success.

As a point of information, “small stuff” was originally a nautical term used to describe cordage – usually of less than an inch in diameter – the small stuff as opposed to the larger diameter rope used as standing and running rigging, and mooring and anchor and towing ropes. It didn't mean small stuff was unimportant – small diameter rope has a thousand critical and decorative uses aboard every boat and ship.

The problem with the term “small stuff” is that it sounds so dismissive, as if whatever has earned that description doesn't really matter. And the problem is that it does matter – a lot - and dismissing it can have a negative effect on outcomes.

Outside the nautical world, small stuff isn't that easy to define. One person's small stuff is big stuff to someone else.

I worked with a manufacturing firm – 1000 employees and about $100 million in annual sales - that was looking for savings from operations to help boost profit without capital investment. Project teams were established and tasked with finding real dollar savings within the operation – savings that could be sustained and would have a positive impact on the business. At the first status meeting to review progress, the teams were excited about providing feedback on their results. The first team presented its first finding – a reduction in cost of $25,000 that could be implemented quickly and with no capital investment. The CFO, who was new to the organization and its culture, made it very clear that he considered $25,000 “small stuff” - he was looking for the really “big dog” savings. The effect of his response was to take all the air out of the teams – the savings the teams had identified were all of a similar size, and after his reaction they backed away from presenting them. They didn't want to be embarrassed or dismissed for their lack of scale. In fact the teams had identified an aggregate of $500,000 in savings that could be achieved. quickly and with little out of pocket cost. While the CFO kept looking for the big dogs, the little dogs didn't get done.

Nobody likes being told that what they have accomplished is “small stuff.” Dismissive words or gestures that challenge the value and importance of work are extraordinarily destructive.

The CFO in this situation realized his mistake and adjusted his own approach to fit the culture he found himself in. He experienced a valuable lesson from his first reaction – a reaction of disappointment. But he recovered, inventoried his own beliefs, adapted to the beliefs of his new organization, and got back on track .

It took awhile, but the project teams recovered their commitment and pressed on and the cost savings actions were accomplished. They were a major contributor to the success of the business.

The CFO found out that successful organizations, like the one he was now with, have a number of shared beliefs that result in the commitment and engagement of their people. Here are four of the top beliefs:

1 - They believe all work being done is necessary and important to the success of the enterprise – there is no “small stuff” in the negative sense.
2 - They believe goals are the linkage that binds work together and aligns it with the important few objectives of the enterprise
3 - They believe clearly stated goals provide the direction needed for the most important work to be done first
4 - They believe goals provide the structure for people to know they are part of a worthy enterprise; that they are contributing to the enterprise; and that they can receive recognition through goal accomplishment.

To increase your own engagement and commitment, and that of the people you work with, take inventory of your own beliefs and behaviors and those of your organization. Compare them to the four beliefs listed. If you hear “small stuff” in your vocabulary or the vocabulary of others, make sure its used as a positive descriptor. Then celebrate and recognize those positive "small stuff" contributions. It may not seem like a big shift, but big shifts – of all kinds – come from the cumulative effect of small shifts – what some may call “small stuff.” That's how positive, effective, long lasting change occurs.

Written by Andy Cox, President

Cox Consulting Group, 4049 E Vista Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85032 Ph & Fax: 602-795-4100; E Mail: acox@coxconsultgroup.com;Website:www.coxconsultgroup.com; Blog: http://multiplysuccess.blogspot.com

Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved

The Hypocrisy of the Torture Policy

This post doesn't have much to do with Multiply Your Success, but I just had to write it.

I've just gotta get this off my chest. I've just gotta write my feelings about the current torture debate and another formerly high profile issue, and the hypocrisy I see between the administration's stand on the two.

Like so many others, I've been watching the development of the “torture” debate. I have my own feelings about what represents torture and when it's appropriate, but the position of the administration on torture versus its stand on late term abortion strikes me as so contradictory – so hypocritical.

On the one hand our leaders are telling us we must be true to our moral values and not use torture as a means of gaining intelligence and information that may be critical to our national security. And we are told there can be no exceptions to this policy. We are told there are better ways – or different ways to get that information – although what those ways may be remains a mystery. We are told that the use of torture cheapens our moral values and exposes us to disapproval throughout the rest of the world.

The administration has gone so far as to release highly classified documents that detail the debate and the techniques defined by the previous administration. They have released information that effectively “outs” some CIA operatives involved in the alleged torture – who were simply obeying orders. Wasn't the Valerie Plame affair about outing an agent? No outrage this time, since it is the current administration that did the outing – on TV. But I digress – an issue for another time.

And while this debate goes on an abortion doctor from Kansas, who donated to the campaign coffers of our new Secretary of Health and Human Services – continues to perform late term abortions for $5000 a life. Our President, by his silence, his legislative history and his selection for Secretary for HHS, condones this infanticide. Where is the concern for the coarsening of our moral values caused by the obscene use of late term abortion?

So let me get this straight. We should all be outraged over the aggressive interrogation techniques used to extract valuable intelligence and information from three enemies of our country – men who had a track record of doing harm to us. Interrogation techniques that were attended to by doctors and lawyers to see that the guidelines set after 9/11 were followed and the lives of the three were not threatened. Techniques that left the the three with no scars, impairments or long term effects.

But at the same time that we should be outraged and swear never to use these non fatal practices ever again, we should stand by and know that, for $5000, a viable fetus – a living child – can be destroyed by an abortion clinic doctor and his staff. And if the baby survives the barbarous methods of late term abortion used to extract it from its host – I can't bring myself to call the person who is having this procedure a mother - that sturdy little life is left to die. No lawyers or doctors or thoroughly vetted procedures attend to this little piece of life. And we shouldn't be affected by this practice – a practice being performed – not in some backward part of the world – but throughout this nation – this nation of laws and of deep concern for its moral values and the potential coarsening of those values?

Mr President – you've got your stands on these two issues backwards.

Written by Andy Cox, President

Cox Consulting Group, 4049 E Vista Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85032 Ph & Fax: 602-795-4100; E Mail: acox@coxconsultgroup.com;Website:www.coxconsultgroup.com; Blog: http://multiplysuccess.blogspot.com

Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved

Two Key Elements In Achieving Success

Peter Drucker and Jack Welch, two experts in anyone's list of experts, have identified many key elements leading to personal success. The following two are so fundamental and critical, but often get pushed aside in favor of the “silver bullet of the month” element. They bear repeating.

Drucker said there is nothing as worthless as doing well something that doesn't need to be done at all.

Jack and Suzy Welch, in their weekly “The Welchway” column in Business Week, advised a questioner seeking career advice – a self described introvert - to find and release his inner extrovert if he wanted greater success in a large organization. Relationships count, and being known and having your value known is a personal responsibility – so adapt.

What do the Peter Drucker statement and the Jack and Suzy Welch advice have in common? They deal with two key elements required to achieve success

Key Element One – You've got to be doing work that others see as valuable and it's up to you to advertise it's value.

And the valuing of the work starts with the person doing it. If they don't see its value, you can be sure others won't either. It's the difference between being “just the receptionist” and being “ the first person people meet when they come to my company.” It's the difference between being a “retail clerk” and an “expert on men's fashions.”

The burden of establishing the value of the work belongs to the person doing the work - they're the person most affected by the perception of the value of what they do. It's in their best interest to advertise and promote what they're doing as worthy and valuable to the enterprise. In many organizations, expecting that your work will speak for itself results in disappointment and frustration. When there are so many others speaking out for their work you gotta stand up for what you do.

Ask yourself - Can you, in thirty seconds, explain what you do and its value to your organization? Not being able to do that effectively creates the perception of low value. The story of the three bricklayers illustrates that point. The first, when asked what he does, said “ I lay brick.” The second said “I'm helping build a school.” The third said “I'm contributing to the building of a place where children in our community will learn – a special place.” Same job, same outcome, same pay - three very different pictures of value added. Which of the three would you rather have working for and with you?

A story about how to keep value and accomplishment a secret:

A good friend was in a new position promoting a new enterprise that was going to open its doors in about a year. Her job was to promote and develop interest and commitment in this new enterprise in its target market. She started from scratch, with very little to work with other than her knowledge and presentation and relationship skills. The results of her efforts would not really be apparent until the enterprise opened. She did an excellent job of promotion – outside her organization. Inside her organization – not so much. She was working independent of any direct supervision. She was advised to develop a regularly published report – weekly preferred, at the least monthly - to communicate her activities and accomplishments. She thought that was too much like self promotion, and, besides, she didn't like doing that kind of work. So her bosses really had only anecdotal information on which to judge her effectiveness. Had she put together a routine of reporting and creating a vision of what she was doing, she would have been seen as the highly effective, valuable and successful person she was. But no one was in a position to see her success. She was lucky she had a patient boss – and an excellent track record - many others aren't so lucky.

Key Element Two– Know who you are - your unique blend of skills, motivators and behaviors. Not just who you think you are, but how you are perceived by others. Then get to know your organization's expectations and culture. Then adapt to meet the needs of your organization - you must accept the responsibility of matching up with the requirements of the work and of the culture.

Sounds like a nobrainer. But many a can't - miss prospect, a big success in one situation, ends up not succeeding in what looks like a similar situation. The cause?

It starts with making the assumption that what worked at one place will work at another - that the motivators, values, behaviors and personal skills brought to the job match the requirements of the new enterprise. It's amazing how often they don't. It's also amazing how out of touch people can be with the reality of their personal skills, motivators and behaviors.

An example:
A manager whose experiences and values have resulted in her being very successful as a planner and preparer. She now works in a mid size company where speed to market is an absolute value. She insists that everything be planned and prepared so that chances of 100% success at implementation are as high as possible. No ready, fire aim for her. She's convinced of the rightness of her ways. Chances of success in that environment unless she adapts her values and behaviors – very low.

To put these two key success elements to work for you, take Drucker's observation to heart and make sure you do work valued by both you and your organization. And, of course, do it well. And take Jack and Suzy Welch's advice to heart and get to know the culture of the organization and how you fit in it and adapt to make sure your work is valued by others – self promotion is a valuable personal skill. It's an outcome of being convinced of the value of what you do, and, as the expert on what you do, you have the unique capability to share and create that value with others.

Written by Andy Cox, President

Cox Consulting Group, 4049 E Vista Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85032 Ph: 602-795-4100; Fax: 602-795-4100; E Mail: acox@coxconsultgroup.com;Website:www.coxconsultgroup.com; Blog: http://multiplysuccess.blogspot.com

Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved

Create Constructive Confrontation To Multiply Success

An expert at debating was asked what to do to win an argument when an opponents' preparation, grasp of the facts, position on the subject and conviction make them a clear favorite to win.

He advised taking five actions in order to “Win.”
1 - Attack their behavior
2 - Ridicule and dismiss or show contempt for the person and their position
3 - Question their motives
4 - Apply a negative label to them,
5 - Speak loudly and quickly

Sound familiar? In other words, practice Destructive Confrontation.

Pretty scary stuff. The debate experts' experience was that few people could stay on point while being subjected to that kind of personal attack. None of the five actions have anything to do with the merits of the positions. His experience was that even the most rational debater would at some point become emotional and defensive, and once that happened, they were finished – as far as winning the debate was concerned.

He's right – and it's not limited to the arena of debate.

Destructive Confrontation – it's the source of more negative emotions, poor communications and low productivity than any other behavior.

What's bad about it is that it has nothing to do with the merits of an argument – nothing about facts – nothing to do with gaining understanding – nothing to do with learning.

What's troubling is to see how that behavior has captured our discourse – on every level. Watch any news show, read any Opinion page in a newspaper, read any number of blogs, observe meetings where the outcome is the increase in importance of one group at the expense of another, and it becomes obvious that a large segment of our population is destructive to those who don't share their viewpoint.

It doesn't have to be that way.

“Without conflict there is no learning.” I don't know who to attribute that statement to, but I had a boss who believed in it and demanded argument and conflict as a means of creating better communications and better decision making. The workplace he created was highly productive, relationships were based on respect and trust, and it was one of the most demanding, rewarding places I ever worked. Constructive confrontation was the rule of the day – it was a behavior that produced superior results.

Many people make the mistake of thinking that the opposite of destructive confrontation is some warm, fuzzy place where we all “ just get along.” There is nothing further from the truth. Constructive confrontation is a contact behavior, and it requires a number of behaviors, beliefs and values that are opposite to destructive confrontation. For some leading organizations, it's so important that they conduct training and evaluations to ensure that it is part of their behavior. They are convinced that “without conflict there is no learning.”.

Successful organizations – and individuals - that practice Constructive Confrontation realize there are a number of factors that are critical to its effective use. Tops among them are these eight:
1 - The belief that every person's point of view brings value to decision making
2 - The self discipline to get past initial emotional reactions and deal with facts and figures
3 – Effective communications skills that can effectively express a point of view
4 - The ability to deal with things as they are – a real world view
5 - The conviction that constructive confrontation will produce better results – results with a higher chance of acceptance and success
6 – A willingness to seek out, listen to and accept alternative solutions
7 – A desire to act decisively and use Constructive Confrontation to arrive at the best possible outcome as quickly as possible
8 – The emotional maturity to look at issues as issues, without personalizing them

The encouraging thing about all eight factors is that they can be learned and acquired. There is no magic formula to developing effective Constructive Confrontation. But it is tougher to develop as a behavior than Destructive Confrontation – which comes from emotion and the all too human desire to “win” - whatever that might mean.

But contrast the effect of the two – in your personal life and in your organizational life. There really is no contest. Constructive Confrontation has the ability to create results and success. And yet, it's amazing how few are really good at it. It's a top ten percent behavior. Knowing that, ignore all the negative yelling and screaming that we hear every day and the all too human temptation to let emotions rule, and cultivate the eight factors as a means of increasing your level of success - in relationships, business, personal interests and family - and who knows -possibly even in politics.

Written by Andy Cox, President

Cox Consulting Group, 4049 E Vista Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85032 Ph: 602-795-4100; Fax: 602-795-4800; E Mail: acox@coxconsultgroup.com;Website:www.coxconsultgroup.com; Blog: http://multiplysuccess.blogspot.com

Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved

Two Special People To Learn From

I've been really fortunate to know people who have shown the kind of qualities and behaviors that have such a positive effect on so many. Here are stories of two such people whose behaviors and attitudes - in the last week – have had a positive effect on me.

Catherine M sent me an E Mail about a week ago. I didn't know her, and she knew me only from an article on respect that I had written. She was looking for help. She had had a very upsetting incident that an administrator at the school where she volunteers, and where her daughter is a student, had started. Catherine was very upset – she had been criticized in front of students and others – and when she called the administrator to talk about the event and the way it had been handled, the administrator laughed at her and treated her with disrespect. She was asking me for advice. I wasn't able to access her E mail for two days, but I sent her a response as soon as I could and promised to follow up with a further response the following day. Before I could do that, Catherine sent an E mail thanking me for my comments, and telling me that she had spent the weekend volunteering at a Pediatric ward in a hospital – helping young patients. She told me that had helped her clear her head and put what had happened in perspective. Rather than let the disrespectful actions of another pull her down, she took action and reached out and helped others. And in taking action she recovered from the hurt and embarrassment she had suffered from the administrator. As she said, she wasn't going to let someone else's actions control her emotions.

Terrific – taking action and reaching out to help others – a prescription for overcoming so much of what ails people. Congratulations, Catherine, for your maturity, honesty and respect for others.

Pat S called me the other day. He is the paper delivery person who gets our papers at our front door before 5 AM every morning. We had not received a paper one morning, and I had called to report the paper as not delivered. That was the reason for Pat's call. He was very concerned about our service. He told me he makes sure he puts the papers as close to the front door as possible – and I agreed that he does that. He was sure he delivered a paper that morning. We came to the conclusion that someone had taken the paper sometime between 4:45 AM, when he delivered, it, and 6 AM – when I went out to get it. He asked what I thought he could do to see that that didn't happen in the future. I assured him he was very diligent in delivering the paper and there seemed no action other than for me to get up earlier and retrieve the paper.

He then asked me if I shopped at a grocery store near our house. I told him I did. He told me he is the meat cutter there and works full time from noon until 8:30 PM. He asked me to stop in and say Hi, and he would be happy to help me with my shopping requirements.

Pat S works a full time job and has a paper route seven days a week. And his reason for calling was to make sure I was satisfied with his service. Our entire conversation was positive and focused on service. Terrific guy – terrific attitude. He starts his paper run at 3 AM, follows that with a full time job, and finds the time to follow up with his customers.

As long as we have people like Catherine M and Pat S we're in good shape.

Taking action, reaching out, helping others, providing excellent service, being positive. Those attitudes and behaviors are all around us. I feel fortunate for that. And I thank these two very special people for the real world examples they set for me and so many others.

Written by Andy Cox, President

Cox Consulting Group, 4049 E Vista Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85032 Ph: 602-795-4100; Fax: 602-795-4800; E Mail: acox@coxconsultgroup.com;Website:www.coxconsultgroup.com; Blog: http://multiplysuccess.blogspot.com

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