Greetings from Rising Sun Consultants
Welcome to the September issue of Rise & Shine –
Your Leadership Solutions and Resource Newsletter!
Bright Lights (Tips/Solutions) As many of you know, one of the cornerstones or foundations of how we work with our clients is to focus on the importance of effective supervision. To this end, we have developed a program of services related to what we call The 10 Keys of Effective Supervision™:
- Support Growth
- Unite With Your Team
- Praise Others
- Expect Excellence
- Require Accountability
- Verify Potential
- Instill Independence
- Share Continuously
- Optimize Ownership
- Reinforce Relationships
For the next 10 months we will focus our tips/suggestions on one of the 10 Keys. This month, we will focus on the first Key – Support Growth:
According to the Rising Sun model, “Support Growth” is defined as: “Providing support for both an employee’s personal and professional development.”
Nothing is more important to the success of an organization than the quality or professionalism of its staff. All too often, however, organizations approach professional development from an issue based or single minded perspective rather than from a comprehensive perspective. Creating a professional staff requires more than just a hiring process, or more than just a training program, creating a professional staff requires a holistic or systems approach.
In order for any professional development program to be truly effective, it is essential that it be directly connected and related to the outcomes or products of the organization and that it be based on a fundamental belief system that values learning throughout the organization. More specifically, in order for a Professional Development program to be truly effective: 1) it must be directly linked to the organization’s stated objectives, and 2) the organization must create, develop, embrace, and maintain an environment rooted in life-long learning. As such, organizational training and development needs to be operationalized in a Professional Development program which is sustained, systemic, and systematic:
- A “sustained” professional development program is one which occurs over time. Professional development is not a single event, but a series of interrelated learning opportunities that supports individual growth and organizational success.
- A “systemic” professional development program is one which plays a critical role within an organizations culture. The focus of learning opportunities remains consistent and aligned with organizational goals and does not change depending on who is responsible for professional development. In other words, professional development needs to be integrated throughout all aspects of the organization and needs to remain consistent over time.
- A “systematic” professional development program is one which is developed and implemented in a methodical and intentional manner. It is directly aligned to the mission, vision, and guiding principles of the organization. Systematic professional development programs provide consistent themes across all work groups, while providing support for specific departments and individual needs.
How well integrated is your organization’s current professional development program? Is it designed as a series of interrelated learning opportunities that supports individual growth and organizational success? Is it integrated throughout all aspects of the organization and consistent over time? Does it provide consistent themes across all work groups, while providing support for specific departments and individual needs?
Shining Stars (Best Practices)
This month's Organization of Excellence is Giant Food Stores. This grocery store retailer has grown from a small two-person butcher shop in Carlisle, PA (founded in 1923) to a household name with dozens of stores throughout Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland. The corporate office is still located in Carlisle. It is the leadership in Carlisle that has fostered, modeled and reinforced the award-winning, values-driven culture focused on customer service and quality merchandise. Some of the winning strategies that earned Giant the distinction of being named one of the 50 Best Places to Work in PA include:
- Cores Values that are continually communicated and reinforced. The people who work at Giant Food Stores live the values.
- An Internal Communications department that reports directly to Human Resources, which supports the facilitation of two-way communication between the leadership and the associates.
- An Advanced Leadership Academy that uses a 360 degree feedback process to continually drive professional development.
- A leadership team that has the courage to admit mistakes and make changes based on the perspectives and opinions of others.
- A Fair Treatment policy, which provides all associates with the opportunity to raise any issue to any level of supervision…even up to the President…without fear of retaliation.
- A priority of community citizenship. Giant is involved in various causes, such as Multiple Sclerosis, Toys for Tots, United Way, Habitat for Humanity, eliminating hunger, visiting nursing homes, etc. Employees are proud to be part of such a people-focused and giving organization.
- A culture that supports diversity through the equality, dignity, respect, and fair treatment of all associates.
Giant Food Stores has enjoyed over 80 years of having a consistent and positive culture, and there are no plans to slow this momentum. We thank John Bussenger, Executive Vice President of Human Resources, and Susan Eveland, Director of Associate Relations, for meeting with us to talk about their organization. More information about Giant Food Stores can be found at their website, www.giantpa.com.
World Views (In the News)
Filling The Power Vacuum
The temperature wasn't the only thing that heated up this summer. The nation's corner offices were abuzz. Recently, C-level shuffling has reached an all-time high. In 2005, more than 16% of all chief executives lost or left their jobs, up from almost 11% ten years earlier. Some CEOs leave their jobs voluntarily, often moving to privately held firms that aren't subjected to relentless shareholder scrutiny. Others are ousted for poor performance or ethical blunders.
All this executive turnover is creating concern for boards, which are responsible for ensuring a smooth transition at the top. "Probably the most important thing the board has to worry about is CEO succession," says Dayton Ogden, chairman of executive search firm Spencer Stuart, and author of a book on CEO succession. "The leadership of a company is disproportionate to all other factors in terms of determining the company's success or failure."
If the board mismanages a transition, or appoints the wrong person to the job, the fallout could last years.
(Adapted from Hannah Clark, 08.31.06, Forbes.com)
Rays of Hope (Stories/Parables)
The Duke and the Wheelwright
Duke Huan was reading a book in the hall.
Wheelwright Pian, who had been chiseling a wheel in the courtyard below, set down his tools and climbed the stairs to ask Duke Huan: "may I ask what words are in the book Your Grace is reading?"
"The classic of a famous sage." the Duke responded.
"Is he still alive?"
"Oh no, he is long dead"
W'heelwright Pian said, "In my case I see things in terms of my own work. I chisel at a wheel. If I go too slow, the chisel slides and does not stay put. If I hurry, it jams and doesn't move properly. When it is just right, I can feel it in my hand and respond to it from my heart. I can explain this to my son, but I cannot pass on the skills to him. That is why at seventy years old, I am still making wheels.”
Moral: Some things can't be learned from books. (There are certain skills that cannot be taught, but must be learned by experience?)
- Zhuang Zi (369?-286? b.c.) |
New Horizons (Meetings/Events)
Fall Workshops
“The 10 Key of Effective Supervision™”
The purpose of this two-hour workshop is to provide participants with the applied skills needed to build a strong organizational culture which focuses equally on both people and productivity.
September 19, 2006 (Complimentary)
Carlisle, PA
Murata Business Center
September 21, 2006 (Complimentary)
Lancaster, PA
Eden Resort Inn
September 26, 2006 (Complimentary)
Chambersburg, PA
Wilson College Board Room
September 28, 2006 (Complimentary)
Lebanon, PA
Quality Inn Lebanon Valley
October 5, 2006 (Complimentary)
Gettysburg, PA
Best Western Gettysburg Hotel
October 11, 2006 (Complimentary)
Summerdale, PA
Central Penn College Conference Center
To register, contact Lynn Lehman @ 717-512-7531
Special "Getting To Know Us Offer"
COMPLIMENTARY* Corporate Climate Assessment
CultureCheck™ assesses the overall "health" of the organization, while the "Push Factors" Report identifies the specific issues contributing to employee disengagement.
COMPLIMENTARY* Seminar for Supervisors
This seminar presents a series of practical strategies for effective supervision designed to engage employees by focusing equally on both results and relationships.
COMPLIMENTARY* Coaching Sessions
Rising Sun’s Supervisory Coaching Program provides a mentoring and advisory platform to help leaders advance their leadership skills and improve their supervision of key personnel.
To Schedule One of These
COMPLIMENTARY OPPORTUNITIES*
Call Today!
717-512-7531
(Limited Time Offer)
* Cost of travel, if necessary, not included.
Thank You
On behalf of all of us at Rising Sun Consultants, we want to thank you for reviewing the September edition of our Rise & Shine Newsletter. As always, we invite you to visit our website (www.risingsunconsultants.com) and to enjoy our latest book review and white paper.
Until next month: Always Keep Your Eyes on the New Horizon! |
