Building high performance teams

We hire people because of the individual talents and promise they bring to the table. But managers need to make sure that people work together and use that talent in synergy, to get the highest performance from everyone and realise their potential.

Humphrey Walters, who is best known for helping the World Cup winning England Rugby Team with their team development, wrote a case study of the 1996 Global Challenge in which he took part. Deemed as the ‘worlds toughest yacht race’, this race was the perfect setting to study the leadership and team building factors needed for survival and high level performance in difficult, changeable environment. A study which can easily be transferred from competitive sport to the boardroom in today’s market conditions.

Here’s Humphrey’s high performance check list:

Quality of your manager is key!

The number one determinant of happiness in the workplace is the quality of your manager says a report by HCL CEO Vineet Nayar .

So what makes a good boss? 

There were some clear behaviours that distinguished a good manager from a poor one.  The report suggested great managers did three things particularly well.  They:

How to make sure your hardest-won hires stick around

An article by progressive business magazine Fast Company, highlights the importance of actively engaging bright, new recruits as quickly as possible, here is a brief overview of the article:

In the same way we invest time and effort in nurturing relationships with new clients, we need to cultivate relationships with new employees. By engaging new employees from the beginning of the onboarding process, you will give them an early stake in your organisation. Their relationship will continue to grow over time, but these early experiences set the tone for the employee’s entire career with you.

Meaningful engagement is much more than taking them through HR procedure and hosting an office meet and greet on their first day.It occurs through a carefully developed onboarding strategy with touch points before and during their induction.

Source top quality candidates

The ideal for all recruiters is to be able to present top quality candidates, who are enthusiastic about the role, will make an impact, fit the company culture and be engaged for long term retention. These qualities are typically found in the passive candidate and after former employees, the passive candidate pool is ranked as the second best source for the standard and quality of talent, (third being employee referrals). They are also pre-qualified and will not change jobs until they are sure that this is the right opportunity for them. (ere.net)

Why your top talent leaves

A blog from Forbes suggested that the reason highly paid executives leave their jobs boils down one main thing; bad management!

Having researched this extensively and trained managers around the world, we have seen the positive and negative sides of the power of management/leadership. Success truly can be achieved through good management conversely damage can be caused by bad. Companies who support and train their managers have seen reduced attrition rates, higher levels of engagement and increased productivity – the tangible effect should never be underestimated for example direct line management communication has over 60% impact on an employees behaviour/performance (Melcrum).

The Forbes blog suggested that if you want to keep your best people:

Survey says 39% think organisations face a ‘skills gap’

The 2012 Reed HR report said ‘skill gaps’ were impacting potential growth and performance of organisations. 26% of those asked said actions had NOT been taken to bring fresh talent into the fold OR keep talent on board.

“The majority of businesses are now being run in a very lean way, with little surplus of skills to take up the slack when someone leaves for a new role. This means that effective talent management is more important than ever,” said Reed HR’s Jason Willis.

Here’s a simple approach to assessing skills gap:

New Year Offer!

New Year Offer! To celebrate the new era for Lander, we are delighted to offer our clients – and welcome future clients, with a fantastic opportunity for 2013… Book during December, for any tailored in-company training with Lander Consultancy for delivery by the end of Q1 of next year, to get aMEGA 20% off! Inspire, engage, upskill - Start 2013 as you mean to go on, with a motivated, positive and skilled team. Our specialist trainers will bespoke the skills your people need to your unique approach, whether it be sales, recruitment or management development. Focussed, custom designed workshops and courses mean you get exactly what you want, exclusive to your company. “The in-company training that Fiona and her team have provided is unparalleled; Lander have created specialised training that is not only tailored to our industry but is respectful of cultural idiosyncrasies.”  Sarah Jones – Head of Operations ASIA – Antal International ASIA  Take a look at our amazing specialist Training Team     Book during December, for any exec coaching or consultancy for delivery by the end of Q1 of next year, to benefit from 10% discount! Mentor, guide, advise - Get your strategy right from the onset by consulting with the experts from our Consultancy Team. Whether for exec coaching for individual personal development or working with the senior management team, these top connoisseurs of the recruitment sector will make a palpable difference to your business. “Over the last few months I have engaged Fiona for some executive coaching sessions. From the very first meeting, it was clear how extremely privileged I would be, drawing from her wealth of experience and knowledge. I am already starting to see how they will be significant in enhancing my skills in a Global operational capacity.” Lisa Webb – Global Operations Director – Ikas International Take a look at the preeminent experts in our Consultancy Team What should I do next?  Book now! Call +44 (0) 208 1232829 or +44 (0) 7980 444687 emailfiona@landerassociates.co.uk