That’s the bad news. But there’s good news, too. Due to the trimming of corporate ranks, C-level talent once out of the price range of fledgling startups is now available. “It’s the grey beard meets the whiz kid,” says Gordon Rogers, president of Atlanta Technology Angels. “It can work to both of their advantages.”

Rogers was one of several panelists who joined moderator Benn Konsynski, chaired professor of information systems & operations management at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, to address “C-Level Skill Sourcing: New Alternatives.” While startups and companies growing at a rapid rate need the expertise of C-level professionals, executive talent is often priced out of the reach of cash-strapped, nascent businesses. But the current economy presents opportunities for small- and medium-sized businesses to take advantage of outsourced C-level executive skills without coughing up C-level salaries.

In this environment, C-level executives and company founders can form a more symbiotic relationship. The C-level executive can work with the startup on a temporary basis (e.g., six months to a year) and in that time introduce the company founders to potential clients and markets, or even help them get funding. “The Rolodex of these senior execs is far deeper than anything these founders can hope for,” says Rogers. “Where else can you get that kind of talent? This kind of economy is precisely that opportunity.”

What kind of talent is available? Financial expertise, marketing acumen, human resources, legal—just name it, notes Konsynski. “But the first thing they need is a controller,” he adds.

Without structure, a company built around a great concept or idea may never get out of the gate. “Just mention the word ‘budget’ to a founder,” says Frank Pazera, founder and managing partner of CFO2Business. “It’s almost a four-letter word.” Pazera has held CFO, COO and CEO roles in a variety of industries. At CFO2Biz, he and his team provide on-demand financial function support for fast growing enterprises. “I’m an arms merchant,” he says, adding “why should any business waste resources on the total cost—hiring, training, turnover, retraining, and related overhead—of owning a full-time resource when they have the option to invest in a more experienced, powerful and tailored skill set at a fraction of the fully loaded cost?”

Hired guns like Pazera are flexible when it comes to compensation. In general, payment for services involves some cash in exchange for defined deliverables, but an additional equity exchange may also be included. “We prefer to have equity in all the companies in our portfolio,” he explains. The beauty of this arrangement? Startups conserve cash and C-level execs get a stake in the company they’re working with.

This equity position can make a significant difference in overall company performance, argues Pazera. “Rather than operating as transactional consultants, outsourced C-level execs with equity incentive move in concert with the other equity holders,” he explains, “and that alignment provides great assurance that the overall business mission and value creation efforts succeed.”

When it comes to early stage companies and marketing, many are, as Konsynski notes, “loathe to spend money.” With more than two decades of experience as a senior marketing executive, Debra Mercaldo, founder & president of Mercaldo Marketing Group, hopes to help growing companies avoid costly missteps. “I see a lot of beautiful business plans, but their tactics are a laundry list of things that have no relevance,” says Mercaldo. Her role is to help fledgling firms “look at their strategic plans,” she says, “and put tooth to what they’re trying to do.”

Creating and aligning a message is critical, notes Konsynski. “It’s when entrepreneurs pay serious attention to marketing that they build a message both inside and outside [their company],” he says. An expert like Mercaldo comes in, explains Konsynski, “and says what the baby is rather than what [the company founders] think it is.”

Entrepreneurs who believe they are on to the next great thing tend to be optimistic and protective about their ideas. Advice to be more realistic about expectations doesn’t always go over well. “In my experience,” says entrepreneur and startup advisor Greg Foster, “entrepreneurs think everyone is out to get them.” Foster, who serves on several boards (including that of The Onion, the nation’s largest satirical news source), has noticed changes in liquidity events—including what he sees as a new benchmark: “What I’m seeing in the market and what’s changing is small in, small out. You can exit without a press release in the $10, 15, 20 million dollar range,” he says. “A lot of companies will do well and be permanently small.”

The days of entrepreneurs becoming millionaires overnight may have gone the way of the subprime mortgage. “Smart entrepreneurs in this environment know they’re not going public or selling to a large public company,” explains Foster. “They’re thinking about who they can bring on their team to help run the business and sell the business in a fairly condensed period of time. The savvy entrepreneur says, ‘I need someone who knows something about this thing.’”

Knowing “something about this thing” means knowing how to put together a pro forma and having one’s financials in order. “The entrepreneur needs to be dealing with someone who can get him ready for the big show, even if the show isn’t that big,” adds Foster.

An area of business where many entrepreneurs fall flat is human resources. As companies grow, it behooves a company’s executive team to have a clear understanding of what type of culture they’d like to establish, how they’d like the company to be organized, how to define jobs, what kind of people to hire, how to hire them and/or fire them, drug testing, safety issues—the list goes on.

“Large companies have the luxury of compensation departments, recruiting departments, heads of HR that work with the executive team,” says Peter Rosen, founder & president of HR Strategies & Solutions. There’s no reason, notes Rosen, why small companies should do without that expertise—“even if it’s a couple of hours a week,” he says.

Likewise with legal services, says Konsynski. “We’re seeing outsourced, in-house counsel available to startups,” he says. Rather than hire a full-time chief legal officer (CLO) at significant cost, companies like Palladium Chief Legal Officers—one of very few in the field, representing a new model in the legal industry—provide part-time, flat-rate CLOs to companies in search of on-going, internal management team legal expertise. A CLO helps advance and leverage a company’s business model, identify channel partners, and put in place business practices and contractual terms that can create asset value by protecting the company’s ideas, their R&D.

“Entrepreneurs don’t know what they don’t know about where the risks are in their businesses,” says Dawn Ely, founder & president of Palladium, adding that IP law is not intuitive. For example, if an outside vendor provides services and deliverables for a company but is not an employee, “you don’t own anything they’re doing unless you have very specific language in a written contract,” she says. It’s not just about protecting the startup, explains Ely, it’s about “being proactive, advancing your business and creating asset value.”

What a CLO brings to the table in this environment, says Ely, is “knowing your industry, knowing the players in your industry, their businesses and how the legal issues run through your industry, and therefore your business. That’s the greatest value of a CLO—minimizing the pitfalls that result from business managers not knowing what they don’t know.”

What it all comes down to, says Konsynski, is “wise use of available capital.” Not something gung-ho entrepreneurs are often good at. While they may bristle at the idea of parceling out equity in their companies, it’s sometimes the best way to go. “Equity gives [the outsourced executives] a vested interest in your success,” adds Konsynski.

It’s important that outsourced executives believe in where the entrepreneur wants to take his or her company. “You need people around you with expertise in your industry and [who believe] in the direction you want to head,” says Ely. It’s not unlike dating: if there’s a gut feeling it’ll be a match, give the executive a shot. If it doesn’t work out, fire him or her—and do so quickly, the panel contends. Capital is too sparse to waste.

Even with revenue coming in, it matters to investors whether or not the entrepreneur has a track record and whether or not he or she has “assembled the right pieces without spending a lot of money,” according to Foster. “This is the stuff you’ve got to get right. You’ve got to separate building the business from building a company. People are all about building a business and they forget about building a company.”

Foster says he witnesses the fallout from this confusion all the time. “The founder has a great idea, maybe even great execution on a product, but when they approach the venture capital community, their corporate records and information are a disaster. It doesn’t take much time or effort to make sure things like options agreements, the cap table, financials, etc. are all in order.”

While the current economy may make C-level executives easier to employ—even on a temporary or flat-rate basis—entrepreneurs need to be realistic about their businesses. “There should not be a VP of sales until you have sales,” says Rogers. “Until you have a shipment of your product, everyone is a VP of customers. I don’t care if you have a cure for cancer. If you have no paying customers, we’ll never value your company over a million.”

Foster notes that he often sees founders raise their first money at an unrealistic valuation, “which means that when the first round of institutional capital comes in, those original investors’ shares go down in value dramatically. This kind of ‘cram down’ makes for an uncomfortable conversation with those early investors,” he says.

To succeed, and to bring your business to the next level, says Konsynski, don’t be afraid to look for people with different skill sets and expertise to elevate your company’s game. “All too often the people who bring you to one point,” he explains, “are not the ones who bring you to the next.”

The New Talent Exchange was designed to help those new to the working world get a foothold in the Atlanta technology community by bringing them together with professionals from the technology, business and law communities.

Rosen will be contributing a guest blog post to an upcoming issue of TechJournal South. The full text of the article is available at the TechJournal South website.

As we continue to see small signs of an economic recovery, the most successful organizations will position themselves for success — in both products and people — once the official rebuilding begins in earnest. One of the most important components executives need to focus on is ensuring that they have a team of “A” players in place to build on the opportunities available when the rebound occurs in full force.

The best executives must ensure they are recognized as “A” players among their own organization’s top brass; that they have been valued for their contributions throughout the recession and that their company intends to keep them on board to help lead the economic rebound.

Regardless of if they are the top talent or seeking it, executives need to know how to identify talent, where to find it and how to continue to develop it throughout 2010 and beyond. The search for “A” players will take executives out of their organization and into the job market, as they seek to “trade up” for new top talent or for a more fulfilling position for themselves.

“Trading Up” for New Talent

As the economy improves, the top talent that was apprehensive about making a move during the height of the downturn may now be more apt to explore the possibilities of a new position and more eager to accept a new career opportunity.

“Candidates are very informed these days and word gets around,” says Ford Myers, president of career coaching firm Career Potential LLC. “It’s not difficult to tell which companies hold these criteria as priorities, and which ones don’t. So the best way for a company to bring in the best outside talent is to let it be known that they offer and promote these factors.”

Many organizations are beginning to use a multi-channel approach to communicate to the marketplace. “More companies are tapping into the potential of social networking as a strategy to build their brand and, in doing so, raise their profile as an employer,” says Mark Hirschfeld, principal of human capital at SilverStone Group, a Nebraska-based resource management company.

At the same time, getting back to the basics (by offering more flexible work schedules and a positive work/life balance) can also help organizations show that they are a good employer and will provide a stable and supportive work environment. “Appeal to the more intrinsic value systems,” advises Diane Gallo, chief human capital strategist for California-based consulting firm CNC Strategy. “I think the last year has made people re-evaluate their needs in the workplace. Time off, flexibility and respect for their personal lives/styles and values [are important]. People who have been laid off feel unvalued; a new employer valuing them will go a long way.”

Myers, author of Get the Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring, notes how top employees seek career growth and development. They want to be listened to, and they want to be able to make an impact within their organization, he says, adding that salary isn’t one of the most important criteria they consider when seeking a new career opportunity.

“A great way to make workers feel valued is to invest in their development,” concurs Hayes Reilly, president of New Jersey-based Hayes Reilly Executive Search. “I am noticing that companies are finally investing in the assessment, train- ing and development of their workforce.”

“The companies we’ve studied who actually increased employee engagement in the midst of these more challenging economic times have done an outstanding job of rewarding employees based on their performance and what they con- tribute to the business,” says Hirschfeld. “Companies whose cultures are based on accountability have weathered this storm far better.”

Recruiting Former Employees

Many talented employees may have been laid off from your organization during the height of the recession, a time when effects on the bottom line, and not necessarily performance, led to the separation between these employees and the company. Of course, it’s very tempting to bring them back on board once you have the economic opportunity to do so. But, expert opinion is mixed about whether such individuals can again become productive and valuable members of the team.

Gallo advises against rehiring previously laid off employees. “The grief cycle will have been moved through and lots of feelings that don’t belong in the work- place could be close to the surface,” says Gallo, an ExecuNet member. She says that those former employees may say: “Why me?” or “I wasn’t good enough before, and now they want me back.” Or “Sure, I’ll come back, but won’t work at the same level. It didn’t get me anywhere before.”

These concerns by former employees are understandable. But they can be over- come, and the end result can be a strong, dedicated workforce that will help organizations succeed throughout the economic recovery and beyond.

Peter Rosen, president of HR Strategies & Solutions, a human resources consulting firm based in Georgia, says the circumstances behind an employee’s departure can oftentimes play a large role in the success or failure of bringing that employee back into your organization. “How an employer and employee handle termination says a lot about their character and culture,” Rosen explains. “So if the layoff was handled well, there is a lot greater chance in getting the employee back and the process of re-engagement won’t be difficult because they are very excited to be back.”

But both parties need to realize their relationship can’t and won’t be exactly the same as it was before they initially separated. “Even under the best of circum- stances, it is not likely that the rehired employees will ever feel as secure as they had been originally,” cautions Myers.

If You’re Asked Back

Myers warns that a return shouldn’t be considered “out of desperation.” It has to be what an executive wants for his career. “Before being rehired, it would be wise for the employee to have an in-depth conversation with the employer about terms and expectations of going back to the company,” says Myers. “At this juncture, employees are often in a position of strength — and they can therefore negotiate for a better package or enhanced role with the company.”

Even if some companies may not be able to offer the same higher salaries they did before the recession began, executives today can negotiate a profitable offer, notes Tom Mirgon, a Maryland- based chief human resource officer/chief administrative officer. He says that if an organization can’t meet an executive’s requirements for a base salary and bonuses, equity grants (stock options) can make the offer more appealing. “Most of them walk away [from the negotiation] thrilled,” says Mirgon, an ExecuNet member. “If the company does well, the payoff is better.”

Overall, an offer to return should be examined just like a job offer from a new company would be. Ask yourself similar questions about the role and company as you determine the fit. “Look at the rehire offer as you would a new offer, without all the emotional baggage,” says Pat Schuler, president of Minnesota-based The Gemini Resources Group, an organization that helps leaders better manage their sales reps. And don’t return to your former company in a lower-level position, unless you specifically want a smaller role than you previously held, adds Mirgon.

Always an “A” Player

Regardless of whether you’re in transition and searching for a new position or you just want to be prepared for the next career opportunity that emerges, it’s important to be able to communicate that you are an “A” player. Deb Dib, an executive coach and personal brand strategist, says that regardless of the econ- omy, executives need to focus on their career management processes. “You need to have a strategic plan for your career so you consistently stay visible,” says Dib. “You want to do that in [your current] company and in the marketplace.”

Rosen notes how important an activity such as networking can be when executives are trying to position them- selves for continued career success. “Strong networks with credible people with great reputations helps position someone as an ‘A’ player,” says Rosen. “Very practically speaking, people are judged by the people they hang out with.”

These people, and others, can also help you determine if you truly are an “A” player or not. Mirgon suggests using 360-feedback, through which executives can gain insight from their boss, subordinates and peers, about their performance. Mirgon says executives need to examine the gap between how they assess them- selves and how others view them. The wider the gap, the less self-aware they are the closer the gap, the more aware they are of their capabilities.

Continued Development

It’s important to keep in mind that if you are currently employed, you can demonstrate the skills you are using to perform your present duties and how they can bring value to a potential new employer. Show you are viewed in the marketplace as top talent.

“It’s critical to understand your work process and how you are effective,” says Dib. “Let that be known in the market- place, not just your accomplishments.” Dib says executives need to create their own personal public relations plan, a strategy that consists of networking, speaking, writing and mentoring. “Social media gives you a streamlined way of getting your word out,” Dib adds.

However, traditional ways to showcase your talents should continue to be used. Such methods need to be put into place regardless of your current job status. “Every executive needs to have a suite of career documents, so that if something happens, they don’t have to scramble” to create what they need to yield a successful job search, says Dib. She adds that it’s important to keep a job journal. Be able to tell people what you’ve worked on and what the outcomes of your actions were.

“I hope one lesson that all of us can take away from the last 18 months is that we really don’t know what the future may hold, so we should be doing everything we can to prepare ourselves if/when we are back in the job market,” says Hirschfeld. “Executives need to stay abreast of how shifting/emerging trends will impact their ability to produce results. Such change is coming at us more rapidly; executives cannot afford to get behind the learning curve.”

Rosen reminds candidates that often the perception of age is as important as actual age. And that by building strong relationships and promoting the successes of your peers, you can improve your own respect and standing within the company.

The full text of the article is available at the Modesto Bee website.

We all know at least one person who has been pigeon-holed in the same mid-management job for the past twenty years. He works well, gets things done on time, and doesn’t make waves, but he doesn’t make any real professional progress either. What’s preventing his upward mobility? Why hasn’t he risen to a leadership role? Why has his career, maybe even yours, stalled?

Let’s face it … we all have positive attributes, strengths, and skills that have gotten us where we are today. This is the plus side of the equation. Now, let’s look at where we might be deficient. Are you a good communicator? Can you motivate others? Are you aware of how you come across to others? Do you take an oppositional view when it comes to change? Are you a good listener? Do you nurture solid relationships with the decision makers?

If you’ve answered honestly and said “no” to any of these questions, then you’ve just pinpointed an area that’s a likely derailer or personal career stopper. If you answered “yes” to everything, then you’re probably not being honest with yourself.That’s because rarely do we see ourselves as others do and, rarely, do we admit to our own shortcomings or recognize behaviors that may be sabotaging our careers. It just may be time to take a long, hard, honest look at yourself. Luckily, experts report that there are ways to “get back on track” which include soliciting input from your peers, direct reports, and your boss.

Peter Rosen, president of HR Strategies & Solutions in Atlanta, sees career stallers or derailers as behaviors that may limit or prevent an otherwise qualified person from succeeding. “Even a behavior that propelled you to where you are today may need to be modified once you’re promoted. Otherwise, it may stop you from going further — or cause you to fail,” he says.

The salesman whose single-minded focus and aggressive, straightforward manner, for example, helped him achieve outstanding sales figures may be too abrasive for his new management team. He may need to work on building a better rapport with his direct reports. Suddenly, his winning trait has become a roadblock on his path to leadership success.

Like our salesman, a common stumbling block for many is poor communications and a lack of interpersonal skills. It’s the key to motivating others, providing direction, and getting ideas across.

Successful Leaders Are Great Communicators

For some individuals, communicating via the written word is a challenge. For others, oral presentations are awkward or even terrifying. But the real problem with communication is lack of empathy, according to James Waldroop, co-author of The 12 Bad Habits That Hold Good People Back: Overcoming the Behavior Patterns that Keep You from Getting Ahead, and developer of the Internet-based interactive career assessment program. CareerLeader®. “Communication is based on another skill,” says Waldroop, “understanding other people — not using the same communication style with everyone you talk to.”

He sees leaders as “cultural the speech and behavior patterns of those around them. For instance, are Ted’s behavior and perspective different from Diane’s? Does he look at things in terms of productivity, while she speaks in terms of retention? During the first month in any new position with a new team, Waldroop recommends writing down what you observe about co-workers. “Don’t just trust this to memory” he cautions. “To get the most out of your team, you want to get to know each person on it, learn what’s important to him or her, and discover what trigger words are important to them.”

According to Waldroop, an “empathically tone deaf” manager who believes that everyone on his team thinks and feels as he does is operating egocentrically. He needs to learn how to personalize his communication style if he wants to inspire them. It’s about knowing how to read your audience and tailoring your tone and content accordingly. The same holds true for written communications.

When asked what behavior sinks most managers, Jack Zenger, co-author of The Inspiring Leader: Unlocking the Secrets of How Extraordinary Leaders Motivate, said it’s first and foremost interpersonal incompetence. “It’s the leader’s inability to get along with other people, to communicate effectively, work collaboratively, and offer help when needed, that can be devastating,” said Zenger. “When a leader doesn’t understand the negative impact he’s having on others, and can’t see the demoralizing consequences on those around him, he destroys trust, hurts morale, and ends up with an uninspired team. Sooner or later this will derail his career.”

Maureen Moriarty, leadership development trainer and executive coach at Pathways to Change, agrees: “At the end of the day, we’re dealing with people and at the end of the day, emotional intelligence and will matter more, the further up you move in your career, than your technical expertise.”

For an individual to reach the top levels in an organization, John Beeson, principal of Beeson Consulting and author of “Why You Didn’t Get that Promotion: Decoding the Unwritten Rules of Corporate Advancement” (June 2009, Harvard Business Review), says you must possess higher order communication skills and be able to communicate a vision and a sense of direction and priorities, as well as engage people. He points out that “if your lack of empathy is so acute that you are insensitive, abrasive, missing cues about what others are thinking and feeling, and lose your team or your audience, then that can derail your career.”

Get Back on Track: Practice your communications skills on friends and family, get critiques from close colleagues, consider getting professional assistance from an executive coach, and work on tone and inflection with a speech coach.

Resistance to change is another huge stumbling block. Rigid thinking, a strong opposition to change, an unwillingness to learn new skills and an “it works why fix it” attitude can drown your potential for leadership advancement and even jeopardize your position.

Successful Leaders Embrace Change

“Right now, organizations have a green light, because of the market economy, to cut in places they might not have cut in the past,” says Justin Honaman, Director of Customer Intelligence for Coca-Cola Customer Business Solutions and author of Make it Happen! Live Out Your Personal Brand. Companies often see managers who are not open to change, not flexible and not willing to learn new things, as not a good fit. “Those individuals may be great contributors,” Honaman says, “but, not the right ones to move into

“Managing and driving change is a primary responsibility of leaders in an organization,” says Mike Noble, managing partner of the Boston-based Camden Consulting Group, “especially with the speed and pace that technological change is occurring. Being able to lead your organization through that is critical. If you haven’t got the capability to drive change effectively, you’re not likely to be successful.”

Why then are so many of us resistant to change? “At the root is insecurity,” says Rusty Rueff, co-author of Talent Force: A New Manifesto for the Human Side of Business and frequent contributor to Glassdoor.com. “Most of us are comfortable in our routines and when asked to change, resist because we feel vulnerable. We often ignore invitations to change and wait until the situation demands it; but, by then, it may be too late.” Rueff goes on to explain that most bosses realize that change can involve a few missteps and some uncertainty, but they generally look upon an openness to change as moving the individual and the company in the right direction.

Accepting change means being flexible. It involves a willingness to consider different approaches to handling a task or solving a problem, an eagerness to learn new skills, and openness to the ideas of less experienced team members.

“Leaders shouldn’t feel threatened or embarrassed when subordinates come up with good ideas,” says Zenger. “Instead they need to realize that 70% or more of the great solutions bubble up from underneath and don’t trickle down from on high. The most effective leaders recognize the value of those ideas and nurture and implement them, rather than say ‘no’ to them.”

Keep in mind that, as a manager, your rigidity can rob your team of it’s drive, squash creative thinking, and deflate enthusiasm. In the long run, your inflexibility can hinder productivity and keep you from getting ahead.

Get Back on Track: Be willing to learn, to listen, and to share with co-workers. Make yourself approachable and open by not discounting the opinions of other. And, be eager to experiment with new ideas. A positive attitude toward change can swing open doors to personal growth and upward mobility within a company.

So, now that you’ve improved your communications skills and you’re more open to new ideas, your next hurdle will be to get these changes implemented — and that may come down to who you know. If you refuse to build genuine relationships with the decision makers, then your career is doomed to stop short of a leadership role.

Successful Leaders Build Influential Relationships

Call it “playing politics” and many of us shun the idea. But, if instead, you see it as pulling together a strong network of decision makers who can help bring about the best outcomes for your organization, then you are moving in the direction of becoming more influential.

“Once you reach the manager or director level, the ability to continue to rise through an organization demands an understanding of internal politics,” states Sherry Read, principal of Read Solutions Group, an executive coaching and strategic human resource consulting firm in Wilmington, DE. “Otherwise, you simply won’t get to the top.” Read believes those who choose not to build political influence skills and who rely on hard work and logic to get ahead are missing the boat. Still, she admits it can be difficult to change a personal belief such as “politics are bad.” So instead, she turns things around by advising clients to ask themselves: How can I become more influential? What does it take to learn to influence people toward the outcomes that I believe in?

Marsha Egan, CEO of the Egan Group, Reading, PA, agrees that it’s important to be organizationally savvy. “What’s crucial is clueing into who the influencers are and aligning with someone who is seen in a positive light. By carefully observing the corporate culture, you can become politically astute. It’s not game playing; it’s the ability to gather intelligence that opens the door for you to build mutually respectful, supportive relationships that will help the company.”

Both women see politics as the ability to use analytical and networking skills to gather information about what motivates people and how corporate decisions are made.

Those individuals who see probing others for information as manipulative can take a less self-serving approach by keeping others in the loop. “Help others by sharing things that could be of value to them,” suggests Read. The bottom line is to do what’s in the best interest of the organization — then, you’ll get ahead.

To those who view politics as a dirty game, Waldroop poses the question: “Do you want to be right or effective or do you want to be both, and learn some new tricks?” Waldroop reminds us that it’s about getting our ideas adopted because they’re good ideas it’s not just about having the ideas. Learning the right “chess moves” can be fun, and effecting change can be exhilarating, once you appreciate how the system works.

Jane Perdue of The Braithewaite Group, Charleston, SC, thinks politics has gotten a bad rap. “It’s about nurturing alliances and building coalitions that have the power to help you promote your ideas. It’s working with and through people to make things happen.”

Get Back on Track: Watch to see who can heIp you move a new idea forward. Invite a decision maker to lunch. Get to know the influencers in a casual, non-business way, find out how you can heIp them, and cement long-lasting bonds. Now you’re able to communicate with your team, you’re open to good ideas, and you’ve made alliances with key decision makers, but your vision is too tightly focused on short-term goals. You’re missing the big picture, fail to track trends, and lack insight when it comes to future forecasting. Your failure to strategize may have your career handcuffed.

Successful Leaders Think Strategically

A look at peak performers shows a common thread: the ability to think strategically. Dr. Diane Kramer, developer of Extraordinary Self Development Programs, suggests creating “future maps” based on observations about yourself, your organization, the global community, and external industry trends. These maps allow you to step into the future from different perspectives. With constant updating, with the latest real information, mapping gives you a better sense of the direction things are headed and can guide you toward making some intuitive predictions.

The transition from good manager to effective leader can be fraught with challenges. “For many, the biggest is getting out of the details and being able to look across initiatives in order to see how these things add up to the big picture,” says Honaman. “It’s being able to strategically pick and choose where you spend your time in order to add value.”

In order to start thinking strategically. executives need to step back from their day-to-day tasks and get a fresh perspective. “Most of us have the capacity to think strategically, but we simply don’t get around to it;’ says Egan. She recommends going to industry conventions. “It takes you away from everyday projects, gives you a chance exposes you to new ideas. You come back seeing things from a new angle and can start thinking with greater vision.

If you can’t envision where you’re going, then how in the world are you going to get there? Strategic planning is a critical force that affects day-to-day choices and helps guide the direction in which you, your department, and your company move. Without a sense of strategic thinking, and the ability to project forward, your company won’t move ahead and neither will your career.

Get Back on Track: Widen your horizons outside of work, read more, including consumer and industry magazines, surf the Internet, and talk to people. If you do, you’ll begin to see trends in the making. Also, be sure to set aside time each week for strategic planning. If necessary, elicit the aid of a strategic planning consultant to get you started.

Your Next Move: Getting Feedback

Over the past ten years, executive coaching has become a widely accepted practice. In fact, it is estimated that, today, upwards of 90% of Fortune 500 companies use coaching as an important tool in their executive development kits. But, if you have a willingness to change, then simply start by asking your coworkers and higher ups for honest feedback. Or as one executive coach tells his clients, start by asking a trusted colleague the following question: If I want to really grow within this organization, what’s one thing I need to improve? Or, get outside assistance. Most executive coaching firms offer a professional 360 degree feedback assessment tool to help get you back on track.

Good luck!

ATLANTA, November 2, 2009 – Hire Velocity and HR Strategies & Solutions (HRSAS) announced today that they have established a partnership to provide their clients with a broader set of HR solutions for effectively hiring and managing their workforce.

Hire Velocity is a national recruiting firm which focuses on volume hiring. By harnessing the power of the Internet and technology, Hire Velocity delivers quality candidates quickly and drives the high costs out of recruiting. Hire Velocity also offers a robust technology suite to streamline the recruiting and hiring process. This innovative approach to recruiting saves companies’ time and money.

HRSAS is a boutique consultancy that helps organizations improve their people management processes. HRSAS serves as the part-time senior human resources advisor, helping early stage and smaller to midsize established businesses develop and implement effective and scalable human resources action plans. HRSAS provides senior level and strategic HR services for organizations without that internal capability.

Valeri Marks, Hire Velocity CEO, stated, “I am very excited about the partnership with HRSAS as it is a natural extension of the services we offer. Customers often ask for HR support beyond the hiring of their staff, and HRSAS is perfectly poised to meet their needs.”

HRSAS and Hire Velocity provide complementary service offerings. HRSAS focuses on HR strategy development, executive compensation, management development and succession planning, employee relations, administrative efficiency, compliance and team building. Hire Velocity provides full life cycle recruiting and technology solutions focused on optimizing the hiring process.

Peter Rosen, HRSAS’s President stated that “my partnership with Hire Velocity will allow HRSAS to offer its clients a significantly broader spectrum of services to now include recruiting, staffing and an Applicant Tracking System. This new partnership blends nicely with my existing relationships to enable my clients to select from a suite of HR services as the need arises.”

(Editor’s Note: We welcome this first contribution from Peter Rosen of HR Strategies & Solutions, one of our esteemed sponsors. He addresses a good point — with exits now so long delayed, most entrepreneurs have to actually manage human organizations through successive stages of growth, and that’s not easy. The basics he lists below can never be reiterated enough.)

VC’s have been saying that the time from inception until the time of exit has been increasing dramatically over the last number of years. If a start up makes it to a positive exit, it can now take as long as eight years. The implications of this are significant and many of them entail the basic concepts of individual and organizational effectiveness.

This article is designed to be the first of many. Future articles will cover more imperatives, as well as drill down further based on the readers’ interest. So today I will start with 5 must do’s for an early stage company and indicate who is the accountable person(s) for each.

1. Have a powerful Vision. A Vision is a guiding image of an organization’s desired future. Ideally the Vision is the platform on which the founder started the company in the first place. The leader of the company is the person responsible for this. It is a key element in organizational alignment, raising money, assembling a Board and getting the right employees focused on the right things.

2. Have a clear Mission. The Mission gets you to your Vision. It specifies what the company does, who its customers are and what the priorities are going to be in pursuing its work. Usually the Mission is developed by the senior team.

3. Develop a set of core Values. This may seem obvious, but I have found so many younger organizations that think they have a set of values, but the individuals in the workforce either don’t know what they are or more importantly, what they mean to them regarding everyday behavior and decision making. Values describe what is important to an organization; they dictate employee’s behavior and create the organizational culture. They help an organization select, retain and reward the right people. Developing Values is led by the top leader, but should involve a cross section of employees.

4. Communicate, Communicate and Communicate. True communication can start taking a back seat due to the pressures of everyday priorities. Communication has many facets. Leaders and managers must regularly keep employees up to speed on what’s going on. Leaders and managers need to be available to listen to employees to get regular feedback. Employees need to know what’s expected of them and how they are meeting those expectations. Constructive communication involves all stakeholders and must be part of the culture.

5. Be in Compliance with all applicable HR regulations and laws. The world of HR compliance is complicated. Different rules kick in based on the number of employees. Not being in compliance can be costly and embarrassing. The HR function is accountable for this.

Paying attention to these five points can go a long way in helping you reach the dream that you had and enable you to build a solid vibrant company to boot. Companies with strong management teams, engaged employees and solid infrastructure will attract more capital along the way and at the end.

By Marji McClure

Fortunately, executives are increasingly recognizing the connection between onboarding and their career success. Ultimately, their success or failure in a new position will depend on how well they complete their onboarding program and assimilate themselves into the culture and processes of their new organization.

Typically, onboarding processes receive the most attention during the first 100 days of an executive’s job, as evidenced by the focus currently being placed on the progress of President Obama during his first few months in office. While most executives won’t face the scrutiny that Obama undoubtedly will as he works to translate campaign promises into early wins, most recognize how their first 100 days will define them as a leader and provide the framework for their tenure.

“The first 100 days sets the tone of an executive’s leadership and how he or she is going to be received by the rest of the organization, which determines his or her long-term success,” says Dilip Saraf, executive, career and life coach at California-based Career Transitions Unlimited.

Yet, because executives want their tenure to last, they need to also forge a strong connection between their first 100 days on the job (which is usually the main focus of onboarding) and their second 100 days. As important as that solid 100-day plan is, an even broader outline for their goals and objectives for their new company is a must.

“Executives must start with the organization’s purpose,” says George Bradt, managing director of PrimeGenesis and co-author of Onboarding — How to Get Your New Employees Up to Speed in Half the Time. “That informs the organization’s objectives, the department’s objectives and their long-term objectives.” With those, executives can then create a two-year plan, a one-year plan, a 100-day plan and a six-month plan, he notes.
“Onboarding never ends,” adds Bradt. “It’s all about the pursuit of mastery. The minute you think you’ve arrived, you’re on the way down. Executives need to keep onboarding until they start onboarding into their next role.”

An Ongoing Onboarding Plan

At the end of the first 100 days of their current role, executives should be nearly ready to implement the change plan they have formulated in their first months on the job, says Saraf. “As they enter their second 100 days, they should be well underway with their changes and getting everyone’s support and cooperation as the change is executed,” he continues.

Executives need to continue learning as much as they can about a company and its stakeholders so they can craft and modify their plan to address pressing organizational issues. They must build upon the fact-finding mission (learning about a company’s goals and objectives as well as its employees’ wants and needs) that usually defines an executive’s first 100 days. “Even after the first 100 days, the new executive should never stop asking questions and learning about the business and the co-workers personally,” says Peter Rosen, president of Atlanta-based HR Strategies & Solutions.

“Typically, at the end of the first 100 days, executives must have a plan that integrated what their boss had in mind before their arrival and what they have learned during this initial period,” says Saraf. “This plan must include all that can be done in the first year (before the performance review) with timelines, tasks, responsibilities and assumptions.”
Creating a strong action plan and getting buy-in for the components of that plan during the first 100 days certainly sets the tone for an executive’s second 100 days and beyond. Scott Eblin, executive coach and author of The Next Level, says that leaders should be able to identify early wins that can be launched during the first 100 days and completed during the second 100 days on the job. “These wins should provide a platform for initiating work on the ‘A’ list priorities that will begin to move the team toward accomplishing the two- to three-year strategic objectives,” says Eblin.

Building Relationships, Securing Buy-In

The success of a plan hinges on how well an executive builds relationships with his team and garners buy-in for ideas. This framework should begin during the first 100 days and continue through the next 100.

Rosen agrees how a plan should be developed more as “an ongoing fluid roadmap” since things can change too fast for a solid plan for the next 100 days to be put in place. “It’s rare that anyone’s first 100 days go perfectly, so I have found that an effective way to earn trust is to publicly address those issues,” says Rosen. “Determining what they are can be done through personal conversations, formal or informal 360s (depending on the history and culture), boss or mentor’s input. Addressing them becomes a big part of the next 100 days.”

Saraf notes the experience of a recent client hired by a Fortune 100 company. This executive was brought in to help the company change how it conducted its business, yet despite a mandate from the CEO, he encountered resistance from others within the company. So he formed strong relationships with key administrative and support personnel during his first 100 days.

“They started helping him with ‘inside’ information to avoid certain traps and forewarning him about those planning to resist his initiatives,” says Saraf. “Pretty soon, he was able to use this knowledge to avoid these traps and start accomplishing what he set out to do. Without this simple and critical relationship, he would have been out of that company in about six months. Once good relationships are built, they can be harvested long-term.”

Yet moving the team toward its goals can provide a great challenge for leaders as they continue their tenure. Linda Dominguez, CEO and executive strategist for Executive Coaching and Resource Network Inc., stresses how you can’t actually motivate other people; they have to do that themselves. “But you can, as a leader, create an environment of motivation for others that will sustain the momentum gained through onboarding,” says Dominguez. She suggests working with team members to build a custom-fit motivation plan, keeping in mind what motivates you may not motivate others.

Determining an individual’s motivating factors (recognition, control, security and quality are just some that Dominguez highlights) can be accomplished through a DISC assessment or by just asking individuals what they believe motivates them, explains Dominguez. “Once you’ve identified the motivating factors for each individual, have them identify motivational opportunities with your help,” says Dominguez. “Then, check in during one-on-one sessions to see how well their motivational factors are working for them and tweak, when necessary.”

Your Team’s Next 100 Days

Just as executives need to manage their own onboarding, they need to play an equally integral role in the continued onboarding of their employees. Experts agree that this can prove to be quite a challenge.

“It’s not so much that executives need to ensure that direct reports maintain the momentum gained by an organization’s onboarding program as it is that the leader should make sure the onboarding program fits with their long-term plans for that new direct report,” says Bradt. “It is the leader’s responsibility to create a plan for the individuals’ second 100 days and third 100 days and fourth and so on. They should offer stretch assignments, and they should always expect too much from new employees, letting them grow into those expectations over time.”

Bradt notes how onboarding can sometimes become intermingled with other processes related to new employees and that executives need to ensure their organization’s onboarding program is complete and effectively guides new hires. “The fundamental flaw with the way many organizations handle onboarding today is that they split recruiting, orienting and ongoing management into discrete pieces, with different people managing each other and often failing to coordinate across the pieces,” says Bradt.

Saraf says that some companies invest more time in the recruitment process, leaving little time for proper onboarding. “Hiring managers rationalize their lack of time for new employee onboarding by looking back on all the time they spend on this process, starting with posting the job opening, and convince themselves that the new hire is armed with sufficient information to hit the ground running,” says Saraf. “Studies show that nearly 30 percent of the hires (at manager or director level) do not work out, and many of them end up leaving in the first year. Worse yet, the rest simply check out and just stay on the job rather than in it.”

“Ideally, the hiring manager should be clear about the objectives and what success looks like in a two- to threeyear time frame and not just the first 100 or 200 days,” says Eblin. “With the 24- to 36-month strategic objectives identified, it then becomes easier for everyone to ‘reverse engineer’ back from those objectives and determine a broad outline of what needs to be accomplished and when.”

The Next 100 Days Until a New Job

Bradt notes how onboarding is comprised of stages that are marked by the gates of first contact, offer, acceptance and start. Executives need to start preparing before they even make that first contact with a potential employer, according to Bradt. “Before contact and offer, their only mission is to get the offer. The time between offer and acceptance is all about due diligence and negotiating,” explains Bradt. “The time between acceptance and start is a great chance to jump-start learning and relationships and craft their message so they can focus on building the team over their first 100 days and beyond.”

One of the most important points to consider is, while you will be enthusiastic about a new position and confident you can succeed, you have to recognize that it will still be a challenge to know what action items your second 100 days on the job will include; you don’t want to promise too much and risk disappointing yourself and others.

For the first time in history, there are four different generations working side-by-side on the job. Each one has its own attitudes, perceptions and values, which can make it challenging for people from different generations to co-exist in the workplace.

When you’re the youngest worker on the team, for example, older workers might not take you seriously. You could be viewed as a child who doesn’t know as much, and who doesn’t have enough experience or business acumen to succeed. If you’re the oldest worker on the team, however, people might view you as old-fashioned and not “up with times,” or they might take your input as you trying to push ideas on them.

“It’s hard on the ego for baby boomers to have a younger boss,” says Christine Hassler, a life coach, professional speaker and author. “Their parents taught them that seniority comes with age … having to answer to a younger boss goes against the model they subscribed to. Not only are boomers often embarrassed and angry that they are answering to someone their child’s age, they do not know how to relate to or connect with their boss and/or co-workers, which only makes them feel more separate.”

Here, several workers of all ages, experiences and points of view filled in the blank on what happens when your boss is younger than you:

“When your boss is younger than you … I roll my eyes a lot.” — Deborrah C., 42

“Don’t do anything sudden or they spook! They want to be in charge and they are uncomfortable with your seasoned look and attitude.” — Maria Soldani, 62, The Soldani Group

“Don’t be a know-it-all, even though you might know a lot. You don’t need to treat people like they’re stupid.” – Billie Sucher, career transition consultant, 50s

“And shorter too, it’s OK to call him by his childhood nickname: Shorty.” — Judy N., 43

“You wonder if he just finished an article on micromanaging.” — Anonymous RN case manager, 63

“You realize how much of life’s wisdom you really do have.” — Michelle H., 52

“You may actually have to teach them how to be a leader.” — Steve T., 55

“Do exactly the same things you should always do: Make an effort to match your communication and work styles to his or hers, and help both of you succeed by constantly finding ways to be a courageous follower, a gentle mentor and a positive role model.” — Claire K., 55

“Quit making those obscure references to ‘M*A*S*H’ episodes.” — Mike B., 46

“Enjoy the ride and learn.” — Joy M., 67

“You realize the impact staying home with the kids for six years had on your career.” — Lilia Fallgatter, 47, author, speaker and consultant

“And responds with ‘Yes, Ma’am’ when you pop your head in and ask if he has a minute, don’t check to see if he has his mother on speakerphone; he is talking to you!” — Sydnie T., 53

“You’re happy they’re around to pick up things you drop. You’re amazed that they might know more than you do. You’re grateful that they weren’t intimidated and hired you anyway.” — Phyllis M., 66

“You need to choose to give them just as much respect as you’d give to an older boss. When this occurs, you are giving your boss the best opportunity to show that same amount of respect back to you. If you’re confident in who you are a younger boss isn’t a threat.” — Michael J., 36

“Continue to always make your boss look good without ever compromising your values or integrity.” — Peter Rosen

“It’s time to retire.” — Chelle C., 54

ATLANTA, February 9, 2009 – MarksonHRC and HR Strategies & Solutions (HRSAS) announced today that they have established a partnership to provide their clients with a broader set of solutions around effectively managing their workforce.

MarksonHRC is a management consulting firm that helps companies develop, implement and administer executive pay, equity and deferred compensation programs aligned with business objectives. HRSAS is a boutique consultancy that helps organizations improve their people management processes. HRSAS serves as the part-time senior human resources advisor, helping early stage and smaller, established businesses develop and implement effective and scalable human resources action plans. HRSAS provides senior level and strategic HR services for organizations without that internal capability.

John Markson, MarksonHRC’s President, stated that “I am very enthusiastic about this partnership as it allows both firms to broaden the services and perspective they can bring to bear on the people management issues facing our clients.

HRSAS has a perfectly complementary service offering to MarksonHRC. HRSAS focuses on HR strategy development, succession planning, employee relations, administrative efficiency, compliance and team building. MarksonHRC helps companies develop cash and equity-based incentives, tax-favored deferred compensation plans, retention and executive retirement plans”.

Peter Rosen, HRSAS’s President stated that “my partnership with MarksonHRC, along with my existing alliance with TalentQuest (www.talentquest.com), will allow HRSAS to offer a deeper and broader spectrum of services around attracting, retaining and engaging the key talent needed to produce successful business results”.