• Review the work of operational managers in 21st century organizations.
• Consider what competencies make the difference between excellent and ordinary operational managers.
• Define you business objectives (aligning these with your own organizational strategy and objectives).
• Assess how you communicate these, as a concrete, specific game plan of goals and standards, to your team.
• Review and practice two thinking tools (project thinking and problem solving, with risk assessment).
• Carry out an effective operational planning exercise.
• Analyze your delegation techniques (using situational leadership and adding the ‘One Thing’ approach).
• Rethink ways of managing knowledge workers in a 21st century environment, using feedback, co-creation and collaboration.
• Analyze how teams and people work, assess whether yours is synergistic and engaged, and (if not) what needs changing and why.
• Assess the 21^st century manager’s role as a coach.
• Check your diagnostic toolbox, and whether you have the required tools to execute for quality and results (competencies, peer-coaches etc).
• Check yourself against the ultimate measure of a manager: you must deliver.

• Conclusion.

Gabrielsen’s focus has not been on gender equality. His interest is in “the fact that diversity is a value in itself, that it creates wealth.” He is part of a movement has led to a law that requires all listed Norwegian companies to have at least 40% of women on their boards.

Despite much outcry about the law, research findings show that companies with the highest representation of women on their top management teams perform better financially than groups with the lowest female representation. The Norwegians have therefore made diversification mandatory, on the basis that  increased profits can be, and are, achieved through diverse boards, and that a company’s primary responsibility is to act in the best interests of its shareholders by maximizing profits.

One board chairman commented: “Now we have much better preparation before board meetings. You don’t see Board members opening their working papers in the elevator on the way to the meetings. The quality of decision making has also really improved.”

A Norwegian researcher, Mariel Hood, has done research to show that female participation has also created younger, more educated and more innovative boards.

In New York, Ilene H. Lang, a Harvard MBA, has shown how a lack of gender diversity hurts business, and how profitability increases with gender-diverse management teams and boards. Her organization has recorded jumps of 34% to 60% in profits, in  transparent and verifiable studies, when gender diverse teams have been created.

Peter Collett, a British psychologist, has studied diverse-gender teams, and analyzed why they are more effective.  His findings shows that mixed gender teams are more collaborative, broader thinking, take big picture positions  (as opposed to getting into minutiae), and regularly review contextual factors. His research shows that such teams are much more likely to encourage contributions from all group members than are single-gender team.

There is one limiting factor when bringing women into management teams or onto boards. A single woman is less effective on bottom-line metrics. It is much more effective to bring several women into the group/ This avoids isolating, stereotyping and therefore limiting this economic source of profitability and wealth. The women do not need to have board experience to create the wealth results. Hence the Norwegian legislation.

Sweden is in the process of introducing legislation to follow Norway’s example.

For details of numbers of women directors in various countries, follow the European thought leadership updates, e.g. http://www.egonzehnder.com/global/thoughtleadership/hottopic/id/78402633/article/id/11900485

CPS now has permission to publish a highly entertaining MiIllennial’s perspective. Paul exemplifies many of the characteristics of the 21st century GenY knowledge worker: massive technical knowledge, a graduate education, and a history of entrepreneurship. Born in Tampa, he is an experienced, multi-lingual global traveler and married to a physics PhD student.  Enjoy!

Then go on www.glassdoor.com (or something similar) and see whether your organization also needs to think seriously about collaborative management, collaborative thinking, and the competitive and innovative edge your Millennials bring to the table..

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Almost all of the places I’ve worked (including some rather large companies) treat their programmers like highly trained plumbers they’ve hired to install a new toilet.. “I want all of your technical skills, and no independent thought. Just put it over there where we’ve drawn the circle on the ground.”

“Er, are you sure you want it there? I think that it would be better if-”

“No buts! See the circle? Toilet goes there. We did a user requirements study, paid the consultants (experts, all of them) tons of money for it, and this is where a toilet is optimally situated.”

“I think there might be some mistake, shouldn’t it go-”

“Damn programmers! You think you’re so smart! But you don’t know anything about BUSINESS™! I have an MBA! I’m smart! Smarter than you! I just choose not to bother with petty technical details. Now shut up and get to work!”

“Ok, you’re the boss..”

Two weeks later, when it’s done they say: “WTF, why did you put a toilet in the kitchen?”

“Well, you told me to shut up and put it where you drew the circle. You drew the circle in the kitchen, so that’s where I put the toilet.”

“AAAAH! This is horrible! Who puts a toilet in the kitchen! Programmer, this is your fault!”

“But I tried to tell you-”

“Fine, whatever, we don’t have time for this, it’s deliverable in a week! Take it out and move it to the bathroom!”

“You mean that cube over there on the side of the house with the wooden frame and no roof, electricity, or water access, because you forgot to put those things into the blueprints?”

“AAAAH! My 12 year old nephew is really good with plumbing. He changed a washer in my kitchen sink once when it was dripping AND he’s read at least 3 of those Time-Life home plumbing guides. He knows much more than you! And he’ll work for $10 an hour! Why am I paying you? You didn’t even get someone to install electrical wires a roof in the bathroom.”

“Er, I’m not a general contractor, I’m a plumber. Plumbers install pipes, not wires and roofs. And anyway, your architect drew the blueprints without those things, and you yelled at us when we pointed that out, so we all figured you just didn’t want them there for some reason.”

“OMGWTF! You’re lying!”

“No, I’m not, see, I have a copy of the e-mails right here where we discussed this…”

“*reads for a moment* Hm. ok, it’s true, you’re right. Architect! You’re fired! Plumber, you will now perform both plumbing and architectural duties (for the same pay, and with the same deadline as before.) And install some electrical wires, too.”

“But .. making blueprints takes weeks, and I’m not an electrician or an architect or a general contract-”

“Tut tut, you’re smart, I’m sure you’ll manage. Now I’m going to my club to get drunk before meeting my friends at a strip club later. Oh, and we need the house ready to go by tomorrow, the client just called
(actually 3 weeks ago, but I’m just telling you now) and the timetable has been sped up.”

“Er. I can’t just magic things up faster because the client decides to move numbers on a timetable.”

“They’re running out of money, so we have to get it done. Now get cracking, I’m off….”

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CPS thanks Paul for permission to use the above text on www.c-psolutions.com. Paul, you’re far from being the only person who has told us a story like this, but you have to be the funniest.

Paul also contributed: If Architects Had to Work Like Web Designers

Please design and build me a house. I am not quite sure of what I need, so you should use your discretion. My house should have somewhere between two and forty-five bedrooms. Just make sure the plans are such that the bedrooms can be easily added or deleted. When you bring the blueprints to me, I will make the final decision of what I want. Also, bring me the cost breakdown for each configuration so that I can arbitrarily pick one.

Keep in mind that the house I ultimately choose must cost less than the one I am currently living in. Make sure, however, that you correct all the deficiencies that exist in my current house (the floor of my kitchen vibrates when I walk across it, and the walls don’t have nearly enough insulation in them).

As you design, also keep in mind that I want to keep yearly maintenance costs as low as possible. This should mean the incorporation of extra-cost features like aluminum, vinyl, or composite siding. (If you choose not to specify aluminum, be prepared to explain your decision in detail.)

Please take care that modern design practices and the latest materials are used in construction of the house, as I want it to be a showplace for the most up-to-date ideas and methods. Be alerted, however, that kitchen should be designed to accommodate, among other things, my 1952 Gibson refrigerator.

To insure that you are building the correct house for our entire family, make certain that you contact each of our children, and also our in-laws. My mother-in-law will have very strong feelings about how the house should be designed, since she visits us at least once a year.

Make sure that you weigh all of these options carefully and come to the right decision. I, however, retain the right to overrule any choices that you make.

Please don’t bother me with small details right now. Your job is to develop the overall plans for the house: Get the big picture. At this time, for example, it is not appropriate to be choosing the color of the carpet. However, keep in mind that my wife likes blue.

Also, do not worry at this time about acquiring the resources to build the house itself. Your first priority is to develop detailed plans and specifications. Once I approve these plans, however, I would expect the house to be under roof within 48 hours.

While you are designing this house specifically for me, keep in mind that sooner or later I will have to sell it to someone else. It therefore should have appeal to a wide variety of potential buyers.

Please make sure before you finalize the plans that there is a consensus of the population in my area that they like the features this house has. I advise you to run up and look at my neighbor’s house that he constructed last year. We like it a great deal. It has many features that we would also like in our new home, particularly the 75-foot swimming pool. With careful engineering, I believe that you can design this into our new house without impacting the final cost.

Please prepare a complete set of blueprints. It is not necessary at this time to do the real design, since they will be used only for construction bids. Be advised, however, that you will be held accountable for any increase of construction costs as a result of later design changes.

You must be thrilled to be working on as an interesting project as this! To be able to use the latest techniques and materials and to be given such freedom in your designs is something that can’t happen very often.

Contact me as soon as possible with your complete ideas and plans.

PS: My wife has just told me that she disagrees with many of the instructions I’ve given you in this letter. As architect, it is your responsibility to resolve these differences. I have tried in the past and have been unable to accomplish this. If you can’t handle this responsibility, I will have to find another architect.

PPS: Perhaps what I need is not a house at all, but a travel trailer. Please advise me as soon as possible if this is the case.

You can use the following information to develop a company-specific spreadsheet to estimate your turnover and retention costs. CPS does not guarantee that this list is complete.

The 2008 WIR report begins the cost of staff turnover at 1.5 x annual salary. Please let me know if you would like to see that report. Email: Glynis[@]glynis.com

Turnover includes both direct / measurable costs, and indirect / hidden costs.  Both will show up on your bottom line.

The following calculation assumes that your employee gave you two weeks notice. You also had two weeks of job vacancy, which you covered with a temp employee.

You can estimate hourly employee salary costs the easy way: Hourly employee cost = annual salary divided by 1000.

Calculating hourly rates: the average employee in the US works about 2,000 hours each year. Add benefits, payroll costs, and the various other costs of having an employee (people have this habit of needing break-rooms, coffee and bathrooms that businesses have to pay for). Employee time therefore costs out around annual salary divided by 1000. (CPS always reminds our clients of this, when one of the Counties pay for our services: we’re not really free – you’re also investing!)

So what is your turnover going to cost, for the average employee?

Direct Costs

Termination of outgoing employee
• Termination processing – administrative support: 0.5 hour, HR rate
• Temination processing – management: 2 hours, management rate
• Exit interviews – human resources staff and/or external consultant: 1 hour
• Severance pay: $?
• Accrued vacation: $?
• Continued benefits: $?

Vacancy period
• HR liaison with temp agency: 2 hours, HR rate
• Temporary help – 40 hours wages @ $
• Temp agency service commission @ $
• Accounting: checking details and payment of temp agency: 0.5 hours, (A/c admin rate
• Alternative: Overtime for co-workers @ 80 hours

Recruitment
• Writing and placing job ad: 1 hour, HR rate
• Running job ad @ $ (Web and/or print options)
• Alternative: Third party recruiter fees @ $
• Other (e.g. referral bonus) @ $
• Administering and monitoring recruiting process: 2 hours HR rate

Selection and hiring
• Application screening: 0.5 – 3 hours, HR rate
• Interviewing: 3 – ? hours, HR and management rates
• Reference check: 1.5 hours +, HR rate
• Job offer and negotiations (job level dependent): 0.5 + hours, HR rate
• Finalizing employee contract: 0.5 – 1 hour
• Relocation cost? $?
• Other (e.g. signing bonus)? $?

On-boarding, orientation and training
• New hire processing (e.g. benefits set up): 1 – 2 hours, HR rate
• Orientation: 2 hours, HR rate + employee (new hire) rate
• Orientation materials such as employee literature @ $?
• Uniforms, company shirts, stationery, computer software and setups, equipment @ $?
• On-boarding, in-house training, coaching @ 40 hours + (employee time)
• On-boarding, in-house training, coaching: ? hours at trainer/mentor/buddy/management rate (depending on class size, shadowing etc.
• Training materials, equipment and other costs @ $?
• External training @ $?
• Other (e.g. licensing, certification fees depending on industry)

Total of Common Direct Costs

Indirect Costs
• Lost productivity of incumbent, prior to departure (estimate: 2 weeks prior to departure): 50%, 40 hours, employee rate
• Lost productivity of co-workers or subordinates (estimate: 2 co-workers x 2 weeks): 25%, 40 hours, employee rate
• Lost productivity/time of supervisor during vacancy (2 weeks) 30%, management/supervisory rate
• Lost productivity/time of supervisor during on-boarding, orientation and training: 30%. 40 hours: management/supervisory rate
• Lost productivity of new hire during initial transition (week 1): 50% – 100% depending on the nature of training/on-boarding program: 20- 40 hours, employee rate
• Lost productivity of new hire during weeks 2 and 3 of transition (assumes a relatively simple learning curve). 25% + or 20 hours.
• Increased defects/operating errors during temp’s work period (vacancy period) or new hire’s transition to competency: $?
• Dissatisfied or lost customers during vacancy or transition. Varies considerably depending on whether employee forged relationships with customers or ran key systems: $?
• Missed opportunities during dislocation (by outgoing employee, new hire, distracted co-workers, manager/supervisor or temp): $?
• Other: e.g. damage to trust, motivation, teamwork. reputation or employment brand. This depends on the circumstances of the termination, and is affected by the personality and generation of the old employee and those who remain. The managerial skills of the supervisor/manager affect this too. Look at sites like www.glassdoor.com to see some effects of current and outgoing employees using the transparency of the web. The ubiquitous flashdrive-on-the-keyring goes out the door with the employee, and with it may go proprietary information. Please see www.managingthemillennials.com/survey. Please contact www.c-psolutions.com for these results.

Total of Indirect Costs: $ _________

Total Costs of Turnover (Direct + Indirect): $ __________

Building trust and understanding between these diverse groups is not easy, either for the team members concerned, or for managers and learning specialists who facilitate the process.

Everyone has an “I” consciousness and a “we” consciousness. The “I” focuses on self achievement, self responsibility and autonomy. The “we” identity focuses on connection to our reference groups, and our relatedness. This emphasis varies from person to person, and from culture to culture.

I grew up in Africa, where many people have a mainly collectivist approach to life. In business, one usually asked African clients about their families, because it is impolite and cold to do otherwise, yet one discussed impersonal subjects like the weather and a little politics or economics with Caucasian clients. (In some cultures, like the UK, it is quite normal to discuss politics. Right after the weather, which always comes first!)

When working with learning groups from both Collectivist and Individualistic backgrounds (think of Puerto Rico and the US for example) it was often helpful to ask how some of these differences might affect group dynamics, for instance:

Innovative out-of-the-box thinking (I) vs. loyalty to group interests and approval (C)
Individual achievement (I) vs. group affiliation as a basis of group standing (C)
The right to have unpopular opinions (I) vs. the importance of group harmony (C)
Personal initiative (I) vs. consensus-based group action (C)

This concept can be used for team-building and inclusivity work, because people love to teach others about their worlds. People also love understanding what makes them tick – e.g. in Africa, Individualism is stronger in people who are more urbanized and whose tribal identity and affiliation are of lower importance. (This showed up as a factor in my first graduate degree thesis).

Create space for concrete and personal narratives, and jumpstart these by sharing a story of your own – e.g. I have an Anglo-Indian father, and Welsh, Irish, French, Dutch, African and Malay blood, and can trace threads of both traditions through my family and friends. It gets people thinking and talking.

A critically important issue when working with culture is to create a cheerful awareness that differences exist, that we’re learning to understand them, learning about each other, and that different is not wrong, it is merely different.

Heavy read: Try “The Geography of Thought : How Asians and Westerners Think Differently…and Why” by Richard Nisbett. It explains how people from Eastern and Western cognitive traditions often process information differently. Nisbett gives details of how a mix of thought patterns may offer a competitive edge, and lead to innovative breakthroughs in many industries.

Hilarious read: Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour by Social Anthropologist Kate Fox. Not related to Individualism/Collectivism, but an essential for any bewildered American who has to deal with the British, and a great gift for anyone who grew up in English culture, so that we can laugh at ourselves.