HR manager eMails out the payroll

Nageswari asks: what happens if your HR manager is mad with your company and before he quits he eMails the payroll to everybody? Now everyone knows what the other gets. What do you do in this situation?

In answer:
In most countries its against the law to undertake such an action, let alone the companies own policy - it will certainly blow their chances of a later reference, and most likely result in the company suing them.

You can't do much about it once it is done - if you are lower down the scale, use it as a lever to get a better package; if higher up I guess you may have a few bridges to repair through throwing around a few non-monetary favours!

How do you believe a manager should handle rivalries and friction between co-workers?

Alan asks: How do you believe a manager should handle rivalries and friction between co-workers? Just curious in the viewpoint of this vast well of experience and knowledge. In some fields, this may be a very positive thing and in others...it is likely less than productive.

In answer:
In most cases, friction is a bad thing which results from poorly managed rivalry. Friction is also often a one on one personal thing, as opposed to a competitive internal rivalry.

Some functions thrive on rivalry - sales is the most obvious, although it can also spin into customer service: not good in my book, normally on measures of customers handled; where as best practise suggests that should be on customer satisfaction, where the internal goal needs to be totally inline with long term customer loyalty. Some companies even actively structure for rivalry - Seiko in watch design and innovation will have at least two teams on every design brief (to reduce time to market/increase the innovation); while HP never have a facility over 120 people, and hence have rivalry between associated facilities on similar products.

However, in each case where rivalry is built in, there is a great emphasis and specific activity on building overall loyalty to "one team, one brand." This is a bright and constant reminder on the hierarchy of message, in that "OK, there is rivalry - but at the end of the day its us as one team on one brand: screw the competition rather than each other!" Both Seiko and HP have such team building budgets and targets, as do the good sales managers on an at least quarterly basis - time scales beyond that tend to create friction situations.

Friction as a one on one focus is not good - it spreads like a poison across a team and a company, destroying first co-operation, then agenda, and eventually customers which leads to income reduction. I due diligenced a company for potential purchase last year, where the friction had got so bad that I had to meet the two equal co-owning directors on different occasions at different locations! Even the business sales agent couldn't cope with it or them.

Friction needs to be addressed quite simply like a boil - quickly, immediately, and wholly resolved at the end of it. A manager can spot the situation and find common agenda - if its done early enough, that agenda and loyalty to the company is large enough lever to act as the resolve - and create common agenda on which two people can then agree between themselves to accept difference but work harmoniously for their own and the common good. Where I have had conflict situations in teams, I ask the two protagonists to come back with an agreed written understanding - and suggestions on developmental learning: often friction is created but not understanding and lack of communication, rather than pure hate.

In summary, rivalry is not bad as long as the common agenda is big enough and supported by management - but friction needs quick and immediate cure before it destroys a lot more than a singular relationship.

The career development to management

This is a common situation these days, and one which is ages old - the career development to management. In present career paths, the average person will change careers four times - but this career development has been happening from the beginning of time. So, here's a typical question on career development into management....

Mike asks: How can I format my resume to emphasize several leadership roles I've taken on in my past positions, even if my official title is one of an individual contributor? I've worked as an engineer in the information technology function for over fifteen years and I'm interested in making the change to a management role. My past position titles all are some version of software engineer or applications developer. So, many recruiters send me jobs that are of the same individual contributor type, even though I've recently completed an MBA degree and am looking for management positions. I have much experience leading teams and projects, but this wouldn't be evident by just looking at my past titles. How can I emphasize this experience so the recruiters will send the types of jobs I am really interested in?

In answer:
Easy one to answer - I did the same thing myself, although I can give you a bit more insight these days.

You are a software engineer, and as you would expect, we in the recruitment industry use software to manage our dBases of candidates. So, I have a client who needs core skills A, B and C, so after skimming my head for the current candidates/those who are looking for a career change, I search my dBase for those skills and up pop the basic search candidates. I am in recruitment to make money, so if those skills are in your CV/Resume, you'll pop up in my search of the dBase.

Now, here's the problem for career changers. If you are in the mind and dBase of a recuiter as an X, then you are unlikely to jump to becoming a Z if in both their heads and their CV dBase you are filed as an X. Hence why they keep sending you the wrong job.

So, here's what to do. Get a friend - women are better at this than men - and get them to read the first page of your CV/Resume. Ask them to decide whether you are a manager or a software writer - because its that first page which dictates where afterwards the average reader will file you, and the average software system also.

I'd suggest from that exercise (get at least three people to do the same thing), you need to do two things. Firstly, rewrite your resume emphasising your managerial skills over your software skills - that will be tough for you to do, so in such cases it is often worth employing a CV/Resume writing professional. Secondly, register with a select few new recruitment and head hunting companies, emphasising your outright managerial aspirations. The moment they or any of your existing recruiter contacts send you a software job, kindly point out your new desires - if they do it a second time, ask to be removed completely from their dBase system, and explain your reasons. They may ask for a third chance, but I bet if they contact you it will be about a software job!

This is something I address regularly, and what the candidate needs to do is recognise why they keep getting sent particular opportunities, and work with professionals (and dBases) which recognise their new aspirations.

If I can help further, please just ask - and Good Luck!

Drugs, football – and succession management

The US sprinter Antonio Pettigrew was in court in San Francisco last week, in the trial of athletics coach Trevor Graham, who has presently denied charges of lying to US federal authorities. The court heard Pettigrew testifying that Graham encouraged him to inject human growth hormone and EPO, both banned substances, from 1997. Pettigrew testified he soon began buying the drugs from Angel Heredia, an admitted steroids dealer, and his performance showed a remarkable improvement as a result:

I was running incredible times as I was preparing for track meets," Pettigrew said during 30 minutes of testimony. I was able to recover faster.

So, from Pettigrew’s statement we have further confirmation that drugs are in sport, and that they enhance performance. And what does Pettigrew do now for a living – he’s a coach at the University of North Carolina.

I have always been a believer in the trickle-down theory of education and management: that staff will learn from their managers, and act/react in the same way as those above them. In psychology, this is called “soldiering.”

In football last week, Sir Alex Ferguson won his second European Cup, what is presently known as the Champion’s League. But although that now means he is just one win away from Bob Paisley’s record, could Ferguson’s long term legacy be even greater?

Shankly raised Paisley to be a better manager than himself; Paisley in turn raised Ronnie Moran (best forgotten), but also taught Kevin Keegan, Graeme Souness, Phil Neal and Emlyn Hughes, who all went on to be managers – none though with much success.

Ferguson has so far taught Carlos Queros, who in his single season at Real Madrid failed miserably by their high standards – he’s now back as Ferguson’s side, and most likely to succeed his boss. But more remarkably, of Ferguson’s playing side Mark Hughes, Steve Bruce and Roy Keane are presently Premier League managers, while Steve Coppell was until two weeks ago. Paul Ince – who played for both Ferguson’s United and Roy Evan’s Liverpool – is presently the most sought after manager in the lower English leagues.

So, what will Antonia Pettigrew’s legacy be to his own athletics students – could it be “take drugs, run faster – cause that’s how I did it;” or will it be “don’t take drugs, or like me you’ll end up in court and have to probably give your medals back.”
Often, companies when they recruit miss two things – what they are recruiting (not just a set of skills, but an investment in their own future. Look for skills plus potential coach/managers); and the most obvious – why are they recruiting? Vodafone today took one of the bravest leaps, by announcing the promotion of Vittorio Colao to succeed Arun Sarin as CEO - a job he was passed over for when Sarin originally took the job, and was then rehired after two years away from the company. If your company needs a skills leap or change, then external candidates make sense – but just another piece of muscle for the sales team or the board room really sounds like there’s a poor coach at the centre of the team: and then you really ought to be looking to hire there first, not elsewhere to cover up that person’s failing as a coach for the next generation, and the companies future.