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“The problem with New Year’s resolutions – and resolutions to ‘get in better shape’ in general, which are very amorphous – is that people try to adopt too many behavioral changes at once. It doesn’t work. I don’t care if you’re a world-class CEO. You’ll quit.” —Tim Ferriss
I am officially two full days into my New Years resolutions and I haven’t faltered yet. I would like to share some simple ideas that may help you in your efforts to achieve your resolutions in 2014.  First of all, set goals that are SMART:
Specific  — If your goal is twenty pounds of weight loss, set the more specific goal of two pounds per month.
Measurable — Using the above example, weigh yourself each week and track your progress on a chart.
Attainable — Look for little wins and, as you approach your target and become more confident, set tougher goals.
Realistic — If you haven’t exercised in 20 years, setting a goal to run a marathon in four months may be a stretch. Make sure you are realistic with your resolutions.
Timebound —  Set weekly, monthly and annual targets.
Last but not least, write down your goals and share them with family, friends or a personal coach. By creating a community, you will feel accountable to others.
Wishing you a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year!
WEEKLY WISDOM from Jerry Rollins, CEO/Chairman of Sage Executive Group
e-mail: jerryrolllins@sageexecutivegroup.com
cell: 858-775-6900
 

“There’s nothing as exciting as a comeback—seeing someone with dreams, watching them fail, and then getting a second chance.” —Rachel Griffiths
I was honored to address 27 high school graduates of the Urban Corps Charter School last week. I shared my life story to help them realize that they can achieve anything they set their minds to. Because of the dedicated teachers and staff at this organization, these young men and women were given a second chance at school, and many of them will be the first members of their families heading off to college. At a Sage Executive Group meeting this past Tuesday, I mentioned how eight of the students have received college scholarships this year and how it would be really special to give all 27 students a scholarship at their June 27, 2014 graduation. In the past several days, five of our generous Sage members have reached out to fund a scholarship. Now, nearly half the class will have scholarships. Only 14 students to go!
Urban Corps of San Diego is a San Diego-based nonprofit conservation corps that provides a high school education and green job training to young adults from ages 18 to 25. The majority of youth employed at Urban Corps did not succeed in a traditional high school setting and have little or no job training. Urban Corps offers them a second chance to go back to school and develop new skills, while contributing to the overall quality of life in the San Diego area. Their participation increases the connection these young people feel to their community, their environment  and to their own futures. When they care about all three, it benefits us all. Urban Corps is proud to have served more than 10,000 youth since 1989.
— Jerry Rollins, CEO of Sage Executive Group
 

Finding The Illusive Balance Between Work and Family Life

CEOs endure an incredible amount of pressure – both from the business end of the spectrum and from the family side. While the needs of the company always seem to take precedent over the wants of the family, few CEOs of retirement age profess that they wish they’d spent more time at work and less time with the family. Rather, the majority claims that if they had focused on creating a more harmonious balance between work time and home time, they’d have been more successful in their careers. The following are five ways that CEOs can better balance their business and family time:

• Exercise at work – While the benefits of exercise are undisputed, the mental clarity and sense of physical well being that comes from a good cardiovascular workout or weight training session can be incredibly beneficial. CEOs need to stay in good shape to counter grueling schedules and long hours, and the stress relieving benefits of working out can help balance the inevitable mental strains that C-level executives face.

• Block out 90-120 minutes per day – It is common to want to cram meetings, calls, and collaboration time into every thirty-minute time block in the calendar. Better yet, reserve or “gray out” 90-120 minutes out of each day. Inevitably, these timeframes will be devoted to a variety of tasks that would have been later hours or completed at home – on family time.

• Schedule Appropriately – Understanding at which point in the day one is most effective can enhance efficiency and creativity. Some CEOs are “morning people,” while others work well into the wee hours of the night. Understanding when the best work occurs is paramount to ensuring that the CEO’s schedule is appropriately constructed.

• Pick one day and work from home – Working from home has been proven to actually increase the amount of real work that is accomplished. Depending on the home work environment, distractions can be minimized and real, focused work can take place. Plus, the CEO can take a couple hours off during the middle of the day to have lunch with the family, pick the kids up at school, or simply connect with someone outside of the work zone. One of the best pieces of advice for the CEO who wants to try working from home one day per week is to focus on spending a couple of hours thinking, rather than working, on that one home-based day. CEOs don’t typically get enough time to think and are always challenged to put in long days of work.

• Unplug a few times per year and bond with family– Easier said than done for most C-levels, but by making a conscious choice to ignore emails, texts, routine conference calls, and other work-related interferences for a few days or even a week at a time, the CEO will find increased clarity and more enjoyment of the family time at hand.

CEOs are tasked with creating and facilitating the vision of the company. They are relied upon for guidance and must be accessible to leaders within the organization around the clock. That said, CEOs are people – just like anyone else. They need to take care of themselves if they want to take care of others. By understanding the importance of physical health, mental well being, and effective time management principles, CEOs will be able to more effectively handle the challenges of balancing work responsibilities with family time.

Your Employees Define Your Organization – It Is Crucial To Attract The Right Ones!

Attracting the best and brightest of employees is a learned process. While gut instincts will get a hiring manager only so far, creating a company culture that respects the individual, provides appropriate levels of compensation, and recognizes employees for their achievements is the key to attracting the best employees.
How Does Your Brand Affect Your Ability To Attract Talent?
Your company has a brand. The values, beliefs, and motivations of your organization are on display for the entire world to see. Companies that have a reputation for rewarding employees, fostering creativity, and keeping work/life balance in check are more apt to attract candidates who want to work hard and commit to a career. Understanding how your industry and your current employees perceive your organization is important to establishing your brand identity. Have a reputation as a tough place to work with little creative reward? Good luck persuading top talent to enter your ranks – even if the pay is higher!
Innovative Compensation and Benefits Helps To Recruit Innovators
It takes more than just offering a healthy paycheck to an employee – try structuring pay and benefits in a creative way! For instance, structured incentive plans based on productivity or sales are pretty popular these days. Try rewarding employees with time off to spend on philanthropic activities. These can quickly become bonding moments among staff members and contributes to a positive image for the company. Actual paid incentive shouldn’t be compromised, so you’ll want to layer in paid time off as appropriate.
Another way to attract top candidates is by offering tailor-made benefits packages. Bringing on a staff member with school-aged kids? Try offering paid tutoring classes for the kids, or reward the employee with one set day per week where they are guaranteed to be off a few hours early – this way they can spend quality time with the family. Finding rewards that are tangible to spouses or immediate family members is also a great way to build support for the company at home. For example, your company could provide a three or four day paid family vacation for those who are achieving a determined performance standard. This paid vacation would be a motivator for not just the employee but the spouse or family, as well. These outside-the-box benefits are game changers when seeking top talent.

Don’t Wait – Find The Right Person!

While the ideas mentioned above are certainly important to consider when recruiting for top talent, keep in mind that the number one rule of attracting the best employees is to go out and find them! Arrange or attend job fairs, network with recruiters and talent managers, and advertise in trade papers or on sites that are respected within your industry. The talent is out there and by reinforcing the solidity of your brand, being innovative in terms of pay and benefits and work/life balance and hours, you’ll no doubt attract committed and dedicated employees.

Creating a Winning Company Culture Is Vital To Running A Successful Business!

Your company culture may be determined by directly asking your employees. The responses gleaned by asking, “What does our company stand for?” can provide input as to where your company is going, how your employees feel about their jobs, what your position is in the marketplace, and what your long term prospects appear to be to your workers. Company culture can be, at times, fairly intangible. Though it may seem like an organization is just naturally a “better place to work,” the steps that it takes to achieve such a reputation are quite deliberate. The common values, visions, and norms highly successful organizations are the result of lots of planning, implementation of ideas, and self-assessments. The following sections outline six key concepts that can help your company to create a winning culture:

Hire For Attitude, Not Aptitude – Then Train!

A well-respected, international organization promotes a simple “tie-breaker” when faced with two similarly qualified candidates. The message is to hire the candidate who smiles more during the interview. This is a simple distillation of “hiring for attitude… and not aptitude.” That said, it is nearly impossible to instill a good personality in an introverted employee, while a company is certainly able to train most candidates around the skills required of the position.
Establish and Communicate The Vision
Employees will work toward goals if they are clear, so part of creating a winning culture is defining what a “win” looks like! Leaders must establish clearly defined, measurable, and achievable goals that exist within a timeframe. For example, ABC organization is seeking to achieve a 10% increase in YOY revenues, which represents five additional sales per employee per month, and is seeking to recognize this increase by the end of Q4 of the current year. Ideally, employees should understand not only this this overall goal, but also what their additional activities and deliverables need to be on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, and the timeframe in which this goal must be met. It is also vital that they see the benefit to achieving this goal – both on an individual and at the corporate level.
Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone – Be Vulnerable
A winning culture is more easily adopted by leaders who have confidence in themselves, and by those who are willing to push the limits of their comfort zone. Ask your employees for feedback, act on those concerns, and foster a sense of community among your teams. Leading with the heart creates a culture in which employees feel that their thoughts and opinions are valued and appreciated.

Focus On A Few “Must Do’s”

Your company must determine what its “must-do’s” are. While creating a list of priorities is important, it is vital to narrow it down to the non-negotiable items and to clearly communicate these to your teams. Employees tend to thrive in environments that have boundaries – where employees at all levels play on the same field.
Create Bonding Rituals – No Winners Or Losers
One of the most overlooked facets to creating a winning culture is to establish bonding rituals among your staff. This can be as simple as team assignments during new employee orientations to elaborate yearly retreats that focus on recharging your team. Bonding rituals reinforce the notion of team, and also provide a great way to test your employees and gauge different personality types.

Become A Coach – Not Just a Boss Or Leader

Most effective leaders today agree that instilling a coaching philosophy at the workplace is vital. A winning company culture requires coaches who are invested in the success and development of their teams. Good leaders take people where they want to be, great coaches take their employees where they ought to be.
Company culture can be fairly intangible and transparent, yet it is one of the most important components of any business. Establish it early, live it daily, and you’ll reap the benefits of better employee retention and satisfaction, higher company performance, and a stellar reputation in your field.

Firing Employees is a Critical Decision for Leaders

You’ve coached, trained, supported, and fostered an environment that should be conducive for success for anyone at your office. After much conversation, performance planning, and documented discussions, you’ve finally made the decision to release an employee. Most leaders begin to think about how this will affect the employee – will they be ok? Will this cause financial hardship and undue strain on the employee and his or her family? Am I doing the right thing? Many leaders think this way, which is totally understandable. Leaders are human, after all! This critical decision, though difficult for most to make, is made easier when a few key steps are taken.
Are the Roles and Responsibilities of the Job Perfectly Clear?
One of the greatest shortcomings of many leaders of industry is an inability to clearly articulate the roles and responsibilities of the job at hand. An employee should rarely be surprised when they are facing termination. As long as the job requirements are spelled out in a clear manner, there should be little room for confusion on behalf of the employee. By clearly defining the demands of the job, leaders will face a much easier task when they are forced to release an employee.
Document, Document, Document
When faced with the prospect of firing an employee, there are typically two main reasons. The first situation revolves around an employee who has violated a policy of the company. The second correlates to a lack of performance against company established metrics. The first situation is much more cut and dry, and typically requires enough documentation to satisfy the legal requirements for termination. The second situation isn’t as simple. Performance can take on many forms, and an employee who feels that they are performing strongly in one area may be apt to neglect another. Documentation of specific performance issues will allow for little discussion when the time comes to issue disciplinary action – or even terminate. This makes the process of releasing an employee easier, and allows for a more graceful interaction between leader and employee.

Be Respectful, But Don’t Drag it Out

Firing an employee is a situation that any leader will inevitably have to face. That said, it doesn’t make it easier on the person being fired when you begin the conversation with, “I know this is a difficult thing to have to deal with, and I’m sorry it has come to this, but…” Don’t apologize, don’t shift blame, and don’t neglect the fact that this employee has underperformed and has not lived up to the contract between employer and employee that was established during the hiring and onboarding phase. Firing an employee takes a few short minutes, but the method and manner in which it is done can have a lasting impact. In fact, employees will occasionally fight the firing move, but being positive and unapologetic can typically take the interaction from hostile to graceful. As a leader, you’ll have to fire people. Understanding that preparation, documentation, and proper communication are the keys to a successful termination will go a long way to making this unfortunate activity a more graceful interaction.

Why Enlist the Services of An Executive Coach?

Executive coaching requires a different approach versus traditional leadership or business coaching. The fundamental reason why a company would want to hire a firm to provide executive coaching is to examine their corporate culture, identify gaps in achievement or leadership, and then provide training and pathways to instill a new, more effective corporate culture.
This is more of a revision in terms of corporate culture versus an overhaul of policies and procedures. The idea is to transition leaders and employees alike to more of an “all in” mindset, versus just coming to work each day and punching the clock.

How Does an Executive Coach Help Leaders in Business?

Leaders know that to remain effective and continually increase productivity, one must enlist the services of a coach. Executive teams also understand that corporate culture can set the overall tone and direction of their business, and can prove to be the linchpin for success. For example, the Chick-Fil-A group, led by the Cathy family, has set a corporate tone of being “servant leaders.” This means that the executive leadership truly lives for the opportunity to serve their employees, their shareholders, and the public.
The message to all of their employees is loud and clear – “treat others as you would want to be treated, and take pride in the service that you are providing.” This corporate culture has proven highly successful for the Chick-Fil-A group, and no doubt the efforts of an executive coaching team had some bearing on establishing this tone. Executive coaches do not always look to overhaul an entire business’ tone and direction. Sometimes a simple tweak is all that is needed to enhance the perception of the organization and to improve productivity.

How Does One Find Executive Coaching Help?

Searching online for executive coaching help can turn up hundreds of options. For those seeking executive coaching services in the San Diego, CA area, look to the Sage Executive Group. With more than 45 collective years with CEO peer advisory groups, the Sage group can provide a level of executive coaching that will analyze your business, assess threats and opportunities, and help to formulate a plan that can deliver results and establish the correct “tone” for your organization.
By maintaining a strict confidentiality protocol, leaders can share ideas and help other members to improve their processes, rethink their policies, and gain a clearer picture as to the real levers of their businesses. Regular coaching from a senior member of the Sage group is part of the membership framework, and can provide the level of executive coaching you need as a senior leader in your organization.
Interacting at Sage Executive Group’s peer advisory meetings is a two way street. If you feel you have what it takes to contribute to a Sage peer group please visit the website at www.sageexecutivegroup.com.

Nobody Seeks a Leader When Things Are Going Perfectly

San Diego, CA is a diverse, business-friendly area that has provided growth opportunities for countless individuals and corporations alike. With an educated workforce, better than average business growth rates, and a socio-economically diverse base of customers, San Diego can grow a business quickly. This environment has led to a plethora of new and existing businesses all competing for the same client. Due to this, leaders of businesses must understand the fundamentals behind effective leadership and continual personal development.

Why is Leadership Training Important, and What is The End Goal?

One may be placed in a position of leadership, but to truly master the tenets of effective leadership takes practice, study, and coaching. Everyone knows that being an effective leader is vitally important to the success of a business. But what constitutes the key characteristics of an effective leader? Effective leaders, through leadership training, will be able to deliver a clear and concise vision for the organization, and are not afraid to challenge the status quo. New leaders often find that the previous administration’s policies were less than effective – forcing the shift in leadership at the top. The ability to confidently introduce new ideas and concepts and offer the credibility to support these changes characterizes a strong leader.
Other competencies include the ability to hold people accountable. This is truly only possible if the leader has done a good job at communicating the overall vision and the individual responsibilities of the employee. Creating a culture of continuous improvement is important – including the top leadership group, and provides a foundation for continual employee development. Enhancing the bench strength of the team has to be a key focus for any effective leader. The end goal is to increase the productivity and profitability of the organization, and the only way to do that is to ensure that those holding key leadership positions can deliver on the aforementioned tenets to success.

Peer Advisory and Leadership Coaching

At the president, CEO, or owner level, having the ability to network and learn from other successful leaders in business is invaluable. Those that have achieved this level of success have typically learned along the way that continual leadership development and peer guidance are keys to longevity and success in the workplace.
Peer advisory groups, like Sage Executive Group, in San Diego, CA, offer those that have achieved owner, president, or CEO status with the ability to seek input and advice from other leaders of industry. By maintaining a strict confidentiality protocol, leaders can share ideas and help other members to improve their processes, rethink their policies, and gain a clearer picture as to the real levers of their businesses. The leaders in these groups understand that to be most effective at work, one must take the time to develop those crucial leadership skills.
By communicating on a scheduled basis with performance coaches, mentors, and like-minded peers, one can dramatically improve the decision-making processes on the job and extract even greater performance from their teams.
Interacting at Sage Executive Group’s peer advisory meetings is a two way street. If you feel you have what it takes to contribute to a Sage peer group please visit the website at www.sageexecutivegroup.com.

Coaches Are Critical To Any Organization

Most effective leaders agree – you will limit your leadership potential if you do not accept the support, guidance, and directives of a qualified coach. A coaching relationship in the workplace can motivate an employee to focus on the key drivers of the business, can enlighten a CEO as to the truly important areas to focus on, and can provide insight to the time management skills that need honing. Even those leaders of highly successful enterprises see the need for business coaching, and can most likely attribute a portion of their success to their coaching relationships.

Who Is The Most Effective Coach For You?

Those who can benefit the most from your success are not always the best coaches. Having a working relationship with a coach may drive the coach to have you focus on those things that are most beneficial to them – versus focusing on your own personal development. This is where having an impartial coach – one who gets more from your personal growth and development versus simply moving you to accomplish a measurable metric, is crucial.
When a leader attains a title of president, CEO, or is the owner of the company, it is difficult to engage in those conversations that can lead to true personal growth and development. That is where peer leadership and peer coaching comes into play.

Peer Advisory and Coaching Groups

At the president, CEO, or owner level, having the ability to bounce ideas off of others without undue scrutiny is truly valuable. Leaders at this level are frequently charged with “having all of the answers,” and a questioning leader may add to the perception that they are unfit for their position. Peer advisory groups, like Sage Executive Group, in San Diego, CA, offer those that have achieved owner, president, or CEO status with the ability to seek input and advice from other leaders of industry.
By maintaining a strict confidentiality protocol, leaders can share ideas and help other members to improve their processes, rethink their policies, and gain a clearer picture as to the real levers of their businesses. Regular coaching from a senior member of the Sage group is part of the membership framework.
By communicating on a scheduled basis with performance coaches, mentors, and like-minded peers, one can dramatically improve the decision-making processes on the job and extract even greater performance from their teams. Interacting at Sage Executive Group’s peer advisory meetings is a two way street.
If you feel you have what it takes to contribute to a Sage peer group please visit the website at www.sageexecutivegroup.com.

The Benefits of a Business Networking Group

Joining a business networking group is one of the most impactful ways a business owner can improve the performance of their particular organization. Simply surrounding oneself with business professionals who are likely to become centers of influence is a surefire way to increase the number of pre-screened, high-quality leads for your business.
Beyond the simple aspect of gaining referral business, the benefits of joining a business networking group are profound and can help to create an even more successful business leader in any member.

It’s Not What You Know, It’s Who You Know!

Joining a business networking group can allow a member to interact with those leaders of business who they might never have met. This diverse input of advice, information, and guidance can create a more rounded leader in anyone.
The ability to improve one’s leadership skills, decision making processes, and even attain greater work/life balance are all reasons to join a networking group. The best networking is done when one is interacting with a group of individuals that can provide the most valuable feedback and guidance – not just a lead.

Seek Networking Through Peer Advisory Groups

Peer advisory groups, like Sage Executive Group, in San Diego, CA, offer those that have achieved owner, president, or CEO status with the ability to seek input and advice from other leaders of industry. By maintaining a strict confidentiality protocol, members are free to seek advice on topics ranging from human resources issues, strategy formation, interpersonal issues at work, and a variety of other pertinent topics. The fundamental requisite for the individual member is an expectation around participation and involved, quality conversation with the group.
The job of leader is not an easy one. Decisions must be made, accountability is absolute, and there is little empathy for a leader when issues arise. The ability to seek counsel from those that may be experiencing the same concerns is of paramount importance to a business owner, president, or CEO who is seeking to improve the performance of their particular organization.
By communicating on a scheduled basis with performance coaches, mentors, and like-minded peers, one can dramatically improve the decision-making processes on the job and extract even greater performance from their teams. Interacting at Sage Executive Group’s peer advisory meetings is a two way street.
If you feel you have what it takes to contribute to a Sage peer group please visit the website at www.sageexecutivegroup.com.