Six steps for succession planning success
The identification and development of future management candidates – otherwise known as succession planning or talent management – was recently identified as one of the top three immediate HR issues that needed to be dealt with (Bersin and Associates, 2011). Over 50% of the employers surveyed struggled to fill key positions and believed that their […]
TV Review: The Apprentice Week 6 – Lead rather than manage
I had a vested interest Lord Sugar’s band of merry men and women; being a Scot I was intrigued to see what they would muster up to force upon our discerning people. Before the candidates even set foot on the Caledonian Sleeper to Bonny Scotland, Lord Sugar dropped in on our stilettoed and brogued clad […]
Case Study: Baker & McKenzie attempts to optimise leaders’ performance with 360 degree feedback
International law firm Baker & McKenzie has embedded 360 degree feedback processes into its people strategy in a bid to enable staff “to be the best they can be”. The company provides legal services to multinational companies and financial institutions. It employs more than 3,750 lawyers in 70 countries around the world, including more than […]
Blog: Using employee segmentation as a tool to cut staff turnover
“What time did you get in last night,” I asked my daughter. “Around 3 am,” she answered. It was now 5:45 am and I was leaving the house. As I walked downstairs from her room, I shook my head in wonderment. My question was this: how can you continue working people all these hours? […]
Talent Spot: Donna Miller, European HR director at Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Ask Donna Miller, European HR director at car rental firm Enterprise Rent-A-Car, what she does for a living and you may get a rather surprising answer. “I’ve always been a very sales-oriented person and when people ask me what I do, depending on whether it’s in Enterprise or outside, I’ll often say I’m in sales,” […]
Talking Point: Taming management beasts
Horrible bosses may be driven by ego and a desire for self-promotion. But in my experience, 99% are striving to do their best under enormous pressure to produce results. They genuinely care about staff and take their people management responsibilities seriously. Unfortunately, the pressure that they are under can generate situations where it is […]
Olympus whistleblower demands answers at shareholder meeting
Former Olympus president and chief executive Michael Woodford has demanded answers over his sacking at a shareholder meeting in Tokyo. Around 1,000 investors approved a new board at the Olympus extraordinary general meeting amid calls from Woodford that it was a “mockery” to claim the group was making a fresh start. Shareholders approved five years’ […]
Construction sector sets up industry-wide forum to boost inclusion
The construction industry has set up an industry-wide forum to try and improve diversity and boost its employment levels among women, ethnic minorities and disabled people. The Construction Industry Leadership Forum for Fairness, Inclusion and Respect was set up following recommendations by the Employment and Human Rights Commission, after two studies on diversity demonstrated the […]
Blog: Succession planning – Winning the talent war
I was watching Oprah’s Lifeclass the other day, and one of the things that resonated with me was that statement that one of her friends said about Oprah and why she was successful. Who is next in your pipeline? Who do you have your other hand extended to? Succession or replacement? You choose. I read […]
Talent Spot: Rebekah Wallis, HR director at Ricoh
Back-to-back company and employee integration programmes have kept Rebekah Wallis, HR director at printing and IT services firm Ricoh, pretty busy over the last four years or so. This is because HR has been considered core to the success of such integration work by ensuring that staff are supported and helped to make the necessary […]
Is there such a thing as a typical HR career path?
There is no such thing as a ‘typical’ career in HR. The diversity inherent in the profession provides the opportunity to take things in a variety of different directions and to influence strategic business decisions. This is as true today as it was 20 years ago. HR is an evolving profession and entry routes […]
Blog: Boris and Ken – Lessons in leadership
There is something worrying about the struggle for mayoral rights in London, between past and present: Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone. Perhaps journalist Rachel Sylvester packaged up the problem in the neatest way when she wrote: "It’s not supposed to be about you, Boris and Ken." But, at the moment it is. It appears that […]
Living Leader Learnings: Why saying ‘well done’ just isn’t enough
The challenge A sales team leader at a mobile technology company asks: “I am constantly telling people at work that they have done a good job. I say ‘well done’ all the time, but it doesn’t really seem to make a difference. I do sometimes feel a bit like a broken record. How can […]
Blog: Why I rate The Apprentice US more highly than its UK counterpart
I watch The Apprentice – the UK version with Lord Sugar and when I spot it in the TV listings, the US version with Donald Trump. Four programmes into the new series in the UK and I have to say I’m watching it for negative rather than positive reasons. None of the candidates seem to be covering […]
How to overcome six employee engagement challenges
Employee engagement should not be seen as a goal in and of itself. It should instead be treated as a vehicle to help fulfil the corporate vision and achieve business success. As such, it is essential to translate the concept into what this specifically means for your organisation. So what would the experience of […]
TV Review: The Apprentice Week 4 – Quality over quantity
After another saucy (sorry!) episode last week, I was looking forward to seeing what Lord Sugar and his trusty aides had in store for our 13 remaining hopefuls this week. Once again they did not disappoint. First of all, Lord Sugar injected a breath of fresh air into the proceedings by springing this week’s task […]
Blog: The power of trust
The bloodshed and killing in Syria goes on unabated. Yesterday the news was full of stories casting doubt on whether the peace plan will be respected and hostilities suspended. And as the deadline for the withdrawal of government troops and weaponry from population centres approaches, the government and the opposition forces continue to trade demands […]
NHS Academy set up to train next generation of leaders
A national centre has been set up to train new generations of NHS, public health and social care leaders in a bid to improve patient care. Plans for the NHS Leadership Academy were unveiled by the secretary of state for health, Andrew Lansley, in July last year, and its aim is to train doctors, nurses, […]
Charities increasingly look to private sector for HR skills
As traditional sources of funding dry up and levels of professionalism continue to rise, charities are increasingly looking to the private sector for the HR skills that they need to manage change. Although third sector organisations have in the past been reluctant to hire people from other industries over fears of too strong a commercial […]
Blog: How well would you do if ranked by former employees?
I saw and interesting article this week about a Glassdoor survey which shows that the highest rated CEO is Tim Cook of Apple. His approval rating was a whopping 97 percent. That rating even beat out his former boss, Steve Jobs. And as so many have reported, Jobs was pretty challenging to work for. That […]
