Catalyst Solutions Group: September 2010

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Leadership – Why Ask Questions?

What makes a good leader? A good leader possesses the ability to create a vision and the drive to realize that vision. But how do you achieve that vision when there are so many variables to consider in the business environment (i.e. risks, stakeholders, new technologies, regulatory requirements, social and economical trends, etc.)?

Influential leaders are skillful at asking questions to gather information about the business environment and to make decisions. Executive coach Gary Cohen identifies four questioning styles through role-playing i.e. depending on the situation, a leader may choose to play one of the following roles:

1) “Professor” as a means to understand a situation e.g. “what are your goals?” “What are some options?”
2) “Judge” as a means to analyze options e.g. “what is the biggest risk?” “What is the greatest possible success?”
3) “Innovator” as a means to explore new directions e.g. “what would you do if time and resources are unlimited?” “What does your gut tell you to do?”
4) “Director” as a means to assess how to proceed and take action e.g. “what needs to happen?” “When is this due?”

In a similar manner, a leader could also apply the deBono six thinking hats approach as a means to formulate questions. This involves mentally wearing and switching “hats” as you focus on a problem, consider options, and make decisions:

1) Wear the white hat to identify facts e.g. “by how much did revenue fall this year?” and “what was last year’s sales mix?”
2) Wear the yellow hat to identify positives e.g. “what are the benefits of this option?”
3) Wear the black hat for judgment e.g. “what will go wrong if the company implements this option?”
4) Wear the red hat to assess emotions e.g. “how do you feel about this option?” or “how will our customers react?”
5) Wear the green hat to encourage creativity e.g. “how can we do this differently?”
6) Wear the blue hat to manage the thinking process e.g. “how can we do this better?”

(http://www.debonogroup.com/six_thinking_hats.php)

What are your experiences with leading through questioning? Is this an effective way to lead? What are the setbacks of asking too many questions?

Featured Author: Liza Worthington

BIOGRAPHY

Liza Worthington is a Certified Management Accountant professional with experience in public, private, and not-for-profit organizations. She specializes in strategic management and planning, facilitating, teaching, leadership coaching, management accounting, and process improvement.

Liza holds Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of Calgary and she received her CMA designation from the Society of Management Accountants in 1997. She is an accounting instructor at Mount Royal University. She also moderates the Strategic Leadership Program and teaches the Accelerated Program for Internationally Educated Professionals with CMA Alberta.

Liza has led accounting and process improvement initiatives at TransAlta Utilities, Amoco Canada, and Margo Supplies (a wildlife control company). She is an active community volunteer. She is currently a Volunteer Management Consultant for CentrePoint and has contributed to projects by facilitating strategic planning sessions, and researching and assessing client’s business environment. Her clients include the Students Association Mount Royal University, Calgary John Howard Society, Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association, Churchill Park Family Care Society, and The Kerby Centre.

She is also an active board and committee member. Liza is a board member with Servants Anonymous Society of Calgary. She is also a member of the Planning Subcommittee with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Calgary.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

The Art of Accommodation – Balancing the needs of businesses and individuals (Part 1 of 3)

BY PETER CHUNG

Balancing the need of businesses and individuals. This was an interesting topic that I was asked to participate in at a recent conference that I spoke at.

Businesses need three pillars to function: People, Finance and Technology (including processes and due diligence). To maximize the values of all three would deliver the desired results and outcomes. This means overall strategy plans, and action steps, check points and corrections, and expectations and outcomes. When all three are in harmony, results will come.

Accommodation means adjustments. This really means that when an organization can define its capabilities based on the three pillars, adjustment to any component is simply a task with the overall goals in mind. Organizational capabilities really mean managing resources appropriately: maximizing the skill sets of your people using technology and the available finances to deliver results and outcomes.

Accommodating someone also means reallocating resources in production of the results, if the person has the capabilities. On the other hand, there would be opportunities in which the organization capitalizing other unused skill set in the production process. This will show case to others the organizational commitment on people.

Featured Author: Peter Chung

BIOGRAPHY

Peter Chung is the founding Director at Gemini HR Services Inc., a strategic, results-focused and action oriented Human Resources firm with experience in recruitment and selection, total compensation and rewards, benefits, employee and labour relations, succession planning, organization design and HR Information Systems. Additional areas of focus include international HR assignments, restructuring and Health & Safety.

His extensive background and expertise enable him to devise strong engagement and retention strategies while streamlining existing processes and delivering results in key areas to maximize efficiencies and enact the corporate vision.

Peter graduated with a B.Com. degree from the University of Calgary and received the Certified Human Resource Professional (CHRP) designation. He is certified as an Instructor for delivering Team Tools and Modules related to High Performance Organizations. He also received advanced training in Organizational Development and Human Resources.

Peter served as President for a number of professional associations (Canadian Council of Human Resources Association, Human Resources Institute of Alberta, and Human Resources Management Association of Edmonton) and is currently Director of the Board of Champions Career Centre and a Senior Contributor to the HR blog Catalyst Solutions Group.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Proactive Accommodation: A Series

BY NICOLE JELLEY

What is proactive accommodation?

When one does the infamous Google search, the first few results appear as follows:

It is not to say that sites offering skincare products and computer software services are not practical, however the search leaves the meaning of "proactive accommodation" rather ambiguous to the average knowledge seeker. So where does this leave one?

According to the Canadian Oxford Dictionary:

pro·ac·tive / proh-ak-tiv / adj. (of a person, policy, etc.) creating or controlling a situation by taking the initiative

In essence, to be proactive means to show initiative. Proactive accommodation therefore means to show initiative in helping others to adapt. Simple words that have a great impact when implemented in real life situations, particularly in the workplace. Sound easy enough? It can be.

The problem we face today is the lack of proactive accomodation that exist in many companies. Thousands, even millions, of dollars have been lost in the past because many employers do not see the true value in preventing the problems before they happen. The initial costs of "installing this" and "safety-checking that" may seem to weigh heavy in costs at the beginning, but when this may mean decrease worker burnout, workplace injuries, lawsuits, as well as the risk of company-wide embarrassment. Thus, it is no secret that the mentality and successful integration of being ready before the storm hits will easily reap its own rewards.

This series of blogs will further explore the implications of proactive accommodation and how it plays a crucial relationship with an employer's duty to accommodate in the workforce. We will take a look at the leaders in proactive accommodation through real-life case studies on companies that have had successes in this area, as well as the different strategies that are out there. At the end, perhaps you will be able to measure how healthy your company's duty to accommodate policy is, and what solutions may be available. Solutions that, unlike your ritualistic morning venti cappuccino, will pay for themselves. What's not to like?

Featured Author: Nicole Jelley

BIOGRAPHY

Nicole Jelley, PHR, is a multi-lingual senior Human Resources and Operations executive with extensive experience in international and domestic markets. She is proficient in employment legislation and practices in North and Latin America, thereby bringing a strategic perspective to HR initiatives in the retail, manufacturing and consulting industries. She enables the delivery of bottom line results and overcomes complex business challenges within fast-paced environments and rapidly growing companies. Her focus has been on leading revenue-focused and profit-improvement strategies adding value to senior leadership goals.

She holds an LLB degree in Commercial Law from the Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, and earned her PHR designation from the Society of Human Resources Management in 2005. She is a Certified Mediator having completed the Alternative Dispute resolution/Mediation Certificate from the Texas Women’s University in 2004, a Credentialed Mediator in the State of Texas, a member of the Alberta and USA Human Resources Associations and the American Bar Association (ADR section). She is a Mentor at the Haskayne School of Business supporting MBA students and at SAIT for their LAUNCH program.

Nicole Jelley is the Director of Catalyst Solutions Group Corporation and is currently engaged in an Organization Re-Design project on behalf of the National Energy Board and the OCM Lead at WorleyParsons Canada.

She is also the President of the Board of Directors of Champions Career Centre as well as Interim Chair of the Board of Servants Anonymous Society of Calgary and the Chair of the Fireworks Committee. The Committee provides governance and oversight to two social enterprise businesses that provide career training opportunities and funding to SAS programs.