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And what about the CEO/Director? Why do we so often forget about (or avoid ☺) providing honest, developmental feedback to the person at the helm? Recently a strong, effective CEO said to me "if only the Board would tell me what they really think. I am never sure if we're in sync. " And this is from a well respected, highly successful CEO. Is your CEO's evaluation little more than perfunctory? Read how you can turn it into a tool that drives organizational performance.
And while you're reading ... think about some alternatives to brainstorming. Want to make it soar?! Try e-storming! Level the playing field and watch the ideas flow.
Finally, talking about flow. Can we help you with your work processes? Are they bogged down and inefficient? Read below about the why, what and benefits of Workflow Design and Process Consulting.
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Getting REAL Feedback as an Executive Director or CEO
If you are the Executive Director or CEO of an organization, the following may sound familiar: It's "evaluation time" and the Board President meets with you for a perfunctory, check-off-the-box meeting that lasts maybe 10 minutes, in which he/she tells you that everything is going well, that the Board members are pleased, and that a new compensation figure has been approved. The end.
While this method certainly removes any potential for conflict, effective leaders know that is no way to provide meaningful feedback nor is it any help in moving the organization forward. As leaders, you seek input from your employees during their evaluations, providing useful commentary regarding goal achievement and performance for the year. In addition, and most importantly, you are providing real-time communication about what's going well and what's not, helping employees to stay on track individually and keeping work aligned with the organization's strategic plan and vision. It follows, then, that if the CEO's /Executive Director's job is to operationalize and turn into reality the Board's policies, the CEO needs and deserves meaningful feedback from the Board.
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E-Storming? It's a thing, and it works!
Think about the last time you were together with a group of colleagues brainstorming creative new ideas about a new initiative, or your organization's structure, or budget right-sizing or any work-related topic. Did you feel comfortable putting yourself out there with the most out-of-the-box ideas? Did one or two people dominate the idea-generating? Did one or two people not say a word? Turns out technology can be a great value-add for brainstorming.
Virtual brainstorming can generate more and higher-quality ideas than in-person sessions, according to a recent Harvard Business Review article. Electronic or e-storming can eliminate some of the traditional barriers mentioned above. No one can talk too much if the group isn't actually talking but adding comments to a Google doc or using another virtual tool. In addition, though large brainstorming sessions can be unwieldy in person, a virtual session can be any size, with members in a variety of locations.
Depending on the tool used, virtual brainstorming can create true or seeming anonymity, which may open up the channels of creativity even more. No politics, no worrying about what the boss might think! Finally, having people draft their own list of ideas and submit to one virtual source has been shown to result in a larger breadth and depth of ideas, since, working individually, participants aren't tempted to simply add on to or agree with the prevailing ideas from dominant participants.
When your organization is next in need of creative ideas for problem-solving or development of a new initiative, try e-storming!
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New Service: Workflow Design Consulting
Why
Organizations everywhere are being asked to do more with less. Less money, less staff, less time. One way to free up money, staff and time is to analyze and redesign your workflows. In most organizations, workflows haven't been critically examined in years resulting in legacy workflows that may not create value for your customers. Eliminating or streamlining workflows can enable you to save money, redeploy staff, and save time.
What
The Singer Group will lead your staff through the process of analyzing your current workflows with a focus on retaining those workflows your patrons value while streamlining or eliminating workflows that are not creating value for your patrons. The Singer Group will leave your staff a methodology for assessing workflows that can continue to be used long after this engagement.
Benefits
- Staff time saved
- Less time spent on non-value additive activities
- More time spent on value-additive activities
- Improved services for patrons
- Improved staff morale
- A reusable methodology for process improvement
Click here to learn more about Workflow Design Consulting services.
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We hope you enjoyed this edition of Reach. As always, please feel free to share your thoughts with us, as well as pass on this eNewsletter to anyone you think might benefit.
To reaching success,
 
Paula M. Singer & Lorraine Kituri
The Singer Group, Inc.
410-561-7561
contact@singergrp.com
www.singergrp.com
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What's New?
Coaching: Paula is now certified in brain-based coaching by the NeuroLeadership Institute. She brings new research and practice to support you in obtaining the results you want and putting new insights into action. Call her at 410-561-7561 for a free conversation about your needs and how coaching can change your life!
New Service: Workflow Design Consulting - Want to save money and staff time? Want to have staff working to their highest and best use rather than be bogged down in out of date workflows? Consider Workflow Design Consulting. Learn about the why, what and benefits below.
One of our clients decided to leave their step system of salary increases and adopt a progressive policy. We're working with their leadership, union and a labor management committee to make that happen.
Paula is again teaching Organization Behavior and Management at the Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health. It's the only exposure many of these physicians, nurses, health care administrators and others receive to the important workplace topics of conflict, group process, motivation theory and practice, culture, engagement, trust, etc.
We are working with a major medical association on issues pertaining to Physician Leadership.
Paula is facilitating a one-day workshop on Succession Planning. The outcome of the day will be an outline of a plan and the process and tools to complete it.
We are facilitating major compensation and performance management studies in the midwest and west coasts. |
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How Progressive
is Your Culture?
Find out what forward-thinking organizations are doing to boost success. Simply visit our website and click on the link under Take Action.
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