OI Partners Newsletter: Managing Change

Managing Change

November 2009

In this issue:

• Managing Change for a Continuously Improving Culture
• Strategies for Managing Change: 9 Failure Reasons You Can Avoid
• Biggest Mistakes in Managing Change
• A Leadership Guide to Managing Change
• Managing Change in Your Life

"Change is hard because people overestimate the value of what they have -- and underestimate the value of what they may gain by giving that up."

-- James Belasco and Ralph Stayer
"Flight of the Buffalo: Soaring to Excellence, Learning to Let Employees Lead" (Grand Central Publishing, August 1994)

Change -- although often beneficial -- certainly isn't easy. But one thing is sure: change is inevitable. Our newsletter this month offers insight for how to manage, learn and grow from the inevitable.

Also, please take just one minute (or less) to tell us what you think of the OI Partners newsletter. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Ronald F. Ennis, Ph.D., CMF
Jean Erickson Walker, Ed.D., CMF

OI Partners Newsletter: Managing Change Summary

Managing Change for a Continuously Improving Culture
Continuous improvement is difficult, as any change is bound to find resistance from different quarters of an organization. Here are 4 steps to help bring about sustained continuous improvement.

Strategies for Managing Change: 9 Failure Reasons You Can Avoid A review of the history and literature of strategies for managing change shows these 9 common reasons for change management failure.

Biggest Mistakes in Managing Change
The manner in which change is managed can strongly impact a workforce. Here are 5 of the biggest mistakes in managing change -- and the lessons learned.













A Leadership Guide to Managing Change
Leaders play a key role in managing change. Effective managers help find and solidify future direction, set expectations for behavior and performance and priorities, walk the talk and influence the direction of future systems and procedures. Review these 7 ways to help people transition through change.

Managing Change in Your Life
The journey of making change is not always easy. When people make major change in their life, whether it is a voluntary or forced change, they go through a range of emotions and thoughts. Coaching often can help people move through these emotions.

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Weekly Email from Pathways

Hi Folks!

Good morning! Did everyone survive the record rain fall over the weekend? Speaking of crazy weather, rain and wind, and power outages on the coast...a tornado? Yikes! Did you know that 1965 today there was one of the largest blackouts in history? Check it out on The People History: http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/november9th.html

OK, here is what is happening at Pathways this week:

Job Search Support Group

Tuesday, Nov. 10th; 9:00-11:00 AM
Facilitator: Ronald F. Ennis, Ph.D, CMF
Topic: Re-visiting the Fundamentals on Ads & Networking

Come join us for cookies and cider! Yummy.

Entrepreneurship Fundamentals Lab

Thursday, Nov. 12th; 10:00-12:00 PM
Facilitator: Ronald F. Ennis, Ph.D, CMF

Back on popular demand! If you missed this lab last month, make sure to RSVP for Thursday!

Looking forward to seeing all of you this week!

Career Update for November

►Job Search Support Group
A weekly gathering of Pathways/OI Partners, Inc. clients focused on the development and implementation of effective job search strategies through peer group support. (Does not require a RSVP)


Weekly Topics:
Week 1: Developing a Positive Attitude & Keeping It
Week 2: Re-visiting the Fundamentals on Ads & Networking
Week 3: Analyzing Current Effectiveness in Your Job Search
Week 4: Re-building your Self Marketing Plan


Facilitator:Ron Ennis, Ph.D, CMF
Every Tuesday, 9:00 -11:00 AM


► Career Transition Workshop
The CTW is a core feature of your career transition services. It is recommended, though not required, that you attend all of the workshops, and attend them in the order listed. You are welcome to repeat workshops as often as you would like.

CTW: Tuesday, November 3rd & Thursday, November 5th, 8:30-4:30 PM
Facilitators: Matt Morscheck, MS, NCC & Jean Walker Ed.D, CMF

Space is limited! Please RSVP in order to reserve your spot for the Career Transition Workshop. You can reach us via phone: (503) 221-8747 or email: pathways@oipartners.net


► Entrepreneurship Fundamentals Lab
Back on popular demand, we are repeating this lab for those who missed it last month! Join us in explore the risks and benefits of staring your own business and get the starting blocks you will need to start developing your business plan. Consulted in the past or owned your own business? Join us too!

Facilitator: Ron Ennis, Ph.D., CMF
Thursday, November 12th, 10:00-12:00 PM


Space is limited! Please RSVP in order to reserve your spot for the Entrepreneurship Lab. You can reach us via phone: (503) 221-8747 or email: pathways@oipartners.net



►Technology & Transition: Facebook, Twitter, and Beyond!
Feel like your floating in cyber space? Have a Facebook account, but not sure how to use it in your job search or if you should? What is Twitter anyway? In this workshop, you will further explore Facebook and Twitter, the social media websites that are increasingly popular with job searchers, recruiters, and companies. Have a laptop? Don’t forget to bring it with you!

Facilitator: Matt Morscheck, MS, NCC
Tuesday, November 17, 1:00-3:00 PM


Space is limited! Please RSVP in order to reserve your spot for the Technology & Transition Workshop. You can reach us via phone: (503) 221-8747 or email: pathways@oipartners.net


►Resume Lab: Accomplishment Statements
Having a hard time getting over your fear of writing Accomplishment Statements? Fear no more! Join Jean and fellow clients in this working lab and get started tackling your accomplishment statements. Roll up your sleeves it is going to be a fantastic fight!

Facilitator: Jean Walker, Ed.D., CMF
Thursday, November 19, 10:00-12:00 PM


Space is limited! Please RSVP in order to reserve your spot for the Resume Lab. You can reach us via phone: (503) 221-8747 or email: pathways@oipartners.net

Weekly Email from Pathways

Hello All!

I have a story to tell. Reflecting on Pathways Mission Statement tonight from a meeting this afternoon and thinking how wonderful it is to be a part of something special, to be able to meet and work with so many fascinating, hardworking, and inspiring people like YOU…Our Mission Statement: “We believe that our greatest renewable resource is people. The needs of our clients and customers will always come first. Since our first day of business, we have made no exceptions and we never will. This is our ideal, and our practice.” Then I thought…OH NO, I FORGOT TO SEND OUT MY Weekly EMAIL!!!

How could I have forgotten you! Well, better late than never! Shhhhh, don’t tell.

Hope all of you had a wonderful Halloween Weekend, full of haunted places, scary faces, and the like. OH, and how about Day Light Savings? (How I love getting an extra hour of sleep!)

OK, it’s November and this month’s Career Update is out! Now, I know that all of you just can’t wait to print it out and post it on your fridge, so I’ve attached it just for that reason!

Look forward to seeing all of you this month!

“Life is full of challenge and frustration. But sooner or later you’ll find the hairstyle you like.” –Furry Logic: A Guide to Life’s Little Challenges

Weekly Email from Pathways

Dear Clients,

BRRRRRRRRR, it’s cold out! I hope everyone had a lovely weekend and enjoyed the beautiful fall weather!

Hey, did you know that clients just like you are getting jobs? Many of you may not know, but despite the economy and the negative news reports, our clients ARE getting jobs! This is always inspiring and uplifting news, so we would like to share some of those stories with you in a “Success Story of the Month” starting this month. (Next time you are in the office, make sure to check out our Job Board!)

Success Story of the Month-October:

Rob Kennedy is the new Marketing Manager for Audigy Group-

“The one ‘thing’ that I believe most help me during this transition was interview preparation. Early in the Pathways process Ron had given me a list of around 40 questions regarding my accomplishments. The assignment was to answer each question with two separate stories utilizing the C.A.R. (Challenge, Action, Result) method. These stories not only assisted me in writing my resume but also became my primary interview preparation study guide. During my unemployment a lot of my important accomplishment details were forgotten. Studying my stories prior to an interview refreshed all of those details so I could confidently answer those “experience” questions effectively, again using the C.A.R. method. It really took a lot of the stress out of the interviewing process. Thanks to the entire Pathways team for helping me manage this longer than expected "transition"!

Congratulations Rob, and best of luck!
___________________________________________________

Here’s what is happening this week at Pathways:

Job Search Support Group
Tuesday Oct. 27th, 9am-11am
Facilitator: Ron Ennis, Ph.D, CMF

Interviewing Series
Wednesday Oct. 28th, 1pm-3pm
Facilitator: Jean Walker, Ed.D, CMF
Please RSVP for this Lab!


Hope to see all of you this week!


The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving."- Oliver Wendall Holmes

10 Top Reasons Why Newly Promoted Employees Fail

Many Are Not Prepared For Higher-Level Jobs

Portland, OR - October 19, 2009 - Newly promoted employees could be in danger of losing their higher-level positions and even their jobs, particularly if they were promoted to replace others who were laid off during cutbacks, according to OI Partners-Pathways (Portland), a global career transition and coaching firm.

About half of newly promoted employees could lose their recently acquired promotions due to their inability to properly manage and motivate others and achieve critical goals and objectives. Many newly promoted workers have not received adequate preparation to succeed in their new roles.

Their failures could end up hurting their employers' bottom lines and costing companies lost business in an already tough economy due to declines in morale, productivity, and customer relations, according to Jean Erickson Walker, Managing Partner of OI Partners-Pathways (Portland). http://www.oipartners.net/

"Many companies have promoted employees after making layoffs without giving them the coaching and training they need. Some newly promoted employees have been unable to make the transition from being individual performers to managers. Others have been promoted to the next level without getting an opportunity to improve their management, motivational, team-building, and communications skills," said Walker.

"In a good economy, about 4 out of 10 employees who are promoted usually don't work out. But workers who were advanced to replace higher-salaried, laid-off colleagues are at a greater risk for failing in their new positions without receiving adequate preparation," said Walker.

"Many employers are trying to conduct business as usual using their second-team players without providing them with sufficient coaching and training to perform their jobs well. The consequences could result in lower morale, decreased productivity, and bad customer relations," Walker added.

THE TOP 10 REASONS why newly promoted employees fail in their jobs - and can wind up hurting their companies' bottom lines, are:

#1: Do not know how to progress from being individual performers to managing others. They have not acquired the leadership skills they needed to succeed.

#2: Unsure of exactly what their bosses expect them to accomplish. They are unclear about the two or three most important goals they need to attain.

#3: Do not achieve desired results within an acceptable time frame. They don't fulfill objectives within a deadline that can be as short as just three to six months, or don't even realize what the deadline is.

#4: Lack adequate skills to manage others. They may be first-time managers, or have never had their leadership capabilities assessed.

#5: Unable to motivate others and keep them fully engaged in their jobs. They don't reach out to people and find out what will keep them interested in doing their jobs.

#6: Poor ability to relate interpersonally with others. They may have such toxic management behaviors as being too critical, abrasive, unpredictable, self-centered, arrogant, close-minded, or volatile.

#7: Bad verbal and written communications skills. Being able to communicate well both verbally and in written communications is an important foundation of good management.

#8: Not able to build good relationships with direct reports, colleagues, and other departments. They don't enlist the support of subordinates and peers to build commitment to their strategies.

#9: Failure to recognize contributions. Managers need to acknowledge the achievements of others and share their successes.

#10: Do not determine and use the communications methods preferred by their bosses. They don't find out whether their bosses prefer e-mails, weekly reports, lots of facts and figures, or just informal face-to-face meetings.

OI Partners Newsletter: Executive Coaching

Considerations for Executive Coaching

October 2009

In this issue:
• Reasons for Executive Coaching
• Case Study: Executive Coaching to Enhance Emotional Intelligence
• Coaching between Generations
• Executive Leadership Development: The Three Key Elements of Successful Business Coaching
• Executive Coaching for Inspirational Leadership: Four Uncommon Leadership Qualities


OI Partners is beginning to see signs of economic recovery, and many organizations are developing revised strategies and plans for the post-recession economy. As organizations reassess talent within the organization, a growing number are building coaching programs into those plans and strategies. Even despite a poor economy, we have seen that coaching has continued to play a role in some organizations seeking to maintain and improve organizational performance while under economic pressure. Talent management organizations such as OI Partners can be a valuable resource. Our highly experienced executive coaches as well as our eDevelopment Center coaching assignment tracking and management technology can effectively build capabilities within your organization to meet new business challenges.

This issue focuses on the return that the investment in executive coaching programs can have on an organization. We hope it proves valuable for your organization.

Sincerely,
Ronald F. Ennis, Ph.D., CMF
Jean Erickson Walker, Ed.D., CMF


OI Partners Newsletter: Executive Coaching Summary

Reasons for Executive Coaching
Major companies now include executive coaching as part of their executive development. It is being used widely as a way to support top producers as well as help executives undergoing change in their career. Here are additional benefits for employing executive coaching in your organization.

Case Study: Executive Coaching to Enhance Emotional Intelligence
The Emotional Intelligence (EI) of senior management affects the bottom line and ultimate success of a company. Here is a look into how a project manager transformed his effectiveness in a company upon receiving coaching for enhancing emotional intelligence.

Coaching between Generations
Today's leaders must effectively work with the four generations of workers that exist in today's workplace. Coaching to bring about stronger relationships and reduce the friction that naturally occurs between people of different ages is, often, critical. Insight into the characteristics of each generation is a must.

Executive Leadership Development: The Three Key Elements of Successful Business Coaching
Effective executive business coaching is optimized when viewed within the context of achieving measurable business results. There are three key elements that are essential in having an effective executive coaching framework in a business.

Executive Coaching for Inspirational Leadership: Four Uncommon Leadership Qualities
Are you working in an organization where leaders model the characteristics of inspiring leadership? Inspirational leaders share the following four unexpected qualities. Coaching can help you become an inspiring leader who displays the qualities of good leadership.


OI Partners Survey Featured on CBS Evening News

A recent OI Partners survey that 40% of employers plan to re-hire laid-off workers was featured on CBS Evening News on Oct. 2. The story, by Anthony Mason, is about the continual rise in unemployment despite a recovering economy. Watch the video here.

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