Hello,
Reading time: about 2 minutes, tops
It seems every outfit we work with complains they can't get good people.
True, a lot of talent has shaken out of our industry - gone to other fields, grown old and tired, or suddenly came to their senses and quit! Regardless, it's imperative that you keep the good folks at your place.
So here are some suggestions.
All the best,
Joe Grant
joe@joegrantconsulting.com
P.S. Want to know how to manage your agency better? There are more than a dozen articles about effective agency leadership at our website www.joegrantconsulting.com. Go to the Articles tab.
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Keeping Top Talent
You know how expensive it is to locate and hire new people but you'll do less of that if you keep the good staff you've already got.
Fat Salaries. Get it straight: big bucks won't keep good talent. Sure, more money is nice but when we interview staffers about job satisfaction and ask if another $5,000 or more a year would make them happier the answer is always no. Every survey says what people want most - even more than dough - is to be appreciated.
So be appreciative. You don't have to smother 'em with wet kisses but you've got to let them know they count. Lack of appreciation is the #1 reason people jump ship. It's not about the money, it's about the love.
Show respect. That means treating your associates as equal members of the human race. Your employees are not dumber than you, less capable, or inferior in any way. They're human beings with unique talents and needs. Your job is to discover their greatest strengths then help them excel.
Dial direct. Be a straight talker. This doesn't mean saying the first thing that comes to mind but it does mean no b.s. People don't like being scammed; if you say one thing and act another you'll turn them off for good. Be clear expressing expectations then make sure they have the tools and time to get what you want them to do done right.
Review performance often and on time. Relying solely on annual reviews to improve performance is stupid in my opinion. Management literature is larded with references to coaching employees, but the message is always the same: give real-time guidance. So hold frequent sessions with each staffer to discover - together - how they can do more with their special talents. But don't waste time harping on weaknesses - that's like trying to teach a rabbit to swim like a frog. Let the frogs do the swimming and help your bunnies run faster.
Oh, and if you really want to demonstrate how little you care about people, just keep delaying their reviews. It's worse than missing your kid's birthday. There are companies out there where people have been promised reviews and are still waiting months later. Those people are actively looking for other jobs.
Keep your promises. The great trap of leadership is pleasing constituents at all costs. It's easy to say what they want to hear because it makes you and them feel good, but don't deliver on promises and they'll lose trust. Then you're sunk. Please, keep your word.
Always teach. If you're the top dog, job 1 is teaching what you know to others. Make no mistake: they're always watching and learning from you. As Emerson wrote, "Who you are speaks so loudly I can't hear what you're saying"
When they close the lid on your pine box make sure what they remember about you is that you helped others become more than they were when they first came through your door. Nurture those around you and they'll never want to leave. And the best out there will want to hire on.
So the answer to keeping good people is sitting at your desk reading these words.
It's you.
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Keepers or Weepers |
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Here's our take on the 3 kinds of people working at today's ad agencies. See Weepers, Creepers, Leapers in the Article section of the Grant Consulting website. |
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I Am WOMMA |
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Who knew? There's a Word of Mouth Marketing Association to capitalize on the impact of giving people a reason to talk about your clients' products and services. A big concern: ethics - faked campaigns are a no-no. Lots of info about this phenomenon at the WOMMA website. |
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Making Your Company Human |
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If you're committed to helping your people get more happiness and satisfaction out of their work, get a copy of Making Your Company Human by Le Herron, former CEO of O. M. Scott (lawn care). Not the typical "my ego's bigger than yours" CEO book, it's about building a people-centered culture while your company grows. The co-author is good friend and former co-worker Sherry Christie, herself once a CD and agency exec. Order direct from the Making Your Company Human website. |
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Break Time |
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If you're toast, take a break and play some word games on line. Scrabble, crosswords, hangman, and many more are all here. The site is called On Line Games for Writers but be careful - it's addictive. |
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JFF |
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Here's a resource to help you decipher those acronyms showing up in e-mail and in your kid's vocabulary. It's called BIBLIA. Some are funny (XYZ), some have become legit over time (TLC), and some probably will (HOYER). |
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About Grant Consulting
Grant Consulting, formed in 1992 by Joe Grant, is a consultative resource for advertising agency principals who want to improve their agencies. The firm works exclusively with agency senior managers to help them discover and then reach their full potential. Copyright 2006 Grant Consulting Associates, Inc. All rights reserved. We encourage sharing in whole or in part if copyright and attribution are included. Contact us at:
Grant Consulting
239.394.8220
joe@joegrantconsulting.com
www.joegrantconsulting.com
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