Engaging Your People for Success with Lisa Askwith

IBGR onAir Talent Lisa Askwith
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People are the greatest asset any business has, and all too often they are overlooked and forgotten. It's time you utilised your biggest asset to its fullest extent, don't let your company suffer. Join me weekly for 'Engaging your People for Success' and learn all the many ways in which you can successfully engage your people, developing a massive positive shift in your business, and helping it achieve more than you imagined. The best thing is, when you do this well, not only is it really rewarding, and often fun, but your business becomes sustainable and future proof. Make your business the best it can be, and join me weekly on Thursdays for 'Engaging your People for Success' Each episode has additional written information your might find helpful. Here is a complete listing of Show Notes. Want to continue the conversation? Add your thoughts in the comments section available at the bottom of each page of notes on the site. Simply click "read more" and let's get the conversations started! Catch this show onDemand by downloading the IBGR Business Growth Radio App for Android and iOS and gain access to even more great resources. Find the IBGR Business Growth Radio App on Google Play and in the Apple App Store. Listen to Lisa on the IBGR Business Growth Radio App.

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  1. EPISODE 1

    Set up your playing field for recruitment success - Engaging Your People For Success with Lisa Askwith

    Recruitment 101- 4 part series ​1- Set up your playing field for recruitment success. 2- Build your recruitment structure- roles and responsibilities, key questions 3- The Perfect Interview- Situational questions, flow, and internal rating scale 4- Onboarding and Induction- Recruitment does not end at the job offer Segment 1- Set up your playing field for recruitment success. Contrary to popular belief, and often the biggest mistake made in this area, is it is not just about a good recruitment process. Yes that’s important, but if we really want to get this key people area right, we have to take a step back. Even before you have a great recruitment process you need several key items and knowledge in place, So let’s set up your recruitment playing field properly so it can support your recruitment plan and strategy. These are; Company Brand……or lack thereof…..or worse negative reviews- this can be a massive red flag, particularly for great talent, who want to feel valued and create a career. What are you actually recruiting for? Is the role right? Who is managing the process? Are they actively involved? When was this last reviewed? Where do you find new people? Is the role competitively marketted/priced?

    13 min

  2. EPISODE 2

    Build your recruitment structure- roles and responsibilities, key questions with Lisa Askwith

    Segment 2- Build your recruitment structure- roles and responsibilities, key questions One question I often get from my clients is centred around how to motivate people, and in reality there is only so much you can do, so instead try and look for this key personality attribute at the interview. Interestingly, John Maxwell says that he gets asked all the time, “How do you motivate your people?” and his answer is very simple: “Hire motivated people.” You want to attract and hire the best talent in order to continue your development, and growth as a company. You can have great processes and great products but the execution of your business plan is dependent on the people in your organization. Clear Technical Requirements – The eligibility - intelligence & competence - requirements are clear and consistently applied throughout your organization. Fit test – The character, personality, and other desirable qualities needed for the position are clear – often it is easiest to develop your own key list of attributes and rate the candidate on a short list using a 1-5 scale after an interview as this helps keep everything consistent. Agreed and appropriate Job Description needs to be available Job Description- don’t use an old one with the plan to fix it after you have employed someone!!!! List of tasks, duties and responsibilities that the job entails. Need to create an effective balance between breath and specificity. Job Specifications List of skills, abilities, knowledge and other characteristics that an individual must have to perform the job- this is where you need some not negotiable areas. Develop a core set of situational questions that you use for every candidate you see for the role. This is not negotiable. Without this you risk internal bias taking over and you missing key issues or experiences. You need at least 3 strong core questions that you ask every candidate. Make them large enough for the candidate to need to go in-depth in the answer. Ensure the same hiring manager is involved throughout the process to prevent bias or missed opportunities. As interviews are often spaced out due to work commitments on both sides. You also need to have an internal rating scale you can use that you can rely on to keep you on track between interviews. This means, develop something that gives you an idea of how the candidate made me feel during the interview, as these key things can be forgotten in the rush to catch up on work commitments. Remember it is the aim to hire for attitude and motivation as well as core skills and experiences. So a behavioral scale helps keep you on track. Have a clear structure around responsibilities- Main interviewer, recruiter and additional interviewers. Decide in advance how each interview is run and who is responsible for each part or particular questions.

    13 min

  3. EPISODE 3

    The Perfect Interview- Situational questions, flow, and internal rating scale with Lisa Askwith

    Segment 3 - The Perfect Interview- Situational questions, flow, and internal rating scale 1- Preparation is key 2- The actual Interview- define the interviewers roles based on the already preselected questions and needs……you can ask other questions, but you should have some preselected core questions you ask every candidate. I recommend a minimum of 3 situation questions that allow you to have a conversation around previous work outcome or achievement. As these give you the most insight and allow you to compare between candidates. 3- Divide the Interview into three parts 1-Welcome and introduction- explain the interview process for today- allows the candidate to become comfortable and relax. Ask topical questions to gain further insight into their character, and allow you to develop a gut feel for the answers. 2- Ask the candidate to review the last 10 years of their work history with you. You will ask questions as they go and after they finish. When they have finished if you have not already completed your preselected questions then review those. 3- General wrap up, give the candidate a chance to ask any questions that they need to. Plus ask any relevant final questions yourself, such as if you were successful, how long before you can start, what is your salary expectation and do you have and leave plans, or medical conditions that would stop you from performing parts or all of the role. At this point it is critical to give the candidate next steps, both for them and your brand. Don’t forget follow up Types of questions to ask- Situational open and example driven, expect clear answers, look for I not we, Ask situational questions that are relevant to your workplace. Remember this is about tailoring this key part of the recruitment process to your workplace! YOU ARE LOOKING FOR TRANSFERABLE SKILLS.

    13 min

  4. EPISODE 4

    Onboarding and Induction- Recruitment does not end at the job offer with Lisa Askwith

    Segment 4​​ - Onboarding and Induction- Recruitment does not end at the job offer  Onboarding Once you have made it through the recruitment process and selected your new staff member, how you handle onboarding will play a massive part in if the person stays with the business and is successful. Of particular note is that every step of onboarding should be clear and agreed on by the hiring manager and the new employee, and this should be documented and signed against by both. Just like the hiring manager should run every step of the recruitment process. Good Onboarding/ Induction plan Done by the hiring manager- like recruitmentClear weekly agendaTime spent with the person to ensure any required training is clear and being utilizedHiring manager to review all training with the new employee as it is finished/passedClear program set out for the entire length of probation, and run by the hiring manager- milestones, expectations and meetingsFor the first week, the hiring manager should meet with the new employee daily at a minimum.For the entire length of probation the program should ensure the new employee has weekly meetings with the new manager to review their feelings of settling in, success, training, needs, and general work ability. As the new employee displays the appropriate skills and attitudes these meeting can become less formal, and if probation is to last for 6 months then the last 3 months may just be a monthly meetingFixed probation review meeting with workplace expectations that are clear and able to be reviewed.Clear objectives Most importantly- document everything!!!! Great on boarding by and actively involved hiring manager- can stop mistakes too, not just keep great people An open and clear Career plan backed up by accessible and relevant training will help keep your great people for as long as possible

    13 min

  5. EPISODE 5

    S7 E5 Build your Core-What do your Employees want? Structure your Business for Your People with Lisa Askwith

    What your employees want is something that often gets forgotten, or not understood in the rush to get business done, so I want to help you fix this, as without a real understanding you may build some fantastic programs for your people, but you won’t get the results you wanted, and worse still may risk disengaging them further! To help get this right in your business, Episode 5 focuses on what your people want, followed by 3 more parts to build your core; Develop your leaders Develop your People Ensure your strategy and culture are Symbiotic not cannibalistic! We have several generations to work with, baby boomers, generation x and generation z, with differing needs, however the great news is that being able to meet the transparency, accountability and lifestyle needs of gen z will actually benefit all generation of workers, as all workers actually enjoy the outcomes of this focus, and benefit from the programs offered to meet it. So what are we really looking for when we consider the future workforce? Firstly they are value based and this means they want to receive value as well as be able to give it. Key Areas to consider; New value based workforce emerging and growing. Mass disruptions from Covid to WFH to AI. Change has become a constant. How you deal with this from a value creation point of view is key- you need to embrace and support change and help your people get to that point too. Establish a learning culture and mindset for and with your people. No longer after jobs for life- more flexible and the GiG economy is calling Need to upskill regularly, and want to do that. Won’t tolerate disrespect, like the past- They want acceptance, support and respect. Corporate Social Responsibility is gaining importance, and is now a requirement. Engagement is key- without it they will leave. Performance reviews need to change and embrace the new workforce. Access to supported learning and development is critical. Autonomy backed by rewards and recognition need to be part of the people strategy. Exit interviews are a must, but they must be run by HR. Your leadership team needs to be upskilled to support and drive all of this.

    8 min

  6. EPISODE 6

    S7 E6- Build your Core-Develop your leaders - 3 key steps to success with Lisa Askwith

    E6- Build your Core-Develop your leaders - 3 key steps to success Develop your leaders- a recent study by Indeed showed that only 11% of businesses felt they had a strong or very strong leadership team bench strength!!!!! This is scary- think about what this means for not just your business outcomes but for your core- your people? They simply can’t be in a great space. When it comes to getting the people right in your business and really capitalizing on your greatest asset, there are several areas you need to address. Part 2 is focusing on your leadership team, and what they need to be capable of to be able to actually support your people and achieve success through engaging them rather than demotivating them. Leadership buy in and support must be created- this is key otherwise you will just be wasting your money on training programs. Use 360 degree studies and culture surveys. Next 3 key leadership development steps for any business Core behavioral skills- these are what will engage your people and start on the right footing- use Grow first, and focus in on learning the situational open questioning style Authenticity and servant leadership. Encourage your leaders and show them how to use their ‘stories’ in order to engage your people through empathy and emotion. Move to an agile or growth mindset. Ensure you leaders are trained in an Agile or Growth mindset, this is key for success over the long term, and being able to embrace and work with change. Great news is these programs can be cascaded down the organisation and should be to really capitalise on people engagement and success. Your leaders are also subject matter experts- use them this way and encourage them to also run their own training programs- you will be amazed at the walls this breaks down and the value it brings. Structure these core points into your KPIs, and also your vision and mission, plus behaviour goals- this is a must to ensure it is alive in your business Put cross functional teams under the leadership KPI’s to ensure this is all kept alive in your business

    13 min

  7. EPISODE 7

    S7 E7 Build your Core-Develop your People with Lisa Askwith

    E7 Build your Core-Develop your People Your people are impacted by a fast paced changing workplace, hence their needs have correspondingly changed, and will continue to evolve, so my aim is to keep you ahead of the curve by putting your people at the center of your business equation, by fully engaging them for your, and their success. This is what takes a business to the levels of great, and what I can help you achieve. You need some great people strategies in place that are backed by exceptional leaders that can take your culture to higher levels of success. We know your people will leave you quickly today if they are not engaged, but what does this really mean for you as a business? If you have a new hire you need to focus on engagement and development from day 1- This focus is equally important for existing staff, and if you are not doing it now, you really need to start! Open training and development backed by a clear career path is key. This training needs to be optional, supported, and easily accessible. To help develop your people you need your leaders support and endorsement, to help you achieve this some key tips are; Strong leadership in place that is focused on developing a support and positive people culture- regular 360 degree feedback and culture surveys Consistent and constant leadership training that reflects the company values, culture and empathic leadership Visible leaders Leaders walking the talk Available leaders- working teams can help with this A living breathing culture that is distributed through all parts of the business Regular open communication with management Regular praise and recognition from management Psychological safety Space to try new ideas and be supported Focus on developing a learning culture Transparent and clear performance management systems that allow your people to be in control of their output. Develop low cost high impact training programs- Most of these can be done internally. The 2 key parts of training; Job Demands- often technical training Should support business needs and growth Should be broad where possible, Should be part of the JD steps and growth Career Development This should include not just the next step training but a large range of soft skills and optional training. This not only improves your people and allows them to develop, but engages them to stay.

    13 min

  8. EPISODE 8

    S7 E8 Build your Core-Ensure your strategy and culture are Symbiotic not cannibalistic! - 4 steps to successful integration with Lisa Askwith

    E8 Build your Core-Ensure your strategy and culture are Symbiotic not cannibalistic! - 4 steps to successful integration To build your core you need to set a true playing field for success. So in part 1 we looked at understanding that your people want and structuring accordingly, in part 2 and 3 we looked at developing your leaders, the crucial link for success and then developing your people. Now we need to further strengthen your playing field for success and ensure your culture is not only positive but that it works with not against your strategy. Step 1 Use Culture Surveys and 360 degree leadership feedback to diagnose where you are now Must be synergistic for success- review your culture now, really ask what it is, does it exist, is it positive……or is it something you prefer not to think about….if that’s the case then you need to start looking more deeply, and thinking about if a culture survey is needed to really start to dig into the problems. If your culture and strategy diverge, it does untold damage, as you will find the core of your people live in the culture piece and are influenced by it strongly. Your leadership team lives mostly in the strategy piece. So you can see if your leaders are focussing on strategy and it does not match your culture you are going to have a massive problem with getting anything done, and particularly with getting it done well or in a way that allows the company to excel and fight off the competition. Step 2 Set up your key indicators to diagnose where the issues are in conjunction with the results from Step 1 1- Exit interviews 2- Staff turn over 3- Length of average staff stay 4- Length of stay post training 5- Leadership feedback 6- Culture feedback 7- Have anonymous feedback channel Step 3 Clarify the issues and plan solutions 1- Gain agreement from the leadership team on exact issues 2- Fact check these issues with a working group from the people in the business 3- Compare the answers for both and decide on the most pressing issues to solve 4- Set up working teams from across the business with only 1 or 2 leadership members to help support and carry through recommendations 5- Make these 3 monthly rolling projects and drive success. Step 4 1- Make culture review part of the leadership team's responsibility and KPIS 2- Culture must be part of the quarterly leadership reviews- including the key indicators from Step 2 3- Consider a yearly culture initiative run by a working team form across the business 4- Ensure culture needs are embedded in all documentation and strategy Shows ● Previous: Episode 1 Season 7 - Recruitment 101- Engaging your People for Success ● Next: Episode 3 Season 7- Strategy and Culture Alignment for Business Sustainability- Engaging your People for Success Written by Lisa Askwith Director of ApexBRS | ApexBRS, Regional Director of See Global Media, Chair of EGN Singapore, and Associate Professor Cambridge Corporate University | At the Age of Change, providing the HR component of the Global Executive MBA and BBA. Lisa has worked for some of the largest companies in the world and successfully led restructures and change management programs in order to improve the bottom line through engaging the people for success, while developing exceptional leaders who can make a positive impact on Culture and long term business sustainability. You can connect with Lisa on any of her platforms LinkedIn Lisa Askwith - Director - Apex BRS https://www.apexbrs.com/ https://www.facebook.com/ApexBRS Shows Subscribe to Engaging Your People for Success podcasts To Book a free 45 Minute Discovery call- https://calendly.com/lisa-apexbrs/45min To Book a 1 hour Consultation call- https://calendly.com/lisa-apexbrs/consultation-call

    13 min
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About

People are the greatest asset any business has, and all too often they are overlooked and forgotten. It's time you utilised your biggest asset to its fullest extent, don't let your company suffer. Join me weekly for 'Engaging your People for Success' and learn all the many ways in which you can successfully engage your people, developing a massive positive shift in your business, and helping it achieve more than you imagined. The best thing is, when you do this well, not only is it really rewarding, and often fun, but your business becomes sustainable and future proof. Make your business the best it can be, and join me weekly on Thursdays for 'Engaging your People for Success' Each episode has additional written information your might find helpful. Here is a complete listing of Show Notes. Want to continue the conversation? Add your thoughts in the comments section available at the bottom of each page of notes on the site. Simply click "read more" and let's get the conversations started! Catch this show onDemand by downloading the IBGR Business Growth Radio App for Android and iOS and gain access to even more great resources. Find the IBGR Business Growth Radio App on Google Play and in the Apple App Store. Listen to Lisa on the IBGR Business Growth Radio App.

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