KeenHire Blog by Margaret Graziano

Conscious Hiring: An Operationally Efficient Sales Hiring Process That Gleans World-Class Results

As business leaders of scaling organizations you know that the success of your organization  depends on the quality of the people inside. KeenHire Talent Management’s Conscious-Hiring webinar enables you to learn how to identify the right people for the right roles directly impacting your ability to achieve corporate sales objectives.

Registration for Conscious Hiring Webinar is FREE

Date: August 2, 2011

Time: 10:30 - 12:00 PST

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW!

During this high-powered webinar you change the way you think about your employees' impact on your business while raising your level of expertise and control in choosing your sales team wisely.

By engaging in this Conscious Hiring process you hone in on the key elements it takes to produce consistent sales results in your sales organization and you learn to identify the core sales behaviors, values and competencies needed to achieve those results reliably over time.

You walk away with:
1. A blueprint for creating a highly effective Conscious-Hiring process
2. Insight into Role Analysis, and why it is the key to effective sales hiring
4. Understand how & why to use psychometric assessment tools
5. Review Behavioral Interviewing techniques; the when, why and how

 

The Expert

Margaret Graziano is a torch bearer in the Staffing and Recruitment industry. Her visionary ability, astute knowledge of full life cycle Talent Management and her tenure in the field, positions her far ahead of the Human Capital innovation curve. In the early 2000's Graziano shifted her mindset from recruiter working to make a placements to consultant committed to building extraordinary workforces. She added a talent management division to her staffing operation, adopted a world-class conscious hiring and placement process and significantly invested in her own personal and professional development. She utilizes her certifications in Organizational Development, Behavioral Interviewing, Psychometric Assessment usage, Role Analysis and Employee Retention to create curriculum and programs that elevate KeenHire's customers' ability to hire and retain the right people.

REGISTER NOW!

Can't make the webinar, visit the KeenHire on line store and purchase tools, workbooks, scripts, manuals, assessments, CD's, DVD's, books and more!

KeenHire Opening For HR, Sales And Marketing Administrator

 You are an articulate, upbeat and professional minded and business Administrator with strong attention to detail, excellent written and verbal communication skills and comprehensive Microsoft office expertise. You thrive in a role where you are supporting busy Sales Executives in a customer-facing environment, where you are responsible to ensure that all service commitments made to the customer are  properly executed on time and on budget. You have the ability to work remote and also enjoy coming into an office at least 50% of the time and working with a dynamic professional team.

We are KeenHire Talent Management; we provide Keenhire’s innovative best of class recruitment and retention solutions to growing organizations where hiring the RIGHT mission critical, key contributor and leadership talent for the right roles for the right price is imperative to their success.

As the core Sales, Marketing and HR Administrator for KeenHire Talent Management you are a key member of our internal team and are 100% responsible for completing effective, accurate and timely communications both internally and externally including yet not limited to the HR, Sales and Marketing arena.

Applying the Win/Win principle to the “War” for Talent

As the business-news media competes for our attention by flashing information on the impending talent shortage, some of us listen with a keen ear while others turn to more urgent, pressing issues. After 22+ years in the human resources business, I don’t need the media to tell me there is going to be a problem; I already feel it in my bones, similar to how my grandfather used to know it was going to rain by his knees aching. When your business is the business of finding talent you are the first to feel ANY inkling of change in the marketplace. Although I may feel like I run a best-in-class business, and I may have evidence that I know how to skin the cat better than the competitor, KeenHire is all the more faced with the challenge of locating new talent for myself and my clients in a diminishing talent pool marketplace.

The looming & ‘impending’ talent shortage seems to be creeping up right from under us. KeenHire has more specified search requests than we have had in 5 years. As companies proactively deal with succession planning and building bench strength, we are seeing salaries going up, qualifications becoming more stringent, and expected outcomes for the candidates showing up as more measurable as well as difference making. All this with less people to chose from makes for a very competitive market place for employers and candidates alike.

So how does a company who has ambitious goals compete for talent in the midst of a WAR for it?

You could outsource. You could offshore. You could take on employing the at-home passive work force, like Jet Blue and Southwest. You could take on hiring the flexible work force, students, retirees and parents. You could home grow your talent, become a farm club of sorts, which many of my clients are doing very successfully. You could pay large retainers and then wait while the search firm does the searching. You could develop your company as an employer of choice where 'win/win' is the norm; where people feel they are not just serving your corporation's needs, but their needs are getting fulfilled as well.

Top 10 Reasons Small Businesses Fail by Jay Goltz

 Written by Jay Goltz 

The New York Times - Wed Jan 5th, 2011 3:00 AM EST 

 

"One of the least understood aspects of entrepreneurship is why small businesses fail, and there's a simple reason for the confusion: Most of the evidence comes from the entrepreneurs themselves.

I have had a close-up view of numerous business failures -- including a few start-ups of my own. And from my observation, the reasons for failure cited by the owners are frequently off-point, which kind of makes sense when you think about it. If the owners really knew what they were doing wrong, they might have been able to fix the problem. Often, it's simply a matter of denial or of not knowing what you don't know.

In many cases, the customers -- or, I should say, ex-customers -- have a better understanding than the owners of what wasn't working. The usual suspects that the owners tend to blame are the bank, the government, or the idiot partner. Rarely does the owner's finger point at the owner. Of course, there are cases where something out of the owner's control has gone terribly wrong, but I have found those instances to be in the minority. What follows -- based on my own experiences and observations -- are my top 10 reasons small businesses fail. The list is not pretty, it is not simple, and it does not contain any of those usual suspects (although they might come in at Nos. 11, 12 and 13).

1. The math just doesn't work. There is not enough demand for the product or service at a price that will produce a profit for the company. This, for example, would include a start-up trying to compete against Best Buy and its economies of scale.

2. Owners who cannot get out of their own way. They may be stubborn, risk adverse, conflict adverse -- meaning they need to be liked by everyone (even employees and vendors who can't do their jobs). They may be perfectionist, greedy, self-righteous, paranoid, indignant, or insecure. You get the idea. Sometimes, you can even tell these owners the problem, and they will recognize that you are right -- but continue to make the same mistakes over and over.

3. Out-of-control growth. This one might be the saddest of all reasons for failure -- a successful business that is ruined by over-expansion. This would include moving into markets that are not as profitable, experiencing growing pains that damage the business, or borrowing too much money in an attempt to keep growth at a particular rate. Sometimes less is more.

4. Poor accounting. You cannot be in control of a business if you don't know what is going on. With bad numbers, or no numbers, a company is flying blind, and it happens all of the time. Why? For one thing, it is a common -- and disastrous -- misconception that an outside accounting firm hired primarily to do the taxes will keep watch over the business. In reality, that is the job of the chief financial officer, one of the many hats an entrepreneur has to wear until a real one is hired.

5. Lack of a cash cushion. If we have learned anything from this recession (I know it's "over" but my customers don't seem to have gotten the memo), it's that business is cyclical and that bad things can and will happen over time -- the loss of an important customer or critical employee, the arrival of a new competitor, the filing of a lawsuit. These things can all stress the finances of a company. If that company is already out of cash (and borrowing potential), it may not be able to recover.

6. Operational mediocrity. I have never met a business owner who described his or her operation as mediocre. But we can't all be above average. Repeat and referral business is critical for most businesses, as is some degree of marketing (depending on the business).

7. Operational inefficiencies. Paying too much for rent, labor, and materials. Now more than ever, the lean companies are at an advantage. Not having the tenacity or stomach to negotiate terms that are reflective of today's economy may leave a company uncompetitive.

8. Dysfunctional management. Lack of focus, vision, planning, standards and everything else that goes into good management. Throw fighting partners or unhappy relatives into the mix, and you have a disaster.

9. The lack of a succession plan. We're talking nepotism, power struggles, significant players being replaced by people who are in over their heads -- all reasons many family businesses do not make it to the next generation.

10. A declining market. Book stores, music stores, printing businesses and many others are dealing with changes in technology, consumer demand, and competition from huge companies with more buying power and advertising dollars.

In life, you may have forgiving friends and relatives, but entrepreneurship is rarely forgiving. Eventually, everything shows up in the soup. If people don't like the soup, employees stop working for you, and customers stop doing business with you. And that is why businesses fail.

Jay Goltz owns five small businesses in Chicago."

 

As found on Yahoo.com. What do you think? Does business success depend on situational circumstance or are there definite traits and signs that point towards a successful endeavor?

 

Maximize Your Effectiveness with the Success Factor

The Premise
You are the sum of the results produce in life. While some like to point to luck being at play when great success is reached. I say luck is what happens when hard work and preparation meet opportunity and inspired action.

This high-energy, collaborative program highlights the drivers and levers that bring long-term personal and business success.

If YOU are really the source of your own success it is powerful to take a look at how that success happens.

The thoughts you have, the beliefs you hold, the actions your take, the people you surround yourself with, what you spend your money on and how you spend your free time is all about your choices; and your choices determine your outcomes. 

Explore and create a vision for yourself and your future that it inspires you to take the actions that lead to success.  Click here to Register NOW

The Program

•    You to the 5th power

•    Engaging Risk

•    Making the Right Choices

•    Being Unstoppable

•    Commitment – Living inside a context for winning

The Takeaways

1. Goal setting tools that turn ideas into action

2. Actionable activities that sharpen your saw

3. Heightened awareness of what stops you and how to cut that off at the pass 

4. Self Management strategies that eliminate time bandits and unworthy distraction

5. Resources to maximize your strengths

The Expert  

At 21, single mother Margaret Graziano had a tough choice to make: to fight for child support or try supporting her family with a straight commission sales job. She chose the latter and never looked back. Graziano began her personnel career as an employment consultant earning a six dollar an hour draw and within 10 years, had opened her own staffing agency. In testament to her business savvy she has established a client base stemming from 80% repeat business, earned more than $5,000,000 in personal “desk production” income, and placed more than 2,000 candidates in direct hire positions with a 98% placement satisfaction rating.

 

Want to Bring a KeenHire Consultant In-house for Training? Call Today! 1-888-533-6447

 

Registration

Virtual Courses consist of 6 weekly 1 hour sessions and begin on Monday evening June 14, August 9, October 4 at 6:00 pst and costs $299.00 per person. Save 30% overall when you register 3 or more participants. Click NOW to Register.

Emerging Leaders Immersion Training

The Premise
If you are new to the responsibility of Managing people, process or systems and your company requires an efficient and effective use of their resources this hands on Management immersion training program is for you.

This high-energy, collaborative program hones in on the fundamentals of managing your team, maximizing your effectiveness and building a high performance team. Click here to register NOW!

The Program
•    Workplace Strengths Awareness
•    Delegating Authority
•    Accountability
•    Personal Productivity
•    Hiring the Right People

•    Motivating and Inspiring your team
•    Performance Management
•    Navigating through your Role as Manager and Key Contributor

 
The Takeaways
1. You gain power and prowess in your ability to lead
2. You walk away embracing your managerial role
3. You learn systematic methods to maximize productivity  

4. You get a process for hiring, on boarding and managing your team
5. You focus on building and strengthening on your and your teams X-Factor

The Expert
Margo coaches business leaders on building strategic minded stakeholder centric organizations. Her expertise in Strategic planning and Organizational effectiveness position her in a senior level Executive advisory role. She has developed proprietary work-flow process, training and tools that enable her customers to implement Conscious-hiring protocols, High performing Recruitment initiatives, Employee Retention and Leadership development.

 

Want to Bring a KeenHire Consultant In-house? Call Today! 1-888-533-6447

 

Registration

Virtual Courses consist of 8 weekly 90 minute sessions and begin on Monday mornings June 14, August 30, October 11 at 9:00 a.m. pst and costs $399.00 per person. Save 30% overall when you register 3 or more participants. Click here NOW to register.

 

follow me on twitter - @keenmargo

 

You Are The Sum Of The 5 People You Spend Your Time With

Sometimes that statement makes me cringe. If that statement is a true one, we all best be very selective with who we chose to call our friend and who we chose to give our time to.

I make friends easily. On planes, on trains, in cars, in bars, in courses, on horses, at lunch, upon a hunch, through my boys, because of my sporting toys..... it seems no matter where I go I come back with new friends. The real question for me to answer is, "How do I feel when I am on my way home from being with these people I am calling friends?".

Do I feel energized, powerful and giddy or am I drained and exhausted? Are my friends and business partners feeding my spirit or sucking the life out of me?  Do they give what they take, or do they just take. 

Do we share values, beliefs and commitments? Or do we share partying and fun over cocktails and gossip?

The naked truth at times hurts. Sometimes even people I have known and loved for a decade need to take a back seat because they are stealing my energy, time and in some cases my spirit. 

One of my new friends and inspirations is a  man named Michael Nila, Michael is the CEO of Guardian Quest. When we met we discussed everything from spiritual matters, leadership, parenting, sex, business and family.  I was sharing with Michael my dilemma of as I get busier and have less time, how selective I need to be with what I do with my time. He says purging is part of life. Sometimes you see people because of the family connection, other times because of a deep bond and a need to be with that person, other times it is to fill in the space or out of obligation.  The key is evaluate, assess, weigh the pros and cons of having certain people in your life.  Sometimes when there are people who I am around out of guilt or fear they limit who else comes into my life and the time I would have to nurture the right relationships is wasted and misused.  WOW, it seems pretty much like the coaching I give to hiring managers and business leaders on choosing their talent wisely.  When the student is ready the teacher appears.

Michael believes that Magic moments are what ties people together and builds foundational bonds. Sharing things that matter, like life training programs, family events, kids sporting games, life losses, charity events, spiritual awakenings and uplifting adventures. He said that the ability to communicate good, bad, happy, sad, real feelings is critical. As he was speaking I kept checking in with myself for how I was interpreting his words. The thought that kept popping up was shared values. Common bonds, common life experiences, aligned beliefs, similar work ethics and missions in life. 

It is a lot like hiring, right?  You are the sum of the 5 people you surround yourself with in business. Are you surrounding yourself with challenging people who will up the ante or are you surrounding yourself with people who are happy just to have a place to call home?

My conversation with Michael was very timely, actually perfect as I plan for 2010.  I chose ideal friendships, and ideal lover, ideal business partners, ideal employees and ideal customers, people of depth, purpose and passion.  People who will call me to be at my best. 

Cha Ching - Ring in the New Year!

Best of Success in 2010

Margo

The Law of Attraction or is it Detraction ? It's Your Call....Choose Wisely!

Just know what you’re choosing. When I first learned about the law of attraction, it was from my coach Jeanna Gabellini, and it was before The Secret came out. While I highly enjoyed the movie The Secret, it was only an introduction to the work of the law of attraction; and there is a lot more to it.  In my conversations with recruiters, staffing people, men and women about the job and about life; it seems, at times as if people are confused about what the law is and how to make it really work in their life, on a regular basis. Theoretically it is easy, be positive, think positive and take positive actions and positive things happen, you stay healthier, happier and life just works.

Where people break down is not in the thinking positively part, they break down when they are unconscious to their negative energy and how it blocks off things like love, openness and possibility (and that impacts making deals).

To take a deeper cut, let me hone in by saying what the law of attraction is not. It is not about saying what you don't want. It is not about complaining and whining about what is missing from your life, or from your candidate pool or from your relationship, or from your dating pool. It is not about telling everyone what a bad person you used to work for or used to be married to; it is not about complaining about the impending election, global warming or the economy.

The only thing you can attract when you are worried or concerned or pissed off is more of that. Like attracts like, so when you’re vibrating negative energy you cause more things to worry about, more things to be concerned about and more things to piss you off. Now who would really want that? No one would consciously choose that, so why do we?  We choose it because at our core we do not have any real concept about the negative impact of negative energy and if we did have a real understanding about the impact of manifesting negative energy we would not allow ourselves to vibrate negatively for very long at all. We would get angry, be angry for as long as we needed to feel that we did our anger justice and then we would get over it as fast as we could and then we would stop talking about it.

I think we get caught up on automatic pilot, in our story, in our righteousness, in our defense mechanisms all we can see or hear are words and signs that validate our position and temporarily it makes us feel good and justified. When someone comes along and says, could you look at this differently….often a first reaction is to think we are being ganged up on, not empathized with, or that someone is judging us; when in reality it might just be their attempt at shifting our negative vibration to a positive or neutral place.  

To make my point clear, think of a time when you were badly hurt and you got angry. Feel the sensation of that anger, where does it reside in your body, how does it make you feel, what kind of thoughts are you having? For me, when I vibrate negatively the impact is not only hard on me it is hard for everyone around me. My fixed way of reacting when I feel someone is taking advantage of me is to get defensive and angry. Before I know it, I get a knot in my belly, my throat gets hot and I go from happy go lucky to crabby patty in an instant. Can you image if I picked up a call and tried to sell something, or showed up on  a date like that. Well I have and needless to say it didn’t go well.  

Becoming A Certified Coach Through CTI

Coaching is a relatively new field, there are some wacky wafers out there calling themselves coaches and there are some extraordinary human beings out there coaching extraordinary people. I have had both and I have paid thousands of dollars and had to learn over time which is which.

I have always, okay for the last 8 years I have had a 'dream' of creating an Executive Retreat Center in the mountains or foothills of Marin County, CA. My sanctuary will be a place where business leaders come and rejuvenate their mind, body and spirit. We will have an organic chef, have plenty of daily fitness excursions and have a transformational leadership curriculum that brings business leaders back to purpose, freedom and peace of mind.

Yesterday I attended my 1st day of my 2nd course at CTI's (Coaches Training Institute)corporate office in San Rafael, CA. As I was sitting in the room and the instructor took us twenty years in the future through a powerful visioning exercise; I found myself in Marin, in a beautiful place with a large foyer, a great man by my side, 2 welcoming dogs and 18 bedrooms nestled on the side of foothill. Maybe it was because the vision exercise took place right in the middle of it - maybe not. My future in twenty years was crystal clear, I had accomplished my dream and I was totally at peace and happy.  

Coaching exists in many forms and there are many specialties; Executive Coaching, Career Coaching, Triathlon Coaching, Financial Abundance Coaching, Law of Attraction Coaching, Relationship Coaching, Dating Coaching, Parenting Coaching, and more. Who could not use all of the above? If you have heard me speak publicly then you know that I have had business and personal coaches for the past 10 years and that those folks, the ones I have stayed with for a period of time have been a major source or a conduit for me to source my power.

Being 100% Responsible For Making A Difference

When I am being accountable to who I say that I am - Life Works. And when I am not ....well go figure - life's a struggle.

When I sold my business - I did it for the purpose of living my life at choice and pursuing my passion.  While running a staffing firm was a fabulous business opportunity, and an excellent training ground for life, it wasn't my true calling.  In 1996 when I took the Landmark Forum I realized that a true self expression of 'Margo' was training & development, consulting and coaching. I saw the future of me guiding, training and coaching people & companies in the staffing and recruiting industry. I visioned ways we as an industry could transform the workplace and be conduits for employment empowerment. I have spent the better part of the past 12 years preparing for this through taking courses and participating in programs that would glean me Organizational Development, Retention & Coaching Certifications.

As I embark on living my life by design..I face a whole new world of possibility and power.