An in-depth survey of women in leadership roles at the Am Law 100, the largest U.S. law firms, finds the glass ceiling largely intact. When I read reports like this I wonder whether women leaders in this position should launch out on their own? Why press your nose against the glass when collaboration could transpire elsewhere?

ALM’s The American Lawyer reports that nearly 80 percent of respondents have a governing committee with two or fewer women members; 42 percent have only one woman member. Full results of the survey, which also looks at females serving as managing partners and chairs, as practice group and office leaders, and as compensation and other governance committee members, appears in the January issue and online at http://americanlawyer.com.

“The American Lawyer’s Survey of Women Leaders Finds Big Firms’ Glass Ceilings Largely Intact”

Several firms had at least one governing committee with no women partners: Bryan Cave, Cahill Gordon & Reindel, Chadbourne & Parke, Davis Polk & Wardwell, Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, Proskauer Rose, and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz.

At the other end of the spectrum, women partners at Fulbright & Jaworski, Reed Smith, and Shook, Hardy & Bacon made up more than a third, sometimes half, of a governing or compensation committee, with a critical mass of three or more seats on each. Arnold & Porter, Cozen O’Connor, Schulte Roth & Zabel and Sutherland Asbill & Brennan reported 33 percent female membership on their smallest governing committee. Ninety-two firms responded to The American Lawyer’ s survey.

Many of the twenty-eight firm leaders and partners who were interviewed proposed explanations for the sorry state of women in leadership. However, as Senior Reporter Amy Kolz wrote, “Almost all raised a theory of law firm relativity: We know that we should have more women in leadership positions, but we’re no worse than our peers.” Really? In my view, as long as women tolerate imbalance, imbalance will continue.

Besides the survey tables and analyses, the issue includes an exploration of why women partners have fared better at one-tier firms and a look back at a group of high-powered women litigators whose careers were launched by the Baxter Pharmaceuticals breast implant case.

The key is understanding the principles of collaboration and building a firm around notions of equality — which, by definition would be a flatter structure with less hierarchy and opportunity for group think abuse.

Copyright TIGERS Success Series by Dianne Crampton

About TIGERS Success Series

TIGERS Success Series is a team development consultancy based on 6 core principles that anchor high performance team dynamics. These principles are trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. TIGERS offers licensing and certification to team building trainers and consultants interested in expanding their practice to serve organizational leaders from the break room to the boardroom. Learn more by scheduling a business call.

Michael-Logan, 14, was named one of America’s top 10 youth volunteers of 2013 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards during the program’s 18th annual national award ceremony at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Selected from a field of more than 28,000 youth volunteers from across the country, Michael-Logan has earned the title of National Honoree, along with a personal award of $5,000, an engraved gold medallion, a crystal trophy for his school, and a $5,000 grant from The Prudential Foundation for a nonprofit charitable organization of his choice.

“They have learned early that their contributions can make a real difference, and there is no limit to the great things they can achieve.”

Also honored this week in Washington, D.C., was Brittany Amano, 15, of Honolulu. Brittany and Michael-Logan were named Hawaii’s top youth volunteers in February, and were officially recognized last night at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History along with the top two youth volunteers in each other state and the District of Columbia. At that event, each of the 102 State Honorees for 2013 received $1,000 awards as well as personal congratulations from Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey and Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix. The honorees each also received engraved silver medallions and all-expense-paid trips with a parent to Washington, D.C., for this week’s recognition events.

Michael-Logan, an eighth-grader at Kailua Intermediate School, has donated all of his birthday gifts for the past eight years to children in need; collected Christmas cards, clothing and other items for wounded soldiers; and raised more than $10,000 for the National Arthritis Foundation. Michael-Logan’s interest in volunteering stems in part from being afflicted with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. “There is not a day that goes by that I’m not in some amount of pain,” he said. “However, that pain seems a little easier to bear when I’m focusing on helping others.” When he was in kindergarten, he started working with his parents at a local Toys for Tots warehouse. “It broke my heart to know that some children wouldn’t receive gifts for Christmas without the generosity of others,” he said.

As a result, he vowed to donate his birthday presents each year to Toys for Tots. Then, when his father’s Marine unit was deployed to Iraq, Michael-Logan enlisted his classmates’ help in making and stuffing more than 400 Christmas stockings for the soldiers in his unit. He also volunteers at the veteran’s homeless shelter, the Lokahi Giving Project and the Armed Services YMCA. For the past five years, Michael-Logan has participated in the Arthritis Foundation Walk, raising more than $10,000 last year. Michael-Logan also works with at-risk kids and speaks at elementary schools about his disease, healthy eating habits and bullying. In recognition of all his volunteering, the mayor of his town designated May 4, 2012 “Michael-Logan Jordan Day.”

Brittany, a sophomore at ‘Iolani School, began volunteering to help feed the hungry when she was just 10, and later founded a nonprofit organization that has assisted people in need both in her community and as far away as Africa. The impetus for Brittany’s volunteerism was her grandmother, who became homeless when Brittany was 8 years old. “I wanted to help the people who helped my grandma get back on her feet,” says Brittany. When she found out that her church helped feed the homeless, Brittany wanted to get involved.

She began by serving three meals a week at her church to 300 homeless people and helping out at local food banks. She then started a food drive that raised over 800 pounds of food and a recycling drive that contributed $700 for a homeless shelter. Realizing her community had other needs as well, she provided school supplies and Christmas presents to disadvantaged children, and tutored students learning English as a second language. After setting up her own nonprofit called “Hawaii’s Future Isn’t Hungry,” Brittany sold lemonade to provide 30 malaria nets in Africa, conducted book drives, cleaned beaches and raised money for tsunami victims in Japan and collected over 42,000 pounds of food. As a member of her school’s Key Club, she has helped raise funds for tetanus medication and a pediatric trauma center, prepare care packages for children of deployed soldiers, and put together goody bags for the graduates of an alcohol abuse program. Last year, she joined the YWCA Young Women’s Network Board and helped recruit women voters, provide high school girls with leadership training, and supervise children for eight weeks at a day camp for the YMCA.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards is a nationwide youth volunteer recognition program sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

“We commend these honorees not only for the impact of their service and their spirit of giving, but also for inspiring others to consider that they can make a difference, too,” said John Strangfeld, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, Inc. “We congratulate this extraordinary group of youth volunteers.”

“These students are fine examples of what is possible when young people roll up their sleeves and commit themselves to helping others,” said Denise Greene-Wilkinson, president of NASSP. “They have learned early that their contributions can make a real difference, and there is no limit to the great things they can achieve.”

In addition to Michael-Logan, the other 2013 National Honorees are:

Allyson Ahlstrom, 17, of Santa Rosa, Calif., a senior at Cardinal Newman High School, created a full-service clothing boutique that has allowed 250 girls in need to each pick out two brand-new outfits for free over the past three years.

Emma Astrike-Davis, 16, of Durham, N.C., a junior at Cary Academy, founded a program five years ago that has recruited hundreds of students in several schools to create more than 1,000 pieces of art for terminally ill patients in hospice centers, nursing homes and VA hospitals.

Zachary Certner, 17, of Morristown, N.J., a junior at Morristown High School, co-founded a nonprofit organization that conducts free sports clinics for children with special needs, along with sensitivity training to help other students understand the challenges they face.

Erica LeMere, 14 of Shreveport, La. an eighth-grader at Caddo Parish Middle Magnet School, founded “Erica’s Wish,” a nonprofit foundation that has donated more than $5,000 worth of clothing, books and other items to young patients at a local psychiatric facility.

Louie McGee, 12, of St. Paul, Minn., a sixth-grader at Highland Catholic School, leads a team that has raised more than $40,000 over the past six years by participating in an annual fundraising walk to fight diseases that cause blindness, like the one that afflicts him.

Virginia Newsome, 17, of Lexington, Ky., a senior at Lafayette High School, created a nonprofit organization in 2011 that has donated $50,000 worth of visual and performing arts supplies to schools that cannot afford them.

Teagan Stedman, 13, of Thousand Oaks, Calif., a seventh-grader at Harvard-Westlake School, organized a series of music events and other activities that raised more than $70,000 for pediatric cancer research.

Cassie Wang, 17, of Lenexa, Kan., a senior at Olathe Northwest High School, leveraged her golf skills to raise money for the rebuilding of homes and businesses in Joplin, Mo. after the devastating tornado that struck that city in 2011, and then chaired three blood drives in her community and launched a student-run nonprofit to benefit disaster victims both in Joplin and in China.

Joshua Williams, 12, of Miami Beach, Fla., a seventh-grader at Ransom Everglades School, created a foundation that has distributed more than 475,000 pounds of food to families in need throughout South Florida.

The distinguished selection committee that chose the National Honorees was chaired by Strangfeld and included Greene-Wilkinson of NASSP; Michelle Nunn, CEO of the Points of Light Institute and co-founder of HandsOn Network; Donald T. Floyd, Jr., president and CEO of the National 4-H Council; Jaclyn E. Libowitz, chief administrative officer for Girl Scouts of the USA; James E. Starr, vice president for volunteer management for the American Red Cross; Scott Richardson, research analyst for the Corporation for National and Community Service; Dru Tomlin, director of middle level services for the Association for Middle Level Education; Kate Blosveren, associate director for strategic initiatives for Achieve, Inc.; Renee’ Jackson, manager of school relations and diversity at the National PTA; and two 2012 National Honorees: Neha Gupta, a junior at Pennsbury High School in Fairless Hills, Pa., and Jordyn Schara, a senior at Reedsburg Area High School in Reedsburg, Wis.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program was created in 1995 to identify and recognize young people for outstanding volunteer service – and, in so doing, inspire others to volunteer as well. In the past 18 years, the program has honored more than 100,000 young volunteers at the local, state and national level. Youth volunteers were invited to apply for 2013 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards last fall through schools, Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs and affiliates of the HandsOn Network. More than 28,000 middle level and high school students nationwide participated in this year’s program.

NASSP (National Association of Secondary School Principals) is the leading organization of and national voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and all school leaders from across the United States and more than 38 countries around the world. The association provides research-based professional development and resources, networking, and advocacy to build the capacity of middle level and high school leaders to continually improve student performance. Reflecting its longstanding commitment to student leadership development as well, NASSP administers the National Honor Society™, National Junior Honor Society®, National Elementary Honor Society®, and National Association of Student Councils®. For more information about NASSP, located in Reston, VA, visit www.nassp.org.

Copyright TIGERS Success Series by Dianne Crampton

About TIGERS Success Series

TIGERS Success Series is a team development consultancy based on 6 core principles that anchor high performance team dynamics. These principles are trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. TIGERS offers licensing and certification to team building trainers and consultants interested in expanding their practice to serve organizational leaders from the break room to the boardroom. Learn more.

Are you a consultant stuck on a constant hunt for new clients? Wish you were off the roller-coaster? Complimentary Webinar gives you strategies to up level your business now.

You’ve done it… you’re in business for yourself or are at least seriously thinking about taking the plunge.

You’ve left the corporate 9:00- 5:00 world (nowadays more like 7:00 – 7:00) and have successfully started your own team building, training, consulting, or coaching business. You now choose your own clients, name your own hours, determine your own revenue potential, and most importantly…you are your own boss.

Sounds wonderful right? It is! However, for many business coaches and consultants…being self-employed can be a constant headache or even a nightmare especially when it comes to maintaining a steady stream of income. Many experience the classic “feast or famine cycle” over and over again. When there is business booked, money is flowing; however, when the dreaded dry spell hits…income stops and the bills just keep on a comin.’ Now the consultant scrambles to find his next client and get the income flowing again to pay yesterday’s bills. These business coaches and team builders never get ahead.

So let’s take a closer look at why these individuals suffer from feast and famine cycles and never grow their businesses to where they want it to be.

• No strategic client retention system – When you have an effective, strategic client retention system in place, business coaches spend up to 7 times less money, time, and energy than they do when constantly marketing for new team development clients.

• “Working harder and not smarter” – These business consultants do not have a client management system in place. Deliverables are not clearly defined or the client is not fully committed and the consultant ends up putting in long, arduous hours…. effectively lowering their income. Opportunities are also missed to find clients who are willing to pay handsomely for the team builder’s knowledge and expertise.

• Gaps in current offerings – There is nothing worse than having a client call another consultant when they need a process you don’t offer.  Plain and simple, business is lost to someone else when you should be offering a full-spectrum consulting system that expands your offerings to all levels of client operations.

• No ongoing commitment from clients – Often, consultants haven’t put into place strategies for garnering the highest level of commitment from clients after they complete a program for them. Consultants work hard to win the client’s business only to fall short after they complete their program by not securing reoccurring business from the client. With the right strategies in place, clients will ask the consultant back because they value the scope of services and expertise offered.

• Struggle with the sales process and fee negotiation – Business coaches often lack the skills of “effective client discovery conversations.” They struggle with the initial client interview, provide too much free information, don’t dig deep enough into client pain points and commitment levels, and discount fees to win the project.

• Recreate the wheel with every new client – Many consultants often fail to identify several repeatable processes used with every client so they can effectively serve more clients and develop fewer new programs.

• Don’t Measure Program Results. Business coaches don’t provide enough proof the program funded itself through productivity improvements, cost savings, or increased profits the client can see and measure. Clients are more likely to bring the consultant back again for other projects or refer the consultant to peers when they see proof in their bottom line.

When the right system is in place, team building and consulting practices are structured for ongoing, reoccurring revenue. A proven system will elevate the business consultant’s expertise in the mind of their client, help them secure good fees, and indentify “right fit” clients that are the best match for the consultant.

To learn more about preventing the “feast and famine” cycle of reoccurring income experienced by consultants and business coaches, check out my “Steady Income for Team Builders.”

Expand Your Toolbox and Build Reoccurring Income as a Licensed TIGERS Facilitator

I am looking for dynamic business coaches, internal and external trainers, facilitators, educators, and leadership consultants who want to reduce the “pain points” in their consulting and training businesses. These individuals are searching for proven resources and solutions to take their organization or consulting business to the next level. With opportunities to “brainstorm” with like-minded thought leaders, utilize the proven TIGERS Team Wheel and an arsenal of team-building resource tools, the “royalty free” TIGERS Facilitation Certification is the solution for the right candidates. Don’t stop with personality assessments. Use proven resources and assessment tools that reveal behavioral issues, sources of conflict, undiscovered skill sets, strengths, and weaknesses within a team or organization. If you are a consultant or trainer and fit this scenario, I want to hear from you.

Copyright TIGERS Success Series by Dianne Crampton

About TIGERS Success Series

TIGERS Success Series is a team development consultancy based on 6 core principles that anchor high performance team dynamics. These principles are trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. TIGERS offers licensing and certification to team building trainers and consultants interested in expanding their practice to serve organizational leaders from the break room to the boardroom. .Learn more.

“Last year alone, more than 43,000 of our employees volunteered 468,000 hours of their time. We are pleased to join Points of Light to promote volunteerism and recognize the everyday heroes who embody the best of our nation’s values.”

This year, the conference is being underwritten by JP Morgan Chase. “The thousands of problem-solvers coming to Washington in June have a can-do spirit and a drive to do what we, as Americans, do best,” said Points of Light CEO Michelle Nunn, “Lend a hand, help our neighbors, and build stronger communities. This will be a Conference full of energy – and answers.”

The Conference will feature workshops on:

• Business
• Economic Opportunity
• Excellence in Education
• Faith
• Global Service
• Volunteer Leadership
• National Service
• Emergency Preparedness and Response
• Nonprofit Capacity Building
• Service Innovation
• Veterans and Military Families
• Volunteer Management
• Youth Service and Leadership

“Every day, in thousands of communities around the world, the people of JPMorgan Chase give back to their communities through volunteer work and community service,” said Peter Scher, Executive Vice President and Head of Corporate Responsibility, JPMorgan Chase. “Last year alone, more than 43,000 of our employees volunteered 468,000 hours of their time. We are pleased to join Points of Light to promote volunteerism and recognize the everyday heroes who embody the best of our nation’s values.”

JPMorgan Chase is this year’s title sponsor for the Conference as well as the official sponsor for the economy and military tracks. The company will host the opening plenary session that will feature a presentation of the 5,000^th Daily Point of Light Award. Created by the administration of President George H. W. Bush, the Daily Point of Light Award honors individuals and groups creating meaningful change in communities across America. Each weekday, one volunteer or volunteer effort is recognized with the Daily Point of Light Award.

Here is how you can Nominate a Point of Light in your life.

During the opening plenary, Points of Light, in collaboration with JPMorgan Chase, will launch a new initiative to encourage more Americans to volunteer and help revitalize communities.

For more information on the Conference on Volunteering and Service, visit the website or follow Points of Light on Facebook or Twitter.

JPMorgan Chase Sponsors the Nation’s Largest Conference on Volunteering; 5,000 People Expected in Washington, D.C., June 19-22, 2013

About Points of Light

Points of Light – the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service – mobilizes millions of people to take action that is changing the world. Through affiliates in 250 cities and partnerships with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, Points of Light engages 4 million volunteers in 30 million hours of service each year. We bring the power of volunteers where it’s needed most. For more information, go to www.pointsoflight.org.

Copyright TIGERS Success Series by Dianne Crampton

About TIGERS Success Series

TIGERS Success Series is a team development consultancy based on 6 core principles that anchor high performance team dynamics. These principles are trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. TIGERS offers licensing and certification to team building trainers and consultants interested in expanding team effectiveness both internally and in private practice to serve organizational leaders from the break room to the boardroom. Learn more by scheduling a business call.

How do you know you are hiring the right person for your team? This is the $1,000 question for leaders looking to attract and retain the best employees as companies spark into new growth cycles.

“How important do you feel it is to clean up your online profile (posts, pictures, status updates, etc.) before conducting a job search?”

Monster asked visitors to its U.S. site, “How important do you feel it is to clean up your online profile (posts, pictures, status updates, etc.) before conducting a job search?”, and resulted in the following findings:

• It is very important to clean up my online profile before I look for a job – 64%
• It is somewhat important to clean up my online profile before I look for a job – 9%
• It is slightly important to clean up my online profile before I look for a job – 4%
• It is not at all important to clean up my online profile before I look for a job – 7%
• I do not have an online profile – 16%

“Hiring has always been done, at least in part, on the basis of reputation. These days, reputation is even more important because we all have the power to create our own public persona, using the tools provided by the Internet and social platforms,” said Mary Ellen Slayter, Career Advice Expert for Monster.com. “Be prepared and do some spring cleaning. Use search engines to find out what comes up when you type in your name, and then actively work to build a strong professional image online. An important aspect to help you ‘find better’ is to keep your online resume up to date, and freshen it up as you develop your skills.”

During Kokott’s virtual training session, Klaus will be discussing:

1. A detailed process describing how to effectively conduct an executive search for a ‘key’ employee.
2. An understanding of how to evaluate a company’s culture, its values and its core beliefs.
3. The importance of a clearly written and effective job description tailored specifically for that position.
4. How to effectively interview for ‘Fit’.
5. How to properly execute the on-boarding process for that new team member.

With potential employees scrubbing their profiles, executive search is becoming more strategic.  Kokott’s session is geared toward companies combating high turnover, companies with critical positions to fill, and for recruiters (either internal or external) who struggle to find those ‘highly qualified’ candidates.  ‘Hiring for Fit’ is a process leading to a very robust management team, one without an ‘ego’, but rather a desire to do what it takes to be the best and experiences the successes that come from a cohesive team. Understanding the process and executing the key elements of that process will ensure a company is hiring for fit versus simply hiring to fill.

However, The results of the current Monster Poll are based on votes cast by Monster U.S. site visitors from: March 18 – April 1, 2013. The poll, which received 1,275 responses, is part of the Monster Meter, an ongoing series of online polls that gauge users’ opinions on a variety of topics relating to careers, the economy and the workplace. This poll is not scientific and reflects the opinions of only those Internet users who have chosen to participate.

About Klaus Kocott, and Kokott, Wood & Associates, Inc.

With an exceptional domestic and international retail executive career of nearly 25 years, Klaus provides deep insight into the aptitudes, attitudes, skill sets, experience and track record candidates must display to be successful in their clients’ organizations. Having held positions ranging from accounting staff to VP of Sales & Marketing at Fortune 50 companies, he has either managed or worked alongside professionals in nearly every department and utilizes his functional understanding to ensure candidates grasp the importance and interdependencies of their roles. His leadership skills on major consulting projects for several multi-national growth-oriented retail organizations enabled the successful collaboration of diverse groups and corporate departments, resulting in increased sales, market share and profitability.

His executive roles provide recruiting expertise in retail operations and marketing, sales, project management, strategic plan development and implementation, succession planning, market expansion, and logistics.

With a long-term relationship approach, business orientation and retention-focused mindset, Klaus provides key value to clients. He utilizes social intelligence, behavioral profiling, occupational interests and related assessments to ensure a strong position match.

About Engagement, Retention and Growth: 10 Strategic Solutions for Sustainable Corporate Expansion and Employee Retention May 13- May 24 Training Series

One solution may not address your unique initiatives.  A combination might make more sense to your complex systems.  For this reason, 10 experts in Engagement, Retention & Growth present viable solutions from diverse perspectives such as change management, marketing, training, team development, executive recruitment, employee retention and sales.

To be successful and achieve results for your career and your company, you must master the time-tested secrets of the best companies to work for. Now this is possible with Engagement, Retention and Growth: 10 Strategic Solutions for Sustainable Corporate Expansion and Retention

Three Creeks Publishing identified ten key solutions that you need to know. Each solution is offered in a 30-minute tele-conference over ten business days with recordings of each training available for 24 hours after every event.  Once completed, you will receive audio recordings of the entire event, a downloadable e-book and a perfect bound book for your corporate library. We encourage you to share these resources with your leadership team. Enrollment $99.97

Copyright TIGERS Success Series by Dianne Crampton

Hitting the snooze button too many times because you dread getting up and going into work? Is it just another day filled with undue stress and turmoil? The kind of day that makes you want to tell the boss, “take this job and…. “ well, you know.

For many, this is an everyday occurrence. These individuals mentally prepare themselves each day to walk into a workplace filled with employees and leaders who seem to have zero social skills. They deal with coworkers who are hot tempered, aggressive, and just plain rude. These coworkers are corporate bullies.  And unfortunately, this new culture dynamic of incivility has engulfed way too many workplaces.

Many organizations do not have policies in place to address the issues of incivility and many incidences go unreported because employees fear retaliation or loss of their job.

According to Tony Lacertosa, founder of Peerless Leadership Development Consulting and author of Build Civility and Respect into Your Organization, these warning signs may be an indication of incivility in the workplace:

• Unresponsive employees – employees have stopped caring.
• Arguments – they are erupting everywhere due to poor communication skills and individual power plays
• Low employee morale – productivity and creativity plummets in a disruptive atmosphere
• Absenteeism – employees call in sick more often for “mental health” days and stress related illnesses
• Increased customer service complaints – bottom line: disgruntled employees don’t put much effort into making a customer happy.

These are symptoms of incivility and hostility in the workplace, but just what types of acts are deemed uncivil or bullying? The list is wide and varied, but they range from mental anguish to actual physical hostility to “mobbing”  –  a term we’ll look at in a few moments that was coined by Maureen Duffy and co-author Len Sperry in their book, “Mobbing.” Incivility ranges from minor social infractions to all out abuse and harm. They include:

• not practicing common courtesy with please, thank you, or excuse me
• devaluing others by showing up late for meetings or leaving early
• taking credit for some one’s work
• spreading rumors to sabotage another person
• belittling others publicly instead of offering constructive advice privately
• leaving snippy and snotty voice-mails
• shutting someone out of the team by omitting them from communication loops
• throwing temper tantrums and yelling at subordinates and coworkers
• acts of physical violence evidenced as of late with shootings in the workplace

Mental anguish caused by incivility is bad enough, but let’s take a closer look at the other two – mobbing and physical harm.

Mobbing:

Duffy goes on to say, “While managers are familiar with the idea of bullying, the concept of “mobbing,” is less understood.  “Workplace mobbing” is nonsexual harassment of a coworker by a group. The purpose is to remove the individual from a particular unit or from the larger organization, which may occur through termination, medical leave, or quitting.”

Targeted individuals suffer at the hands of an entire group because of ethnicity, gender, education level, or thought processes that differ from the group. When mobbing happens to a particular individual, they soon find other employees outside the group are ostracizing them as well. Employees avoid the targeted individual because they don’t want to be the next victim. This situation is quite common in layoffs and mergers.

Physical incivility: This is incivility at its most extreme. According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), homicide is the leading cause of death for women in the workplace. OSHA states that many cases of workplace violence go unreported, but that “nearly 2 million American workers report having been victims of workplace violence each year.”

So just what are the consequences for corporations that allow incivility and bullying to continue?

• Retaliatory action by the bullied coworker against the company or person
• Loss of productivity – individuals will only perform at the bare minimum
• Lack of teamwork – every man is out for himself and creativity wanes
• Stress related illnesses – we’re talking serious stuff like high blood pressure, ulcers, etc.
• High employee turnover – bright and talented employees leave for greener pastures where they are appreciated
• Poor customer reviews and loss of customers – this is the day of social media and word spreads fast!
• Lawsuits – these organizations could find their coffers severely hit by the bullied employee who has finally had enough.

Next week, we take a look at how organizations can curb the rise of incivility and bullying in the workplace. Tony also gives an insightful presentation, May 14 on the problems and solutions of incivility in the workplace that you will to tune into.  As Lacertosa so aptly stated, “civility is not about being nice or soft, it’s about working with mutual respect.”

If you would like more insight on incivility and other pressing topics confronting today’s workplace order a copy of Engagement, Retention & Growth. I, along with 9 other thought leaders, explore 10 strategic solutions for sustainable corporate expansion and employee retention. You’ll get actionable advice from highly successful team development consultants, noted authors, HR strategists, marketers, retail and investment executives, and educators. We touch on topics such as hostility in the workplace, effective sales techniques, engaging employees, team development strategies, innovative hiring methods, conducting productive meetings, and more.

Copyright TIGERS Success Series by Dianne Crampton

About TIGERS Success Series

TIGERS Success Series is a team development consultancy based on 6 core principles that anchor high performance team dynamics. These principles are trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success.

TIGERS offers licensing and certification to team building trainers and consultants interested in expanding their practice to serve organizational leaders from the break room to the boardroom. .Learn more.

Being an independent contractor brings so many freedoms – but comes with a lot of extra baggage that leaves many feeling stuck and isolated as they grow their businesses.

• One-off engagements leave you scrambling to get new clients
• It’s difficult to prove to clients that your work has brought them concrete savings – or profits
• Royalty-based training systems and fixed pricing structures severely limit your earning power
• Multiple trainers and consultants offering just one different team-building system leave clients with a “flavor of the month” feeling that damages credibility
• Team builders thrive in community… but are left to fend for themselves by other team builders with a dog-eat-dog mentality.

There is a better way though – one that can get you off the roller coaster of rising and plummeting revenues and get you in touch with collaborative, growth-oriented colleagues. It starts by viewing our complimentary Webinar on How To Avoid The 3 Big Mistakes that Keep Your Practice Half Full.

Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.

Noted author and leadership expert, John C. Maxwell, nailed it right on the head with this expression.  And nothing could be farther from the truth in today’s workplace.  Change is already happening whether executives and employees choose to acknowledge it or not.

Organizations embracing change due to the “new” economy born from the “Great Recession” will leave companies who choose to bury their heads in the sand in their wake. And just how are these innovative organizations handling the inevitable change? They are tapping a valuable resource – their ,  are engaging these employees to champion the change.

Employees work with customers and vendors on a daily basis. They are up close and personal with customer frustrations and they know which processes work and which don’t in their departments. They see things managers and leaders have forgotten about or won’t ever experience because they are so far removed from the front line.

Sadly, only a handful of organizations are truly successful at engaging their employees and creating a dynamic workplace. They welcome employee input, keep communication lines open, divulge the company mission so everyone is on the same page, and don’t tolerate incivility in the workplace.

Unfortunately, most organizations are guilty of blocking their own punts which mean ideas from employees never make to the goal line. After a while, disheartened employees don’t even try. So just what is the common denominator that keeps employees from engaging in organizational or corporate change?

Fear.

Here’s why. People don’t forget negative past experiences.  An employee shut down by a harried or controlling manager doesn’t forget the experience.  So why would the employee open themselves to rejection or humiliation again?

Here are some of the most common reasons why good ideas never get from employee to manager:

Saving Face – Employees have great ideas. However, they also have their pride and will avoid risk and embarrassment at all costs. Most people won’t put themselves out on a limb and face the real possibility of looking inadequate or ridiculous to a manager. Putting an idea on the table also means the employee may be asked to explain it in depth or worse…make a presentation to higher ups. They fear not being able to answer difficult questions and then have the idea literally dismissed with a wave of the hand.

It’s just a waste of time anyway: The idea is good and the manager knows it. The idea gets presented through the proper channels and standard protocols. Meetings are held and the employee gets excited because real change in their position or department is being addressed head on.

And then….nothing. The employee never hears what happened to their idea. It literally disappears into thin air. This employee will likely never contribute an idea again.

No clue as to the organization’s mission: Organizations with no clear mission or business strategy silence their employees. If employees aren’t presented with the company’s goals or directives, they have little chance of contributing new ideas or initiatives to a manager.  Without a clear vision of where the company is going or how the company intends to get there, employees are clueless on how to help the organization grow… let alone succeed.

Idea and vision is tossed out: Any finally…the idea just didn’t pass muster. Not all ideas are necessarily the right choice for a company. However, as the saying goes….”you have to kiss a lot of toads, before you find your prince.”  The same goes for business and it is part of the process of change. Organizations have to sort through all ideas to come up with the great ones that lead to the desired changes they seek. Employees afraid of rejection seldom contribute.

Throwing ideas out there for review and consideration is the essence of innovation and change. Managers and leaders who successfully remove “fear” barriers for employees have a better chance of succeeding and thriving in the new norm.

Times – they are a changin’

But what if an organization listens to employees, initiates a strategic “change initiative” and several employees resist? After all, it is human nature to go with the status quo. Change is upsetting, it is the unknown, and often takes individuals out of their comfort zone in the initial stages.

As I explain in the book and training program, Engagement, Retention & Growth, the rule of thumb is that people will conform to the behavior of the people around them because they want to BELONG. When this behavior involves winning with new rules, other people also try to win.

Here’s a metaphorical example to prove my point.  Studies show that bribing children who did not like peas with dessert didn’t work. Explaining why peas were good for them didn’t work. Demonstrating to a child how to eat peas didn’t work. What did work repeatedly, however, was putting a child who hated peas at the table with children who loved peas. Within a meal or two, the child who hated peas started eating peas with the other children.

Employees have great ideas and when the barriers of rejection are removed, creativity, innovation, and change strategies are allowed to surface in the workplace. When organizations utilize their frontline employees to be their “champions of change,” they reap the rewards of productivity and profitability.

For more information on how to get employees to champion change in the workplace, order a copy of Engagement, Retention & Growth with your workshop enrollment. I, along with 9 other thought leaders, explore 10 strategic solutions for sustainable corporate expansion and employee retention. You’ll get actionable advice from highly successful team development consultants, noted authors, HR strategists, marketers, retail and investment executives, and educators. We touch on topics such as incivility in the workplace, effective sales techniques, engaging employees in the workplace, team development strategies, innovative hiring methods, conducting productive meetings, and more.

Copyright TIGERS Success Series by Dianne Crampton

About TIGERS Success Series

TIGERS Success Series is a team development consultancy based on 6 core principles that anchor high performance team dynamics and collaboration at all levels of operation. These principles are trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. TIGERS offers licensing and certification to team building trainers and consultants interested in expanding their practice to serve organizational leaders from the break room to the boardroom. .Learn more.

Ever wonder what separates the successful business consultant from the unsuccessful consultant? The answers may surprise you. It’s not that the successful are burning the midnight oil more than their counterparts, have a burgeoning rolodex of clients they can call on, or are commanding exorbitant consultation fees. These seasoned professionals share four common characteristics that many unseasoned business coaches often overlook. A successful business consultant is always booked, highly respected in the industry, and well-paid.

Here’s where the difference lies

1.  Successful business consultants, facilitators, and trainers know how to approach sales.  Most people who enjoy teaching and collaborating with others are service-oriented people. The sales side of things often feels awkward to them and they have the “wrong” perception of sales. Unsuccessful business coaches envision the typical sales guy as being dressed in a plaid suit, slicked back hair, and have a caustic demeanor if challenged or questioned about processes. These consultants approach sales with a mental block and do not understand how a true service-oriented coach approaches sales. A successful sales approach is oriented toward an interview-based process rather than the “hot deal” that expires soon if you don’t act now.

As Dan Berryman, VP of Investments with J.P Morgan, put it so eloquently about the selling process, “I am a master at understanding how to ask the right questions, to discover what people want or need, and then giving it to them. It’s that simple. I sell without “selling” by helping people get what they want.”  This form of sales is relationship based and a successful business consultant brings expertise, emotional intelligence, engagement, and extraordinary communication skills to the conversation – not a canned sales pitch.

2.  Successful consultants know their programs and resources work! Successful training and leadership programs improve conditions within their client organizations. These business coaches use proven resource tools that provide measurable and scalable results fast. They resist quick temporary fixes, ensure clients assume accountability and commitment to the change initiative, and help clients follow through with the program for continued success.  Successful transference to the organization is key to sustainable results.

3.  Seasoned business coaches use programs that fund themselves. The results of their efforts are in black and white. They are able to provide proof that their program funded itself through productivity improvements, cost savings, or increased profits. They key is getting clients tuned in to measure the results of the consultant’s program. For example: if the consultant’s fee is $10,000 but results in $500,000 in productivity improvements or cost savings, they have given their client a huge return on their initial $10,000 investment. The client sees the benefit, realizes it, and can measure it. These clients are more likely to bring the consultant back again for other projects and refer the consultant to peers.

4. Last, but not least, successful coaches also know how to find and keep clients. They have an acquisition and retention plan in place.  You will not find a rolodex filled with clients these consultants worked for one time and then never heard from those clients again. Successful consultants provide existing clients with a valued service, remain flexible, and have a wealth of knowledge in operational processes such as project management, strategic planning, or team development. This knowledge base can be expanded across various departments within an organization and keep the consultant highly booked and in demand.

Other Common Skill sets

Successful consultants have also mastered superb communication skills at all levels of the organization. From C-suite executives to front line employees, these coaches are skilled in both verbal and written communication. They possess a strong emotional intelligence that allows them to manage personal emotions – even in situations where change is occurring and stress levels run high among employees. These individuals are true leaders. They are able to take charge of a situation as well as serve to accomplish desired results.

Exclusively for Independent consultants, facilitators, and trainers looking to succeed.

If you want to be among the ranks of successful consultants, you won’t want to miss my 90 minute “free”  Webinar that addresses the 3 biggest mistakes that keep business consultants, facilitators, coaches, and trainers from succeeding.  Several classes are offered now through the middle of May. You’ll learn how to apply immediate practical methods that will have you earning more and working with committed clients who appreciate your worth!

About TIGERS Success Series

TIGERS Success Series is a team development consultancy based on 6 core principles that anchor high performance team dynamics. These principles are trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. TIGERS offers licensing and certification to team building trainers and consultants interested in expanding their practice to serve organizational leaders from the break room to the boardroom.

We work with internal consultants and trainers. We also work with self-motivated consultants, trainers and facilitators who LOVE what they do but are stuck on a  constant hunt for clients, stuck working at the staff level when they know real change happens with top level management; and stuck feeling isolated with no one to bounce ideas off of, get support from or collaborate with.

We provide a suite of consulting tools and training that’s compatible with what they do and already love doing, that immediately elevates their work from break room to Board room; turning one time clients into ALL time clients. Our nurturing community supports members to build a scalable business as big as they want, while offering creative opportunities and a sense of connection.

Learn more.

With a slowly recovering economy and a changing consumer mindset, there looms a handful of industries ready to lead the pack in employment growth, productivity, and overall expansion.  Small and mid-size businesses in these “hot” industries are poised to stake a claim in markets that are grabbing headlines and the interest of health conscience consumers, aging boomers, “green living” consumers, and technological savvy youth.

For business consultants, facilitators, and coaches positioned to capitalize on these hot markets, I provide a glimpse at what is already on the horizon. Some of these industries are behemoths who are in desperate need of change while other industries are “emerging” and providing new services and products fueled by consumer demand.  After a lengthy recession, many businesses aren’t ready to onboard full-time employees or highly skilled executives just yet. They are looking for cost-effective ways to outsource the expertise they need to position their organization as a leader in their industry.

Business consultants who can deliver organizational change or steer a growing mid size company in the direction of profitability will find themselves in high demand. These industries will need consultants who can provide leadership training, strategic planning, project management, and team development to build employee cohesion and well-oiled processes.

Here is my list of favorite “hot industries” for business consultants, facilitators, trainers, and coaches:

• Green Industries – As responsible human beings, we’ve come to the realization we must be conservators of the earth and leave a minimal footprint. After decades of contaminating water sources, polluting the air, and exploiting natural resources, several businesses are stepping up to the plate to make a difference. From solar panel construction to green building initiatives, these companies are taking their business to the next level of living “green.”  Manufacturers of bamboo flooring or metal architectural supports along with alternative energy companies are just a few of the organizations emerging from the recession stronger than ever. Government programs are also supporting the green initiative with programs such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and Energy Star.

• Social Network Systems – As the world around us becomes more technologically advanced so is our demand for instant access to data and social networks. This “hot” market is comprised of the video game industry, application development for mobile phones and i-pads, hand held devices, and voice recognition devices. This industry is designed to speed productivity and provide information instantaneously. Organizations utilizing online conferencing and meeting tools can conduct business on a global scale.  This fast growing industry is not only popular among our youth, but stands to revolutionize the efficiencies of all industries including education, manufacturing, health care, and financial institutions.

• Health Care Related Industries – The health care industry is a gold mine for consultants right now. From hospitals to health insurance companies, these fat cat industries are ripe for an overhaul. From internal employee conflict to operational inefficiencies, seasoned consultants can make a huge impact in streamlining processes and providing leadership training.

Along with hospitals and insurance companies, the health care industry also includes businesses involved in pharmaceuticals, biotech, dentistry, eye care, medical devices, and government backed programs. The U.S. government is seeking ways to save money on their burgeoning health care programs. Many baby boomers of Medicare age are beginning to look at retiring in foreign countries with affordable and better health care packages than offered in the U.S. There are current rumblings to allow Medicare to pay out in these foreign countries which would save the government billions of dollars over the next 15 years.

With health care a hot topic these days, another related industry rapidly coming into its own is the organic and health food market. Consumers are taking matters into their own hands when it comes to their family’s health. They are making more conscious choices regarding the foods they eat and their overall fitness. We will see small to mid size companies popping up that offer:

• Gluten free baked goods
• Organic foods such as eggs, produce, and meats
• Yoga and Pilates classes
• Herbal supplements
• Local farm to market cooperatives

“Hot Industries” is just the tip of the iceberg

It’s great to know about the hottest markets going for business consultants and coaches, but what about avoiding the pitfalls and traps of working with clients who undervalue and underpay for your services? Don’t miss my 90 minute “complimentary” webinar where I let you in on the 3 biggest mistakes business consultants, facilitators, coaches, and trainers make to grow and thrive in their business.  Several classes are offered now through the middle of May. You’ll learn how to apply immediate practical methods that will have you earning more and working with committed clients who appreciate your worth!

Copyright TIGERS Success Series by Dianne Crampton

About TIGERS Success Series

TIGERS Success Series is a team development consultancy based on 6 core principles that anchor high performance team dynamics. These principles are trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. TIGERS offers licensing and certification to team building trainers and consultants interested in expanding their practice to serve organizational leaders from the break room to the boardroom. .Learn more.