In This Issue

News from Joan (right)

How’s Your Leadership Competence?(below)

Quotes for the Month

Job Seeking Tips: What to Do If You’ve Been Laid Off

Quick Links

News from Joan!

What clients are saying about Joan

"Joan has been a major influence on my career. Her coaching over the last four years has allowed me to work through many challenges professionally and personally. I highly recommend her services to anyone who is in senior management. Top Qualities: Great Results, Expert, High Integrity.”
— Becky Thomas, SVP North America, Meridio

“Joan Bolmer pushed me to bring out my best qualities and put them on paper. My resume stood out because of her creative insight on how to display my experience. Working with Joan helped me get to know myself and be proud of my achievements, giving me the confidence I needed to land a job. Every single interviewer said I had the most unique and interesting resume of all their applicants.”
—Sofia Perches, PR Manager Latin America BMC

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How’s Your Leadership Competence?

In research done by Consulting Resource Group of Canada, “fewer than 1 in 10 professionals (as observed in video-taped assessment sessions) have competency in the whole range of skills to level 4 competency… such a leadership vacuum (exists) globally in organizations from government to business;…”

It is said that we manage processes and things while we lead people. Since the people are the ones who make everything else happen, leadership competences are of vital importance.

What are leadership competences? There are five major categories:(1) Self Management; (2) Interpersonal Communication;(3) Coaching, Counseling, and Problem Management;(4) Consulting; and (5) Versatility and Organizational Development Skills. Each category listed is more difficult and complex than the one before it.

SELF MANAGEMENT includes knowing your life purpose, values, and beliefs and living them with intention. Of course, career goal setting, time and stress management, healthy self care, a positive mental attitude, and life balance are equally important.

Actions speak louder than words so others are often more clear about our management strengths and weaknesses and than we are.

Good INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION is most obvious in how well a person listens to both the content and intended meaning of the person who is talking. It requires suspending judgments, emotions, advice, or your opinion on the matter. It also includes sharing your views and feelings in a respectful way. A competent leader is able to provide constructive criticism while being supportive and challenging the person to live up to their potential.

COACHING, COUNSELING AND PROBLEM MANAGEMENT requires exploring problems, behaviors and issues as they arise, before they become chronic or critical. Handling corrective discussions is one of the most avoided and feared tasks for most managers. Yet with proper training in effective techniques, this does not have to be difficult or emotionally distressing for the leader or the employee. (See Handling Corrective Discussions with Ease and Success)

CONSULTING SKILLS are more challenging than the previous competences because they require a level of detachment and objectivity that is difficult if you have a vested interest in the current processes or situation. One must be able to objectively assess the needs, wants, problems, and fears of employees and internal clients through one-on-one interviews and surveys. Then facilitate problem management, overcome resistance to change, and build team spirit, synergy, and consensus around the organization’s vision, mission and purpose. A plan for change and accountability systems must then be put in place.

Tack, diplomacy, and the ability to envision the desired positive outcome in spite of difficulties is a must. According to research done by Consulting Resource Group in Canada, very few people are competent in these skills.

VERSATILITY AND ORGANIZATIONAL-DEVELOPMENT are the most challenging skills of the five because in addition to the skills above they must be applied in cross-functional, cross-cultural, and virtual global team environments. The dominate styles of individuals, groups, and organizations must be assessed and interacted with consciously, shifting one’s own style appropriately to communicate effectively.

Now, the leader spends more time working on the development of other leaders and the organization than on their own individual contribution in production. Effective delegation, seeing the big picture, being proactive, assessing future needs, and planning the methods for getting there become critical.

If you would like to assess where you are on the leadership competence spectrum you can take the Leadership Skills Inventory—Self by clicking this link.
To find out how your leadership skills are seen by your boss, peers, and employees, a Leadership Skills Inventory—Other is available in a paper version which can be ordered.

It is only by comparing your perception with others that you can get a realistic assessment of your leadership proficiencies.

Quotes for the Month

”Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.”

Abigail Adams, 1780, wife of U.S. President John Adams

“Great ability develops and reveals itself increasingly with every new assignment.”

Baltasar Gracian

“The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.”

Confucius, The Confucian Analects, Chinese philosopher & reformer (551 BC - 479 BC)

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.”

John F. Kennedy, speech prepared for delivery in Dallas the day of his assassination, November 22, 1963, 35th president of US 1961-1963 (1917 - 1963)

Job Seeking Tips:
What to Do If You’ve Been Laid Off

Abridged: WashingtonPost.com
What to do if you have been laid off? Here are some things to consider:
Ask about severance pay. But don't bank on it. There is no federal law requiring an employer to let you take your half-empty notebooks with you, much less a couple weeks worth of pay.
Apply for unemployment benefits. This seems obvious, but young white-collar workers sometimes forget that such benefits apply to them.
Pare back discretionary spending, immediately. You want your savings to tide you over until you find the right job. Otherwise, you may have to take something awful just to stay afloat. It's rarely a good idea to let your bank balance completely drive major career decisions.
Take a little time off. You may need a day or two to recalibrate, especially if the announcement came as a complete surprise. But don't let this drag on.
Perk up your resume. You will be handing it out plenty in the next few weeks or months, so take the time to make it perfect. If you need help, seek out a professional resume writer.
Distribute your resume. Once your resume is ready, make sure you distribute it widely to job sites, personal contacts, employers, and recruiters.
Turn to your friends. Make sure you have a way to contact former co-workers and supervisors. You will need references, and a mass layoff can scatter your contacts to the wind.
Don't burn any bridges. It's understandable that you will feel frustrated, even angry, but channel that anger in ways that won't damage your reputation with your former colleagues.

If you live in Houston, TX ask to be put on the monthly job listings from
Paula J. Marion, CPC, Marion Staffing Solutions 713/534-1855; 713/208-9313 pmarion@houston.rr.com

If you want to power up your resume and sharpen your job search and interview skills, give me a call at 281-293-8864 or email me: joan@bolmer.com for a free consultation.

“Joan Bolmer pushed me to bring out my best qualities and put them on paper. My resume stood out because of her creative insight on how to display my experience. Working with Joan helped me get to know myself and be proud of my achievements, giving me the confidence I needed to land a job. Every single interviewer said I had the most unique and interesting resume of all their applicants.”
—Sofia Perches, PR Manager Latin America BMC

Quick Links

Free Values Self Assessment

Correcting Employee Behavior Problems

Behavior Questions for Hiring Good Employees

Favorite Resources Links

Happy Fall!
Check out Joan's paintings and notecards.

Fall Trees