ONYX GLOBAL HR

One of the beautiful things about human behavior is that we can change it, if we are committed to making the change and approach the change process in the right way.

If we don’t like being afraid of public speaking, we can change, if we don’t like being reserved and passive, we can change.  In fact, most behaviors are not genetic; they are a product of our early childhood development, life experiences and other nurturing elements.

Most people have difficulty changing for a myriad of reasons which include:
•    They do not realize they exhibit a certain type of behavior
•    They realize they exhibit the behavior, but they are not motivated to change
•    They are motivated to change, but they do not know how to change
•    They are motivated to change and know how to change, but they do not set themselves up for a successful change
•    They do not believe they can change
•    They do not see the benefits from making a change
If we remove the roadblocks to learning and behaving differently, and are committed to making the change, we can change!

The Employee Empowerment Institute is dedicated to helping employees make behavioral changes that will empower them in the workplace and contribute to their success.  The Institute prescribes ten Personal Empowerment Development Steps (PEDS):

1.    Look within – Practice self-assessment and introspection.  Many people go through life not having a clue why they behave the way they do.  They just act out.

On the other end of the continuum are others who analyze every aspect of their behaviors and motivations; however, most of us are somewhere in between.

To the extent necessary, we need to learn how to identify and understand our behaviors so we can except or change them.

2.    Determine your goal – what behavioral change do you want to achieve?   Specifically identify your current behavior, how you would like the behavior to change and what the new behavioral change looks like, that is; how it is manifested.  For example, if you would like to be more assertive; you will need to be more outspoken, self-confident and forceful.

3.    Remove the buts – Take the initiative to eliminate the reasons not to change and, to address aspects of your skill set and competencies that are holding you back.

4.    Invest in yourself – Take the time and make the effort to strengthen your knowledge, skills and abilities.  Be willing to sacrifice (e.g. relocate) to achieve a higher goal.

5.    Take some risks – To grow and change, we need to move outside of our comfort zone, that requires risking failure, embarrassment or ridicule.  To be empowered, we must also be willing to speak truth to power and, question the status quo and authority.

6.    Know your rights – Don’t rely on others to look out for you.  Prepare yourself to look out for yourself and protect your interests.

7.    Work within the system – Take advantage of what your organization has to offer, training, external education, project assignments, human resources support etc.

8.    Work collaboratively whenever possible – Make your desire to change known and use trusted co-workers, family members and close friends to assist you with your change by providing feedback.

9.    Evaluate your progress – Compare your change progress with your stated change goal.

10.    Reinforcement and continuous improvement – Behavioral change like any other learned skill requires practice to master.  Achieving behavioral change the first time does not ensure ones ability to replicate or master the behavior.

Since almost all of our behavior is learned not genetic, we are capable of changing.  To increase our personal empowerment index just follow the PEDS.  Do not try and change a number of things at once.  Select the most leveraging behavior first and focus on making that change.  Then go on to the next most leveraging behavior.  And always remember, we are who we choose to be!

Team Onyx
Pierre A. Towns
Onyx Global HR
www.OnyxGlobalHR.com
(866)715-4806
info@ OnyxGlobalHR.com

We provide Custom HR Solutions For CEO’s and Senior HR Executives. Onyx Global HR is one of the foremost respected Human Resources Consulting Firms providing fast and reliable high-level HR expertise and thought leadership to our clients with a focus on reliable and effective execution. Get a FREE copy of our book “The ABCs of Leadership: The Simple Elegance of Getting to the Top… and What It Takes to Stay There.” Sign up here: http://www.OnyxGlobalHR.com/contactus.php.

A lot has been written about the power of employee empowerment; a belief among employees that they are endowed with the authority and capability of making decisions and taking actions that are consistent with the goals and objectives of the organization, without running it by higher level authorities.

Usually, the people doing the job every day are the ‘experts’, they know how to improve quality, reduce cycle times, increase productivity, reduce costs and perform the job safely.  Unfortunately, because many decisions are technically above many employees’ pay grade, they are required to defer those decisions to their superiors, even though they know the appropriate path to take.

Sometimes those superiors will make decisions based on politics, career aspirations, financial incentives or other factors that are not purely operational. Jason Anderson was one of those ‘experts’.

Mr. Anderson was an experienced toolpusher for Transocean, the drilling contractor for BP on the ill-fated Deepwater Horizon drilling platform and he had significant safety concerns resulting from a number of practices on the rig.

During Mr. Anderson’s last rotation before going back out on the rig, he expressed those concerns to his wife Shelly Anderson.  According to Mrs. Anderson, he was so concerned about practices on the rig and potential accidents that might result, he spent his last trip home getting his affairs in order.

This is the way Mrs. Anderson described Mr. Anderson’s mood during his last rotation home to NBC’s Lisa Myers; “Everything seemed to be pressing to Jason about getting things in order. In case something happened. Teaching me how to do certain things on the motor home so that I could go and do things with the kids, make sure that I knew how to do everything.”

According to Mrs. Anderson, her husband also had a will drawn up and talked about his hopes and dreams for their daughter and son.  After leaving home to return to the platform, Mr. Anderson would telephone his wife from the rig several times and Mrs. Anderson felt he was clearly worried.

Mrs. Anderson went on to tell  Ms. Myers; “They were getting pressure from someplace higher up to do things that maybe weren’t exactly the way Jason thought that they should be.  It was a safety issue.”

Ms. Myers also reported that Mrs. Anderson told her that, “Jason’s father told us Jason was concerned that BP, which controlled the rig, kept wanting to stray from procedures to finish the well faster, which Jason considered unsafe.”

Before Mr. Anderson finished his rotation on the Horizon, he was killed along with ten co-workers.

Mr. Anderson knew there were problems with the practices employed by Transocean and BP, after all, as the toolpusher, he was the ‘expert’.  Had he been empowered to make decisions and take actions that were consistent with the espoused goals and objectives of Transocean and BP, this horrific accident quite possibly could have been avoided.

One of Mr. Anderson’s co-workers, was one of the last to escape the Deepwater Horizon oil rig.  Michael Williams, chief electronics technician on the oil platform gave “60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley an account of his last few minutes on the flaming platform and the unsafe practices that lead up to the disaster.

Mr. Williams recalls the following to Mr. Pelley;  “I’m hearing hissing. Engines are over-revving and then all of a sudden, all the lights in my shop just started getting brighter and brighter and brighter and I knew something bad was getting ready to happen.”

After surviving the explosions, Mr. Williams went on to tell Mr. Pelley; “The well kicked, the safety systems failed, and men lost their lives. I don’t know how else to say it, all the things that they told us could never happen, happened. You know, on a daily basis, we were told, ‘We’re going to send you home better than the day you got here. It wasn’t true that day.’”

These men knew there were problems aboard the Horizon well before the explosions.  Had they been and felt empowered, they could have averted the disaster, after all there were rubber shavings found in the drilling mud that some suspected likely came from the seal on the blowout preventer.  In fact, there must have been several opportunities at several levels in Transocean and BP where employees could have acted in an empowered way to take control of the situation and get things back on a safe track.

That is the power of empowerment and self-efficacy.  The terms do not have to be just ‘HR speak’ or aspirational.  They can become part of an organization’s culture and an employee’s behavioral traits and characteristics.  If we choose not to work towards that goal, we are destined to repeat the mistakes of the past and operate in less efficient and effective work environments.

Team Onyx
By: Pierre A. Towns
Onyx Global HR
www.OnyxGlobalHR.com
(866)715-4806
info@ www.OnyxGlobalHR.com

We provide Custom HR Solutions For CEO’s and Senior HR Executives. Onyx Global HR is one of the foremost respected Human Resources Consulting Firms providing fast and reliable high-level HR expertise and thought leadership to our clients with a focus on reliable and effective execution. Get a FREE copy of our book “The ABCs of Leadership: The Simple Elegance of Getting to the Top… and What It Takes to Stay There.” Sign up here: http://www.OnyxGlobalHR.com/contactus.php.

As a huge Lakers fan I watched all of the post-game commentary and interviews following the victory over the Boston Celtics and as I listened to Ron Artest’s interviews and press conference I was reminded again of the power of self-efficacy and personal empowerment.

Artest was asked about the contrast between his under par performances in the first five playoff games and his outstanding performance in the final two games in Los Angeles.  Artest said the difference was he knows that he does not respond well in stressful game situations, he said’ I know that about myself and I didn’t want to be that way, so I asked for help’.  Artest consulted his psychiatrist because he said he ‘wanted to get better’ (in those situations).

The psychiatrist traveled to Boston with Artest and with her help, Artest began to utilize the tools and advise she shared with him.  He said by game 7 he fully trusted the advise from his psychiatrist which allowed him to relax and play within the Lakers’ system. Artest said she helped him to believe he could overcome his previous reaction when he is on the court and in the moment of a NBA Championship game.

That my friends, is personal empowerment and the development of self-efficacy.  By achieving both, Artest significantly elevated his performance level and  delivered an MVP game performance to obtain what he has never had, an NBA Championship!

When we evaluate Artest’s behaviors before and after his transformation we see many of the elements of personal empowerment behavior.  Of the ten elements I prescribe, Artest employed six elements to achieve a higher state of performance.
1.    Determine your goal – Artest determined that he wanted to perform better and up to his true capability in stressful on court situations
2.    Look within – He didn’t blame anyone else, instead he conducted a self-assessment with the help of his psychiatrist and acknowledged that he does not consistently perform up to his true capability in stressful on court situations
3.    Remove the buts – Artest committed to change the undesired behavior
4.    Invest in yourself – He invested in himself by actively looking for and implementing tools and interventions that over time allowed him to modify his behavior
5.    Take some risks – Artest took a risk by asking for help and hiring a psychiatrist. In fact, he said, ‘I wasn’t afraid to ask for help because I wanted to get better’ (in those situations).
6.    Work within the system – Artest admitted that he trusted the advise from his psychiatrist and played within the (Lakers) system’.

By implementing my four additional elements, the behavioral change Artest achieved can be reinforced and become more second nature to him.

Congratulations again to the LA Lakers, 2010 NBA back-to-back world champions and to Ron Artest for taking control of his work-life situation and proving ‘we are who we choose to be’!

Team Onyx
By: Pierre A. Towns
Onyx Global HR
www.OnyxGlobalHR.com
(866)715-4806
info@ www.OnyxGlobalHR.com

We provide Custom HR Solutions For CEO’s and Senior HR Executives. Onyx Global HR is one of the foremost respected Human Resources Consulting Firms providing fast and reliable high-level HR expertise and thought leadership to our clients with a focus on reliable and effective execution. Get a FREE copy of our book “The ABCs of Leadership: The Simple Elegance of Getting to the Top… and What It Takes to Stay There.” Sign up here: http://www.OnyxGlobalHR.com/contactus.php.

Let’s categorize recruitment prospects into four categories:
1.    Excited and motivated in their current employment
2.    Content but pursuable
3.    Testing the waters
4.    Actively looking to leave their current employ

Employees that are excited and motivated in their current employment situation are  the most difficult to recruit, however, they are attainable, just ask any good search firm consultant.  These employees want to stay in their current employ and do not have a very compelling reason to leave.

Because they are very happy with their current situation, they are not ‘looking’; consequently, typical recruitment tactics will prove to be ineffective in reaching and motivating this group to take and interview.

‘Content but pursuable’ are employees that are satisfied, but not excited about their current employment situation.  Because they are satisfied, as employment opportunities expand for recruitment prospects, they become more and more selective when considering the employer with which they want to work.

Often it is not enough to offer a 20% salary increase.  You need to get to know them intimately.  What are their likes and dislikes, one of the things that motivate them, what type of work situation.  They prefer a kind of work environment is most appealing to them?

Should also consider having a senior manager or executive give them a call.  People want to be courted.  They want to feel that their one.  They want to feel that they’re important.  So having a CEO or sea level, employee.  Give them a call will go along way in convincing them to consider making a move.

Candidates that are ‘testing the waters’ are often trying to determine their job worth on the open market or they may be content with their present employer, but there’s something missing.  Our job as recruiters is to identify what that ‘something’ is and leverage that need to move them into our companies.

As I’m sure you know, all candidates aren’t motivated by money; they may be in search of title, greater responsibility, more respect than they think they’re receiving from their current employer, opportunities for growth, more job security or new challenges.  If you have done your homework, you will know what buttons to push and how to position your job offering so that it is most appealing.

Candidates that are ‘actively looking to leave their current employ’ are already gone; psychologically.  Their body may be roaming the halls and occupying an chair, but the only reason they haven’t physically left is they have not found the right opportunity.  Present them with that opportunity and they are history!

While you are recruiting what you think is the perfect candidate, develop a screening, interviewing and selection process that either confirms your intuition or proves you wrong.

Design the interview schedule
•    How many rounds – This refers to the number of times you plan to bring the candidate in to visit with company staff.
•    Who will be involved
•    What will be the interview sequence
•    What role will each interviewer play
•    How will the information be collected and analyzed
•    How will the final decision be made
Develop the selection criteria

Properly preparing the interviewers
•    Ensure they know their role
•    Provide structured interview questions
•    Provide a copy of the candidates resume
•    Ensure they use the data collection tool provided
•    Review the do’s and don’t’s of interviewing
•    Conduct the interviews
•    Make the selection

Team Onyx
By: Pierre A. Towns
Onyx Global HR
www.OnyxGlobalHR.com
(866)715-4806
info@ www.OnyxGlobalHR.com

We provide Custom HR Solutions For CEO’s and Senior HR Executives. Onyx Global HR is one of the foremost respected Human Resources Consulting Firms providing fast and reliable high-level HR expertise and thought leadership to our clients with a focus on reliable and effective execution. Get a FREE copy of our book “The ABCs of Leadership: The Simple Elegance of Getting to the Top… and What It Takes to Stay There.” Sign up here: http://www.OnyxGlobalHR.com/contactus.php.

Part II
This is the second of a series of four articles addressing strategies for setting up your business for success in 2010.  There are four overriding strategies that we will develop in these articles: 1) Retaining current employees, 2) Attracting new employees, 3) Optimizing employee performance, and 4) Sustaining high levels of performance.

Prepare the job posting

A job posting should peak the readers interest and compel them to action; consequently, it should portray your company and position in the best light without misrepresenting the facts.

The job posting should be concise; inform the reader regarding job responsibilities, scope, location, benefits, and requirements; and sell the company.  It should also include the appropriate ‘buzz’ words for that particular position, e.g., if it is a programming position, state whether the position ‘develops’ or ‘maintains’ system programming.

Most programmers are attracted to development roles using the latest programming languages rather than maintenance responsibilities using out-of-date programming languages.  Contact information is essential as is EEO/AAP statement requirements.

Use the appropriate recruitment vehicle

Once the posting is prepared, it is important to place that posting in the appropriate vehicle.  For example, if you are looking for programmers, placement on the DICE jobsite (which specializes in IT positions) would be more effective than an ad in the Penny Saver!  If it is a West Coast job and there is enough talent on the West Coast to fill it, don’t advertise in East Coast publications.

If you are looking to hire someone that is 3-5 years out of school, use recruitment vehicles that would be common to them;  For example, social media sites, various, online services like career builders, Craig’s list, trade publication postings and  the like.

Recruit in the right geographical areas

When I recruited for a West Coast bank, I’d leave 70o weather to make frequent trips to the Northeast and Midwest in the dead of winter, to recruit bankers to live and work in sunny Southern California!  When I was working to fill a position in Los Angeles that was in over supply in Los Angeles, I would not authorized a relocation fee and would only recruit in Los Angeles.

Recruiting in the right geographic areas will result in the most effective and efficient recruiting process.  Unless you are trying to attract a specific person or very unique combination of skills and experience, there is a low return on investment to recruit outside of the preferred geographic areas.

Recruit at the right times

In addition to seasonal recruiting as described above, there are other important timing issues that support an effective and efficient recruitment program.  When you are recruiting college grads, to attract the best and brightest students, one should recruit year-round, not just during the on-campus interviewing process.

Wine and cheese receptions, fellowships, internships and sponsoring faculty research and programs are methods used to introduce  your organization to the students and opinion leaders.  These methods will also keep your organization’s name on the minds of the best candidates.

When recruiting professionals, it is also important to ‘court’ your preferred candidates long before you are ready to bring them on board.  Candidates are much more likely to make a change if you have expressed interest in them over time and developed a measure of goodwill.  If they know they have your firm as an option, they are much more likely to tolerate less from their present employer and bolt to your organization over the slightest issue.

During the economic recovery, those companies that start to ramp up first, even if just for a few key positions, will increase their chances of landing the best candidates.  Therefore, if you can afford it, consider bringing candidates on board before you actually need them.  This can be a very successful strategy, bringing candidates on board early, gives them an opportunity to acclimate to the organization.

It gives you an opportunity to create an appropriate opportunity for them, and it takes them off the market.

Team Onyx
By: Pierre A. Towns
Onyx Global HR
www.OnyxGlobalHR.com
(866)715-4806
info@ www.OnyxGlobalHR.com

We provide Custom HR Solutions For CEO’s and Senior HR Executives. Onyx Global HR is one of the foremost respected Human Resources Consulting Firms providing fast and reliable high-level HR expertise and thought leadership to our clients with a focus on reliable and effective execution. Get a FREE copy of our book “The ABCs of Leadership: The Simple Elegance of Getting to the Top… and What It Takes to Stay There.” Sign up here: http://www.OnyxGlobalHR.com/contactus.php.

Part II
This is the second of a series of four articles addressing strategies for setting up your business for success in 2010.  There are four overriding strategies that we will develop in these articles: 1) Retaining current employees, 2) Attracting new employees, 3) Optimizing employee performance, and 4) Sustaining high levels of performance.

Preparing Today for the Future Scarce Labor Market – Attracting New Employees, Part 2, Section 1

As previously discussed in Part 1 the economy continues to improve, job recovery will begin to reduce the unemployment rate toward a more normal 5%.

This increase in job demand will create new employment opportunities for America’s workforce.  This alone, is not particularly troubling, but combined with a frustrated, overworked, underappreciated and underpaid workforce, it is highly likely that some of our best employees will leave their current employment in search of greener pastures!

If your company has focused on retaining your current employees by implementing some of the recommendations in Part 1 of this series and if you follow the recommendations in this article, this economic recovery will provide new opportunities for your company to hire some of the best talent in your industry!  What will be a talent drain for unprepared employers; will become a talent bonanza for forward thinking companies.

As positions become more plentiful, employees will start looking for better opportunities.  After all, their salaries probably haven’t kept up with inflation and, as companies downsized and outsourced during the last couple of years, opportunities to advance within their company has been limited.
In order to attract and select some of the best of these employees, there are a number of elements that should be considered.

1.    Properly prepare your job descriptions
2.    Prepare the job posting
3.    Use the appropriate recruitment vehicle
4.    Recruit in the right geographical areas
5.    Recruit at the right times
6.    Design the interview schedule
7.    Develop the selection criteria
8.    Properly prepare the interviewers
9.    Conduct the interviews
10.  Make the selection

Team Onyx
By: Pierre A. Towns
Onyx Global HR
www.OnyxGlobalHR.com
(866)715-4806
info@ www.OnyxGlobalHR.com

We provide Custom HR Solutions For CEO’s and Senior HR Executives. Onyx Global HR is one of the foremost respected Human Resources Consulting Firms providing fast and reliable high-level HR expertise and thought leadership to our clients with a focus on reliable and effective execution. Get a FREE copy of our book “The ABCs of Leadership: The Simple Elegance of Getting to the Top… and What It Takes to Stay There.” Sign up here: http://www.OnyxGlobalHR.com/contactus.php.

This is the first of a series of four articles addressing strategies for setting up your business for success in 2010.

There are four overriding strategies that we will develop in these articles: 1) Retaining current employees, 2) Attracting new employees, 3) Optimizing employee performance, and 4) Sustaining high levels of performance.

With the unemployment rate at 10.2 percent in October 2009, on the surface, retaining current employees doesn’t appear to qualify as a key overriding strategy for 2010; however, the unemployment rate, which is a lagging indicator, dropped to 10% in November 2009.

In addition, a host of economic indicators provide compelling empirical data that the devastating economic conditions of 2009 and the resulting high unemployment are starting to trend toward a reasonable level.  After enduring over 700,000 job losses per month during the peak months of 2009, job loss has appeared to bottom out with 11,000 job loses in November 2009.

As the economy continues to improve, job recovery will begin to reduce the unemployment rate toward a more normal 5%.  This increase in job demand will create new employment opportunities for America’s workforce.

This alone, is not particularly troubling, but combined with a frustrated, overworked, underappreciated and underpaid workforce, it is highly likely that some of our best employees will leave their current employment in search of greener pastures!

Before you say, ‘this doesn’t apply to me because my employees are happy’, consider this: in the Power of Recognition, Doug Bender wrote;
•    A New York Times study revealed that 25% of employees reported being driven to tears in the workplace
•    50% of those individuals called their place of work a place of verbal abuse and yelling
•    30% say that they are regularly given unrealistic deadlines
•    50% indicate that they have to work 12 hour days just to get all the work done
•    The Harvard business review estimates ‘preseenteeism (present at work, but not actively working) costs in the United States are $150 billion annually
•    The Gallup organization has conducted studies that say, as much as 30% of the average workforce is actively disengaged. That means these employees are not working to fulfill the organization’s agenda, but rather their own.

As a human resources consulting firm working with commercial companies, public agencies, Federal government, municipalities and non-profits; the empirical data supports these study findings.

In employee surveys, exit interviews, training courses and informal conversations during other employee interactions, we are constantly reminded by America’s workforce and, how frustrated and unhappy they are with their work environment.

Given this level of frustration and unhappiness, there is a pent up demand among many of our current employees to change jobs. Taking the leap is only held back by the abysmal economic climate.  As the economy recovers, the flood gates will open.

This combined with the retirement of the baby-boomers, the aging workforce, and a shortage of highly skilled workers will reward employers that retain and leverage their current workforce, which should be your primary objective in 2010.  But how do you accomplish this?  By maintaining a viably business, understanding the needs of your workforce and addressing, as best you can, their concerns.

The 2009 employee job satisfaction Survey Report conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management, indicated the top reasons for employee job satisfaction of the 26 reasons surveyed were:
1.    Job security
2.    Benefits
3.    Compensation
4.    Opportunities to use skills and abilities
5.    Personal safety while performing their job
6.    Relationship with immediate supervisor

Our research at Onyx Global HR indicates:

The top reasons for seeking alternative employment were;
1.    Retirement
2.    Health reasons
3.    Personal reasons
4.    Job dissatisfaction
5.    Relocating from area
6.    Lack of personal development

Top reasons for job dissatisfaction include:
1.    Ineffective senior management leadership
2.    Irregular hours
3.    Unrealistic performance expectations
4.    Unrealistic workload
5.    Issues with my immediate supervisor

Below are specific objectives you should consider to retain your current employees during our 2010 economic recovery.

•    Survey your workforce to determine what is or is not working for them
•    Conduct exit interviews to receive candid feedback on organization performance
•    Feedback the results of the above to your workforce and communicate your plans to address any issues
•    Review your performance management systems and compensation levels
•    Review your employee job classifications.  Are employees properly categorized as exempt or non-exempt?
•    Review your organization’s vision, mission and goals to ensure appropriateness and alignment with lower level goals
•    Review your workloads and ensure the work being performed is absolutely required and aligned with the mission
•    Consider a more flexible work schedule, including telecommuting
•    Develop creative ways to keep retirement aged workers in your workforce at lower costs e.g., job sharing or telecommuting
•    Develop manager and supervisory employee relations skills
•    Address workforce conflict and individual performance issues

In the power of recognition, Doug Bender wrote; ‘Only 4% of 90,000 applicants annually at Southwest Airlines are actually hired.  That’s only 3,600 lucky people!  What makes Southwest Airlines so popular that 90,000 people would choose to compete for 3,600 jobs?  I contend that Southwest Airlines is a great place to work.’  Implementing the recommendations above will place your organization on a similar track.

Team Onyx
By: Pierre A. Towns
Onyx Global HR
www.OnyxGlobalHR.com
(866)715-4806
info@ www.OnyxGlobalHR.com

We provide Custom HR Solutions For CEO’s and Senior HR Executives. Onyx Global HR is one of the foremost respected Human Resources Consulting Firms providing fast and reliable high-level HR expertise and thought leadership to our clients with a focus on reliable and effective execution. Get a FREE copy of our book “The ABCs of Leadership: The Simple Elegance of Getting to the Top… and What It Takes to Stay There.” Sign up here: http://www.OnyxGlobalHR.com/contactus.php.

Implementing the Third Dimension – the Employee-Driven Self-efficacy Component

The power behind the three dimensional model is supplementing the traditional employer-driven process with the employee-driven process.  So, as employees, how do we modify our behavior to become more empowered?

How do we increase our self-efficacy as it relates to behaving in an empowered manner?  The typical behavior modification model consists of five steps and is based in cognitive and behavioral theory.

•    Awareness and acceptance that we need to change
•    Determine effective self-motivation techniques
•    Identifying the behaviors you want to change
•    Substitute new behaviors for old
•    Reinforce new behaviors

1.    Awareness and acceptance that we need to change
Before we can increase our self-efficacy relative to our feelings of empowerment, or any other behavior, we must become aware that an undesirable behavior exists and accept that we need to change that behavior.  This personal awareness can result from the feedback of trusted family members, work colleagues and friends, self-assessment instrument results or other trusted objective sources.

2.    Determine effective self-motivation techniques
Once we realize we want to change, we must identify and employ the motivational techniques that are most effective for us.  They will vary from person-to-person and may include; recognition, the challenge itself, financial reward, determination not to fail or a myriad of other factors.

Bandura identified four sources of self-efficacy that are also sources of motivation.

Social Modeling
When we observe others who are similar to ourselves succeed at a task we previously felt was unattainable, we are also motivated to succeed.  For example, until the first sub-four minute mile was run, conventional wisdom among the athletic and scientific communities said it could not be done.

After Roger Bannister completed the task in 1954, several runners followed suit.  Bandura’s social cognitive theory emphasizes the role of observational learning and social experience. When employees observe others behaving in an empowered fashion and the benefits derived thereof, they are more motivated to behave in a similar manner.

Social Persuasion
Social persuasion as a source of self-efficacy and motivation asserts employees can be persuaded to believe that they have the ability to succeed in a specific situation.  A  big part of the Marines’ training and motivation is to persuade, some would say brainwash, recruits to believe they are ultimate fighting machine!  Supervisors, mentors, trainers, coaches and employees are well positioned to persuade employees of their self-empowerment abilities.

Psychological Responses
An employee’s emotional response to situations can significantly influence their feelings of self-efficacy in that situation.  If an employee wants to behave in a more empowered manner and one of their psychological responses to taking risks (a key empowerment behavior) is avoidance, their empowerment self-efficacy will be low because empowerment behavior requires taking risks.

Mastery Experiences
Once we substitute new behaviors that are consistent with empowerment for old behaviors that are not, those behaviors should be practiced until they become second nature.  “The most effective way of developing a strong sense of efficacy is through mastery experiences.

Each time we perform a behavior successfully, our sense of self-efficacy related to that behavior increases.  If we choose to understand and practice specific empowerment behaviors, we will become more confident in our ability to act in an empowered manner and others will see us in the same light.

3.    Identifying the behaviors you want to change
It is not enough to affirm that we want to behave in a more empowered way, we need to identify specifically what those behaviors look like?  Through our self-awareness process we have identified our behaviors.  In this step we need to determine which of our specific behaviors are reinforcing and undermining of our empowerment behavior.

4.    Substitute New Behaviors for Old
We can choose to empower ourselves by substituting our behaviors that undermine others’ perceptions of us as empowered individuals, with empowerment reinforcing behaviors.  Initially, it will feel awkward and unnatural but the more we practice the reinforcing behaviors, the more the behaviors will become second-nature.

5.    Reinforce new behaviors
Practicing the new empowerment behaviors are an important component of becoming a more empowered person.  Other reinforcing techniques include:
•    Making others aware that you are modifying specific behaviors and ask for their help by providing feedback and other constructive criticism
•    Fully considering the feedback you receive without discounting or rationalizing
•    Utilize systems and processes that reinforce new behaviors
Over the past several decades, behavioral scientists and psychologists have conducted research that validates the increased efficiency and effectiveness that empowered employees bring to organizations.

Human Resources practitioners and management consultants have assisted organizations to implement employee empowerment initiatives with varying results.  The purpose of this article is to introduce and justify a new approach to employee empowerment, when appropriately implemented, will help organizations realize the full potential of their employee empowerment programs.

Team Onyx
By: Pierre A. Towns
Onyx Global HR
www.OnyxGlobalHR.com
(866)715-4806
info@ www.OnyxGlobalHR.com

We provide Custom HR Solutions For CEO’s and Senior HR Executives. Onyx Global HR is one of the foremost respected Human Resources Consulting Firms providing fast and reliable high-level HR expertise and thought leadership to our clients with a focus on reliable and effective execution. Get a FREE copy of our book “The ABCs of Leadership: The Simple Elegance of Getting to the Top… and What It Takes to Stay There.” Sign up here: http://www.OnyxGlobalHR.com/contactus.php.

The Neglected Third Employee Empowerment Dimension

The concept of self-efficacy is the core of social cognitive theory.   The theory helps us understand the development of behavior and personality as influenced by observational learning, social experience, and reciprocal determinism.  These influential elements are the engine behind the accelerated effects of integrating the third dimension.

Bandura’s social cognitive theory also represented the “self-efficacy beliefs function as an important set of proximal determinants of human motivation, affect, and action [which] operate on action through motivational, cognitive, and affective intervening processes”.

This serves to explain the motivational power inherent in self-efficacy.

In the three dimensional empowerment model, self-efficacy is defined as the belief that each employee is capable of performing in a way that will result in a successful outcome in a specific situation.  Self-efficacy beliefs begin to form in early childhood, but as with most behaviors, can continue to evolve and be shaped and influenced throughout life.

As a learned behavior, employees can increase self-efficacy behavior over time with commitment and practice.

As one of the most studied topics in psychology, self-efficacy has been proven to significantly influence psychological states, behavior and motivation.   Therefore, when implementing empowerment initiatives, it is not clear why management consultants and employers have focused so much on principally changing the employer’s structures, policies, procedures and practices at the expense of effectively providing employees with the tools to increase their self-efficacy.

As the three dimensional model indicates, when appropriate attention is paid to simultaneously increasing the empowerment climate and the employee’s self-efficacy, the desired behaviors are increased significantly.  This is because employees, in part, learn by observing others.

Their development is influenced by what they observe in their environment, in the behavior of others and their cognitive reaction to those observances; consequently, these three factors are not static or independent; rather, they are all reciprocal.

For example, 1) the employer creates an empowerment climate, 2) employees then observe the new management behaviors which changes the employee’s way of thinking (cognition), 3) which increases their self-efficacy and encourages them to behave in a more empowered manner.

Social cognitive theory and the power of self-efficacy does not just apply to empowerment concepts.  The theory recognizes the significant difference between an individual’s capacity to perform competently and actually performing competently.  Let’s examine a different, but related familiar example.

We have all attended training programs taught by conscientious and highly qualified instructors that left us far from qualified in the subject matter covered.  Our grandfathers were right when they told us ‘you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink’!

If we are not motivated to learn the subject matter, we won’t, and a large part, but not the only part of that motivation comes from our level of self-efficacy.  The most effective training programs include a module that increases the participants’ self-efficacy relative to the training subject matter.

Why a Three Dimensional Approach?

For a number of reasons, when properly implemented, a three dimensional approach results in a more efficient and effective implementation by:

•    Eliminating the inherent ineffectiveness of the traditional two dimensional approach – The traditional approach is anchored in a ‘pull strategy’ where employers create an empowerment climate by changing structures, policies, procedures and practices in hopes of creating an environment that will motivate employees to change their behavior.

Continuing with the training analogy; employers hiring a trainer, providing facilities, and providing the time for employees to attend, do not result in a large percentage of the employees learning the subject matter.

This is not a very effective approach, nor is it very efficient if you have to retrain or suffer the consequences when the employee cannot apply the learning on-the-job.  (Improved quality)

•    Increasing the number of employees that behave in an empowered manner – The three dimensional model employs both a pull and push strategy simultaneously.

In addition to the benefits derived from the employer-driven empowerment strategy, individual employees will take the initiative to modify their own behavior without prompting from management.  (More empowerment)

•    Accelerating employee empowerment organization-wide – Because empowerment behavior is occurring from the top down and from the bottom up, not only will there be more employees that behave in an empowered manner, but that higher number will be reached much sooner in the process.  (Shorter cycle times)

•    Lowering costs – Since the benefits of implementing an empowerment strategy will be realized sooner, the shorter cycle times will result in lower costs.

How do we Implement the Three Dimensional Employee Empowerment Model?

By simultaneously implementing the traditional employer-driven empowerment approach and the employee-driven employee approach

Elements of Kotter’s eight step plan for implementing change and Tichy’s change management theory are effective way to implement the employer-driven empowerment component.

1.    Create the vision for change organization-wide
2.    Ensure strategic alignment among the organization’s technical, political and cultural systems
3.    Implement technical, political and cultural strategies by;

•    Modifying the technical resources to produce the empowerment outcome.  Some examples are;

a.    Strategy
b.    Goals
c.    Organization design
d.    Process improvements

•    Modifying the political systems to allocate resources and power within the organization to promote employee empowerment.  Political systems include;
a.    Compensation programs
b.    Budgets
c.    Career decisions
d.    Power structure
•    Modifying the cultural systems which address what values are desired in the organization and what beliefs are valued.  For example;
a.    Basic assumptions (beliefs)
b.    Values
c.    Norms
d.    Artifacts
4.    Communicate the vision and strategies
5.    Empower and encourage others
6.    Identify, create and reward ‘quick wins’
7.    Consolidate improvements, reassess changes and make adjustments
8.    Reinforce, reinforce, reinforce

Team Onyx
By: Pierre A. Towns
Onyx Global HR
www.OnyxGlobalHR.com
(866)715-4806
info@ www.OnyxGlobalHR.com

We provide Custom HR Solutions For CEO’s and Senior HR Executives. Onyx Global HR is one of the foremost respected Human Resources Consulting Firms providing fast and reliable high-level HR expertise and thought leadership to our clients with a focus on reliable and effective execution. Get a FREE copy of our book “The ABCs of Leadership: The Simple Elegance of Getting to the Top… and What It Takes to Stay There.” Sign up here: http://www.OnyxGlobalHR.com/contactus.php.

The Inherent Problem with the Traditional Two Dimensional Empowerment Approaches

Through the two dimensions of empowerment climate and time, increased employer empowerment efforts do cause employee work units to begin to behave in a more empowered manner and achieve higher levels of performance,  but far from an optimal level.

In the Seibert, Silver and Randolph study, empowerment climate only explained 22 percent of the variance in work-unit performance; consequently, these organizations do not empower a high percentage of their employees.

Based on our experience, here’s how the two dimensional approach plays out over time.

As depicted above, once a change catalyst initiates the employer-driven empowerment climate change process; there are four types of employee adoption profiles that influence if and when, the change will be fully implemented and institutionalized.

The employer facilitates an empowerment climate by changing structures, policies, procedures and practices, with hopes of creating a non-threatening environment that signals to their employees that behaving in an empowered manner is encouraged and desired.

As a result of the employer’s actions, employees will generally assume one of the four adoption profiles, described by Hersey and Blanchard as ‘a follower’s ability and motivation’ .

1.    Organization employees that are ‘early adopters’ i.e., those employees that want to change and can change, quickly began to behave in a more empowered manner.  They have the knowledge, skills and abilities to emulate the desired behavior and prefer to behave in an empowered manner.  They are also comfortable with leading change and migrating away from the majority culture.

2.    Employees that can change but don’t want to change, must be convinced that the new empowerment climate is real and here to stay, before they are motivated to modify their behavior, but will eventually adopt an empowered behavior.

3.    Employees that believe they cannot change but want to change, require training and other support to develop the knowledge, skills and abilities to behave in a more empowered manner;

However, without employee self-efficacy, employees will not internalize the training because they don’t truly believe they can change; consequently, they will not be motivated to change.  The two dimensional approach often does not provide enough support to fully modify this group’s behavior.

4.    Employees that believe they cannot change and do not want to change also require training and other support to develop the knowledge, skills and abilities to behave in a more empowered manner.  Those employees must also improve self-efficacy in order to embrace and internalize the training.

Additionally, enough employees in the organization must adopt the empowerment behavior in order to create enough peer pressure to force this last group to adopt empowerment behaviors, or be out of step with the new empowerment culture.   The two dimensional approach does not provide enough of this support or enough employee adoption to fully modify this group’s behavior.

A graphic portrayal of the maximized, traditional, two dimensional model is depicted below.  The green area represents the percent of the organization’s employees that have adopted the new employee empowerment behaviors.

This area is defined by an empowerment climate dimension on the vertical axis (y) and the time dimension on the horizontal axis (x); however, this area is only a small percentage of the total organization’s workforce represented by the area of the entire cube.

For example, if the cube represented a work force of 50,000 employees, only a relatively small percentage, 25% or so, would behave in an empowered manner as a result of only their employer creating an empowerment climate;

Consequently, the cube is not saturated with the color green which represents the organization’s percentage of employees that have adopted the new employee empowerment behaviors.

Traditionally, management practices have centered on managing human resources issues utilizing four different functions; company management, human resources, unions and the ombudsperson.

In a perfect world, any of these functions can provide the employees in our respective workforces the knowledge, skills and abilities to motivate behavioral change.  In reality, each of these functions has struggled to determine the most effective and efficient way to support the workforce.

Additionally, they have loss much of the moral authority needed to inspire and motivate employees.   More and more, those leading initiatives have ulterior motives that may, or may not, align with the best interest of the employee.  WorldCom, Enron, Tyco, Adelphia, Global Crossing, Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities, etc., are recent reminders of how far some executive management teams and their “friendly” Boards are willing to go to achieve personal and business objectives that are not in the long-term interest of the organization and employees.

Consequently, it should come as no surprise that many HR professionals, union members and ombudspersons have fallen victim to this trend.

For this and other reasons, employee self-efficacy behaviors should be valued and nurtured in organizations as an important element of any employee development initiative.  As employees, we need to assume more responsibility and accountability for our work-life and recognize our ability to significantly influence our work experience through increased self-efficacy.

As employee self-efficacy relates to employee empowerment, employees should not solely rely on their employers to initiate employee empowerment practices; they should choose to behave in a manner that encourages their employer to remove obstacles to employee empowerment.  The fact is, many employers don’t, or aren’t effective when they try to empower employees.

It is within each employee’s control to master behaviors that empower themselves.  These employee behaviors will result in an increased number of empowered employees, but a self-efficacy approach by itself, generally will not achieve the same level of employee empowerment as an employer-driven approach, or a combination of the two.

What is the Three Dimensional Empowerment Model?

The three dimensional empowerment model recognizes the power of employee self-efficacy; what Seibert, Silver and Randolph called psychological empowerment, as a stand-alone strategy or as a supplement to the ‘employer climate’ approach.

For any empowerment initiative, the three dimensional employee empowerment model demonstrates the optimal effect over time, of combining the employer-driven ‘empowerment climate’ and psychological empowerment, which includes self-efficacy.

A graphic representation of the three dimensional empowerment model is depicted below.  In this model, the green area representing the percentage of the organization’s employees that have adopted the new employee empowerment behaviors is much larger than the green area of the traditional two dimensional model.

This is because the area is now defined by an empowerment climate dimension on the vertical ‘y’ axis, an employee self-efficacy (psychological empowerment) dimension on the ‘z’ axis, and the time dimension on the horizontal ‘x’ axis.

By including a self-efficacy dimension, we are exponentially increasing the effect of the empowerment climate because it effectively mobilizes the previously mentioned ‘can’t change but want to change’ and ‘can’t change and don’t want to change’ employee groups. When these groups’ needs are addressed, the percentage of the organization’s employees that will adopt the new employee empowerment behaviors is a much larger portion of the organization’s overall workforce, as represented by the area of the entire cube.

Team Onyx
By: Pierre A. Towns
Onyx Global HR
www.OnyxGlobalHR.com
(866)715-4806
info@ www.OnyxGlobalHR.com

We provide Custom HR Solutions For CEO’s and Senior HR Executives. Onyx Global HR is one of the foremost respected Human Resources Consulting Firms providing fast and reliable high-level HR expertise and thought leadership to our clients with a focus on reliable and effective execution. Get a FREE copy of our book “The ABCs of Leadership: The Simple Elegance of Getting to the Top… and What It Takes to Stay There.” Sign up here: http://www.OnyxGlobalHR.com/contactus.php.