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• Talent Crunch by Tim Connor, CSP
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Talent Crunch ! ! !
by Tim Connor, CSP

Words of wisdom for this week.

“Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.” Emerson

Organizations worldwide are frantically trying to hold on to their best employees while at the same time trying to find, and recruit the best available talent in their marketplace. What’s the cause of this challenging problem and is it a new phenomenon or is it a new, a recurring or cycling circumstance?

As a trainer and professional speaker for many years conducting programs worldwide, I can tell you that there are a variety of causes or contributors to this current talent crunch. A few of the more obvious ones are;

• The relentless march and increasing speed of technology and its impact on society and individuals.
• The desire for control over ones life and future destiny.
• The increasing cost of living in developed and progressive countries.
• An aging population in many countries.
• The desire to have the freedom to work at home or in the location of ones choice.
• There is an increasing lack of employee loyalty to their employers for any number of reasons.
• The desire of many organizations to increase their offerings of products and services.
• The desire of people to go wherever in the world where there is opportunity.
• People are under more stress now than at any time in recent history for a variety of reasons.
• More and more people are unwilling to take on entry level or low level positions or jobs.
• The simple fact that now more than any time in history we are truly a global village.
• The desire for many organizations to have an increasing presence either locally or internationally or both.

I don’t see any of these above circumstances improving, changing or getting easier in the near future, so if you are an employer, regardless of your organization’s size, history or growth plans or you are considering starting a new business or enterprise, I urge you to develop and maintain a clear, workable and effective strategy and process for keeping your best talent and finding new employees that guarantees you don’t lose the opportunity to continue to profitably and consistently grow your business.

What people want hasn’t changed in hundreds of years. However, finding and maintaining these is becoming increasingly difficult for most people or your employees or potential employees. People around the world all want the same things. People everywhere regardless of their country, religion, gender, age, career and/or marital status want - inner peace, happiness and to maintain control of their lives and outcomes. Many of the above items are gradually or instantly taking one or all of these away from people so it should be no surprise that employees everywhere are;

• starting their own businesses
• looking for better financial opportunities
• retiring earlier
• staying with their current employer but losing productivity and effectiveness
• losing loyalty and commitment to their current employer no matter how long they have worked there
• developing a more self-centered approach or personal agendas and concerns about their futures
• becoming more independent in their thinking and behavior

Keep in mind that people don’t quit businesses, they quit managers. People generally don’t leave a position because they no longer like their job or responsibilities; need more challenge or even more income. They leave because of the poor people skills of members of management in thee organization.

So, if you are an employer, what’s the answer to this ongoing, common and growing problem?

This subject could be the foundation for a book. In fact I am currently working on my 67th book and it is titled, The Talent Crunch, keeping and attracting the best employees. But until it is released later this year I thought I would share a few of its fundamental tenants for your consideration.

1) It is critical that your organization become an ‘employer of choice’.

2) You must develop, foster and maintain a positive corporate culture.

3) You must be willing to empower employees at every level of your organization.

4) You must learn to give more positive recognition and appreciation to each and every employee regardless of their status or position.

5) You must drive decision making further down the corporate ladder.

6) You must stay in touch with the reality of your business, your markets and your customer’s needs and expectations.

7) You must keep your ego needs out of your critical decisions, actions and behaviors.

8) You must validate your employees.

9) If you want employees to trust and respect you, you must trust and respect them first.

10) You must open and keep open the lines of communication in all directions throughout your organization.

11) You must share your vision and purpose with all of your employees.

12) You must encourage the bottom-up flow of information, authenticity and reality.

13) You must get out from behind your desk and out of your meetings and talk with your employees.

14) You must listen without prejudice and clouded perceptions.

15) You must put as much resources in developing your human resources – your people - as you do upgrading your furniture, supplies and many other corporate expenses.

16) You must set a clear direction for your organization and share this with your employees.

17) You must create a culture blending the right amounts of accountability and responsibility.

18) You must accept a fundamental management premise that – you get the behavior you reward.

19) You must treat all employees fairly regardless of their gender, cultural background, age or experience.

20) You must create an environment of inclusion not exclusion.

A lot to think about? Sure, but if you want to be one of the survivors during the coming decade or decades it will require your diligence, attention, willingness to embrace change and your readiness to continually reinvent yourself as a manager or leader as well as your organization and its purpose.

About The Author:

Tim Connor, CSP
World renowned Speaker, Trainer and best selling author of 67 titles, Box 397, Davidson, N.C. 28036 USA, 704-895-1230 (voice) - 704-895-1231 (fax) - tim@timconnor.com (email) - www.timconnor.com (Website)

TO HIRE TIM - CONTACT;

Tim Connor, CSP
Speaker, Trainer, Best Selling Author
Box 397 Davidson, N.C. 28036 USA
704-895-1230 (voice) 704-895-1231 (fax)
tim@timconnor.com (email)
www.timconnor.com (Website)
www.ProfessionalSalesAssociationOfAmerica.com (Website)

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