The Executive Ladder

What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?

As a child, you were probably asked, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” Although some people have very distinct talents that will naturally lead into a career, most of us didn’t have a clue.  However, we expect that by adulthood, we will finally have an answer.    

Choosing a career path is the most difficult and frustrating obstacle for my clients to overcome. They want to know where they are going and how they are going to get there.  For some, there are too many choices – they suffer from BSOS (bright shiny object syndrome).  Others are afraid to make a decision – what if it’s the wrong choice, what if they try and fail, or how will they transition into a new career path?  And then there are those who are trying to live up to someone else’s expectations.   

If you don’t know what you want to be when you grow up, you can’t move forward.  How are you going to reach your goal until you decide what that goal is?  As a result, you slow your advancement, typically resulting in less mo*ney, and you don’t get the satisfaction of having a career that you love.   

You will experience more success and satisfaction when you align your career path with your strengths, interests and experience.  Rather than starting over from square one, unless you truly hate your work, build on the foundation that you have already laid.

Interests

Think about your interests.  What activities do you enjoy most in your professional and volunteer work?  Are there other areas that you have direct or indirect contact with that you would like to explore?   What other interests do you have?   

Make a list of all your interests while keeping in mind that not everything can be incorporated into your career.  A forty-five year old accountant, who loves baseball, probably shouldn’t quit his job to be a professional baseball player.  But maybe he can hold a position in the finance department for a baseball team.    

Strengths

We all have talents, whether we have identified them or not.  If you don’t already know what you naturally do well, it’s time to find out.  Think about activities that you consider easy.  Often we don’t pay much attention to them – we just assume they are easy for everyone.  If you have past performance appraisals, review them to determine which areas you consistently scored high without much effort.  If you still need help, ask someone you trust to tell you what they consider to be your strengths.  Sometimes what’s obvious to others isn’t quite so clear to us.   

You should also identify the tasks that are challenging for you.  You never want to select a career path that requires you to spend more time shoring up your weaknesses than developing your talents. Pursuing the things that come naturally to us will result in less frustration and more enjoyment and success.

Experience

Finally, look back over the course of your career.  What experience have you gained from the positions you’ve held as well as your volunteer work.  Include your direct and indirect experience.  For example, a marketing manager doesn’t just have experience in marketing.  He or she probably has experience in management, budgeting, human resources, and corporate communications, as well.  Break it down and you will see just how much experience you actually have.

Once you have all of this information down and you look at it together, you will begin to see the options available to you – options that you never thought of before.  All that is left for you to do is to make a decision and start taking action.   

The greatest benefit you will derive from confidently selecting your career path is empowerment. You are taking control of your future instead of taking what someone else has to offer.   

Coach’s Challenge:

If you haven’t mapped out your career path, figure out what is holding you back.  Is it fear?  Do you have so many varied interest that you can’t decide what you enjoy most?  Are you doing what is expected of you instead of what you want to do?  Or have you been content to coast along in your career? 

If having is a successful career is important to you, make a commitment to yourself to make a decision and take action.  Start by making a list of your interest, strengths, and experience and then notice the options that are available to you. 

Do you want to know where you are going and how you are going to get there?  Then it’s time to take action with a step-by-step system to uncover your interest, strengths, and experience so you can put yourself on the path to success.  Contact Jill to find out more.   

Working Mom, Super Mom - Is there really a difference?

Lately, it seems that everyone wants to accomplish something, just look at sites like www.43things.com. The ambitions posted on these sites run the gamut from wanting to get more organized to traveling the world to earning more money.  If you are a working mother, you know you are just as ambitious as everyone else out there. You also know that your career is the vehicle to achieving those aspirations.  Unfortunately, you probably feel like you are barely able to keep your head above water much less establish any professional goals beyond bringing home a paycheck.  Complicating matters even further, working mothers have hurdles to jump that their counterparts probably don’t even have on their radar.

Working mothers have two jobs – being a mother and being an employee.  There is no way to keep your family life from seeping into work.  You may be able to leave your work at the office but you can’t ever completely leave your family at home.  How many times have you left work early to take a sick child to the doctor or to attend a parent-teacher conference?  Do you feel like you have to ‘sneak’ out of the office right at five o’clock (whether your work is finished or not) so your child won’t be the last one picked up at after-school care – again?  Do you feel like your commitment to the company and your career is being questioned when you put your family first?  As if all of this juggling isn’t tiring enough, the second shift begins as soon as your “outside the home” job ends.  There is dinner, homework, little league, dance class, scouts, and on and on and on.

Another equally important challenge you face is the delicate task of having to weigh each decision you make between the needs of your family and the good of your career.  Do you entertain clients or have drinks with the boss after work or do you go to your son’s baseball game?  Do you apply for the promotion that will relocate your family across the country or do you put your career on the back burner until the kids are grown?  There is never an easy choice and I bet you tend to second guess your decisions and feel guilty no matter what choice you make.  In fact, I would guess that there isn’t another segment of the population who feels as much guilt as working mothers.

Let’s face it, mothers work because they need to – either they need the income, they need to fulfill their desire to work, and/or they feel the need to provide a better life for their children than is possible on one income.  But, if you are stressed out, always on the run, and don’t have quality time to spend with your kids, is having a career fulfilling that need or is it causing undue hardship on your family?  This is one of those times when it pays to do it right.  If you are going to work, shouldn’t it be for a career that is rewarding, both intrinsically and financially and that also allows you to enjoy your family life?

For working mothers, life is exhausting (as if I need to tell you)!  You are constantly being pulled in multiple directions, expected to perform miracles that few could accomplish, and take care of everyone around you – all without dropping a single ball and a smile on your face.  And somehow, we manage to pull it off, day after day.  Not always with a smile and occasionally a ball or two drops, but the ship stays afloat – even if it means that your own goals get sidelined.  But wouldn’t it be great if it wasn’t so difficult?  It is possible to have it all – a great career and a meaningful family life – without having to work even harder than you already do.  The key to success lies in:

• Prioritizing.  What comes first, right now?  How do you know where to focus your attention if you don’t know what is most important?
• Finding time for those priorities.  How do you fit it all in– time for your family, your career, and yourself – without sacrificing? 
• Goal setting. How will you know what direction to go in if you haven’t established solid goals?  You’ll quickly wear yourself out running in circles. Do you know what you want out of life, personally, professionally and financially?
• Planning.  A comprehensive plan to achieve your goals will keep you focused and on the right track.
• Making choices that are aligned with your priorities.  This is the number one key to eliminating your guilt and feeling good about your decisions.
• Surrounding yourself with a supportive community. Have you ever noticed that when you are around people who are drowning in misery that they bring you down with them?  The opposite holds true, as well.  If you surround yourself with people who are positive, goal-oriented, and supportive, your attitude soars and the possibilities really are endless. 
• A rolodex full of resources. No one can, or should try, to do it alone.  Having access to resources that can pick up where you want to leave off makes all the difference in the world.

By taking these steps, you are empowering yourself.  You are taking control of a chaotic situation that will result in a positive, meaningful life and a career that is both rewarding and affords the lifestyle that you want – all with less stress and guilt.  That means a better mom for your kids, a better partner for your significant other, and a happier YOU.

Your Assignment:

The first step to taking control of the chaos is to prioritize.  What is most important to you right now?  Is it finding more balance between work and family?  Making more money?  Spending more time with your kids and significant other?  Whatever is at the top of your list, come up with three action steps you can take to get closer to your goals.  Keep your priorities at the top of your mind at all times and you will see that your decision making process will get easier and the guilt you struggle with will begin to fade. 

Do you want to be a mom that has it all – the great family AND successful career?  Are you ready to get out of overwhelm, lose the guilt, and take control of your professional life?  I’ll be announcing a new program soon, just for working mothers like you.  We will address each of the success factors above plus much more so you can do more than just keep your head above water.  Spaces will be limited, so if you would like to receive priority notification, register here and you’ll have a chance to sign up before I announce the program to the general public.  Don’t want to wait?  Call me at 813-839-5752 to discuss individual coaching options. 

Review of Jack Stahl's "Lessons on Leadership"

Lessons on Leadership, by Jack Stahl, is rich with theory combined with real world examples and practical techniques allowing for easy implementation.  This book wasn’t intended solely for the CEO.  Stahl understands that leaders at every level of the organization must be on board and communicating the vision and direction to achieve success.  A must read for all leaders, both new and seasoned. 

Review Of “Executive Intelligence: What All Great Leaders Have”

In “Executive Intelligence: What All Great Leaders Have,” Justin Menkes clearly articulates the skills that comprise Executive Intelligence.  He supports his theory with numerous examples from today’s top executives. 

In addition, Menkes offers insights into the world of management science, including the tools and theories used to assess and develop potential leaders.  His sharp commentary plainly indicates his view on other leadership theories.

Overall, Menkes does a good job of conveying the skills necessary for success and how to develop Executive Intelligence in future leaders. 

Is it time to throw in the towel?

You’ve established your goals.  You’ve created and executed your plan.  You’re getting nowhere.  How do you know whether you should work harder or throw in the towel?

It may feel like the universe is trying to send you a message –it’s coming in loud and clear.  Before you give up, decide if the problem is lies in the goal, the plan or the execution.  Then you can make a decision that you can live with and won’t regret down the road. 

Start by asking yourself the following questions:

1. Can I live with the alternative?
2. Have I really given one hundred percent to making this a reality?
3. Is my personal bias or agenda preventing me from seeing the solution?
4. Does this goal still fit into my big picture plans? 
5. Do I expect immediate gratification? 

Can I live with the alternative?  There is always an alternative.  It could as simple as doing nothing at all, it could be moving in another direction, or it could force you to make a decision that you don’t want to make.  Put together a list of what would or could happen if you didn’t achieve this goal.  Are there any options you can live with?

I worked with a client whose time management problems were affecting his ability to be successful at work.  No matter what steps we took to remedy the situation, we were never successful because time management was just the symptom of a larger problem – over commitment.  Until he decided if he could live with the alternative, releasing projects that he enjoyed working on, he would never achieve his goal and his over commitment would continue to wreak havoc on his career. 

Have I really given one hundred percent to making this a reality?  Be honest.  Have you really done everything you can (within legal and ethical standards, of course) to achieve your goal?  If not, what’s holding you back?  Are you doing this for yourself or for someone else?  Is fear keeping you in your comfort zone?  Does your plan require you to devote more time to shoring up your weaknesses rather than leveraging your natural talents? 

How will you live with yourself if you throw in the towel before you have given it your all? If it is a goal worth pursuing, rework your plan so that you are comfortable with the execution and then give 100% to making it a reality.

Is my personal bias or agenda preventing me from seeing the solution?  How many times have you let your personal biases or agendas get in the way of seeing the clear solution? 

I have a good friend (we’ll call her Grace) who took a job with a company that she thought would be perfect for her career.  On paper, it was.  It was a promotion with promises of more to come, a salary increase, and an organization with a good reputation.  Grace started this new job with optimism and a determination to be the best.  What she was lacking was flexibility.  She had a predetermine plan for achieving success that would have worked fabulously if she were with her previous employer but not at her new job.  Her personal agenda, achieving success by following her plan, and inability to adapt to a new environment resulted in a rough start.  Once she was able to look at the situation objectively and let go of her agenda, the solution was obvious. 

Planning is important, but so is flexibility.  Sometimes we have to have to be open to following a different path if we want to reach our goals.  Look at your situation objectively.  Have you been overlooking a clear solution?

Does this goal still fit into my big picture plans?  It’s okay to stop pursing a goal that no longer serves you.  If you haven’t already, complete the ideal life exercise.  Get a clear vision of how you would like your life to be and then answer the following questions.  Who is in your life?  Where you do you live?  How do you spend your time at work?  How do you spend your free time?  What gives you the greatest satisfaction?  Include anything else that you feel is relevant.  Once you have you big picture plans, determine if this goal still fits into those plans.  If it does, continue to work on it.  If not, ditch it.

Do you expect immediate gratification?  Some things can’t be rushed, they have to be cultivated.  In this age of technology, we often expect life to give us instantaneous results.  Realistically, you have to give your efforts, sometimes repeated efforts, time to make the impact that you intended.  In advertising, the rule is to run an ad at least three times before you can expect to see any results.  Follow this rule of thumb when implementing your professional goals. 

For instance, if your goal is to make new contacts in the community, a good approach would be to attend networking functions.  You don’t give up if nothing came from attending just one function.  Commit to attending the same group three to five times.  If you are doing everything right and you aren’t building connections, find another group.  Don’t just quit, assuming networking doesn’t work. 

Making the decision to continue working on your goal or to throw in the towel is a difficult one.  Six months after I started my coaching practice, I considered giving up and going back to work.  I had done tons of work with little to show for it.  I was frustrated, and going back to the corporate world offered a quick and secure solution to the challenges of being an entrepreneur.  However, I asked myself the questions above and took my time making a decision.  What I realized was that I had worked hard but I hadn’t really given one hundred percent to making it work; I had a plan that I refused to deviate from, even when it made sense; and I wanted to believe that you could build a full practice in six short months.   After reflecting on my “big picture plans,” it was clear that going back to work would be the easy way out – an alternative that I couldn’t live with.  So I continued, became more flexible and the foundation that I had laid finally started paying off. 

Confidence or lack of it

I have a confession to make, I love TV - it’s one of my guilty pleasures.  Why am I telling you this?  Because one of my favorite shows just happens to tie into this week’s theme on confidence. 

Have you ever watched TLC’s What Not to Wear?  I started watching it because I liked to see the transformation from no style to well-dressed.  But, I got hooked on the transformation that takes place in the “contributor’s” confidence, not their new look.  In one week, not only do they get a new wardrobe and haircut, they get a new perspective on life.  How great is that?

If I had to guess, I would say that at some point in everyone’s life, they have had a dip in their confidence level.  When it seeps into our professional lives, it can cause consequences that cancel out all of our hard work. 

After being contacted by several people for confidence coaching, I decided to write this article. More and more people are realizing the effect it has on their personal and professional lives.  No one is exempt – anyone from the CEO down to the new interns can suffer from a lack of confidence. 

To keep your confidence level in check, read this week’s brand new article!

The Silent Career Killer

I consider myself lucky – I am surrounded by amazing people.  They can be described as smart, successful, witty, passionate, and more.  So, I’m shocked when I listen to these very people put themselves down.  How it is that someone who is so great can have doubts about their value?  I (and most others) see their accomplishments and their potential while they worry about their perceived failures and shortcomings. 

A lack of self-confidence is dangerous to your career.  It can manifest itself with arrogant or self-deprecating behavior.  Our fears and insecurities are directly linked to our level of confidence.  If you aren’t confident in your abilities and the value you offer, how can you expect someone else to be?  In the end, you could very well be passed up for the promotion you want. 

What happens to people who are unsure of their value?  At the extreme, they don’t take risks and they set goals that are too low for fear of failure.  Often, they don’t feel that they deserve success, money, promotions, etc. and may settle for less than what is easily attainable.  For people who suffer from occasional declines in their confidence level, they can be afraid to voice their opinions; focus on the disadvantages of new opportunities; and have a harder time reaching their goals.   

On the other hand, successful professionals are dynamic, decisive, and courageous.  How can you possess these traits without being confident?

What most people don’t realize is that our actions are perpetuating the problem, not improving it.  So how do you improve your confidence (if you suffer from severe self-esteem issues, I recommend seeing a mental health professional)?  Check out these five tips:

1.      Stop the self-sabotaging behaviors.  Every time that you start to put yourself down, either in conversation or in your own head, stop.  Replace that thought with a positive one.  When someone compliments you, simply say “thank you.”  Instead of asking “why me” ask “why not me?” 

2.      Don’t expect perfection from yourself.  It’s great to have high expectations, but remember that you can’t be good at everything.  Accept the fact that you have weaknesses – you are human.  Put yourself in a position where you are building on your strengths and not overcoming your weaknesses. The more successes you experience, the more your confidence will rise. 

3.      Surround yourself with friends and colleagues who are supportive.  Let go of relationships with people who feel compelled to point out all of your weaknesses.  If you can’t separate yourself from them, put it in perspective and limit your interaction with them.  People like this typically make themselves feel better by putting down those they find intimidating. 

4.      Don’t compare yourself to others.   Define success for yourself and create a plan to reach your goals.  Take stock of your achievements by focusing on what have you accomplished in your personal or professional life.  Remind yourself of this from time to time and be proud.

5.      Invest in yourself.  If you don’t take care of yourself, who is going to do it for you?  It’s amazing how much a new haircut or a new suit can affect your self-esteem.  It’s not frivolous to take time out of your schedule to take care of yourself, especially if doing so makes you feel better.  Don’t stop there.    Continue to expand your knowledge and skills on whatever is important to you.

Don't be the boss you hate (Part 3)

According to a recent poll of HR professionals, only ten percent of managers are fully prepared for the next level.  Given this information, is it really a surprise that approximately fifty percent of promotions fail (source: Corporate Leadership Council) when the selection decision is based on current performance level? 

One of the most important qualities of a good leader is the ability and desire to develop their employees.  Taking an active role in the development of your team demonstrates confidence and concern for the future of the organization.  Although talent development should be part of a company-wide initiative, most of the responsibility falls on the shoulders of the supervisors.  Unfortunately, development coaching doesn’t come naturally to many leaders.  By following these tips, you can prepare your employees for success at the next level.

1. Encourage professional development.  High-potential employees are not satisfied with the status quo.  You WANT these employees your team.  They are typically ambitious, high performing, and dynamic.  They will be the future leaders of your organization if they are given proper guidance in their development.  If not, be prepared to lose them to the competition. 

2. Create a plan.  Planning is crucial to advancing your career.  Help your employees establish goals that are aligned with their strengths, interest and experience and then create a plan to get there.  A development plan serves as the roadmap that will take you to your goal.  It can be simple or complex but it must include action steps, resources, and deadlines.  Not sure where to focus your attention?  Try the step-by-step promotion planning eClass.  You will focus only on building necessary skills and overcoming obstacles to get you to your targeted position. 

3. Pair your employee’s with a mentor.  Once their goals have been established, find someone who is in a similar role to the target position to serve as a mentor.  Mentoring enables an organization to use it’s existing talent to impart their knowledge and expertise to one another.  Everyone – the organization, the mentor, and the mentee – benefits from the mentoring process.

4. Identify opportunities to expand their professional network.  Having a solid network is imperative to the success of future leaders.  A network is a great source of information, advice, support and inspiration.  Recommend opportunities within the organization, as well as, networking or professional groups that will help them build strong connections. 

5. Challenge your employees to move out of their comfort zone.  You can’t move forward if you don’t grow and you can’t grow if you never leave your comfort zone.  When possible, give your employees challenging assignments.  Help them prepare by providing them a safe environment to learn from the mistakes that they are bound to make. 

6. Hire a coach.  For high-potential employees and employees who need to be redirected to another career path, it can be best to bring in an outside coach.  An external coach provides a confidential environment where employees are free to discuss the challenges and opportunities they face in their careers through the use of assessments, powerful questions, and individual development plans. 

Don't be the boss you hate! (Part 2)

If your team can’t get meet the established objectives, your days as a leader are numbered.  It would be great if your employees came to work each day, happy, ready to work, and performing at their highest level, but this usually isn’t the case.  Your job, as a leader, is to get a group of diverse professionals to work together to achieve a common goal – regardless of the obstacles you face. 

The following steps can be implemented immediately.  They should not require approval from higher up, any additional resources, or training on your part.  This is not one hundred ways to motivate your employees.  While those suggestions are certainly helpful, your employees aren’t going to produce great results because you bought them a cake on their employment anniversary.  They need a strong leader who will provide support and guidance.  What you can expect to see in return is a team of employees who produce consistent, positive results.  And that, is good for your career.

1. Acknowledge the value that your employee’s provide to the organization.  Every job in the company adds value.  For any job you think holds little value, consider what would happen if no one performed those duties. 
2. Treat your employees with respect. This should be obvious, but unfortunately, it needs to be said.  Criticism is expected at work, but it should always be given constructively and at an appropriate time – never in front of others.  Also, remember to recognize your employee’s accomplishments and not just their mistakes. 
3. Communicate clear expectations.  Every employee needs to understand exactly what is expected of them from the start.  If you don’t have a formal performance appraisal process in place, establish and communicate your expectations and the affect their performance will have on their salary, as well as opportunities for advancement. 
4. Create a plan for improvement. Once your expectations have been communicated, give your employee’s the support that they need to achieve their goals.  Give regular feedback do that your employees know where they are performing well and where they need improvement.  For those areas needing improvement, create a development plan, together with your employee, outlining specific steps they can take to improve their performance.  A great time to do this is immediately following a performance appraisal or as soon as you notice that they aren’t meeting expectations.
5. Remove roadblocks.  Occasionally, your employees will encounter roadblocks that hinder their ability to get the job done well.  Do what you can to remove these barriers or help them find an alternative solution to the problem so they can focus on meeting their goals.
6. Model the behaviors you want to see in your employees.  Your attitude and behavior set an example for those you lead.  Is your work ethic lacking?  Do you view deadlines as flexible?  Your employees will look to you when there is a question as to what is most important.  Hold yourself to high standards and your employees will follow.
7. Take a genuine interest in your employee’s professional goals. High-potential employees often have ambitious goals.  Encourage them to develop their skills and gain new experiences that will help them advance their careers.
8. Encourage teamwork. I don’t know much about basketball, but I do know this – if one or two players are trying to make all the shots on their own, they won’t score as many points as a team who works together.  As a leader, you will be judged on the performance of your team, not just one or two players.  Remind everyone that you are first and foremost, a team.  Each person will get an opportunity to stand out if they leverage their talents and work together. 
9. Remember that your employees have a personal life.  While there are times that it may be necessary for work to encroach on your personal life, try not to make it a habit.  Everyone needs time away to recharge their batteries, spend time with people they care about and attend to personal matters.  This time off will allow your employees to give their full attention to getting results when they are at work. 
10. Weed out the non-performers. We all deserve to be successful at work. If you have implemented the suggestions above and you still have employees who are not performing up to par – it’s time to have a candid conversation with them about their future. Is this really where they want to be? If they are committed to this career path, put them on a performance improvement plan and coach them through their development. If not, help them determine where their strengths can be of value, within or outside of the organization.

Don’t be the boss you hate! (Part 1)

Everyone has had at least one bad manager.  Personally, I’ve had three – they were all a disaster in their own unique way.  Apparently, I wasn’t the only one to notice because eventually their career path took an unscheduled detour or came to a screeching halt. 

In order for your career to continue to grow, you must demonstrate effective leadership skills.  Organizations are finally beginning to realize that soft skills are just as important as technical skills and therefore, are placing more emphasis on developing and rewarding effective leaders.

For the purpose of this article, I am defining an effective leader as someone who:

• Hires top talent
• Gets consistent, positive results from their employees
• Takes an active role in the development of their team

A leader who is effective in these areas should experience less turnover, consistently meet or achieve their department’s performance goals, and be considered to take on positions of greater importance.

Hiring Top Talent

The responsibility of recruiting high-potential candidates doesn’t fall solely on the shoulders of your recruiter.  There are many ways that you can enhance their efforts to attract the most sought after candidates.  Recruiting shouldn’t be reactive – performed only when you have an opening on your team.  It should be an ongoing activity so that your pipeline of candidates is full and you can start interviewing shortly after a need has been established.  Follow these tips to make the most of your efforts:

1. Look to your existing employees for a promotional opportunity, first.  You should always look within the organization before you consider external candidates.  Reward employees who are actively developing their skills and are loyal to the company.  Is there someone who is ready to take on new responsibilities?

2. If you are an active member of your professional community, start building a rapport with prospective candidates.  Recruiting is a lot like marketing – the more positive contact you have with prospects, the more receptive they will be to talking to you about making a move to your organization.  Keep in contact with those you would like to have on your team one day.

3. Build a reputation as a strong leader.  This is one of those times when you want your reputation to precede you.  If you are known for being a great leader, candidates will want to work for you.  Year after year, “lack of opportunity” is cited as one of the main reasons for employee turnover.  Judicious candidates know that their manager can make or break that opportunity and they make their decisions accordingly.

4. Don’t be intimidated by dynamic, high-potential candidates.  I’ve seen many hiring managers pass over candidates because they were intimidated by their ambition.  Instead of worrying about someone taking over your job (if this is an issue, you’ve got bigger problems to worry about), think about who could potentially replace you when you move on to a bigger role.

5. Avoid the temptation of hiring someone just like you.  It’s great when you have a connection with a candidate, but try to remember that you aren’t hiring someone to be your friend.  Instead, look for someone who will complement your team’s strengths and weaknesses. 

6. Select candidates who are passionate about their work.  Passion is difficult to ascertain during an interview.  However, there are signs you can look for and questions you can ask to better determine if this is someone who is passionate about their work.
   • Does their education and work history consist of positions that build on each other, demonstrating knowledge in their field and a desire for growth? Or, have they bounced around with little direction?
   • Are they actively involved in their professional community?  Do they take advantage of opportunities to develop new skills?
   • Find out why they chose to get into this particular line of work.
   • Make a note of their specific professional goals.  “To be working in a position that utilizes my skills or to be a manager” doesn’t cut it.  Is it just about the money or are they looking for growth or meaning in their work?
   • Find out what aspect of their job they enjoy most. 

7. Stop settling for mediocrity.  Don’t be afraid to hold off on making a selection decision until you have the right candidate.  Get creative in the way you manage your employee shortage.  Consider redistributing the duties on your team and hiring a temporary administrative employee to take up the slack.  This is a great time for your employees gain additional experience.