An Order of Perspective with a Side of Innovation

How do you re-energize strategic meetings that seems to fall flat, or worse- are too complacent with everyone simply nodding their heads in agreement?

Companies that have been successful in building a dynamic team of members in alignment with the organization’s core values and purpose, could eventually run the risk of lack of perspective.  When all your cooks are preparing the same recipe, who do you get to taste test it?  How do you know when you need to add a little more spice? 

Every so often, companies need to invite an industry expert to dinner.  You set out your best china- your company structure, your differentiators.  They bring the wine- their expertise and experiences, and you sit down to a meal.  The result is not only an opportunity to measure your organization’s role within the industry, but as often happens during good conversation over a meal- you find yourself engaged in thought provoking topics.  

Having an industry expert present at an occasional strategic meeting provides an energetic perspective that solidifies into action plans.  Participants in the strategic meeting should come prepared with questions and a basic agenda.  The invited expert should be provided with key points to address prior to the meeting.  Some possible ideas include:

• What do you believe are pain points for (key members) in our industry?  
• What type of growth have you witnessed in the industry?
• What are the best practices you see being used collectively in the industry or by the competition?
• What are the latest industry trends?

Having a dialogue with an industry expert within the structure of a strategic meeting, is an invaluable tool to have an impartial observer qualify and possibly direct your organization’s strategic objectives and initiatives.

Executing a Comprehensive Onboarding Plan

On-boarding programs assist new hires with acclimating to the organization’s culture and position employees on the right path for personal and career success.  Once a company has opted for a formal on-boarding program, a detailed plan must be drafted to ensure the program’s seamless execution and overall effectiveness.  

After essential components have been decided upon (discussed in On-boarding- Necessary Program or Waste of Time), HR or other team development coordinators need to map out a strategy to ensure that nothing is overlooked and slips through the cracks.    “Project Perspectives” is a resourceful tool to outline ideas and organize tasks.

Each day should be broken down on the Project Perspectives outline.  Granular details would include:

1. General overview for each day
2. Itemized sections by subject heading
3. Materials needed for distribution
4. Lead instructor for each section
5. Start/stop time for sessions

So that all associates involved can plan their days accordingly, a master calendar broken down by participating associates leading sessions should be included.  

A similar agenda highlighting day overview and session titles/times should be provided to each new hire to increase comfort levels as to what the program entails.  Delegation to support staff who are not involved in teaching sessions can involve printing distribution materials and booklets, and also organizing practical logistics of the program such as meals and snacks.  

On-boarding is often a company-wide endeavor for small to medium business, and relies upon an entire HR/Education department for larger organizations.  On the surface, a comprehensive on-boarding program may appear to be an overwhelming responsibility and consume much of associates’ valuable time.  However, the benefits to providing a comprehensive program and facilitating a smooth transition will pay dividends in the company’s overall stability.

Onboarding: Necessary Program or Waste of Time? Part 3 of 3

If employees from several different departments are being onboarded simultaneously, break out sessions provide more in-depth introduction of specific roles and responsibilities.   These break out sessions or Training Modules require structure with set objectives, course materials, and some form of testing and feedback to determine that the objectives have been met.  These Training Modules can be implemented all at once, or even segmented throughout an introductory period of time.  

Department specific break out sessions should also include meeting with department directors and/or team members so that logistical questions can be fielded.   Exposure to other departments is effective in providing a well-rounded introduction to the organization.  After any break-out session, the entire group should collectively return for brief experience share to report to the group what was learned.  

Guest speakers, clients or other industry specific personnel are valuable resources to an onboarding session.  Clients and industry partners can provide unbiased insight to a company’s strengths and culture.  Guest speakers can facilitate lively round table discussions and prompt thought provoking questions, allowing new hires to view the organization from a completely different perspective.  Another valuable tool is a panel discussion that puts new hires in contact with key executives or members with whom they might otherwise not have daily interaction.   

Whether your organization opts for a one week, one month or an incremented program throughout the first year, the benefits to a structured, detailed onboarding program help acclimate employees to the culture, and position  employees on the right path for personal and organizational success.