ClearRock

BOSTON - With improved unemployment, consumer spending, stock market, and other economic indicators pointing to the beginnings of an economic recovery, companies should be asking themselves if their work forces are ready for a business turnaround, according to ClearRock, an executive coaching and outplacement firm headquartered in Boston.

"Companies have typically trimmed their work forces during the last few years and cut back on training and development of employees. But they won't be able to fully meet the demands of increased business by simply hiring more workers,"said Anne Hawley Stevens, managing partner for ClearRock.

Companies may need outside coaching to improve the success of their newly hired and promoted managers and executives, implement any major change initiatives, and develop high-potential employees for future management positions, added Stevens.

Among the potential human resource stumbling blocks that can impede growth during a turnaround are:

• A high failure rate for newly recruited and promoted managers and executives. Newly recruited and promoted managers and executives must get up to speed in their new jobs quicker than ever before. However, about half of them are failing before completing two years on the job, according to leadership development studies. "Many newly recruited and promoted managers and executives don't achieve the most important goals and objectives of their new positions, and are unclear or uncertain about what is expected of them,"said Greg Gostanian, managing partner for ClearRock. "They also fail to build effective teamwork with their colleagues and subordinates." New leader coaching and organizational assessment tools can help clarify the expectations on new executives, as well as assist them in meeting organizational objectives and in creating the workplace partnerships critical to their success.
• Most new organizational change initiatives fail to achieve their objectives. These change initiatives range from implementing new performance evaluation systems to establishing new workplace policies and procedures. "The main reasons change initiatives fail include employees' lack of understanding of why change is necessary, inadequate organizational commitment to change efforts, and not effectively linking the desired performance or behavioral objective to the change initiative"said Stevens. "Change management coaching can help senior management build a good business case for change, clearly define the desired goals and objectives, respond to employees' concerns, and communicate necessary information throughout the organization,"added Stevens.
• Managers and executives who are promoted because they are good at their jobs, but not necessarily at managing people. "Many high-potential individuals move into management roles because of being successful at their jobs. For example, a top sales executive who is asked to manage a team, or a successful product manager who is expected to develop and mentor a staff,"said Gostanian. "They often come into their new positions with the 'sharp elbows' it took to climb to the top of their fields. They need feedback and guidance on how to manage and develop people appropriately. Once successful individual contributors, they suddenly find themselves in unfamiliar territory." Performance coaching can help them modify counter-productive behaviors and become more effective managers and executives.
• Not effectively developing managers and leaders from within, and throwing them into higher positions without the necessary management preparation. "Many future managers and executives need to be developed from within the ranks of the organization. These high-potential employees possess history, technical knowledge, political savvy, and relationship backgrounds that newly recruited leaders might lack,"said Stevens. "This is especially true at the middle management levels. Although expectations are high for newly promoted middle managers to achieve results, few senior managers have the time to mentor and develop them, and they are often thrown into the higher positions and left on their own." Developmental coaching can help them succeed in their management posts and ensure their continued career growth.