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Cold Culture? Heat It Up in a Hurry!

April 19, 2010 By

Why do so many organizations’ “suck” and why do they just not get “it” right?

Here’s a letter we received recently from a leader looking to us to take his organization up a degree or two (Make that at least five degrees!)  When reading it, see if anything sounds familiar?

Dear Pathos,

I am writing to you after recently spending the last three days at a team building event my company held for its leadership development candidates (LDC).  After three days of alternating excruciating heat (think James Arthur Ray’s sweat lodge) and freezing cold (think Donner Party), I am left wondering exactly why I was so excited to be selected as an LDC?

I guess at the heart of what truly bothers me is that as I looked around the room at the other LDC’s, I realized that each of us were really left to our own demise regarding how we performed our roles within the organization.  Absent was any resemblance of consistency regarding our organization vision, picture of where we were going and values which would take us there.  Worse yet, the leadership in our organization put on what could only be described as a “cold, distant, and disconnected” panel session in which we were encouraged to listen to their stories about how great the company was back in the 90’s!

I’ve come to the realization that “What got me here isn’t going to keep me there!”  I feel disillusioned after my three days in close quarters with the organization’s leadership, a lot like Dorothy  realizing that the Great Oz was actually just a man behind a curtain with some special effects!  While I am grateful for the many things which the organization provides for me and my family, I worry about the cold culture causing lasting damage to me.

Cold Culture Survivalist

The letter from Cold Culture Survivalist prompted us to recall Dave Logan’s “Tribal Leadership” book in which he reveals that there are only 5 stages of organization culture, and that once you figure out where you are amongst those stages via what you have, you can determine how you can move  up.  Why would you want to move up in these culture stages?  Well, according to Logan, the organization that do are more effective, more profitable, and basically everybody wins.

Here is a summary of the five stages identified in the book:

Bottom – Stage 1: (2% of all organizations) The bottom of the barrel, well to put it bluntly performs the least well.  Here they say “life sucks!”  They may not come out and say it out loud, but this screams from the participants actions.  This happens rarely in the corporate world, but there are exceptions…

Stage 2: (25% of all organizations) “My life sucks” is their theme.  No hostility, instead there is apathy.  Performance drops, no innovation, new ideas are squashed, vision/values are laughed at (Mumbo jumbo), and so on is the way of life in this stage.

Stage 3: (48% of all organizations) Here they say “I am great, and you’re not!”  There can be only one… very competitive here.  In the end, you’ve got to look better.  When it comes to clients, they notice that you’re not on the same page.  If they only had a mirror to see themselves here in Stage 3!

From this point forward, organizations who operate in Stage 4 and 5 will reflect 300-500% improvement…

Stage 4: (23% of all organizations) “We’re Great, and They’re Not!” is the mantra here.  There is always a competitor, as you move to the top of the organization; the “they” gets more vague.

Stage 5: (2%) Atop the Winslow Hierarchy of Needs is the idea that “Life is Great”… Our competitor becomes an idea, or a thought.

So what can our friend Cold Culture Survivalist do?  Sometimes the realization of where you are truly at spending your time can be a valuable exercise.  Here are several questions to ask yourself if you can sympathize with them:

  • What stage do you believe your organization is at?
  • What stage do you believe you are at within the organization?
  • What are the “Top Three” actions within your control that you could take to improve the stage position?
  • What’s at stake if you don’t achieve those three actions?
  • What do you want to do?

▫   What’s your gut telling you is right?

▫   What’s your heart telling you is right?

Keep in mind, most leaders put themselves 2-3 stages higher than they really are (Positive Bias).    Individuals aren’t very good at assessing themselves.  The group is much better at assessing themselves, so perhaps you should also include feedback from those around you.

If you don’t get in touch with what’s really important to you, you will get yourself caught in one of those computer-programming-like loops we refer to as a “Downward-Death-Spiral.”  This spiral sees nowhere but down-and-out as options.  So how do you rewrite this?  Confront Reality… or as one of our clients says “Decide… Commit… Succeed!”

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Organization Development: Engaging the Baby Boomers

April 2, 2010 By

Five Organization Development Strategies for a more productive workplace.

As we slowly but surely pull out of the recent economic downturn, it’s time to assess our organization development to determine exactly who will fuel our renewal and growth.  “The rules of engagement have changed” said Sam Palazzolo CPLP PCC, President of Pathos Leadership Group.  “The landscape of talent management requires and entirely different horticultural approach.”

What’s at stake is an attempt to determine how to best move forward with the Baby Boomers (Those born 1946 to 1964) while continuing to engage the remainder of the Four Generation Workforce (Millenials, Generation X and Y).  We estimate that the recent recession caused this section of the workforce to extend, or delay, retiring by double their pre-recession plans.  “The Baby Boomers are pissed” says Palazzolo.  “and they should be!”  The light on the retirement train which was insight at the end of the tunnel has been snuffed out, or extinguished, causing most Baby Boomers to rethink, refocus, and replan their retirement efforts.

So how will you ensure that the extended length of time for this group is spent on results-oriented organization initiatives?  The following five (5) strategies should be implemented in order to engage Baby Boomers:

  1. Time, Time, Time… See What’s Become of Me! – Simon & Garfunkel originally sang the lyrics (later respun by Susanna Hoffs of the Bangels) which focused a generation (or two!)  Time has never been more important, and there has never been an age group that values their time more than the Baby Boomers.  With that in mind, insure that your organization development plan encompasses incentives that are time rich, including time off.
  2. Act Green Locally… Go Green Globally – Going green for Baby Boomers includes the opportunity to give back.  Allow opportunities for community involvement (Think Habitat for Humanity) as well as time for “good will” sabbaticals.  They’ll come back recharged, refocused and rededicated.
  3. Wrap It Up… I’ll Take It – Allow Baby Boomers the flexibility while working on projects to participate on specific modules which highlight their expertise, instead of the entire project.
  4. Send in the Clowns – Ok, not the circus clowns… think Cirque de Soleil!  In other words, allow Baby Boomers the flexibility of a rope dancer in your organization.  By providing the opportunity to pick/chose their schedule, as well as where they work, their productivity will blossom.
  5. People Let Me Tell You About My Best Friend – Install a mentorship (or coaching) program where the wisdom of Baby Boomers can be tapped before they depart from the organization.  Simply put, get the information from them before they’re gone.

By adopting any of the proceeding five organization development strategies for Baby Boomers, you’ll create an engagement initiative which few organizations can deliver.  Furthermore, the productivity and results of your organization will be cast for years to come, resulting in a much needed lift to any organization after the economic drubbing of recent years.

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Organization Development Lion and Lamb Challenges?

March 18, 2010 By

The Lion and the Lamb exist in your organization… You want more Lions, and less Lambs!  Whether it’s selecting the best candidate, or getting the most out of your associates we’ll partner with you and your organization to provide you with what we believe is the best solution possible… The Winslow Dynamics Profile.  Read below for more information, or CLICK HERE to contact us to schedule a complimentary Winslow Web-Demo ($390 Retail Value).

Organization Development

Enhance the performance of all your employees! Guaranteed to increase performance, sales and profits, for a fee less than one-day wages per participant!

Improving personnel performance is an ongoing challenge to managers nationwide. Winslow Research Institute developed an innovative Employee Development Program to meet that challenge. The program complements management skill by preparing reports on the behavior and attitudes of employees, based on the results of assessment instruments. The Winslow Reports provide immediate and accurate insight into the characteristics that influence the success of your organization.

Research proves when employees fail in their positions, in more than 90% of the cases the failures are directly attributed to some aspect of human behavior. Individuals do not usually fail because they lack education, experience, training, or skills. They fail because their personality and behavior is not compatible to the behavioral requirements of their particular positions.

The Winslow Dynamics Profile Reports will provide valuable insight into why some employees are functioning successfully and why others are performing unsatisfactorily. The Reports enable employees to capitalize on their personality assets and control behaviors that are limiting or preventing success in their positions. This proven program is a valuable aid in achieving and maintaining optimum personnel performance.

Applicant Selection

Hire the best applicants for every Position! Internet assessments provide immediate results and guaranteed to reduce your personnel turnover – Avoiding just one hiring mistake covers the cost!

Selection of applicants is one of, if not the most, important aspects of building and maintaining a successful organization. Research proves when a person fails in their career in more than 90% of the time that failure is directly attributed to some aspect of human behavior. Individuals do not usually fail because of lack of education, experience, training, or skills. They fail because their personality is not compatible to the behavioral requirements of their career. An organization can invest significant amount of time and money creating products or services and a successful business. However, if the wrong applicants are hired it will fail or at best, never achieve its potential. The Winslow Dynamics Profile Report will significantly increase the probability that applicants you hire will be successful and achieve their maximum potential in your organization.

Questions the Winslow Reports Answer!

The Winslow Reports prepared on the behavior and attitudes of applicants will predict their probability of success in their position. The Winslow Profile measures the 24 personality traits related to success and the Winslow Reports present the assessment results in an easy to understand format. The scores the applicant receives on the Winslow Traits will provide answers to the following primary questions that you want answered:
Is this applicant a success orientated individual?

  • Ambition: This trait score tells you if this person is a competitive, goal oriented person who has a strong desire to successful.
  • Self-confidence: Tells you if the applicant has supreme confidence in him or herself and truly believes they have what it takes to be successful.
  • Conscientiousness: Tells you if this person places the welfare of management and the organization before their own personal self-interest.

Will this person be a dedicated and cooperative employee?

  • Coachability: Will tell you if this person respects authority figures (their managers) and willingly accepts their leadership and direction.
  • Recognition: Indicates if this person has an internal motivation to be seen as a desirable person and will act appropriately to receive recognition.
  • Trust: Trusting individuals are not suspicious and defensive. They openly communicate and believe others are deserving of their trusting nature.
  • Flexibility: Tells you if this applicant will readily adapt to the company’s methods of operation and decisions or be resistant and insist on their own.
  • Contentment: Lets you know if this is a happy person with a positive disposition, rather than someone who is disenchanted with their life.
  • Responsibility: Will this individual accept responsibility for the consequences of his or her words and actions or blame others instead.

What is this individual’s interpersonal orientation?

  • Leadership: Tells you if this individual believes they are a leader and if they enjoy managing, motivating and being responsible for others.
  • Sociability: Discloses whether the applicant is a people-oriented extrovert or an introvert who focuses on “things” and avoids contact with others.
  • Exhibition: Reveals if this person enjoys being the center of attention, someone who is entertaining, demonstrative and a pleasure to be with.
  • Nurturance: Nurturing individuals are keenly aware of and sensitive to the emotional needs of others and readily respond with sympathy and support.

Does this applicant meet the intellectual requirements for an employee?

  • Alertness: Measures the applicant’s inherent ability to learn quickly, understand complex situations and successfully solve problems.
  • Structure: Indicates how organized their thinking, planning and actions will be. They will be highly mentally structured and disciplined.
  • Order: Tells you if they will keep their physical surroundings, neat and orderly. They will have a place for everything and everything in its place.
  • Control: Will determine if they are impulsive and talk or act without thinking, or someone who will control their impulsive behavior.

Does this applicant have the required emotional maturity and discipline?

  • Composure: Predicts their ability to remain calm and to function normally when problems occur and emotional stress is encountered.
  • Tough-mindedness: Enables a person to cope with challenges, function in uncomfortable environments and recover quickly from disappointments.
  • Autonomy: Will disclose if this is a team oriented or team dependent individual, will they contribute and be cooperative or avoid contact with others.

Does this applicant have an inherent sales personality?

  • Sociability: Will determine if they enjoy interacting with others and will be perceived as a warm and friendly person others enjoy being with.
  • Endurance: Tells you if they have the inherent physical energy and persistence required to prospect, make presentations and close sales.
  • Assertiveness: Enables individuals to persuade others to do what they want and to accept their recommendations; they make things happen.
  • Tough-mindedness: Equips those who must sell to accept the rejection, disappointments and setbacks that are inevitable in sales situations.

To Schedule a Complimentary Web-Demo, contact us at 877.455.3133 or info@pathosleadershipgroup.com today!

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Are You and Your Organization the BEST?

February 9, 2010 By

The ASTD BEST Awards annually recognize organizations that demonstrate enterprise-wide success as a result of their employee learning and development. They look for organizations that get it: they use the learning function as a strategic business tool to get results.  Award winners show that they are BEST at building talent, enterprise-wide, supported by the organization’s leaders, fostering a thorough learning culture.

HURRY!  The BEST applications must be submitted by March 31, 2010.

Each year we work with organizations who strive to be the BEST, so together we can help you and your organization:

  • Be honored for your contributions and identified as among the BEST in the world
  • Establish your organization as a leader recognizing learning has an enterprise-wide role
  • Share your innovative ideas with peers in the industry at Learn from the BEST meetings
  • Teach others to embrace learning and development as a strategic initiative

If this doesn’t sound like your organization, that’s even more reason for us to strategically partner together!  For more information, please contact us at 877-455-3133 or info@pathosleadershipgroup.com.


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Executive Coach Asks Leaders… “Should You Go Undercover?”

February 8, 2010 By

5 Reasons Why Going Undercover Could Save Your Business!

Executive Coach Asks You To Go Undercover

After watching the premier of CBS’ Undercover Boss last night after the Super Bowl,  we’re left here at Pathos Leadership Group wondering why more leaders don’t go “undercover” to identify first-hand what problems really are being faced day-in and day-out in their organizations.  In case you missed it, the Undercover Boss premise features a senior executive at a major corporation, who for one week works incognito in his/her own company as a newly-hired entry-level worker, to find out how the company really works (including the impact of “corporate policy”) and identify some of the unsung heroes among the workers.

Here are five reasons why if you are a leader you should schedule an undercover session ASAP:

  1. Find Efficiencies – We’d all like to think that our operations are running optimally.  Unfortunately, even though all the reports in the world say that we are, there’s still room for improvement.  For example, one business owner that we worked with had a fleet of delivery trucks.  While he believed that the delivery drivers were extremely honest, and the GPS systems he installed verified that they were working hard, until he actually went on ride-n-drives with them did he discover there was a lot more upside to the efficiency story than he had been reading about and being told.
  2. Production Bottlenecks – By working on the assembly line, production line, sales call routine, paperwork shuffle, etc. you’ll see first-hand where production is bottlenecking.  Most importantly, you can assess exactly what is causing the bottleneck.  Is it that your associates don’t have the right skills, tools, numbers, etc.?
  3. Human Capital Deployment – The adage “people are our most important asset” seems to be overstated yet underrated in the workplace.  With organizations attempting to do more with less and less, the opportunity exists to put together a business scenario for increasing new hires when the payoff is greater than associated expenses.  In other words, careful analysis can reveal if you’re running the operation too lean for your own bottom-line good!
  4. Strategic Policies & Procedures – The “Ivory Tower” is a long way away from where the action happens sometimes, and perhaps the best way to see what the ramifications of your decisions are is to talk to the people they are intended for.   An even better best practice would be to actively involve those that the decisions will ultimately effect in the actual decision making process.
  5. Avoid the “YES Man” Syndrome – As an Executive Coach working with leaders, I am often complemented that I ask the questions that the executive’s leadership team doesn’t!  While I’d love to admit that I have greater subject matter expertise all the time which I can tap to provide insight from, more times than not I ask the questions that the leadership team is scared to ask.  The New Orleanian saying “If you’re scared, just say you’re scared!” still doesn’t allow organization’s associates, regardless of level, to ask the scary questions.  I’ve come to realize that this has more to with job security than anything else (Yes, retribution and retaliation are alive and well in the minds of those that should ask these difficult questions!)

Management By Walking Around (MBWA) was a leadership fad that unfortunately seems to have come and gone.  By discovering the five undercover strategies listed above, leaders should rediscover the positive gains to be had!  What’s stopping you from going undercover?

Sam Palazzolo CPLP, PCC is President and Chief Influence Officer at Pathos Leadership Group. Since 2005, Sam and the team at Pathos have been helping leaders and their organizations get the influential edge, so that when they compete… They win! If you’re a leader and you’d like to see how you rank on the “Influential Leader” scale, complete the partial Influential Leader Inventory at http://www.pathosleadershipgroup.com/assessments/ILI/ today! For more information on Sam or Pathos, contact us at 877.455.3133 or email info@pathosleadershipgroup.com.

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Executive Coaching for Managing Expectations of the Leader

January 14, 2010 By

Are You Pushing Your People Hard Enough?  The Potential of Personnel Productivity from the Perspective of Einstein.

As executive coaches, we’re often asked about expectations from the leaders we coach.  Specifically, are the expectations that leader’s possess realistic, accurate, and relevant for today’s workplace and workforce?  Furthermore, what’s the best way to manage those expectations?  Consider the work of Einstein and several expectation solutions reveal themselves.

Einstein was arguably the greatest “thinker” of the twentieth century, and one could/should argue that he was the greatest of all time.  His work in physics has been the basis for much of the progress of mankind.  Even more impressive than the outputs from his thoughts is the process from which these outputs were generated.  The productivity of Einstein’s thoughts was truly amazing!  For example, from the fall of 1915 to the spring of 1917, he generalized relativity, found the field equations for gravity, found a physical explanation for light quanta, hinted as how the quanta involved probability rather than certainty, and came up with a concept for the structure of the universe as a whole.  All the while battling stomach ailments that had him bedridden at times, going through a difficult divorce, and being separated from his kids.  Dennis Overbye, noted science expert of the New York Times called this period “arguably the most prodigious effort of sustained brilliance on the part of one man in the history of physics.”

So often in our Executive Coaching we are presented with the leader’s challenges when it comes to expectations, a few of which are worth mentioning:

  • How to deal with difficult conversations (or the more popular “crucial conversations” and “crucial confrontations”)
  • Establishing the proper success measurement criteria
  • Having members of the staff take initiative, both at the leader and non-leader organization level
  • What to do when you realize the people that “got you here” won’t be able to “get you there”

It is in these moments of expectations, and the time period after, where as an executive coach we work with the leader to establish the potentials regarding what could be.  In other words, what is it that they really want and how will they go about getting it.  Far too often, a leader is limited in their thoughts of what can be accomplished by self-imposed barriers to progress.  The leader simply can not remove themselves from their current reality in order to effectively assess the future potential possibilities.

So how was Einstein able to complete such a range of activities, and what can you do as an executive to increase your expectations (as well as the productivity of your team)?  The following five expectation enhancers should be considered:

  1. Multiple Tasks Require Multiple Thoughts – Einstein was a master at being presented with several tasks, but deriving a single outcome.  While his thoughts might have been scattered, he had the ability to simultaneously focus on several items in order to produce solutions.  Executive Coach Question – Are you able to focus simultaneously with intensity on several tasks?
  2. Distraction Yourself – Einstein was known to escape from his current reality when he could not derive a solution by playing the violin.  He often said that the answers to his dilemmas would come to him while playing Mozart.  Executive Coach Question – What activity do you engage in when you need to have your best thoughts?
  3. Visualize the Elements – Thinking spaciously was the key to Einstein’s abilities to see what was possible.  He was able to break down the complex into simple “real world” analogies.  It was in this ability to visualize that he would then set out for solution.  For example, his theory of relativity was partially constructed when he was a boy by a vision he had of a speeding train and the actions of the participants on it.  Executive Coach Question – Can you see what is possible in your organization?
  4. Seek Support – Einstein, while a steadfast loner spending countless hours by himself while developing his theories, would in the end present them to family, friends and trusted colleagues for verification.  While you might not have the ability to contact a Nobel Peace Prize winner such as Madame Currie to help manage your expectations, there needs to be a “sounding board” to which you can get perspective from. This board should be external to your situation.  Executive Coach Question – Who will you verify your expectations with?
  5. Challenge the Norm – There are many lessons that can be learned from Einstein, but perhaps the greatest was his ability to not take what was known or thought of as a given.  He continued to almost rebel against the current norms of the time and push towards elevated accomplishments.  Often criticized, ridiculed and labeled, he was Teflon-like in that he did not let the thoughts of others regarding the accepted influence his thoughts of expectation.  Executive Coach Question – What are the norms in your environment that you will challenge?

The leaders who can successfully manage their expectations and follow-through on them typically achieve much more than was prevsiously thought possible.  The five tips presented are not an exhaustive list of the many characteristics that made Einstein successful.  Instead, they are intended to offer a glimpse at the possibilities available for leaders to set expectations beyond where they normally otherwise would.  After all, the one sure method for accomplishing less than full potential is to establish expectations within a “comfort zone” or far below what is possible.

For more information on how the Executive Coaching and Organization Development techniques at Pathos Leadership Group and Sam Palazzolo CPLP, PCC can assist you and your organization, contact us at 877.455.3133 or info@pathosleadershipgroup.com.


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Job Satisfaction Hits New Low!

January 8, 2010 By

Seven Strategies to Improve Employee Job Satisfaction

Pathos Job Satisfaction

Americans workers, regardless of age or income, continue to grow increasingly unhappy in the workplace.  This is a long-term trend which should concern employers on the topics of productivity, employee engagement level, and the potential of retaining high performers when the economy ultimately rebounds.

It’s safe to say that most everyone today knows someone who complains about their job (or those who recently lost their jobs). Who hasn’t heard the wines from the coffee-clutch group, the fantasy football players, or the customer service agent who is anything but customer focused?

Why all the lack of satisfaction in the workplace? The answer might surprise you… Fewer Americans are satisfied with just about every aspect of their employment than at any time in the past two decades.

Worse yet, there appears to be no pattern or structure to the decline, as there is no age or income group trends with this drop in job satisfaction.

A survey of 5,000 U.S. households conducted for The Conference Board found that only 45.3 percent

of Americans today have job satisfaction, down from 61.1 percent in 1987. Only 12 percent say they are “very satisfied” among the 45.3 percent who say they are “content.”

Money Can’t Buy You Love!

The Beatles sang:

“Cause I don’t care too much for money, money can’t buy me love”…

Well, it appears as though the American worker is singing:

“Cause I don’t care too much for money, money can’t buy my love!”

While the study reveals that those who earn more income are correspondingly more satisfied with their jobs, the trend data suggests otherwise.  In comparison with data from 1987, those who are most satisfied (i.e., those who earn more income) have become increasingly less satisfied with their jobs.  They’ve experienced a decrease of 20% versus those 1987 figures.

How About the Utes?

In the movie “My Cousin Vinny”, Joe Pesce (Vinny) and Fred Gwynne (the Judge) have a classic exchange as follows:

Vinny: Is it possible, the two utes…

Judge: Eh, the two what? Uh, uh, what was that word?

Vinny: Uh, what word?

Judge: Two what?

Vinny: What?

Judge: Uh, did you say ‘Utes’?

Vinny: Yeah, two utes.

Judge: What is a ute?

Vinny: Oh, excuse me, your honor. Two YOUTHS.

So perhaps job satisfaction lies in the four generation workforce, specifically at the ute, or make that youth level?  Unfortunately, the study shows that this is not the case either, in fact, it reflects that those entering the workforce are amongst the most dissatisfied.  Nearly 36% of the youths weigh in that they are dissatisfied!

What a Long, Strange Trip It’s Been

So as you analyze the generation at the other end of the spectrum, the oldest generation, would they appear to be the most content/satisfied?  After all, they have the prospect of experiencing “the light at the end of the employment tunnel” approaching?  Unfortunately, they also are amongst the least content when compared to their equivalent peers in 1987.  When this comparison is made, a staggering 30% drop is experienced in the data!

Now What?

So what to do if you’re an employer looking to stave off the lack of job satisfaction?  Here are seven options to implement to eliminate job dissatisfaction:

  1. Recruiting – Review your hiring programs to ensure that you are establishing the proper hire/no hire criteria.
  2. Assess – Utilize assessments to identify organizational strengths and weaknesses.  Develop action plans based on them
  3. Training & Development – Stop Training & Development that does not support the company vision or deliver on its success metrics.
  4. Compensation Review – While we saw in the study that compensation has little correlation to job satisfaction, compensation should be reviewed to ensure that people are paid based on what they have direct control over.  Furthermore, compensation plans should be simple for the average worker to calculate/keep tabs on during the time period.
  5. Coaching – Consider the opportunity to work with an external executive coach for the leadership team, and a business coach for your associates (Group coaching can work effectively in small/large organizations).
  6. Employee Reviews – Perform employee reviews that establish individual development plans, and then bring in executive coaches to ensure that they are executed.
  7. Fire – As a last resort, you may have the wrong people in the wrong jobs.  Furthermore, regardless of how many moves you’d attempt to make, you still wouldn’t be able to place them in positions where success is achieved.  When you exhaust all of your opportunities, it’s time to allow them to go and be successful somewhere else.

Summary

If you’d like more information on Pathos Leadership Group and how our Executive Coaching and Organization Development can serve you and your organization, email info@pathosleadershipgroup.com or contact us at 877.455.3133.

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Can Coaching Really Make a Difference in Organization Development?

January 4, 2010 By

Executive Coaching assists in establishing the structure needed for coordinating business success!

The Challenge

John was the leader of an organization where prior to the economic downturn, and the ensuing tough times, they had established a track record of success. Year after year saw “best ever” record setting sales levels, which were accompanied by organizational growth. However, when the economy starting deflating in the fall of 2008, John saw that there were going to be challenges in the not so distant future. While he was comfortable with his products and level of service, he was uncertain if his associates were going to be able to “dig deep” enough to continue on their “best ever” pace. In short, were the people that got him “here” going to be able to get him “there” (Wherever “there” was)?

The Solution

John called in the coaches at Pathos Leadership Group to coach his senior leadership. Pathos designed a platform of:

§ Assessing the current employees regarding current strengths/weaknesses

§ Identifying business success skills necessary

§ Presenting to Leadership a comparison between current employee skills versus those necessary for future growth

§ An Organization Development strategy and accompanying Training & Development Action Plan

§ A schedule of success assessment meeting to determine progress/regress towards organization goals

§ Executive Coaching for the senior leadership

§ Organization Onsite Training in the form of Workshops, Seminars and eLearning sessions

§ Associate Coaching to ensure that training and development sessions were being properly implemented in the organization

Additionally, Pathos established a Recruiting Strategy with organization leadership in order to “fill” any/all of the identified gaps in skills.

The Results

John’s organization was able to grow during the economic downturn. While many of his competitors were scaling back their operations, he was able to grow his. John was also able to grow his senior leadership, as well as associates within the organization. This lead less stress, pressure and executive fatigue.

If you’d like to explore what Pathos Executive Coaching and Organization Development services can do for you and your organization, contact us at 877-455-3133 or info@pathosleadershipgroup.com.


Executive Coaching assists in establishing the structure needed for coordinating business success!

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Sales Coach: Lessons from Kanye West and Taylor Swift

September 16, 2009 By
'Jackass' Kanye West in action at the MTV-VMAs. Photograph: Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com

By now you’ve probably seen/heard/read all about the Kanye West interruption of Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the MTV-VMA Award show… Even President Barack Obama when asked to comment on the situation called Kanye West a “jackass”!  Regardless of where you weigh in on the situation, there are some great Sales Coaching lessons to be learned from the incident.

Here are the Top 5 Sales Coaching lessons from the incident:

  1. See Your Opportunity – How many times during the day, week, month, and so on do you have the opportunity present itself right in front of your eyes, only to do NOTHING?  While Kanye’s actions might be termed “implausible” and without manners, you’ve got to give him credit for seizing the moment when he saw the opportunity present itself.  The sales coaching lesson here is to recognize those opportunities where the opportunity door has opened and for you to move in.
  2. Get to the Point – Remember the “good old days” when Derek Jeter broke Lou Gehrig’s hit record last week?  There was a game prior to that when Derek Jeter tied the record, and afterward said that he was almost embarrassed to celebrate during the game for two reasons.  First, the New York Yankees were losing the game.  Second, he didn’t want to show the other team up!  Perhaps if Taylor Swift had been as gracious as Derek Jeter and accepted the award with a quick “Thank You” instead of the diarrhea recognition speeches that most award recipients regurgitate Kanye wouldn’t have had the time to jump in.  The sales coaching lesson here is get to the point with your prospects, don’t dilly-dally.
  3. Have a Point – I guess if you are to “Get to the Point” as mentioned above, it’s important to know what your point is.  Taylor Swift did have a “cheat sheet” set of notes that she was going to refer to for her acceptance speech.  The sales coaching lesson here is to know what you are going to say when the opportunity door opens itself to you.
  4. Bring Passion – Is there any doubt in anyone’s mind that Kanye West thought that Beyonce should have won the award instead of Taylor Swift?  Even my eight year old exclaimed “Damn… What’s with that guy?” after seeing Kanye’s rant!  The sales coaching lesson here is you’ve got to believe first and foremost in your product/service.  If you don’t, you won’t be able to fake it and your prospects will see it.  They won’t buy from you as a result.  One of our clients loves to say “Love Thy Product” and you should do the same.
  5. Don’t Apologize to Oprah – Time for a confession… I love Oprah Winfrey.  I’ve loved Oprah since she was on TV in Nashville way back when and I love her today.  However, I don’t know why Kanye apologized to her and the rest of America before he did so to Taylor Swift.  Sales coaching lesson is to own up to your mistakes to the people they directly effect.  Let’s face it; you’re going to have an issue every now and then delivering your product/service to a customer.  When it happens, and it will, call them up and apologize.  Also set a proactive course for “next time” both for them, and for you!  You’ll go further in your relationships as a result.

So there you have the Pathos Coaching “slant” on the Kanye West versus Taylor Swift saga.

Sam Palazzolo

Pathos Leadership Group

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Independent Contractor vs. Employee: Top 12 Reasons Why You Should Choose Pathos!

September 9, 2009 By

Why should you and your organization work with Pathos Leadership Group on a contract basis versus hiring a full-time employee?

Here are the “Top 12” reasons why:

  1. Reduced Overhead: We’ve been able to save our clients hundreds of thousands of dollars in the following types of overhead: Expenses, Payroll, Benefits, and Other overhead.   
  2. No Health Benefits:  You could call this one of the largest benefits of working with us!  The average total cost of health benefits for U.S. employees was $8,317 in 2008, according to the Mercer 2008 National Survey of Employer Sponsored Health Plans.
  3. Work on Demand: You hire us when you need us.  When you determine this, we begin the process to provide you with A+ training and coaching.  You will also receive detailed reporting of what we did with whom in your organization so that we can determine if we’re meeting your expectations through our predetermined measurements/metrics.  Why hire a staff that don’t know what they are training on and don’t know what it does for your business afterwards (Return on Investment – ROI).  Worse yet, you don’t know what they are doing when they are not performing training sessions for your organization! You’ll have the ability to take added opportunities as they arise, and during slow periods, have greater cost control. Your contract workforce often comes fully trained and highly specialized.
  4. Strategic Partner: Whether it’s Training & Development, Coaching, Motivational Presentations at Company Functions… we only know that our success comes from your success.  We’re looking for long-term strategic partnerships that will last for years to come.  You are a direct reflection of us and our work, so we are highly selective with whom we chose to do business with. 
  5. Perspective: One of our clients said that working with us provided them with the best practices from current trends in business.  The variety of our experience shines through our perspective sharing.  Instead of receiving the same experience over and over again from your employees who might not be stretching to provide you with your best solutions, our fresh set of eyes often reveal insights not received prior to!
  6. Process Oriented:  Our backgrounds are in Process Change Consulting.  As such, we look to identify “opportunities” or “problems” in your operation, both at our assigned location as well as upstream/downstream from there.  You will save money, gain efficiencies and more while working with us.
  7. Cooperative/Consultative Nature: We look to strategically partner with our clients for the long-term.  We do so in a cooperative/consultative nature.  In other words, we both win when we work together.
  8. Fixed Rates:  We “lock in” our rates at the start of our working relationship.  Regardless of inflation, cost of living adjustments, costs of doing business (air/hotel/transportation/etc.) over the years you are guaranteed to pay the same rate in the future that you pay today.
  9. Insured:  We’re a legitimate business that is fully insured to protect us, as well as you in the event of the unforeseen.
  10. Certified:  Each of our Trainers and Coaches has achieved excellence and has been recognized by professional associations by their highest certifications (American Society of Training and Development – ASTD / International Coach Federation – ICF).
  11. Proven:  You can take our word for the results that we drive through our coaching and training.  However, our testimonials speak for themselves!
  12. The IRS:  We abide by all IRS rules and regulations when it comes to contracts and our independent contract status.

If these “Top 12” reasons why working with us makes sense to you, as it did for the clients we currently serve, why not “Test Drive” us?  Send us an email at info@pathosleadershipgroup.com to schedule an appointment to discover how Pathos Leadership Group can serve you and your organization with the Influential Edge!

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