Perfect Phrases for Employee Development Plans (Perfect Phrases Series): Hundreds of Ready-To-Use Phrases for Motivating and Growing Emplyees for Success - Softcover

Bruce, Anne

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0071715096 ISBN 13: 9780071715096

Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education, 2010

Synopsis

THE RIGHT PHRASE FOR EVERY SITUATION . . . EVERY TIME

The secret to business success today is employee and talent development. Companies that invest in branding and creating smart, self-reliant, "upgradeable" talent are the ones that will lead their industries in the future.

Perfect Phrases for Employee Development Plans has hundreds of ready-touse phrases for ensuring your employees stay motivated and competitive, develop teamwork and sound work ethics, and help meet organizationaltargets. Learn the most effective language for:

• Pinpointing an employee’s strengths
• Creating long- and short-term goals
• Helping teams form plans--and then work the plans
• Grooming people for advancement
• Branding and expanding your company's talent pool

About this title

About the Author

McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

PERFECT PHRASES for EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT PLANS

Hundreds of Ready-to-Use Phrases for Motivating and Growing Employees for Success

By Anne Bruce

The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright © 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-0-07-171509-6

Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part 1 Perfect Phrases That Build Employee Development Plans
Be the Architect of Employee Development in Your Organization
How to Apply and Tailor These Perfect Phrases
Perfect Phrases for Interns and Temps
Perfect Phrases for Recent College Grads
Perfect Phrases for Boomers, Seniors, and Seasoned Vets
Perfect Phrases for Gen Xers and Gen Yers
Perfect Phrases for Organic Employee Development: The Natural Evolution of 
a Career
Perfect Phrases for Managers Who Want to Bring Others Up to Speed
Get Creative
Part 2 What the Best Do Better than Anyone Else
World-Class Managers Always Enrich Their Environment
From Pixar to Zappos—Winning Companies' Strategies for Growing Talent
Here Come the Subject-Matter Experts!
Get Employees to Say YES to Personal and Professional Development
Attitude Is Everything in Employee Development
What a Leader Must Do to Develop People and Grow Talent
Volunteerism Helps Develop Employees ... and Helps Your Company, Too!
An HR Thought Leader Brands for Talent
More on Branding for Talent
The Importance of Ethics in Developing and Growing Talent
Individual Development Planning: The Government Way
Part 3 Perfect Phrases That Activate Employee Development Plans
There Is No Abracadabra in Employee Development Planning
Light Their Fire—Heed the Call to Action
Seven Stages of Activation
Nothing Happens Until Someone Makes It Happen
Conclusion: Talent Development Starts from the Inside Out

Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

Part 1Perfect Phrases That Build EmployeeDevelopment Plans

Be the Architect of Employee Development in YourOrganization

According to Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Our chief want is someone who will inspire usto be what we know we can be." This quote is a most fitting way to begin thisparticular Perfect Phrases section. It is what employee developmentplanning is all about. And guess what? That "someone" Emerson describes is you!Today's manager is charged with doing everything better, cheaper, and lightning-speed faster, while embracing change, sometimes on a minute-by-minute basis,constantly upgrading workplace performance and productivity, and developingmyriad customized employee development plans for the most multigenerational,multicultural, and diverse workforce the world has ever known, all while alwaysthinking outside the box (no, make that blowing up the box).

Seriously, the responsibilities and expectations placed on today's supervisorsand management leaders can feel daunting at times. However, becoming asuccessful architect of your employees' development plans does not require thatyou wait for the perfect employee, or the perfect job opening for that employee.You don't have to be the perfect manager or supervisor. And you certainly don'thave to wait for the perfect situation, because that moment, frankly, may nevercome. Employee development is a work in progress, ongoing, full of human flaws,and a never-ending process of continuous learning. It's your job to take controlof all these moving parts by effectively using the following phrases to buildyour employee development plans as they gradually and intentionally converge.

Upgrade Yourself First Before You Attempt to Upgrade Others

Use this book to shift your own paradigms and preconceived notions aboutemployee development plans and, more important, how you see yourself as thearchitect of those plans. It starts with you, the leader.

When was the last time you took stock of your own personal and professionaldevelopment? Forget about the last time you upgraded your cell phone, iPad,BlackBerry, iPhone, laptop, iPod, or other mobile technologies—when wasthe last time you upgraded you? Have you recently read a book, taken aclass, attended a management or leadership seminar, completed that degree?Remember, you have to walk the talk if you are going to set the standards forothers.

You Are Not Just a Manager: Reframing Who You Are

Do not limit how you see your role as a manager by what title you may have beenassigned at your hiring or what is currently printed on your business card. Donot consider your title and present responsibilities as simply being asupervisor or manager. That's myopic thinking. And if you're myopic invisualizing your own talents and abilities, then your people will learn to limittheir talents and abilities as well. The goal and intention of this book is togo beyond that. That means reframing your own professional and personalimprovement plan by redefining who you are and what you really do. Here's how:

* First, envision the bigger picture of employee development planning.You are facilitating the success of those around you. It's not your jobor responsibility to actually develop your employees—that's theirjob.

It is your job and responsibility, however, to facilitate the development ofothers, and the following list of perfect phrases will be one portfolio toolyou'll rely on again and again during the facilitation process.

Instead of selling your staff on a "how I would do it" approach, let employeesat every level emerge on their own and discover their own talents, interests,and competencies. Encourage and inspire people at every level within yourorganization to want to take part in building a personal and professionaldevelopment plan that will take them to the next higher level in their careersand then let this book be the road map, or plan of action, you use to buildplans your employees can easily follow and grow from. It's that simple.

This is your opportunity as a manager, supervisor, and leader to reinventyourself as a developer of extraordinary people, strength strategist,excavator of exceptional talent and potential, inspiration and motivationfinder, navigator of employee development skills and principles, and the co-architectof extraordinary employee development plans! Are you up for thechallenge?

* Second, it's called talent development for a reason. The worddevelopment implies growth, nurturing talent, growing good workers intosuperb workers, forward and upward movement, momentum, building on strengths,adapting to new environments, modifying our ways as managers to fit new andbetter approaches, changing with the times, and loving every minute of it!

The word development also implies we are not stagnant, stuck, orsuffering from analysis paralysis. When we get stuck, we cannot develop anyoneor anything. When we focus merely on employee retention and old-school ways ofcareer counseling, we miss the big-picture opportunities to grow employees totheir highest level of achievement and potential. We miss the target, and thetarget is talent and the employees' strengths that talent represents.

As a manager, supervisor, or leader in your organization, it is yourresponsibility to not only help identify the unique talent within everyemployee, at every level of the organization, but it's your job to nurture andsupport the development of every person's skill sets. This book will be yourtool to do that successfully.

* Third, employee development, at every level, requires a plan ofaction. It all starts with understanding and knowing what employeedevelopment and growing talent is all about, finding the lists of phrasesspecifically designed for every group you seek to develop, studying the examplesof world-class organizations and their employee development plans, and finally,activating the various components of growing talent and employee strengths thathelp you to not only keep, but grow the strengths and neutralize the weaknessesof the people who keep your business in business!

Remember, employee retention is not, or should it ever be, the focus.Developing people is the focus, and the natural extension and outgrowth of thatgenuine effort will be employee loyalty and retention.

How to Apply and Tailor These Perfect Phrases

Consider your employees' skill levels. Ask yourself if the people you aredeveloping are novices, masters, or somewhere in between. Tailor all employeedevelopment plans to the level of your employees' competencies. You wouldn'tdesign the same plan for an entry-level worker that you would for a seasoned,experienced worker, would you? By doing so, you'd quickly squelch the confidenceof the novice and de-motivate the more seasoned performer.

Assess Experience

Take time to assess how much experience your employees have in the specific areain which you are offering career counseling and development. A new hire may havelearned the basic skills but may never have had a chance to use them on the job.Employees who have lots of real-world experience will bring a different dynamicto the personal and professional development process—they've been there,done that. The more experienced workers may also need to reignite their passionfor their careers, especially if they have become somewhat jaded along the way,or complacent and too comfortable.

Keep Raising the Bar

Remember, employees who have honed their skills over time are often seeking achallenge in their careers. These people need to be fired up! As a leader youcan use experienced employees' talents to your advantage. These are often yoursuperstars. Don't let them become complacent or bored. Keep these top performerson their toes and use an employee development plan to challenge them to risehigher and stretch themselves. Employee development plans are often just theticket to light an experienced worker's inner fire and to motivate him or her totake on bigger and more difficult challenges. If you don't try this approach, orjust give up, the employee may quickly become de-motivated and possibly eventune you out, if it hasn't happened already.

The following perfect phrases take all of these issues into consideration. Theyare organized in lists that apply to each separate group described. Keep in mindthat no one knows the needs of the organization or the needs of the peoplebetter than you do as one of its leaders. So select the perfect phrases thatbest match those needs to build employee development plans that put all of youremployees' strengths to work.

Formula for Success: Adapt, Delete, Modify, and Expand

Adapt, delete, modify, and expand the following phrases, statements, andquestions to best meet your objectives and the needs of your people. Invite youremployees to help you do this. Give your employees the opportunity to help writetheir own personal and professional development plans. You'll be glad you did.

Perfect Phrases for Interns and Temps

* Knows what motivates him or her early on and is willing to share withsupervisor and manager

* Offers fresh ideas and new ways of looking at situations

* Prepares in advance to impress leadership

* Realizes this is the beginning but is already preparing for a leadership role

* Takes on first position with confidence and willingness to learn

* Stays clear of pitfalls from organizational politics and employee conflict

* Gets noticed by acting in a mature and responsible way

* Quickly learns to adapt his or her style to the styles of others and what isacceptable within the team, yet still maintains individuality of thought andcontribution

* Observes how others succeed at getting buy-in and support from others

* Is always preparing to take the next step

* Accepts that there is much to learn

* Knows this isn't a time for answers but a time to ask smart questions

* Describes with clarity his or her future interests and ambitions

* Demonstrates curiosity and wants to explore various interests

* Wants to help create a plan with supervisor that piques other employees'interest about future possibilities or new projects for the team

* Ties interests outside the workplace into professional goals

* Seeks opportunities to familiarize himself or herself with the organization

* Seeks out a workplace mentor or coach

* Pursues continuing education via on-the-job training and professionalorganizations in his or her field

* Networks with others in the organization who do what he or she does

* Networks with others in the organization who do something different

* Networks with others in the same field from different organizations

* Is comfortable learning new things

* Is willing to take on new tasks and responsibilities

* Embraces new technology with confidence—gets really excited about it!

* Welcomes new learning opportunities with enthusiasm and gusto

* Enjoys learning from others

* Is excited to be on board and shows it

* Understands the organization's purpose and is eager to describe his or herpart in making it happen

* Uses the organization's equipment responsibly and asks for help when necessary

* Has a strong work ethic and can describe his or her core values

* Is punctual and considerate of others' time

* Comes to work on time and is rarely absent

* Consistently demonstrates a good attitude

* Takes care of himself or herself, is accountable

* Wears appropriate clothing for the task at hand—in the field withlinemen—for example, wears steel-toe boots and helmet, jeans, and T-shirt

* Uses appropriate language and grammar, doesn't mumble

* Takes responsibility for work

* Owns up to mistakes

* Is honest and sincere

* Contributes with pride to the success of the organization

* Accepts feedback responsibly and appropriately; says, "Thanks for yourfeedback."

* Communicates effectively with both peers and managers

* Stretches himself or herself to reach a higher bar, likes the challenge

* Shows appreciation and common courtesies; is very polite

* Confident, yet realizes there's a lot to learn and get answers to, has a goodreality check system in place

Perfect Phrases for Recent College Grads

* Looks forward to having this first job tie into his or her strengths andinterest

* Seeks to connect higher learning to higher performance on the job

* Links academic experiences to real-world, on-the-job solutions

* Sees his or her employee development as a natural extension of four years incollege—a similar, deliberate plan to succeed on the job

* Reconnects with college adviser or career counselor for advice and guidance onstarting a first job

* Asks friends and family for any contacts they might know in the same field ofwork who might provide solid career advice and resources

* Researches all aspects of the organization, its history, and its culture

* Reads press clippings and researches media archives on the organization andits people

* Can describe, "What I like doing and talents I've had since I was a kid"

* Talks about favorite subjects in school and professors who taught them

* Can complete the following statement with confidence: "__________ is what I dobest, and I feel great when I do it."

* Has a strong desire to continue his or her education throughout his or hercareer with higher degrees, certificate programs, employee training, seminars,distance learning, e-learning, webinars, teleseminars, and so on

* Excited about the use of helpful technology throughout his or her educationand now in his or her career and the future

* Blends e-mailing, IMing, texting, tweeting, Facebooking, and all the latestservices available

* Is mature

* Maintains a professional, but not dated, appearance; fits the current businesscasual image

* Participates in workplace fun and seeks higher productivity and performancelevels through effective behavior and communication skills

* Dresses in alignment with the organization's culture—at SouthwestAirlines, it's shorts and a polo shirt; on Wall Street, it's a suit, a starchedshirt, and dress shoes

* Has good personal hygiene—clean, put together, comfortable, fresh

* Uses appropriate language and grammar

* When stressing a point, communicates without profanity

* Tells the world who he or she is with strong written communication skills;uses good grammar, not abbreviations, emoticons, or textspeak

* Wants to give back, joins professional associations, volunteers

* Easily meets others with similar career interests

* Applies school lessons to real-world scenarios

* Recognizes that bad habits don't improve with age

* Manages "instant gratification" needs with ongoing employee development

* Implements strengths and uses knowledge of technologies to grow skill sets

* Welcomes learning opportunities from other cultures and levels within theorganization

* Uses good judgment and practices commonsense decision making

* Understands the purpose of the organization and outcomes of the project

* Knows when to seek assistance, is not afraid to ask questions

* Offers advice on how to recruit other college talent

* Starts out developing good listening skills

* Sees observation as a key learning tool

* Focuses, is not easily distracted or taken off task by little things

* Completes assignments by deadline

* Accepts that older generations can provide invaluable tools and real-worldexperience to be learned from and collaborated with

* Feels confident in teaching more experienced workers things they may not knowabout technology or more trendy workplace issues

* Consistently looks to be in alignment with the bigger picture and goals of theorganization and its leadership

* Maintains contact with college professors for ongoing advice during transitionfrom college to the workplace

* Alignment with industry and formal career plan attained through a higher-leveldegree (master's, MBA, or Ph.D.)

Perfect Phrases for Boomers, Seniors, and Seasoned Vets (50s to Upper60s)

* Learns from others across age, gender, and culture lines

* Seeks to find commonality

* Treats everyone with respect

* Embraces new ways of doing things

* Old dogs learn new tricks, new dogs learn from old dogs

* Has learned to blend, not just balance, work and home life

* Embraces new technologies to better perform his or her job (not a technophobe)

* Thinks of ways to build better mousetraps

* Uses his or her experience to teach, coach, and mentor others

* Uses knowledge gained from other jobs to accomplish goals

* Likes to learn from younger colleagues as well as from older, more experiencedcolleagues

* Shares wisdom

* Motivates others

* Mentors colleagues

* Welcomes feedback and accepts better, faster, cheaper, more innovative andflexible ways of getting the job done

* Asks for help as needed

* Still takes leaps of faith

* Learns from encountering mistakes and speed bumps

* Embraces cultural differences

* Agrees to disagree agreeably

* Respects new ideas, investigates reasons behind decisions and suggestions

* Steps outside his or her comfort zone, "blows up the box" instead of justthinking outside of it

* Genuinely excited about being a member of an organization with so many agegroups and cultures

* Can strategize how his or her job ties into organization goals and updates hisor her experience to meet needs of a breakneck-speed workplace; ramping up ideasis not a problem—kicks things up a notch when required

* Realizes the workplace is not your grandfather's or great-grandfather'sOldsmobile anymore

* Reads to stay current and informed

* Never says, "I've been doing this job longer than you've been on the planet"or "I don't need a kid telling me what to do."

(Continues...)

(Continues...)

Excerpted from PERFECT PHRASES for EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT PLANS by Anne Bruce. Copyright © 2010 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.. Excerpted by permission of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Edition details

• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0071715096
• ISBN 13: 9780071715096
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 176