09.

2013
Vol.30 No. 9

Essentials of leadership development, managerial effectiveness, and organizational productivity

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The Standard of Global Leadership Development

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Dr. Curtis L. Odom

Talent Management

Talent Management
Leaders need to master the 5Rs.
By Curtis L. Odom

Interactive

To be effective in their roles, leaders need to master one core competency connecting with people by knowing their capabilities and addressing their concerns. Without connection to people, what is a leader? Leaders today face many challenges: expanding global competition, a surge in loss of intellectual resources with the wave of coming Boomer retirements, and a workforce with different generational values. To lead effectively you have to understand those you lead.

better. When developing yourself and/or your organizationlook to the benefits that come from actual work in the fieldgetting your hands dirtyseeing what its like in the trenches. Youll come away a stronger leader and will build a more effective and productive work force with that understanding. What you (and your people) can do is much more

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Be a leader who places more importance on the individual performance and less on their title. And, treat yourself the same way. Dont get puffed up because of your title or position; instead, show everyone that you earned respect by who you are and what you do as opposed to whats on your business card.

mitigating misstepsleaders must communicate clearly when it comes to expectations and execution of policies within the organization. Be a leader who places more importance on the individual performance and less on their title. And, treat yourself the same way. Dont get puffed up because of your title or position; instead, show everyone that you earned respect by who you are and what you do as opposed to whats on your business card. Make these action items the center of your preparation and mastery as a leader. Seek to influence and inspire, not to drive and direct. If you do, you will connect with your people in a way to unlock your own door to being a more effective leader. LE
Curtis L. Odom, Ed.D., is Principal and Managing Partner of Prescient Strategists, focusing on cultural integration and change management, and author of Generation X Approved: Top 20 Keys to Effective Leadership. Visit www.doctorcurtisodom.com

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And to do that best, I offer 5 keys to effective leadership that connect to the 5Rs of talent managementas expressed by Cynthia Trudell of PepsiCo. She noted that although HR at PepsiCo was doing many things wellthey set their sights on helping their businesses achieve the Five Rs: having the right people in the right place at the right time doing the right work the right way. In my 5 Rs, I substitute the last R in PepsiCos Right Way with Right Cost. Right People: Coach and mentor to cultural fit, not to job function. Developing and sustaining a positive and productive culture requires that people fit. Its not just about talent or experience aloneyou must ensure that person align with the culture. Right Roles: Be agile, not fragile. You have to be flexible and willing to learn in order to be an effective leader. If you are intolerantbrittle with those you lead and cant see your way to make the right decisions because youre unwilling to learn and adaptthen your leadership will fracture. And you cant build a growing organization on a cracked foundation. Right Skills: Make professional development a contact sport. Education is good. Training is good. Real world experience is
leadership excellence essentials presented by HR.com | 08.2013

important than any other aspect of business. Right Time: Conduct stay interviews often. Understand why people want to stay with your company rather than fixate on why some choose to go. This ties back to the impact the leader or organization make at the employee level. Odds are if its unfavorable, at some point that person will leave and few of their answers will be of importance. Leaders and organizations are better served if they try to find out what makes people enjoy working for them or for the company. Its a reinforcement of the positives that eliminates the need for retroactive fixes of someones perceived negatives regarding a leader or company and in the long run proves to be far more important. Right Cost: Accept change as a frequent visitor. There are always problems and issues to deal with, is that change is constant. In dealing with change you can make mistakes and these are often caused by internal politics, generational differences and miscommunication. Everything in business comes down to cost. And cost is directly linked to key performance indicators, which can be used to measure current and future success. That last item also holds the key to minimizing and

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Curtis L. Odom shows his prescience by creating the best odometer for measuring the one core competency that leaders need to masterconnecting with people of allgenerations. He also has the keys to unlock the door (and open the curtains) to effective leadership and talent managementthe Five Rs: having the right people in the right place at the right time doing the right work the right way (and right cost). Doctor Odom prescribes that leaders seek to influence and inspirenot drive and direct.
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