Dear Workforce
Q: What Is the Best Way to Enhance the Effectiveness of Young HR Professionals
Our company has a small but growing team of young HR professionals. Most are very sound in their skills, but there are some that seem to struggle with prioritizing projects: answering e-mail in a timely fashion, following up with job candidates, and so on. This isn’t even our busy recruiting season. We have paid for our HR teams to attend training seminars on organization and setting priorities, but many of them still aren’t able to manage their time effectively. Are we overlooking something in terms of their development?
A:
Dear at a Crossroads:
First and foremost, it's important as a leader to set clear and upfront expectations with your people about timelines for follow-ups, projects and responding to e-mails. Assuming this has been done, it's important to look at their behaviors to see if their own patterns get in their way. Next, I would certainly give each of the struggling people one-on-one developmental feedback about what you are noticing and areas where your expectations are unmet.
Finally, and most important, I would suggest asking each individual a series of coaching-like questions to understand what the problems may be, help them figure out solutions for themselves, take effective action and be held accountable. Here is a sample using the problem you mentioned regarding lack of follow-up with job candidates:
Start by giving them your feedback, as described above. Then ask them:
1. In what ways to you think the lack of timely follow-up with job candidates is an issue for you, and for the candidates?
2. What would it look like to you if you were following up with job candidates in the absolute best way possible? What would have to be true for you to say that was the best-possible follow-up?
3. How are you standing in your own way—what are you doing or not doing that's interfering with your follow-up?
4. Ideally, what do you want to do about it?
5. Practically speaking, what are the two or three most effective actions you can take to have an ideal way of following up with job candidates?
6. How would you like me to hold you accountable to that?
While this may seem time-consuming and somewhat tedious, it has the potential to create insight, learning, buy-in, and greater capacity on the part of each of your team.
SOURCE: David Peck,Leadership Unleashed, Palm Springs, California, September 17, 2008
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The information contained in this article is intended to provide useful information on the topic covered, but should not be construed as legal advice or a legal opinion. Also remember that state laws may differ from the federal law.
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