by Alison Green
Have you ever had to manage multiple projects at once? How did you keep track of what was on your plate and what other people were doing?
In general, how do you stay on top of so many details? When you get into work in the morning, how do you decide what to do that day and where to begin?
IV. Exercises
We sent you a project plan before this meeting and would love to turn to that now.
What did you think of the plan? Anything you would change or add to it?
What do you think the likelihood of success is for this project as it’s currently laid out?
How would you manage to this plan if you were the owner of the project? What about if you were managing the owner of the project to this plan? How would you know things are on track?
V. General Information and Fit
General Information on Organization and Role
Outgoing director moving to Iowa to oversee an expansion of our operations.
Time of growth for us, and this position is key to our success: building alliances among a range of state players, conceiving and managing campaigns and other projects that move our issue forward, valuing results over process (public speaking is nice to have, but relationship building is key).
Would work with national team and communications team and be part of the organization’s leadership, reporting directly to me.
Perhaps biggest selling point for our organization: our core values—continuous learning, excellence, and integrity—mean good people who like their work and are very good at it.
Questions About Personal Goals and Fit
If you could design the position, how would you prioritize each of the areas of responsibility? What would be your favorite part of the job? Least favorite?
At the beginning of this interview, you said your next position would ideally help you to develop “grasstops” advocacy skills. How do you see our organization and this particular position fitting into that goal?
What are your concerns about this position? What questions do you have for me?
VI. Next Steps
Assuming the interview went well and you are interested in continuing the process, you might assign homework.
We find it useful to simulate part of the job in the interview process so that you get a taste of the role and we get to see you in action a bit. Assuming you’re interested in continuing in the process, I’d like to start by giving you a homework assignment:
Create a project plan for our spring advocacy day. Ideally it would include goals as well as a time line and key steps along the way. Here’s a description of the campaign, the actors involved, and what we’re aiming to achieve [provide the memo]. Ideally, you’d create a plan that would specify the path we’d take to get to April 15. Major constraints are a budget of $10,000 and a commitment to include all major stakeholders in key roles (see the overview for more detail). Would it be possible to send me a draft by next Tuesday? Also, if you have a project plan you’ve used for a past project, I’d love to see that as well.
Exercises can take place during or outside the actual interview. Starting with a homework assignment is a good first step if you know you want to advance the person to the next round or if you want more information.
Specify when you’ll follow up, whether or not you’re advancing the candidate to the next round.
I’ll look forward to reviewing your project plan next week. Next-round interviews (and exercises) with me and our chief operating officer will be held the last week in September. I’ll let you know about next steps either way by next Friday.
If the homework assignment goes well, you might bring the candidate back for a second-round interview and on- or off-site exercises.
On-site exercise testing for relationship building skills: Participate in a meeting between our outgoing director and the advocacy officer from the Small Business Owners’ Health Forum. Give input/feedback on whether and how to partner with them.
TOOL 6.9
SAMPLE REFERENCE CHECK QUESTIONS
The fundamental challenge of checking references is that you want the person providing the reference to be candid with you, but this person probably feels loyal to your candidate and will avoid saying anything negative. It will help to use a conversational tone to put the reference at ease and to signal that this is not a mere bureaucratic exercise, and find ways to make it easier for references to talk about the candidate’s downsides. For instance, ask bounded questions about weaknesses that are hard not to answer (“if you had to pick, what are two ways Susan could improve?”) or posing neutral options where there is no “bad” choice.
Start by describing the role, which will help references give you better answers. For instance:
I’m the legislative director at State Health Care Now. Thanks so much for agreeing to speak with me about your experience working with Susan. Before I ask you about her, would it be helpful for me to give you a bit of background about the role? We’re a twenty-person advocacy organization committed to enacting universal health coverage legislation in the state. The organization is growing, and Susan is a finalist for our new state policy director position. This director must be a pro at working with a diverse group of actors and building alliances among them, have a demonstrated track record of getting results in a fast-paced environment, and be capable of managing multiple projects tightly without dropping any balls.
Then ask about the candidate:
What parts of what we’re looking for sound most like something Susan might succeed at? What makes you say that?
If you had to pick out two pieces of where you think Susan might not be as strong or might need some development, what would those be?
What do you think Susan’s coworkers would say were her greatest strengths? What would they say Susan might need to work on?
In my experience, I’ve seen some people who are more like A and some who are more like B. Which would you say Susan is? [For example, “In my experience, I’ve seen some people who are more uptight and organized, if a little prickly, and some who are more laid-back and friendly, though maybe not always hitting deadlines. Which sounds more like Susan?”]
What was Susan’s greatest achievement?
Tell me about a time when you were not entirely thrilled with Susan’s performance.
Tell me about a time when Susan: Was faced with a really difficult challenge
Went above and beyond to get a result
Persisted despite obstacles
Gave up or almost gave up
Had to put her ideas in writing
Had to deliver an important speech
Had to move a group to action (within the organization or outside the organization)
Came up with a new approach for tackling a problem
Had to come up with a strategy for how to get to a particular outcome
Had to stay on top of a large volume of work or had to work on several demanding projects at work
Had to explain complex ideas in a simple way
Had to motivate someone to do something
What should I know about Susan if I’m going to manage her effectively? What should I get Susan to do a lot of because she’s really good at it? In what area might I need to get Susan most to develop?
What kind of job would you hire Susan for? What kind of job would you not hire Susan for?
Overall, how would you rate Susan’s performance?
If you were thinking of hiring again for Susan’s position, how would you describe your reaction if she applied, knowing what you know about her: would not hire, would consider hiring, would strongly consider hiring, would definitely hire, would move earth and moon to lure her back?
How would Susan rank compared to people in similar positions? Would you say about average, a little better than average, top quarter, top 10 percent, top 1 percent, or the best ever? What makes you say that?
Is there anything else you would want to know if you were in my shoes?
May I call you again
if I think of other questions?
TOOL 6.10
SAMPLE ORIENTATION OUTLINE
Having a written agenda for orienting a new employee not only helps you present information in an organized way, but also helps you think through everything that you want to cover. This sample lays out a plan for what topics will be covered, in what order, during the staff member’s first days.
Position: Communications Director
Desired Outcomes
You understand your overarching role and my expectations.
We’re aligned about logistics and how to work together.
You feel settled in and know how to navigate the organization.
You know what projects to prioritize initially.
Monday
I. Your Role
A. Getting our message into the news via pitching, interviews, op-eds, letters to the editor, news releases, creative stunts, and anything else you can think of
B. Ensuring our message and rhetoric are effective and on point; being the messaging guru
C. Related responsibilities: Setting our overall media strategy, both nationwide and in each state we work in
Writing and editing various materials, such as talking points and briefing papers
Managing department (work and staff)
D. Potential impact of your role = huge!
II. Working Together/Expectations
A. Some ideas on keys to success: 100 percent follow-through. Trust that when we say we will do something, we will do it (goes both ways!).
Take initiative and be solutions oriented. Don’t assume constraints.
Spread a positive attitude, and be flexible in the face of a constantly changing environment.
Complete open-door policy. Ask questions or raise suggestions without hesitation.
B. What you can expect from me: Initial period of heavier engagement for alignment (presumably less after that)
100 percent follow-through and responsiveness
Good communication on expectations, priorities, and specific projects
Interest in your development
C. Logistics and communications Hours: meetings 9:30 and 6:30; may extend beyond, but we try to avoid weekends.
Our meeting: Regular weekly check-ins to review week ahead and discuss other topics (ideally, you bring any challenges/topics I can help with and you have suggested solutions, but don’t feel obligated to wait on pressing matters for our check-in).
Phone/voice mail: nonurgent = vmail at office; more pressing or quick response = cell. Try to flag with “this is urgent” or “not urgent—listen in the next day,” etc.
E-mail: also works well. Flag if time sensitive.
D. General principles Take good notes so you remember the subtleties of what we discuss.
Let’s do repeat-backs when appropriate so we’re aligned from the start of projects.
E. Your goals/preferences/thoughts/quirks/questions?
III. Office Tour
Supplies, front desk, conference rooms, copier, fax, etc. (with office manager)
IV. Orientation and Background Information
A. Review of mission (why we exist and what we do) and core values (how we do it)
B. Review annual plan: priorities and goals for this year
C. Confidentiality policy
D. Employee handbook—any questions?
E. Financial policies and procedures
V. Getting Started
A. Keys, phone/vmail, Internet/e-mail, and calendar (set up to be shared) (covered by office manager)
B. Timesheet basics: what and how to track (covered by office manager)
C. Upcoming meetings for you: Today: lunch with staff at 1:00
Payroll, benefits, 403b, etc.: meet with Jim today at 2:00
Tuesday: continue this meeting at 12:00
Friday: lessons learned with staff on Fridays at 4:00
VI. Specific Initial Topics
A. Read as much as possible of assigned materials, and start getting comfortable with issues and our work.
B. Practice using all our systems as much as needed to be comfortable with them.
C. Meet department heads and learn about their projects.
D. Practice doing media interviews with Ryan.
E. Start on writing projects as needed (blog posts, drafting press releases).
F. Use press inquiries that come in to learn how to deal with these, find necessary information or referrals, etc.
G. Likely first media opportunity: New Mexico event, Dec. 14 or 15.
TUESDAY
I. Your Goals for This Quarter and for the Year
A. Setting three-month goals
B. Goals for full year Increase our news coverage by 20 percent over last year.
Move our issue to the top of voters’ minds in New Mexico.
Garner significant positive coverage of the release of our fall report.
C. In two weeks, set up meeting with me to discuss in depth.
II. Learning the Issue
A. Reading list
B. Basic rhetoric training and talking points
C. What we DON’T say
D. Experts we can check with or send reporters to
III. Key Resources, Information and Systems
A. Media databases and directories
IV. Managing the Assistant Director of Communications
A. Amanda’s duties; how work is split up
B. Amanda’s strengths and weaknesses
C. Approving Amanda’s work product, proofing and quality control
V. Working with Other Departments
A. Outreach
B. Membership
C. Campaigns
VI. Department Logistics
A. What you have the authority to do and what you need to seek approval for
B. Expenditures
C. What things need to be proofread
D. Department files
WEDNESDAY
No meetings scheduled
THURSDAY
VII. Advanced Media Training with Ryan
A. Pitching—practice if needed
B. Appropriate spokespeople for various issues
C. Who is and isn’t authorized to talk to the media and authorizing new people to talk to the media
D. Vetting and training spokespeople
NEXT WEEK
Let’s meet Tuesday and Thursday of next week to check in, then switch to weekly check-ins from there.
CHAPTER 7
DEVELOPING PEOPLE
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need fancy professional development programs, formal mentorships, or large investments in staff training in order to develop your staff’s skills and performance. In fact, in our experience, the results of these programs often do not justify the amount of energy that goes into them. Rather, the best staff development stems naturally from strong, hands-on management. That’s because serious learning and development happen when staff members pursue ambitious goals, are held to high standards, and reflect and receive candid feedback about what is and is not working along the way.
In this chapter, we discuss how to most effectively help your staff develop. We start with the threshold question of when it makes sense to invest significant energy in developing a member of your staff. Then, for situations where it does make sense, we look at specific methods to use.
WHEN TO DEVELOP PEOPLE—AND WHEN NOT TO
From a purely practical perspective, you should spend time developing people because it will get you better results: your staff will become more effective in both the short and the long terms, and your organization will become a more attractive place to work, thereby helping you attract great people who in turn will produce strong results. But because it’s also a nice thing to do for your staff and many of us are drawn to management partly because we love seeing people develop, sometimes as managers we forget that developing people is not an end in itself. Rather, because it is a means to the end of producing results in pu
rsuit of your mission, you should be strategic about when and how you spend time on staff development, balancing that time and energy with other priorities.
Keep these three principles in mind when deciding when to invest time in staff development:
1. Invest in your best.
2. Know what you can change and what you can’t.
3. Distinguish between development needs and serious performance issues.
Invest in Your Best
Paradoxically, your best staff members are usually the ones who will grow the most. Strong performers are often more driven than weaker ones, and so their desire to take advantage of development opportunities is higher. They also tend to be generally skilled people who are able to take a small amount of assistance and put it into practice, whereas others may struggle to apply the help. Because of this, the payoff from spending energy on your strongest performers will greatly exceed the results from energy you spend on your lowest performers.
For instance, in the introduction to Part Two, we mentioned the new regional director with whom Jerry worked who increased fundraising in her area from $43,000 annually when she took over the position to almost $300,000 just one year later. Recognizing a star in its midst, the organization sent several senior staffers to spend a few days with her. An average employee might have leveraged the coaching into gains of 10 percent or so, but with just that bit of input, two years later she had tripled her total to over $1 million.
Know What You Can Change and What You Can’t
