Author: Christopher W. Jones

Let me guess, you or your organization decided that you needed to know how engaged your employees are. Well I have news for you, if you have to wonder if they are engaged or not, they probably aren’t. And don’t worry you are not alone. Based on 50 years of employee engagement research, American consulting company, Gallup, found that "only 15% of employees worldwide and 35% in the U.S. fall in the "engaged" category.”

But let’s just say for argument sake that you wanted to find out anyway. In 2019, my company chose to implement an organization-wide employee engagement survey. We decided on the Gallup Q12 for these reasons; it wasn’t 100 questions long and Gallup seems to know what they are doing in this space as they have been doing it for over 50 years.

For those of you not familiar with the Gallup Q12 survey here it is:

The Gallup Q12 Index
Gallup's employee engagement work is based on more than 30 years of in-depth behavioral economic

research involving more than 17 million employees. Through rigorous research, Gallup has identified 12

core elements -- the Q12 -- that link powerfully to key business outcomes. These 12 statements

emerged as those that best predict employee and workgroup performance.

The Twelve Questions are:

So we administered the Q12 survey and the results were bad. We immediately ran workshops in order to address this and in turn had each department run their own workshop and address their teams top three engagement priorities. We also went to work on building programs like an employee recognition and appreciation program. We very quickly realized that in our efforts to correct things, we threw too much at it too quickly and overwhelmed everyone, so we decided to slow down some and focus on making a few of the key programs stick. At this point we decided that we would love to know how we were doing and did not feel like waiting another year when we were going to administer the Q12 again so we developed a monthly pulse survey to track and measure our engagement efforts.

About six months in we looked at the results and noticed something. Only about 2/3 of our managers were completing the survey each month and only about 50% of the employees. I felt that it was probably only the “engaged” ones that were even bothering with the survey so I concluded the results were most likely not accurate and skewed more toward the positive side since we were most likely not hearing from the “disengaged” employees. I then started looking into alternatives when I came across an article in the Wall Street Journal titled “It’s Time to Get Rid of Employee Surveys” by Peter Cappelli. In the article he states that the annual employee survey needs to be retired and that workers were tired of surveys. Of course the term “survey fatigue” had already come up with our team so I thought there might be some merit to this. I also realized that if our organization did not have the complete trust of our employees that the survey was subject to response bias in the first place. So I started looking at alternatives and other KPIs and metrics.

“What I realized very quickly was that it was manager behavior that accounted for employee engagement. I had long ago heard the phrase that “employees don’t leave companies, they leave managers” so this seemed congruent to me.”

Now only just last week I came across one of the latest books published by Gallup titled It’s The Manager and it turns out that Gallup had come to the same conclusion. In the book, they state that “70% of the variance in team engagement is determined solely by the manager. It’s the manager”

If we break down the Q12 questions you can see how each one is directly affected by manager behavior:

1. Do you know what is expected of you at work?
This one I never really understood because it would seem to be the most fundamental thing for any company to do which is to simply let their employees know what is expected of them. Of course it is directly on the manager or front line supervisor to set and manage expectations.

2. Do you have the materials and equipment to do your work right?
Again, this one seems to be fundamental to any company. The manager needs to ensure that the employees have the tools and resources to do their job. If you don’t know ask.

3. At work, do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?
This one is a little trickier however it is really about the manager making sure they have the right butts in the right seats.

4. In the last seven days, have you received recognition or praise for doing good work?
This one is also really simple. Does the employee’s manager recognize them for doing a good job or not. Maybe managers overthink this one however even just a thank you every now and then goes a long way.

5. Does your supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about you as a person?
This is just about the manager treating employees as human beings and recognizing that the entire person shows up to work.

6. Is there someone at work who encourages your development?
This speaks to the shift in what workers value more now (see the chart below) and even without any type of formal development plan or program it is easy enough for a manager to talk to their employees about career advancement and/or development.

7. At work, do your opinions seem to count?
Everyone has a need to feel heard and employees are no different (see number 4 – treat them as human beings). This is about the manager listening and giving feedback. Not every idea or opinion is going to be executed on or implemented however listening and then giving feedback on why or why not is again a simple thing to do.

8. Does the mission/purpose of your company make you feel your job is important?
This one is a little bit trickier since this is really a higher level emotional need and while the manager can not create meaning for the employee, they can certainly help the employee understand how they fit into the bigger picture and how their job advances the overall mission and vision of the organization.

9. Are your associates (fellow employees) committed to doing quality work?
This is all about the manager establishing performance standards and holding every team member accountable.

10. Do you have a best friend at work?
This is not about managers trying to make everyone play nice together and be besties however it is about the managers understanding human nature and creating opportunities for connection such as team events and social activities.

11. In the last six months, has someone at work talked to you about your progress?
This again seems like management 101 in that it is on the manager to let the employee know where they stand. This is all about one on ones and feedback.

12. In the last year, have you had opportunities to learn and grow?
This is about the managers challenging their employees and giving them opportunities to learn and grow.

If you are looking at the above and think that what an employee needs from their manager has changed over the years, you are absolutely right. Let’s take a look:

An Observation

According to Gallup, growth in engagement has remained flat – and we’ve seen little more than a two-point increase over the past four years.

There is a quote that is often misattributed to Einstein that says,

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

So if engagement hasn't improved and all the surveys in the world haven’t changed anything stop and do something different. What your employees expect from not just your organization but from work overall has changed however has our management training changed in time to keep up?

Stop worrying about engagement surveys and start focusing on manager behaviors.

So now that we have come to the conclusion that getting managers to follow the right behaviors is the real key to employee engagement how in the world do you hold them accountable for the right behaviors? That sounds like a great topic for the next article… See you there.

Connect with Christopher Jones
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherwalkerjones/

Author: Buddy Schwenk, VP Membership – ATD Greater Atlanta

Our world is made up of many types of communities. Some are created through common geographic and cultural locations. Others are based on a shared concepts or theories. One thing every community has in common is people. People coming together to impart their experience or identify ways to make a difference for the community. Most times the people in the community can agree on common themes to help the community grow and thrive. They can identify actions based on these themes to provide beneficial resources to others in the community and potentially those outside the community. As the community grows, those members of the community are provided a great opportunity to develop.

In every community there is responsibility that is expected of the members. Everyone needs to do their part for the success of the community. Some look for opportunities to be leaders in the community. Some influence others through their actions and achievements. Not everyone needs to be a leader but a community will flourish when everyone is pitching in to make the most of the activities. Many times, it’s just showing up.

We have a remarkable talent development community and ATD Greater Atlanta is a key way to be a part of it. Becoming a member opens up vast opportunities to build personal, professional and organizational capabilities that will help the individual as well the community as a whole. If you are already a member of our community, we look forward to seeing you at many of our events and programs and bringing your resources to share with others. If you would like to be a part of this energizing community, please check out the membership options and interesting events.

YOU are the one that makes our community successful.

Author: Esther Matthews, M.Ed.

The late legendary designer, Milton Glaser, once said “There are threeresponses to a piece of design – yes, no, and WOW! Wow is the one to aim for.”

While Glaser was specifically referencing visual designers, I believe there’s a lesson in his statement for talent development professionals as well. We design employee experiences that transform others. Whether that’s through guiding or developing them along their career paths, laying out the framework for their progression, helping them develop the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities, or something else - our work is nothing short of transformative. Shouldn’t the transformative experiences that we design for our audiences “wow” them as well?

Designing to wow requires intention and skill on the part of the designer. Growing that skill is where ATD Greater Atlanta comes in. We provide our members with a forum for the exchange of professional development opportunities and resources as they strive to improve workplace learning and performance. In short, we’re responsible for leading the way to “wow!”

As the Vice President of our Communities of Practice, it is my personal commitment to provide you with spaces to develop in specific domains, along with opportunities to practice what you’ve learned. My goal for each of our Communities of Practice is that they lead the way to “wow” by designing experiences, aligned with the ATD Talent Capability model, that wow you - our members.

In 2021, you’ll leave each of our events with tangible takeaways. We’re bringing you extended access to our speakers so you can learn, practice, and grow with guidance.

Whether you attend CoP events on leadership training for the modern workplace, resume writing, interviewing skills, career changes and transitions, exposure to learning technologies, growing your brand as an independent, building your instructional design portfolio, getting published, or any other skill covered under our communities of practice - each of these opportunities will help you put your best foot forward and help you design to wow in your workplace.

The signature element of the Communities of Practice is the sense of community. Even with our current virtual environment, we’re challenging ourselves to provide you with a robust sense of community through thoughtfully designed networking events. These are networking events designed to allow you to share what you know and learn from others, all while building your network.

The Communities of Practice are about dedicated professionals coming together and learning from one another. I believe Milton Glaser was right -- “Wow is the one to aim for.” This year the Communities of Practice are preparing to do just that. We’re crafting learning experiences designed not only to wow you but to prepare you to wow others and leave you wanting more!

AUthor: Cornelius Dowdell, President – ATD Greater Atlanta

Out with the Old – In with the New. Bye-Bye 2020 and WELCOME 2021.

Talent Development Professionals in the Greater Atlanta Area, it is time to MOVE FORWARD. Greater Atlanta leadership have spent the past four-months – Learning by Doing to move forward in the chapter. We did not just discuss and put together strategic plans for 2021. You can now visibly see the efforts produced by your 12 Executive Leadership Team. The relationship formed through the tasks we took on before our roles officially began have brought us together in a way I did not foresee. One task (overall the old website) required ALL-HANDS and they rose to the occasion for YOU.

We asked ourselves “Who Are Our Members?” and we came back with a list from Trainers/Facilitators, HR/OD Professionals, Instructional Designers, Talent Development Managers and Leaders, Learning Technologists and many more. Then we ask, “How can we transform their experience?”

Our Transformation Focus

• Membership Value
• Member Engagement
• Member Empowerment
• Peer Leadership
• Commitment to Diversity

Member Value Proposition
We are committed to providing talent development professionals the community to keep them engaged and empowered through leadership and diversity. Our members leverage cutting-edge technology and tools to advance in their careers, businesses, or organizations. Whether its certification prep, course creation, portfolio building or showcasing your talents, we believe involved members are successful in their professionals’ careers.

Membership Engagement
We have taken the 2020 Feedback request for more opportunities for networking and relationship building. One solution we have implement is our new virtual conference platform – you will experience during our “Meet The Leaders” Event on January 26, 2021. Attendees can interact in real-time by joining a table, have face-to-face interactions making virtual networking feel neutral and fun.

We are striving to communicate with our members differently. Our Marketing team has come up with a new strategy to engage our members not just through emails and newsletters, but blogging, podcasts and social media platforms. So we encourage your to follow us on all social media and explore the value of membership. Members can submit blogs to be posted on the chapter website now (pending approval).

Members can join our ATD Greater Atlanta SLACK Environment and contribute to discussion board, leadership committee meetings and other engagement with vehicles.

Member Empowerment
Your talent development journey is not just in your hands, but in ours as well. We are bringing the tools and resources to you. Authoring tools – You Got It – Chapter owned licenses will be available for practice and use by members in the future. Talent Dev. Certifications – Check out the Calendar for these new certifications to enhance your career. Member-led Events – Done, Peer-to-Peer Leadership – Done in our Mentorship Program.

Peer Leadership
Your executive leaders are your peers. We are here to support your talent development journey and lead you. We encourage member to reach out to us, schedule meetings with us and leverage our connections. A chapter as large as ours – requires intentional efforts on both our parts to connect. We want to build sustainable relationships.

Commitment to Diversity
Talent development is a pool of diverse professions, people, and talent. Our commitment is to continue to provide diverse programming and experiences for our diverse audience. We require your input and feedback to ensure we are meeting this commitment. Feedback is a gift, and we value each and everyone’s feedback.

Just a Few Member Benefits to Mention

• $1,500 Professional Development Scholarship
• Collegiate Internship Opportunity
• Networking
• Portfolio Creation
• Career Development Opportunities
• Chapter Tools/Resources for communication, project management and content authoring
• Awards and Recognition
• Provider Business Directory Listing

The past four months have been exciting and transformations for us as leaders. We want to share this transformation with you through volunteerism, professional development, and relationship building. Excitement for serving you has given us skills and opportunities we did not fathom. When I said, “Learn by Doing”, we learned so much over the past 4 months by doing and built a stronger bond together as Chapter Members.

AUTHOR: CORNELIUS A. DOWDELL – HUMAN RESOURCES, TALENT DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY STRATEGIST

Did you know that talent development and organizational performance are interlinked? According to reports from McKinsey Global Survey, talent management has positive effects on businesses. It confirmed that organizations with effective talent-management programs have a better chance than other companies of outperforming competitors. Talent development among public companies showed the companies are much likelier to outpace their peers’ returns to shareholders.

We live in an era where running organizations smoothly, effectively, efficiently requires human resource. The people are the most valuable and indispensable factor in organizations. We know that the success of an organization depends on the hard work, loyalty and involvement of managers and employees.

The term talent refers to the sum of a person’s abilities. It includes your intrinsic gifts, skills, knowledge, experience, intelligence, judgement, attitudes, character and drives. Talent management in organizations entails a management system used to identify, capture, utilize, develop, grow and nurture the talent of employees to the benefits of the organization. It entails positioning the right people in the right jobs. This is done to ensure that employees maximize their talent for the optimal success of the organization.

In order to promote talent development you need to capitalize on the strengths and abilities of your employees, helping them to become stronger and grow within your company. Here are some strategies you can employ to attain talent development in your organization.

1. The Organizations’ Leadership

The best leaders are the ones who are committed to talent development of all employees. Simply put, leaders are responsible for developing the talent in an organization. However, you’ll find that as people move up the ladder, they fail to help others develop their ability even if they recognize its necessity. This disconnect is caused by a set of interrelated issues such as

a) Time. It may be seem too scarce and most of the time urgent tasks will consume it. If you have leaders that are not disciplined in their priorities, you will find that talent development will be neglected and the overall investment in people.

b) Emphasis on visible skills. As leaders rise to senior positions, they tend to think that they need to showcase strategic thinking and effective management. They put emphasis on these skills that are noticeable and catch people’s attention. Developing talent, on the other hand becomes less obvious.

Diligent leaders are however able to avoid such shortcomings. For a leader to create a culture of talent development, they need to do the following;

a) Be a role model to the employees. You need to be transparent about your own need to learn and develop. Share to others how you are able to do it.

b) Put emphasis on the value of learning. Engage the employees on conversations about what they want to accomplish and what they feel their gaps are. Acknowledge work that has been completed, both the outcome and the learning.

c) Turn problems into learning opportunities. What's an acceptable failure needs to be clarified and that way, by incorporating stretch assignments, employees can seek out challenges where they can develop without feeling like mistakes will set them back in their career or jeopardize their job. Learning organizations see problems as opportunities.

2. Create talent development initiatives that work

Putting a one-off training program isn’t a talent development initiative that’s likely to work. Employees may end up forgetting quicker than you anticipated. Initiatives that work start with a training needs analysis. It should be delivered in the best manner possible according to the type of skill being developed. Experimental learning is also another option that offers opportunities for your employees to learn. Finally, ensure you take employee feedback into account to help in arrangements for future training.

3. Looking within

All the skills you need may be already within your payroll. A good strategy to develop talent is showing your employees that you are committed to them not only in their career but also in their all-round development. It means that you can give them time away from their work to attend a talent development program. It enables them to get skills for expanding your service offerings. The goal here is to incorporate your employees’ interests into their daily work and deepen their skill.

4. Have built-in coaching opportunities

Leaders this one is for you. You are required to coach and regularly check in with employees as part of talent development. You can also delegate this duty by recruiting people from all over the organization. Simply identify people who have skills your employees are learning and let them check in with the employees at the capacity of a coach.

5. Development Culture

Whatever your overall goal may be, ensure your company’s mission and goals are clearly communicated. This goes a long way towards the next step of culture building. How can you map a route towards talent development if you have no idea what the destination is?

If company culture dictates a growth mindset where talents are discovered and nurtured as a matter of course, training to support that will become a regular part of the events at the workplace.

This helps not only strengthen your current employees, but is also useful in recruiting additional members in the future. Today’s workforce is in need of growth. Create a workplace where learning is prioritized and built into your daily operations and you’ll create a place where people love to work.

In simple terms, training and development of talent means;

• Recognizing the interests and abilities in your employees
• Targeting specific areas of strength and employee interest
• Placing employees in areas they are best suited
• Looking at how they can thrive over time
• Creating talent development initiatives to ensure growth

It might be hard to believe, but there’s a good chance that some of the best talent for your business is just right under your nose. If done successfully, talent development will help employees do their jobs better and enjoy doing them. In addition, it will ensure the success of your organization.