Career and Leadership

"Mad Men", Business and Success

2008-08-01T13:50:00.000-07:00

The hit AMC cable television show “Mad Men” about the lives of those who work for a fictional Madison Avenue advertising agency in 1960 and now 1962 provide more insights into the work place of 2008 than one might think. In fact, the characters in “Mad Men” provide a series of examples of what to do and not do to be successful today and in the future.

The lead character, Don Draper, who plays the Creative Director at Sterling Cooper Agency, is a good example of business leadership. At the workplace, Don is cold blooded and all business. He is demanding of his subordinates and his pears. Additionally, his spends little time with small talk and befriending co-workers. In fact, his only friend in the office is his boss, Roger Sterling who is a partner in the agency. Although Don’s personal life may be a disaster, he does not let it impact his professional performance.

Roger Sterling, although a Partner in the ad firm, allows his vices to override his focus on his professional life. His warm relationship with Don, his subordinate is a stark contrast to Don’s relationships with his peers and those who work for him. The impact of these frailties is never more clear than when the Founding Partner, Bertram Cooper, offers a bonus check to Don, but it is clear that there is no bonus check waiting for others including Roger.

The office manager, Joan Holloway, like Don is cold and to the point with her charges – the secretaries and support personnel – in the office. She is demanding and spares no one. It is evident that she has no friends in the office although she has been involved with the men at various levels of the company in the past. Unfortunately, in spite of how well she does her job, she does not see part the current role she and those who work for her play.

Unlike Joan, Peggy Olson, who has been promoted from Don’s secretary to Junior Copywriter, sees potential beyond the role she was hired to perform. Through a combination of her hard work, drive and initiative, she moves from an entry level role to one on peer with most of the men. She sees beyond the present and takes steps to carve out a future for herself.

The characters in “Mad Men” even have lives outside of the office. One is of particular interest. Ken Cosgrove, an account executive is a writer. In an early episode draws the attention and the ire of his co-workers for having an article published in “Atlantic Monthly”. No matter how successful you are – or are not in the office – it does not hurt to pursue your passion beyond the work day.

The Art Director in the series, Salvator Romano is interesting not only because he is the only apparent gay character but because he is stands out as being truly creative among a group of so-called creative people at Sterling Cooper. Additionally, no matter how big or small changes are required by others at the ad agency or their clients, Salvator seems always ready to please. He delivers what is needed and by when it is due to keep both the clients and his co-workers happy.

Last but certainly not least in the world of “Mad Men” is founding Partner Bertram Cooper. He is eccentric and yet successful. He is, as is said today, “comfortable in his own skin”. Outspoken, found of all things Japanese and intolerant of those who smoke in a world of smokers, he is his own man. We are led to believe that his eccentricities are not a result of his success but rather one of the reasons for it.

Additionally Bertram is notable for his indifference to Don’s background. Overly ambitious Don Draper wannabe Pete Campbell digs up some dirt about Don’s true identify and takes it to Cooper in hopes that it will be to the advantage of his career. Bertram makes clear that he cares more about job performance than someone’s background (although he does value Pete’s lofty family connections). It’s not necessarily who you are but rather what you do.

While the boozy, smoky and sexist world of 1960-1962 as depicted in “Mad Men” seems as outdated as the typewriters sitting on the secretaries’ desks, business is still about people, relationships, customers and performance. The good – and not so good – skills, traits and business practices depicted on “Mad Men” can teach us about what it takes to be successful in business in 2008 and beyond.

George F. Franks, III is the founder and President of Franks Consulting Group, a management consulting and leadership mentoring practice. George has over twenty-five years of experience working with businesses, the U S government and nonprofit organizations plus their leaders. He is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants (USA). He can be contacted at: gfranks@franksconsultinggorup.com
Franks Consulting Group is on the web at:
http://franksconsultinggroup.com

The ? Hour Work Week

2008-07-30T12:30:00.000-07:00

Lately a popular topic for books and articles has been how few hours anyone can work and still be successful. Books have been written about the four hour work week. Articles have been written about the new “results-only work environment” or ROWE. And there have been a number of other variations on these themes. Four hours? Maybe zero hours? Why not. What’s the real answer? Well it depends if your are working for yourself, if you are working for someone else or someone is working for you. Let’s look at each.

Working For Yourself

If you are one of the increasing number of people who no longer work for someone else and work for yourself, congratulations. You are an entrepreneur. Most people who work for themselves have no steady paycheck (unless they are retired and that is NOT the subject of this article), no benefits and few if any employees.

If you are working for yourself, especially in the first several years of establishing and building your business, do not plan on four hour work weeks. You are responsible for planning, IT, marketing, sales, billing, customer service and more. As a result, you will probably be working at least twelve hours per day. You may be fortunate enough to work five days a week. In most cases, you will be putting in these hours six or even seven days per week for the first couple of years. The person you see in the mirror each morning is going to be the one who does all of the above functions and is responsible for translating goods or services into revenue - i.e. your paycheck.

Working for Someone Else

People hire you for your brains, your creativity, your ability to learn and to translate all of that into sales and revenue for them at the lowest possible expense. If you work for someone else, they are looking for the maximum work from you (based on your job function and related responsibilities and performance objectives) without a lot of additional expense. Strangely, most bosses at any level of management expect you to demonstrate your worth in terms of what your can do to make the business successful and in the process make them successful also. If you can do this by putting in four hours per week or even less than forty hours per week, you are an exceptionally gifted person. Or perhaps you are lucky. Or maybe your job is just too easy and you need additional responsibilities.

Rather than testing the waters with your boss by putting in fewer hours than your peers, I recommend that anyone who wants to be successful, work hard to meet and exceed all of their performance objectives, take on special projects and also take advantage of all the educational options available related to the job. Plus you need to network professionally both inside and outside of your company. Often this translates into being in the office (or at your computer at home) before your boss and working long after your peers have gone home (or signed off their computers). To be in the top 10%, get the bonus, get the raise, and get the promotion you must do more. That is difficult, if not impossible, to do by putting in the fewest working hours possible.

Others Working for You

Maybe you have the luxury of hiring everyone who works for you. If you are in that position, you can hire the best and the brightest that your budget can afford and train them to operate the way you see most effective. In all likelihood though, you have inherited some if not most of your employees from previous bosses. As such, some will be top performers, some will be average performers and others will be – well – slugs. Any one of these employees may walk into your office at any time and tell you that they only need to work a couple of hours per week to not only meet – but also to exceed – their performance objectives. What are you going to do?

- Tell them “Great job. Enjoy your time off”.

- Review their job description and objectives and beef up both of them.

- Fire or transfer them to someone else and hire then the best and the brightest that your budget can afford.

Most bosses that I know would take the second option – although their gut instinct may be to take the third one.

As an executive, middle level manger or supervisor, part of your job is to achieve your portion of the business’s goals through others. If the people reporting to you are only operating at 10% of capacity (or more or less) and you are paying them a full salary (let’s assume that they are salaried knowledge workers) then you are guilty of under utilizing the resources that the business has entrusted to you. This is the case whether the individuals in your team are achieving their results or not. If they can operate at approximately 10% of capacity and meet their performance objectives then, as stated previously, either the objectives are too low, they are lucky or their job function is incorrectly aligned with the performance objectives (as in someone else is really generating the performance results through their efforts).

While working less and achieving the same or better results is a dream much touted over the years by business philosophers and now gaining interest again, it is a model that is untenable for the self-employed, small businesses such as start-ups and even in the largest business organizations. Those who tout working less and getting the same or better results are only fooling those who read and buy into their naïve and misguided theories.

Interview Shoes: The Right Styles for Men and Women

2008-06-10T13:45:00.001-07:00

Interview attire advice often focuses on suit colors and cuts for men and whether to wear a skirt or slacks for women and the color of either. Other articles of interview attire are even more important. A case in point is shoes. For both men and women, wearing the right style and type of shoes can often serve as the most important and most visible item of interview attire.

For Men

For men there are four types of shoes that are acceptable for interviews. There are from most to least formal: the black oxford shoe, the black brogue shoe, the black tassel loafer and finally the black dress penny loafer. Each of these shoes has a distinct style and message. Regardless of which style of shoe is worn, they should be well maintained – meaning not scuffed or worn at the heel and highly polished.

The black leather oxford shoe. This is the classic tie shoe. It has either a plain to or a non-perforated cap toe. This is the dressiest of men’s shoes and are popular with investment bankers, government officials and other’s who must portray formality and consistency.

The black leather brogue shoe. Often described as the wing tip, this is slightly less formal than the oxford. It may be cap toed or have the wing shaped toe decoration both of which are perforated. Acceptable with suits, the brogue has been a favorite of businessmen for decades although it fell out of favor during the “casual Friday” dress down era of the 1990s.

The black leather tassel loafer. The tassel loafer has been around for decades. Once classified as Ivey League or preppy, it is now a business staple. It is a loafer with stitching around the toe and a pair of leather tassels. The shoe is not as formal as either the oxford or the brogue but is acceptable with business suits in all but the most formal and tradition bound professions.

The black leather penny loafer. This is not a casual loafer with the big “beef roll” and the rough hand stitching around the toe. The penny loafer for dress is more refined in cut and stitching. It looks like and is a dress shoe. The least formal of the business shoe styles, it is sleek and clean and works with suits for all but the most formal occasions.

What kinds of men’s shoes to avoid for interviews? First, the heavy soled and big toed lace and slip-on shoes popular with younger men should be avoided. Even if they say they are dress shoes, they say all the wrong things about one. Secondly, avoid casual shoes such as weekend loafers or other very casual shoes with leather, rubber or plastics soles. Finally, avoid trendy shoes. If attracted to a pair of shoes that would look great on the dance floor at a club or at a wild party, keep them for those events. Do no wear them to an interview. Trendy is not an interview look unless you are a fashion designer or in the arts.

The right kinds of shoes are available at stores and on-line. The most popular traditional interview shoes are sold by: Church’s Shoes (English design, very traditional), Alden (American and very traditional), Allen-Edmonds, Cole-Haan and Johnson & Murphy. Stores that carry the right kinds of shoes for interviews include: Brooks Brothers, Joseph A. Bank and Nordstrom.

For Women

While there are infinitely more styles of women’s shoes available than men’s, the styles that are appropriate for interviews are even more limited. The rules about the condition of shoes for women are the same as for men. The shoes must be in top condition and well maintained if not new. While all the colors for men included black and black, there are more possibilities fro women. While black and navy are safe bets 95% of the time. Other colors are OK but must complement the suit or outfit and should match the purse or handbag too. Avoid light colored shoes for interview and never wear white shoes to an interview unless it is for a nursing position. If brown, dark shades are best. Avoid suede and never wear shoes that have metallic sparkle, glitter or sequins for an interview (or for business ever).

The styles of shoes that are appropriate for women to wear for interviews fall into four categories: classic leather pump with a heel, the leather sling back style with a heel, the classic leather Mary Jane style shoe with a heel, the flat or ballet style shoe in leather. All should be leather. All should be well maintained and worn with neutral colored stockings or pantyhose regardless of the season or temperature (or knee highs if work with slacks).

The leather pump. Heel heights and shapes vary. This is the traditional shoe for women in business. Solid color.

The leather sling back style with a heel. Again heel heights and shapes very. This shoe while very traditional has an adjustable strap rather than a closed back. The shoe is classic and in good taste but with a bit more style and is considered a bit more dressy than the plain leather pump.

The classic leather Mary Jane shoe. This is not the flat soled cloth model or even the funky thick soled model worn by teens. It is basically a leather pump in style and cut with a thin strap ending in an adjustable buckle across the instep. Better with skirts than with slacks.

The flat or ballet style shoe in leather. This kind of shoe if made of fine leather and in a traditional cut is classic, flattering and is worn by women of all heights. But it is favored by very tall and strangely enough, very short women. It may be plain or decorated with a discrete bit of gold metal or grosgrain bow at the toe. The casual ballet slipper style in fabric, needlepoint or less dressy leather should be saved for wear with jeans or khakis.

What shoes are not appropriate for women to wear to interviews? Frankly, everything else unless the interview is not for business, non-profits or one of the professions. Anything in unnatural colors or with sparkles or anything novel just will not do. Flip flops are a no always. As are sandals. Big, clunky shoes are for teenagers or weekends. Loafers are for khakis and weekends. Tie shoes are not appropriate for women in business unless running an art gallery or a church order. Finally, strappy, very high heeled shoes should be left for weekends and never for work. Forget what they say in “Sex and the City”.

Women’s interview shoes are available at many women’s stores, shoe stores and department stores. The list is really too long to do justice here. Some of the more traditional sources are: Cole Haan, Talbots, Nordstrom, Lord and Taylor and Brooks Brothers plus the some of the designers who offer quality shoes in more classic styles.

Shoes speak volumes about a person. This is never truer than in an interview environment. Make sure the shoes that you wear say all the right things. While they will not guarantee a job, the will not be an obstacle if the points outlined above are observed.

Coaching Knowledge Workers

2008-05-13T11:28:00.000-07:00

Personal technology has revolutionized business and working in general over the past twenty years. Personal computers, cell phones, the internet, personal organizers and other high technology devices have made the working world of the mid-1980’s and earlier seem like the Stone Age. These devices have improved efficiency, flexibility and the overall speed of interactions of all types. One area where technology has been a mixed success has been in the areas of leadership, supervision and coaching.

While the advent of new technologies and tools has made the best coaches even better, it has provided obstacles for inexperienced and less-effective coaches. There are several reasons for this.

Emails rather than face-to-face coaching
Voice mail messages rather than real time conversations
Top down, spread sheet driven objectives rather mutually defined “SMART” objectives
The advent of telecommuting and other work from home alternatives (which have significant upsides also)

Some tips for executives, managers, supervisors and other coaches operating in this high technology environment:

Meet your people individually face-to-face at least quarterly. If you cannot travel to meet them, they should travel to meet you.
Never put in an email or a voice mail what you can deliver either face-to-face or over the phone live. Follow it up with an e-mail or voice mail if necessary.
Objectives should be more than a series of numbers from top down. They should be arrived at jointly and discussed face-to-face in an objective setting session. If not face to face, they can be handled on phone call or calls.
Some people do great working from home away from their supervisor and peers. But other people need the direct interaction with their coach and with their co-workers. This depends on the job function, the individual and amount team versus individual contribution required for success. This must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

The combination of technology plus effective personal coaching can create an environment for individual and team success.

The Keys to Successful Leadership

2008-05-12T12:52:00.000-07:00

The best leaders I have met over the years have had several traits in common. Those aspiring to become leaders in business, government or other organizations would be well served to review these and take them to heart.

As quaint as it sounds, there is no substitute for hard work. The most successful leaders I have encountered worked hard at the beginning, middle and ends of their careers. They got in early. They left late. They took on additional responsibilities. They welcomed special assignments and task forces. They did not look for the easy jobs or to pass off the challenging tasks to others. Hard work is the foundation for success in leadership.

There are lots of generalists in all professions. The difference is when the generalists have built up their general knowledge of their profession as a result of being experts in whatever area they were working in at the time. Great leaders learn everything they need to know to do their current job and more. As they move on to the next job they do the same thing. They do not stay put for the most part. They build a portfolio of being expert in many areas within their profession. While it may be possible to “get by” through just knowing enough, the true leaders who are successful learn all they can in each job.

There are many egomaniacs in the world of business, government and other professions. While they may get most of the headlines and other media coverage, they are not the great leaders of our time (or any time). The greatest and most successful leaders are selfless. They approach problems for the best solutions. They do not care who gets the credit. In most cases, they direct the credit and the attention away from themselves and to others. This process serves to make teams and organizations more effective and more successful in turn.

Leaders young and not-so-young need mentors. A mentor is not just someone who can pull the leaders along by way of their coattails. It is someone who listens, provides advice, points out the “landmines” along the way and can tell the bad along with the good. Every great leader has had a mentor. Many have several mentors throughout their professional lives. The mentor a leader has at the beginning of their career may not be the mentor they have at mid-careers or as a successful senior executive or professional. The key is to find someone who one respects and who is willing to take the time to build a mentor relationship.

Everyone makes mistakes and has disappointments. Successful leaders in business, government and the professions accept their shortcomings, learn from their mistakes and move on. Those who dwell on mistakes or are so cautious as to rarely have missteps are unlikely to become great leaders.

The topic of personal balance has been overdone by the media and in professional literature. Most successful people are, at face value, hyper focused on their career goals or their profession. But once this is pealed back, most of them are people with varieties of interests. They take time to exercise and participate in sports. And their families and friends are quite important to them, even if the time they have to spend with them is limited. Those who can “have it all” are rare, but the most successful leaders to find ways to balance their professional lives with their personal interests, their health and fitness plus the role of family and friends.

The model of the successful leader is a dilemma today. Do we look to political leaders? Do we look to CEOs? The industrial titans of the past? The great leaders from military history? By reading biographies of the great people past and present, future and current leaders can gain insights into how they can become better and more successful leaders. Readers see time and again the roles played by hard work, expertise, humility, mentors, resilience from failures and balance.

George F. Franks, III is the founder and President of Franks Consulting Group, a Bethesda, Maryland management consulting and leadership mentoring. He is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants (USA). George can be contacted at: gfranks@franksconsultinggroup.com

Franks Consulting Group is on the web at: http://franksconsultinggroup.com

Your Questions and Our Answers: Dress to Get Hired

2008-05-09T07:15:00.000-07:00

Dear George,

Summer is almost here and I am interviewing for a post-graduate school position. All my friends say that I should wear a skirt or pants, a dressy blouse, a jacket, little jewelry and traditional pumps. That sounds pretty boring to me. I am not looking for a position in fashion or the arts but rather with FORTUNE 1000 corporations. My feeling is that I should wear what I am comfortable in and then I will do better during the interview. As such, I have been wearing a light weight skirt, a tee top, some jewelry and dressy flip-flops. I have yet to get any second interviews or job offers. Is it my attire?

Stephanie G.
New York, NY

Dear Stephanie,

Follow you friends' advice regarding interview attire. No flip-flops. No thin casual skirts. No tee tops. Little or no jewelry and make sure it is traditional looking. I would say that in addition to the outfits that your friends recommended, you should:
- Wear stockings with skirts
- Wear knee high stockings with pants
- Carry a purse that matches your shoes
- Do not get carried away with make-up or perfume
- Traditional pumps are ideal. NOT inexpensive ballet flats though.

If you follow this dress to get hired advice PLUS you have a good education, a stellar resume, some intern or other work experience and a real outgoing personality - you will get those job offers.

George F. Franks, III
President
Franks Consulting Group
http://franksconsultinggroup.com
Management Consulting / Leadership Mentoring

Direct your questions about career, work life and leadership issues to George at:
gfranks@franksconsultinggroup.com

Effective Interview Questions

2008-05-08T10:46:00.000-07:00

A lot of attention is paid to skills for job candidates including how to act, dress, the right questions to ask – and not to ask. Less attention is given to the right kinds of questions for hiring managers to ask. While it is usually clear what the hiring manager SHOULD NOT AND CAN NOT ask, little notice is given to the right key questions. One of the most important things any executive or manager can do is to hire the best people. As resume is only part of the story. Asking and getting responses to tough and probing questions is essential to eliminating the wrong candidates and identifying the right ones.

TELL ME A BIT ABOUT YOUR PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND? Resume in hand, this is an opportunity to screen the candidate even if you or human resources has already done so over the phone. The key is two fold. First, to insure that what is of interest in the resume is addressed by the candidate. Second, to observe the candidate’s poise, presence, tone, self-confidence, manner and body language. How would this person come across to your boss, your boss’s boss and to your top customers?

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR EDUCATION? A chance to see if what jumped out (or did not) to you is highlighted by the candidate. Is the story consistent? A follow-on question if a younger candidate can be about favorite course and why or least favorite course and why. This is another chance to evaluate demeanor, tone and body language.

WHY ARE YOU INTERESTED IN XYZ COMPANY? This is an opportunity to see if the candidate did their homework about the company. If they are serious, they will tell clearly and concisely about the elements of the company that appeal to them enough to want to work there. If they are vague in response to this question, it is not a good sign about how serious they are about the position.

WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST STRENGTHS? While this question has been asked for years, it speaks volumes about what is important to the candidate and what the candidate thinks is important to the Company AKA the hiring manager. This question can trigger some much exaggerated body language and eye contact.

WHAT IS AN AREA OF DEVELOPMENT FOR YOU? This is a variation on the STRENGTHS question. This is often less comfortable. People like to talk about their strengths, not their weaknesses. That makes this question all the more important and telling to the hiring manager. The key here is candor, professionalism and composure on the part of the candidate.

READ THE JOB DESCRIPTION (do not paraphrase).

WHY DO YOU THINK YOU ARE THE IDEAL CANDIDATE FOR THIS POSITION? There is a happy medium between boasting and modesty. That is what the hiring manager is looking for here. It is also another opportunity for the candidate to recap their skills and experience and relate them specifically to the open position. Look for two or three key points in response to this question.

WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE IN FIVE YEARS? This can be a killer question. I know, I was way too honest on this one in my youth. The proper answer should be honest, thoughtful, realistic and to the benefit of the company. If the candidate wants a free education and then go on their own or to be the CEO or to be lying on the beach, that’s the end of the interview.

IF YOU WERE IN THIS JOB TOMORROW, WHAT ARE THE FIRST THINGS YOU WOULD DO AND IN WHAT PRIORITY? This tells the hiring manager whether the candidate has some understanding of the Company’s mission, vision and values. It tells whether they understand the basic functions related to the job. It also gives the candidate an opportunity to show off their initiative while at the same time testing their sense of workplace reality.

WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR ME? This can be the most telling question of all. It again gives the candidate an opportunity to show what they know about the Company. It is open and allow for probing and creative questions. It also let you know what is important to the candidate – such as “when can I start taking vacation?” (WRONG question!).

WHEN CAN YOU START? Even if you do not make a job offer (which is RARELY done during the interview), it is always important to know the job candidate’s availability, whether they are currently working, whether they have another job in the wings or are just fishing.

While the questions a hiring manager can and should ask a job candidate are nearly endless, the right questions are essential. By asking these questions every time, the hiring manager will get better at interviewing and will ultimately hire the best candidates for each job.

George F. Franks, III is the President of Franks Consulting Group, a Bethesda, Maryland based management consulting and leadership coaching practice. George is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants (USA). You can contact Franks Consulting Group at: gfranks@franksconsultinggroup.com
Franks Consulting Group is on the web at: http://franksconsultinggroup.com