four

 

There are four categories of employee development and four steps to career management. Discuss the four categories of both, and explain how employee development can complement career management. Your response should be at least 75 words in length. You are required to use at least your textbook as source material for your response. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations.

 

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Training, Development, and Career
Management
Organizatirns and their employees must_constantly expand their knowledge,

skills,

and behavior to meet .urro*”r’rr.eds and compete’in today’s demanding and
rapidly

changing business environment. More and more companies operate internationally,

,”q”iii”i that employees undersrand different cultures and customs. More companies
o.g”rrirJ*ork in ierms of projects or customers, rather than specialized functions,

so

.Jploy””, need to acquire a iroad range of technical and interpersonal skills’ Many

companies expect .*ploy.., at all levels to perform roles once reserved for manage-

*”.r,. Mod”rn organizatio* ur. expected to provide development opportunities to

employees without regard to their **, ,u.t’ tiht’lt background’ or age so that they
haue .qu”l opport,rr-riiy for advancement. In this climate, organizations are

placing

greater.*plr”ii, o., ,.ri.rirrg and development. To do this, organizations must under

‘

Itarrd d.’o.iopment’s relationship to training and career management’

Development and Training
The definition of development indicates that it is future oriented’ Development
implies learning that is ,-ro, ,-r”.”.r”rlly r”i”i”J to the employee’s current

job’1

Insread, it prepares “*fion”o
for other jobs or positions in the-organization

and

i.r.r”u.”, their abihty; ;;t” into jobs thu, *”y not yet exist.Z Development also
In”v n.rp .roploye.s prepafe for changes in responsibilities -and requirements

in

ih”ir.,-,.r”rrt iobr, ,u.i, u, changes resulting from new technology,
work designs, or

cusfomefs’
ln contrast, training traditionally focuses on helping emplo-yees improve perfor-

mance of their .u.r.rri jobs. Many organizations have focused on lilking training
programs to business go”lr. It-, these organizations, the distinction between training

urrid.rr”lopmenr is m”ore blurred. Table
q.t summarizes the traditional differences”

Development for Careers
The concept of a career has changed in recent years. In the traditional

vieq a career

consists of a sequence ofpositions’within an occupation or organizatio’-”3
Fot example’

an academic care”r might begin with a position as a university’s adjunct
professor’ It

conrinues with appoint”*”.,r.-ro faculty iositions as assistant professor, then associate

;;;f;;;;;, and finally full professor. An e.gineer might start as a staff engineer,
then

\;t/irh gr.”r”. experience earn promotions to the positions of advisory enginee! senior

engi.,”.er,
^.rd

,,i.” president of engineering. ln these examples, the career resembles a

,.Jof ,a”i* from the bottom of a profession or organization to the top’

Recently, however, changes ,,r.h u, downsizing and restructuring have become

the

normr so the concepf Of
”

.-u.””, has become more fluid. Today’s employees afe mofe

CHAPTER 9 Developing Employees for F Success 259

education,
penences,

ips, and

of

nality and
to help

prepare

future of

their

Discuss how
opment is related

ininq and careers.

Fu

ture

High ‘
Preparation for changes

VoluntarY

tion ofThe

iob

for
ca

rmit-

their

ent”

rntial

: tal-

:heir

and

able

^ong

)en-

vays,

It_

ality

ture

lent

lent

tlon

)en-

ties

sing

cok

and
and

reir

;ec-

ting

rter

the

Focus

Use of work exPerien,ces

Goal

Participation

Current

Low

Preparation for current iob
Required

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Protean Career
A career that
frequently changes
based on changes in
the person’s interests,
abilities, and values
and in the work
environment.

2

6

0 PART 3 Assessing Performance and Developing Employees

L*l ldentify the
rnethods organizations
use for employee
development.

likeiy to have a Protean career, one that frequentiy changes based on changes in
the person’s interests, abilities, and values and in the work environment. For example,
an engineer rnight decide to take a sabbaticai from her job to become a manager u,irh
Engineers without Borders, so she can develop managerial skills and decide wherher
she likes rnanaging. As in this example, ernployees in protean careers take responsibil-
ity for managing their careers. This practice is consisrenr wirh the rnodern piychotogl-
cal contract described in Chapter 2. Employees look for organization, to pro.,,id”, ,’rit
job security and a career ladder to climb, br,rt instead development opporrunities and
fl exible work arrangemenrs.

To remain marketable, employees must continually develop new skills. Fewer of
todayt careers involve repetitive tasks, and more rely on an expanding base of klorvl-
edge.a Jobs are less likely to last a lifetim., ,o .*pioy”., h”* ,o p.-“pu.” for nervly
created positions. Beyond knowing job requirements, empioyees need-to ,rr-rd..stanj
the business in which they are rvorking and be able to cultivate valuable relationships
rvith co-rvorkers, rnanagers, suppliers, and customers. They also need to foilow tr.r-ri,
in their field and industry, so rhey can apply rechnology and knowledge rhat will
match emerging priorities and needs. Learning such skills requires usef.,fiob experi-
ences as rvell as effective rraining programs.

These relationships and experiences often take an employee along a career path
that is far different from the traditional steps upr.r,ard throLrgh an organization or pro-
fession. Although such careers wili not disappear, nore employees will foiiow a spiral
career path in which they cross the boundaries between specialties and organizarions.
As organizations provide for employee development (and as emplol’ees take control
of their own careers), they rvill need to (1) determine their inreresrs, skills, and weak-
nesses and (2) seek der,elopment experiences involving jobs, relationships, and formal
courses. As discussed later in the chapter, organizations can meet these needs through
a system {or career managemeftt or development planning. Career managernent helps
employees select development activities that prepare then to meet their career goals. It
helps employers select development activities in line with their human resource needs.

Appncaehes to ffmploye* Develaprrlent
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, a rnedical organizarion specializing in pediatric care,
focuses development efforts on high-perfonning employees who have the potential to
becorne managers. These employees complete a full day of assessrnent that includes
taking a personaiity test and participating in a business simulation in which they t

ake

the role of rnanagers. Each year they also attend five workshops, where they learn
about leading change, developing a business strategy, and creating a personal vision.
They work in teams to solve a practical problem affecting Children’s, and they receive
coaching ro help them set and achieve their on’n goals.5

The many approaches to employee development fall into four broad categories:
formal education, assessment, job experiences, and interpersonal relationships.6
Figure 9.1 summarizes these four methods. Many organizarions combine these
approaches, as in the previous example of Children’s Healthcare.

Formal Education
organizations may support employee development thro,gh a variety of formal edu-
cational programs, either at rhe rvorkplace or off-site. These rnay include work-
shops designed specifically for the organization’s employees, short courses offered

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by consultants or uiriversities, university pro-
grans offered to ernployees rvho live ot-i catn-
pus during the program, and executive MBA
programs (rvhich enroll managers to meet on
weekends clr evenings to earn a master’s degree
in business administration). These prograrrs
may inrrolve lectures by business experts, busi-
ness ganes and sirnulations, experiential pro-
grams, and neetings with customers. Chapter 7
describecl most of these traiuing methods,
inciuding their pros and cons.

Many companies, includlng Bank of Mon-
treal and General Eiectric, operate training and
development centers that offer serninars and
longer-term programs. The Bank of Montreal
operates its owr-r Institute {ot Leaming, featur-
ing classrooms, a presentation hall, and guest
accommodations for out-of-ton’n employees.
Programs inciude training in management lead-
ership, risk managernent, and project manage-
lnent, as weli as courses tou,ard an MBA degree.T
General Electric has or-re of the oldest ar-rd best-
knorvn lnanagelnent developrnent centers, the

CHAPTER 9 Developing Employees for F

Figure 9″ 1

Four Approaches to Employee Development

John F. Welch Leadership Center in Crotonviile, New York. Each year, GE managers
choose employees with high perforrnance and potential and send thern to Crotonville
for rnanagemeirt developm.r’ri progru*, cornbining courser’r,ork and lob experiences.s

Independent institutions offering executive edr-rcation include Harvard, the
S7harton Schooi of Business, the University of Michigan, and the Center for Cre-
arirre Leadership. A grorving number of cornpanies and universities are using dis-
rance learning (discussed in Chapter 7) to reach executive audiences. For exampie,
Duke University’s Fuclua School of Business offers an electronic executive MBA
program. Besides attending traditional classes, students use personal colnputers to
vieu’ lectures on CD-ROM, download study aids, discuss lectures, and u’ork on tealn
projects online.

Another trend in executive education is for ernployers and the edr-rcati.on provider
to create short courses rvith content designed specifically for the audience. Metlife
rvorked with Babson College to develop a course in which facuity members discuss
Lrusiness principles and then inrrite corporate execLltives to rliscuss how the principles
rvork in Metlife and the insr.rrance industry. Small tean”rs of class participallts u’ork ou
reiated class projects and develop recomnendations for cornpany executives. Metlife
has irnplernented BZ percent of these projects.e

Assessment
Arrother way to prorride for employee developrnent is assessment-collecting ln{or-
narion and providing feedback to employees about their behavior, comlnunicatior-r
style, or skills.10 Informatior-r for assessment rnay come frotn the employees, their
peers, lnanagers, and customers. The most frerpent uses of assessment are to iden-
rify employees rvith rnanagerial potential to [leasure crlrrent managers’ strengths and
lveaknesses. Organizations also use assessrnent to identify managers rvith potential tcl

re Success 261

changes ir-r
or example,
anager with
de whether
responsibil_
t pslchologt-
rovide, not
unities and

;. Fewer of
: of knor,vl-
for nelvly

rnderstand
ationships
iow trends
that u,ill

rb experi-

rreer path
)n or pfo_
iv a spiral
uizations.
e control
nd u,eak,
rd formai
through
nt helps
‘goals.It
:e needs.

F;.i;
r!l

rlc care,
rntial to
ncludes
rey take
y lean’i
vision.

receirre

:gories:
ships.6

t1’rese

I edu-
u’ork-

.=.ffu*d

a.,f :-:.:r

i r\fuS,,,.. : . 1,.,.,,,,.-:: 1..,.sfi;

l

L*p Describe how
organizations use
asdessment of
pelsonalrty type,

wolk behaviors, and
job performance
to flan employee
derielopme nt.

Asqessment
Collecting information

an{ providing
feedback to employees

ab{ut their behavior,

corhmunication style,
or {t

262 PART 3 Assessing Pe#ormance and Developing Employees

One way to develop empioyees is to begin with an assesstnent
which may consist of assigning an actMgr to a team and seeing
who brings what skills and strengths to the team. How can this
assessment help enrployees?

Myers-Briggs Type
lndicator (MBTI)@
Psychological test that
identifies individuals’
preferences f0r
source of energy,
means of information
gatherlng, way of
decision making, and
lifestyle, providing
information for team
building and leadership
development.

move into higher-level executive positions. Orga..l
nizations that assign work to teams may use assess’i
ment to identify Ih. ,tr.r-rgths and weakn.rr”, of
individual team members and the effects of thE
tearn members’ decision-making and communica,
tion styles on the team’s productivity.

For assessment to support development, the
information nust be shared with the ernployee
being assessed. Along rvith that assessment infor-
mation, the employee needs suggestions for cor-
recting skill weaknesses and for using skills already
learned. The suggestions might be to participate in
training courses or develop skills through new job
experiences. Based on the assessment information
and available development opportunities, employ-
ees should develop action plans to guide their
efforts at self- improvement.

Organizations vary in the methods and sources
o{ information they use in der.’elopmental ass

ess-

ment (see the “Did You Knowl” box). Many orga-
nizations appraise performance. Organizations
with sophisticated development systems use psy-
chological tests to measule employees’ skills, per-

lf yc
an
try (
ers.

sonality types, and communication styles. They may collect self, peer, and manager
ratings of employees’ behavior and style of working with others. The tools used for
these assessment methods include the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, assessment cen-
ters, the Benchmarks assessment, performance appraisai, and 360-degree feedback.
Edward Jones assesses the ieadership potential of financial advisers working outsi

de

its St. Louis headquarters by combining personality assessment with peer apprais-
als. Ernployees and their managers receive rhe results, which are used to evaluate
whether employees have rhe behaviors and personaliry required for a leadership role
at headquarters. l

I

Myers-Briggs’fype lndicator@
The most popular psychoiogical inventory for employee development is the Myers’
Briggs Type lndicator (FlBTl)@. This assessment identifies individuals’ prefer-
ences for source of energy, means of information gathering, rvay of decision making,
and lifestyle. The assessment consists of more than 100 questions about horv the
person feels or prefers to behave in different situations (such as “Are you usually a
good ‘mixer’ or rather quiet and reserved?”). The assessment describes these indi-
viduals’preferences in the four areas:

1. The energy dichotomy indicares where individuals gain interpersonal strength
and vitality, measured as their degree of inrroversion or extroversion. Extroverted
types (E) gain energy through interpersonal relationships. Introverted types (l)
gain energy by focusing on inner thoughts and feelings.

2. The informanon-gatheringdichotomy relates to the preparations individuals make
before making decisions. lndividuals with a Sensing (S) preference tend to gather
the facts and details to prepare for a decision. Intuitive types (N) tend to focus
Iess on the facts and more on possibilities and relationships among then.

1′:rrif a,.ijltttri

3. Ir
*
at

m
in
SU

4. T’
or
de

er,

de

Thr
tions. I
ASSCSSlI

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For ex
(knowr
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not ha’

rga’
ess-

sof
the
ica-

the
ryee

{oy

adv
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.ion
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iide
ais-
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:ole

rl”S-

fer-
l8′
the
.ya
rdi-

ake

her
cus

/ iobs’
‘i

lf you want to give your companY
an edge over the competition,
try developing your new manag-
ers. According to a recent studY

by the lnstitute for CorPorate
Productivity, few companies Pro’
vide developmental assessments
when employees are promoted

Our
employees

make a good
transition to
management

to management iobs. Among
those that do, m,ost relY on Perfor-
rnance appraisafs and 360-degree
feedback.

‘
‘

Our organizationl
uses ‘

developmental I
assessments for
new managers.

,t

;
l

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Business & Company ResourcsCente4 http:/lgalenet.galegrouP.com; and lnstitute ;

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3. In decision making, individuals differ in the amount of consideration they give to
their own and orhers’ values and feelings, as opposed to the hard facts of a situ-
ation. Individuals with a Thinking (T) preference try always to be objective in
making decisions. Individuals with a Feeling (F) pre{erence tend to evaluate the
impact of the alternatives on others, as rvell as their own feelings; they are more
subjective.

4. The lifestyle dichotomy describes an individual’s tendency to be either flexible
or srrucrured. Individuals with a Judging (J) preference focus on goals, establish
deadlines, and prefer to be conclusive. Individuals rvith a Perceiving (P) pref’
erence enjoy surprisesr are comfortable with changing a decision, and dislike
deadlines.

The altematives for each of the four dichotornies result in 16 possible combina-
tions. Of course people are likely to be mixtures of these types, but the point of the
assessment is that certain types predominate in individuals.

As a result of their psychological types, people develop srengths and weaknesses.
For example, individuals who are lntroverted, Sensing, Thinking, and Judging
(known as ISTJs) tend to be serious, quiet, practical, orderly, and logical. They can
organize tasks, be decisive, and follow through on plans and goals. But because they do

nor have the opposite preferences (Extroversion, Intuition, Feeling, and Perceiving),

gth
ted
(r)

ii
i:|S{,qr{r!r,i…,1.:]i :i r..*

263

I

I1

I’

264 PART 3

l!Ilf r I ‘ I,il l,
Ii’;

Assessrng Performance and Developing Employees

ISTJs have sevetal \veaknesses. They rnay have diffic

L

rlty responding to unexpected
opporttulities, appear to their colleagues to be too talk-oriented or irnpersona

l

, and

nrake decisior)s too fast. I

Applying ihis kind of lnformation aboLrt employees’ preferences or tendencies
helps organizatiol)s understanrl tlre comrntrnrcation, rnotivation, rearrrwork, work
styles, and leadersl-rip of the people in their groups. For exarnple, salespeople or execu-
tives u’ho lvant to communicate better can apply u,hat they learn about their ou’n
personality styles and the rvay other people perceive thern. For team clevelopment,
the MBTI can help teans natch team members rvith assignments based on their pref-
erences and thus improve problem solving.l2 The team could assign brainstorming
(idea-generating) tasks to employees rvith an Intuitive preference and evaluation o

f

the ideas to employees with a Sensing preference.

Reseatch on dre valiclity, reliability, and effectiveness of the MBTI is inconclu-
sive.ll People rvho take the MBTI fincl it a positive experierice and say it helps thern
change their behavior. However, MBTI scores are not necessarily suble over tiirre.
Studies in rvhich the MBTI r,r’as administered at two different tiines found that as ferv
as one-fourth of those who took the assessment were classified as exactiy the same
rype the second tin-re. Still, the MBTI is a vah-rable tool for understanding communi-
cation styles and the ways people prefer to interact ri’ith others. It is not appropriatc
for rneasuring job perforrnance, hon’ever, or as the only means of evaluating promo-
tion potential.

Assessment Centers
At an assessment center, multiple raters or evaluarors (assessors) evaluate employ-
ees’ perforrnance on a nunber of exercises.14 An assessrnent cer^rter is usually an off-
site location such as a conference center. Usually 6 to 12 empioyees participaie at one
time. The priinary use of assessrnent centers is to identify r.r’hether employees have the
personality characteristics, arlministrative skills, and interpersonal skills needed for
managerial jobs. Organizations also use them to determine r,r’hether employees have
the skiiis needed for rvorking in teams.

The types of exercises used in assessment centers include leaderiess group discr-rs-
sions, interviervs, in-baskets, and role-plays.15 In a leaderless group discussion,

a

team of five to seven employees is assigned a problem and must r.vork together to solve
it rvithin a certain tirne period. The problem may involve buying aird sellir-rg supplies,
nominating a subordinate for an arvard, or assembling a product. Interview questio

ns

typically cover eaci-r employssi lvork and personal experiences, skili strengths and
lveaknesses, and career plans. in-basket exercises, discussed as a selection method in
Chapter 6, simulate the adrninistrative tasks of a manager’s job, using a pile of docu-
ments for the employee to har-rdle. in role-plays, the participant takes the part of a
manager or ernployee in a situation involving the skills to be assessed. For example, a
participant might be given the role of a manager who must discuss performarrce prob-
lerns rvith an employee, piayed by someone who r,vorks for the assessment center. Other
exercises in assessment centers might inch-rde interest aird aptitude tests to evaluate
an ernployee’s vocabulary, general nental ability, and reasoning skills. Personality tests
may be used to determine employees’ ability to get along u’ith others, tolerance for
uncertaintl,, and otirer traits reiated to success as a manager or tean mernber.

The assessors are usually rnanagers who have beer-r trained to look for ernployee
behaviors rhat are related to tire skills being assessed. Typically, each assessor observes
and records one or tlvo en-iployees’ behaviors in each exercise. The assessors revien’

E

i

f

li:

ti

I’

their
leade
plete,
cQmF

Ar

valid
cent€
recei’

Benr
Ade
lrent
of sk
are b
caree
how
tive r
likell
proin

T-l(

peers

1*Llr

Skills

Re

Dc

Be

Br
rei

Le

st
Se

Cc

Te

Br
WI

Dr

St

Hi

Pr

Ar

SOUI
opmc

Assessment eenter

An assessment
process in which
multiple raters or
evaluators (assessorsl

evaluate employees’
performance on a
number of exercises,
usually as they work in
a group at an off-site
location.

Leaderless Group
Iliscussion
An assessment center
exercise in which a
team of five to seven
employees is assigned

a problem and must

work together to solve
it within a certain time
period.

)ected

l, and

:ncies

work
xecu-
own

nent,
pref-
ming
;n of

rclu.
hern
irne.
feu’

ame
uni-
‘iate

tno-

oy-
cff-
)ne
the
for
lve

CHAPTER 9 Developing Employees for Future Success 765

their notes and rate each empioyee’s level of skills (for exarnple, 5 = high ievel of
leadership skills, 1 : low ievel of leadership skills). After all the employees have com’
pleted the exercises, the assessors discuss their observations of each employee. They
.orrrpur. their ratings and try to agree on each enployee’s rating for each of the skills.

As we mentioned in Chapter 6, research suggests that assessment celltgr ratings are

valid for predicting p..forrou*.., salary level, ar-rd career advancement.l6 Assessrnent
centers may also be useful for development because of the feedback that participants

receive about their attitudes, sklll strengths, and weaknerrer.lT

Benchmarks
A developmenr method that focuses on mea$uring lnanagement skills is an instru-
ment called Benchmarks. This measurement tool gathers ratings of a manager’s use
of skills associated with success in managing. The items measured by Benchmarks
are based on research into the lessons that executives leam in critical events of their
.”r…r.18 ltems measure the 16 skills and perspectives listed in Thble 9.2, including
how well managers deal with subordinates, acquire resources, and create a produc-
tive work climate. Research has found that managers rvho have these skills are nore
likely to receive positive performance evaluations, be considered promotable, and be
promoted.l9

To provide a compiete picture of managers’ skills, the rnanagers’ supervisors, their
peers, and the managers themselves all complete the instrument. The results include

Benchmarks
A measurement tool
that gathers ratings
of a manager’s use of

skills associated with
success in managing

us-

,a
ve
-vt

ns

rd
in
u-
a

a

l-
:f
.e

_s

,t

T*ble 9,?

Skills Related ro Success as a Manager

Resourcefulness

Doing whatever it takes

Being a quick study

Buildinq and mending
relationships

Leading subordinates

Compassion and sensitivity

Straightforwardness and composure

Setting a developmental climate

Confronting problem subordinates

Team orientation

Balance between personal li{e and
work
Decisiveness

Self-awareness

Hiring talented staff

Putting people at ease

Actin g with flexibility

Can think strategically, engage in flexible problem solving, and work
effectively with higher management.

Has perseverance and focus in the face.o{ obstacles.

0uickly masters new technical and business knowledge.

Knows how to build and maintain working relationships with co-workers
and external parties.

O*trg.tes to subordinates effectively, broadens their opportunities, and
acts with iairness toward them.

Shows genuine interest in others and sensitivity to subordinates’ needs.

ls fronoralte and steadfast.
:

Provides a challenging climate to enc0urage subordinates’ development.

Acts decisively and fairly when dealing with problem subordinates’

Accomplishes tasks through managing others.

Balances work priorities with personal life so that neither is neglected.

Pre{ers quick and approximate actions to slow and precise ones in many
mana gement situations.

Has an accurate picture of strengths and weaknesses and is willing to

improve.

Hires.tale.nted pedpie for the team. ,l
Displiys warmitr anO a good sense of humor.

Can behave in witys that are bften’seen:as opposites’
‘.i:

s $OURCE: Adapted with permission from C’ D. McCaul.ey. M. M. Lombardo; and C. J. Usher, “Diagnosing Management Devel-

oprnent Needs: An lnsirument Based on How Managers Devefop, ” Journa! of Managomenf 1 5 (1 989), pp. 389-403.

L

266 PART 3 Assessing Performance and Developing Employees

a summary report, which the organization provides to the manager so he or she can
see the self-ratings in comparison to the ratings by orhers. Also available with rhis
method is a development guide containing examples of experiences that enhance
each skill and ways successful managers use rhe skill.

Performance Appraisals and 360-Degree Feedback
As we srated in Chapter B, performance appraisal is the process of measuring employ-
ees’ performance. This information can be useful for employee development .,nd”r
certain conditions.z0 The appraisal system must tell .*ploy”.i specificaliy abour their
performance problems and ways to improve their performance. Employees must gain
a clear understanding of the differences between currenr pe#ormance and expected
performance. The appraisal process musr identifii causes of the performance discrep-
ancy and develop plans for improving performance. Managers must be trained to
deliver frequent performance feedback and must monitor empioyees’ progress in car-
rying out their action plans.

A recent trend in performance appraisals, also discussed in Chapter 8, rs 360

-degree

feedback-performance measurement by the employee’s supervisor, peers, employ-
ees, and customers. Often the feedback involves rating the individual in terms of
work’related behaviors. For development purposes, the rarer would identify an area
of behavior as a strength of that employee or an area requiring further developmenr.
The results presented to the employee show how he or she was rated on each item and
how sefiievaluatrons d’ift’er t?om other raters” evaluations. Ihe individuaf reviews the
results, seeks clarification from the raters, and sets specific development goals based
on the sffengths and weaknesses identified.Zl

In an interesting twist on commonly held beliefs about personal developmenr,
Torn Rath and Barrie Conchie of the Gallup Organization studied business lead-
ers and concluded that correcting weaknesses does not make an individual a great
leader. Rather, they advocate using assessment information to identify personal
strengths, then further developing and building those strengths to become a more
effective leader. They note that Brad Anderson of Best Buy, !7endy Kopp of Teach for
America, Simon Cooper of the Ritz-Carkon Hotel Company, and Mervyn Davies
of Standard Chartered Bank are ali excellent leaders who rely on different ralents
to lead. Extending that idea, Rath and Couchie recommend that managers leam to
identify and focus on their employees’ strengths as a way ro heip thern become more
effective. Rather than building well-rounded leaders, rhis application of assessmenr
information aims to build well-rounded teams of individuals who rogether possess
strengths related to executing plans, influencing others, building relationships, and
rhinking srraregically.l2

There are several benefits of 360-degree feedback. Organizations collect rnultiple
perspectives of managers’performance, allowing employees to compare their own per-
sonal evaluations with the views of others. This method also establishes formal com-
munications about behaviors and skill ratings between employees and their internal
and extemal cllstomers. Several studies have shown that performance improves and
behavior changes as a result of participating in upward feedback and 360-degree feed-
back systems.2l Th” change is greatesi in peopie who received lower ratings from oth-
ers than what they gave themselves. The 360-degree feedback system is most likely
to be effective if the rating insftument enables reliable or consistent rarings, assesses
behaviors or skills that are job related, and is easy ro use. And in an analysis of the
impact of 360-degree feedback on leadership, the assessments were most beneficial
if the leaders were coached on horv to build on the strengths that were identified.z4

CF
AT

The
inter
tion
activ
It wc
profi
deve
lish r
of n;
that
dard:
displ
tifica
adve
ing c
abou
well-l

At
an id
expe(
motir
ln thr
que,
of hr
the F
comn
labori
natior
better

Th
signifi
subor<

tifii ar
piy de
on thr
coufse
tions f

Job
Most r
of rela
Using

;he can
rrh rhis
rhance

CHALLENGES NOURISH EMPLOYEES’ GROWTH
AT RAINFOREST ALLIANCE r J i’::t,;;

responsibility

mploy-
under

rt their
st gain
pected
iscrep-
red to
in car-

-degree

npioy-
:ms of
[r afea
ment.
m and
vs the
based

ment,
lead-
great

“sonal

more
:h for
)arries

rlents
rn to
lnore
ment
)sse5s

, and

.tiple
,per-
lom-
:rnal
and

teed-

oth-
kely
tsses
tthe

icial
24

The Rainforest Alliance is an
international nonprofit organiza-
tion based in New York City and
active in more than 70 countries.
It works with business, local non-
profit groups, and international
development agencies to estab-
lish standards for sustainable use
of natural resources. Companies
that agree to abide by the stan-
dards can obtain permission to
display the Rainforest Alliance cer-
tification on their packaging and
adveftisements, thereby attract-
ing customers who are concerned
about the planet’s long-term
well-being.

At an organization with such
an idealistic mission, one would
expect that employees are highly
motivated to make a difference.
ln the words of Helena Albuquer-
que, the organization’s director
of human resources/ people at
the Rainforest Alliance “share a
common sense of purpose, a col-
laborative spirit, and the determi-
nation to truly rnake the world a
better placel’As an employer, the

Rainforest Alliance builds on this
advantage by giving employees
opportunities to develoP their
careers by tackling big challenges.

Career development through
experiences is an opportunity that
many organizations reserve for a
few management employees on
the fast track. But at Rainforest
Alliance, even new hires are
trusted with these assignments.
Junior employees are invited to
conferences and to executive-level
meetings. They also can launch
and eventually lead research proj-
ects in topics they care about. An
example is Julie Baroody, who
was originally hired as executive
assistant to Tensie Whelan, the
organization’s executive director.
Baroody was interested in the
topic of climate change, so her
quickly growing responsibilities
included conducting research.
Two promotions later, BaroodY
was the coordinator of the Rain-
forest Alliance’s climate initiative,
representing the organization at
conferences around the world.

The Rainforest Alliance’s global
presence also presents impressive
opportunities for career develop-
ment. More than half of the orga-
nization’s people work outside the
United States, and through an
internship program U.S. emploY-
ees can sign up to work in foreign
offices. Those assignments offer
chances to get firsthand exPeri-
ence with the organization’s core
activities and issues.

Thanks to this develoPmen-
tal approach to management, it’s
not just the environment that’s
thriving because of the Rainforest
Alliance. So are the careers of the
group’s more than 250 emPloyees.

Sources: Kelly K. Spors, “Top Small
Workplaces 2008,” Wall Street
Journal, February 22, 2OA9,
http://onli ne.wsj.com; Ra inforest
Alliance, “Rainforest Alliance a ‘Top
Small Work Place,”‘ Rainforest
Matters, November 2008, www.
rainforest-alliance.org; and Rainforest
Alliance, “What We Do,” corPorate
Web site, www.rainforest-alliance.org,
accessed April7,2010.

t
;ji,

$-
ii’t
ii
ri

It
r+r’

iil

liil

There are potential limitations of 360-degree feedback. This method demands a
significant amount of time for raters to complete the evaiuations. If raters, especialiy
subordinates or peers, provide negative feedback, some managers might try to iden-
tifi’ and punish them. A facilitator is needed to help interpret results. Finally, sirn-
plir dglivsling ratings to a manager does not provide ways for the manager to act
on the feedback (for example, development planning, meeting with raters, or nking
courses). As noted eariier, any form of assessment should be accompanied by sugges’
tions for improvement and development of an action plan.

Job Experiences
Most employee development occurs through job experiencesz5-th. combination
of relationships, problems, demands, tasks, and other features of an ernployee’s jobs.

Using job experiences for employee development assumes that development is most

104 Explain how job
experiences can be
used for developing
skills.

Job Experiences
The combination
of relationships,
problems, demands,

tasks, and other
{eatures of an

employee’s jobs.

267

:’ i: r: tr- i-t’;j ir,+:iiii; j;ri.iri::!t-,i:l1i!an:Jl

+

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* .,+.,..'”*
268 PART 3 Assessing Performance and Developing Employees

likely to occur rvl^Len the employee’s skills and experiences do not entirely match the
skills required for the emplol,es’5 current job. To succeed, ernployees rnust stretch
tl-reir skills. In otl-rer rvords, they must learn new skills, apply their skills and knowl-
edge in new ways, and master neiv experiences.Z6 For example, companies that rvant
to prepare employees to expand overseas markets are assigning them to a variety of
international jobs. To learn hou’ a srnall company sr-rccessfi-rlly uses job experieuces to
develop ernployees, see the “Best Practices” box.

Most of rvhat n’e knolv abor-rt developinent through job expetiences comes fi-om
a series of stridies condr-rcted by the Center for Creative Leadership.l? Th.r” studies
asked executir.es to identify key career events that rnade a difference ir-r theil man-
agerial sryles and the lessons they learned from these experiences. The key events
inch.rded job assignments (such as fixing a failed operation), interpersonal relatior-i-
ships (gettir-rg along rvith supervisors), ar-rd rypes of transitions (situations ir-r u,hich
the rnanager at first lackecl the necessary backgrour-rd). Through job experiences iike
these, managers learn hou’ to handle c{frnmon challenges, prove themselves, iead
change, hanclle pressure, ancl influence others.

The usefulness of job experiences for ernployee der.elopment varies depending on
u’hether the employee viervs the experier-rces as positive or llegative sources of stress.
When ernp.,loyees vierv job experiences as positive stressors, the experiences challenge
thern and stirnulate iearning. \il/hen tl-rey viell’ job experiences as negative stressorsl
employees may suffer from high levels of harrnfr-rl stress. Of the job demands studied,
managers lvere rnosf liftell’ ro experience negarrve stress {rom creating cAange anot
overcorning obstacles (adverse business conditions, lack of management sttpport, lack
of personai slrpport, or a clifficult boss). Research suggests that all of the job clemands
except obstacles are related to learning.2s Organizations should offer job experiences
that are n-iost likely to increase Learning, ancl they should consider the consequences
of sittrations that involve tregative stress.

Aithough the research or-r development throLigh job experiences has focused on
managers, line ernployees also can learn thror”rgh job experiences. Organizations may,
for exarnple, use job experiences to develop skiils r-reeded for tearnu’ork, including
conflict resolution, data analysis, and customer service. These experiences may occur
u4ren forming a team and rvhen ernployees s.,’u’itch roles u’ithin a teain.

Various job assignmeltts can provide for ernployee clerteiopment. The organization
may er-rlarge the ernployee’s current job or rnove tl-re employee to different jobs. Lat-
eral moves irrclude job rotation, transfer, or telnporary assignment lo another organi-
zation. The organizatior-r may also use clou’nrvard mo\/es or promotioits as a sottrce of
job experience. Figure 9.2 summarizes these alternatives.

Job Enlargement
As Clraptet 4 srarcd in lhe context of 1ob design, job enla’ gement involves adding cl-ral-
lelges or new responsibilities to ernployees’ current jobs. Exarnples include complet-
ing a special project, sn’itching roles rvithin a work tearn, or researching ne$I $rays to
serve cusrorllers. An engineering employee might join a task force developing new
career paths for rechnical ernployees. The u,ork on the project could give the engi-
neer a leadership role rhrough which the engir-ieer learns about the company’s career
development system ii,hile also practicing leadership skills to help dre task force reach
its goals. In this rvay, job enlargement not only makes a job more interesting but also
creates an opportllnity for employees to deveiop new skills.

i:i

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CHAPTER 9 Developing Employees for Future Success 269

Figure 9.2

How Job ExPerienc

es

Are Used for EmPloYee

Development

the
tch
wl-
ant
‘of
it

o

lm
ies

ln-
nts

)

n-
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ke
ad

cl-t

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rd
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t-
o

Job Rotation
Anorher job design rechnique rhar can be appiied to employee deveiopment

is job

;;;i;;, *o,rir-,g Jr”ploy.., thro,-,gh a series oilob assignments in one or tnore func-
tio.,ul *”ur. Th”e job #urion p.o!.u* for Tbta Consultancy Services sends employ-

ees from its headquarrers in Indiatn iB. to Z4-rnonth assignments to its operations

in China, Hungary, urrJ Sorrtt Arnerica’ The program helps the^ company
develop

.”p.;. i.-, thJ..ritrrres of rhe 42 countries *h”.. Tut” operates’ And rvhen ernploy’
ees rerurn to India, they typlcally r,r,ork on similar kinds of projects, so they

bring

home and ,hu.” I”rrons-Jlrey gained frorn their overseas assignments’Z9

IrU ,otrtior-, helps employees gain an appreciation ior the
cornpany’s goals’

increases their underst”r-rding of di#erent .oroput1y functions, deve-lops
a network of

conracrs, and irnpro’e, prodl.*-rolving and i..irio.-*uking ski11s.l0 Job rotation
also helps “-ploit”‘

it-‘t’ea’e their salaq’ aud earn promotions faster’ However’ iob

roration poses solne probiems for ernployees and the organization. Knowing they
r’viil

be rotated to anorher tu -^, gi.’e the employees a short-term pefspective on prob-
lems and their solurionr. p.npioi”.s rr-,uy f.”1 iess satisfied and motivated because

they

f-r”r” Jifft*fty d.u”lopirg ,i”.iu6r”d stilk and lea’e the position too soon to fulfill

any challengii’rg urrigr’,*.=r-rts. The rotation of employ””s through a departtneut
inay

t-r.,.r proa*iiviiy
“r-rl

increase the r.r,orkload of those rvho remain after emplol’ees are

rotated out. Job rotation is most iikely to succeed when it mee6 certain
conditio’-‘s’11

r Tl-re organization establisl-res and communicates clear policies about which posi’
,io.,, ui” eliglble for job rotation. Job rotation for nonmanagement employees

as

lveil as managers .”r-, b” beneficiai, depending on the prograrnt objectives’

. E*ploy”., uid ,h.i, managers understand ur-rd “g.t”
on the expectations for the

lob rotation, including which skills are to
be developed’

o Goals for the progru*”ruppoft blrsiness goals’ These might include exposing high’
potenrial

“*pioy!”,
to u u”.i*ty of business units, customers, or geographic areas

r
1

)

270 PART 3 Assessing Performance and Developing Employees

Transler
Assignment of an
employee to a position
in a different area of
the company, usually
in a lateral move.

in preparation for management positions or rotating an experienced, talenteJ
employee through several business units to menror or coach employees.

‘ The rotation scheduie is realistic, taking into account how long employees wiil
need to become familiar with their new position, as well as how much time i.
needed for employees ro complete the assignments.

. Top management is committed to the program’s success.
o Someone is responsible for measuring whether the program is meeting its g

oals.

Transfers, Promotions, and Downward Moves
Most companies use upward, downward, and lateral moves as an option for emplovee
development. In a transfe4 the organization assigns an .*ploy”. to a position in a
different area of the company. Tiansfers do not necessarily increase job responsibilitie:
or compensation. They are usualiy lateral moves, that is, moves to a job wirh a similar
level of responsibility. They may involve relocation ro another part of the countrl ,:l
even to another country.

Relocation can be stressful because of the demands of moving, especially when
family members are affecred. People have to find new housing, shopping, healrh,
care, and leisure facilities, and they often lack the support of neaiby frle.tdr und f”n1,
ily. These stresses come at the same tirne the employee must learn the expectarion:
and responsibilities associated with the new position. Because transfers can prorrok-
anxiety, many companies have difficulty getting employees ro accept them. Emplov-
ees most willing to accept transfers tend to be those with high .ur””, ambirions anj
beiiefs that the organization offers a promising furure and that accepting the ftansfe:
wiil help the company s,rcceed.32

A downward move occurs when an employee is given less responsibility anJ
authority. The organization may demore an employee because of poor performalce cr
move the employee to a lower-level position in another function so that the emplo_ve”

Downward Move
Assignment of an
employee to a position
with less responsibility
and authority.

can develop different skills. The remporary cross-
functional move is the most common way to u:r
downward moves for employee development. For
example, engineers who want to move into rnan,
agement often take lorver-ievel positions, such a,
shift supervisoq ro develop their management skiil.

Many employees have difficulty associating
transfers and downward moves with developmenr:
these changes may feel more like forms of punish-
ment. Employees often decide to leave an organl-
zation rather than accept such a change, and then
the organization must bear the costs of replacinr
those employees. Employees will be more likely tr
accept transfers and downward moves as develop.-
ment opportunities if the organizarion provides
information about the change and its possible ben-
efits and involves the employee in planning the
change. Employees are also more likely to be posr-
tive about such a recommendation if the organi-
zation provides clear performance objectives anj
frequent feedback. Employers can encourage an

*tli:
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si

Working outside one’s home country is the most important job
experience that can develop an employee for a career in the global
economy.

:alented

ees will
time is

oals.

rployee
rnina
bilities
similar
ntfy or

when
health
d fam-
,ations
‘ovoke

nploy-
rs and
‘ansfer

y and
:ICe or
llorrtgg

cross-
_o use
t. For
man-
ch as
skilis.
ating
nent;
nish.
gani-
then
rcing
ly to
:1op-
rides
ben-
the

rosi-
lani-
and
)an

employee to reiocate by providing financial assistance with the move’ information

about the new locarion’and jobl and help for family members, such as identify-

i”g ,.fl.Ar, chiid -care and elder care options,
and lob search assistance for the

employee’s spouse.”
A promotion involves moving an employee into a position with greater chal-

t..g.i *or. responsibility, u,-rd *oi. authoiity than in the prwious job’ Usually pro-
*oior. ilclude pay increases. Because promotions improve the person’s pay’ status’

“.rJ
f.*lir.rg, of uc.o*plishment, empioyees are mofe willing to accept pfomo.tions

than lateral or d,ownward moves. Even so, employers can increase rhe likelihood
that

.*ploy””, will accepr f.ornotior* by providing the same kind of inforrnation and
nrrirru.ra” that are used-to support transfers and downward moves’ Organizatiorrs

can

more easily offer promotions’if they are profinble and growing’ In other conditions’

opportuniiies for promoting employees may be limired’

Temporary Assignments with Other Organizations
In some cases, an employer may benefit from the skills an employee can leam at

anorher organization. The employer may encourage the employee to participate
in

,”
“*a.””]frip-a

fu|l-tirne temporary position at another organization’ Externships

are an a6ractive option fo, .*pioy””s in anaiytlcal positions, who otherwise might

solve the same kinis of problems over and over, becoming bored as they tniss out on

exposure to challenging new ideas and techniques. Gp Money.uses this type of
devel-

;;;;, for its analists in Shanghai and Bangalore. lt loans them out for temporary
;rrg;;;r, ro orher business .,iirs. Throughthese externships, the cornpany makes
the”ernployees’ expertise available to many parts of the company at the same

time it

k.”p, tir”* *or” Lrlgug.d because they see many ways they contribute to the com-

fu.,yt ,,-,…ss. And,
“oi-.ourr”,

these employees are challenged to learn as they apply

their skills to a more diverse set of business problems’34

Ternporary assignments can include a sabbatical-a leave of absence from an

organization to renew or develop skllls. Employees on sabbatical often receive full

;”;;;J benefits. Sabbaticals let employees g”t a*ay from the day,-to’day stresses
of

it.ir. joi6 and acquire new skills u.rd p..tp..tives. Sabbaticals also allow employ-

“”,
*tr. time for personal pursuit, ,u.h as writing a book or spending more time

with family ,rr”^b.rs- Thmara Woodbury used a sabbatical from her
job as execu-

tive d,irector of the Giri Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council to study otganiza’

tion theory at rhe Society of Organizational Learning Institute in Halifax, Nova

Scoria. She then d”uor.d four rieeks to relaxation and writing in her cabin in
Ff”S.r;ff, A.iror-ra. The time to srudy and reflect prepared !iloodbury to re-evaluate

“r-rir”rtru.ture
the council so rhat the way it operates is more consistent with irs

mission.35 How employees spend their sabbaticals varies from company to company.

Some employ”., ,o”y *ork fo, a nonprofit service agency; others,may study at a col–

Iege or university or travel urd *o.k or speciai projects in rlon’U.S. subsidiaries of

the cornpany.

I nterpersonal RelationshiPs
Employees can also develop skills and increase their klowledge about the organization

ur-ri lr, .urromers by interacting with a more experienced organization member’ Two

iff., of .”1^rionships used for
“rnploy”,

development are rnentoring and coaching’

CHAPTER 9 Developing Employees for Future Success 271

Promotion
Assignment of

an emploYee to a
position with greater

challenges, more

responsibilitY, and

more authoritY than

in the previous job,

usually accomPanied

by a pay increase.

IxternshiP
Employee develoPment

through a full-time

temporary Position at

another organization.

Sabbatical
A leave of absence

from an organization
to renew or develop
skills.

less

elop
ord-
tain
the

also
ssful

is ro
can

rtors
:ea1-

ated
Sr

IO

heir
lrust
,ring
,der-
tlt is
ities
t-l ou
ther

. For
can-
:har-
atch
)ases

696s

ging
ben-
ras a
‘ries.

and
lgefs

/ are
:aliy
, the

roup
)yee.
rther
:ion,
ions.

vork

FINDING A MENTOR ONLINE
More than two decades ago,
female employees at Xerox
wanted to ensure they were taking
full advantage of opportunities to
advance their careers, so they
formed what the company calls a
“caucus group”-an organization
of dues-paying members that pro-
vides programs for career devel-
opment for a specific group of
employees. The group, called The
Women’s Alliance (TWA), wanted
a formal mentoring program, but
in their initial efforts, they discov-
ered that the work of matching
employees with mentors possess-
ing the right set of interests, skills,
and experiences was enormously
time consuming.

What saved the TWA mentor-
ing program was online database
technology. The group set up
Web-based software that makes
matching mentors and proteg6s

a self-service operation. Par-
ticipants fill out an online profile
detailing their educational and
work background and interests,
as well as their goals lor partici-
pating in the program.The profile
also includes information about
each participant’s geographic
location and community-service
activities. Once an employee’s
profile is complete, the individual
can use the database to search ior
a possible mentor by using drop-
down menus to select the desired
skills, experience, and back-
ground.The software returns a set
of matching mentor profiles, and
the would-be prot6g6 selects one
of them. The system generates an
e-mail message to that person.
The potential mentor reviews the
requesting employee’s profile
and either accepts or rejects the
request.

The mentoring program has
been received enthusiastically by
the women of Xerox. ln a recent
count, 175 employees were par-
ticipating. The software is easy
to administer and inexpensive
enough that the caucus group’s
dues cover its cost. Based on
that success, other Xerox cau-
cus groups. including groups for
Asian, Hispanic, and African Amer-
ican employees, have expressed
interest in using the system,
Thanks to online self-service and
the commitment of the women’s
group, mentoring is spreading at
Xerox.

Source: Based on Beth N. Carvin,
“The Great Mentor Match,” f + D,
January 2009, OCLC FirstSearch,
http:l/newfirstsea rch.oclc.org.

LfiS Tell how
manaqers and peers

develop employees

through coaching.

Coach

A peer or manager
who works with an
employee to motivate
the employee, help
him or her develop

skills, and provide

reinforcement and
feed ba c k.

Coaching
A coach is a peer or mallager u’ho u’orks r.r’ith an ernployee to motivate the en-rployee,
help him or her develop skills, and provide reinforcement aird feedback. Coaches rnay
play one or more of three roles,42

1. Working one-on-one r.r’ith an employee, as u,hen giving feedback.
2. Helping etnployees iearn for themselves-for exainple, helping rhem find experts

ar-rd teaching them to obtain feedback frorn others.
3. Providing resources such as mentors, coLrrses, or job experiences.

Linda Miller, a coaching speciaiist at the Ken Blanchard Cornpanies, describes
the coach’s role in terms of two contrasting n-ranagers rvith s,horn she has worked.43
The first of these, a lnanager at a retailing compan)r, had a supervisor rvho was not a
coach. The retail rnanager’s boss rvas ner\/ous that if his employees learired too much,
he n’ouldn’t be as valuable. So he lirnited the retail manager’s experiences until she
became so frlrstrated she began to look for another job. In contrast, at a financial-
services business, a ffranager had a reputation for developing his ernployees. Accord,
ing to lvliller, this matlager’s strength u’as coaching: “He knerv exactiy horv rnuch time

273

277 PART 3 Assessing Performance and Developing Employees

Lil-1 Summarize
principles of
successful mentoring
pr0grams.

Menter
An experienced,
productive senior
employee who helps
develop a less-

experienced employee
(a prot6g6).

Mentors
A mentor is an experienced, productive senior einployee u’ho helps develop a less
experier-rced employee, callecl the protdg|. Most mentoring relationships deveiop
informaily as a result of interests or values sharecl by the mentor and prot6g6. Accord-
it-tg to research, the ernployees most likely to seek and attract a mentor have certain
persor-raliti, cl-iaracteristics: emotior’Ial stabiliry, ability to adapt their behavior to rhe
situatior-r, ancl high needs for pou,er and achievement.16 Mentoring relationships also
can develop as part of the organization’.s planned efforr to bring together successfirl
senlor einployees with less-experiencetl employees.

One major advantage of fotrnal mentoring programs is that they ensure access to
lnentors for ail eniployees, regarclless of gender or race. A rnentoring progral’n also can
en.sure that high-potential ernployees are matched r.r’ith tvise, experienced lnentors
iir key areas-and that mentors in positions of authority are hearing about the real-
liG challer-rges of the organizatior-r’s employees.l? Houv.u”., in an artificially created
relationship, lnentors rnay have diffrcLrlty providir-rg counseling and coaching.3s Tn
overcome this limitation, nentors and prot6g6s shoulcl spend time disctissing their
rvork styles, personalities, and backgror-rnt’1s; these conversations help builc’l the trust
that is needed for both parties to be cornfortable with their relationship.19 iv{entoring
progralns tencl to be most successful rvhen the1, are voluntary ancl participants under-
stand the details of tl-re prograin. Reu,arding managers for ernployee developrnent is
also important, because it signals that mentoring ar-rd other developrnenr activities
are ,vvorthlvhile. In additiot-r, the organization should carefully sel.ect rnentors based on
their interpersor-ral and techuical skills, train them for the lo1e, and evaluate r,r’hether
the program has met im objectives.4o

Infonnation technology can help organizations rneet sorne of these guidelines. For
example, r’ideoconferencing n’ray be a good substitute if the mer-rtor and prot6gd can-
not rneet face-to-face. Databases can store ir-iformation about potential rnentors’ cl-rar-
acteristics, and the plot6gd can Llse a search engine to locate u\entors who best match
the clualities he or she is looking for. The “eHRM” box describes horv online databases
are makir-rg successful rnentorships rnore readily available at Xerox.

Mentors and prot6g6s can both benefit from a lrentorillg relatior-iship. Prot6g6s
receive career sllpport, inciuding coaching, protection, sponsorship, challenging
assignments, and visibility anong the organization’s managers. They also receive ben-
efits of a positive relationship-a friei-rd ar-rcl role model rvho accepts them, has a
positive opinion tor.vard them, and gives them a chance to talk about their w’orries.
Employees u’ith mentors are also rnore likely to be promoted, earn higher salaries, and
have rnore influence u’ithin their organization.4l Acting as a mentor gii,es rnanagers
a chance to deveiop their interpersonal skills and increase their feelings that they are
contributing sonething important to the organization. Working with a technically
trained prot6g6 on rlatters such as nerv research in the field n-ray aiso increase the
mentor’s technical knowledge .

So that more employees calr benefit from rncntoring, some organizations r,rse gloup
mentoringprograms, r.vhich assign four to six prot6g6s to a successfr,rl senior employee.
A porential advantage of group rnentoring is rhat prot€g€s can learr from each other
as well as from the mentor. The leader irelps protdg6s understancl the organizatlon,
guides them in ar-ralyzing theil experiences, and helps thern clarify career directions.
Each rnernber of the group lnay cornplete specific assignrnents, or the group rialr 1v61[
together on a pr.rblenr or issue.

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More than two decades ago,
female employees at Xerox
wanted to ensure they were taking
full advantage of opportunities to
advance their careers, so they
formed what the company calls a
“caucus group” -an organization
of dues-paying members that pro-
vides programs for career devel-
opment for a specific group of
employees. The group, calledThe
Women’s ,Alliance {TWA), wanted
a formal mentoring program, but
in their initial efforts, they discov-
ered that the work of matching
employees with mentors possess-
ing the right set of interests. skills,
and experiences was enormously
time consuming.

What saved the TWA mentor-
ing program was online database
technology. The group set up
Web-based software that makes
matching mentors and prot6g6s

a self-service operation. Par-
ticipants fill out an online profile
detailing their educational and
work background and interests,
as well as their goals for partici-
pating in the program.The profile
also includes information about
each participant’s geographic
location and community-service
activities. Once an employee’s
profile is complete, the individual
can use the database to search for
a possible mentor by using droP-
down menus to select the desired
skills, experience, and back-
ground.The software returns a set
of matching mentor profiles, and
the would-be prot6g6 selects one
of them.The system generates an
e-mail message to that person.
The potential mentor reviews the
requesting employee’s profile
and either accepts or rejects the
request.

The mentoring program has
been received enthusiastically by
the women of Xerox. ln a recent
count, 175 employees were par-
ticipating. The software is easy
to administer and inexpensive
enough that the caucus group’s
dues cover its cost. Based on
that success, other Xerox cau-
cus groups, including groups for
Asian, Hispanic, and African Amer-
ican employees, have expressed
interest in using the system.
Thanks to online self-service and
the commitment of the women’s
group, mentoring is spreading at
Xerox.

Source; Based on Beth N- Carvin,
“The Great Mentor Match,” f + D,
January 2009, OCLC .FirstSearch,
http://newfirstsearch.oclc.org.

LS6 Tett how
managers and peers

develop employees

through coaching.

Goach

A peer or manager
who works with an
employee to motivate
the employee, help
him or her develop
skills, and provide
reinforcement and
feedback.

Coaching
A coach is a peer or manager u’ho u’orks l’ith an emplol’ee to motivate the employee,
help him or her develop skills, and provide reinforcement and feedback. Coaches n-ray
play one or more of three ,oles,42

l. \)Torking one-on-one rvith an employee, as n,hen giving feedback.
2. Helping enployees learn for themselves-for example, helping them find experts

and teaching them to obtain feedback from others.
3. Providing resollrces such as rnentors, courses, or job experiences.

Linda Miller, a coaching speciaiist ar ihe Ken Blanchard Companies, describes
the coach’s role in terrns of two contrasting managers u,ith u,horn she has rvorkec{.41
The first of these, a manager at a retaiting colnlrany, had a supervisor rvho was not a
coach. The retail manager’s boss was nervous that if his ernployse5 learned too tnuch,
he rvouldn’t be as valuable. So he lirnited the retail managerl experiences unril she
became so fiustrated she began to look for another job. In contrast, at a financial-
services business, a manager had a repuration for developing his ernployees. Accord-
ing to Miiler, this rnanagert strength was coaching: “He kneu’ exactly how much time

273

,+i: j:riii’ii!’ $::1iL.;:irn
,lt,illr’:ilii,:’::i.::,1:r; :::a.itil!iilii::l-:r’l::ii;;:’l..li:.,:l{,’:-r+ jli;r.:t, r :il

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…, .t. :.! i.:ari rr.i. i

:, +irfi .:s iii’iiiiL.ti ii;j$:il

Human resource managers may
be called upon to coach HR
employees or to coach other
employees in HR-related skills’ ln
fact, modeling “coach-like” behav-
ior by coaching managers can
inspire them to try coaching their
employees. Here are some guide-
lines for effective coaching:

. Listen carefully to learn the
client’s goals. Then listen
for gaps between where the
employee is now in a situa-
tion and where the emPloYee
wants to be. Coaching tYPicallY
will need to focus on how to
close those gaPs.

r lnstead of giving advice or
telling others what to do, ask
questions that helP PeoPle
think through the situation
themselves. BY refraining from

LS? Identify the steps
in the process of
career management.

solving problems yourself,
you’re giving others a chance
to develop and see their own
problem-solving skills.
Keep in mind that what works
for one person maY not work
as well for another. Because
of individual differences, the
person you coach may want to
handle a situation differentlY
than you would-and that Per-
son’s idea might actuallY work
best for that Person, given his
or her strengths and weak-
nesses. So instead of focusing
on what you would do, focus
on building the other Person’s
strengths and passions’
To the extent that you control
the situation, give the Person
you are coaching enough free-
dom to try out his or her ideas.
lf some of the ideas don’t

work, ask more questions to
help the person figure out
what went wrong and come uP
with new ideas for next time.

r Maintain confidentiality in
the coaching relationshiP. You
need to have candid conversa-
tions, and these haPPen onlY
ifthe person being coached
trusts you to keeP Private con-
versations Private.

Sources: Ken Blanchard ComPanies,
“Why Aren’t Managers More Coa

ch-

like?” lgnite, SePtember 2009,
www.kenblanchard.com; Mark NYman

and Liz Thach, “Coaching: A Leadership
Development OPtion,” SuPervision,
February 2009, Business & ComPanY
Resource Center, httP://galenet’
galegroup.com; and Marshall Gold-
smith, “What to Know about Coaching
Your Successor, ” BusinessWeek, April 7 ,
201 0, wwwbusinessweek.com.

ir would take for him to develop the person undl the person would get recognized by

rhe company and promoted it-tto u neu, position,” and he came to think of this del’el-

opment
“,

hi, l.g*y ro rhe company. ln other words, the coach knows that his or her
g.”utlr^1.,. is the abihry to make other employees more valuable’ .- -R”r”ur.h

suggests that coaching helps managers improve by identifying areas for

i-f.o.'”*”.,r Jicl setting goals.44
“Coo.hitlg

is most likely to succeed if coaches are

empatheric, suppofrive, n.,g..ti.al, and self-confident but don’t act infallible or try

to iell orhers *hu, ,o do.a5 To benefit from coaching, employees need to be open-
minded and interestecl in the process. The “HR Hotl’To” box provides more guidance

in coaching employees.

Systems for Career Management
Employee development is most likely to meet the organization’s needs if it is part of
a human resource Systeln of career management. In practice, organizations’ career

management sysrems vary. Some rely heavily on inforrnal.relationships, while oth-

“r, “r!
sophisticated programs. As shown in Figure 9.3, a basic careet management

,yrr”* involves four rtrpi data gathering, feedback, goal setting, and action planning
and foliou,-up. S/ays to make thi, ,yrt.- more effective include gathering data in
areas associaied *iih success, keeping feedback confidential and specific, involving

.3′

ii
*i
.1:

f
*.
$

Figu

Steps

Crite
for
succ€

higher
are rei
Huma
that ir
and re

Data
In disc
ment

I

man

ag

ees to
The er
improt
for ider

Self
Type Ir
tory, at
ees ide
employ
seling,
on wor
one in
career f
situario
the self
pleting
need ca
positior

774

:

Human resource managers may
be called upon to coach HR
employees or to coach other
employees in HR-related skills. ln
fact, modeling “coach-like” behav-
ior by coaching managers can
inspire them to try coaching their
employees. Here are some guide-
lines for effective coacfiing:

. Listen carefully to learn the
client’s goals. Then listen
for gaPs between where the
employee is now in a situa-
tion and where the emPloYee
wants to be. Coaching tYPicallY
will need to focus on how to
close those gaPs’

. lnstead of giving advice or
telling others what to do, ask
questions that helP PeoPle
think through the situation
themselves. BY refraining from

LS? ldentify the steps
in the process of
career management.

solving problems yourself,
you’re giving others a chance
to develop and see their own
problem-solving skills.
Keep in mind that what works
for one person may not work
as well for another. Because
of individual differences, the
person you coach may want to
handle a situation differentlY
than you would-and that Per-
son’s idea might actuallY work
best for that person, given his
or her strengths and weak-
nesses. So instead of focusing
on what you would do, focus
on building the other Person’s
strengths and passions.
To the extent that you control
the situation, give the Person
you are coaching enough free-
dom to try out his or her ideas.
lf some of the ideas don’t

work, ask more questions to
help the person figure out
what went wrong and come uP
with new ideas for next time.

r Maintain confidentiality in
the coaching relationshiP’You
need to have candid conversa-
tions, and these haPPen onlY
if the person being coached
trusts you to keeP Private con-
versations Private.

Sources: Ken Blanchard ComPanies,
“Why Aren’t Managers More Coach-
like?” lgnite, September 2009,
wwwkenblanchard.com; Mark NYman
and Liz Thach, “Coaching: A Leadership
Development OPtion, ” SuPervision,
February 2009, Business & ComPanY

Resource Center, httP://galenet.
galegroup.com; and Marshall Gold-
smith, “What to Know about Coaching
Your Successor, ” BusinessWeek, ‘April 7’
201 0, www. businessweek.com.

Crite
for
SUCC(

Figu
Steps

trisirt
:lre ri
Fium
:har
and r

Dat
In di
menl
mani
ees tl
The
impr,
for ic

Se

Typ”
tory,
ees i< empl selinl onw one i caree situat the s pletir need positr

it rvould rake for him to develop the person until the person would get recognized by

the company and promoted lnto a new position,” and he came to think of this devel’

opment u, hL l.gu.y to the company. ln other rvords, the coach knows that his or her

gi.ut u”Lr. is the ability to nake other employees more valuable’ .-
R.r.”r.h suggests that coaching helps managers improve by identifying areas for

improvement Jrid setting goals.44 boachi.rg is most likely to succeed if coaches are

empathetic, supporrive, lractical, and self-confident but don’t act infallible or try

to iell others *hut to do-.as To benefit from coaching, employees need to be open-
minded and interested in the process. The “HR How To” box provides more guidance

in coaching employees.

Systems for Career Managernent
Employee development is most likely to meet the organization! needs if it is part of

”
hgmun resource system of career management. In practice, organizations’ career

managemenr sysrems vary. Some rely heavily on informal_relationships, while oth-

“.. ^.!
sophisticated programs. As shown in Figure 9.3, a basic career management

sysrem involves fou. ,t pr, data gathering, feedback, goai setting, and action planning
and follorv-r_ip. War,,5 to make thi, ryrt”* more effective include gathering data in
areas associaied ruiih success, keeping feedback confidential and specific, involving

274

CHAPTER 9 Developing Employees {or Future Success 275

sto
rt
me up
ime.
n
r.You
r’ersa-
only
red
) con-

ries,

ch-

‘man

Jership
)n,
any

d-
:hing
rpril 7,

Criteria
for
guccess

Focus on
competencies
needed for
career success.

lnclude a
variety of
measures.

Maintain
confidentiality.

Focus on specific
success factors,
strengths, and
improvement
areas,

lnvolve
management and
coaches/mentors.

Specify
competencies and
knowledge to

be

developed.

Specify
developmental
methods.

lnvolve
management and
coaches/mentors.

Measure success
and adjust plans
as needed.

Verify that pace
of development is
realistic.

ed by
level-
rr her

rs for
rs are
)r try
)pen-
Iance

rrt of
freer
oth-
nent
ning
,a in
ving

higher-level managemenr in planning ar-id foilow-up, and crafting action plans that
arJ realistic and a-rgeted to building lxpertise ne.ded for the petson’s career path.’16
Human resource professionals can also contribute to the system’s success b1′ ensuring
that it is linked to other HR practices such as performance management, training,
and recruiting.

Data Gathering
In discussing rhe methods of employee deveiopment, we highlighted several assess-
n-rent tools. Such tools may be applied to data gathering, the first step in the career
management process. Self-assessment refers to the use of information by ernploy-
ees to determine their career interests, r’alues, aptitudes, and behavioral tendencies.
The employee’s responsibiliry is to identify opportunities and personal areas needrng
improvemenr. The otganizationk responsibility is to provide assessrnent information
for identifying strengths, lveaknesses, interests, and values.

Self-assessment tools often include psychological tests such as tire Myers-Briggs
Tl pe Indicator (described earlier in the chapter), the Strong-Campbell Interesr Inven-
tory, and the Self-Directed Search. The Strong-Campbell inventory helps employ’
ees identify their occupational and job interests. The Seif-Directed Search identifies
employees’ preferences for workmg in different kinds of environments-sales, coun-
seling, and so on. Tests may also help” ernployees identi{y the relative vaiues they priace
on u,ork and leisure activities. Self-assessment tools can include exercises such as the
one in Figure 9.4. This type of exercise helps an employee consider his or her current
career status, fulure plans, and the fit ben’een the career and the employee’s current
siruatior-r and resources. Some organizations provide counseiors to help ernployees in
the self-assessment process and to interpret the results of psychological tests. Com-
pleting the self-assessment can help employees identify a developrnent need. Such a
need can result from gaps between cuffent skills or interests and the type of rvork or
position the employee has or wants.

$ell-Assessnrent
The use of information

by employees to
determine their career
interests, values,
aptitudes, behavioral
tendencies, and
development needs.

1’t1:;i’,f i:.:ii:i,r;;€!l{:*i::JbE–*

276 PART 3 Assessing Performance and Developing Employees

Figure 9.4
Sample Self-fusessment Exercise

SOURCE: Based on J. E. McMahon and S. K. Merman, “Career Development,” in The ASTD Training and Development Handbook, 4th ed., ed.
R. L. Craig (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1996). pp. 679-97 . Reproduced with permission.

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Feedback

lnformation employers
give employees
a bout their skills and
knowledge and where
these assets fit into the
organization’s plans.

Verizon Wireless provides an online tool that iets employees assess their current
skills and abiiities in order to see how well prepared they are for job openings through-
out the company. Employees can use the assessment to identify capabilities they lack
and to learn what they can do to develop skills through training, job experience, or
enrolling in at-r academic program.4T

Feedback
In the next step of career management, feedback, empioyees receive information
about their skilis and kr-rowledge and where these assets fit into the organization’s
plans. The ernployeek responsibility is to identify what skills she or he could realisti-
cally develop in light of the opportunities available. The organization’s responsibii-
ity is to cornmunicate the performance evaluation and the opportunities avaiiable to
the employee, given the organizationb long-range plans. Opportunities might include
promotions and trar-rsfers.

As
whi
and

I
tion
able
int c
ider
ter1T

sugg

Act
Duri
their
the r
need
the r

A

discu
ofa
tal n
infor
mine
plans

Step 1: Where am l?
Examine current position of life and career.
Think about your life {rom past and present to
the {uture. Draw a time line to represent
important events.

Step 2: Who am l?
Examine different roles.
Using 3″ x 5″ cards, write down one answer
per card to the question “Who am l?”

Step 3: Where would I like to be, and what
would I like to happen?
Begin setting goals.
Consider your life from present to future. Write
an autobiography answering these questions:
. What do you want to have accomplished?
r What milestones do you want to achieve?
r What do you want to be rernernbered {or?

Step 4: An ideal year in the future
ldentify resources needed.
Consider a one-year period in the future.
Answer these questions:
. lf you had unlimited resources, what would

you do?
. What would the ideal environment look like?
r Does the ideal environment match Step 3?

Step 5: An idealjob
Create current goal.
ln the present. think about an ideal job for
you with your available resources. Describe
your role, resources, and type of training or
education needed.

Step 6: Career by obiective inventory
Sum m arize current situ ati o n.
r What gets you excited each day?
r What do you do well? What are you known for?

‘ What do you need to achieve your goals?
r What could interfere with reaching your goals?
r What should you do now to move toward

reaching your goals?
r What is your long-term career objective?

ili+r..1

rrent
)ugh

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lack
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.tior-r

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3
1::

CHAPTER 9 Developing Employees for Future Success 277

Usually the employer conducts the reality check as paft of a performance appraisal
or as the feedback stage of perforinance management. in r.vell-developed career man-
r:1″”‘,

systems, rhe manager may hold separare discussions fo. peiformance feed-
back and career development.

, Caterpillar’s performance lnanagement process includes regular

“,
an internal r6sum6. The clata sheet i’ciudes

information abour the employee’s skills, educatio,-t,
“.”i”-i. lJg..”r, l^r-rgu”g., ,po-ken, and previous l.rositions.. Th9 manager’s role is to indicate rn’i,.th”. the ernployee

is.ready for a nerv job, whether the job *itt l” u p.*o,i*
“,

r”,.*r rnove, and whated’cation or rraining tl-re employe” rr””d, ro b” r”udy-;;; ,h” ,rr.r,”. The criscussion
covers what opportunities are available for the .,rploy””, *tr..”-rt.,” .,opioy”. *u.*
to go next in the organization, and rvhat preparation is r-reeded for that ,r-rn””.{u

*—”

Goal Setting
Based on the infor’ration from the serf-assessment ancr rearitl,check, the emproyee
sets. shor.r- and long-term career objectives. rh”r” goui, ;;;;i; i,.,”o1,.. one or ,”,oreo[ the following caregories:
r Desircd positions, such as becoming saies manager q,ithin three vears.I Level of skill ro apply-fo, .”u*pr*”, to use one’s budgeting skiirs ro imprrsl,e thsunit’s cash florv problerns.
t

Y*k setting-for exainple, to move to corporate marketir-rg ri-itl-rir-r r\1’o years.. Skill acquisition, such as iear’ing hou, to use the .or.po.1.,r-h”;;;;;;;;;l’aior-
mation system.

As in these examples, the goais should be specific, and the1, sl-roultl incl.cle a tlate bywhich the goal is to be achievecl. It is rhe.*piov”.i.;d;tb;i;;;:to iule’tify the goaland the rnethod of determining her or his progress rourard rhat goal.
Us’ally the employee dis.uises the go”ls *itr, ni, o. r-,”. -orrug”r, The orga’iza-tiont responsibilities are to ensure thar the goal is specific, .nuii.r-rgrr-rg, and attain.able a’d to help rhe empioyee reach th. goai. ar-.””a, ,””k;;l;r, Born, ernployeesi’r’olved in the company’s career DeuelJpm.r-rt Pr.,.”-.s define f,ture job interests,identify therecessari experiences for obtaining those:..,1.,

“^i r.,.i,rort- a’d rong-term goals. Each employee discusses rh.r. go”.-i, *,itr-, hr. o, h., *u.r”g.r, u,ho cansuggest changes or support the goals
“s

,.itt.n.a9

Action Planning and Follow_Up
?”1″q the final step, employees prepare air acrion plai-r tbr rroii, they wilr achie’etheir short- and long-terrr career gouh. rh”

“n
plo1,”. i, ..rp.”riure for identifyingthe steps and rirnetable to reach ,i. g”utr. fh”^en4.ic,1.gf ,toriJ^la””rify resourcesneeded, including courses, *ork

“rp.ii.t.t…, “‘,J”rJt;;i.i,’J;;; The emproyee and[he manager should meer in the fut,rre to dir.u* pr-ogress ro*,ard career goals.
,,”1.::1″_,” ll_llt

*uv,ir-ruolve any one or u .o*bi.,”ri,-,,”
“irf-,.

a”*lopment methodsotscussed earlier in the chapter_training, assessm€nt, job experier_ra”r, o. the helpof a rne’ror or coach..The approach ,rrJi .l.p”.,d. ;;’;h.-;;;.Lr”. d.,u.lopmen-tal needs a.d career oblectivei. Fo.
“xun’pl.,

suppose trre program rnanager in aninforrnatio’sysrelns department uses feedbacr. rr”,-.-, p”,tir;;;:’;;or”isals to derer-mine thar he needs grea[er k’owiedge of projecr rnanagement soft*Lre. The rnanagerp’lan’s to increase thar kr-rowiecrg. rryi=n.l,iglnicres (t*,.,,,”i”J”.ntror,r), meeting with

Z7B PART 3 Assessrng Performance and Developing Employees

sclft\\,r,rrc \/enrlors, and contacting the vendors’ custolters to ask thern about the soft-
r.,,are tfiey have used (job cxpericnces). The nanager anc] his supervisor agree that six
l11onrhs rvill be rhe t:rrget clate for acl-rieving tire higl-rer’ level of knorvledge thror,rgl’r
these activities.

Tire outcorne of actiorr planning often rakes rfic form of a career developnent
p1an. Figure 9,5 is an example of a developmeirt plan for a pror.ltrct lnal)ager. IJevelop’
ment plal1s Lrsr-rallf include tlescriptions of strengths antl rveaknesses’ career goals, ancl
clevelopment activities for reachir-rg each goal.

Career Developntetrt Plan

Name: Title: Project Manager lmmediate Managen

Ci,apetencies
PJease identf{y yaur three greatest strengths and areas for improvement.
Strengths
r Strategicthinking and execution {confidence, comrnand skills. action orientation)
r, Results orlentation’ {eornpetcnce, motivating others, perseverance)
t SFirit for,.winning {building team spilit, customer focus, respect colleagues}

–

Areas ior lmprovement
r Patience (tol6rance o{ people or procg,sses and sensitiviiy to p.acing}
l Written communications (ability to write clearly and succinctly)
l Overk ambitioug {too rnuch foius an succesgful completion if proleat rather than devefoping

reliiiqnships with individuals’involved in the prcjeas)

Gareer Gsalt
Please describe your overall career goals.
r: L66g.term: Aicept positions o{ increased’responsibilityto a level o-f general manager {cr beyondJ; ‘

Thelrsas of specific interest include but are not limited to produet and brand managem’ent,
r,,technology and ilevelopment, strategic planning, and marketing’
t:Sho*,teim, Continue tL imprave mylHil. in rnar:keting and brand management while utilizing my skills

in preduct’managernent, stialegic planning. and global relations.

Next Assignments’tiiii;i iiiir;nral next assrgnments finiiu ding timingl that wauld hrlpyou develop taward your ‘
career goals.
i Manaler.or direciorlevel hr planning development, product, or brqnd managernent, Timing estimated

to be Spring 2011.

Tralning and Developmer* Needs
t-rtst boih trainting and devefoprner* activities that w|il either help you develop in your current assignment
or provide averall career development,
. Master s deEree classes wifl allow me to practice and impr.ove my written cornmunications skills. The

.dynamics,of-my cutrent position;’tearnwork, qnd reliance on sther individuals allow me !o practice
patlence aqd to focur on’individual team rnembers’ needs along with the success of the projects.

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