DDI’s Talent Management Intelligence

Chicago Tribune: Bosses, think before you speak

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Chicago Tribune columnist, Rex Huppke explains there are no bad bosses, just bad communicators.

Like most anything in life, practice might not make perfect, but it certainly will improve your chances. In a recent column, Huppke uses the DDI research study, “Lessons for Leaders from the People Who Matter” to illustrate the difference in how bosses think they are communicating with their employees versus what is actually occurring. More often than not, leaders think being good communicators happens naturally instead of a creatable skillset.

Bosses, think before you speak

By: Rex Huppke

Dear Bosses:

You're doing it wrong.

Sincerely,

The Employees

OK, that might be a slight generalization of the way many workers feel about their leaders. But I don't think it's far off, and I conveniently have some data to back that up.

Consider these numbers from a new survey by Harris Interactive and talent management company Development Dimensions International:

•34 percent of workers don't think their boss is effective.

•60 percent say their boss sometimes damages their self-esteem.

•Half of workers say their boss doesn't ask for ideas about how to solve problems.

 

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Forbes: Go Easy, Boss!

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Forbes leadership editor, Frederick Allen highlights the DDI “Lessons for Leaders from the People Who Matter” in a recent column on Forbes.com.

Think the Boss Is a Bully and You Could Do Better? You're Not Alone

By: Frederick Allen

Some 55% of non-management workers have considered leaving their jobs because of their boss, and 45% think they could be more effective than the boss. Those are boss-damning findings of a new survey of 1,279 workers in 10 nations conducted by Harris Interactive for Development Dimensions International, a human resources consulting firm.

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Diversity, Innovation, Analytics, and Impact: Emerging Themes From the 2012 SIOP Conference

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By Evan Sinar

Part Two: Emerging Themes from the 2012 SIOP Conference: Innovation, Analytics, and Impact

In part one of my blog on this year’s SIOP Conference I discussed the attendance at this year’s meeting along with highlighting one of the most popular sessions featuring Jacqueline Berrien of the EEOC. In addition to that great session other topics stood out as well.

The topics gaining the largest increase in SIOP presentations from the past year are a key indicator of the zeitgeist amongst I/O psychologists and the organizations within which they operate. From the 2011 conference to 2012’s event, the topics surging the most were Innovation/Creativity (with the number of presentations increasing 82%) and Counterproductive Behavior (increased 78%).

Innovation and Creativity are not surprising; nearly every organization is pursuing these objectives, although many struggle to achieve them. This year’s Innovation/Creativity presentations included sessions on how to assess, train, foster, and reward individual and team creativity.

Counterproductive Behavior, focusing on workplace bullying, abusive supervision, and harassment, is a more troubling emerging topic, and perhaps a sign that abundant on-the-job stress faced by some employees is spilling over to the point that these individuals are lashing out at others, with negative consequences for all involved.

Technology and Analytics as applied to Talent Management, virtually non-existent topics only five years ago, were the focus of several sessions in which advice was shared and challenges openly discussed about HR professionals needing to manage complex relationships involving Applicant Tracking Systems, to incorporate new technologies into the HR toolbox, and to effectively leverage and wring analytic insights from the “big data” generated by their HR systems. Social networking, too, was a focus, with numerous presentations seeking to clarify the appropriateness and utility of social media information for Talent Management purposes.

For each of these areas, while the surge in research and probing discussion is promising, much remains unknown and the knowledge base is not yet adequate to provide detailed guidance for HR professionals – we anticipate these topics to attract even more intensive attention and data-driven investigation at next year’s conference.

In the conference’s closing session DDI’s own Doug Reynolds, current SIOP president, highlighted SIOP’s goals for the upcoming years, including bolstering its standing as a model of integrated scientific and practical effectiveness, growing its membership to reflect an increasingly diverse and global I/O and Talent Management population, and extending its influence and impact within the HR community. This year’s conference accentuated SIOP’s unique role as a bridge between the research and data underlying the tools and processes used by I/O psychologists, and the practical implementation and sustained impact of these approaches.

The criticality of balancing rigor and practicality is certain to only increase in future years, ensuring the SIOP conference’s continued relevance and usefulness to Talent Management professionals seeking evidence-based, logically-sound foundations for their practices they lead, the advice they provide, and ultimately, the organizational impact they are charged with achieving.

Did you attend this year’s SIOP conference? What did you learn? What emerging themes did you recognize? What sessions did you enjoy the most?

Having a Great Time, Wish You Were Here!

by Aviel Selkovits

Tuesday was another great day at ASTD!

So far this conference hasn’t disappointed with lots of interesting conversations and sessions, including a great one by DDI’s own Bill Byham and Pete Weaver on the Lost Secrets of Effective Leadership Training, which talks about essential skills for leadership success. There have also been great topics on new learning technologies and learning journeys.

Back at the DDI candy store—or Leadership Sweet Spot  (see our booth photo below)—we’ve had many interesting and thought provoking conversations with the trainers and HR folks who have stopped by. Oh, and we’re almost out of cake pops, so better stop over fast if you want one!

I’ll be sad to leave tomorrow, but energized to head back to DDI headquarters with lots of new ideas! Weigh in about what you've enjoyed most about ASTD (if you're here), why you wish you were at ASTD (if you aren't here), or, heck, why cake pops are awesome (this one's an all-skate).

Here's our booth being built: