The Importance of Strategic Planning

Sep 24, 2024

If I asked you where you see yourself in five years, could you give me a good answer? Or any answer at all? 

Do you have a clear vision for your personal growth and the goals necessary to make it happen? 

If the answer is no, don’t panic. It’s not the end of the world. But you do need to take the time to rectify that mistake and embrace strategic planning if you want to be in a different place going forward. 

Many people think about personal visions and goals, but very few actually have them. Yet if you have one and focus on it often, you will ultimately steer your life toward obtaining it.

For years, I floated around with no real direction. I said I wanted to advance my career, get in shape, and be happier – but had no concrete plans to do so. That all changed, however, when I started doing intentional strategic planning for my life. Mapping out my vision, mission, and goals transformed everything for me personally. And the same can and should be true for organizations. 

Without strategic planning, it’s far too easy to drift along aimlessly. But with a clear strategic plan, your business or nonprofit can thrive like never before. In this post, I’ll show what a total game-changer it is for both personal and organizational success. 

So let’s dive in!

Let Yourself Dig Deep

Think of your vision as your compass, your GPS, or, my personal favorite metaphor, a lighthouse at the beach designed to lead you through the storms, past the rocky ocean waves toward your final destination. Regardless, it all begins with a basic but crucial question.

“What do I want?”

And don’t stop at a surface-level answer. Don’t go easy on yourself. What do you really, really, truly want for yourself? If you could have the kind of life that would make your heart sing, what would it look like?

At this point, your heart may be beating a bit faster at the very idea. And the doubts might be rising up fast. Can you really have that kind of life?

I believe you can. I’ve done it myself, and I’ve helped an ever-expanding number of clients lead passionate and fulfilling lives as well. Could you be the exception? Maybe. But you’ll never know if you don’t try. And, in my opinion, the rewards of success overwhelmingly outweigh the risks.

The Goals to Get There 

Now let’s talk goals – the steps you need to take to get where you want to go, as outlined in your vision. As an example, here are some parts of my growth vision in the past, all in a given year:

• Start a business that will assist organizations in achieving high performance through their HR practices.
• Finish and publish another book.
• Grow my social media presence by 20%.
• Manage time more effectively to end my workday by 6 p.m. in order to spend more time with my wife.
• Spend quality time with my wife by planning two weekends away together.
• Do a five-night backpacking trip.
• Attend at least one in-person seminar or conference to further hone my skills or personal growth.

• Expand my prayer life by surrounding myself with prayer experts.

Hopefully that gives you an idea of where to start. If needed –  and if nothing pops into your head right away – set aside time to dream about your ideal life. Even if you spend just five to 10 minutes a day on this project, ask yourself:

• What is my true relationship with God? Have I put my full trust in Him?
• If I could have more of something in my life, what would it be?
• What could I eliminate from my life for good?
• Which relationships do I need to nurture and/or which ones should I release?
• What is my relationship to money?
• What is my secret passion or dream?
• What am I most afraid of?
• What habits should I quit?
• What can I do to bring more joy into my daily life?
• What am I grateful for?

These questions are just a starting point. There are plenty of others to choose from. Take into account all major aspects of your life – your friends and family (both immediate and extended), church, charity work and, of course, fun and recreation. Also, examine your honest thoughts and assessments of your daily career, activities, spending habits, personal wellness and fitness, spirituality and, last but not least, your spouse.

Whatever goals you come to, you’ll want to like them. Really like them, in fact, since you’re going to be doing a lot of them! 

This is particularly true about work-oriented goals. According to statistics from research firm Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development, the average American works 1,788 hours per year. Over 40 years, that adds up to over 71,000 hours! 

Take a moment to let that staggering number sink in. It means you probably spend more time working than sleeping, eating, or participating in your favorite recreational activities throughout your life!

As such, I have to assume you’d prefer to enjoy the company you work for, no matter how long you’re with it. Longevity for employees is now increasing, with recent statistics showing people stay at their jobs an average of 4.6 years. While that’s nothing compared to the kind of commitment workers showed 50 years ago, it’s still a sizable fraction of an adult life. 

This is why it’s so important to know exactly what you want to do before you start doing it: so you can end up in the most ideal situation possible. Beginning a career in a field you love and sticking with it can make all the difference in your future.

Let’s Talk About Your Voice 

Now, in order to enjoy a career you love, you need to have, know, and exert your voice. A voice shapes the culture of an organization and serves as a guide to employees and management. All successful companies have one, and successful workers do as well.

Organizations with a well-thought-out voice have direction, purpose, and achievement in the workplace. They know where they want to be (the big picture) and do the appropriate things (the details) to get there. And every step of the way, employees who align with that voice enthusiastically project that message to customers, vendors, and their local communities. Otherwise, it’s impossible to align their goals and objectives to create success.

A person or organization’s voice is a combination of their personal mission, vision, and values. Values, of course, are the principles or standards you believe should be most upheld. But let’s dig into the other two more closely.

An organization’s (or person’s) mission statement is a concise, meaningful sentence or two that represents its purpose: the goal it strives to embody or provide for its consumers. Mission statements are often action-based, explaining the central objective at hand. For instance:

• LinkedIn: “to connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful.”
• Amazon’s is to be “Earth’s most customer-centric company, Earth’s best employer, and Earth’s safest place to work.”
• Nike’s is to “bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.”

If you’re an individual, your personal mission statement would be similar in its straightforward style. It should define who you are as a person and identify your purpose, whether that’s on the job or simply in life. It’s supposed to explain where you see yourself in the future, how you plan to pursue that future, and why it matters so much to you. 

Like an organizational mission statement, a personal mission statement should be clear and concise – a soundbite or quick elevator pitch, if you will. Something, perhaps, along the lines of: “To use my writing skills to inspire and educate others around the world to make a change.”

An organizational vision, meanwhile, is an ideal or model statement. While a mission statement defines the strategy for reaching a final goal, an organizational vision is that goal. It’s the world the company envisions for the future. Tesla, for instance, uses this: “To create the most compelling car company of the 21st century by driving the world’s transition to electric vehicles.”

Lastly, an organizational value statement defines what is important to a company and its employees. For instance: “We believe food has the power to change the world. We do it by being real.” Or, if a person was writing one, it would define the values most important to him or her, such as: “To be a respectable employee, friend, and member of the community, and to make a positive impact on others by being honest, fair, and reliable.”

Some other notable value statements to inspire you include Hobby Lobby’s, which reads: “Honoring the Lord in all we do by operating in a manner consistent with Biblical principles. Offering customers exceptional selection and value. Serving our employees and their families by establishing a work environment and company policies that build character, strengthen individuals and nurture families.”

And Interstate Batteries goes like this: “LOVE. Treat others like you’d want to be treated. SERVANT’S HEART. Lead with what people need. EXCELLENCE. Do great things with the gifts you’ve been given. COURAGE. Learn, improve and boldly drive change that matters. FUN. Work hard, laugh often. TEAM. Together, we’re better. INTEGRITY. Be who you are and live up to your commitments.”

All put together, your voice – composed of your mission, vision, and values – tells the world WHO you are, WHAT you believe, and WHERE you want to go. And though I’m emphasizing certain words in that last sentence, the “you” is equally important. No two people share the exact same voice. 

Your voice is unique only to YOU. 

As an organization, you can impress future customers by fine tuning this voice. As an individual, you can impress future employers. Either way, the intent should be to let recipients see who you are and what you want. 

If this sounds intimidating to put together, fret not. You can begin by grabbing a piece of scratch paper and writing out your thoughts. Maybe start out scribbling a few adjectives that describe you best. Then think about what you value most. 

Is it integrity? Reliability? Honesty? A combination of the three or something entirely different?

Lastly, determine what it is you really want and how you plan to get there. Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten years? 

Don’t worry if you don’t have it all figured out, but this exercise can get you a lot further than you otherwise would be. By perfecting your unique voice, you will set yourself apart from the rest when it comes to competitive opportunities, big or small. After all, confident people and entities who truly understand themselves have a tendency of standing out in all the best ways.

Once you come up with your full voice, start reciting it to your friends and loved ones. Say it with confidence and a smile. By the time you land an interview at your desired company or find yourself in a boardroom convincing potential clients, you’ll have it down pat! 

My Personal Strategic Planning Journey

If this all sounds like something you figured out a long time ago and therefore don’t need to do again, I hope you’ll take a moment to reconsider. Remember that you’re not the same man or woman you were 10 years ago or even 10 months ago. You’re changing, hopefully in good ways but sometimes negatively too, perhaps weighed down by past disappointments.

Therefore, reminding yourself of what you really care about can be exceptionally helpful.

Not long ago, I know I felt stuck. I wanted to make changes but didn’t know where to start. I had big dreams but no strategy to get there… until I rediscovered strategic planning. That changed everything!

Here are the steps that put me on an amazing new path:

• I wrote down my life vision. This captured where I wanted to be in five to 10 years. It was the dream-future state I envisioned. Defining this vision gave me hope and inspiration.
• I clarified my mission. This one-sentence personal mission statement explained my core purpose. It helped me make decisions aligned with my values. Now, my mission keeps me focused on what matters most.
• I set SMART goals. Using the methodology on this graphic for a S.M.A.R.T. framework, I set specific, measurable goals in key areas like career, health, and relationships. Breaking the vision down into concrete objectives was crucial.

• I documented plans and resources. For each goal, I wrote down how I’d achieve it and what resources I needed. Putting the plans on paper held me accountable.
• I told others. Sharing my plan with family and friends generated encouragement. Their support has been invaluable.
• I reviewed and adapted. I now make sure to revisit my strategic plan – often – to update and adjust it as needed. Regular reviews keep me on track.

In all of this, I take inspiration from Habakkuk 2:2-3 (NIV), which reads:

“Then the LORD replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false.”

God says to write things down on tablets. Writing goals is doing just that.

The results in my life have been nothing short of life changing. I’m healthier, happier, and feel much more fulfilled. I’m closer to my wife, advancing in my career, and making a bigger impact on the world. 

For instance, prior to setting goals, I had never been on a mission trip. Since putting it down in clear, concise writing, I’ve traveled the world over, sharing Christ’s love through business and personal trips. I’ve been blessed to have served in Honduras, Nicaragua, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, India (from top to bottom!), Nepal, and Ukraine. 

My fitness has also increased dramatically, allowing me to: 

• Climb to the Mt. Everest Base Camp (17,598 ft)
• Climb Mt. Baldy in California (4,193 ft)
• Climb to the top of Mt. Bierstadt in Colorado (14,065 ft)
• Lead a team to summit Mt. Washington in New Hampshire (6,288 ft )
• Compete in a Sprint Triathlon.

And it doesn’t stop there. At the time of this writing, I’m planning to tackle Mt. Kilimanjaro (19,341 ft) in the spring of 2025.

Look what God has inspired me to do because I was willing to tap into who He created me to be! Moreover, in the midst of these accomplishments, I have an even bigger one to celebrate. My beautiful wife and I will be celebrating 40 years of marriage in 2026. Forty years since we said, “I do.” 

It’s been an amazing journey, to say the least. 

How did we do it? Well, I won’t go into all the details for brevity’s sake. But I can tell you the past decade has been especially momentous since we started setting goals together, and achieving them! We’ve been disciplined in maintaining that focus, making time for each other in both big and small ways for our benefit, the benefit of our children, and now our grandchildren as well. 

All in all, strategic planning gave me a blueprint to get unstuck and live with purpose. And while I knew it would be worthwhile, the results have been better than I imagined, both in personal ways and in my career.

Energizing Teams Through Vision

I’ve been on both the employee side of the business equation and the employer side. And I can attest that it’s often hard to see the other’s perspective either way due to misunderstandings, miscommunications (or lack of any communication at all), and oversights.

Imagine you’re an employee showing up to work each day. You complete tasks as told but don’t know how it’s contributing to any larger goal or vision. Before long, boredom and disengagement set in, and you feel adrift in the organizational sea.

Unfortunately, this is the reality for too many workers. And it most often happens when their leaders haven’t mapped out an inspiring vision and steps to achieve it. It’s not until organizations engage in strategic planning that amazing things start to happen…

• Employees feel energized and motivated.
• They understand how their role builds up to big goals.
• They feel purpose and direction in their daily work.

“Research shows [that] organizations with a clear strategic vision have 29% higher employee engagement,” according to Business Insights, Why Is Strategic Planning Important? | HBS Online. By articulating an exciting vision of the future, leaders ignite their teams’ passion and performance. 

Strategic planning also allows you to infuse the organization’s values into the planning process itself. This ensures alignment between actions and principles, and fosters a flourishing culture.  

Long-term success of your organization depends on how engaged your employees are. A highly engaged staff can boost profitability by 21%, claims research firm Gallup. Or, as Kate Gibson writes in her Harvard Business Review article, The Role Core Values Play In Strategy Execution, “Core values are vital to strategy execution because they guide your organization and employees’ behavior.”  

Essentially, people love being part of something bigger than a paycheck. And strategic planning provides greater meaning through an energizing vision and values-driven goals. When executed thoughtfully, it catalyzes your people’s purpose and potential, bringing them together.

By this, I mean that leaders can incorporate their teams into the strategic planning process instead of dictating plans in isolation. When a broad group participates, they take ownership of the plan together, giving them a shared enthusiasm and devotion to the collective mission. 

Everyone emotionally buys in because they co-created the plan. It’s theirs to support instead of something foisted on them from the top.

Setting Your Eyes on Achievable Goals

Once you have all of this established, your next step should be to set goals. RASM goals, to be precise, where you make them:

• Realistic – Acknowledge constraints in areas like resources and capacity
  
• Achievable – Make sure you have the capability and commitment necessary.
• Strategic – The goal in question should always ladder up to your core strategy and mission.
• Measurable – Make sure you track progress quantitatively or qualitatively against the goal.

I often add a T to this acronym for Timebound. By assigning a specific timeline to each goal, you can prevent them from dragging on indefinitely. But even without that extra consideration, research confirms that organizations with strategic RASM planning are far more successful. The discipline to focus on concrete, achievable goals pays dividends.

So set aside fantasies of instant 10x growth or dominating the universe. Effective strategic planning grounds you in reality, which then helps you get to the next level you really want to reach.

Driving Efficiency through Prioritization

Speaking of fantasies, the unfortunate truth is that there are always more great opportunities than bandwidth and resources to pursue them. That’s why one of the most powerful benefits of strategic planning is the prioritization of what matters most.

Leaders must make tough choices about what not to pursue. Saying no to less critical initiatives and collectively agreeing on 3-5 goals that will have maximum impact frees up resources to achieve strategic goals. It:

• Directs funding, talent, and technology to enable those priorities
• Aligns the whole organization around the priorities
• Executes relentlessly on the strategic goals.

In Strategic Planning, S. Ghosal writes, “Research shows organizations that take this focused approach improve efficiency. Doing less but better is my point. By keeping the team focused and avoiding the “rabbit trail” projects that tend to pop up at every organization, you’re sure to accomplish so much more in the end.”

Of course, leaders must still consider other opportunities and challenges that inevitably emerge. But a clear strategic plan provides the filter to determine what deserves resources and what can wait.

The result is an empowering sense of focus and a rapid boost in productivity.

Enabling Clear Communication

All of this inspiration, productivity, and team spirit can only endure, however, if communication remains strong after planning concludes. Fortunately, strategic planning, done right, is supposed to handle this aspect as well, serving as a living document that drives ongoing alignment. 

By clearly capturing goals, roles and responsibilities, assumptions, and progress, it reduces ambiguity and enables crisp communication and transparency around what matters most. It provides a single source of truth that keeps everyone aligned. And even as plans evolve, updated documentation maintains that unity of purpose and action.

Effective communication throughout the strategic planning lifecycle boosts organizational performance by 20%.  Assuming communication occurs without documentation is a recipe for misalignment. So invest in it throughout and even after the strategic planning process. Keep the plan top of mind through constant reinforcement. 

This pays enormous dividends – both in the moment and further down your organizational road. It’s not just the current project that gets impacted. Strategic planning is supposed to have lasting effects on everyone and every part of a business or non-profit. It helps align leadership and team members around the same priorities and resources, allowing them to act more quickly, rationally, and efficiently when conditions shift.

Moreover, it allows everyone involved to better anticipate future needs and help organizations get ahead of the curve with early hiring, budgeting, and capacity expansions.

Harvard Business Review writer Roger L. Martin, a former dean of the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto and strategy adviser to CEOs, advises that developing strategy means going outside of an organization’s comfort zone while still:

• Keeping the strategy statement simple
• Recognizing that strategy isn’t about perfection
• Making the logic explicit.

You will run into problems eventually. Those are inevitable. But you can make yourself stronger and smarter at handling those when you have your strategic plan properly thought out and in place.

Give It Time – and Commitment – to Make It Work

Whether you’re a corporation or individual, strategic planning can bring purpose and gravity back into your life. But you only reap those rewards if you approach the process with complete commitment. 

The results are long-lasting but can also take a long time, a lot of effort, and even significant money to accomplish, especially in the beginning. We’ve examined why strategic planning is such an effective means of getting organizations where they want to go. But it’s also important to acknowledge that designing and implementing a strategic plan can seem like a daunting task, especially if you’ve never been through the exercise before.

Fortunately, if you work step by step, you can develop a robust strategic planning process that will last for years. Even decades! So let’s move on now to those all-important first steps for structuring your strategic planning journey. 

I’ll show you how to make the process incredibly doable. In our next post we will be navigating bringing the strategic planning process to your organization, and the steps you will need to take to achieve high performance at your organization.

Want To Know Your Capabilities As A Leader? 

For further actionable insights, reach out to In HIS Name HR right here. We help organizations build high-performance human resource programs designed to build your workplace into the engaging, effective, integrity-filled space you want it to be.

Contact us today! You and your employees will be grateful you did.

Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Christian Higher Ed HR, Human Resources, Kingdom Company Building

Employment Laws and Regulations Every Professional Should Know

Sep 9, 2024

HR professionals are supposed to strategically manage staff members in accordance with a list of intricate and constantly evolving legal rights for both employers and employees. It’s a tough task with potentially severe penalties for any failures – real or perceived.

Legal action… financial losses… a damaged reputation.

It literally and figuratively pays to know your HR rules and regulations.

Beyond the Bill Of Rights

The creators of the United States Constitution memorialized citizen rights in a series of 10 amendments, collectively known as The Bill of Rights. This was a revolutionary document, made more impactful still since our founders had the foresight to make the list adaptable for a changing future.

The power to expand, create, and enact legislation was granted to the dual (and sometimes dueling) houses of Congress. And our representatives have definitely acted on that power ever since, impacting citizen rights in so many ways.

All of them put together, for better or worse, make an organization’s human resources agenda a lot more challenging. The topic is multilayered, but here are the biggest pieces of federal law your HR team needs to know about.

1964 Civil Rights Act

The U.S. Declaration of Independence stated that the new nation was being formed on “self-evident” truths “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,” and “that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Yet it took until the 1964 Civil Rights Act to legislatively prohibit employment discrimination  based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in hiring, promoting, and firing.

As a legal benchmark of modern civil rights, it has since been used as precedent for women’s and LGBTQ+ rights as well.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act

The OSH Act of 1970 created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Under OSHA, businesses are mandated to provide safe working conditions that are devoid of recognized hazards. Its objective is to regulate, inspect, and prevent unhealthy and unsafe working conditions.

This includes guaranteeing that workers are properly trained in their jobs and provided proper personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize worker exposure to hazardous environments and tasks. As a regulatory agency, OSHA seeks to prevent employment-related illness, disabilities, and death.

The National Labor Relations Act

The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) of 1935, also known as the Wagner Act, protects workers’ rights in the private sector. It gives them the right to free association in forming trade unions and to seek collective bargaining for fair wages and better working conditions. This includes protections against unfair labor practices and reprisals against labor organizations and their representatives.

There have been three significant amendments to the NLRA over the decades. In 1947, the Labor Management Relations Act – nicknamed the Tafy-Harley Act – removed some labor union privileges and gave the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) authority over determining unfair union practices.

Next, the 1959 Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act banned unions from expanding strikes to companies not directly involved in a labor dispute. And finally, technical amendments were passed in 1974 to cover healthcare workers in the private sector sphere.

The NLRA is the subject of two current (2024) Supreme Court cases. Since both challenge perceived NLRB overreaches, we could see further changes still.

Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990

The Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) forbids discrimination on the basis of disability.

Expanding on and clarifying the Civil Rights Act, the ADA added persons with disabilities as a recognized and protected class of citizen. It states that reasonable accommodations for equal and non-discriminatory access must be provided – regardless of whether a company is private or public. This applies to educational and transportation capabilities, as well as healthcare, housing, and employment.

Since its enactment, numerous court challenges have risen up to determine what constitutes “reasonable” accommodation. More recently, some of these challenges have asked whether mental disabilities are covered.

Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967 prohibits discrimination in the workplace against individuals who are at least 40 years old. As with ADA, it expands on the Civil Rights Act – which inherently should cover age discrimination but does not specifically name it.

ADEA mandates advancement and training based on age, as well as hiring and job interview equality. It continues to be amended as younger and older workers alike become affected by changing demographics and technological advancements.

Living Rights

As initially stated, the Constitution was crafted to be a living document addressing living rights.

The Bill of Rights alone could not address every issue concerning citizen rights, local and state government responsibilities, and private sector fairness and balance. So acts of Congress seek to address the needs of a changing citizenry.

Employment laws were developed to give structure, standards, and safeguards for both employers and employees. This is an important task, to be sure, since the very foundation of the U.S. economic system is our labor force.

However, this does mean that HR professionals work hard to stay current with laws at every level of government: municipal, state, and federal alike. Breaking these regulations can have disastrous repercussions, so always strive to stay compliant in how you handle your organization – inside and out.

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Concerned about the HR programs at your organization? The benefits of having a trusted partner guide you and your team to excellence are invaluable. Contact us today. You – and your employees – will be glad you did.

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Mark A. Griffin is president and founder of IHN HR. Connect with him on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Christian Higher Ed HR, Human Resources, Kingdom Company Building

10 Competencies of Leadership

Sep 9, 2024

Let’s face it: We all know being a leader is tough.

That’s why it’s so crucial for leaders to understand their capabilities in relation to leadership competencies. There’s a lot going on in those areas, from directing teams to energizing them and accomplishing your goals – each of which can be a challenge.

I’ve found that breaking down leadership into a series of competencies can help extensively. That way, you can think of each skill as its own separate task, making developing each one easier.

Here’s a look at the 10 key competencies of outstanding leaders… along with tips for you to excel in them no matter your field!

Leadership

This first competency might seem like an obvious and even all-encompassing aspect of being a leader, but hear me out. Developing all the other competencies we cover requires authentic leadership. Team members won’t believe in your vision until they conclude that you’re worth following.

That begins with proper communication. The best communicators explain their ideas with power and conviction. They speak to overarching organizational objectives and primary strategic priorities. And they articulate how each person’s work cascades up to higher-level goals.

When priorities are clear, teams can really buy in.

Great leaders also bolster morale through hard work, modeling how they want their teams to behave. They roll up their sleeves to show what they want the rest to do, raising everyone else’s energy levels by personally demonstrating diligence, focus, and persistence.

Or, to use the definition we use at IHN HR, leaders show everyone else how to “deliver on the mission, achieve the vision, and reflect the organization’s values.”

Delegation

From there, you should understand the importance of delegation to leadership success. Don’t try to do it all yourself; instead, assign tasks to the people best-suited to handle them.

Effective delegation begins with putting people in jobs they can do, so carefully consider each team members’ capabilities. Do they have what it takes to get a particular task done?

For those who can handle more, give them stretch assignments: projects or accounts with a bit more complexity. The employees who can do these without problems or mistakes should be developed further and rewarded appropriately since their chances of success are high.

This isn’t playing favorites; it’s playing to people’s strengths.

In thinking about who can complete a task, think about treating people like people. They’re individuals capable of handling appropriately assigned tasks, so be careful not to overwhelm them while also seeking to avoid automatically limiting them. Learning can and should happen at any time for any one person, irrespective of their experience.

Good delegation allows employees to thrive and often includes using tools to discover their strengths. When you do that and act accordingly, everyone wins.

Finally, go in with a clear intent; people respect leaders who avoid ambiguity. Set goals for when you expect someone to do something. Fully contextualize the work by stating what you’re trying to achieve and what the desired outcome will be. Be specific about the requirements for the task, at what point it’s considered complete, and how you’ll evaluate successful performance.

As we say at IHN HR, delegation means assigning “tasks and responsibilities to the appropriate team members”… and with the clearest instructions possible.

Professional Maturity

Professional composure might not be the easiest state to achieve, but it is a hallmark of mature leaders. The best of the best learn to keep cool with the chaos. They think calmly and clearly before reacting, refusing to take things personally even when that’s the natural human reaction.

Keeping cool in the face of fire helps to keep teams steady.

Great leaders are also active about checking their biases. They use appropriate language, base their decisions on data, and actively seek out diverse viewpoints.

At our firm, we define professional maturity as “interacting with people in a manner that reflects the values of the organization and cultural norms.”

Administration

Leaders should “systematize” additional activities. For example, if employees have to perform the same task repeatedly, managers should help develop protocols and workflows for it.

Documenting routines helps minimize employee error and confusion, especially when employees change and workers have to pick up where others have left off. Yet the majority of organizations don’t implement this strategy. And without basic working instructions or standard operating procedures, they run the risk of never improving.

Since the best leaders are always looking for ways to improve, they provide central access to templates, manuals, databases, and shared drives so workers can easily find what they need to do their jobs. Organized systems don’t waste time by forcing employees or underlings to find what they need.

This includes by way of available advancements. Leaders should always look to leverage technology to speed up manual processes, such as scheduling apps, task-trackers, file-sharing programs, and so on. A well-chosen tool can minimize waste in your work process.

At IHN HR we define administration as “having effective systems in place to manage workflow and projects.”

Training

Investment in employee training is also part of the leader’s role. The best leaders invest their valuable time in helping their team develop important skills by getting them ready for their tasks as early in the project process as possible.

Admittedly, not everyone enjoys these activities. So to make learning engaging for everyone involved, vary your approach. Use presentations, manuals, videos, and coaching. Provide materials that cater to different learning styles. Allow people to preview your expectations for them, and make it as hands-on an experience as you can.

And remember: Good-quality programs give context. Let trainees practice or simulate what they’re expected to do to prime their skills and build their confidence.

At IHN HR, we define training as “providing direct instruction or appropriate resources to impart information.”

Mentorship

Besides formal training, strong leaders seek to mentor emerging talent by offering one-on-one development support. High-performing organizations invest heavily in mentorship programs; consider doing the same for your employees.

Regardless, you can accelerate high-potential team members’ development by leveraging your own experiences and encouraging authenticity. Find out their strengths, interests, and opportunities for growth. What are their preferred learning styles? Where do they want to see themselves in five years?

Even better, put a system in place for mentor and mentee check-ins. Consistency provides continuity, and processes offer the flexibility to respond to changing needs. But also let your mentee know you’re available for in-the-moment questions.

At IHN HR, we define mentorship as “developing people by sharing their expertise, experience, and influence for the purpose of learning and growth.”

Communication

Leadership is about communication. And in order to be heard, you have to know your audience, use the right medium, and constantly seek feedback.

We advise first considering the communication styles (e.g., formality, preferences for email or phone) and terminology (e.g., vocabulary, level of detail, and depth) that are appropriate in various departments and functions. You need to understand your audience and tailor your message to fit specific recipients.

Also, keep in mind the timing of your messages. And be purposeful in your choice of communication channel. You can make broad announcements via email, but avoid sending other kinds of messages that contain sensitive material.

Try to match the medium to the meaning. Texts may attract more attention, but use them sparingly. The urgency diminishes with use.

At IHN HR, we define effective communication as “written and verbal communication that’s timely and effective with an appropriate tone.

Team Environment

Leaders shape the team’s culture by facilitating interaction between members, allowing them to bring out the best in each other. The deeper the team members’ camaraderie and engagement, the higher their satisfaction and performance.

Begin with bonding. Off-site team building and leadership development programs can do wonders. Getting people away from their desks and participating in fun activities can go far in creating stronger relationships. And if you can incorporate activities that address differences in personalities and strengths, that’s even better.

Trust improves with personal connections.

Collectively develop rules for openness, debate, and conflict resolution. And encourage respect for each other even during disagreements.

At IHN HR, we define the ideal team environment as “a culture that unifies a high-performance team to effectively deliver on their goals.”

Approachability

Leaders should also be approachable, encouraging their followers to seek them out with questions and concerns. Maintaining an open-door policy in the office, setting aside regular office hours for impromptu visits, and/or keeping instant messaging open for remote teams demonstrates your presence and accessibility to your followers.

In addition, make clear the best persons or groups to contact about any given issue and how best to reach them – whether email, chat, phone, etc. Be clear about expected response times, and consistently state your routine response process so that employees know they can rely on you.

Finally, pay attention when speaking to others. Listen carefully, and let the other person finish before you speak. Maintain eye contact, keep an open body posture, and minimize any signals that suggest you’re not interested.

1. Set specific S.M.A.R.T. goals: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound.
2. Plan thoroughly. Delineate all the steps, actors, resources, and contingencies. No surprises.
3. Agree on the measures. Agree on what will be measured and how the measures will be reported, ensuring they’re as quantitative as possible.
4. Break down long-term goals. Divide larger goals into smaller ones. Maintain motivation with checkpoints.
5. Be flexible; change timetables or plans if called for, but if you stay on track, that’s discipline enough. Gravity and grace balance each other.
6. Treasure your wins. Celebrate each victory as you head toward your goal. Count the wins.

We believe that S.M.A.R.T. goals not only improve the lives of employees but also contribute to the success and longevity of the organization they’re designed for.

At IHN HR, we define approachability as “being available for questions, instructions, and input (i.e., open-door policy).”

Execution

Of course, all of this leads to execution. At the end of the day, the key to leadership is getting things done efficiently and effectively.

Here are some tips for effective leadership execution:

Lead With Confidence

If that seems like a very long and even daunting list, don’t feel overwhelmed. Rather, focus on just one or two competencies per quarter and work to enhance those areas. Then make sure to regularly review your progress.

Over time, these capabilities compound to make you the inspirational leader your team needs.

Want To Know Your Capabilities As A Leader? 

______________

For further actionable insights, reach out to In HIS Name HR right here. We help organizations build high-performance human resource programs designed to build your workplace into the engaging, effective, integrity-filled space you want it to be.

Contact us today! You and your employees will be grateful you did.

Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Christian Higher Ed HR, Human Resources, Kingdom Company Building

Understanding Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)

Apr 17, 2024

Understanding Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are numerical or qualitative benchmarks measurements of how efficient a plan is. They give real data on not only what the goal is but what progress is being made toward that goal, showing everyone involved the impact they’re making day to day.

Their greatest value is that they turn vague goals like “improve customer satisfaction” into something you can actually measure. Doesn’t “decrease customer complaints by 50% this quarter” sound a lot more effective?

This makes KPIs central to an HR professional’s toolkit – and therefore a topic worth delving into at length.

Think about it. It only makes sense that high-performance organizations need to focus on measurable results. Without this, they lose both focus and engagement, two elements most employees crave.

Earlier in my HR career, I was blessed to be surrounded by many organizational development experts. One of the key pointers I learned from them was that if you measure a task, the majority of people will try to improve the results if given the chance.

So what do most organizations that operate within high-performance principles measure? That depends on the industry.

For instance, in manufacturing, quality, production, safety, and profitability are always shared front and center. This is true all the way from the boardroom down to the third-shift employee in a remote company facility.

Churches, meanwhile, might measure attendance, staff turnover, and volunteer participation. Or for a ministry, it could be conversions to Christ, project funding, website analytics, and country presence, to name a few.

I’ll admit I used to feel confused and overwhelmed by KPIs. It took me a while to get a meaningful understanding of them.

But that was many years ago. I now not only understand them, I appreciate how intensely useful they can be. I’ve even helped countless organizations develop meaningful KPIs.

And I’ve seen amazing results in the process.

So… What Exactly Are KPIs Again?

Simply put, a key performance indicator is a measurable value of how an organization is hitting its goals. You can think of KPIs as dashboards that give you at-a-glance views of how different parts of the organization are doing.

Revenue… Customer satisfaction… Production efficiency… Safety incident rates… These are all examples of what KPIs can track. Though really, they can monitor progress on any important metric, from sales targets to sustainability efforts.

Why Are KPIs Important?

Obviously, every organization wants to be more effective. So anything that can (ethically) make them more so is a bonus.

But there are a few key reasons why KPIs in particular are so useful:

• They help everyone involved focus. With so many things going on every day, KPIs shine a light on what’s truly important so you and yours can prioritize activities that really move the needle.
• They create accountability. Measurable targets make it easy to see where teams are underperforming early on. That way, you can take appropriate action to get things on track.
• They provide clarity around expectations. It isn’t always easy to understand what management wants to see going forward. So metrics that can make them clear can go a long way in keeping employees focused and effective.
• They drive motivation. When employers and employees can see concrete progress in what they’re doing, it proves their work is contributing to big-picture success. This boosts team engagement and morale.
• They lead to better decisions. The data KPIs provide helps you understand what’s working well and what needs more attention. That way, you can make smarter choices.

Focus. Accountability. Clarity. Motivation. Insight.

What organization wouldn’t benefit from that list?

How to Use KPIs Effectively

KPIs have to be implemented thoughtfully to work. They are not a magic concept you can simply say out loud or write out on paper to make your desired results appear.

Knowing that, here are some tips to put them into practice:

• Link KPI targets directly to organizational goals. Don’t just measure random things! You want KPIs that clearly map back to organizational objectives so you can see that progress is happening.
• Focus on your 3-5 most critical KPIs. Tracking too few can devalue aspects and outcomes that are critical to your operations. Tracking too many can dilute their impact and makes prioritizing difficult. Therefore, identify the ones that offer the most value.
• Set challenging but realistic targets. Impossible goals lead to frustration, but easy targets don’t push growth. Find the sweet spot that properly motivates your team.
• Define how data will be collected upfront. Without a clear process, data quality really suffers. Make sure responsibilities and tools are set, evaluated, and maintained to capture reliable data.
• Review KPIs frequently. Don’t just set them and forget them! Regular check-ins ensure that teams are on track or can course-correct early if needed.
• Keep refining KPIs. As objectives evolve, so should your KPIs. Continually tweak them to link back to what matters most in the moment.

When you do, your key performance indicators can work for you in ways you have to see to believe.

KPIs in Action

To make this practical, let’s look at a few examples of common KPIs and how organizations use them…

Product Quality: KPIs can identify defects per thousand units produced. This helps organizations monitor how many units are failing quality checks that can then be improved on. When you decrease defects against a target, you drive better product consistency.

A defect goal is easily created. If the organization has 5/1000 (0.005) defects, the goal could be a defect rate of 0.0025 – which is a 50% reduction.

Naturally, product quality is important across every industry, including higher education and non-profits. But an exact organization’s defect goal can look different depending on what exactly is being measured.

Workplace Safety: The “lost-time incident rate” tells you how safe your workplace is. It compares injuries resulting in missed work time to total hours on the job. When this drops, it means you’re avoiding harm and keeping your crew productive.

One common calculation is the “days-away severity rate.” This records the average number of days injuries kept employees from work. To calculate it, you simply divide the number of lost workdays by the number of recordable safety incidents.

Admittedly, you could find that you could have a high injury rate and low severity rate this way – meaning that people are getting hurt but not severely. That’s preferable to a high injury with high severity, obviously. But most organizations should have zero accidents as their goal across the board.

Customer Satisfaction: Tracking things like customer satisfaction (CSAT) or the Net Promoter Score shows how your clients actually feel about what you provide. High marks mean they approve and will likely stick around to grow with you.

In short, make your customers happy and success will follow!

Your calculation for this KPI could simply be customer complaints per thousand sales. And similar to the product quality explanation, you can replace the input to suit your specific organization.

You probably already know what your customer satisfaction goal is, but make it as specific as possible. Say your organization is at 20/1000 (0.02) complaints. In that case, you could determine to cut that by half down to 0.01.

Production Efficiency: The Overall Equipment Effectiveness assessment rolls up how available, quick, and quality-oriented your machines are into one simple metric. Optimize OEE, and you can churn out more goods without incurring extra costs.

And, of course, efficient operations increase your revenue… bless your employees… and improve the communities in which you do operate.

Create the base line or profitability for the organization, then translate it into employee terms. So if you’re measuring your breakeven point for a production line, come up with a breakeven number per shift.

This calculation could be made by your engineering and production teams. But say they project 20,000 units per hour as your production rate goal. The KPI calculation would measure any deviation from the goal number, either above or below.

So if production is cut short by 19,000 units per hour, the calculation would be 19,000/20,000 = 95% of goal attainment. Or if they exceed the goal, the calculation could be 20,000,000/21,000 = 5% over goal attainment.

KPIs for Nonprofits

There are plenty of other ways KPIs can work for you depending on the type of organization you run, and the different types of goals and objectives you have. Here are three for non-profits specifically…

Member-Engagement KPI

This one tracks what percentage of your members are really engaged: how many are talking the talk and walking the walk.

Are they showing up for programs, volunteering, giving back financially, and otherwise helping to really make your organization grow? Maybe only 30% of your base is actively involved right now.

Maybe lower still.

Set a goal to bump that engagement up to 40% over the next year. You can get more members off the sidelines and in the game by doubling down on the programs that are already working. Likewise, rethink ones that aren’t connecting.

If more people are invested, your whole community will feel that love.

New Members Added KPI

Growth matters, so tracking new members is huge. Set a target to add 50 new members to your non-profit every month.

If you see you aren’t hitting that target, get introspective about your outreach.

How can you connect better with more folks in the community? Get creative! New ideas should be welcome (though properly vetted, of course).

When more people join your mission, it builds serious momentum. So get out there and share the word!

Donation Revenue KPI

Money matters, even for non-profits. That’s why we advise looking at total monthly donations and aiming for 10% growth year-over-year.

Consistent giving means your programs stay solid. If you spot any dips in donations, tackle that ASAP. And try asking members directly how your non-profit entity can earn their support.

Keep the faith that donations will rise, and act accordingly!

KPIs for a Variety of Industries and Organizations

If you run neither a non-profit nor traditional moneymaking business, don’t worry. There are almost certainly KPIs for your organization too.

We’ve included three particularly useful ones below, though there are plenty of others out there to research and review.

Lead Conversion Rate KPI

Isn’t it high time to turn those leads you have into actual deals? Ask yourself: What percentage of leads become customers for your business right now?

Ideally, you want to set your sights on 25% conversion.

This is not an impossible goal. To get there, follow-up faster with leads, nurture them along, and coach your team on closing skills.

Every lead is precious. Treat them that way, and you’ll see more of them stick around.

Higher conversions will pump up your revenue big time, making the effort more than worth your while.

Asset Utilization KPI

You’ve got trucks, planes, and/or other heavy equipment just sitting there collecting dust. What a waste!

An idle asset isn’t earning your organization any revenue. But a fully utilized one drives your organization forward.

So use what you’ve got to the maximum!

Let’s get that utilization percentage up by scheduling everything tighter and routing them smarter. An 85% utilization rate would be a great target to shoot for.

Customer Retention KPI 

Look at what percentage of customers stay loyal to you each year.

Is it 80%? Awesome! That’s a solid start.

But there’s no reason not to aim even higher still…

Reduce your customer churn by improving satisfaction through better services and products. Make them feel the love!

Keep your people happy, and they will keep you happy by returning to your organization in ways that keep the revenue and relevance flowing.

Final Thoughts

Here’s the bottom line about KPIs…

They make goals clear and provide valuable insights to help teams work smarter. When used right, they drive better decisions, accountability, and results!

Unlike what I used to think – and you might currently think – KPIs are not meant to complicate your life. Implemented effectively, they give you the information you need to guide your team forward into bigger, better, and more effective phases for your organization.

______________

For further actionable insights, reach out to In HIS Name HR right here. We help organizations build high-performance human resource programs designed to build your workplace into the engaging, effective, integrity-filled space you want it to be.

Contact us today! You and your employees will be grateful you did.

Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Christian Higher Ed HR, Human Resources, Kingdom Company Building

Leveraging Gallup’s CliftonStrengths for Career Success

Feb 29, 2024

Career development should always be aligned with one’s potential.

Human potential is vast, but too many people unfortunately don’t know themselves well enough to tap into it. In fact, many of us navigate life without ever realizing our possibilities. To correct that, the first thing you need to do is understand your strengths.

Peter Guber, CEO of Mandalay Entertainment Group, said the success of someone’s career – regardless of profession or field – depends on their ability to lead, manage, and build good relationships with colleagues. His experience leading an entertainment industry business taught him that so much of our potential must be excavated and then honed to reach true career success.

That’s why it’s so important to know yourself well – no matter how long it takes to achieve that understanding. Once you know who you really are, you can recognize what you’re really capable of.

And then you can put it into practice and truly thrive.

How to Identify Your Potential for Career Development

It’s a fact that many students struggle with choosing a career path to pursue. And many adults already in the workplace still don’t know if they followed the right field.

That’s a shame for both the individuals involved and the companies they do or will work for. Feeling like a misfit can lead to extreme unhappiness and underperformance all around.

This is why the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is such an incredible tool. It’s designed to help you discover your personality and where that personality best fits within your chosen career field.

Less well-known but equally helpful is Gallup’s CliftonStrengths assessment. To quote their website:

“The 34 CliftonStrengths Themes Explain Your Talent DNA. When you take the CliftonStrengths Assessment, you uncover your unique combination of 34 CliftonStrengths themes.

“The themes, which sort into four domains… are a culmination of decades of research led by Don Clifton to study and categorize the talents of the world’s most successful people.

“Together, the themes explain a simple but profound element of human behavior: what’s right with people.”

Moreover, they give “you a way to describe what you naturally do best or what you might need help from others to accomplish.” And who couldn’t benefit from that?

Once completed, I’m confident this assessment can make your career journey much more informed and fruitful.

Here are just some of the themes you might identify with…

Domain: Influencing

Theme: Activator

• You enjoy jumping right in and trying out different roles and jobs.
• You seek leadership opportunities and positions where you’ll be rewarded for getting things moving.
• You sometimes (or all the time) think about starting your own business.
• You realize some people might feel threatened by your drive to make decisions and get things going.

Theme: Command

• You’re willing to take on several potential roles or jobs, and you seek out chances to assume positions of leadership.
• You seek out positions that offer room for advancement.
• You take into consideration situations where quick decisions are required.
• You seek careers in fields like law, commerce, politics, or theater, where you can use your persuasive skills.

Theme: Communication

• You speak with people who could fill the roles you’re interested in, knowing their experiences will educate you.
• You enjoy settings that provide you with regular social connections. Cooperative, engaging, and instructional environments are your ideal.
• You prefer professions involving comedy, acting, motivational speaking, teaching, public relations, ministry, or training, where you can share your experiences.

Theme: Competition

• You seek out chances to assume leadership roles.
• You work on projects that will allow you to measure and compare your results.
• You think about business, sales, law, politics, and sports.
• You seek out positions that offer room for advancement.

Theme: Maximizer

• You interview the “best of the best” to find out what they enjoy doing for a living.
• You prefer settings that support “best practices” and allow you to collaborate with others to make the organization better every time.
• You could consider positions that allow you to assist people in realizing their potential.

Theme: Self-Assurance

• You’re skilled in many different things and like to try out potential positions or jobs. In fact, it’s crucial for you to choose what you enjoy.
• You seek out settings that will challenge you while offering freedom to figure things out on your own terms.
• You might want to think about pursuing a job in training, entertainment, or sales.

Theme: Significance

• You want to leave a strong legacy behind.
• You seek out settings where you can be acknowledged for your achievements.
• Consider a profession where you can truly and enduringly improve the world.

Theme: Woo

• You make sure to meet a diverse range of individuals working in various professions.
• You seek out settings that appreciate your capacity to convince or sell – and where you can meet new people on a daily basis.
• You could consider a job as a public relations specialist, sales representative, trainer, comedian, or lawyer.

Domain: Executing

Theme: Achiever

• You have a relentless desire to achieve. You are only satisfied when you’re reaching or exceeding the goals in front of you.
• You approach everyday as a new opportunity to make an impact, but you need to be cautions. Your drive can convince you to work nights, weekends, and long hours.
• You have a strong work ethic, are able to lead by example when properly coached, and are a great asset to any organization seeking to achieve high performance.
• You should seek careers that give you a lot of room to achieve the results you desire.

Theme: Arranger

• Your default when problem solving is to seek all the pieces at the same time and arrange them into a logical sequence. You see patterns that others do not.
• You desire a workplace that isn’t routine, where the daily aspects ebb and flow allowing you to use your arranging capabilities.
• Seek careers where you can bring order out of chaos.
• Pursue careers in employee relations, or human resources management, urban development, and leadership.

Theme: Belief

• You hold deeply held ideals regarding how things should be in life, at work, and in the community.
• Your ethical approach sometimes frustrate you when the world’s actions don’t align with it.
• You could consider careers where your core values align with the organization in question, especially in pastoral care, certain medical fields, teaching, and counseling.

Theme: Consistency

• You look for settings where rules, guidelines, policies, and procedures are well-established.
• You seek out settings that are predictable and structured.
• Law enforcement, human resources, risk management, safety compliance, and quality assurance positions might be right for you.

Theme: Deliberative

• You research as much information as you can regarding potential roles and employment.
• You prefer workplace settings where you can work alone to perform in-depth analyses, and you stay away from those that require too much socializing or human contact.
• You consider jobs as judge, finance officer, or risk analyst to be ideal.

Theme: Discipline

• You establish goals and outlines for your career-planning procedures.
• You prefer structured settings where you can uphold order for both yourself and other people, and make use of your organizational skills.
• Depending on your education, you might consider a job as an executive assistant, brain surgeon, tax specialist, or air traffic controller.

Theme: Focus

• You gather as much information as you can about possible jobs or roles.
• You look for environments where you can focus and concentrate without interruptions or the need to multitask.
• You do best in structured environments that are predictable and detail-oriented.

Theme: Responsibility

• You prefer settings where you can operate autonomously and eventually be given more authority.
• You seek out locations where you can establish relationships of trust with other people.
• You would likely do well in professions that place more emphasis on results than procedures, such as executive assistant, librarian, or law clerk.

Theme: Restorative

• You’re intrigued by individuals known for pulling people out of difficult situations or jumping in to fix issues.
• You appreciate situations where you’re required to identify issues and provide solutions.
• Since you depend on your education and aptitude, you might be well-suited for careers as a TV producer, surgeon, or customer service representative.

Domain: Strategic Thinking

Theme: Analytical

• You are smart, logical, thorough, good at thinking through issues, and good at handling numbers, figures, and charts.
• You are objective and use data to search for trends, patterns, and interconnectedness.
• Be cautious. Your greatest weaknesses can offend people since you have the propensity to be tough, never satisfied, and full of questions.
• Choose a career that requires you to analyze data. Accounting, finance, marketing, and certain engineering fields should be explored.

Theme: Context

• You look back at your past decisions to get an idea of what you enjoy and are highly skilled at.
• You seek out settings where you can investigate the origins of things and gain a solid understanding of an organization or asset’s past.
• Professions such as archaeologist, historian, curator, professor of humanities, or appraiser of antiques could easily appeal to you.

Theme: Futuristic

• You desire a career path that enables you to help others glimpse the future and inspire them to bring it to pass.
• You look for environments that encourage creativity and imagination.
• Jobs in commercial art, architecture, design, or city planning appeal to you.

Theme: Ideation

• As much as you can, you brainstorm and daydream about potential careers or professions.
• You seek out settings that encourage experimentation, originality, and unconventional thinking.
• You could easily consider a profession in advertising, market research, design, consulting, or strategic planning.

Theme: Input

• You try to obtain as much input as you can regarding potential roles and employment.
• You seek out settings where you will be exposed to large amounts of information and data.
• Occupations that allow you to stay up to date with the latest developments in science and enable you to become a knowledgeable researcher and consumer are right up your alley.

Theme: Intellection

• You stay abreast of change related to careers and career development.
• You seek out settings where you can ponder and mull things through before acting.
• You should consider a profession that provides you with intellectual challenges, where you can ask questions and exchange ideas. But stay away from groups that uphold the status quo.

Theme: Learner

• You examine career inventories, read up on careers, and do further research on what you read.
• You enjoy settings that promote lifelong learning and personal growth.
• You are well-suited to jobs such as business trainer, instructor, or college lecturer.

Theme: Strategic          

• You desire employment that enables you to create innovative initiatives and methods for addressing persistent issues.
• You enjoy settings that are adaptable, foster creativity, and provide you with opportunities to view things holistically.
• Professions in consulting, law, or psychology could be ideal for you.

Domain: Relationship Building

Theme: Adaptability

• You have the ability to remain calm during stressful and ambiguous situations.
• Routine roles that force you to plan and organize don’t appeal to you; you’re too action-oriented and independent-minded.
• You enjoy constantly evolving demands and challenges. You could even say you thrive in chaos.
• Careers that might suit you include human resources, emergency medical management, crisis management, manufacturing, and customer service.

Theme: Connectedness

• You seek out NGOs that provide aid.
• You prefer settings where you can engage with people and assist them in discovering meaning and purpose.
• You recognize your own values and make sure the company you work for upholds them.
• You think about carrying out a career that will allow you to live out your religious convictions.

Theme: Developer

• You appreciate employment opportunities where you can help people in some capacity.
• You seek out settings that emphasize communication, cooperation, and teamwork.
• You like the sound of careers where you can assist others in improving their abilities such as life coach, counselor, or teacher.

Theme: Empathy

• You look for employment in places where feelings are respected, not suppressed.
• You desire environments that are upbeat and encouraging with lots of communication and teamwork.
• You can consider pursuing professions such as education, human resources, counseling, or ministry.

Theme: Harmony

• You’re a mediator at heart and seek to find middle ground with practical solutions that can drive everyone into agreement.
• Your willingness to hear all perspectives helps when all sides of the issues need to be considered.
• Ideal careers for you include arbitrator, counselor, diplomat, and ambassador.

Theme: Includer

• You consider working with groups that are often set aside by others, such as those who are intellectually or physically challenged.
• You seek out settings where you can play a welcoming role.
• You enjoy the idea of being something like a special education teacher, social worker, therapist, youth worker, or HR representative.

Theme: Individualization

• You appreciate settings where you can coach, train, and otherwise give others feedback.
• You seek professions that allow you to work one-on-one with individuals.
• Jobs such as HR specialist, business trainer, life coach, teacher, or counselor suit your personality.

Theme: Positivity

• You choose work you’re passionate about that supports your hopeful view of the future.
• You look for environments that are fun, fast-paced, and people-oriented, and where you can use your sense of humor.
• You like the idea of careers as a coach, sales rep, teacher, or manager.

Theme: Relator

• You discuss your perceptions with people in your trusted social group.
• You enjoy settings that promote friendships and allow you to continue expanding your knowledge about others.
• You could consider the role of manager, HR director, teacher, counselor, or school administrative professional.

How Well Do You Know Yourself?

Here’s an important question after scanning the CliftonStrengths’ list of themes and what they entail…

How well do you know yourself?

Most interviewers ask this question or something like it. So it’s an important consideration if you’re thinking about a career change. It might also come up during your annual employee review.

Or maybe you wonder about it on your own without any external prompting.

Regardless, this is the most crucial question you could possibly answer. It speaks to how much you know about what you want in life. And once you know that, it becomes so much easier to set goals in your career and elsewhere.

Just like that, you’re equipped to properly choose not only a fulfilling career but a fulfilling life.

So from now on, strive to identify the potential within you based on your individual strengths. In life, there is no such thing as too late to know yourself.

Set Your Bar High. What Is the Highest Goal You Want to Achieve?

In terms of career development, you need to have top-level goals or target priorities you want to achieve every year. Consider having at least three measurable goals and no more than five. At the end of December, you can determine your achievements, starting from the smallest to the most significant.

Learn from your achievements. Revisit what worked and what didn’t, and make sure you focus on repeatable behaviors that contributed to the goals you did attain.

Your targets must, of course, be in proportion to the potential you have. The higher the level of success desired, the more potential must be explored, including intrapersonal and interpersonal skills.

They also need to be reasonable. For example, if your current position is that of a supervisor and you want to advance from there, you can target becoming a manager in two years and then set your sights on the next advancement from there. Set a deadline for yourself and decide what steps you’ll take to achieve it.

Your yearly goals don’t have to involve accomplishing every intense dream you’ve ever pictured for yourself. Sometimes it’s much more intelligent to have a five-year or 10-year plan you build up to.

Just make sure to capitalize on and exercise your strengths to get there.

Speaking of plans, you should also consider making one to determine how to achieve each goal you have, yearly or otherwise. Another important aspect is determining likely challenges and preparing solutions to work past them.

Indeed, some goals are only achievable after you’ve overcome already existent problems.

Make Sure to Accept Help Along the Way!

Human potential is always aligned with career development. But you hardly have to work alone in order to realize yours. If you’re looking for guidance, there are seminars, workshops, and webinars out there specifically designed to optimize your potential and achieve your goals.

Or if you’re looking for more personalized guidance, In HIS Name HR helps organizations and individuals build high-performance human resource programs designed to get you where you need to be.

Concerned about the HR programs at your organization? The benefits of having a trusted partner to guide you and your team to excellence are invaluable. Contact us today. You—and your employees—will be glad you did.

Rise with us by implementing our high-performance remote human-resource programs to help find great people! E-mail us here.

Mark A. Griffin is president and founder of In HIS Name HR LLC. Connect with him on LinkedIn and Twitter

Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Christian Higher Ed HR, Human Resources, Kingdom Company Building

How to Be a Great Employee

Feb 7, 2024

Did you know the average adult is awake 16 hours a day?

For those of us who don’t always work from home, that includes one hour to prepare for work, 30 minutes each way driving there and back, and at least eight hours at the office Monday-Friday.

Right there, we already have 10 out of our 16 allotted hours.

Now let’s contrast that with the time we invest at church. For some people, it’s just an hour a week. Quite the difference!

Now, admittedly, it is difficult and even impractical to try to even those amounts out too much. We do need to earn a living for ourselves and our families. So it makes sense that so much of our lives are invested in preparation for work and actually doing that work. But this hardly means we have to neglect out Christianity.

Far from it, in fact.

That’s why God’s presence in the workplace matters so much! This time-consuming setting offers great opportunities to encourage those who already know Christ and to witness to those who don’t.

Most of us probably don’t work for an organization that outwardly expresses our Christian beliefs. But we’re called to be ambassadors of Christ and reflect Him in our lives regardless, including when we’re on the job.

The Bible has a lot to say about the importance of work and how we should conduct ourselves in it. Two examples include (NIV):

Colossians 3:23 – “Whatever you do, work at it with all of your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”

Proverbs 16:3 – “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”

As such, let’s explore some of the important values that Christians should demonstrate in the workplace. The one I want to share today is integrity, with many more to come in future articles.

Proverbs 10:9 (NIV) reads:

“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.”

I’m sure we can all think of examples where people (maybe even us) didn’t show integrity in the workplace. These behaviors include the C.Y.A., or covering your you-know-what, method; throwing others under the bus; telling untruths; calling in “sick”; and having affairs with coworkers.

If it weren’t for the prevalence of such conduct, we wouldn’t need to have so many workplace policies on codes of conduct, harassment, social media activity, and the like.

But what exactly is integrity? It might be easy to spot when people lack it. But what does it mean when we have it?

Integrity denotes a deep commitment to do the right thing for the right reason, regardless of the circumstances – even when no one is watching, C.S. Lewis. It includes a sense of honesty, dependability, and consistency of character.

People with integrity adhere to moral company policies. They own up to their mistakes. They are honest and don’t tell untruths. They are trustworthy and dependable.

The word integrity evolved from the Latin adjective integer, meaning whole or complete. So it’s an inner sense and outer expression of “wholeness” deriving from qualities such as sincerity and consistent character.

Consider these questions to self-assess your own personal integrity:

• Do you portray yourself differently depending on who you’re with?
• Do you admit your mistakes?
• Are you honest at all times?
• Can others depend on you to do what you say you’ll do?

Our integrity is tested on a daily basis by a culture that’s normalized falsehood and dishonesty. This might involve cheating on an exam, fudging a business expense, downloading music illegally, taking office supplies from work, or telling little white lies.

They might seem small in the moment. Even necessary. But those sorts of actions can chip away at our souls little by little.

On the flipside, Scripture tells us many benefits of living with integrity:

• It can give us promotions in the right way (Nehemiah 7).
• It grants favor and honor, and opens the door for good things to come into our lives (Psalm 84:11).
• It can help us find contentment (Proverbs 19:1).
• It brings clarity and guidance to our lives (Proverbs 37:18).
• It helps us be more like Jesus (Matthew 22:16).

King David also shed some light on integrity in Psalm 26:1-3 (NIV):

“Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the LORD and have not faltered. Test me, LORD, and try me; examine my heart and my mind; for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.”

You can see here that the root of David’s integrity is his relationship with God. As it should be for us.

How Can You Be Sure That Your Integrity Guides Your Actions?

In order to claim integrity as part of your identity, you have to commit to acting on it. It’s not always easy, but it ends up being very worthwhile when you:

• Keep your word.If you say you’re going to do something, then do it! If you say you’re going to be somewhere, then be there! We all know those people we can’t really count on.Don’t be one of those people! Otherwise, we’re bound to see Jeremiah 22:12 (NIV) applied to our lives: “Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his own people work for nothing, not paying them for their labor.”
• Tell the truth.Mark Twain said, “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.” It’s easier and the right thing to do. Even little white lies eat away at your integrity.
• Don’t gossip.Keep your confidence, and don’t talk about others behind their backs. Proverbs 11:13 (NIV) counsels us that, “A gossip can’t be trusted with a secret, but someone of integrity won’t violate confidence”
• Work hard.Colossians 3:23 says, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people” (NIV). If you’re a believer, your real boss is God. So whether or not anybody else sees your work, God does.That’s why 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV) reads, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”
• Act consistently.A person of integrity doesn’t act one way in church, another way at work, and another way in social settings. In addition, he or she treats the janitor with the same level of respect as the CEO.God is never changing. He is faithful, trustworthy, true, and loyal. He can be counted on. And he wants us to follow his example, as shown in Proverbs 11:3 (NIV), which reads, “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.”

In short, each one of us in the workplace has a responsibility to bring positivity and encouragement to the workplace. Let these tips and recommendations lift you to higher levels of performance.

Contact us today! You, your students, faculty, and employees will be grateful you did.

Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Christian Higher Ed HR, Human Resources, Kingdom Company Building

Navigating Professional Communication During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Oct 27, 2021

It would be the understatement of the century to say that the Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the flow of information in the workplace. It hasn’t simply disrupted communication in the workplace; it has rewritten the landscape of how managers and employees interact daily and how employees do their work. When it comes to a productive, efficient and effective workplace, nothing can replace robust communication between everyone. It builds trust, sets realistic expectations and gives everyone a sense of orientation, even—and perhaps even most importantly—when times are tough.

That is why it’s more important than ever to not only maintain communication with employees but improve it, as much as possible. HR departments, managers and employees all play a critical role in making sure that the lines of communication stay open and are used often. How do you do that? Consider this.

The pandemic has left people detached, distracted, and hopeless beyond belief. The unpredictable layoffs, dismissals, lack of income security, and compromised productivity have created an atmosphere of uncertainty and fear. One report suggests that about 655 million full-time jobs worldwide were lost in the first two quarters of 2020 alone.

This lingering fear of losing a job or business, or negative changes in monthly income has affected the psychological well-being of employees and employers alike. Adjusting to the new form of work while maintaining one’s sanity and staying safe from the virus is a huge challenge that has negatively affected communication within most organizations.

If you are experiencing some or all of these same difficulties and need some winning tips, we can help. This article brings valuable insight to help employers learn communication development ideas from a Christian perspective as well as effective tips for employees to acquire the support they need from their employers.

Acquiring Support the Right Way

Since the start of the Covid pandemic, employees worldwide have experienced a lack of support from their employers in the area of communication. This has greatly affected employees’ mental framework and productivity.

Many employees and managers alike have chosen to keep communication to a minimum, assuming it would prevent unnecessary conflict. But keeping concerns bottled up inside is an exhausting way to handle a situation. Speaking one’s mind will help relieve stress and also reveal unrealistic assumptions. But concerns must be appropriately voiced for effective results. To avoid a negative impact, follow these 5 strategies:

1. Voice Your Concern in a Timely Way

The first thing for workplace harmony is choosing the perfect time to share a concern. Discussing issues during a meeting or when leadership is interacting with others may be a big no-no at your organization. The most effective way in ensuring non-confrontation is to schedule a time with your leader and have an honest one-on-one discussion with them. Make sure the time is right, as it will set the course for productive conversation, allowing your employer to listen to you attentively and respond. Many leaders are more receptive in an individual setting vs. a group format when an employee goes out of their way to communicate.

2. Avoid Being Vague

If you are intent on finding a solution or you have concerns, be specific to avoid sounding negative or unserious. Instead of generalizing the problem, discuss the details, as generalizing diminishes the seriousness of your case. The more specific and clear you are, the more benefits you will likely achieve.

3.  Keep Solutions Ready

The most effective employees are those who see a problem come up, identify a solution, and seek approval to implement. Employees who repeatedly raise problems without suggesting solutions tend to diminish their reputation, so try to be solution oriented. Suggesting a solution along with the problem will make you look like a problem solver and helps leaders be more receptive to considering your point.

On the other hand, those who perpetually complain hurt only themselves. Complaints are not limited to employees; leaders can be negative as well, especially given the pressures and restrictions of Covid-19. So you need to know when best to present something as a problem and when to visit your superior to seek their opinion and advice before you work on something.

4.  Let the Employer Decide

You cannot force an idea or a solution upon your organization. Voice your concerns in the form of a request vs. a demand, present some suggestions, and leave the final decision to senior leadership. Even if you do not get your request approved quickly, it will be on the record for future concerns. Most employers want to hear concerns, and presenting them respectfully creates a greater chance of implementation.

5.  Ask Others to Voice Their Opinion

If it’s an issue that affects others, encourage them in a respectful way to speak up for maximum results. When more people are affected by a problem, the chance of leadership taking action also increases. Together, all can help leadership understand the totality of workplace obstacles.

Communication Ideas for Employers

To make sure the organization is operating well and heading towards its intended goals, employers need to pay attention to the communication within their organization as it relates to the development, care and support of its employees. This is most important during this difficult Covid-19 pandemic period.

Below are 9 critical takeaways for leaders and human resource management to ensure added productivity and development, even in times of crisis.

1. Communicate Often, More Than You Think Is Necessary

Over-communication is rarely the problem in any organization. That is why is it important to communicate frequently. According to the Harvard Business Review, those who work remotely don’t feel like they are being treated equally. This is where consistent communication can make a dramatic difference.

Communication is key to success, especially during tough times. Constant reminders, motivation, and communication reduce employees’ concerns and help them stay on top of their tasks. The way communication is maintained with employees can have a dramatic impact on an organization during tough times. So, keep it transparent and regular. Consider developing a communication strategy that allows your HR team to take the lead to communicate key information on a regular basis. Doing so can help reduce the stress your employees may have of the unknown.

2.  Have One-on-One Discussions With Your Staff

Having one-on-one discussions with your staff allows you to put your Christian values to work. Being tolerant and treating employees with grace shows that you value their growth and are willing to helping them develop to their full potential, regardless of circumstances in the outside world. Your staff grows, your company grows.

3.  Be Empathetic

Empathy goes a long way and can buy you a lot of goodwill. Remember, everyone is working and building their careers, and concerned for their future and stability. People will continue to make mistakes in their work. This is where empathy can show that you care and are worthy of their trust. This leads to more honest and open communication.

4.  Watch for Nonverbal Cues

The signs of stress or impending problems are often more easily seen than heard. In the age of video calls, watching for nonverbal clues can give you an edge when anticipating challenges. By being alert to and addressing these clues, not only are you being proactive but you show that you care enough to pay attention. That can go a long way toward bolstering communication between employees, managers and HR.

5.  Give Employees Options to Have Their Concerns Addressed

Communication is a two-way street and by making it easy for employees to have their concerns heard and addressed, you are proving with your actions that you care. One-on-one conversations, suggestions boxes, easy access to HR and an open-door policy to managers are ways to show that employees matter. When people believe their voices matter, they speak.

6.  Develop Feedback Mechanisms

Create a secure channel to communicate and encourage feedback from employees. To gain organizational feedback, allow employees to utilize several means of communication, such as reaching out to HR, talking to a senior or manager (open-door communication), or providing anonymous suggestion channels. Offering various methods allows the concerns to reach the right authorities and encourages the employees to give feedback, which helps immensely in professional development. For more intense leadership development feedback, consider HR Impact 360, a program where leaders are assessed by their direct reports, peers and superiors.

7.  Ease the Work-from-Home (WFH) Experience

As we all know, maintaining productivity is challenging while working from home. Therefore, employers who can arrange for equipment to support working at home will help employees succeed. By now, most organizations have implemented software and tools (Zoom, Slack, etc.) to help employees perform without much hindrance. On the other hand, holding meetings and discussions on time that limit the effect on their family can ease the WFH experience. Opting for audio vs. video calls when few people are needed can also speed up things.

8.  Provide Job Security

One of employees’ greatest fears, based on our conversations with them, is the possibility they might lose their jobs and have their careers derailed. Being a leader, it is difficult to navigate this territory. Many states are “employment at will,” which means employers and employees can part company at any time for very little reason. And employers must be careful not to insinuate job security in precarious times. Be cautious about assuring employees that their jobs are secure. And if you know it not to be the case, let them know in advance to give them enough time to prepare.

9. Keep Plans Transparent

These unprecedented times call for leaders to be extra composed as their subordinates look to them for cues often timed for strength and inspiration. When appropriate, share strategies and planning with employees and communicate the organization’s performance focus so that employees can, if need be, modify their work accordingly.

10. Encourage Participation in Group Conversations

A study done by Baylor University, a private Christian school, found that younger staff were less likely to offer an opinion or participate in a discussion if the more senior staff remained silent. Due to the perceived hierarchy and their “place” in the organization, people didn’t feel free to speak. By making it clear that participation is encouraged and expected, you can improve the quality of your group discussions.

Need Specialized Guidance?

The pandemic has transformed the way organizations operate, and for these changing times, you need better and more specialized strategies. In HIS Name HR helps implement effective HR plans and programs for organizational success. Our experienced HR leaders ensure that your organization enjoys improved productivity and better employee relations in just a short period of time.

If the pandemic has you stressed out, let our 10 years of serving clients nationwide benefit you. We are the leaders in human resource consulting and outsourcing services from a Christian perspective. Let our experts assist you in these hard times and save yourself from unnecessary pain and stress!

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Mark A. Griffin is founder and Chief Consultant at In HIS Name HR LLC. He has over 25 years of HR experience. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

In His Name HR helps organizations build high-performance human resource programs. E-mail us here.

Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Christian Higher Ed HR, Human Resources, Kingdom Company Building

Integrate — Creating Meaningful Communication Processes

Dec 12, 2020

Integrate — Creating Meaningful Communication Processes

The first question most management teams have after creating a new Mission, Vision and Values statement (MVV) for an organization is: What do we do with it? Integrating into all aspects of your HR processes is paramount to the success of your MVV. The heart of these processes typically lies within the communication processes and employee relations materials of the organization. Since HR typically controls this function, it becomes that much easier for them to communicate the MVV statement effectively.

There are countless avenues to share and ingrain your MVVs within your organization, as well as clients and customers. These can include but are not limited to:

• Your organization’s newsletter
• Your organization’s website
• Brochures in the front lobby as a takeaway for visitors
• Postings in employee break and meeting rooms
• Hand copies to applicants during employment interviews
• Your organization’s marketing materials
• The reverse side of your organization’s business cards
• Inclusion in the packaging of all shipments

If it is important enough for the company to include in the employee handbook, the recruitment process, the performance review process and the employee job descriptions, then it is certainly important enough to include in the above areas as well.

Several years ago, I worked with a company where more than a few of the employees were nervous about sharing the company MVVs with people outside of the organization. Their fear was that the Christian overtones in the MVV statement might offend customers in the Middle East. Others were nervous that prospective employees might be offended or misinterpret our intent.

When the smoke cleared and time went by, employees started to realize that the advantages far outweighed the disadvantages; it did much more good than bad. 

Ultimately, the majority of employees supported it, and, as a result, customers displayed a newfound confidence in us, and our integrity. The customers from the Middle East never complained, and we received more compliments than complaints from applicants. I believe that is how God works. When we stand for Him, unashamed, anything is possible. When we don’t, we are subject to a not so nice outcome.

What will you do? I say, be a difference maker, and be bold in your faith. At the end of your life, what will you tell God? I will say, “Father, I hope You can see I was not afraid and tried to be Your good and faithful servant.

How have you chosen to share your MVV with your employees? How about the community and your customers/clients? Let us know by sharing your comments below. Thank you.

Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Kingdom Company Building

What Is In Your Heart Comes Out of Your Mouth

Apr 4, 2013

Proverbs 12:14

¹⁴From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things, and the work of their hands brings them reward.

When our words help and benefit our people, we honor God. People who experience kindness and encouragement will surely bear good fruit. Many leaders do not realize that what is in their hearts comes out of their mouths, In other words, “What is in a man comes out of the man.” If one’s heart is filled with evil, then he will speak evil.

If Jesus is in his heart, then Jesus is what will come out

This is why we should, as Christian Business Leaders, be constantly filling ourselves to the brim with goodness, not despair and disaster or things that are not wholesome. How do we do this? Here are a few suggestions:

• Spend time reading God’s Word
• Have a relationship with God by fellowshipping with other believers
• Volunteer in a Ministry in which you can impact the world
• Devote time with your family sharing your life with Christ
• Connect in a Bible study or start one yourself
• Help grow the Church that you attend
• Encourage and minister to our youth

All these opportunities are important; because they will help you become more like Christ. What you feed your spirit is what will come out. When a person’s life is filled with Jesus, then his works (the work of his hands) will be blessed. Be assured that you will be a blessing to others.

So, beloved Christian Leaders, if you are committed to being more Christ-like and you embrace partaking in several of these bulleted recommendations, you will be a light unto your people, and you are building a “Kingdom Minded” Organization.

 Help our community of readers

What have you done to help fill yourself up with Christ? How do you ensure you never get near empty? How can you help others in your workplace to do the same?

Quick question? Need Career Coaching or HR Assistance?

E-mail us here.

Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Inspiration