Welcome to The Fordyce Letter:

The Fordyce Letter

Straight Talk for the Recruiting Profession


For Managers

Business, For Managers, The Business of Recruiting

The Importance of Drama in Your Business

by on Dec. 19, 2011


drama-masks

I attended the NAPS conference back in September. I left angry and frustrated after listening to Don Schmincke defiantly explain that success in our companies is not about mastering processes, metrics, goals, or strategic analysis. Hadn’t I just filled three exercise books with notes on exactly that, ready to fly home to Japan to change the face of recruiting?

Wasn’t the NAPS conference all about the processes of recruiting, content, metrics, scripts, function, industry specialization, and location?  Not to Schmincke — he indicated that these are important but are not the main drivers of our businesses.

I now had more questions than answers. Why had I started my own firm eight months earlier? What was our mission at our new company, Morunda KK? What was our dream, our purpose? Was I crazy?

Schmincke spoke of Viktor Frankl from his book, Man’s Search for Meaning. Frankl, an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist as well as a Holocaust survivor, observed human behavior as a prisoner in Nazi Germany’s concentration camps. He discovered that it was those people that had a dream, purpose, and passion that survived the concentration camps, and those that didn’t perished.

Don Schmincke had rekindled the desire that had led me to recruiting ten years earlier. I started to dream and imagine in a way I had not done for a long time. The words of Og Mandino (The Greatest Salesman in the World) sprang to mind, “I’ll greet this day with love in my heart for this is the greatest secret of success.”  Passion and love drive profits, not processes.  Our attitude determines our achievements in life and in business. Passion always triumphs.

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For Managers

If You Want To Measure Something, Measure Quality of Activity

by on Dec. 5, 2011


Lao Tzu

“Great acts are made up of small deeds.” — Lao Tzu (ancient Chinese philosopher and founder of Taoism)

How true this is in our own business. Too often, we tend to focus on the end result by concentrating on the number of submits per week or the number of appointments you had this week. Don’t get me wrong — those are important KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) to follow; however, you could make your weekly quota of meetings and submits week after week and still not be close to driving revenue at the end of the month.

Activity without “quality” is just a wasted exercise of time, resources, and company money. – Daniel Guelzo 

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Editor's Corner, For Managers

Making Workplace Adjustments to Accommodate Unconventional Leadership

by on Nov. 21, 2011


TimTebow

I’ve been a fan of Tim Tebow since he was at the University of Florida. I cheered for him then, and I take great pleasure in cheering for him still — and not just because he is a Gator (like me), a Heisman trophy winner, and an all-around awesome guy. I cheer for him because while he was a winner in college, he’s a guy who isn’t “supposed” to win in the NFL — and yet he does. He’s the proverbial underdog that we all claim to want to see win. (Though popular opinion sure doesn’t seem to indicate that… but that’s a completely different article.)

So after the Denver Broncos’ record improved to 5-5 (4-1 with Tebow starting) with a win over the Jets this last Thursday, I was so pleased to read this fantastic article by my colleague, John Hollon about how Tebow is breaking the mold of what success and leadership is supposed to look like in the NFL.

Leadership, no matter what line of work you are currently in, doesn’t have to come in a certain package, a certain style, a certain look, or from a certain background. Hollon says,

“If you get locked into believing that a leader must look and act a certain way, or have a certain kind of demeanor and experience, you’ll miss out on the unconventional person (or style) who can be equally (if not more) successful for you.”

In order for this to happen, sometimes you have to change what you may not even realize is broken. Because it’s not. It’s just not as good as it could be.

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For Managers

“The Phone Rang…” The Success Pyramid

by on Oct. 21, 2011


JOHN WOODEN

The phone rang. It was Craig, a recruitment firm owner from Westwood, California—home of my alma mater, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). I often think of UCLA…

One of the reasons I went to UCLA was that I wanted to be proud when I was asked where I received my college degree. And it worked. I am proud when asked that question. But, in addition to my diploma, I gained something else along the way. I became aware of the teachings of our legendary basketball coach, John Wooden – The Wizard of Westwood. I still remember watching him from the student section at Pauley Pavilion as the Bruins were warming up before a game; his calm professionalism; his rolled-up program; how he looked up into the stands behind the Bruin bench right before the tip-off to find his beloved wife Nellie and give her a wink and a wave.

During my college years, I learned about the Wooden Pyramid of Success that Coach spent fourteen years developing. It requires a lot for those who follow it, but it is a proven foundation to build upon.

In this article, I am going to discuss Coach Wooden’s pyramid and how the central blocks and the external casings relate to our world of executive recruitment.

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For Managers

Your Business Development Team — Wise Investment or Money Pit?

by on Oct. 13, 2011


money

The sales team is the primary revenue source for most businesses. However, this revenue is not without significant cost. If not carefully managed, this revenue source can easily become a money pit. There are five areas business executives should watch to ensure they make a wise investment in their sales team.

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For Managers

“The Phone Rang…” The Classics of Planning & Organization

by on Sep. 30, 2011


Telephone Keypad

This time when the phone rang, I knew who was calling. Benjamin was punctual and anxious to get started. During our last session, Ben and I had covered two of the five points in the Monitoring Star. We had discussed, in detail, Yearly Goals and Quarterly Goals. Now it was time to discuss the final three points of the star: The Daily Planner; Modularization & Blitzing; and The 100 Point Sheet. Once we finished with all five major topics, Ben would possess the necessary structure and monitoring systems so that he would be well on his way to achieving his recruiting goals.

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For Managers

Finding Transcendent Talent: How to Recruit and Manage the Best of the Best

by on Sep. 22, 2011


AJennings1-08

The economy is perking up. Hiring is on the rise in corporate America. Recruiters and recruiting firms are flourishing and our clients are seeking transcendent talent to help them thrive today and in the future. Executive recruiting firms like Lucas Group are seeking that talent as well.

What constitutes transcendent talent? What professional and personal characteristics should you look for in high-performing recruiters? How do you recruit, manage, and incentivize top performers and help them become million dollar billers?

Over the last three decades in the recruiting industry, I have learned how critically important talent, cultural fit, and professional achievement are in our world. Below are a few of the lessons that I’ve learned in my career that have helped Lucas Group grow from a four-person shop helping military personnel transition into the business marketplace, to a major executive recruiting firm with offices in 15 cities across North America and successful recruiters working in every major industry.

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Ask Barb, For Managers

Ask Barb: Dealing with Recruiter Conflict

by on Sep. 14, 2011


Ask Barb

Dear Barb:

Business is improving, but now I’m dealing with all kinds of conflict with my recruiters.  They have become extremely territorial and I’m beginning to feel like a referee in my own business.  I’m still the top producer in my firm and can’t afford all the time and energy this is taking away from my desk.  Do I just fire these senior prima donnas and start from scratch?

Judy J., Colorado Springs, CO

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For Managers

Force-Multiply Your Production By Leveraging Recyclability and Systems

by on Sep. 13, 2011


everythings bigger in TX

We’ve got a saying in Texas — “It ain’t braggin’ if it’s true.” We are KILLING it this year, on pace for 300% growth year over year, and over 50% more than my career high from 2005. We have more business than we can possibly handle, and I just recently hired another two project people to meet the demand.

So I asked myself recently — what’s different? What am I doing this year that’s kicking it into high gear and taking my search practice to the NEXT LEVEL?

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Cold Calling, For Managers

Sales – The Big Mistake?

by on Aug. 15, 2011


jeremy_snell

…only without strategy!

There is a common mistake that I see repeated across the recruitment and staffing industry. From a development and training perspective over 80% of the recruiters I encounter are seeking to develop their sales skills: opening techniques, killer questions, Jedi-like influence skills, and robust closing skills. Each of these is a potentially valid training need. Each an area that I know I can help them to develop, although for some it is a case of putting the cart before the horse.

Let me explain further. Becoming a ‘great’ sales practitioner is clearly the goal of every sales person. Developing the techniques to win more clients is undoubtedly an important focus area for a self-sufficient recruiter. What benefit is there to develop such skills if you are pointing in the wrong direction? Developing the salesmanship of the individual alone is not going to generate more business.

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