As we move toward 2010 what approach do you and your management team take to ensure the business strategy is supported by all employees and do you consider their feedback when planning for the future?: Recruitment Extra

Martin Nicholls
CEO, Talent2, Hong Kong

“Execution without strategy, after all, is really just guessing!” I saw this in a presentation recently in Hong Kong and it really says it all. Just how many organisations have gone under because they either failed to execute on a well thought out plan or failed to develop a well thought plan in the first place?

Many recruitment organisations, certainly across Asia, are regrouping and refocussing on an opportunistic and improved market. This calls for a well-informed plan, and bringing everyone into the vision is critical. However, all too often, senior management across all industries gives into the temptation to just communicate a plan and go!

However, as the tide turns from survival to growth mode, total inclusion is key – not only for getting the plan right in the first place but also for securing engagement and execution. As the headhunt calls start to flow across our industry it might just be a clearly defined plan or strategy versus a “road to nowhere” that tempts people away.

Strategies need to be right for the markets in which we work and it is our teams that are at the coal face. This means sharing a strategy and asking for input from all levels is key – and a willingness to tweak it accordingly. Inclusion can of course come in various forms – workshops, whole company planning sessions, individual/team business plans etc – but the most important thing is that it actually happens… otherwise planning just remains “one of those things that senior management do and never tell us about”.

As Chief Executive Officer of Talent2 in Hong Kong and Taiwan, Martin leads executive recruitment activities and is exposed to a range of markets across North Asia. An MBA graduate with over 20 years of executive recruitment and human resource consulting experience in both Europe and the Asia Pacific, Martin has consulted with many of the world’s leading organisations. He spent 10 years in the recruitment industry in Europe before moving to Australia in 1997 where he held executive positions with both Morgan & Banks and Hudson. Prior to joining Talent2 three yearsago, Martin was CEO of Beilby Corporation. Martin earned a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Economics from City University, London and Syracuse University, New York on an educational scholarship. His MBA is from the University of Bath Business School.

Greg Savage
CEO, Aquent, Australia

It’s a balancing act. On the one hand it is crucial to get buy-in from key personnel, especially if your strategy includes change. But on the other hand, you can’t manage a business by consensus. This is particularly true in challenging times, as I believe one of the hallmarks of true leadership is that the leader sees the need for change before anyone else does.

At Aquent we are in fact engineering signifi cant change in our strategy and tactic for 2010. At the time of writing we are in the middle of communicating these changes, many of which will impact our staff significantly. The best way to communicate this successfully is to work closely with key managers fi rst. They should not just be “told”. These people are your engines for driving successful change, so it’s wise to invest plenty of time working through the rationale for our strategy, get their input, even tweak it if necessary. Mostly I have found that if they are the right people in the first place, their approach won’t be that dissimilar from your own and serious resistance is unlikely.

Then it’s important to address the second level. These are senior people in the business, who are “senior” not by title, but by influence. We have already started briefing these people, explaining their roles, allaying their fears and garnering their support. These individuals are absolutely key because they are not seen as “management” and their attitudes and opinions have a huge affect on the general views of the wider team. They are closer to the “coal face” and they can assess how change will impact clients, talent and other staff, even better than managers can in some cases.

Finally, it’s important to work hard to communicate the messages to the broader team. Email alone is no good. It’s got to be via face-to-face meetings or video conference or conference call. If it’s a big change in strategy you need to follow up the initial communication with more detailed back-up sessions. Questions need to be encouraged, and addressed. But once the strategy is delivered, there is no turning back.

Over the past seven years Greg Savage has overseen Aquent’s diversification and growth strategy in the international market, refocusing the company on niche sectors within the marketing, creative and communication fields – an initiative that has secured Aquent’s leadership position in this space and resulted in the business growing sevenfold in seven years. With a recruitment career that spans 30 years, including multi-office management of recruitment operations in Australia, New Zealand, England, Europe and many Asian countries, including Japan and China, Greg was promoted to Aquent International CEO in 2005. Formerly CEO of Asia Pacifi c, the promotion added nine offices in seven European countries under his responsibility. He is now responsible for 450 staff in 35 offi ces in 18 countries.

Amit Somaiya
Chief Executive, IMS, India

I would like to replace the term “support of employees” and replace it with a more strategic thought of “engagement of employees”. We believe that “support” is passive (and can be superficial), whereas “engagement” is active (real and substantial). An organisation benefits not with the support of its employees but when its employees are solely and fully engaged with its vision and mission.

The aim therefore should be to get your employees engaged with your business strategy. This is easily said than done. How many times have we walked down the office corridor to find that at the end of office hours staff immediately disappear, albeit tired and stressed out from a long session at work? Ironically, after leaving the office, the same staff are “enthusiastically’ involved in learning “ballet” or find the time and energy to be involved in the “social cause” of their neighborhood church. How do they fi nd such energy? How do they get so engaged?

The argument is not that employees today are not working hard and doing well. But in today’s competitive world, good is just not good enough, and therefore we need our employees to walk that extra mile or two along with us. If we can translate their enthusiasm and energy (earlier displayed for ballet and social service) it could substantially alter our work culture.

I believe true engagement and buy-in is when employees start owning the organisation (its objective and vision). What is therefore critical is the sense and culture of creating an ownership. This would lead to successful implementation of the business strategy.

Amit Somaiya is the Chief Executive of IMS and one of the founders of the business. He has qualified as a Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and also completed his Masters in Business Management from the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Manila, Philippines. Amit started his career with Mobil (now Exxon Mobil) in the Philippines, working in their Business Planning division for a period of two years. He subsequently moved back to India and before starting IMS had been involved in setting up various successful businesses, including a call centre and telemarketing operations, a direct marketing and training business, and an online web-based recruitment service. Amit’s core expertise is strategic and financial management. He is a firm believer in “Business Innovation and Excellence” and aspires to lead IMS in this direction.