Business Consulting - Is It The Right Answer To Personnel Problems?

In my consulting experience, personnel problems are Symptoms of bad leadership and the problems are in fact only "symptoms". It is therefore important to realize that the problems are not the causes of discomfort or disorganization, they are the visual effect of a lack of internal leadership and management skills.

Truth be told, you will near always find that there are no external solutions to an internal problem... and please pay attention to the fact that I am stating that as an external consultant. So, it should be obvious that my statement is not based on protecting my own best interests, I am merely stating a true fact.

Thus, it should be obvious that there are therefore "No External Solutions to Internal Problems". Yet every year entrepreneurs and businesses spend "billions" of dollars, on buying direct consultancy advice and/or "fix-everything-programs" from external "expert consultancies".

In near all of those cases; I as an consultant will merely be acting in a counseling role using the "mirror" method, to let the company see their own "reflection".

Although external sources such as coaches and consultants "like I" can often be an efficient source for motivation and enlightenment. Then we can never be the source from which the solution to the internal problems can be found. Only the management and personnel can discover the true solution to the problems, because they are the ones who originally created the problems and most often they are also the direct source of the problems.

So to be blunt, if you really want to discover the solutions to internal problems, then all you have to do is take a good look at your personnel, the management and the directors!

Point 1: Your Personnel

Your personnel are easily evaluated by simply first assessing if they "live" by the company guidelines in all their work related tasks and time, and to a certain extent outside of it as well. Those who do not "live" by the guidelines should be reminded of the guidelines, then warned and finally fired if they do not shape up.

#-A. Evaluations of your personnel should be consistent and preferably a monthly or quarterly task, but at minimum an annual task. This is to evaluate if they are achieving both the personal and departmental goals, which should have been set with them and for them.

#-B. Personnel found to be lacking behind their goals, by more than 15% due to either incompetence or lack of discipline, should be terminated swiftly and openly. If they are lacking behind with less than 15%, then consider retraining and re-motivating them and then schedule another evaluation. If they still haven't improved measurably and consistently then terminate them immediately.

#-C. However, if they aren't underachieving due to incompetence or a lack of self-discipline, then you need to find out if they are underachieving. Is it due to a lack in the resources allocated to the specific achievement of the goals? If there is, then fix it immediately and if necessary re-set the goals accordingly.

Point 2: Your Managers

Management is evaluated, by simply looking at the management guides and regulations they have set for their personnel to follow. The simple fact is that the more rules and regulations a company or department has, the worse it is managed. Because, a good manager establishes company guidelines, after having engaged in open and honest two-way communication with his team, and then only a few simple and direct rules will be needed.

#-A. A good manager thus set guidelines and not rules or regulations, but a great manager also "lives" in alignment with the guidelines he has set and motivates others to do the same.

#-B. A successful manager first educates his staff in the values and visions behind the guidelines. Secondly he reminds his staff about the guidelines and the intend behind the guidelines, and he warns staff in a friendly but stern manner, if they do not follow the guidelines. Thirdly, he acts swiftly and decisively against those who do not heed his warning and fire them immediately upon discovery that they are in violation of the company guidelines.

#-C. Always be consequent when firing staff, do it openly, and honestly, letting everyone else know why they were fired. However, be absolute certain that you act without prejudice, for nothing causes more internal problems than when double standards are used for the managers relatives, friends and allies.

Any manager found to be prejudicial in any of his responses to any of the members of his teams, must be swiftly fired by senior management or the directors, and everyone else should be told why!

Point 3: Your Directors

#-A. Always keep in mind that no chain is stronger then the weakest link and that no company is better than its personnel. If you have found widespread personnel and management problems and have had to trim both personnel and managers, then it should be clear that the "weak link" is to be found among your directors. Afterall, it is your directors who is responsible for hiring and overseeing your managers!

#-B. If your personnel and management are found to be lazy, unmotivated and disloyal, then they are either reflecting their directors personalities, or their behaviors are the direct result of well meaning but incompetent director/s. Either way, you must fix the real problem. So go fire their immediate director today!

Conclusions

You should always keep in mind that no business or department is better than the teams that "make-up" the business or department. Moreover, those teams are only as good and strong as both the directors and the managers allows the personnel to be.

By far the most common root of personnel problems, are due to directors and managers, who micromanage their staff and thus stifles their natural problem solving abilities and innovative spirit. So, no matter what excuses you make, no matter how you explain away the problems, and no matter where you seek to lay the blame; the fact remain that bad staff are the results of bad management!

Right now for instance, you have two options. You can either accept my advice as words of wisdom, or you can shake your head and raise your eyebrows. Heck, you can even throw in a completely new excuse, or you can just click away from this page and go tell everyone, that I am a "fool" with no management skills.

I can easily live with that solution, the important question is;
Can your business live with that solution?

However, if you really want to achieve success and are prepared to accept full responsibility for your leadership actions, decisions and current business regulations. Then this article by Dan Sommer, will take you and your business towards profitable success.

I guarantee you, that if you follow the message and action plans given on my web page http://www.dansommer.biz, then you will achieve your business objectives and see your company's vision come through in less than three years. In addition, I can also guarantee you that your life will have improved significantly in those short three years.

So don't waste more of your time... for time is precious and it is the only "thing" that you can never increase or regain. Every business day lost is a day that is lost forever. So, without further delays, it is time for entrepreneurial action!

About the Author: Since 1994 the Dan, has been writing training program’s for security companies and police departments. He has instructed on security and protection courses world-wide for security officers, bodyguards, police officers, counter assault teams and surveillance detection units. Dan currently acts as the chairman of the World Federation of Bodyguards and has a private business as a Security & Protection Consultant and training program designer. He also teaches Marketing & Business Management to small businesses, entrepreneurs and Close Protection Officers who are setting up their own consultancy and protection agencies.

Go to http://www.dansommer.biz to learn more about how Dan can help YOUR business grow.