Category: Analytics Consulting

Five Things That I Ask My Leadership Team To Do

As our team continues to grow and the type of work continues to diversify, I have been reflecting a lot on the way we approach things. The way we influence those we work with, the words we choose to motivate each other and the commitment we demonstrate to ourselves, each other and our clients all have a huge impact on our success.

Leaders do more than manage. They inspire and empower. They also hold people accountable. Having worked with and for some great leaders over my career, these are the top five things I ask my leadership team to do.

  1. Do The Work. Nothing inspires others more than seeing a person in a position of authority work hard. Putting in the extra effort, making sacrifices and going above on beyond to bet things done. Excelling at what you do is the best way to get others to do the same.
  2. Sharing The Vision. I use the term sound like a broken record a lot… meaning you should share and share and share stories and ideas and dreams that give people a vision of where things are going. In this fractured world, so full of distractions, it’s really not possible overshare your vision.
  3. Carrot And Stick. I use this metaphor a lot to remind my team that we have to be equally well versed in both discipline and praise. That we need to balance being a good cop and a bad cop. Being fair and just, is in the end what all employees want from their leaders.
  4. Don’t just give directions. Explain why things are important. Looks for root causes and not just the symptoms. Take the extra time to write a more comprehensive email, or sit down and explain something a second time, or use visuals to re-enforce why we do what we do.
  5. No excuses. True leaders accept responsibility, hold themselves accountable for failures and offer up solutions to problems. Unsuccessful leaders offer explanations and excuses.

So as we kick into high gear with expansion plans, these are the things I will be doing, sharing, reminding, and educating my team about.

Analytics Leadership – DMAIPH specializes in arming the Data-Driven Leader with the tools and techniques they need to build and empower an analytics centric organization. Analytics leadership requires a mastery of not just analytics skill, but also of nurturing an analytics culture. We have guided thousands of Filipino professionals to become better analytics leaders. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly to discuss a uniquely tailored strategy to ensure you are the top of your game when it comes to Analytics Leadership.

Every Conflict Is An Opportunity

There is a truth in the workplace that many of us spend a lot of time and energy trying to overlook. That truth is Conflict and while you can try to avoid conflict for a while, you cannot escape it.

This is especially true if you are in a leadership position in the workplace. Conflict — and, more specifically, conflict resolution — is your job. The more you are able to recognize it, understand it, and ultimately resolve it, the more successful you will be. Being a good communicator is a key way to be successful in managing conflict.

LinkedIn Blogger, Bernard Marr, recently posted, “The first step you can take is to prevent conflicts that are preventable — not all of them are, but by actually seeking out a potential conflict and taking steps to mitigate it, you’ll make your job ultimately much easier. For example, if someone on your team sends out a vague email that could easily be misunderstood, asking for clarification upfront could head off future conflict.”

Marr points out that “as a leader, you also need to be proactive in defining what is and isn’t acceptable and helpful in a given situation.” A great example is when team members in leadership positions send vague emails or do not include all the relevant information. This can quickly lead to confusion and poor performance. Many time the root cause of poor performance, bad decision-making and low morale can stem directly from lack of proactive communication.

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Back when I was a teacher, we would often talk about “teachable moments,” and every conflict is a strong teachable moment. When there are two sides, two opposing viewpoints, there is a remarkable opportunity for learning, innovation, and even team building. Getting the two sides to communicate and acknowledge room to grow on both sides is paramount.

According to Marr, “Great leaders don’t shy away from conflict or avoid it, but rather see it as a tool for bringing a team closer together. When there is a desire to resolve a conflict, it can be resolved — every time — and usually to the benefit of both parties.”

True leaders know how to use conflict to bring about positive and necessary change. They recognize that conflict is essential for an organization to evolve. With ever conflict we either have a crisis or an opportunity… I try hard to be proactive, to communicate and to always turn a conflict into an opportunity.

Analytics Leadership – DMAIPH specializes in arming the Data-Driven Leader with the tools and techniques they need to build and empower an analytics centric organization. Analytics leadership requires a mastery of not just analytics skill, but also of nurturing an analytics culture. We have guided thousands of Filipino professionals to become better analytics leaders. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly to discuss a uniquely tailored strategy to ensure you are the top of your game when it comes to Analytics Leadership. 

Doing My Own Market Assessment > Setting Up A Manpower Business

When I first moved here to the Philippines, the business model I set in motion was to set up a recruitment, training and placement business for analysts.

The concept was simple, recruit fresh grads, give them 2-4 weeks of analytics training and place them primarily in the BPO industry.

Three years and a lot of interesting adventures later, I am kind of back where I started when it comes to this idea of upscaling young talent and helping them get their foot in the door as their careers begin.

With that in mind, I am once again doing my own market assessment for the new business venture.

Last time I looked, I saw that the no one else doing analytics themed training and certainly not for the youth. I also saw over 1,000 analyst job posted in jobstreet.com and thought it was a no brainer to get into the business of helping fill those slots. So it looked like the competitive landscape was wide open. Three years later there are a handful of schools and private companies offering analytics-themed training. The pie has gotten bigger even though there are more people cooking the same pie.

College and Universities continue to churn out hundreds of thousands of graduates every year. And a nearly equal number of students leave school early because of financial challenges. However, there is a ever widening skills gap between the skill set of these students and the hiring requirements of the BPOs. There is a huge talent pool out there to be tapped.

The BPO industry continue to grow at double digit pace, with more and more requirements for new hires to not only start at entry level, but further up the food chain. Today I just did a search on jobstreet.com and there are 1,500 analyst jobs posted in jobstreet.com

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So, there is still a huge need for a manpower business that supplied an upscale level of analytics talent that higher education and private enterprise has not been able to meet.

This analysis is based on not just my assumption and my experience, but also lots and lots of cold, hard data.

2015 = Game On

When I Put My Mind To Something…

Before anything else, I always remind myself to be thankful for my blessings. It has been a long and challenging journey to get to where I am today. More blood, sweat and tears than anyone would believe.

All the hard work, doing the right thing and being prayerful has however, put me in a position to be pretty successful at what I do. And what I do best is empower people to achieve their dreams the same way I have seen my dreams come true.

When I put my mind to something, I have a laser like focus. That focus drives me through difficult times and keeps me moving forward. For a lot of people, I know they have trouble dealing with someone who has such a powerful focus on his goals.

But that is what I look for in people to surround myself with, to add to my team and to be partners in opportunities. The ability to focus to me is a primary key to being successful.

On Friday I, as I was working diligently on a plan of adding as many as 12 new employees in the next few weeks. My focus on the challenge at hand, certainly ruffled some feathers and made a few people uncomfortable.

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Out of that focus came three action items that I could accomplish over the weekend that would do a lot to help our recruitment efforts.

In the short term, we need to augment our recruiting team. So I sent 200 LinkedIn emails to recruiters I am connected with to see if I can pirate one way from someone. I have an interview today with one and several others I’ve had convos with.

In the near term, we need to continue to diversify our marketing efforts. One of my goals has been to write a couple of business books. Two of them I have near completion, but I have been to swamped to finish them. So I blogged about needing a co-writer to finish them. I got several applicants and think I have already identified the one I want to partner with.

And in the long term, I want to get on the calendar of a couple schools to keep the pipeline of future analysts and DMAI employees going. I have one locked up at Jose Rizal University and  another in the works based on some FB conversations.

Some blessinga from above, a supportive family and a great team all help… but in the end my success is all a product of my ability to focus on a goal and just work harder at it than anyone else.

So there you go, the secret of my success is that I just flat out work my ass off and enjoy doing it.

Word Of The Day: Cohesive

From Jim Collins, Good to Great, “Organizational Health is about making your business function more effectively by building a cohesive leadership team, establishing real clarity among those leaders, communicating that clarity to everyone within the organisation and then putting in place structures to reinforce that clarity on an on-going basis”

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Full Definition of COHESIVE from Webster’s:  exhibiting or producing cohesion or coherence <a cohesive social unit> <cohesive soils>

Examples of COHESIVE

 Their tribe is a small but cohesive group.

Religion can be used as a cohesive social force.

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Being more cohesive. That is my goal for January 2015.

Let’s take this team of experienced and well intentioned individuals and mold them into a more effective force for the development of the business.

Lack of structure is can be the death knell of even the best companies.

Our structure needs to be more defined and transparent.

Let us commit to getting on the same page and demonstrating that from top to bottom.  After all, Homies help homies, always!

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The key challenge is coming up with metrics to measure the cohesiveness of your organization.  I have figured that out, so if you need help, connect with me and I will show you how.

Analytics Leadership – DMAIPH specializes in arming the Data-Driven Leader with the tools and techniques they need to build and empower an analytics centric organization. Analytics leadership requires a mastery of not just analytics skill, but also of nurturing an analytics culture. We have guided thousands of Filipino professionals to become better analytics leaders. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly to discuss a uniquely tailored strategy to ensure you are the top of your game when it comes to Analytics Leadership. 

It’s All About Adding Value

The last few days I have been thinking a lot about how to explain a concept that is important to understanding how to be successful in any company, but especially in mine.

When I look at those who have risen up through the ranks and have seen promotions and pay raises, there is one thing that really stands out. They have found ways to add value to the business. They do more than just the minimums and they have been rewarded for it.

When I look at those who have not been as successful I see the opposite. There is a sense of entitlement that they deserve something more, but at least in my eyes, have yet to prove they have earned. In each of their cases I see opportunities missed and choices made that did not add value to the company.

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I did a little research and came across this statement from a business blogger Brian Loomer, “If you go through your workdays just trying not to get fired, then you are probably headed for trouble,” says Loomer.

“Instead, push those negative thoughts out of your mind. Focus on the work you do and how you add value to your company. Infuse positivity and a can-do attitude to those on your team. Work smarter than your competition and you can get ahead every time.”

And finally, I would add you need to figure out what is valuable in the eyes of your customers, your boss, and the company as a whole. Focusing on just what is valuable to you is not what being part of a team is all about .

A Compliment That Really Made My Day

Just wanted to share a compliment that really made day from a colleague of mine. Esin and I met at a Tableau conference in October 2011, which was right when I was in the midst of planning on leaving Wells Fargo to set up my own business in the Philippines.

I asked Esin if I could share this in my blog, “It has been very inspiring to see the growth of your business via Linkedin. I remember vividly you describing your business plan over lunch at the Las Vegas Tableau conference.”

“You had a vision and you executed it successfully. Not many people have that kind of follow-through. I wish you health, happiness, and continued success in 2015.”

Now that really made my day.

We Are The Choices We Make

This time of the year, I tend to be very reflective.. both on the year that is almost past and the life that is one more year of me in the making.

Which each year we are faced with new challenges and new opportunities. How we deal with these challenges and what we do with these opportunities shape the year and the person we have become.

Its all about the choices we make.

As wes spend the last few days of the year with family and friends, enjoying the holidays, I think its important to look at the choices we have made that have led us to where we are now.

We made some good choices and we made some bad choices, but if indeed we are happier now than we were before the we are mainly making the right choices. If not, then its a good time make some resolutions to make better decisions in the coming year.

For in the end we are the choice we make.

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Once You’ve Committed To Doing Something Daily…

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2014/12/daily.html

Seth Godin is really on a roll… here is another awesome post that really hits home for me.

“There’s a fundamental difference between the things you do every day, every single day, and the things you do only when the spirit moves you.

One difference is that once you’ve committed to doing something daily, you find that the spirit moves you, daily.”

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About two years ago, blogging became something that I committed to doing at least 3-4 times a week. Blogging is the single best way to market my company.

It’s not just something I do because I have to do it, I do it because I love to share my knowledge and experience.

What is something you wish you could do more of, but only seem to do it once in awhile. Figure out how to make it daily, and you will see Seth is right!