Monday 26 February 2007
How to be a Leader
What does it take to be an effective leader, and is it possible to learn how to become one? Fiona Beddoes-Jones takes the lead and explains.
Leadership can be defined as, "influencing others so that they choose to follow you". Managing is all about getting things done through the involvement of others. Leadership is no longer about individual charismatic leaders. Nor is it about differentiating between leaders and managers.
All leaders need to manage and all managers need to lead. The most effective managers are able to lead when necessary, whilst the most effective leaders are also very good at managing; people, tasks and projects.
There is a vast array of leadership models and theories surrounding leadership. Unfortunately, these often serve to confuse people rather than help them to become better leaders. It is now widely accepted that leadership skills can be developed in the same ways as any other set of competencies.
Which "set" of leadership competencies you use within a particular role will probably largely depend on your Human Resources department.
However, leadership is very personal and is closely linked to your own personality style, therefore there will often be many different versions of leadership within one organisation.
This is not necessarily a bad thing. At worst it will highlight inconsistencies across geographical and functional boundaries. At best it will highlight the most appropriate leadership styles for a particular set of circumstances or locality. If you are smart you can learn from both.
So apart from learning by experience (also known as "learning the hard way"), what can you do to develop your leadership skills? What will the leaders of the future need in order to be successful?
Here are '10 Top Exercises' to help you to develop your leadership capabilities for the future at whatever level you sit within your organisation.
1. Develop your self awareness. The most effective leaders display high levels of "emotional intelligence" of which self awareness is a major component. Understanding yourself will also help you to understand others and unless you can do that you won't be able to influence them.
2. Understand what is valued as being "intelligent" within your organisation and make sure that you develop that. There are different types of intelligence and different things that are considered to be intelligent, for example creativity, numerical reasoning, logic, problem-solving skills, strategic thinking and implementation.
3. Use 360 degree feedback to learn about how others perceive you. Potentially, this could give you some of the most valuable insights that you will ever receive in your career. It could also provide you with a 'road map' to help you to structure your future development.
4. Develop a thirst for learning. Research suggests that great leaders are always curious about the world around them and what they can do to make a difference within that world.
5. Find a mentor and be a mentor. This will teach you a lot and may help you to develop some critical strategic relationships within your organisation.
6. Get a coach and learn to coach others. A coach is not the same as a mentor. Learn to coach your colleagues and your bosses, not just your own team and you will be welcome in any meeting.
7. Understand the dynamics of teams and the psychology of relationships. Without understanding people you won't be able to influence them. Without understanding relationships and the dynamics of teams you won?t be able to build supportive and cohesive teams around you.
8. Keep your ego in check. There are more important things in the organisation than an over-developed sense of your own importance.
9. Bring passion to work with you. Be passionate about what you do. Really care about your job, the people you do it with and the people you do it for.
10. Develop your project management skills. The best project managers are great presenters and can both lead and manage. They need to lead their project team and manage their client as well as maintaining the flexibility to focus appropriately on people and task issues.
These exercises will help you to develop "good leadership". However, you can also learn a lot from examples of "bad leadership". Here, to present the other side of the proverbial coin, are the "Top 10 Executive Derailers":
1. A fundamental personality flaw such as selfishness, arrogance, vindictiveness, meanness, or an inability to manage and control emotions such as anger, which alienates colleagues and subordinates.
2. A lack of personal integrity, dishonesty or lousy ethics.
3. Only developing your strengths and not compensating for your weaknesses, either by personal development activities or by surrounding yourself with critical support personnel.
4. Incongruence. You can only fool some of the people some of the time and not all of the people all of the time. The truth will out. If you are not a very nice person (for whatever reason) people will get to know about it. If you espouse values such as honesty and integrity but do not "walk the talk" yourself, you are being incongruent and people will not follow you.
5. Inability to develop cohesive and supportive teams. Relationships are critical. You can only be a leader if others are prepared to follow you.
6. Losing touch with reality. People who are surrounded by "yes men" who tell them that they are great eventually begin to believe their own hype. Just look at certain actors, politicians and sportsmen. All great leaders have someone who helps them keep their feet on the ground, even if it is their partners.
7. Being mentally unfit. The inability to take a multi perspective approach and use flexible thinking strategies. (see www.cognitivefitness.co.uk for information on developing your cognitive fitness).
8. Being physically unfit. To be truly successful you will need to be in the best physical shape possible. You will be better able to cope with stress and a high-pressure environment if you are physically fit. Triathlon is currently the fastest growing "executive sport".
9. Poor work/life balance skills. Being a workaholic will not bring you the respect of your peers. Ultimately it is more likely to bring you divorce proceedings and if you have children you will miss them growing up. Is that the life you ultimately want?
10. Not making the time to listen to what other people think and to learn what is important to them. "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care".
Your own sense of professionalism, your integrity and your concern for others will drive your leadership style; the type of Leader you choose to become is up to you. Honestly review these two lists making a note of those areas where you need to improve or could currently do better within your own leadership role.
If you follow these guidelines you could become a Great Leader. The Great Leaders of the future will have a sense of individual and corporate social responsibility. I hope that you will be one of them. Let me know how you get on.
Fiona Beddoes-Jones is a business psychologist who works with teams and executives, particularly high performing but dysfunctional ones. She is the author of the psychometric instrument, Thinking Styles. www.cognitivefitness.co.uk
Leadership can be defined as, "influencing others so that they choose to follow you". Managing is all about getting things done through the involvement of others. Leadership is no longer about individual charismatic leaders. Nor is it about differentiating between leaders and managers.
All leaders need to manage and all managers need to lead. The most effective managers are able to lead when necessary, whilst the most effective leaders are also very good at managing; people, tasks and projects.
There is a vast array of leadership models and theories surrounding leadership. Unfortunately, these often serve to confuse people rather than help them to become better leaders. It is now widely accepted that leadership skills can be developed in the same ways as any other set of competencies.
Which "set" of leadership competencies you use within a particular role will probably largely depend on your Human Resources department.
However, leadership is very personal and is closely linked to your own personality style, therefore there will often be many different versions of leadership within one organisation.
This is not necessarily a bad thing. At worst it will highlight inconsistencies across geographical and functional boundaries. At best it will highlight the most appropriate leadership styles for a particular set of circumstances or locality. If you are smart you can learn from both.
So apart from learning by experience (also known as "learning the hard way"), what can you do to develop your leadership skills? What will the leaders of the future need in order to be successful?
Here are '10 Top Exercises' to help you to develop your leadership capabilities for the future at whatever level you sit within your organisation.
1. Develop your self awareness. The most effective leaders display high levels of "emotional intelligence" of which self awareness is a major component. Understanding yourself will also help you to understand others and unless you can do that you won't be able to influence them.
2. Understand what is valued as being "intelligent" within your organisation and make sure that you develop that. There are different types of intelligence and different things that are considered to be intelligent, for example creativity, numerical reasoning, logic, problem-solving skills, strategic thinking and implementation.
3. Use 360 degree feedback to learn about how others perceive you. Potentially, this could give you some of the most valuable insights that you will ever receive in your career. It could also provide you with a 'road map' to help you to structure your future development.
4. Develop a thirst for learning. Research suggests that great leaders are always curious about the world around them and what they can do to make a difference within that world.
5. Find a mentor and be a mentor. This will teach you a lot and may help you to develop some critical strategic relationships within your organisation.
6. Get a coach and learn to coach others. A coach is not the same as a mentor. Learn to coach your colleagues and your bosses, not just your own team and you will be welcome in any meeting.
7. Understand the dynamics of teams and the psychology of relationships. Without understanding people you won't be able to influence them. Without understanding relationships and the dynamics of teams you won?t be able to build supportive and cohesive teams around you.
8. Keep your ego in check. There are more important things in the organisation than an over-developed sense of your own importance.
9. Bring passion to work with you. Be passionate about what you do. Really care about your job, the people you do it with and the people you do it for.
10. Develop your project management skills. The best project managers are great presenters and can both lead and manage. They need to lead their project team and manage their client as well as maintaining the flexibility to focus appropriately on people and task issues.
These exercises will help you to develop "good leadership". However, you can also learn a lot from examples of "bad leadership". Here, to present the other side of the proverbial coin, are the "Top 10 Executive Derailers":
1. A fundamental personality flaw such as selfishness, arrogance, vindictiveness, meanness, or an inability to manage and control emotions such as anger, which alienates colleagues and subordinates.
2. A lack of personal integrity, dishonesty or lousy ethics.
3. Only developing your strengths and not compensating for your weaknesses, either by personal development activities or by surrounding yourself with critical support personnel.
4. Incongruence. You can only fool some of the people some of the time and not all of the people all of the time. The truth will out. If you are not a very nice person (for whatever reason) people will get to know about it. If you espouse values such as honesty and integrity but do not "walk the talk" yourself, you are being incongruent and people will not follow you.
5. Inability to develop cohesive and supportive teams. Relationships are critical. You can only be a leader if others are prepared to follow you.
6. Losing touch with reality. People who are surrounded by "yes men" who tell them that they are great eventually begin to believe their own hype. Just look at certain actors, politicians and sportsmen. All great leaders have someone who helps them keep their feet on the ground, even if it is their partners.
7. Being mentally unfit. The inability to take a multi perspective approach and use flexible thinking strategies. (see www.cognitivefitness.co.uk for information on developing your cognitive fitness).
8. Being physically unfit. To be truly successful you will need to be in the best physical shape possible. You will be better able to cope with stress and a high-pressure environment if you are physically fit. Triathlon is currently the fastest growing "executive sport".
9. Poor work/life balance skills. Being a workaholic will not bring you the respect of your peers. Ultimately it is more likely to bring you divorce proceedings and if you have children you will miss them growing up. Is that the life you ultimately want?
10. Not making the time to listen to what other people think and to learn what is important to them. "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care".
Your own sense of professionalism, your integrity and your concern for others will drive your leadership style; the type of Leader you choose to become is up to you. Honestly review these two lists making a note of those areas where you need to improve or could currently do better within your own leadership role.
If you follow these guidelines you could become a Great Leader. The Great Leaders of the future will have a sense of individual and corporate social responsibility. I hope that you will be one of them. Let me know how you get on.
Fiona Beddoes-Jones is a business psychologist who works with teams and executives, particularly high performing but dysfunctional ones. She is the author of the psychometric instrument, Thinking Styles. www.cognitivefitness.co.uk
Personal Networking For Success
There is an old saying: "It's not what you know - it''s who you know." Proving this adage to be relevant today, Jo Parfitt discusses the benefits that networking with others can bring to your personal and professional life.
They say that the more people you know, the luckier you will be. Of course, the more people you know the more likely you are to hear of a great opportunity. When you are looking for your first job, nothing is more effective than networking. A massive 75 per cent of all jobs are found not through agencies, not through newspaper advertisements, but because of personal connections.
Gwen Rhys has specialised in helping other people to network since 1997 and her speaking engagements take her all over the world. She calls herself a "network catalyst" and puts her success down to having a genuine interest in people, places and things.
"I define the importance of networking as developing and nurturing a network of contacts in order to maximise opportunities for oneself and others," says Rhys. "I believe it is a core skill and a key tool." Rhys recognises that people are more mobile than ever and for her, a personal network of contacts becomes "a portable community".
Network to find a job
Christa Zihlmann used networking to find her latest job. Christa works for Mercer Human Resource Consulting as International Mobility Manager for Belgium and Luxembourg and lives in Geneva. "I'd been in Paris for five years and wanted to move on, so I called my old colleagues at the UN in Geneva and through a colleague I got the name of a headhunter. We became friends and she found me this job."
Christa has always networked and does so because she likes to meet women of other nationalities, background and thinking. "It keeps me informed of what is going on in other countries and different professional environments. It is good not to feel alone with my ideas and has stimulated me to think differently and look at different ways of doing things," she concludes.
Network to help you settle in
Will Kintish is the UK's leading authority on how to become a confident and effective networker. He believes that networking is crucial for someone when they start a new job in a new country. "Get involved in social clubs, sports areas, charity committees and so on. In the office too, you need to get out there and meet people, be visible. So smile when you walk down the corridor and talk to people at the coffee machine. You must let as many people as possible know that you exist," he advises.
Recent language graduate, Rebecca Law, threw caution to the wind, when only a few months ago she relocated to Holland to pursue a new career in a new country. "In circumstances like this," she says, "I cannot advocate the power of networking enough; international organisations and the expat community in general are made up predominantly of married couples, so when people relocate, they usually have an instant support network. Being single, I didn't have that luxury."
Rebecca, who has become involved in a local band, joined women's networking groups and begun reviewing music events for a newspaper, claims that networking has been her single most important tool for settling in. "Even informal, social gatherings have proved invaluable, enabling me to become fully integrated and opening up more opportunities to boot. The connections I've made through networking have also made me a rich resource and I am now of more value to potential and current employers."
Networking is so simple
Andy Lopata is the Managing Director of Business Referral Exchange (BRE), a UK based networking breakfast group. A breakfast meeting can be a great way to meet lots of people in a variety of businesses in a fairly informal setting and at a convenient time. "Just a couple of phone calls is all it takes to make a big difference to someone else," he says. "In networking a small ripple can create huge waves. When you find yourself able to give someone a contact name or a bit of advice, don't stop to think what you have to gain. If it's easy, just do it."
When Andy meets someone new he makes the effort to listen to them. He uses what he terms "the first tool of networking", which is to pursue the relationship and not the sale. He could see a chance meeting as an opportunity to tell someone all about his business, instead he listens.
Where to find your network
As Kintish explains, valuable members of your own network come from all areas of your life. From your personal life, family, social life and workplace. Some of the most important people you will ever meet for your career will be found in the professional organisations you can join and the conferences you can attend connected with your specialism.
Today, an increasing number of people are networking virtually too, with international groups like Ecademy.com providing tens of thousands of connections, discussion forums and opportunities to share your knowledge. Everyone you meet deserves a place in your network wherever or however you meet them.
Networking matters
And once you join the mobile community of expatriates and international employees, networking becomes still more important. The more contacts you make the more clients you can make for your business and the more people you will have to turn to for advice or referrals. Remember that people like people who are like them. People do business with people they know, like and trust.
Plan your networking carefully. Work out how and where you might network locally, at breakfast clubs, evening meetings or in your own workplace. As you work on the international scene you will need to network internationally too, at conferences, perhaps. Add to your networking further by joining a selection of internet based networks and, with your growing, personal database as your "portable business community" your career can stay on track.
Jo Parfitt is an international journalist, author and dual career expert. She has written several books on networking and overseas careers. You can find out more about her work at: www.summertimepublishing.com.
They say that the more people you know, the luckier you will be. Of course, the more people you know the more likely you are to hear of a great opportunity. When you are looking for your first job, nothing is more effective than networking. A massive 75 per cent of all jobs are found not through agencies, not through newspaper advertisements, but because of personal connections.
Gwen Rhys has specialised in helping other people to network since 1997 and her speaking engagements take her all over the world. She calls herself a "network catalyst" and puts her success down to having a genuine interest in people, places and things.
"I define the importance of networking as developing and nurturing a network of contacts in order to maximise opportunities for oneself and others," says Rhys. "I believe it is a core skill and a key tool." Rhys recognises that people are more mobile than ever and for her, a personal network of contacts becomes "a portable community".
Network to find a job
Christa Zihlmann used networking to find her latest job. Christa works for Mercer Human Resource Consulting as International Mobility Manager for Belgium and Luxembourg and lives in Geneva. "I'd been in Paris for five years and wanted to move on, so I called my old colleagues at the UN in Geneva and through a colleague I got the name of a headhunter. We became friends and she found me this job."
Christa has always networked and does so because she likes to meet women of other nationalities, background and thinking. "It keeps me informed of what is going on in other countries and different professional environments. It is good not to feel alone with my ideas and has stimulated me to think differently and look at different ways of doing things," she concludes.
Network to help you settle in
Will Kintish is the UK's leading authority on how to become a confident and effective networker. He believes that networking is crucial for someone when they start a new job in a new country. "Get involved in social clubs, sports areas, charity committees and so on. In the office too, you need to get out there and meet people, be visible. So smile when you walk down the corridor and talk to people at the coffee machine. You must let as many people as possible know that you exist," he advises.
Recent language graduate, Rebecca Law, threw caution to the wind, when only a few months ago she relocated to Holland to pursue a new career in a new country. "In circumstances like this," she says, "I cannot advocate the power of networking enough; international organisations and the expat community in general are made up predominantly of married couples, so when people relocate, they usually have an instant support network. Being single, I didn't have that luxury."
Rebecca, who has become involved in a local band, joined women's networking groups and begun reviewing music events for a newspaper, claims that networking has been her single most important tool for settling in. "Even informal, social gatherings have proved invaluable, enabling me to become fully integrated and opening up more opportunities to boot. The connections I've made through networking have also made me a rich resource and I am now of more value to potential and current employers."
Networking is so simple
Andy Lopata is the Managing Director of Business Referral Exchange (BRE), a UK based networking breakfast group. A breakfast meeting can be a great way to meet lots of people in a variety of businesses in a fairly informal setting and at a convenient time. "Just a couple of phone calls is all it takes to make a big difference to someone else," he says. "In networking a small ripple can create huge waves. When you find yourself able to give someone a contact name or a bit of advice, don't stop to think what you have to gain. If it's easy, just do it."
When Andy meets someone new he makes the effort to listen to them. He uses what he terms "the first tool of networking", which is to pursue the relationship and not the sale. He could see a chance meeting as an opportunity to tell someone all about his business, instead he listens.
Where to find your network
As Kintish explains, valuable members of your own network come from all areas of your life. From your personal life, family, social life and workplace. Some of the most important people you will ever meet for your career will be found in the professional organisations you can join and the conferences you can attend connected with your specialism.
Today, an increasing number of people are networking virtually too, with international groups like Ecademy.com providing tens of thousands of connections, discussion forums and opportunities to share your knowledge. Everyone you meet deserves a place in your network wherever or however you meet them.
Networking matters
And once you join the mobile community of expatriates and international employees, networking becomes still more important. The more contacts you make the more clients you can make for your business and the more people you will have to turn to for advice or referrals. Remember that people like people who are like them. People do business with people they know, like and trust.
Plan your networking carefully. Work out how and where you might network locally, at breakfast clubs, evening meetings or in your own workplace. As you work on the international scene you will need to network internationally too, at conferences, perhaps. Add to your networking further by joining a selection of internet based networks and, with your growing, personal database as your "portable business community" your career can stay on track.
Jo Parfitt is an international journalist, author and dual career expert. She has written several books on networking and overseas careers. You can find out more about her work at: www.summertimepublishing.com.
Develop Your Personal Skills By Jo Parfitt
Personal skills may be more important than practical when you are thinking of working abroad. Jo Parfitt talks to the experts to find out what personal skills new graduates need to develop.
Graeme Taylor is the Corporate Human Resources Director for TPG, based in Holland. At the end of November 2003, he spoke on leadership development at a conference run by the new Institute of Global Mobility. TPG has 160,000 employees worldwide and is keen to identify and fast track staff that show the competencies required for a career in international management.
We are looking for leaders who have an international and cross-divisional mindset, he said. They need four main competencies: entrepreneurship; people management; strategic and innovative thinking; result orientation.
Many companies recruit international staff according to their practical skills and availability rather than the personal skills that would guarantee their success, happiness and effectiveness in the overseas role.
Yet it is proved that it is the personal skills that make the difference. It does not matter how good an engineer you are, if you cannot work in a multicultural team, communicate with other nationalities and accept local cultural norms, you will have a tough time.
The global graduate
Elizabeth Kruempelmann is an American, married to a German and living in Germany. In 2003 her book called The Global Citizen was published. In it she shows how a graduate can prepare for global life.
Like many, Kruempelmann endorses the value of assessing your skills before you go. She provides what she calls a mini-course for the culturally challenged in her book, which includes Richard Lewis' fascinating Lewis Model of Cultural Classification.
Do the test and discover whether you are linear active, multi-active or reactive and which other cultures would be the best match for your personal skills.
Flexibility, confidence and open-mindedness are very important qualities for a graduate working in Europe in order to work in a foreign culture and language, says Kruempelmann.
Graduates should ask themselves whether they are willing to take a less than ideal job in an industry or company that interests them when they will have the possibility of proving themselves, making contacts and moving up.
This is flexibility. They should consider whether they are able to think positive when difficult challenges come up at work or as a result of living in a foreign culture. This is confidence. They should question whether they are willing to take the time to learn the language and the cultural aspects of doing business locally, instead of assuming that the way business is done at home should be the way it is done abroad. This is open-mindedness.
Communication matters
Bram Lebo is the Managing Director of Expatica, a resource and network for expatriates in Northern Europe. He lives and works in Holland. Personal skills are your abilities to understand yourself and your colleagues and to combine that understanding with the kind of effective communication that will further both your personal and company goals, says Lebo. Personal, or interpersonal, skills include communication skills (reading, writing for letters and email), presentation skills, negotiation skills and teamwork skills.
They are important because, in any organisation however small, interpersonal skills are required to send messages and directions to different parties politely and efficiently. When a person does not have interpersonal skills, he or she can be perceived as having negative characteristics, being seen as shy, disinterested or rude. This causes friction and misunderstanding.
Understand what makes them tick
Jeff Toms is in charge of marketing for Farnham Castle, well known for its wide range of pre-assignment preparation programmes. The way people do business around the world is surprisingly different. Our way of working is not necessarily valued or accepted in a different cultural environment, explains Toms.
People from other countries may question our professionalism in the same way as we may have doubts about their own integrity. We may share similar objectives but we have different ways of achieving them. What make others tick? What do they value? How do they work and how can we work effectively with them?
As with anyone going to work and live in a new country it is vital to learn as much about the particular country or region as possible; history, politics, economic situation and current issues.
It is equally important to learn about the business practices and social culture in order to understand why people behave the way they do. Where possible they are also advised to acquire a basic grasp of the language of the country in which they will be operating even if the working language is English.
In addition to the skills mentioned earlier, Toms believes graduates should also have the ability to compromise and a willingness to listen and have respect for others and their ways of behaviour and doing things, things which should be perceived as different rather than wrong.
Many of these skills can be learned from a book, or found on the internet, however, there is no substitute for attending a training programme, learning about a host culture and undertaking practical exercises and role play in order to see for yourself how to create effective business and personal relationships.
Continuous learning
Once overseas on assignment, the learning need never stop. Every day presents an opportunity to add to and improve personal skills. Now you are living local you can start thinking and acting local too, while maintaining a global perspective.
Graduates can continue to improve their skills as well as round out other global skills, such as networking and problem-solving abilities, continues Kruempelmann. They can do this in several essential ways.
By taking part in global projects, they will have the opportunity to learn about global business challenges and opportunities and to meet people who can provide career guidance. Additionally, graduates can search out and schedule regular meetings with mentors in their fields who have international career paths that they admire.
Finally, graduates should become involve in local organisations, such as professional groups, international clubs and business networking organisations, that will give them the chance to network and expand their contact base, which could be essential for their future career success.
The author, Jo Parfitt, lived and worked overseas for ten years in a dual career marriage before returning to Britain in 1997. She speaks and writes regularly on dual and portable career issues and provides many free resources on her website www.career-in-your-suitcase.com.
Graeme Taylor is the Corporate Human Resources Director for TPG, based in Holland. At the end of November 2003, he spoke on leadership development at a conference run by the new Institute of Global Mobility. TPG has 160,000 employees worldwide and is keen to identify and fast track staff that show the competencies required for a career in international management.
We are looking for leaders who have an international and cross-divisional mindset, he said. They need four main competencies: entrepreneurship; people management; strategic and innovative thinking; result orientation.
Many companies recruit international staff according to their practical skills and availability rather than the personal skills that would guarantee their success, happiness and effectiveness in the overseas role.
Yet it is proved that it is the personal skills that make the difference. It does not matter how good an engineer you are, if you cannot work in a multicultural team, communicate with other nationalities and accept local cultural norms, you will have a tough time.
The global graduate
Elizabeth Kruempelmann is an American, married to a German and living in Germany. In 2003 her book called The Global Citizen was published. In it she shows how a graduate can prepare for global life.
Like many, Kruempelmann endorses the value of assessing your skills before you go. She provides what she calls a mini-course for the culturally challenged in her book, which includes Richard Lewis' fascinating Lewis Model of Cultural Classification.
Do the test and discover whether you are linear active, multi-active or reactive and which other cultures would be the best match for your personal skills.
Flexibility, confidence and open-mindedness are very important qualities for a graduate working in Europe in order to work in a foreign culture and language, says Kruempelmann.
Graduates should ask themselves whether they are willing to take a less than ideal job in an industry or company that interests them when they will have the possibility of proving themselves, making contacts and moving up.
This is flexibility. They should consider whether they are able to think positive when difficult challenges come up at work or as a result of living in a foreign culture. This is confidence. They should question whether they are willing to take the time to learn the language and the cultural aspects of doing business locally, instead of assuming that the way business is done at home should be the way it is done abroad. This is open-mindedness.
Communication matters
Bram Lebo is the Managing Director of Expatica, a resource and network for expatriates in Northern Europe. He lives and works in Holland. Personal skills are your abilities to understand yourself and your colleagues and to combine that understanding with the kind of effective communication that will further both your personal and company goals, says Lebo. Personal, or interpersonal, skills include communication skills (reading, writing for letters and email), presentation skills, negotiation skills and teamwork skills.
They are important because, in any organisation however small, interpersonal skills are required to send messages and directions to different parties politely and efficiently. When a person does not have interpersonal skills, he or she can be perceived as having negative characteristics, being seen as shy, disinterested or rude. This causes friction and misunderstanding.
Understand what makes them tick
Jeff Toms is in charge of marketing for Farnham Castle, well known for its wide range of pre-assignment preparation programmes. The way people do business around the world is surprisingly different. Our way of working is not necessarily valued or accepted in a different cultural environment, explains Toms.
People from other countries may question our professionalism in the same way as we may have doubts about their own integrity. We may share similar objectives but we have different ways of achieving them. What make others tick? What do they value? How do they work and how can we work effectively with them?
As with anyone going to work and live in a new country it is vital to learn as much about the particular country or region as possible; history, politics, economic situation and current issues.
It is equally important to learn about the business practices and social culture in order to understand why people behave the way they do. Where possible they are also advised to acquire a basic grasp of the language of the country in which they will be operating even if the working language is English.
In addition to the skills mentioned earlier, Toms believes graduates should also have the ability to compromise and a willingness to listen and have respect for others and their ways of behaviour and doing things, things which should be perceived as different rather than wrong.
Many of these skills can be learned from a book, or found on the internet, however, there is no substitute for attending a training programme, learning about a host culture and undertaking practical exercises and role play in order to see for yourself how to create effective business and personal relationships.
Continuous learning
Once overseas on assignment, the learning need never stop. Every day presents an opportunity to add to and improve personal skills. Now you are living local you can start thinking and acting local too, while maintaining a global perspective.
Graduates can continue to improve their skills as well as round out other global skills, such as networking and problem-solving abilities, continues Kruempelmann. They can do this in several essential ways.
By taking part in global projects, they will have the opportunity to learn about global business challenges and opportunities and to meet people who can provide career guidance. Additionally, graduates can search out and schedule regular meetings with mentors in their fields who have international career paths that they admire.
Finally, graduates should become involve in local organisations, such as professional groups, international clubs and business networking organisations, that will give them the chance to network and expand their contact base, which could be essential for their future career success.
The author, Jo Parfitt, lived and worked overseas for ten years in a dual career marriage before returning to Britain in 1997. She speaks and writes regularly on dual and portable career issues and provides many free resources on her website www.career-in-your-suitcase.com.
Specific types of interviews
Telephone interviews
Telephone interviews are increasingly used by companies as an integral part of the recruitment process. Most commonly, they are used as a method of initial screening but some use them as far down the line as third or fourth interviews. The majority of companies inform you in advance and usually pre-arrange a time with you but you should also be prepared for those who just ring!
The important things to remember about telephone interviews are:
it is just as important to make a good impression on the telephone; as with face-to-face interviews, first impressions count;
be aware of how you sound (there are no visual clues) - rehearse on the telephone with a friend or record practice answers on a tape recorder;
make sure you allow enough time - interviews can take up to an hour;
be prepared - you could be called at any time so make sure that the recorded response on your answering machine is suitable and that flatmates are briefed to take a detailed, sensible message;
keep a list of job applications by the phone, plus a copy of your CV, a pen, paper, diary (in case you are invited to a meeting/second interview) and a list of questions to ask potential employers.
Types of telephone interview:
Unannounced - someone from the organisation or their nominated recruitment agency calls you after receiving your CV or application form. Questions are often similar to those asked at a first face-to-face interview.
Prearranged - you are contacted beforehand to arrange a time to carry out the interview. You are likely to be briefed as to the style of questions at this stage. You may have an automated interview, where you are sent a personal identification number (PIN) and asked to call the company within a specified time period. You are then required to respond to various statements via a touchtone telephone. The time you take to respond may be taken into account.
Sales interviews - you may be asked to try and sell something to the interviewer (these are only likely if it is appropriate to the job for which you have applied).
Research interviews - some companies ask you to carry out a piece of research before the telephone interview and ask you questions on it during the call. For example, if you have applied to the graduate recruitment scheme of a supermarket, they may ask you to carry out some customer research on a certain product or aspect, such as store layout, and then ask for your findings.
Video interviews
These are rare but not unheard of, particularly if you have applied for an overseas position. As far as possible, you should treat them as traditional interviews: dress as you would for a conventional interview; address your answers to the interviewer (ie to the camera rather than the display screen); and listen carefully to the questions and instructions, asking the interviewer to repeat anything that you don’t understand.
Sequential interviews
These are several interviews in turn, with a different interviewer each time. Usually, each interviewer will ask questions to test different sets of competencies. However, you may find yourself answering the same questions over and over. If this does happen, make sure you answer each one as fully as the time before.
Panel interviews
These involve several people sitting on a panel. The actual number of interviewers can vary but there is usually a chairperson to co-ordinate the questions, a specialist who knows about the job in detail and an HR manager. These are popular in the public sector, including education and local government.
Telephone interviews are increasingly used by companies as an integral part of the recruitment process. Most commonly, they are used as a method of initial screening but some use them as far down the line as third or fourth interviews. The majority of companies inform you in advance and usually pre-arrange a time with you but you should also be prepared for those who just ring!
The important things to remember about telephone interviews are:
it is just as important to make a good impression on the telephone; as with face-to-face interviews, first impressions count;
be aware of how you sound (there are no visual clues) - rehearse on the telephone with a friend or record practice answers on a tape recorder;
make sure you allow enough time - interviews can take up to an hour;
be prepared - you could be called at any time so make sure that the recorded response on your answering machine is suitable and that flatmates are briefed to take a detailed, sensible message;
keep a list of job applications by the phone, plus a copy of your CV, a pen, paper, diary (in case you are invited to a meeting/second interview) and a list of questions to ask potential employers.
Types of telephone interview:
Unannounced - someone from the organisation or their nominated recruitment agency calls you after receiving your CV or application form. Questions are often similar to those asked at a first face-to-face interview.
Prearranged - you are contacted beforehand to arrange a time to carry out the interview. You are likely to be briefed as to the style of questions at this stage. You may have an automated interview, where you are sent a personal identification number (PIN) and asked to call the company within a specified time period. You are then required to respond to various statements via a touchtone telephone. The time you take to respond may be taken into account.
Sales interviews - you may be asked to try and sell something to the interviewer (these are only likely if it is appropriate to the job for which you have applied).
Research interviews - some companies ask you to carry out a piece of research before the telephone interview and ask you questions on it during the call. For example, if you have applied to the graduate recruitment scheme of a supermarket, they may ask you to carry out some customer research on a certain product or aspect, such as store layout, and then ask for your findings.
Video interviews
These are rare but not unheard of, particularly if you have applied for an overseas position. As far as possible, you should treat them as traditional interviews: dress as you would for a conventional interview; address your answers to the interviewer (ie to the camera rather than the display screen); and listen carefully to the questions and instructions, asking the interviewer to repeat anything that you don’t understand.
Sequential interviews
These are several interviews in turn, with a different interviewer each time. Usually, each interviewer will ask questions to test different sets of competencies. However, you may find yourself answering the same questions over and over. If this does happen, make sure you answer each one as fully as the time before.
Panel interviews
These involve several people sitting on a panel. The actual number of interviewers can vary but there is usually a chairperson to co-ordinate the questions, a specialist who knows about the job in detail and an HR manager. These are popular in the public sector, including education and local government.
Interviews
Interviews are a crucial part of the recruitment process for most organisations. Their purpose is to give the selector a chance to assess you and for you to demonstrate your abilities and personality. It’s also an opportunity for you to assess them and to make sure the organisation and position are right for you.
The recruitment process for most organisations follows a common theme: applications/CVs are received, either online or by post; and candidates are short-listed and invited for interview. The interview format can vary considerably and may include an assessment centre and/or tests. The number of interviews also varies. Some companies are satisfied after one interview, whereas others will want to recall a further shortlist of candidates for more. If successful at the final interview stage, you will receive an official job offer.
Interview format
Interview format is determined by the nature of the organisation, but there are various standard formats.
Chronological interviews
These work chronologically through your life to date and are usually based on your CV or a completed application form.
Competency-based interviews
These are structured to reflect the competencies that an employer is seeking for a particular job (often detailed in the recruitment information). The chances are you will have focused on these in your application form. This is the most common type of interview for graduate positions today.
Technical interviews
If you have applied for a job or course that requires technical knowledge (eg positions in engineering or IT) it is likely, at some stage in the selection process, that you will be asked technical questions or have a separate technical interview to test your knowledge. Questions may focus on your final year project and your choice of approach to it or on real/hypothetical technical problems. You should be prepared to prove yourself but also to admit to what you don’t know (stress that you are keen to learn).
Case study interviews
Used largely by consulting firms, these can range from a straightforward brainteaser to the analysis of a hypothetical business problem. You will be evaluated on your analysis of the problem, how you identify the key issues, how you pursue a particular line of thinking and whether you can develop and present an appropriate framework for organising your thoughts. There is no perfect way to solve each problem and how you reach your solution is often more important than the solution itself.
The recruitment process for most organisations follows a common theme: applications/CVs are received, either online or by post; and candidates are short-listed and invited for interview. The interview format can vary considerably and may include an assessment centre and/or tests. The number of interviews also varies. Some companies are satisfied after one interview, whereas others will want to recall a further shortlist of candidates for more. If successful at the final interview stage, you will receive an official job offer.
Interview format
Interview format is determined by the nature of the organisation, but there are various standard formats.
Chronological interviews
These work chronologically through your life to date and are usually based on your CV or a completed application form.
Competency-based interviews
These are structured to reflect the competencies that an employer is seeking for a particular job (often detailed in the recruitment information). The chances are you will have focused on these in your application form. This is the most common type of interview for graduate positions today.
Technical interviews
If you have applied for a job or course that requires technical knowledge (eg positions in engineering or IT) it is likely, at some stage in the selection process, that you will be asked technical questions or have a separate technical interview to test your knowledge. Questions may focus on your final year project and your choice of approach to it or on real/hypothetical technical problems. You should be prepared to prove yourself but also to admit to what you don’t know (stress that you are keen to learn).
Case study interviews
Used largely by consulting firms, these can range from a straightforward brainteaser to the analysis of a hypothetical business problem. You will be evaluated on your analysis of the problem, how you identify the key issues, how you pursue a particular line of thinking and whether you can develop and present an appropriate framework for organising your thoughts. There is no perfect way to solve each problem and how you reach your solution is often more important than the solution itself.
What makes an effective application?
The professional touch is a powerful influence. Whether it is about developing a professional-looking layout with a careers adviser or seeking advice from the relevant professional body about application styles preferred by employers in a particular sector or career area, try to make use of all the help and support that is available to you. Effort and preparation tend not to go unnoticed.
Professional language
The words that you use in your application can help to convey your understanding of the work environment and an ability to communicate in an appropriate professional language if recruited to the position. However, be careful with the thesaurus – you can go too far.
These words and phrases may be useful, where relevant, in job applications:
Experience:
More than…years’ extensive and diverse experience in
Demonstrated skills in
Extensive academic/practical background in
Experienced in all aspects of
Knowledge of/experienced as/proficient in
Provided technical assistance to
Ability:
Extensive training/involvement in
Proficient/competent at
Initially employed to/joined organisation to specialise in
Success:
Promoted to
Succeeded in
Proven track record in
Experience involved/included
Successful in/at
Instrumental in
Responsibilities
In charge of/supervised/delegated
Now involved in/co-ordinate
Familiar with
Employed to/handle
Assigned to
Roles:
Edited
Established/created/designed
Formulated
Initiated
Implemented
Managed
Presented
Worked closely with/collaborated
Constant interaction with
Other words to use:
Ability Budget Determined Effective Efficient Enhanced
Enthusiastic Excellent Imagination Initiative Intelligent Investigate
Judgement Markets Notable Opportunity Perserverance Practical
Proficient Progress Prominent Punctual Reasonable Resilient
Recommend Reputable Responsible Service Substantial Thorough
Professional language
The words that you use in your application can help to convey your understanding of the work environment and an ability to communicate in an appropriate professional language if recruited to the position. However, be careful with the thesaurus – you can go too far.
These words and phrases may be useful, where relevant, in job applications:
Experience:
More than…years’ extensive and diverse experience in
Demonstrated skills in
Extensive academic/practical background in
Experienced in all aspects of
Knowledge of/experienced as/proficient in
Provided technical assistance to
Ability:
Extensive training/involvement in
Proficient/competent at
Initially employed to/joined organisation to specialise in
Success:
Promoted to
Succeeded in
Proven track record in
Experience involved/included
Successful in/at
Instrumental in
Responsibilities
In charge of/supervised/delegated
Now involved in/co-ordinate
Familiar with
Employed to/handle
Assigned to
Roles:
Edited
Established/created/designed
Formulated
Initiated
Implemented
Managed
Presented
Worked closely with/collaborated
Constant interaction with
Other words to use:
Ability Budget Determined Effective Efficient Enhanced
Enthusiastic Excellent Imagination Initiative Intelligent Investigate
Judgement Markets Notable Opportunity Perserverance Practical
Proficient Progress Prominent Punctual Reasonable Resilient
Recommend Reputable Responsible Service Substantial Thorough
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