This firm has a history that is long and rich with successful civil engineering projects throughout the southeastern part of the country. Its success has been bolstered by a culture that can be best described as a family atmosphere.
With success have come growth, expansion and a new element of diversity within the workforce. During recent years, the firm began to realize that new employees of today are much different from those who have sustained the firm throughout its history.
During this transition, they participated in several opinion surveys, including those that measured employee engagement and those focusing on the best place to work. In consecutive years, they scored very high in categories relating to issues of pay, environment, meaningful work, etc. However, along with those high marks came some lower scores in employee development, career planning, performance appraisals and consistent management feedback. With the growth and diversity apparent, the firm set out to re-examine its strategic direction, recognize the survey issues and address the need to develop a set of emerging leaders to manage the new firm.
The CrossGroup was engaged in late 2006 to begin a leadership development program for a group of selected candidates and to assist with implementing a new strategic plan. A Leadership Development program was initiated in early 2007 with some 30 participants; sessions included such topics as Management Skills, Leadership Skills, Financial Skills, becoming a Trusted Advisor, Strategic Thinking and Employee Development. Additionally, as a part of that initiative, the CrossGroup introduced a new Employee Development Program that specifically addressed the low scoring assessment issues. That program consists of intranet-based documents called an Individual Development Plan (IDP) and a Performance Development Document (PDD).
The IDP is a career plan and the corresponding PDD is a goal-oriented, individually focused performance document. To record the information was a simple process of regularly scheduled meetings between the supervisor and employee. The program was met with a good deal of optimism because it basically reinforced the communication link so important in an effective performance appraisal program.
As 2008 has unfolded, a primary segment of this firm’s work has been affected by the housing and mortgage crisis; the firm’s land development sector was particularly impacted. It created the need to pause, re-direct or at least re-address the strategic direction. The good news is, because of the performance of a solid group of leaders, the firm found itself in a much stronger position to cope with the strains of both a culture revision and an economic downturn. While the near-term growth has been slowed, the firm’s work and focus is as strong as ever. With a group of emerging leaders and some new paradigms, the firm is realizing that addressing an adjustment to its strategic direction is being accomplished more easily while sustaining the business base.
The next survey is expected to show marked improvement in scores; more importantly, the level of business has remained solid thanks to the energies and guidance of strong leadership.
Dr. Mark Cook has been involved in training and business administration for 30 years. He is working with Jim Cross in the CrossGroup. Together, they serve clients using customized training solutions and management consultations, including employee hiring systems. Contact him at mark.cook@crossgroupinc.com