FountainBlue

Notes for
Transitions Silicon Valley

Since January 2006, FountainBlue has been producing monthly Transitions programs for senior executives in transition in Silicon Valley. In 2008, we partnered with RAL & Associates to produce these events, but beginning in 2009, we will continue taking the main responsibility for producing, marketing, and promoting these events, and building a community of senior executives through the relationships developed during these events.

In addition, we are pleased to capture the notes from our past Transitions events, and invite you to forward the information below, intact, with proper acknowledgement of FountainBlue, our community and our presenters.

We hope that you find the information useful, and we hope to connect with you in the near future at an upcoming event.

We are pleased to share the notes from our previous events and hope that you find them useful. You have our permission to forward the notes on to others, with proper acknowledgement for our speakers and to FountainBlue. If you would like to publish the information on your web site or blog, or in other publications, please e-mail us requesting permission to do so.

FountainBlue, FWE&E and RAL & Associates� Transitions event featured a Recruiter Panel: NEW Secrets for Securing Executive Positions. Please join me in thanking our hosts at TEN for their support of this event and for the series! Please also join me also in thanking our lively and engaging panel for so generously sharing their perspectives and advice:

� Moderator Roberta LaPorte, RAL & Associates

� John L. McDonald, Senior Partner, Executive Search Practice, DURAN HUMAN CAPITAL PARTNERS

� Gretchen Sand, Principal, SKYLINE RECRUITING

� Ann Zeichner, Managing Director, TAYLOR WINFIELD

Below are notes from our conversation.

The panelists agreed that the search for executive positions HAS changed in specific ways over the past few years, followed by advice the panelists had for securing that perfect executive position.

1. It is definitely a hiring manager�s market right now, where executive jobs are few and far between. Factors such as business consolidation, shareholder value, outsourcing, lower executive churning, and other business drivers are leading to a proliferation of candidates and a dearth of executive opportunities. Thus, hiring managers can afford to wait for the right candidate with the precise qualifications to hit the ground running, and are willing to wait for that right candidate to show up. With that said, there will eventually need to be a shift in this strategy as so many companies are overworking their teams, holding out for the right executive hire. There are some indications that this trend is easing, perhaps by the middle of next year, but it remains a tough job market now. But even with this shift, hiring managers will likely continue to have specific and stringent requirements for all executive candidates.

a. Accept that these are the conditions and ensure that you are strategic about which job reqs you follow up with. Each one should fit your skills and background and passion.

b. If hiring managers expect executives to dig deep into specific areas, know which ones you�d like to own and brand yourself as an expert there.

c. Be patient and persistent and don�t take rejections personally. Following the last no is a yes, but only if your energy remains positive, patient, energetic.

d. Only executives who stand out in a good way will be considered for remaining plum positions. Have enough self-awareness to know how YOU stand out from the crowd and the courage, confidence and persistence to do so. Make sure also that you stand out with data/numbers that you can validate and justify.

e. Reset your expectations on your executive compensation package. Ask not what you used to get, but DO seek �internal equity�, a package commensurate with people at your level for that organization.

2. It has become more important than ever to network and reach out to people in your industry, to people in other industries, to network with people you know and have worked with, with people you want to know. It is critical to get warm introductions and recommendations from the people in your network. Many jobs are not posted, or only posted as an afterthought.

a. Keep networking! The trick is to connected with the right people in the right way at the right time so that you can be positioned to receive a job req best suited to your specific interests and needs.

b. Networking is a two-way street. Take the time to help others, even after you�ve landed in that plum position!

3. It has been more important than ever to be self-aware and understand what you bring to the table and what you are passionate about.

a. Don�t take the time to be everything for everyone! Do take the time to understand your unique gifts and communicate that effectively. Get help from your close network and from a coach if necessary.

4. Executives will now be required to be the strategic leader and visionary, as well as the execution leader who is willing to roll up his/her sleeves and get the job done as necessary.

a. Spell out in your resume how you have succeeded in implementing projects in quantifiable ways. Communicate also as a leader and a visionary and a manager.

5. As a leader, your reputation and character must speak for itself. So ensure that your communications and actions reflect the character and integrity you bring to the table so that others understand the value you bring.

a. Remember that in this networked economy, people will talk, and what you communicate in person and in writing must reflect consistently well on you.

b. Add quantifiable results to your resume, and be prepared to justify those numbers to build your credibility.

6. Changing roles and industries are more common and must be planned out.

a. As serendipitously opportunities are relatively non-existent, you must proactive plan your transition through networking, through education, through courage and persistence and measured risk-taking.

b. Consider volunteering and consulting to get the experience you need for a successful transition.

We are continuing to collect input from executives, recruiters and hiring managers on how the game has changed in the search for executive positions.

� Please weigh in on YOUR thoughts about how the game has changed for YOU as an executive in transition today and in the past. Complete our eight-question online survey at http://tinyurl.com/pgu9cj by December 15 at noon.

� Volunteer to take a ten minute telephone survey to provide more details about your executive job search experience.

� Forward the request for survey to interested others in your network.

� Recommend an association, recruiter or others who might be interested in participating in a telephone interview, or forwarding our survey to interested executives in their networks.

FountainBlue�s January 22 Transitions event was on the topic of Executive Hiring Trends for 2009 and was produced in partnership with FWE&E and RAL Associates. Our speakers were:

� Co-Facilitators Brian Boyer and Basil Fthenakis, Partners, TIPS Group

� Panelist Kristy Louie, InTouch Staffing

� Panelist Prashant Shah, Hummer Winblad

Below are notes from the conversation.

Industries Which May Be Hiring

� Online Gaming

� SaaS

� Cloud Computing

� CRM

� Security

� Apps on Wireless

� Medical Device

� BioPharma

� Clean Green

� Enterprise and Infrastructure

� Virtualization

� Big Picture: Companies are hiring, but they are very strategic about who they hire. Make sure that the company you�re considering joining solves a critical problem, and market your value in building or selling the product/service.

Advice on Job Search Strategy

� Understand the market and where the jobs are, and how you might fit within a particular industry, company and role. Develop and implement a plan for getting where you want to go.

� Be flexible about the industry, company, role, salary, etc., especially in a down market.

� Have a positive, upbeat, energetic attitude.

� Embrace the opportunities change will provide!

� It�s a people search, not a job search. Build and maintain a tight network of trusted contacts.

� Since companies large and small are conserving cash, even when they�re doing well, they are very strategic about who they hire. Make sure that you do your homework and make a good case about why they should hire YOU.

� Adapt your skills to other roles or industries to fit the needs of the market. For example execs with experience in non-revenue-generating units might consider adapting their skills to product development or selling roles.

� Look for a company with great products in an expanding market, with great leadership solving a real problem.

� If you do your homework about your target company, you may be able to present your skills to key decision-makers and craft a position for yourself � a position that�s not just an open req.

� If you need to switch to another industry or another role, do your homework to ensure you find that right position, and to ensure that you sell why you are the best person for the job, even if you may not have the depth of experience as others who may be applying.

Thoughts about Working in Silicon Valley

� If you enjoy technology and entrepreneurism and innovation, the valley is a great place to be. But if you need to or want to leave the valley, you can bring your skills and connections to other areas around the country, around the world.

� Even in a tough economy, and because it is a tough economy, it�s a good time to start a company! Resources are cheaper � from rent to people to supplies, and there are a lot of quality, experienced people with good ideas which would solve real problems � the foundation of a successful startup!

Our November 20 Recruiter Panel focused on What Executives Can Expect in 2009. Below are notes from the conversation.

There have been ups, there have been downs, and the cycles carry on, with greater frequency and amplitude. 2008 brought its fair share of change to Silicon Valley executives, so as we wrap up the year, we will bring together an executive recruiting panel, and invite them to share their insights and expectations on trends, and advice on how senior executives can keep marketable in a rapidly evolving business climate.

� Facilitator Roberta LaPorte, RAL Associates

� Panelist Jennifer Colosi, founder, Colosi Associates

� Panelist Dana Johnson, Devine and Virnig

� Panelist Marty McMahon, Principal Consultant, McDermott & Bull Executive Search

Below is their advice for executives in transition:

� Put a lot of work into doing the transition process right.

o There are always some companies hiring. Do your research to find out who is, what they might need, and how you might help.

o Be grateful to people who take the time to connect with you and help you.

o Engage others in your transition, but you are the CEO of your life, so take charge.

o Perhaps writing a white paper is one way to get in front of the right audience.

� Be strategic.

o Be crystal clear about what you bring to the table � your strengths, your skills, your passion. Then plan your search of organizations and markets accordingly.

o Focus not so much on the job req as you would the problems the organization face.

o Be strategic about the industry, organization and hiring manager you target. Do your homework up front before reaching out to the organization.

o Focus your communication on how you will reduce risk, build revenue, streamline processes for the target organization.

o Current hot markets include search, archiving, sensors.

o Market your background and experience strategically. If you�re older, market that as additional experience, and prove that it is invaluable, yet remain energetic and positive.

� Be the type of person worthy of being hired.

o Be persistent.

o Be memorable, in a good way.

o Be balanced in your life choices, even when going through a transition.

o Have a great attitude.

o Be a good listener.

o See and act on the big picture.

o Be smart, energetic and flexible.

o Exhibit energy and passion as well as competence and knowledge.

o Build deep, long-term relationships with people you respect who respect you. They would make good references, whether they are on your official list or not.

� It�s easier to hire someone who is still working, if you can do it.

� If targeting early stage companies, research the VC firm, their portfolio companies, and their partners. Then approach the partner on specifically how your experience might be helpful to a specific portfolio company.

FountainBlue�s September 18 �Transitions� event was on the topic of �Leading From Any Chair� and featured Camille Smith of Work in Progress Coaching.
Below are the notes from the group session:
What does leading from any chair (LFAC) mean to you?
-       taking the initiative to lead
-       being a leader whenever necessary
-       envision and share the vision/evangelize/shape the future
-       do the right thing regardless of position/role and circumstances/situation
-       help/lead others to do the right thing
-       achieving results through others
-       help team understand needs of the organization/buy-in
-       exercise/influence across boundaries by building connections, encouraging cooperation and establishing implicit authority
-       keeping an open mind on your role
-       staying authentic and true to yourself
-       collaboration, inspiration and teamwork
-       taking ownership of all issues
-       taking the initiative to find common ground and move the group forward
-       ability to have an impact and control your destiny
-       ability to influence others
-       taking reasonability for the process and/or problem
-       not relying on formal authority
Why is leading from any chair important?
-       best work is often done in a group setting
-       everyone has an important role in the organization and wants to make an impact
-       complex problems can be broken down, assigned and completed through collaboration
-       fosters participation and engagement; personal responsibility and accountability; commitment and a way forward
-       provides a focus for the group
-       maximizes output and impact
-       puts multiple resources on filling customer needs
-       there are too many demands and conflicting priorities for one person to solve
-       allows you to leverage resources and get things done
-       in our matrixed organizational world must rely on other�s skills and peer relationships
-       elevates you as a team player
-       no one person has all the answers or expertise
-       on outside view may provide a breakthrough
-       builds credibility, trust and morale in the team
Camille also asked each of us to think of one challenge we have in LFAC and to question, rethink and reframe that so we can move to being fully committed to LFAC!

Below are notes from Brian Boyer's conversation from the August 21 session on Innovation as a Competitive Advantage.
�                Inventions vs. innovations: they are not necessarily the same
�                Innovation = creating and delivering new customer value to the marketplace
�                Incorporating diversity in the workplace: innovation requires a team approach. Encourage every employee to innovate; you need a diverse population of talent
�                Use incentive programs for innovation (cash, stock, peer recognition)
�                Prioritize your ideas: what is the solution/opportunity; the market size; company ROI; customer ROI; is the idea a foundational or incremental improvement
�                Develop and parse your ideas; determine you freedom to operate; design around competitors and prove that you have a defensible claim to a competitive space
�                Final thoughts:
(1) Attract customers through innovation
(2) Turn invention into innovation
(3) Diversify talent in the process
(4) Protect your ideas
(5) Protect your company
(6) Collect documentation
(7) Be your own worst critic
(8) Design innovations strategically; you must be in a defensible space

RAL & Associates� June 20 Transitions event was on the topic of Hot Markets for Execs and featured Rod McDermott of McDermott and Bull and Bob LoPresto of Rusher, Loscavio & LoPresto. Below are notes from the conversation.
Advice for Navigating a Sluggish Economy:
�         A slow-down is usually sector-specific. Whereas certain sectors such as real estate and certain kinds of financial services like the mortgage industry are not doing well, other sectors such as aerospace, defense, and healthcare are. Plan your search accordingly.
�         Certain skillsets are more transferable � such as finance, HR, supply chain and IT. Others require product/industry knowledge and connections.
Advice for Transitioning Into a Hot Market, Like Clean Energy
�         Established companies taking advantage of a new industry, such as Cypress and Applied Materials, may have more corporate �real� jobs than early stage clean energy companies, where business models and revenues might still be fuzzy/longer-term.
�         With that said, a new and emerging industry needs top execs to build successes. This is what happened when the internet and IT markets were young. Senior execs moved over from other industries and learned new skills, built new relationships and built the industry.
�         Clean energy has its challenges with the adoption curve and with the distribution channels. Plus with so few successes in such a new market, the risks are high.
�         Whether you�re moving into the clean energy or other new industry, take the opportunity to rebrand yourself as an expert.
o    Author a white paper or special report.
o    After doing the research about the industry and a company�s strategy, write a �special report� about a particular company�s corporate strategy in this new space and show that you�ve thought through the strategic challenges and opportunities and that you would bring senior-level leadership to the organization.
General Advice for Job Searches at the Senior Level:
�         Be thorough, do your homework to minimize risk and optimize your job search strategy.
�         Consider your skills, passions, risk-tolerance levels, flexibility for salary and geography, etc., when prioritizing your search objectives.
�         Keep working your network. 80-90% of leads come from contacts you�ve already developed.
�         If you�re in transition, you�re in sales. Build a pipeline and make sure that you have a full tank of gas every day.
�         Don�t bet on any one opportunity as a sure thing. Work multiple leads at once, especially since many times companies change their minds about open reqs.
�         Be persistent. Senior level positions are more rare and take longer. Be willing to be flexible in specific areas to increase your options.
�         Target the best companies to work for, and you may be more likely to stay there longer.
�         Get involved in the community, particularly when there are opportunities to meet great and connected people.
�         Build relationships with search firms. Don�t just contact them when you need them. Find a way to stay connected and add value, even if it�s not generating immediate returns.
�         Consider consulting for a target company before signing on, so that you can both ensure a fit.
�         Consider reading reports from Korn Ferry or Hydrick & Struggles or ExecuNet regarding executive hiring trends.

The May 15 RAL & Associates� �Transitions� event was on the topic of �The First 90 Days: Positioning Yourself for Success� and featured guest speaker, Linda Popky, of L2M Associates.
Here are some key points from Linda�s presentation:
�                   In today�s executive employment market preparing for the �onboarding� process is as important as the recruiting and hiring steps in your job search
�                   Your job search is really a marketing campaign: you are the product and you need to identify the benefits (not features) you bring to the customer (employer)
�                   What is the fit between your experience and solving the employer�s problems? This thought process needs to continue when you transition into your new role
�                   The research you need to do during your onboarding is different than what you may have done during the interview process. In order to determine what you �are walking into� you need to know about the management, what customers, suppliers and prospects are saying; look beyond the �public� information that the company publishes to understand what is going on in the company
�                   Ask questions of employees and peers like� �Tell me what is really going on�; �What happened to the incumbent in this position�; �What�s working, what isn�t�; this honeymoon period is your opportunity to ask questions and probe about why things are the way they are. Your outsider objectivity will go away soon so take full advantage of this time
�                   Learn to master the �triage� process; there will be lots of problems and issues for you to address. Which ones can you impact quickly, and which are systemic/chronic that you may not want to tackle right away
�                   Building relationships early on by listening, asking people (particularly those who report to you) what they like/dislike about their job; their goals; and how can you help them be successful; appeal to their self-interest to engage them in your vision for your organization
�                   Through your queries and listening, find out where the obstacles and landmines lie, as well as who may be planting new ones in your path
�                   Become a storyteller; use stories to illustrate points you need to make with your team
�                   Be sure to let people know that you don�t have all the answers; include them in the development of strategies and plans to address the organization�s issues and move your agenda forward
�                   Be aware of your personal brand; what are the personal characteristics, attributes and qualities you bring to the position that make you credible and relevant
�                   Finally - remember the importance of first impressions!

The April 17 RAL Associations Transitions event was on the topic of �Developing a Leadership Pipeline�, featuring guest speaker, Nancy Monson, of Nancy Monson Coaching.
Here are some key points from Nancy�s presentation:
�            As a leader one of your key responsibilities is to build a leadership pipeline so that you can get your own work done
�            Turnover and churn in the organization affects morale and confidence in leadership; programs to address this must be integrated into the culture and strategy of the organization
�            Developing future leaders �is an ongoing process of systematically identifying, assessing and developing talent to ensure continuity for all key leadership positions in the organization�
�            Retaining and recruiting new leaders must be a strategic corporate initiative and must be transparent (i.e. what is involved, who is eligible, how are people chosen, what is expected of them)
�            Managers at all levels must be involved in the program, motivated to participate and own the program and make it part of the reward system
�            Key is to develop a general set of competencies for future organizational needs, not to fill specific positions
�            Three-stage approach to developing future leaders includes (1) determining the needs (2) selecting and assessing candidates (3) creating and executing development plans
�            It is important to understand the growth AND attrition rate at every level in the organization so you know specifically what you will need
�            Requires senior management commitment (this is not an HR program), oversight and support to build and sustain a leadership development program
�            For you personally, having high self-awareness of your skills and how you relate to others is key to building your own leadership style and strengths
�            Always be developing and honing your own leadership skills; aligning your talents and passions with the needs of the organization is the �sweet spot� for your focus and livelihood
�            Be sure to ask the right questions to assess leadership development programs when interviewing with organizations (e.g. What are they doing to ensure future leadership? How do they develop their leaders? Do they promote from within or use external hires for key leadership roles?)

The March 20 event was on�The Evolving Role of C-Suite Execs � The CFO Crisis with Ken Warburton of Tatum LLC. Key points from Ken�s presentation include the following:

Many competing factors are converging on the CFO�s office today including from shareholders (expecting more value, transparency and reliability) as well as from Boards and CEOs

Turnover in the CFO ranks (major companies) remained the same from 2006 to 2007 (approx. 2300)

Factors affecting the CFO�s office include regulatory activity, financial markets, Audit Committee, operations/personnel, staff support and management, lifestyle issues; all competing for the CFO�s attention and believing they should be the first priority

Stereotypes of the CFO include being unemotional, low on empathy, skeptical, compliant, risk averse, detailed and analytical, low on trust, communication challenged.

These factors and influences have created a situation where the risk is increasing and the strategic value of the office is decreasing

Solutions include: changing how the function is viewed by senior management and also how it is managed (more resources must be deployed and deeper and more specialized organizational structure put in place to support it);the CFO has to shift his/her focus re some of the stereotypes (e.g. from being skeptical to open-minded, from compliant to independent); realizing that he/she can�t do it all � must involve peers and outside experts

This is also critical time for CFOs to evaluate their careers � are they in an industry that is growing? do they understand their value to the organization? what skills do they need to develop to further their professional and personal development?

The February 21 �Transitions� event was on the topic of �From the Layoff to the Onboarding: What Executives Need to Know to Navigate the Process�, featuring Gadi Shamia, currently VP and General Manager of Qualys and Bobbie LaPorte, CEO of RAL Associates.
Here is a summary of key points from Gadi�s presentation on �Blogging for Executives in Transition�:

Why blog? to effect how you appear to others; control your presence on the web; keep your mind busy and develop your writing skills

Your blog shows up in Google results along with other mentions of you on the web but this is one you can control

What to blog about? What is your goal with blogging? What are your (professional) areas of interest? What would you like your presence to be?

For your blog: pick a clean, professional theme; decide on a general vs. specific topic

Read before your write: search for selected blogs on your areas of interest to see what others are writing; do you have a unique perspective on a topic?

Select a blogging tool/platform that will make it easy for you to manage

When you start to write: write a few posts and share with your friends; be interesting catchy and casual; decide on how often to post and stick to that frequency

Promote your blog: send email blast to friends, add to your email signature; add to your resume and LinkedIn profile

Remember why you are writing � it is your �storefront� so be sure it reflects positively on you

These are some key points from Bobbie LaPorte�s presentation on the job search process:

This is definitely a process; you should manage it that way

Take the time up front to assess your skills, interests and talents, as well as motives and values toward work

What value does your experience have in today�s marketplace; do the necessary research to develop your job targets (job title, functional responsibility, industries and specific companies)

When packaging yourself for your search, don�t lead with your resume; adopt a strategic marketing approach to your search, understand how you (the product) meets the needs of employer (the client)

Networking: 80% of execs find jobs through contacts they did not know when they began their search. Start with your �warm� contacts (personal network) but move through them quickly to get to the people; choose your networking opportunities carefully and go to every meeting with a plan

Be proactive and vigilant about your on-line identity

Recruiters place less than 10% of all executive positions; do not rely on them in your search but do get to know the relevant ones for your industry/profession

Interviews: moving from behavior-based to potential-based; employers want to know how your experience, skills and talents will help them with their challenges

Prepare! Conducting thorough research before your interview will allow you to ask insightful questions and impress the interviewer

Onboarding: your first 90 days are critical: listen, meet key people and look for some quick, early wins to establish your credibility

Final thoughts: know there will be ups and downs in this process; keep a positive attitude; take care of yourself; and get help and support!

The January 25 RAL & Associates �Transitions� event was on the topic of �The Economic Forecast for 2008: What Does it Mean for the Executive Job Market?� and featured Mary Beth Deans.
Here is a summary of key points from Mary Beth�s economic presentation:

The global economy is growing and shifting, as population growth in India, China and many Muslim countries experience dramatic increases

Financial powerhouses are being established in Shanghai, Hong Kong and the Middle East

If you are job-seeking you will need to think and act globally and build your expertise working with global teams

The Capitol Crunch: contributing factor as non financial-services companies decided to offer financial products and lenders lowered their standards to broaden mortgage applications to lower economic levels; many players still don�t know how big a problem they have. Lenders are looking abroad to the Asian and Middle-Eastern markets for money

The crunch will loosen up and businesses will start to grow again and invest; will provide opportunities for VC funding. In the meantime lending will remain tight and companies will find it difficult to raise prices. Job seekers will need to prove they can add value and increase efficiency

CPI is increasing; unemployment % (while still low) has been trending up; earnings picture is mixed and talk of recession is increasing

Bay Area in better position than rest of the country; tech is still strong, particularly green and clean tech; market will remain positive for jobs

Employers are recognizing the value of age and maturity in older workers; don�t assume there is automatic age discrimination; look for creative ways to connect

And the highpoints from ExecuNet�s �preview� of the 2008 Executive Job Market Survey:

Demand for talent continues; nationwide searches expected to be up 8%

Where the jobs are is shifting: Life Sciences and Healthcare are up; Financial Services down; the South/Southeast and West continue to be the fastest growing employment markets

Growing need for operations execs; sales, marketing and biz dev continue to be strong

There is a gap between where jobs and candidates are; more execs not interested in relocating

With the large amount of �untargeted� responses to postings more executive jobs will not be posted; the need for networking will be more important then ever

Resource: Here is the link to the Stanford's Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Podcasts.
People interested in Clean/Green energy should check out Larry Bawden's podcast.
http://edcorner.stanford.edu/podcasts.html

Our November 29 Transitions event was on the topic of Trends in Executive Hiring and featured:

Facilitator Roberta LaPorte, RAL and Associates
Panelist Robert LoPresto, Rusher, Loscavio & LoPresto
Panelist Martin McMahon, Principal Consultant, McDermott & Bull Executive Search
Panelist Rita Scroggin, Director of Sales and Recruiting, Thinknicity
Panelist Sue Salvesen, STRe Solutions

As senior executives in transition, we know that it's not just about our expertise and experience, it's also about networking and who you know, as well as how you strategize to secure the right position for you.
Below are thoughts about networking at the executive level as well as a recruiter's advice on how to secure the best executive position for you.

Advice on Securing the Right Executive Position for You:

Have a clear vision and laser-like focus on exactly what type of position, in what industry, at what level, in which company you'd like to work with and why.
Know the skills you bring to the table.
Communicate what you have accomplished with numbers and facts.
On your resume, describe concrete results rather than explaining your job function.
Diversify into new burgeoning industries if you'd like by leveraging your experience, connections and strengths. How are your skills transferable to that new industry?
Make sure that you have the 'must-have' skills required in a job requisition and decide whether you fit those requirements, and also have many of the 'nice-to-have
Work with recruiters who focus on relationships and will treat you with respect.
Candidates are reviewed based on functional expertise, industry background, product/technology background, etc., Some roles are more easily transferable to other industries, like finance, HR or IT roles. Plan accordingly.
Create a roadmap of where you'd like to go with your career and the steps that will take you there, making yourself most marketable to the largest industry, for the longest length of time.

Our October 25 Transitions event was on the topic of Time Management at the Executive Level, facilitated by Kristi Royse, KLR Consulting, who has worked extensively with executives and managers on the new challenges presented to them at a time when stakes are high, excellence is demanded, and time remains constant. Below notes and advice from the meeting.

As senior executives, you are expected to optimize the results generated your team - to ensure that everyone is engaged, aligned and productive. The pressure and the stakes are high, the stakeholders are varied, the communication is constant, the results are transparent to all.

For this meeting, we talked about effective time management practices for the senior executive who needs to prioritize his/her own tasklist, and ensure the continual productivity of those on her/his team.

Benefits of Time Management:

Help you increase your productivity on the job and at home.
Help you enhance the quality of your work with less stress.
Give you a sense of personal satisfaction and accomplishment.

Creating New Time Management Habits:

Identify old habits
Define new habits
Begin purposefully
Never deviate
Ask for help

The DISC Time Mastery Profile - Where are you weak and where are you strong? Ask Kristi for more information.

Attitudes
Goals
Priorities
Analyzing
Planning
Scheduling
Interruptions
Meetings
Written communications
Delegation
Procrastination
Team time

Ideas for More Effective Time Management

Choose goals which are SMART

Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Timed
�and Written

Think about what you'd like to be remembered for
Balance the 'Buckets of Life' - where do you need more or less emphasis?

Family
Career
Social
Spiritual
Health
Leisure
Wealth
Personal
Spend Time with Family and Friends

Manage your always-connected devices

Get up earlier
Use the web effectively
Look for the magical moments
Many people feel the stress of over-commitment. When you know your goals, learn to just say no
Use your schedule
Tell them why
Be honest but firm
Know why before saying yes
Don't feel obligated
When you're not sure whether to say no, consider: How much is your time worth? What could you say "NO" to and how much time could it save you? Is this the most important use of my time right now?

Scheduling Guidelines:

Flexibility
Early Start
Big Blocks of time for high priority items
Manage small jobs
Group items together
Use prime time well

Create a Master List

Gets everything out of head vs. a to do list which only includes tasks you need to complete
A master list is a spreadsheet; to do list is a single page of paper
A master list is a journal of thoughts and activities as they occur
With a master list, everything is in one place.

Try iPolipo for help schedule meetings

Email Best Practice

Filter, is it a veggie (do you need to do it?)
Set up times to check e-mail
Do it now/delete it now
Don't use your in-box as a to-do list
What to do with SPAM
Set up rules
Write E-mail that Gets Results
Improve your subject line
Organize content
Consider your audience
Make it short, to the point and easy to read and understand

Don't manage time - manage your energy

Plan and be organized
Practice consistent healthy behaviors
Three energy cycles a day
Get some quiet time with no phone calls, paging, unnecessary talking, distractions, drop-in visits, interruptions, e-mails
Conquer Procrastination
Admit it; analyze it
Consider consequences
Take small steps
Delegate it
Use pep talks
Reward yourself
Make commitments

Kristi's Top Tips

Careful Commitments
Engage in areas of strength
Go for the 'Wow!'
Leverage when possible
Plan and schedule

If anyone is interested in completing the Time Management Assessment to help themselves or their teams develop customized strategies for improving productivity and increasing efficiency" to contact Kristi Royse; kristi@klrconsutling.com or (650) 578-9626.

Our September 20 Transitions Event was on the topic of Developing a Leadership Pipeline with Bobbie LaPorte, RAL Associates.

This month, we talked about strategically building your team, including topics such as hiring, retaining, training and motivating top performers and developing your leadership pipeline overall. Specifically, we reviewed current trends in staff recruiting, hiring and training, and discussed how you can create a leadership development plan that�s as key to your success as any operational, financial or marketing plan.

Statistics on the 'Talent War':

US Job Satisfaction Declining � The Conference Board Feb �07
- less than half US workers satisfied
- workers under 30 least satisfied (<39%)
- less than 48% of workers 45-54 are content with work
Business Performance Mgmt Forum & Human Capital Institute � Feb �07
- 98% of global execs see competition for talent increasing
- 85% said talent development & retention top business challenges
- 90% see core competencies changing
The High Performance Workforce" � Accenture Aug �07
- 80% of leaders believe people issues more important today
- 68% say retaining talent more important than acquiring new blood
- Money is not the answer
The Quadruple Whammy
- Baby boomers are retiring
- Mid-career workers are experiencing "plateauing"
- Loyalty to companies at all-time low
- Companies are willing to attract and accommodate employees like never before

Advice for Developing Your Leadership Pipeline:

In today's workplace, loyalty is more at the leader level than at the company level, so plan accordingly.
- Start with your own leadership style � how do you "show up" in your new role?
- Know your strengths and your weaknesses
- Form your own opinions
Become known as a leader for whom people want to work�remember, as a "boss" your most important job is to get your employees to come back tomorrow morning

Set tone for your leadership
Show an interest in your employees; invest the time in your people, in ways that draws out the best in them.
Listen more than talk.
Ask the right questions.
Empower your team to give their own answers, speak their own mind, think outside the box.
Partner with other leaders to make the whole corporate environment better.
Balance building your team and meeting business bottom-line objectives.
Even if your company is having difficulties, your leadership in your group may buffer them from those troubles, and you may be able to continue developing that leadership pipeline.

Innovative Ideas for Developing a Leadership Pipeline
- Companies such as Intuit, Unilever, Cisco are experimenting with a rotational development model, placing emerging leaders in cyclical rotations in different roles.
- Proactively plan for transitions and strategize with the team. Transparent communication on corporate, individual and team goals can benefit everyone.
When planning a leadership pipeline, involve your staff, your HR partners
Use internal coaching, mentoring & employee development programs

Recommended Readings:

�The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader� � John Maxwell http://www.amazon.com/21-Indispensable-Qualities-Leader-Becoming/dp/0785274405

"Becoming a Coaching Leader" � Daniel Harkavy http://www.becomingacoachingleader.com/

"The Leadership Challenge" � Kouzes & Posner http://www.leadershipchallenge.com/WileyCDA/

"Leadership from the Inside Out" � Kevin Cashman http://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Inside-Out-Kevin-Cashman/dp/1890009318

Chief Learning Officer magazine; or www.clomedia.com

Our August 17 Transitions Topic: Negotiating an Executive Compensation Package, Janet MacAulay, Chrysalis Consulting LLC and Michael Whitman, Bernstein Global Wealth Management

The word on the street is that the economy's picking up. People who have been looking for a long time find themselves in multiple interviews, with multiple offers. People who have been holding out until the economy picks up are proactively getting recruited by firms desperate for new leaders to manage a company's growth, customers, and markets.

We hope that the executives in FountainBlue's communities are benefiting from this rising tide and look forward to hosting a conversation reviewing the many elements of an executive compensation package, from salary to stock options to benefits. We hope that the conversation will assist you from both ends of the negotiating table, as a prospective employer or a prospective an employee.

Below are notes from the conversation, and we invite your questions, comments and insights at http://fountainblue.pbwiki.com.

Tips for Effective Salary Negotiations

Spend 80% of your time researching the opportunity before going through an interview and officially engaging in negotiations.

Research the company, the market, the employer, but also your interests and needs, and your personal and professional priorities.

Understand the range of benefits you can work with, and think through how you'd like to prioritize them. You might negotiate anything from �Wages: Salary and Bonus to benefits to �Stock options, work schedules and locations, vesting schedule, vacation time and accrual policy, title, etc.,

Sell your value to the company. Spell your history in concrete terms, and communicate your value in specific ways.

Decide who is negotiating for you. When negotiating at the senior level, you would probably like to have a direct conversation with the hiring parties, so that you can build the relationship and so that you get direct, unfiltered information.

Always be professional and respectful.

Know your walking point (bottom line when negotiating or BATNA, best alternative to a negotiated agreement) and be willing to act on it.

Seek legal counsel in reviewing executive compensation packages. It's well worth the investment.

Be creative.

Ask key questions about career commitments.

Consult Michael Whitman with Bernstein or another firm to help you consider the wealth management implications for an executive compensation negotiation.

Our July 19 Transitions event was on the topic of Enhancing Your Leadership Presence this afternoon, facilitated by Linda Holroyd.

Last month, we talked about the importance of knowing yourself and your unique value proposition to any leadership opportunity and started identifying the aspects of your personal/professional brand, and how to leverage it to their advantage. This month, we continued the conversation and focused more embracing and communicating your leadership brand, the way you communicate who you are in person, over e-mail, in other written forms. We will also consider ideas for enhancing your leadership presence and better position and sell their particular brand of leadership while networking, while interviewing, and while communicating in general.
Below are notes from the discussion.

Thoughts on Enhancing Your Leadership, adopted from:

"Leadership Effectiveness: Past Perspectives and Future Directions for Research" in Jerald Greenberg (ed.), Organizational Behavior: The State of the Science, Erlbaum, Hillsdale, NJ., Robert House and Philip M. Podsakoff

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadership#Suggested_qualities_of_leadership

Leadership Presence, by Kathy Lubar, Belle Linda Halpern l http://www.amazon.com/dp/1592400868?tag=kamurj0b

Leadership presence is an �inside� job, by Nancy Yahanda and Ann Matteson/ Career, Friday, September 1, 2006

http://business.bostonherald.com/womensBusiness/view.bg?articleid=155015&format=text

lWorking from the Inside (inside you)

Vision. Outstanding leaders articulate an ideological vision congruent with the deeply-held values of followers, a vision that describes a better future to which the followers have an alleged moral right.
Passion and Self-Sacrifice
Confidence - demonstrating the ability to state one�s views and make decisions with conviction;
Courage � willingness to stand up for one�s beliefs and to challenge fundamental assumptions; Congruence � the ability to be consistent in one�s words and actions
Determination and Persistence

Working from the Outside (interacting with others)

llInspirational Communication � communicating with clarity, persuasiveness and impact
lImage-building/Comportment � a polished, professional manner and appearance, often geared to the next level in the organization. .
lRole-Modeling.
lCredibility � being seen as credible in terms of knowledge/expertise, role and level in the organization
Connectivity � the ability to engage, energize and inspire others and to participate and contribute with and through others in a meaningful way to the company

Benefits of Leadership Presence (from Leadership Presence, by Kathy Lubar, Belle Linda Halpern l http://www.amazon.com/dp/1592400868?tag=kamurj0b)

Developing deeper and more trusting relationships with your clients

Inspiring your teammates to sprint to the finish on an important project

Persuading a reluctant recruit she has what it takes to charge up that hill

Convincing your investors to fund your next great idea

Inspiring a classroom of students to become lifelong learners

Encouraging your employees to hang in through tough times

Creating enthusiasm in your organization for a difficult change

Negotiating a complex contract that benefits all sides

Nurturing a corporate culture that engenders loyalty and retention

What is Leadership Presence? Belle Halpern and Kathy Lubar write in Leadership Presence, effective leaders are:

Present � Able to be completely in the moment and flexible enough to handle the unexpected.

Reaching Out � Able to build relationships with others through empathy, listening, and authentic connection.

Expressive � Able to express feelings and emotions appropriately by using all means of expression�words, voice, body, face�to deliver one congruent message.

Self-Knowing � Able to accept themselves, to be authentic, and to reflect their values in their decisions and actions.

Our June 21Transitions event was on the topic of Leveraging Your Personal Brand and our facilitator was Susan Schwartz of You Who Personal and Corporate Branding. Below is a compiled set of advice and attached are her notes from the session and her notes are also available.

What is a 'personal brand'?

Perception - how others see you

Reality - who you are

Identity - the combination of who you are and how others perceive you

Label - how others label you

Product - how others perceive what you do

About Your Personal Brand

You should manage your personal brand, or others may manage it for you, and not necessarily in a positive/constructive way for you.

When identifying your personal brand, remove yourself from your history to fully consider the possibilities. (For example, if you were the youngest member of the family, you might have the family brand of being the 'baby', the 'irresponsible' one, which may not be what you'd like to project to others.)

Consider how you'd like others to perceive you and why you'd like to present yourself in that manner.

Consider developing both your personal and professional brand and finding a way to align them both.

Consider identifying yourself with one word, like 'Enrich' for Oprah, 'Rich' for Donald Trump, 'Entertainment' for Martha Stewart.

Develop an alignment between:

Your heart, your passions
Your head, your fit to the needs of others (how others will get who you are and why it's important to them)
Your hands, what you do to present yourself in person, in writing, in all communications

Another way to say that is to:

Be clear in your head
Be confident in your heart
Be consistent in your gut
To be compelling and charismatic

Putting it all together:

Who You Are is your BRAND stand
What You Do is your BRAND story
Who You Speak to is your BRAND audience
Why Do They Care is your BRAND significance

Advice if the alignment is missing:

Be true to your self.

But do understand your environment and your fit in that environment. Can you make it work there?

Are you understanding your constituents, their needs and how best to communicate with them so that you can remain true to your self?

Talk to Susan! She's starting the conversation and we don't expect you to solve this on your own!

Our May 24 meeting was on the topic of The Competition for Top Talent - How Does This Affect You?

Demographic changes with the aging of the boomers, cultural/ethical misalignments in an increasingly global world, Generation X management challenges and other challenges are contributing to the dearth in leadership for many organizations. As the first of the baby boomers consider retirement, companies are increasingly focusing on developing that leadership bench: hiring top talent, and retaining and growing from within.

In this session, leadership and career consultant Patti Wilson from Career Company www.careercompany.com led us in a discussion about the business dynamics around the leadership development and retention question, and provided information and advice below.

Facts and more information about the competition for top talent:

Executive Compensation Swells Amid Increased Competition for Top Talent, September 20, 2006 http://www.execunet.com/m_releases_content.cfm?id=3421

Increased Competition, Talent Recruitment Rank as Top Organizational Issues in 2007, Annual Ken Blanchard Corporate Issues Survey finds management, HR concerned about new competitors popping up, feasibility of growth in face of skilled labor shortage; Survey available at http://www.kenblanchard.com/thoughtleadership/research_findings/2007_corporate_issues/

The war for top talent: Top talent has never been more valuable, nor competition for it more fierce, By Geoffrey Colvin, FORTUNE senior editor at large; January 25, 2006

Identifying and Retaining Top Talent, one of the panels for the July 26 Staffing and Talent Management Conference; Speaker: Michael Cooper, LEVER/edge

According to Gallup, 75% of employees are disengaged from their jobs and more than 70% are interested in changing jobs. The pool of most desirable workers aged 25-34 is shrinking. With more people nearing retirement and fewer people to replace them, retaining top talent is critical for every organization. How do we identify and retain top talent? Where does the responsibility lie? (hint: NOT in HR) Learn to identify high potential employees and increase loyalty and retention.

Advice on what you can do to be perceived as top talent:

Build your brand and be perceived as top talent (more information at next month's Transitions event)

Manage your career, relationships, network and contacts

The resume is not as important as the relationships you're developing
Profile your testimonials and references as much as you would profile your background and skills

Combat ageism by keeping current on the trends, particularly technology trends

Advice on how you can find out more about an organization or industry that's new to you:

Position yourself as an expert through your communications - blogs, articles, white papers, etc., (Typepad, WordPress might be good resources for you.)

Consider doing consulting assignments in the industry, organization you are targeting.

For more information about the Competition for Top Talent and How It Affects You:

See Patti's LinkedIn profile http://www.linkedin.com/in/pattiwilson

See Patti's 7-Step Career Model http://www.pattiwilson.com/land/sevenstep.php

Take a Myers Brigg Test http://www.humanmetrics.com/

Take a Career Scorecard http://www.pattiwilson.com/tools/scorecard_free.php

Find out more about Patti's services http://www.pattiwilson.com/land/services.php

See her testimonials http://www.pattiwilson.com/land/endorsements.php

See articles written by Patti: http://www.pattiwilson.com/land/articles.php

A Front Burner vs Back Burner Job Search
Bridging the Talent Divide Between the Employed and the Unemployed
Evaluating Working for a Startup
Finding Jobs for Creative Types
Overcoming Call Reluctance
Interviewing Without Losing Your Integrity
How to Avoid the Pitfalls of an Internet Job Search
Top Ten Secrets to Job Search Success
The Ins and Outs of Salary Negotiation
Writing a Resume if You Have Changed Jobs Frequently: 7 Tips

FountainBlue's April 26 Transitions event was on the topic of Men and Women Working in Partnership.

Women are slowly making advances into the executive ranks, even in traditionally male industries such as high tech. Men and women executives working with women as peers, as staff members, as partners, as bosses need to better understand the management styles of women in management, so that they can better lead, follow, support, and guide them.
In this session, gender difference expert Bonita Banducci, Banducci Consulting www.genderwork.com shared some of the key management styles of women executives, and helped us think about how women executives affected us, and how we can better work with women managers and executives. We thought critically about our own management style and how it might be adapted to work with people who may not necessarily share our own point of view. Below is a summary of advice on the topic.

In general, men and women have different communication styles.

Understanding and acknowledging the difference in communication styles can be beneficial.

It can help you better understand how people of the other gender or other communication style are perceiving you/receiving your communications. This knowledge can help you better communicate, manage and lead.

Leveraging the best of typically male communication styles and typically female communication styles can be beneficial to all

It can lead to greater promotability for both men and women
It can contribute to more effective communication and management and leadership

Embracing the differences between gender communication styles can help foster/support the acceptance of more creative, innovative ideas

It can help people take the gender-difference in communication styles less personally , as if they are being put down�or conversely, not judge others negatively or as incompetent.

Tips for women in communication with men who have more independent styles of communication:

Put your communications in a linear way which more independent, male communicators may better appreciate/understand.

When you're considering the web of factors to be considered before action is to be taken, strategically call or only one or two of them that would be most relevant to the men. They are less likely to see your contribution as an obstacle to action, and more likely to see it as another factor to consider prior to taking action.

Don't be deterred/discouraged by devil's advocacy kind of communication. It doesn't necessarily mean that they are shutting down your idea. It may be their way of supporting you to make the idea bullet proof. Ask for collaboration or "angel's advocate" if you want to build on the idea.

Tips for men in communication with women who have more relationship-based styles of communication:

Since these women are more relationship based, they really value a sincere, direct communication particularly when they are the victims of a difficult management decision (For example, in the case of a layoff, express apology.)

Find ways at times to be more an 'angel's advocate' rather than 'devil's advocate' to affirm what is valuable and build on the idea and then let them know you want to play 'devil's advocate' to bullet-proof the idea.

Allow them to communicate problems to consider prior to taking action. This allows them to act on preventing other fires as well as fighting fires.

See also the article on men and women and their value systems.

FountainBlue's March 22 Transitions event was on the topic of Using Age to Your Advantage.

Your age is one of your most powerful advantages in your job search ... if you have the right attitude and strategy to overcome the subtle and not so subtle age bias that exists in every interview.

For this event, Jean Erickson Walker, EdD and Career Management Fellow with Pathways/OI Partners Inc. and one of America's leading professional career coaches, shared her very practical and expert advice on landing that great job you really want ... at any age. Jean provided us with a step-by-step guide on how to turn your age and experience into must-haves for any potential employer. We shared our stories and challenges around 'the age question' and participated in an engaging discussion. Below is advice for using age to your advantage. See also the notes she provided:

Have a positive attitude about your age, no more derogatory remarks

Position yourself as a trustworthy, experienced, competent executive with integrity, values, and competence who will make life better for the senior executives at an organization

Talk about the big picture, don't talk about the smaller details you did in executing a project

Sell your relationship skills, not necessarily your tactical and technical knowledge

Find a job which sounds like it would be fun, exciting, rich and engaging learning and growing experience where you can make a real contribution

Jean's Top Ten things to consider in using age to your advantage:

Understand the new world of work

Become CEO of You, Inc.

Remember your age IS an issue

Stop looking for jobs and start looking for work that needs doing

Do a thorough self assessment

Take a strategic view of job listings

Learn the career search process

Focus on outcomes, create a defining statement

Pick your battles, sell your greatest asset, wisdom

Bring your friends to the party

For more information:

Contact Jean and inquire about her coaching services

Order her book

Read her articles

Our February 22 Transitions event was on the topic of Learning from Bad Management Practices

The media is filled with books and articles about management and leadership, and a sizable cottage industry exists of advisers and consultants to teach us the best techniques. But what about *bad* management? You probably haven�t seen many books about that, though you may have seen plenty of real life examples. It�s certainly a commonplace reality. It keeps Scott Adams in business drawing Dilbert, and as Mr. Adams clearly demonstrates, it�s more *fun* than good management � as long as you�re not its victim.

In this talk, we�ll discuss bad management. We�ll cover real cases and real consequences, including failed companies and billions of dollars in losses. The intent is not to derive good management advice, but rather to observe bad management in all its glory. We may also illuminate some tactics for surviving, and perhaps even succeeding, when confronted with bad management.

Our facilitator, Jay Michlin, has served as a senior engineering and management executive within the Silicon Valley and beyond. Currently the VP of Engineering at OnStor, Jay takes pride in learning from Bad Management practices, mentoring and growing high-potential leaders, while delivering bottom-line business results. Bring your favorite bad management stories and the lessons gained from them, and prepare for an interactive and educational discussion!

Below are comments and advice from our discussion today.

Once a person becomes a manager, and especially a senior manager, no one in the organization is likely again to share the truth with him or her. Therefore, the manager must strive to be exposed and available every day to earn people's respect and have a chance to hear the truth. Without it, good decisions are impossible. And there are consequences for making bad decisions, even if the consequences are postponed.
Some characteristics of bad managers:

They look at business from the '50,000 feet' level, not the on-the-ground level which is much more effective.

They impose their business standards and experience on their current business situation rather than adapting to the business challenges in front of them.

They focus on measurements rather than results.

They put the wrong people in the wrong job.

Sometimes they add unnecessary layers of management, which takes everyone away from the thoughts of the staff and the customers.

They lack the courage and integrity to lead and deliver results.

Some characteristics of good managers:

They have the courage to invite others (like customers and staff) to share the truth/provide honest feedback and to follow through on that communication.

They have the integrity to do the right thing for the company and its people.

They utilize the talent from their staff and network.

They emulate behaviors of other leaders they admire.

They focus on company results and the bottom line while also addressing strategic business and people issues.

FountainBlue's Thursday, January 25, 2007 Transitions event featured Mitchell Levy, Author of 5 books on business topics, chair for CEO networking, head of the Silicon Valley Executive Business Program, frequent speaker on leadership, networking challenges and online publishing strategies for senior executives, and founder and CEO for the book publishing company, Happy About http://www.happyabout.info.

Since 1998, Mitchell has surveyed thousands of senior executives annually on the question of what to expect for the coming year.

Here are the top 10 trends for What to Expect in 2007

#01 - Global Warming/Environmental Concerns Effect Business

#02 - Energy Continues to Take Center Stage

#03 - The Internet Continues to Grab Mindshare by Getting Incorporated into Daily Processes

#04 - The World Continues Going Mobile

#05 - Marketing Starts Moving from an "Art" to a "Science"

#06 - The US Dollar Becomes Less Important

#07 - Capitalism Continues to Spread Throughout the World

#08 - Rapid Adoption of Mass Customization

#09 - Software Continues to Morph

#10 - Online Networking Becomes a Key Business Asset Industries

To follow up with this conversation:

See the attached PowerPoint for more details on the presentation, visit http://www.happyabout.info/economy.php or visit http://www.marketerschoice.com/app/netcart.asp?MerchantID=75129&ProductID=2638341 to purchase your copy.

For more information on other books published by Happy About, visit http://www.happyabout.info/books.php.

For more information about Mitchell's CEO Networking group, visit http://ceonetworking.com/.

For more information the Silicon Valley Executive Business Program, visit http://www.siliconvalleypace.com/

Contact Mitchell if you are interested in writing a book to be published through Mitchell's company. He will e-mail you six questions about your book topic.

FountainBlue's December 14 Transitions event featured a recruiter panel:

Roy Fiebiger, Sanford Rose Associates-Silicon Valley, representing the life science management market

Jim McFadzean, DHR International, representing senior-level positions in advanced technology companies

Sue Salvesen, STRe Solutions, representing senior-level finance positions

Gretchen Sand, Skyline Recruiting Corporation, representing engineering, product management and marketing for early stage companies

Max Shapiro, PeopleConnect, representing the early stage company market

Through their comments and that of an engaged audience, we have a much better understanding of what to look for when working with a recruiter and a better understanding of what needs to happen to ensure a successful job search. Below are notes from this afternoon's session for your reference.

Characteristics of a Great Recruiter:

Relationship-based rather than transaction-based

Treat you with respect
Transparent and clear with you
High ethical standards

Partner with you and with the hiring manager

to ensure a good fit of skills and culture
to assess your interest and abilities and identify the skills, experience, personality needs of organization

Partner with candidate

to help them understand value-add and to communicate it clearly
to expedite the hiring process, where appropriate

Advice for Job-Seekers:

Leverage technology

Use resources like LinkedIn and LinkSV and Craigslist. Recruiters use them too.

Be persistent

Be strategic

Understand your own strengths and weaknesses. You may want to interview former bosses, colleagues etc., to help you better understand this. You can use this information during the interview (representing what you know someone thinks about you instead of giving a 'vanilla response') and also line up references through this process.
Practice selling to your strengths
Research and understand the needs of the hiring company
Understand and communicate how your strengths can help the hiring company

Take responsibility for your search success, don't rely on someone else to close the deal or move it along

Be particular with the people you are working with to find a job.

Be particular about the organization you're willing to work for. 'How you do one thing is how you do everything,' so if you're not treated well during the interview process, it may reflect on how you would be treated after you sign on.

If you're working with a recruiter, involve him in your search, even if you're considering applying for a job not covered by the recruiter.

Thoughts on Job Trends into 2007:

Biotech is producing more jobs, more hiring

There are never enough 'A players' to go around

The market is looking better this year than last, and last year was better than any year since 2000

There's an advantage to living in the area. Relocation costs are now seldom provided by companies

The October 26 Transitions event on Outsourcing Tales was an extension of our Connections event of the month on the topic of outsourcing and offshoring. Experienced outsourcing consultant Cindy Johnson of Make Technology Pay Consulting facilitated the session, which feature the challenges and solutions shared by attendees, as well as suggestions and advice on outsourcing and offshoring best practices and trends. To see the slides from her presentation, see the files section for the SVExecs community.

In addition, before making an outsourcing decision, consider the following:

Accurate estimated costs and budgets

Dependencies

Accurate and detailed scope for the project

Core competencies - should they be outsourced?

Infrastructure support for outside vendors

Managing expectations for cost savings and results

We are pleased to partner with RAL Associates and Bobbie LaPorte http://www.bobbielaporte.com
to produce our 2008 Transitions events. FountainBlue will continue to be involved in promoting these
monthly events, and also actively participate in the monthly program on the networking topic.

Meeting Date Meeting Theme Networking Topic Facilitator

1/17 Executive Hiring Trends for 2008 Relationship-Based Networking Roberta LaPorte, RAL & Associates
Mary Beth Deans, Douglas Partners

2/21 From the Layoff to the Onboarding: What Executives Need to Know to Navigate the Process Blogging for Executives Roberta LaPorte, RAL & Associates

3/20 The Evolving Roles of C-Suite Execs Levels of Networking Roberta LaPorte, RAL & Associates

4/17 Developing a Leadership Pipeline Growing Your Network Strategically Roberta LaPorte, RAL & Associates

5/15 The First 90 Days: Positioning Yourself for Success Trimming and Pruning Your Network Linda Popky, L2M Associates

6/19 Hot Positions and Markets for Senior Executives Leveraging Successes and Testimonials to Build New Relationships Corporate Recruiter Panel

7/17 The Ins and Outs of Executive Compensation Packages Tips for Profiling Executives Janet MacAulay, Chrysalis Consulting

8/21 Diversity and Innovation as a Competitive Advantage Getting Busy Executives to Say Yes Marcia Daszko, Marcia Daszko and Associates

9/18 Leading from Any Chair Preferred Tools for Managing an Executive's Network Camille Smith, WIP Coaching

10/16 Building Sustainable Market Leadership in The
Creative Economy Networking Cross Roles, Cross Industries Kathy Klotz-Guest, Powerfully Funny

11/27 What Executives Can Expect in 2009 101 Ways to Stay in Touch Recruiter Panel

We are grateful to our speakers and partners for their support in producing our programs for 2007 and proudly acknowledge their contributions below.

Meeting Date	Meeting Theme	Networking Topic	Facilitator
25-Jan	What Executives Can Expect in 2007		Mitchell Levy, Happy About
22-Feb	Learning from Bad Management Practices		Jay Michlin, OnStor
22-Mar	Using Age to Your Advantage		Jean Walker, Pathways/OI Partners Inc.
26-Apr	Working with Women Executives	Getting the Right Doors to Open	Bonita Banducci, Banducci Consulting
24-May	The Competition for Top Talent - How Does This Affect You?	Profiling/Identifying the Right Executive to Target Getting Past Gatekeepers and Into Conversations Building Executive Connections in Different Roles, in Different Industries Leveraging Successes and Testimonials to Build New Relationships	Patti Wilson, Career Company
21-Jun	Leveraging Your Personal Brand	101 Lame Excuses Not to Network	Susan Schwartz, You Who Personal & Corporate Branding
19-Jul	Enhancing Your Leadership Presence	Getting Busy Executives to Say Yes	Linda Holroyd, FountainBlue
16-Aug	Negotiating an Executive Compensation Package	Trimming and Pruning Your Network	Janet MacAulay, Chrysalis Consulting LLC Michael Whitman, Bernstein Global Wealth Management
20-Sep	Developing a Leadership Pipeline	Levels of Networking	Roberta LaPorte, RAL and Associates
25-Oct	Time Management at the Executive Level	Preferred Tools for Managing an Executive's Network	Kristi Royse, KLR Consulting
29-Nov	Recruiter Panel: Trends in Executive Hiring	Growing Your Network Strategically	Facilitator Roberta LaPorte, RAL and Associates Panelist Sue Salvesen, STRe Solutions Panelist Robert LoPresto, Rusher, Loscavio & LoPresto Panelist Martin McMahon, Principal Consultant, McDermott & Bull Executive Search Panelist Rita Scroggin, Director of Sales and Recruiting, Thinknicity

Networking at the senior executive level is a lot about building the connections with the right people, at the right time, for the right reason. Whether you are a senior executive in transition or considering a new opportunity, a professional happily employed or consulting and looking for new partnerships and clients, or a recently re-employed businessperson after a challenging job search, it is increasingly more important for senior executives to build and nurture senior-level connections when considering your long-term career objectives and financial goals.

The thoughts and advice below were offered at the September 28 ExecuNet Silicon Valley meeting facilitated by FountainBlue CEO Linda Holroyd, with comments by Al Hulvey from Greetings Manager and the event participants.

Working Definition: Networking is: An Active process of building and managing productive relationships with all of your contacts (Professor Wayne E. Baker from his Networking Smart Book)

Networking during transitions leads to:
Paid better, promoted faster, new jobs quicker (Networking Smart, How to Build Relationships for Personal and Organizational Success, Wayne E. Baker) http://ohcm.gsfc.nasa.gov/career/book05.htm, http://www.amazon.com/Networking-Smart-Relationships-Personal-Organizational/dp/0595007864
64% of jobs found by networking (Drake, Beam and Morin, http://www.DBMCareerServices.com)
68% startup money found by networking (same as above)

How is Networking Different for Executives?

There are fewer events for executives only
Successful executives have built a network for a lifetime; this could work for you, when someone favors you because of a relationship, or against you if someone else who may be less qualified gets chosen for a position because of a relationship
More sense of reciprocity for executives
Senior executives sometimes find it awkward to network with less junior people
There are fewer executives in general.
The executives are really busy and time is more valuable for them

Why is Networking for Executives More Important Now?

The world is a more complex place. Having a extensive network helps busy executives better understand the trends and keep up with the times.
The tenure for jobs is now 3.8 years, less for senior executives. This means that as many as 15% to 20% of qualified executives sit on the sidelines

The Art of Networking

Everyone has his own style
Reasons for a successful connection vary depending on who you’re working with
Random chance is a factor
Sometimes you find your connections in the strangest places!
The Science of Networking
Understanding your objectives and developing a plan will increase your probability of success
The more you build your network, the more likely your network will continue to grow. The larger your network, the more likely you can leverage it to serve your needs, and that of others in your network
The better you plan and prepare, the more likely you are to succeed

Five Keys to Executive Networking

Your Reputation Matters - Be professional, Be courteous and gracious, Be thankful, Be helpful
Know Your Objectives and Make a Plan to Achieve Them
Follow Through
Build on Successes. Networking is for life, not just for the objective you set for today
It’s Not All About You - Just as important as what’s in it for you is what’s in it for the other party

Managing Organizational Change for Today�s Leaders

Notes for FountainBlue Presentation 8/24/06

by Pat Obuchowski

How can we, as change leaders, manage change and what skills do we need to make the change smooth (as much as is possible)?

According to William Bridges, author of Managing Transitions, when management introduces change, it needs to provide employees with the four P�s: the Purpose (the reason behind the change), the Picture (what will the expected outcome look like?), the Plan (how will we get from here to there), and the Part (what part will the employees play?).

Involve everyone�especially yourself. Jump in�.you must be involved.
Clear sense of purpose and mission. The simpler the better.
Be Committed as the leader
Be the watchdog and fire up people for support
Find Allies and Build �Change Champions� and "Paradigm shifters" in your top managers and others. Do not leave it up to HR to manage this change
Maintain a flat organization team structure. Rely on minimal and informal reporting requirements
Make plans, but hold your plans loosely. Know they may need to change
Build a cross-functional team to monitor the change and to see where the problems are. Ask for volunteers. You�ll be surprised at who will show up. This team is a great place to put the �nay-sayers� of the change.
Remember resistance is a natural part of change. People fear uncertainty. The questions always arise: Why do we have to change if the old way is working? What will happen to me after the change? What if I don�t fit into the new way? What if I become obsolete?
Deal with questions honestly and if you don�t know�say so.
Acknowledge people�s fears. Let them get used to the new situation and encourage and reinforce them for their efforts. Don�t force acceptance.
Realize there�s a tension between getting ready for the change and implementing quickly. Don�t stretch out the �getting ready� phase.
Win Employee�s support Provide considerable amounts of training and staff development for those involved. These activities can include everything from skills training to �on-the-move� coaching.
Be flexible and toss out the rule book. You must have the ability to drop what you�re doing and move to something more critical. Treat everything as a temporary measure. During this time, it is.
Find a common language.
Reward �problem finding�. (Fred Nikols, Change Management 101) A situation requiring action but in which the required action is not known. (Problem vs. opportunity) Identify and settle on a course of action.
Concentrate dispersed knowledge. Start and maintain an �issues� log. Let anyone go anywhere and talk about anything. Keep communications barriers low and information flowing fast.
Treat everything as temporary. Don�t �finalize� until the last minute and then insist on your right to change your mind.
Be prepared for implementation dip. Know things often get worse temporarily before improvement begins to appear.
Assess. Assess. Assess. Keep assessing the situation. Keep assessing what�s being said and what�s not being said. Keep assessing your effectiveness as a change leader.
Acknowledge the mess. Remember, managing change is about bringing order to a messy situation. It is not a time to pretend that it is already organized and disciplined.
If things look chaotic, relax! Trust they are.
Reinforce the change. Some people may relax back into old ways. Keep the pressure up until you are sure the new habits are well-established.
CONCLUSION: How do you Manage Change? The same way you�d manage anything else of a turbulent, messy, chaotic nature. You don�t really manage it, you grapple with it. It�s more a matter of leadership ability than management skill.
QUOTE by Robert C. Gallagher: "Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine."
QUOTE by Andre Gide "One doesn�t discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.

Other Words of Advice on Managing Change, Volunteered by the Executives in Attendance

Create Trust and Credibility with Frequent and Honest Communications (needs to happen first)
Look to the leader to drive change
Leaders Articulate the Vision
Vision comes from the top, tactics from the bottom
Leaders Change course as necessary
Leaders Plan and prepare but are flexible
Walk the talk
Get Buy-In
Explain why change needs to happen
Consider 'WIIFM', the 'What's In It for Me' Syndrome
Roles and Responsibilities
Road Map
Mutual Benefits
Leaders consider multiple factors when managing change
Consider the size and state of the organization when managing/planning/executing changeThere's a difference between collaborative and unilateral change

Notes from July 27, 2006 Meeting:

Strategic Execution for Today's Executives

Comments by Dave Mathisen, Virnoche-Frigon Group

Strategic Vision an over-used term, but it means "seeing" the real situation, or having Situational Awareness: a true picture of the terrain, enemy, and friendly conditions. Most applicable when you must make decisions under conditions of uncertainty in which failure carries significant cost.

Develop vision by

Deciding what are the important metrics of your particular business that may change (for example, "cost versus quality" or "timeliness versus completeness" or "volume versus cost").
Based on your analysis, envision the most likely scenarios (more than one) that could arise based on the terrain (the different possible business or economic conditions) and the enemy (your competition) and then create specific courses of action for your organization.
Based on your analysis, decide what specific information you will need in order to decide which conditions are actually developing when you begin to execute. Identify that information and assign someone specific responsibility for watching for that particular information.

Clearly communicate the vision ('I know' perspective) Situational Understanding

Align team to it ('I care')
Provide resources to team ('I can') - Have tools, resources and information to best assess the current conditions

Situational Dominance: The ability to quickly move the entire organization to the best course of action for the real conditions.

Be able to quickly communicate to the team whenever someone discovers the critical information you were watching for to confirm a course of action.
Have a system for rapidly communicating to everyone that you are switching to a different course of action. Ideally, they already know what that course of action is because your organization identified it as a possibility in advance (Situational Awareness) and put out some details about it (ensured prior Situational Understanding).

Be process-driven, but event controlled

Notes from June 22, 2006 Meeting:

Salary Negotiation Strategies for Executives

Comments by Jay Michlin

General Rules of Negotiating

Do your homework
Do your homework (yes, this is duplicated)
Think through a BATNA – Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement
Winning is about getting what you want. It is not about somehow "beating" the other person.
Win-Win if possible; otherwise the other fellow must lose
You are negotiating an exchange of value. Price is only one component, and maybe the least important. Do not be confused.
Repeat after me: "It’s just business." Do not get emotional (except as a gambit)

Some Gambits – Yours and theirs

Appeal to a higher power (Legal, Policy, Insurance, HR, "My Wife"…)
Appeal to fairness (They will seek equity compared to your colleagues)
The Vise -- "You'll have to do better than that." Don’t forget to smile!
The flinch – directed emotion
The silent close

Components of a Compensation Package

1. Base salary

Don’t overemphasize
Freely and assertively discuss ranges
Ideally make it the last part of the discussion

2. Incentive ("bonus") and terms for payment

Room for lots of discussion
Emphasizes your confidence in your own performance

3. Stock options and vesting provisions

Requires Board approval
Becoming controversial and politicized

4. Stock grants and vesting provisions

Requires Board approval

The May 25, 2006 session of ExecuNet Silicon Valley was on Leveraging Social Networks in an Executive Job Search. See http://www.fountainblue.biz/images/Social_Networking.ppt for the PowerPoint presentation for the event. Below are notes from this ExecuNet sessions.

LinkedIn and other tools are great, but there's no substitute for face-to-face networking
It's important to network with people from different roles within an organization and from different types of organizations
Seek endorsements for your past work
Connect directly people who are currently two degrees away from you (connections of the people currently in your network)
It might be worthwhile to connect with people who have more than 500 people in their networks
Err on the side of caution regarding your policy for making connections
There are static and dynamic ways to use LinkedIn
Use LinkedIn for titles and contacts only, not necessary for 'referrals'
It's interesting to see how these tools will evolve over the next three years
Consider the overall strategy you'd like to adopt, and in that context, see how the tools fit into those strategies
Use LinkedIn as a channel in a job search or sales campaign
Consider the ethical implications of social networking tools before using them enthusiastically. Do they compromise privacy? Are they permission-based?

Questions for the table topic discussions are listed below.

How have you used social networking tools, and how will you change the way you’re using them?
What are your thoughts on LinkedIn Etiquette?
What is your plan, if any, for growing your LinkedIn database?
What if the tables were turned and YOU were the person approached by someone in transition. How will you handle it? What’s in it for you to help?
Given that this may not be your last job search, how will you proactively manage your relationships going forward?

The PowerPoint presentation on the March 23, 2006 meeting on Trends in 2006: What to Expect and How to Prepare can be accessed at http://www.fountainblue.biz/images/2006Trends.ppt.
Notes from the February 23, 2006 meeting on Leadership can be found on the Resource page, http://www.fountainblue.biz/resources.html.

Notes January 26, 2006 ExecuNet Meeting, Theme of Job Search Strategies

Recruiters

Describe a time when you were successful using a recruiter. What lessons did you learn from the experience?

Ask the recruiter what else he is searching for and how can you help.

Resume distribution usually is not effective unless 1) recruiter has a requirement and 2) you follow up

Ask the recruiter what other searches he is working on and can you help

Who would you recommend as a recruiter and why would you recommend him or her?

Heidrick & Struggles

Korn Ferry

Pearson & Associates

Brentwood Group

AMA

Social Networking

How are you successfully using LinkedIn/LinkSV, etc.,

Being able to find company structures

Use the query key to find positions

Find someone with a huge network (like Ron Bates).

This will help you find other people.

Very good for finding former colleagues

How can you better use these resources?

Can combine with other tools

To make tools work well, start by helping others

Job Boards and Job Listings

Describe a time when you were successful using job boards or job listings. What advice do you have for everyone?

Use the job postings to research the company

Combine the job posting with networking

Looking at the pattern of job openings might give you insight into unposted more senior positions

ExecuNet job board

Use job board as a back door to finding a job

Name some job board resources

Indeed.com

Simplyhired.com

Svcn job club

Networking

Where do you network?

Peers

Alumni Organizations

Business School

Get-to-know-you lunches with LinkedIn connections

LinkSV

FountainBlue's C-Level Connections, next meeting on Friday Feb 17 http://www.fountainblue.biz/pages/24/index.htm

Join C-Level Execs http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/C-LevelExecs

Where else could you network?

Peer Group Associations

VLabs - Stanford

WCA - Wireless Comm. Assoc

SVASE

Jim Jones

What is Your Strategy to Expand Your Network?

Go through your own Contact List

Write a white paper

Start your own 'breakfast group'

UC Interest

Recruiter

Consulting

Have you ever successfully found a job as a result of a consulting contract? Is there an opportunity for you to do that this time and if so, describe how to make it happen.

Contract out to companies with similar skills requirement but not the headcount. Company must fit your requirements/culture

Can also consult back to your company if you were laid off

We are grateful to the facilitators for our 2007 Transitions events and gratefully acknowledge their contributions below.

Meeting Date	Meeting Theme	Networking Topic	Facilitator
25-Jan	What Executives Can Expect in 2007		Mitchell Levy, Happy About
22-Feb	Learning from Bad Management Practices		Jay Michlin, OnStor
22-Mar	Using Age to Your Advantage		Jean Walker, Pathways/OI Partners Inc.
26-Apr	Working with Women Executives	Getting the Right Doors to Open	Bonita Banducci, Banducci Consulting
24-May	The Competition for Top Talent - How Does This Affect You?	Profiling/Identifying the Right Executive to Target Getting Past Gatekeepers and Into Conversations Building Executive Connections in Different Roles, in Different Industries Leveraging Successes and Testimonials to Build New Relationships	Patti Wilson, Career Company
21-Jun	Leveraging Your Personal Brand	101 Lame Excuses Not to Network	Susan Schwartz, You Who Personal & Corporate Branding
19-Jul	Enhancing Your Leadership Presence	Getting Busy Executives to Say Yes	Linda Holroyd, FountainBlue
16-Aug	Negotiating an Executive Compensation Package	Trimming and Pruning Your Network	Janet MacAulay, Chrysalis Consulting LLC Michael Whitman, Bernstein Global Wealth Management
20-Sep	Developing a Leadership Pipeline	Levels of Networking	Roberta LaPorte, RAL and Associates
25-Oct	Time Management at the Executive Level	Preferred Tools for Managing an Executive's Network	Kristi Royse, KLR Consulting
29-Nov	Recruiter Panel: Trends in Executive Hiring	Growing Your Network Strategically	Facilitator Roberta LaPorte, RAL and Associates Panelist Sue Salvesen, STRe Solutions Panelist Robert LoPresto, Rusher, Loscavio & LoPresto Panelist Martin McMahon, Principal Consultant, McDermott & Bull Executive Search Panelist Rita Scroggin, Director of Sales and Recruiting, Thinknicity

We are grateful to the facilitators for our 2006 Transitions events and gratefully acknowledge their contributions below.

Meeting Date	Meeting Theme	Facilitator
Thursday, January 26	Job Search	Linda Holroyd
Thursday, February 23	Leadership	Jay Michlin
Thursday, March 23	Employment Trends	Don Lee, Donald A. Lee Executive Search
Thursday, April 27	Job Interviews	Dilip Saraf
Thursday, May 25	Leveraging Social Networking Tools	Linda Holroyd, FountainBlue
Thursday, June 22	Strategies for Negotiating Executive Salaries	Jay Michlin
Thursday, July 27	Strategic Execution for Today's Executives	Dave Mathisen, The Virnoche-Frigon Group
Thursday, August 24	Managing an Organization through Change	Pat Obuchowski
Thursday, September 28	The Art and Science of Networking for Executives	Linda Holroyd, FountainBlue
Thursday, October 26	Outsourcing Success Stories	Cindy Johnson, Make Technology Pay Consulting Services
Thursday, December 14	Recruiter Panel	Roy Fiebiger, Sanford Rose Associates Jim McFadzean, DHR International Sue Salvesen, StRe Solutions Gretchen Sand, Skyline Recruiting Corporation Max Shapiro, PeopleConnect

Your comments and suggestions are welcome. Send an e-mail to Linda.Holroyd@FountainBlue.biz or call 650-996-3987.

The notes above are copyrighted by FountainBlue in 2006-08 and all rights are reserved.

You have our permission to forward the link to this page to others, or to copy and send excerpts of the notes to others, provided that they are INTACT, and provided there is proper acknowledgement for our speakers and to FountainBlue.

Copyright 2006-2012, by FountainBlue and all rights are reserved.
For more information, contact us at info@FountainBlue.biz.
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