Nelson Cohen Global Consulting >> http://nelsoncohen.com

Riding the Tiger Media Memories

2009-12-12T14:44:00.000-08:00

Our new book, RIDING THE TIGER: Leading and Learning in Turbulent Times, published by ASTD Press comes out in May 2010. As we prepared the book we alked down media memory lane.

Check them out.

Satyam Computer Services Ltd-Q4 Result
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESU64krqHDU

Art of Living for Stressed Satyam Saff
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/27575/Art+of+living+for+stressed+Satyam+staff.html?complete=1

Satyam's Ramalinga Raju resigns

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOhaexvA3jk&feature=fvw

Satyam boss Raju admits accounting fraud
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8jUkKmm-cg&feature=related

Satyam scam: Auditors in the line of fire

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU0wYQW1SMs&NR=1

Satyam Computer disaster Nandan Nilekani, Rajdeep Sardesai, Anand Mahindra, Narayana Moorhty CNN IBN http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XHcUCJI0nY&feature=related

CID raids at Satyam offices, Raju's home
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUt6vgibD7Y&feature=related

Satyam Saga Ramalinga Raju surrenders, arrested
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FTZPkPWwK4&feature=related

Wife says Raju was trying to save Satyam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWQb0VcX9rc&feature=related

Raju's secret den in Hyderabad?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXzkqJ3ZeKU&feature=related

Satyam employees speak out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoFHUkUfLXY&feature=related

Satyam employees weathering the storm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J1ZeE3cQkc&feature=related

ex- CEO of sathyam computers Ramalinga Raju rotten egg hitting game
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk09iOPt-20&feature=related

Police grill Satyam's ex-chief Raju
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRiODXkgS9w&feature=related

Tech Mahindra bags Satyam Computers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRCA72x0bgw

Innovative ways to teach Delegation

2009-12-08T11:30:00.000-08:00

Help us to learn from you. We want to teach using some creative, fun and different methods, the skills of delegating. What ideas do you have?

Here is what our linkedin network has shared so far:
http://www.linkedin.com/answers/management/organizational-development/MGM_ODV/599814-1280456

Employee Retention: Moving Up the Employee Relationship Chain

2009-12-03T18:20:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from RIDING THE TIGER: Leading Through Learning in Turbulent Times by Priscilla Nelson and Ed Cohen, published by ASTD Press, May 2010

Employee Retention: Moving Up the Employee Relationship Chain
by Ed Cohen and Arunav Sinha

We believe moving up the “relationship chain” is critical for organizations. A long-lasting relationship that converts to strong retention is the desired results for companies that want to sustain themselves through good times and bad.

We define the employee relationship chain as:

Stage 1: Share of Opportunity - Contract
Stage 2: Share of Mind - Partnership
Stage 3: Share of Heart - Relationship

These stages have been studied and utilized extensively in the world of marketing and branding. We believe it adds equal if not greater value to the world of employee retention.

Stage 1: Share of Opportunity - Contract

When a company makes an offer that is accepted by a future employee, many call it entering a relationship. We beg to differ. It is a mere contract at this point in time, and not a relationship by any measure. What you have just won is ‘share of the opportunity’ for the company and the employee. Your employee has entrusted the company with providing meaningful work in a secure environment. There is a degree of skepticism so employee orientation is conducted to assist with the transition. Every now and then discussion will be around fit, task and measures for success. The focus is on adherence.

The vocabulary of the employee also gives you an indication as to the stage in which you are. Refer to graph, if you are in Opportunity-Contract stage, customer will simply tell say – “Tell me what to do. Tell me how I am going to be measured.”

Stage 2: Share of Mind - Partnership

In this stage, the employee has experienced consistency and decided there is a fit. This stage is achieved only if you have engagement where the company delivers what is promised especially in the way of meaningful work, compensation, and measurement. You have employee’s share of mind where his/her skepticism turns to confidence. At that time s/he starts becoming engaged in areas beyond the scope of the specific work assignments. They may join task teams or participate in employee forums and event. The focus at this stage is on the outcome; with less emphasis on adherence (although no less importance as confidence can be lost faster than gained).

The stage will also witness change in customer vocabulary where “Tell me what to do” will make way for “Let’s explore ways to accomplish this” and “Tell me how I am going to be measured” will make way for “Help me continue to grow my career.”

Stage 3: Share of Heart - Relationship

This is the most desirable state of the employee relationship chain. The employee now views the organization and its leaders as trusted advisors. Now that the company has a share of his/her heart, both are gaining the maximum value and the employee becomes a true brand ambassador for the organization. Employees share and embrace the organization’s vision, core values and direction for the future. The focus on this stage will not be so much about performing but on transformative opportunities and deep sustained impact (still the previous two stages cannot be forgotten as stages are cumulative). It is in this stage where if the employee is uncertain about certain aspect of the business, s/he will trust the company to provide the missing pieces. In this stage everyone has the opportunity to co-create value. At this stage the vocabulary of the employee will be what truly is reflective of a long term, sustainable relationship – “We can do this. Let’s build a plan for the future.”

Why all this effort? Why are having employees move up the relationship chain beneficial to the organization? In our view, organizations could witness systematic geometric progression in retention of top performers by moving up the relationship chain. It means if the initial tenure in the Share of Opportunity – Contact stage was ‘X’, the second stage could result in ‘2X’ tenure and the third stage could result in ‘4X’ tenure.

Riding the Tiger - Acceptance

2009-11-28T10:33:00.000-08:00

From Riding the Tiger: Learning Strategies for Leaders in Turbulent Times, available May 2010, by ASTD Press

Acceptance is often confused with the notion of being “all right” or “OK” with what has happened. This is not the case. We will never like this reality or make it OK, but eventually we accept it (Kübler-Ross 2009). This final stage happens at different times for different people. Finding some sense of purpose and or meaning can assist here. No one will ever why Ramalinga Raju got on the tiger in the first place. Once on the tiger, why didn’t he climb off until it was too late?

In her outstanding children’s book, “Riding the Tiger,” Eve Bunting provides some meaning. She uses a tiger as a metaphor to teach about the powerful allure of gangs. Her main character, Danny, is invited by the tiger to take a ride. While riding the tiger, Danny, at first, feels great pride and acceptance. After riding the tiger for a while, he feels bad about his involvement and wants to climb off. “I brought my leg up so I could slip down the tiger’s side. ‘Don’t even think about it,’ the tiger said, and when he turned, I saw the yellow glitter of his eyes. I eased my leg back to where it had been before. He was walking faster now and the ground seemed further away.” (Bunting 2001) During the acceptance stage, we are more receptive to finding purpose and meaning in obvious and not so obvious places.

Riding the Tiger by Eve Bunting

Global Learning Trends

2009-11-27T20:52:00.000-08:00

This document covers three global trends in learning:

1. Working in Web 2.0 / Informal Learning

2. Building Leadership Brand Plans

3. Companies shifting from Regional to Global Organization for learning

1. Working in Web 2.0 / Informal Learning

Even before the name was provided to learning alternatives outside the classroom, many companies have been using informal learning.

• Booz Allen uses learning communities to connect people with similar needs. They also have been using coaching, mentoring, peer to peer as well as social networking with internal face books and instant messaging for several years.

• Satyam in India uses instant messaging, action learning, coaching, mentoring, web television and web radio along with on the job training to maximize informal learning.

• Zurich Financial Group is blending fun with learning by allowing employees to submit funny videos / skits showcasing outstanding customer service. They also make extensive use of web conferencing.

• At IBM, new leaders are introduced to a learning buddy, virtually. The buddy is responsible for assisting with acclimation to the company.

• Booz Allen and Satyam have used the learning buddy process extensively as well.

• A company called Enspire (enspire.com) has created a simulation that allow multiple players from anywhere in the world to simultaneously participate and share information. Effectively designed and implemented simulations have the potential to be truly transformational learning experiences. They are developing custom simulations that allow people to learn together on their own time, at their own pace in a fun and informative way.

Resources:

• Informal Learning: Rediscovering the Natural Pathways That Inspire Innovation and Performance by Jay Cross

• 33 Million People in the Room: How to Create, Influence, and Run a Successful Business with Social Networking by Juliette Powell

• Measuring Informal Learning by Tom Kelly

2. Companies shifting from Regional to Global Organization for learning

There has been a surge of multi-national companies deciding to globalize their learning and development. Where they were divided into regions with learning leaders reporting directly to those regional business heads, they are not transforming to a global team.

Regional learning leaders continue to align to regional leaders however their ability to work is isolation is removed. Global learning groups have alignment to regions, business areas and learning services. In most cased shared services are being centralized to support all parts of the organization.

Companies on this path:

• HSBC
• Zurich Financial Group

3. Building Leadership Brand Plans

Most organizations need this and few have it. A leadership brand plan identifies the unique attributes of each leader then compiles the results to create an enterprise brand. For example, GE is known more for producing great leaders than for producing great light bulbs. Why is this important? When you go to purchase a light bulb, you are more likely to purchase from the company that produces great leaders than one you know nothing about.

Additional companies with leadership brand plans:

Outstanding Technology Leaders
Audi, Cisco, Google

Globally Savvy Leaders
McKinsey & Company, American Express, Booz Allen Hamilton

Leaders High on Innovation
3M, Apple, Lego

CLO Magazine: In Conclusion

Published September 2008

Develop a Winning Leadership Brand

by Ed Cohen and Arunav Sinha

In the “surplus society” that existed just a few years ago, corporations depended on celebrity leaders who acted as brand ambassadors. These corporations leveraged the dynamic persona of one or a few individuals who provided the “face” of the company. Their presence, strengths, whims, fancies and peculiarities shaped and symbolized these organizations.

Today, our complicated, globalized knowledge economy is not able to sustain celebrity-leader models. Organizations must make the shift to having the strength of their leadership as their strategic differentiator. Learning leaders can contribute directly to this by helping their organizations create a leadership learning strategy that positions the leadership brand for absolute success.

There are several examples of leadership brands that exist: Audi, Cisco and Google are known for building outstanding technology leaders. American Express, McKinsey and Satyam are known for building globally savvy business leaders. Apple, 3M and Lego are known for developing leaders who are high on innovation. Regardless of their leadership brand strategy, each of these organizations relies on learning to execute that strategy.

Once you have consensus that the organization wants to have a leadership brand, deciding on the right brand is the critical first step. Learning leaders should bring together leaders from across the organization to answer the question, “What do we want to be known for?” Start by seeing what, if anything, the leadership already is known for — it is easier to enhance a brand than to build from scratch. Unless your organization is reinventing itself, building on something that exists rather than establishing a fresh leadership brand always is preferred.

Armed with this powerful knowledge, the right learning strategy should:

• Strategically align the leadership brand plan with desired, not current, organizational positioning.

• Assess the gap between current and desired perception of leaders.

• Achieve a common leadership mindset that strives to balance the needs of all stakeholders including associates, investors, customers and society.

• Create a predisposition to leadership that is business-neutral by developing leadership skills and behaviors that are transportable and transferable.

• Establish a learning framework mapped to the desired leadership theme(s).

• Have a thought model through which the organization can find its unique slant, thus encouraging leaders to have diverse opinions and viewpoints.

Here is a winning approach to implement a leadership brand learning strategy:

• Utilize “leaders as teachers” and “customers as teachers.”

• Build solid competencies across three key dimensions: business, technical and people.

• Focus on ideation, creativity and innovative thinking skills.

• Cultivate solid executive presence, excellent speaking skills and media savvy among all leaders.

• Create an organization of brand ambassadors.

• Apply the 30-70 rule. Thought leadership comes 30 percent from organizational content and 70 percent from individual professional expertise.

• Extensively collaborate with your organization’s marketing, human resources and knowledge management functions.

• More than starting at the top, start with the top.

There are obvious benefits to having hundreds if not thousands of brand ambassadors rather than one or two. A specific leadership brand results in increased attraction and retention of strong leaders and sustainability amid change.

However, building a leadership brand is easier said than done. If there is too much of a gap between perception of leadership and the reality, the brand will cave in. Learning significantly enhances the potential for success of the leadership brand when they consciously and continuously collaborate with enablers including top leadership, human resources, knowledge management and marketing to measure and reduce dissonance, thus ensuring a match between leadership brand and reality of leadership

Time to Climb Off the Tiger

2009-11-25T23:57:00.000-08:00

From

RIDING THE TIGER
Learning Strategies for Leaders in Turbulent Times
coming May 2010 published by ASTD Press

“It was like riding a tiger, not knowing how to get off without being eaten.” Ramalinga Raju

On January 7, 2009 we watched our Founder and Chairman, Ramalinga Raju, disclose the actions that would cause Satyam’s fall from grace. Those of us who were shareholders saw our investments disappear like a tsunami into a pool of financial destruction. We all looked on in disbelief as the news emerged.

When referring to the widening gap between the real and artificial numbers in the company books, Ramalinga Raju described his situation as: “It was like riding a tiger, not knowing how to get off without being eaten.” In his resignation letter to the company’s board of directors, Mr. Raju stated: “I am now prepared to subject myself to the laws of land and face consequences thereof.”

Yet, around the world, Satyam employees were not prepared to subject themselves to the consequences. Tainted, disgraced, beleaguered, scam hit, scandalized, fraudulent, crisis ridden were the adjectives used to refer to the once iconic brand of “India is IT”. Putting the scale and impact of Satyam’s downfall in proper perspective was The Economist’s cover story “India’s Enron”; Business Week Magazine featured Raju on the cover with the headline “From Icon to I Con”.

So who is Ramalinga Raju?

International Coaching Federation Teleclass Nov 17 with Ed Cohen and Priscilla Nelson

2009-11-12T16:59:00.000-08:00

Greetings,

We hope you can join us for this teleclass.
An Executive Coaching Case Study:
Experiences from the Satyam School of Leadership

11/17/2009 9:00 PM EST; 6:00 PM PST; 7:30 AM IST

Bridgeline is US based: 1+212.401.6777 %"F 1241046#
http://coachfederation.org/

Description

Join Ed Cohen who created and oversaw the Satyam School of Leadership in Hyderabad, India. The success of their coaching program was unprecedented. Their global success was meteoric. Find out more on how learning and leadership can be expanded through coaching. Ed will be joined by Priscilla Nelson who was the architect, strategist and leader of the coaching initiative at Satyam. ICF Global President Karen Tweedie, PCC, will facilitate the dialogue with Ed Cohen and Priscilla Nelson.

www.coachfederation.org

ICF - Advancing the Art, Science and Practice of Professional Coaching
Global Conversations: Inspiring individuals, Building communities, Impacting the world
2009 ICF Annual International Conference
December 2-5 - Rosen Shingle Creek - Orlando, Florida, USA

Visit our website: http://nelsoncohen.com
Email: ed@nelsoncohen.com

Coming May 2010
Riding the Tiger: Learning Strategies for Leaders in Turbulent Times published by ASTD Press

Riding the Tiger: Learning Strategies for Leaders in Turbulent Times

2009-11-07T18:36:00.000-08:00

Only 3 weeks until the deadline for the contents of our new book to the publisher...here is an excerpt.

Chapter 3: LIGHTS ON

“Angry, panic-stricken, or fearful that people may create the frenzy of activity associated with false urgency, which can make any situation worse.” John P. Kotter, author of A Sense of Urgency

In his resignation letter to the company’s board of directors, Ramalinga Raju stated: “I am now prepared to subject myself to the laws of land and face consequences thereof.” Yet, around the world, Satyam employees were not prepared to subject themselves to the consequences. They feared for their own livelihoods and for the impact it would have on their families. Few companies survive such an onslaught so certainly there could be massive layoffs ahead. Were the leaders and the culture properly prepared for these circumstances? This presented a major challenge.

Take a deep breath. Hold it. Now exhale. In times of the crisis sometimes we become so panicked we forget to breath. Take another deep breath…hold it and exhale. Take one more deep breath as much as you can take in; now hold it; then exhale with a loud sigh.

Hold Everything.

Act, react. Adrenaline flowing. The first urge is to react. In his book, Winners Never Cheat, Jon Huntsman writes; “A crisis allows us the opportunity to dig deep into the reservoirs of our very being, to rise to levels of confidence, strength, and resolve that otherwise we didn’t possess. Through adversity we come face to face with who we really are and what really counts.” (Huntsman 2009)

Our response; hold everything. When faced with turbulence, regardless of the magnitude, we believe the first step is—put everything on hold. Even if for only 24 hours, put everything on hold to determine a response. Most likely, the rest of the organization will be doing the same thing as they absorb what has happened. We know this sounds counter intuitive however a hasty reaction is not the right response.

Riding the Tiger, published by ASTD Press will be available in May 2010. We will continue to post excerpts as well as our views on leadership in today's globally connect world.