Off-season marketing
helps seasonal firms
mary@sterlingcrossgroup.com; www.sterlingcrossgroup.com; Jean Peterson, Starmaker Marketing: 612.290.6222; jean@starmakermarketing.com
MANAGEMENT
DEAR INFORMER:Our company’s owner plans to take an extended leave of absence early next year. Our staff is worried about what will happen to the company. How can we manage through this?
DEAR LEFT BEHIND: Your firm can actually become stronger if the founder is away for awhile, if you carefully plan for the departure, the absence and the re-entry.
That’s the word from Mike Felmlee, CEO of The Prouty Project, a management consulting firm in Eden Prairie. He talked in late July about the effects of founder Jeff Prouty’s sabbatical, which started in May and was set to end in late September.
“The first thing is to be prepared,” Felmlee says. In his company’s case, they started with planning sessions in January, working with Steve Coleman of the Platinum Group. Coleman worked separately with Felmlee, who was tapped to run the show in Prouty’s absence, with Prouty, and with the management team.
One key session was a day-and-a-half retreat when they hashed out what they could and couldn’t do in Prouty’s absence. It came down to just two things: They couldn’t change the name of the company, and they couldn’t fire the company’s banker, a longtime advocate on whom Prouty depends.
It wasn’t all smooth. During the first part of his sabbatical Prouty was in town. He had promised to stay away from the office, but couldn’t resist coming back to visit at night, to check out the space remodeling that was underway. Then he’d leave little notes for staff that drove his assistants crazy, Felmlee says.
Felmlee says the second key is to believe in yourself. “Don’t accept survival, but recognize it’s an opportunity to thrive,” he says. “We didn’t just sit still.” They set ambitious revenue goals, much higher than in years past, and they decided “not to do a hundred things this year. We’re going to focus.”
The company added a new staff person in January, and two people in the summer. “We spent a quarter of a million dollars—which is a lot for us—to create new space.” Perhaps most significantly, Felmlee changed the way they staff projects, with a senior consultant paired with a junior consultant working as a team. It used to be only one person worked on a project.
Recognize that there will be bumps. “Just know it’s not going to be perfect,” Felmlee says.
There are ways to compensate for a founder’s absence. For example, Felmlee calls Prouty a charismatic leader, who comes in early and spends the first couple of hours sending notes to colleagues, customers, employees.
Felmlee is a quieter leader, he says, so he asked his team whether they needed him to do cheerleading. They said no, but instead one of the other employees began sending notes each week to recognize each employee’s contributions.
That brings up Felmlee’s last piece of advice: “Celebrate the heck out of everything.”
The anxiety is high again as they prepare for Prouty’s re-entry, Felmlee says. “Here we go again,” is how Felmlee feels. “My anxiety is twofold: Will he undo what we did? Will he behave like before?
“For example, his office was a disaster. He’s got to fix that. And he takes over staff,” Felmlee says.
They plan another session facilitated by Coleman for re-entry. He figures they’ll work out new issues once the dust settles for the firm, late in the year.
“I’m proud of what we’ve done,” Felmlee says. “Are we stronger? No question. We can run the firm without Jeff and that’s wonderful.” So can you, by following his methods.
Mike Felmlee, The Prouty Project: 952.942.2922; mike.felmlee@proutyproject.com; www.proutyproject.com
HUMAN RESOURCES
DEAR INFORMER: One of our employees, a National Guard member, has been deployed to Iraq and is now scheduled to return in a few months. What can we do to prepare for this? We have been in touch all along, but won’t it be difficult for someone in a combat zone to return to the office?
DEAR PREPARED: You’re way ahead of most employers by planning for re-entry, says Karen Hagen, founder of Excello in Minneapolis, a workplace behavioral consulting firm.
“We have around 8,000 National Guard pulled up, and the majority are returning in March or April '07,” Hagen says. Most employers, except perhaps for a few large ones, have done little to get ready for the big changes ahead.
“People have covered” for the absent employees. “People have adapted. We change the balance again. There’s going to be huge disruption.”
Hagen notes some of the skills crucial in combat backfire at the workplace. “First is safety. The sense of safety of the world is never the same,” she says. “Two, the whole enemy-orientation is a big problem at work. Even though you’ve trusted people before, you might be distrustful” upon return.
If you have the time to prepare before the person returns, Hagen suggests:
Clarify the job expectations. “What are the key essential things I want out of the job?”
Enhance communication skills in that department or company. “I would empower my group to work on basic skills in communication.”
Identify resources for the veteran. “Maybe you have an employee assistance plan, or print a short list of resources off the Internet.”
And then have some accountability plan. Schedule follow-up meetings in advance of any problem arising, to find out how it’s going. “Say, ‘We’ll meet every three weeks on Thursdays to discuss problems.’ You never get called into the principal’s office this way,” she says.
She notes to be careful before planning a huge welcome home party, which can overwhelm the veteran. It’s better to acknowledge service in a quiet way at first, focus on re-entry, and perhaps plan a meaningful celebration down the road.
Karen Hagen, Excello: 866.559.8326; khagen@excello.us; www.excello.us
