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	<title>Leadership Archives - The SERO Group</title>
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	<title>Leadership Archives - The SERO Group</title>
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		<title>SQL Server Migration Success Starts with Clear, Confident Project Management</title>
		<link>https://theserogroup.com/making-decisions/sql-server-migration-success-starts-with-project-management/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joe Webb]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 May 2025 12:00:47 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Making Decisions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Database]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Database Administration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IT Manager]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SQL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SQL Server]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://theserogroup.com/?p=7448</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Editor’s Note: Last week, Luke Campbell shared the technical side of what made a recent SQL Server migration so successful. This is the second and final part of the series, featuring a Q&#38;A with the project manager who successfully kept the migration on track, on time, and coordinated across teams. Chelsea Moore, Client Success Manager,&#8230; <br /> <a class="read-more" href="https://theserogroup.com/making-decisions/sql-server-migration-success-starts-with-project-management/">Read more</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theserogroup.com/making-decisions/sql-server-migration-success-starts-with-project-management/">SQL Server Migration Success Starts with Clear, Confident Project Management</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theserogroup.com">The SERO Group</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p><em><strong>Editor’s Note: </strong>Last week, <a href="https://theserogroup.com/dba/how-we-migrated-1200-sql-server-databases-in-under-3-hours-while-cutting-storage-costs-by-84/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Luke Campbell shared the technical side of what made a recent SQL Server migration so successful</a>. This is the second and final part of the series, featuring a Q&amp;A with the project manager who successfully kept the migration on track, on time, and coordinated across teams.</em></p>



<p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-moore-560021117/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chelsea Moore, Client Success Manager</a>, was the project manager for our recent migration of 1,200+ SQL Server databases. The technical execution was impressive—it was done with fewer than three hours of downtime and created an 84% drop in storage costs. In our Q&amp;A, Chelsea shares how she helped steer the project to success through clear communication, thoughtful structuring, and the kind of calm leadership that makes even the biggest projects feel seamless.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-power-of-preparation">The Power of Preparation</h3>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-q-when-did-planning-for-this-migration-begin-and-what-were-the-first-logistical-steps">Q: When did planning for this migration begin, and what were the first logistical steps?</h4>



<p>Planning began in October 2024. The client came to The SERO Group with a vision for their upgraded environment, but through discovery, the team found that their initial plan didn’t completely align with their performance or budget goals. They worked collaboratively to reframe the direction—resulting in a more streamlined architecture that exceeded expectations.</p>



<p>This planning phase, which extended into January 2025, was the longest portion of the project. &#8220;We spent 12 weeks just on planning and design,&#8221; Chelsea said. &#8220;That set the stage for everything that followed.&#8221;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-q-what-helped-you-most-in-managing-such-a-large-effort"><strong>Q: What helped you most in managing such a large effort?</strong></h4>



<p>Chelsea points to a foundational resource: The SERO Group’s standardized migration checklist and project template. &#8220;Even though every migration is different, having that predefined framework let me focus on strategic decisions instead of just sequencing tasks. It gave us the structure to stay on track and the flexibility to tailor it to the client’s needs.&#8221;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-trust-through-communication">Building Trust Through Communication</h3>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-q-were-there-any-communication-challenges-how-did-you-overcome-them">Q: Were there any communication challenges? How did you overcome them?</h4>



<p>The client had faced delays during previous migrations and understandably wanted to prevent any possible issues during this one. To address their concerns, Chelsea worked on establishing transparency and leaning into structured collaboration.</p>



<p>&#8220;We started with biweekly calls but increased the frequency to weekly as we neared execution,&#8221; she explained. These weren’t working sessions—they were status checkpoints where decisions were made, issues were raised, and next steps were confirmed.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-q-how-were-the-client-s-teams-kept-informed-during-the-maintenance-windows"><strong>Q: How were the client’s teams kept informed during the maintenance windows?</strong></h4>



<p>Because some stakeholders weren’t able to join every live call, Chelsea adapted her tools mid-project. &#8220;I moved our tracking from Monday.com to Excel so I could easily take screenshots of our live checklist and post them in Teams. That way, everyone—whether on the call or not—knew exactly where we were.&#8221;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-structuring-for-execution">Structuring for Execution</h3>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-q-what-did-the-final-48-hours-before-the-first-migration-look-like"><strong>Q: What did the final 48 hours before the first migration look like?</strong></h4>



<p>Two days before the first migration, Chelsea organized and led a formal Go/No-Go call. The team reviewed all open action items and confirmed that nothing would delay the plan. At the end of the meeting, Chelsea asked everyone directly, &#8220;Is there any risk that would make us postpone?&#8221;</p>



<p>This clarity, paired with a culture of open communication, ensured that no assumptions were left unaddressed. If anyone had a concern, it would be brought to light and resolved before the cutover began.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-q-how-did-you-keep-the-actual-migration-on-track"><strong>Q: How did you keep the actual migration on track?</strong></h4>



<p>&#8220;We captured start and stop times for each task,&#8221; she said. &#8220;That helped us measure not just overall duration, but exactly how long each part took, which helped refine our estimates for the next weekend.&#8221; In the end, that discipline paid off: each weekend ran smoother than the last. The final and largest group of databases migrated in under three hours—faster than either of the previous weekends.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-finishing-strong">Finishing Strong</h3>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-q-what-advice-would-you-give-someone-managing-a-project-like-this-for-the-first-time">Q: What advice would you give someone managing a project like this for the first time?</h4>



<p>&#8220;Don’t try to know everything,&#8221; Chelsea said. &#8220;Let your technical leads own the technical side. My job wasn’t to understand every backup script—it was to make sure <a href="https://theserogroup.com/dba/how-we-migrated-1200-sql-server-databases-in-under-3-hours-while-cutting-storage-costs-by-84/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Luke had what he needed to be successful</a>.&#8221;</p>



<p>She also emphasized the importance of asking questions, even if they seem obvious. &#8220;You’re not helping the project by staying quiet when something doesn’t feel right. Ask the thing no one else is asking—someone may have forgotten, or it may spark a helpful discussion.&#8221;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-q-what-did-the-final-close-out-meeting-look-like">Q: What did the final close-out meeting look like?</h4>



<p>It wasn’t just a victory lap. Chelsea began by checking in on the environment—was everything still running smoothly? (It was.) The client reported their CPU usage had dropped by 5–10% across the board, a measurable performance win. Then she walked through a structured project retrospective: what went well, what could be improved, and what needed follow-up.</p>



<p>&#8220;We wanted to make sure every open item had a home,&#8221; Chelsea said. &#8220;Whether that was a new ticket, a follow-up project, or something handed off to our SeroShield monitoring team.&#8221;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-intangibles-of-success">The Intangibles of Success</h3>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-q-what-moment-made-you-feel-the-proudest"><strong>Q: What moment made you feel the proudest?</strong></h4>



<p>&#8220;That final weekend,&#8221; she said without hesitation. &#8220;It had the most databases and took the least amount of time. It felt like all of our work to get more efficient each weekend really paid off.&#8221;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-q-what-is-something-that-readers-of-the-technical-post-may-not-yet-appreciate-about-this-migration"><strong>Q: What is something that readers of the <a href="https://theserogroup.com/dba/how-we-migrated-1200-sql-server-databases-in-under-3-hours-while-cutting-storage-costs-by-84/">technical post</a> may not yet appreciate about this migration?</strong></h4>



<p>&#8220;The amount of back-end coordination,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It was 12 weeks of planning before the first database ever moved. That’s what made it feel easy.&#8221;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-q-what-does-this-project-say-about-the-sero-group"><strong>Q: What does this project say about The SERO Group?</strong></h4>



<p>&#8220;We show up as true partners. We walk alongside the client and make decisions together. That’s what builds trust—and that’s why this went so well.&#8221;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bringing-it-all-together">Bringing It All Together</h3>



<p>This migration was a case study in how proactive project management, thoughtful communication, and structured planning can bring clarity and confidence to even the most complex technical challenges. Chelsea didn’t just get the job done—she also made it feel calm, transparent, and collaborative every step of the way.</p>



<p>If your organization is facing a high-stakes SQL Server migration, don’t underestimate the power of strong project management. <a href="https://theserogroup.com/contact-us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Schedule a no-obligation discovery call</a>&nbsp;with us to learn how we can help. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theserogroup.com/making-decisions/sql-server-migration-success-starts-with-project-management/">SQL Server Migration Success Starts with Clear, Confident Project Management</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theserogroup.com">The SERO Group</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">7448</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>5 Books I&#8217;m Glad I Read in 2019</title>
		<link>https://theserogroup.com/leadership/5-books-im-glad-i-read-in-2019/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joe Webb]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 07 Jan 2020 15:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Book Review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Negotiations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://theserogroup.com/?p=2661</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>“What gets us into trouble is not what we don&#8217;t know. It&#8217;s what we know for sure that just ain&#8217;t so.” &#8211; Mark Twain Each year I read approximately 30 books for the pure pleasure of creating in my imagination the sights and sounds and smells of the world that the author has created in&#8230; <br /> <a class="read-more" href="https://theserogroup.com/leadership/5-books-im-glad-i-read-in-2019/">Read more</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theserogroup.com/leadership/5-books-im-glad-i-read-in-2019/">5 Books I&#8217;m Glad I Read in 2019</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theserogroup.com">The SERO Group</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>“What gets us into trouble is not what we don&#8217;t know. It&#8217;s what we know for sure that just ain&#8217;t so.” &#8211; Mark Twain</p></blockquote>



<p>Each year I read approximately 30 books for the pure pleasure of creating in my imagination the sights and sounds and smells of the world that the author has created in the pages of his book. I enjoy fiction and non-fiction alike. </p>



<p>I also read around the same number of &#8220;educational&#8221; books each year. I read these to challenge myself out of complacency and to spur growth, to resist stagnation and to broaden my horizons. </p>



<p>In 2019 I was fortunate to have read many compelling and thought-provoking books. Here are five that I found particularly noteworthy. In fact, I&#8217;ll likely revisit each of these again in the future &#8211; they are that good. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">1. Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits by Greg Crabtree</h3>



<p>Owning and running a small business can be rewarding, fulfilling, and even energizing if it is aligned with your passions and personality. But it can also be nerve-racking and anxiety-producing, often requiring you to make important decisions based on imperfect and incomplete information. When should you hire your next team member? Should you reinvest your profits? Are you even profitable to begin with? How can you be sure? </p>



<p>In <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits: 4 Keys to Unlock Your Business Potential (opens in a new tab)" href="https://jwebb.me/2Z1X0G2" target="_blank">Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits: 4 Keys to Unlock Your Business Potential</a>, Greg Crabtree offers succinct and clear guidance for running your small business. As an accountant and Entrepreneur Operating System (EOS) implementor, this book is concise and well-written. Not a word is wasted. There&#8217;s no fluff. </p>



<p>Some of the gems of this book include: </p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Use a forecast, not a budget</li><li>Know your salary cap for your labor force</li><li>Monitor your Labor Efficiency Ratio</li><li>Pay yourself a competitive wage or your financials are misleading. </li></ul>



<p>If you own/run a small business, this should be required reading.  </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">2. Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller</h3>



<p>As a young entrepreneur, I was confident in my abilities and astute in my observations. I could quickly recognize a potential client&#8217;s primary challenge and chart a path to overcome it. I could see where others could not. In short, I could be the hero I thought they needed.</p>



<p>Now, some twenty-plus years later, I realize that I was fortunate to have survived that period. That approach didn&#8217;t help me to connect with my potential customers. It placed me in the limelight and ignored their real needs. I slowly learned this the hard way by trial and error. Well, it was mostly by error. </p>



<p>I wish Donald Miller had written <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen (opens in a new tab)" href="https://jwebb.me/2XvBF8N" target="_blank">Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen</a> sooner. It could have saved me from many of those errors. </p>



<p>Miller draws parallels between marketing and storytelling and shares how everyone, from a giant corporation to a small solepreneur can create a meaningful brand that connects with customers. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">3. Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss </h3>



<p>&#8220;Never talk about money, politics, or religion.&#8221; Many of us were taught this principle as a kid. Talking about these, especially money now feels wrong and uncomfortable. But, when you run a small business, you must learn to talk about money early and often.  </p>



<p>In <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It (opens in a new tab)" href="https://jwebb.me/325E9vS" target="_blank">Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It</a>,&nbsp;former FBI Hostage Negotiator Chris Voss shares principles he and his team learned while negotiating some of the most extreme and contentious scenarios imaginable. The book is replete with concepts and tactics, including:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Negotiation is not an active battle; it’s a process of discovery. The goal is to uncover as much information as possible.</li><li>&#8220;No&#8221; is the start of a negotiation, not the end of it.&nbsp; It seldom means, &#8220;I have considered all the facts and made a rational choice.&#8221;</li><li>You are not going to logically convince someone that they are safe, secure, or in control.</li><li>The more a person feels understood, and positively affirmed in that understanding, the more likely they are for agreement and change. </li></ul>



<p>Whether you&#8217;re an accomplished and skilled negotiator or someone who actively avoids negotiations because it creates stress and conflict, you&#8217;ll likely find this book helpful. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">4. Spy the Lie by Philip Houston, Michael Floyd, and Susan Carnicero</h3>



<p>You&#8217;re sitting across the table from some who keeps touching his face and covering his mouth as he speaks. He doesn&#8217;t make consistent eye contact with you. He&#8217;s obviously lying to you, right? </p>



<p>Conventional wisdom holds that he is being deceitful. The facts are not his friend. But, wouldn&#8217;t someone who is lying also know the conventional wisdom and make a gallant effort to overcome the traditional indicators? So maybe it&#8217;s the person who keeps his hands on the table and stares unrelentingly into your eyes that is lying?</p>



<p><a href="https://jwebb.me/SpyTheLie" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Spy the Lie: Former CIA Officers Teach You How to Detect Deception (opens in a new tab)">Spy the Lie: Former CIA Officers Teach You How to Detect Deception</a> tackles this question head-on. The three former CIA officers share their experiences in detecting deception and spotting lies. They offer proven techniques for asking questions and observing responses that will help to uncover when a person is being forthright and when she is avoiding an uncomfortable truth. </p>



<p>In my 27-year career, I&#8217;ve been very fortunate. I&#8217;ve worked closely with trustworthy colleagues and clients who earnestly seek to do the right thing. Nevertheless, I found this book insightful and engaging. It&#8217;s a good read.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">5. The Only Sales Guide You Will Ever Need by Anthony Iannarino </h3>



<p>Much has been written in the technical world about the &#8220;Accidental DBA,&#8221; that unfortunate IT Professional who is deeply skilled in one area such as System Administration or Application Development yet finds herself also responsible for keeping the SQL Server databases running. (In fact, our business is predicated on helping companies with Accidental DBAs.)</p>



<p>I am not an Accidental DBA. I&#8217;ve doing DBA work professionally for over 20 years. But I am an Accidental Sales Professional. I&#8217;m not particularly skilled in sales, yet it&#8217;s an integral part of any business, including The SERO Group.</p>



<p>Anthony Iannarino&#8217;s book <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="The Only Sales Guide You'll Ever Need (opens in a new tab)" href="https://jwebb.me/TheOnlySalesGuide" target="_blank">The Only Sales Guide You&#8217;ll Ever Need</a> was written for people like me. It&#8217;s for honest people who truly want to help other businesses succeed. There are no manipulative tactics or unscrupulous presentations described. Rather his approach is one of learning to listen to your potential customer to determine if your product or service may help them reach their goals. </p>



<p>I&#8217;m not a connoisseur of sales books. I&#8217;ve only read a few. But this one has proven helpful to me. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">A Few Honorable Mentions</h3>



<p>There were many other books I read in 2019 that I&#8217;d recommend adding to your list. In most any other year, these would have made my Top 5 List. </p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="The Dichotomy of Leadership (opens in a new tab)" href="https://jwebb.me/2ID8v3Q" target="_blank">The Dichotomy of Leadership</a> by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin</li><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Hit Refresh (opens in a new tab)" href="https://jwebb.me/2IWuVLG" target="_blank">Hit Refresh</a> by Satya Nadella</li><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="The Go-Giver (opens in a new tab)" href="https://jwebb.me/2Z352yh" target="_blank">The Go-Giver</a> by Bob Burg</li><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Creativity, Inc (opens in a new tab)" href="https://jwebb.me/2k3Jcfz" target="_blank">Creativity, Inc</a> by Ed Catmull</li><li><a href="https://jwebb.me/2mIA68Q" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Playbook of Silicon Valley's Bill Campbell (opens in a new tab)">Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Playbook of Silicon Valley&#8217;s Bill Campbell</a> by Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg, Alan Eagle</li></ul>



<p>I&#8217;m always looking for suggestions for books to read. Let me know if you&#8217;ve found a book particularly compelling. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theserogroup.com/leadership/5-books-im-glad-i-read-in-2019/">5 Books I&#8217;m Glad I Read in 2019</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theserogroup.com">The SERO Group</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2661</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Camp, Hike, and SQL</title>
		<link>https://theserogroup.com/sql-server/camp-hike-and-sql/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joe Webb]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 11 Nov 2019 20:19:17 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SQL Server]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work/Life Balance]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://theserogroup.com/?p=2652</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting down to talk with Thom Coats of The Unstuck Business Academy for their &#8220;Stories from the C&#124;Suite&#8221; podcast. Thom is a wonderful host and we had a lot of fun talking about everything from camping and hiking, to professional development, to effectively managing SQL Server infrastructures. Here&#8217;s a&#8230; <br /> <a class="read-more" href="https://theserogroup.com/sql-server/camp-hike-and-sql/">Read more</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theserogroup.com/sql-server/camp-hike-and-sql/">Camp, Hike, and SQL</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theserogroup.com">The SERO Group</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting down to talk with <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Thom Coats (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/thom-coats/" target="_blank">Thom Coats</a> of <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="The Unstuck Business Academy (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.unstuckbusinessacademy.com/" target="_blank">The Unstuck Business Academy</a> for their &#8220;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Stories from the C|Suite (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.unstuckbusinessacademy.com/podcast/" target="_blank">Stories from the C|Suite</a>&#8221; podcast. Thom is a wonderful host and we had a lot of fun talking about everything from camping and hiking, to professional development, to effectively managing SQL Server infrastructures. Here&#8217;s a <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="link to our conversation (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.unstuckbusinessacademy.com/camp-hike-and-sql-with-joe-webb-the-mvp/" target="_blank">link to our conversation</a>. </p>



<p>If you&#8217;re not familiar with the Unstuck Business Academy, it&#8217;s a great resource designed to help small business owners overcome obstacles to growing their businesses. Check it out. </p>



<p>Kudos to <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Brent Barcus (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentbarcus/" target="_blank">Brent Barcus</a> of <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="i65music  (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/i65music/about/" target="_blank">i65music </a>for producing the podcast. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theserogroup.com/sql-server/camp-hike-and-sql/">Camp, Hike, and SQL</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theserogroup.com">The SERO Group</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2652</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>The 9 Best Books of 2018</title>
		<link>https://theserogroup.com/career-development/the-top-nine-books/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joe Webb]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 06 Feb 2019 15:57:32 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Book Review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Career Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Management]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://theserogroup.com/?p=2296</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>It&#8217;s what you learn after you know it all that really counts. &#8211; John Wooden As an avid reader and life-long learner, this quote by Coach John Wooden really speaks to me. I don&#8217;t want to wax too philosophical here, but life is a journey and we owe it to ourselves and those we influence&#8230; <br /> <a class="read-more" href="https://theserogroup.com/career-development/the-top-nine-books/">Read more</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theserogroup.com/career-development/the-top-nine-books/">The 9 Best Books of 2018</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theserogroup.com">The SERO Group</a>.</p>
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<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>It&#8217;s what you learn after you know it all that really counts. &#8211; John Wooden</p></blockquote>



<p>As an avid reader and life-long learner, this quote by Coach John Wooden really speaks to me. I don&#8217;t want to wax too philosophical here, but life is a journey and we owe it to ourselves and those we influence to stretch ourselves and continually renew our minds so that we can be our best with our God-given talents.</p>



<p>There are a lot of ways to do that. One is to read voraciously. Each year I try to read or listen to at least 50 books. Some books I read for fun and entertainment. Many I read to learn something &#8211; how to be a better speaker, how to learn a new outdoor skill, how to better hobby farmer, and yes, how to be a better leader in my business.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Recommended Reading</h3>



<p>I&#8217;m often asked to recommend books on specific topics. That&#8217;s why I created a <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Recommended Reading (opens in a new tab)" href="http://theserogroup.com/recommended-reading/" target="_blank">Recommended Reading</a> list. Each year I add a book or two to the list. 2018 was a banner year for my reading; I added four books to the Recommended Reading list. If you only read a few books each year, read these. </p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li><em><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="It's Your Ship (opens in a new tab)" href="https://jwebb.me/YourShip" target="_blank">It&#8217;s Your Ship</a></em> by Capt. D. Michael Abrashoff.  The United States Navy doesn’t have a monopoly on the highly-regimented, top-down leadership style. In fact, many companies still have this corporate culture. In It’s Your Ship, Abrashoff recounts how he was able to take a below average ship and turn it into one of the best ships in the Navy. His crew developed a sense of ownership and pride in their work. His bosses recognized Benfold’s accomplishments and rewarded the crew with additional liberty and flexibility. Abrashoff’s approaches work in the corporate world as well. This book is a must-read for leaders. </li><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Extreme Ownership (opens in a new tab)" href="https://jwebb.me/extremeownership" target="_blank"><em>Extreme Ownership</em></a> by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin.  In the book, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin share some of the leadership lessons they learned on the battlefield where a minor mistake could have grave and lasting consequences. They distill the lessons into principles and share how they can be applied to business and everyday life. This book should be required reading for all high school seniors and business majors. </li><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="The Like Switch (opens in a new tab)" href="http://jwebb.me/TheLikeSwitch" target="_blank"><em>The Like Switch</em></a> by Jack Schafer.  Jack Shafer spent years with the FBI, preparing spies for their missions and helping to recruit spies from other countries. During his career, he developed strategies for reading people, building trust, and developing long-term relationships. This is not a book about deceitfully manipulating people. This book shares how to build better and stronger relationships. </li><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Permission to Screw Up (opens in a new tab)" href="https://jwebb.me/perm2screwup" target="_blank"><em>Permission to Screw Up</em></a> by Kristen Hadeed.  Many business and leadership books are sanitized and polished. The authors share their successes without revealing the many painful mistakes and setbacks that plagued them along the way. This is not one of those books. In her book, Permission to Screw Up, Hadeed shares how she inadvertently started and grew a business hiring only millennials. She tells her engaging and personal story in an entertaining and thought-provoking way. In the end, the leadership lessons she shares seem more real and less academic, more applicable and less theoretical, more heartfelt and less boastful. Entertaining and informative, this book will help you build a better team. </li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Other Books Worth Your Time</h3>



<p>I also read a lot of books that narrowly miss being added to the list. They are really good books but just don&#8217;t quite make the &#8220;hall of fame.&#8221; <g class="gr_ gr_12 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="12" data-gr-id="12">Here</g> are the Top 5 Books I read in 2018 that didn&#8217;t quite make the Recommended Reading list but are still worthy of your time. </p>



<ol class="wp-block-list"><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Crucial Confrontations (opens in a new tab)" href="https://jwebb.me/2IsE5f4" target="_blank"><em>Crucial Confrontations</em></a> by Kerry Patterson, et al. The authors provide sound tactical advice for handling difficult situations with others. They explain why these conversations are important to have and offer guidance on how to approach them. </li><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Leadership and Self-Deception (opens in a new tab)" href="https://jwebb.me/2n8tNs9" target="_blank"><em>Leadership and Self-Deception</em></a> by Arbinger Institute. Written as a fable, the book illustrates how we frequently trap ourselves in a &#8220;box&#8221; of self-justification. We create an internal narrative that places blame on others and blinds us to what is really happening. </li><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Finish  (opens in a new tab)" href="https://jwebb.me/finish" target="_blank">Finish </a>by Jon Acuff. According to the author, 92 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail. Many people start something, a personal goal at home or a professional project at work, but tend to lose interest or find it too challenging to finish. In this humorous book, Acuff shares ways that he&#8217;s found to finish what you&#8217;ve started. </li><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Essentialism (opens in a new tab)" href="https://jwebb.me/Essentialism" target="_blank"><em>Essentialism</em></a> by Greg McKeown. I&#8217;ve read a lot of books on productivity over the years looking for how to accomplish more in a shorter period of time. McKeown contends that this is the exact wrong approach. We should focus on getting only the right things done and eliminate everything else. </li><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="The Bullet Journal (opens in a new tab)" href="https://jwebb.me/BujoMethod" target="_blank"><em>The Bullet Journal</em></a> by Ryder Carroll. For years I&#8217;ve searched for a way to manage my To Do list. I&#8217;ve tried paper-based systems (ala <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Getting Things Done (opens in a new tab)" href="https://jwebb.me/2ShPIPJ" target="_blank"><em>Getting Things Done</em></a>), electronic methods, and everything in between. I&#8217;ve written about my attempts in the past. I&#8217;ve finally found a system that works for me &#8211; The Bullet Journal. </li></ol>



<p>No matter your superpowers, you can always learn something new. And these books can help. </p>



<p>What about you? Read any good books lately? </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theserogroup.com/career-development/the-top-nine-books/">The 9 Best Books of 2018</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theserogroup.com">The SERO Group</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2296</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>How Can I Get the Experience I Want When My Current Job Won&#8217;t Let Me?</title>
		<link>https://theserogroup.com/career-development/how-can-i-get-the-experience-i-want/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joe Webb]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Oct 2018 18:15:54 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Career Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Management]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://theserogroup.com/?p=2177</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m stuck. How can I get the experience I want when my current role doesn&#8217;t provide the opportunity I need?&#8221;  That question haunted me some twenty years ago while I was in the early stages of building The SERO Group. I wanted more experience to better serve my clients and to better understand how to&#8230; <br /> <a class="read-more" href="https://theserogroup.com/career-development/how-can-i-get-the-experience-i-want/">Read more</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theserogroup.com/career-development/how-can-i-get-the-experience-i-want/">How Can I Get the Experience I Want When My Current Job Won&#8217;t Let Me?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theserogroup.com">The SERO Group</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m stuck. How can I get the experience I want when my current role doesn&#8217;t provide the opportunity I need?&#8221; </p>



<p>That question haunted me some twenty years ago while I was in the early stages of building The SERO Group. I wanted more experience to better serve my clients and to better understand how to lead my employees and contractors. I wanted to be stretched. I wanted to be challenged and to be mentored as I assumed more and more responsibilities both from a technical and from a business-leadership perspective. Yet, as a young entrepreneur, I didn&#8217;t where to start.</p>



<p>I&#8217;ve since learned that many technical professionals wrestle with the same question. &#8220;How can I prove myself without being given the opportunity to do the job?&#8221; </p>



<p>Fortunately, I stumbled upon a great opportunity. As the leader of a local SQL Server User Group, I was presented with a complimentary registration to the Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS) Community Summit. At the time, PASS was a fledgling group started by key individuals in the SQL Server community with the organizational backing and financial support of Microsoft and Computer Associates.</p>



<p>While at the association&#8217;s second annual conference in San Francisco, I met and got to know some of the leaders of the group. They asked me to help the organization grow by volunteering some of my time. I started by communicating with other local user groups from around the nation. Later I served on the Board of Directors and was responsible for conference operations. After five years on the board, I became the organization&#8217;s Vice President of Marketing and eventually the Executive Vice President of Finance. </p>



<p>During my tenure on the Board of Directors, I was presented with the exact opportunities (aka challenges) that I had so desperately sought before. I was stretched beyond my comfort zone and guided in my growth. Before passing the baton to the next generation of leaders, I had: </p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Helped set the strategic initiatives and direction for a 250,000 member global organization.<br/></li><li>Provided the financial oversight and fiscal responsibility for a multi-million dollar budget.</li><li>Worked with an incredibly astute group of colleagues to fundamentally transform the association&#8217;s management which helped to create a budgetary surplus for the first time in the organization&#8217;s history. </li><li>Gained a better understanding of business, leadership, and team dynamics.  </li><li>Become an 8-time recipient of the prestigious Microsoft MVP Award for sharing my knowledge and experiences with the SQL Server community.  </li></ul>



<p>Most years, it was time-consuming. Often, it was stressful. Sometimes, it was frustrating. But, looking back it was one of the most rewarding professional experiences of my career and provided an opportunity for unparalleled growth that I could not have achieved on my own.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Why volunteer your time?</h3>



<p>I would encourage you to look outside their day jobs for career-enhancing experiences and opportunities. Why?</p>



<ol class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>Gain and share your technical experiences</strong>. Local non-profits are often in need of professional assistance yet do not have the financial resources to pay for them. By volunteering your time with a local charity, you may have access to technical projects that are not available to you at work. Perhaps you can offer to help a local organization with some data analytics so they can better understand their donor demographics?</li><li><strong>Grow and develop your leadership experiences</strong>. Leadership is a skill that can be learned and developed. However, this skill, like all others, requires practice and patience. Volunteering your time with a local Boy&#8217;s or Girl&#8217;s Club, the Boy Scouts of America, or Trail Life USA Troop can help you observe accomplished leaders in action while doing a good deed.</li><li><strong>Broaden and share your business insights</strong>. Although charities and non-profits exist to serve their constituents, the organizations must remain solvent in order to accomplish their missions. By volunteering your time with a non-profit, you&#8217;ll be exposed to the business challenges and decisions that the organization is facing. </li><li><strong>Strengthen and extended your project experience</strong>. One of the benefits of working with multiple organizations is that you see different ways of doing things. Different strokes for different folks as the saying goes. By volunteering, you can quickly see a variety of different approaches to business and technical situations.</li><li><strong>Make professional and personal connections</strong>. The world is full of really great people who want to &#8220;pay it forward&#8221; by unselfishly helping others. By offering your time and experiences to others, you&#8217;ll undoubtedly meet people like this. You can learn from them, perhaps even teach them something, and do more good together.  </li><li><strong>Broaden and share your perspectives</strong>. Although we can learn from others, being immersed in an environment and personally walking through an experience further underscores and solidifies in your mind the lessons learned. With more exposure, you&#8217;ll have a broader set of experiences from which to draw. Plus you&#8217;ll be able to share your experiences with others. </li><li><strong>Create shared experiences</strong>. Life is enriched by the shared experiences we create. Social media is no substitute for a personal interaction with others. By volunteering your time, you&#8217;ll create more shared experiences with and for others. </li></ol>



<p>Don&#8217;t know where to start? I&#8217;d suggest starting with what interests you. Have a passion for helping local youth? Volunteer for Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Want to get into information security? Check out your local ISACA chapter. Love backpacking, contact the local hiking group. Follow your interests. </p>



<p>By the way, the organization where I got started, PASS, is currently soliciting applications to serve on the Board of Directors. If you&#8217;re interested, <a href="https://www.pass.org/AboutPASS/PASSNews/TabId/15340/ArtMID/23897/ArticleID/628/PASS-Election-Applications-Open-October-10.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out the application form</a>. </p>



<p>Have a volunteer experience that you&#8217;d like to share, drop me a line or leave a comment. I&#8217;d love to hear it. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theserogroup.com/career-development/how-can-i-get-the-experience-i-want/">How Can I Get the Experience I Want When My Current Job Won&#8217;t Let Me?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theserogroup.com">The SERO Group</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2177</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Failing Your Annual Review</title>
		<link>https://theserogroup.com/career-development/failing-your-annual-review/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joe Webb]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Jan 2017 16:05:35 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Career Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Management]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://theserogroup.com/?p=1428</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Imagine for a moment being a naval explorer from antiquity. You set sail from the Old World, plotting a course that will take you across the vast and deep sea toward your foreign destination. The trip will be long and wrought with dangers. Headwinds will hinder your progress. Crosswinds will blow you off course. Storms will rise,&#8230; <br /> <a class="read-more" href="https://theserogroup.com/career-development/failing-your-annual-review/">Read more</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theserogroup.com/career-development/failing-your-annual-review/">Failing Your Annual Review</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theserogroup.com">The SERO Group</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Imagine for a moment being a naval explorer from antiquity. You set sail from the Old World, plotting a course that will take you across the vast and deep sea toward your foreign destination. The trip will be long and wrought with dangers. Headwinds will hinder your progress. Crosswinds will blow you off course. Storms will rise, tossing the vessel in unpredictable ways. Winds will cease, leaving your ship adrift.</p>
<p>The journey would difficult at best. Yet now let&#8217;s throw in one more twist, a restriction that no seafaring traveler from old would agree to. Let&#8217;s say that you could only take one bearing during the trip. You could only consult the stars with your sextant but once, only at the very beginning. You cannot check your progress. You have no way to determine what adjustments must be made to your course to successfully complete your journey. You are, in effect, sailing without any feedback.</p>
<p>How do you think you&#8217;d do? Would you reach your destination? Or would the imprecise reading at the onset of the journey leave you hundreds of miles off course? Would you sail safely into the New World? Or would the unpredictable events during the year-long adventure affect your ability to succeed?</p>
<p>Of course, the likelihood of actually arriving your destination, of achieving your goal, would be near zero.</p>
<p>Yet, as leaders and managers, this is what we frequently do to our teams. We set their destinations (performance goals for the year) and expect them to accomplish them without any feedback from us throughout the year.</p>
<p>We withhold the frequent feedback that will help them to do their jobs better, that will help them to make the micro adjustments along the way to improve. Then once a year we unleash a barrage of shortcomings during their annual review. And they never see it coming.</p>
<p>If anything you say during an annual review is a surprise to a member of your team, the failing is not theirs. It&#8217;s yours. You didn&#8217;t give them feedback, important feedback, during the year to help them do their jobs. You didn&#8217;t help them to make the adjustments required.</p>
<p>Were they habitually late to meetings? You didn&#8217;t tell them that was unsatisfactory. Were they consistently blaming others when they missed deadlines? You didn&#8217;t help them to own all aspects of their projects. Were they having interpersonal issues with other departments? You didn&#8217;t provide the feedback so they could adjust.</p>
<p>If the feedback is important, if it&#8217;s worth dinging them on an annual review, why would you withhold it until the annual review? Why not give them the gift of feedback regularly?</p>
<p>Learn to give feedback. It&#8217;s not hard. It doesn&#8217;t have to be stressful. And your team will appreciate it.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theserogroup.com/career-development/failing-your-annual-review/">Failing Your Annual Review</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theserogroup.com">The SERO Group</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">1428</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Motivating Your Team: The Importance of Why</title>
		<link>https://theserogroup.com/motivation/motivating-your-team-the-importance-of-why/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joe Webb]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 Sep 2014 13:59:17 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motivation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Productivity]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://foritpros.com/?p=917</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Because I said so!&#8221; Ever hear that growing up? I certainly did on more than one occasion, typically when I had exhausted my parent&#8217;s patience with me. Unfortunately, many IT Leaders adopt this behavior as part of their leadership style. What most don&#8217;t realize is that using the dictator style of management doesn&#8217;t bring out the best in your&#8230; <br /> <a class="read-more" href="https://theserogroup.com/motivation/motivating-your-team-the-importance-of-why/">Read more</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theserogroup.com/motivation/motivating-your-team-the-importance-of-why/">Motivating Your Team: The Importance of Why</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theserogroup.com">The SERO Group</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://foritpros.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/puzzle.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-920 alignleft" alt="puzzle" src="http://foritpros.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/puzzle-300x206.jpg" width="300" height="206" srcset="https://theserogroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/puzzle-300x206.jpg 300w, https://theserogroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/puzzle-1024x704.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></p>
<p>Because I said so!&#8221; Ever hear that growing up? I certainly did on more than one occasion, typically when I had exhausted my parent&#8217;s patience with me.<br />
Unfortunately, many IT Leaders adopt this behavior as part of their leadership style. What most don&#8217;t realize is that using the dictator style of management doesn&#8217;t bring out the best in your team. In fact it can be counterproductive. To really motive your team, you need to share why what they are doing is important.</p>
<p>Adam Grant, professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania recently conducted an experiment which illustrates this point. In his study, a group of university call center workers soliciting donations from alumnus were given a chance to meet and talk with some of the recipients of scholarships funded by the callers&#8217; efforts.</p>
<p>As you might expect by the end of the experiment, there was a substantial difference in the amount of time spent on the phone and the total money raised by each caller who had spoken with scholarship recipients. In fact, those call center works who had spoken with scholarship students spent twice of much time on the phone and raised over 2 and 1/2 times the amount of money as those callers who didn&#8217;t talk with the scholarship students. You can read about Grant&#8217;s study <a href="http://www.dailygood.org/story/233/the-art-of-motivating-employees/" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<p>Understanding why is important. Help your team be more productive and stay motivated longer by helping them to see why what they are doing is important.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theserogroup.com/motivation/motivating-your-team-the-importance-of-why/">Motivating Your Team: The Importance of Why</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theserogroup.com">The SERO Group</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">917</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>The 4th C of Interviewing</title>
		<link>https://theserogroup.com/interviews/the-4th-c-of-interviewing/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joe Webb]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Sep 2014 13:38:24 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Making Decisions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hiring]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://foritpros.com/?p=913</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>&#160; Hiring the wrong person is costly. There are the hard costs associated with the search as well as delayed projects, lowered morale, and expensive employee benefits. Yet many companies do not have a well-defined and comprehensive interviewing process. They leave it up to individual managers to make hiring decisions while neglecting to provide sufficient&#8230; <br /> <a class="read-more" href="https://theserogroup.com/interviews/the-4th-c-of-interviewing/">Read more</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theserogroup.com/interviews/the-4th-c-of-interviewing/">The 4th C of Interviewing</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theserogroup.com">The SERO Group</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="http://foritpros.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/training-room.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-914 alignright" alt="training room" src="http://foritpros.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/training-room-300x225.jpg" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://theserogroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/training-room-300x225.jpg 300w, https://theserogroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/training-room-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://theserogroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/training-room.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>Hiring the wrong person is costly. There are the hard costs associated with the search as well as delayed projects, lowered morale, and expensive employee benefits. Yet many companies do not have a well-defined and comprehensive interviewing process. They leave it up to individual managers to make hiring decisions while neglecting to provide sufficient guidance or training on what to look for in a candidate.</p>
<p>Often managers place considerable weight, too much weight perhaps, on technical skills while largely ignoring the other aspects required for success. You&#8217;ve probably heard the saying &#8220;People are hired for their technical abilities; they are fired a lack of people skills.&#8221; That&#8217;s often true.</p>
<p>Not long ago I wrote about the 3 C&#8217;s that I look for when interviewing technical people: Competence, Compatibility, and Core Values (Character). You can <a href="http://foritpros.com/2012/11/13/the-three-cs-of-interviewing/">read about them here</a>.  I&#8217;ve recently added another characteristic that deserves to be included with the 3 C&#8217;s.</p>
<p>The 4th C is Coachable.</p>
<p>Is the person open to constructive feedback? Does he want to improve? Or does he &#8220;know it all&#8221; already?</p>
<p>Being coachable means the person is humble and has a teachable spirit, that he is willing to accept that there may be other or better ways of doing things. Coachable does not mean overly impressionable or being unduly swayed like a ship without a rudder. Rather it means they are professional and confident in their abilities. Yet they recognize that everyone can improve and they yearn to get better, to be the best.</p>
<p>So, when interviewing for your next direct report, ask questions that reveal coachability. That, along with the other C&#8217;s, will help you to select the best addition to your team.<a href="http://foritpros.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/training-room.jpg"><br />
</a></p>
<p>photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.freeimages.com">freeimages.com</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theserogroup.com/interviews/the-4th-c-of-interviewing/">The 4th C of Interviewing</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theserogroup.com">The SERO Group</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">913</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>You&#8217;re Leading in More Ways</title>
		<link>https://theserogroup.com/uncategorized/youre-leading-in-more-ways/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joe Webb]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 30 Apr 2014 14:40:54 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motivation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://foritpros.com/?p=858</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>In football, the quarterback is the de facto leader of the offense of team. Late in the game it is to him that the team looks to snatch a last minute come-from-behind victory from certain defeat. That&#8217;s a lot of weight to put on one man&#8217;s shoulders. Yet the quarterback is leading his team in&#8230; <br /> <a class="read-more" href="https://theserogroup.com/uncategorized/youre-leading-in-more-ways/">Read more</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theserogroup.com/uncategorized/youre-leading-in-more-ways/">You&#8217;re Leading in More Ways</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theserogroup.com">The SERO Group</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://foritpros.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/football-2.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-860 alignright" alt="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://foritpros.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/football-2-300x225.jpg" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://theserogroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/football-2-300x225.jpg 300w, https://theserogroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/football-2-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://theserogroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/football-2.jpg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></p>
<p>In football, the quarterback is the de facto leader of the offense of team. Late in the game it is to him that the team looks to snatch a last minute come-from-behind victory from certain defeat. That&#8217;s a lot of weight to put on one man&#8217;s shoulders.</p>
<p>Yet the quarterback is leading his team in more ways than one. Sure he calls the signals and distributes the ball to other players through hand-offs or passes. But it is his demeanor that sets the tone for the rest of the team.</p>
<p>If the quarterback is visibly frustrated, if he comes to the sideline throwing his helmet, if he blames others for mistakes, if he hangs his head in despair, the team becomes rattled and loses confidence.</p>
<p>On the other hand, if the QB is mindful of his attitude, if he is poised and confident in spite of adversity or mistakes, the team rallies around him and is motivated to perform at an elevated level.</p>
<p>The team will mirror the characteristics of its leader; it will perform only as well as its leader.</p>
<p>The same can be true in business. As the leader of your team, your direct reports will feed off of your attitude and demeanor. Keep that in mind the next time your team faces adversity.</p>
<p>So, how is your attitude? What tone are you setting for your team?</p>
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<p>The post <a href="https://theserogroup.com/uncategorized/youre-leading-in-more-ways/">You&#8217;re Leading in More Ways</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theserogroup.com">The SERO Group</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">858</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Four Questions Every Follower Asks</title>
		<link>https://theserogroup.com/leadership/four-questions-every-follower-asks/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joe Webb]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Oct 2013 12:00:40 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://foritpros.com/?p=737</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Whether you lead a large IT organization or you lead a small group of dedicated volunteers, there are four questions every follower will ask according to Dr. Lorne Sonny in the Business Ministry Journal as noted in Hans Finzel&#8217;s The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make (I couldn&#8217;t find a direct reference to Dr. Sonny&#8217;s work) They&#8230; <br /> <a class="read-more" href="https://theserogroup.com/leadership/four-questions-every-follower-asks/">Read more</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theserogroup.com/leadership/four-questions-every-follower-asks/">Four Questions Every Follower Asks</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theserogroup.com">The SERO Group</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-739" style="border: 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;" alt="Questions" src="http://foritpros.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/1193474_35804545.jpg" width="450" height="300" srcset="https://theserogroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/1193474_35804545.jpg 450w, https://theserogroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/1193474_35804545-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px" /></p>
<p>Whether you lead a large IT organization or you lead a small group of dedicated volunteers, there are four questions every follower will ask according to Dr. Lorne Sonny in the Business Ministry Journal as noted in Hans Finzel&#8217;s <a href="http://jwebb.me/15InuzH" target="_blank">The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make</a> (I couldn&#8217;t find a direct reference to Dr. Sonny&#8217;s work)</p>
<p>They are (Sonny&#8217;s questions are in bold; the rest are my follow up questions):</p>
<p><em><strong>1. What am I supposed to do?</strong></em> Do your followers know what is expected of them? Do they see how their contributions will help the organization?</p>
<p><em><strong>2. Will you let me do it?</strong></em> Do your followers feel like they have the freedom and authority to do what you&#8217;ve asked? Or do you micromanage and hold them back?</p>
<p><em><strong>3. Will you help me when I need it?</strong></em> Everyone will need assistance at some point. Can they trust you to support their efforts?</p>
<p><em><strong>4. Will you let me know how I&#8217;m doing?</strong> </em>Followers want to know if they are doing a good job.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve found these questions as important, if not more so, in volunteer organizations such as User Groups and Boy Scouts as in the workplace.</p>
<p>So, do your followers know the answer to these questions? If not, they will not follow you for long.</p>
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<p>The post <a href="https://theserogroup.com/leadership/four-questions-every-follower-asks/">Four Questions Every Follower Asks</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theserogroup.com">The SERO Group</a>.</p>
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