Leadership Onboarding in 2009

What's ahead for leadership onboarding in 2009? With all the dreary economic news, it seems that organizations will typically cut discretionary spending and focus their time and money on what will successfully drive their businesses into the next year and beyond.

A survey that I just read today, published by the International Association for Human Resources Information Management (IHRIM) reports how human resource leaders said that they would spend their information technology dollars next year. The findings say that of the companies making investments in software, 12% will be spent on core HR management systems, 25% will be spent on benefits management solutions and the most will be spent on onboarding tools at 28%.

This result indicates that more and more HR leaders are recognizing the business need and competitive advantage to providing a formal onboarding process. How many of these will have a dedicated focus to leaders is unclear. But the numbers are encouraging.

The article goes on to report that there is still an indication that companies will continue to cut budgets and staff in the slumping economy. These cuts will probably include development-like programs such as leadership coaching, team development and leadership onboarding. I was at a conference this fall and a key-note speaker from Home Depot said the their leadership onboarding was "suspended indefinitely" to save cost as their sales declined.

Unfortunately, this is a big mistake. Top talent will go to companies with these types of programs and organizations risk losing their competitive edge.

Now, more than ever, is the time to protect your biggest investments, your leaders.

Read the full article about the survey

Can't Afford Not to Do Leadership Onboarding

The talking heads on CNN and Fox News are telling us to "Hang on, it's going to get worse." The economy, that is, by way of tightened credit markets, crumbling financial institutions, big lay-offs and shaky consumer confidence. It is the typical reaction to hunker down, not spend any money and "wait and see" what happens next.

That might work for individuals and families, but not organizations who have to figure out how to keep and grow their competitive edge. Strong leadership is needed now more then ever and organizations are still paying big bucks to get it.

So, if your organization has sunk several thousand dollars into recruiting, interviewing, assessing and relocating a key leader, why would you leave their onboarding up to chance? Wouldn't you think that a small additional investment of time and money to insure that he or she "sticks" and does what he or she was brought in to do would be worth it?

We are continually surprised that operational and human resources leaders will agree that a leadership onboarding process "makes sense" or is "nice to have" but not a necessity. We beg to differ. Statistics in study after study prove that failure rate of newly hired or promoted leaders is in the 40 to 60% range.

The platform is on fire! Look down!