Professor Rob Cross, DBA, shares the latest network-driven methods to help you identify your critical team members, including high-performers, hidden talent, marginalized employees, and overloaded individuals - before they leave the company.
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Utilizes innovative social network analytic technology developed by Prof. Rob Cross of the University of Virginia
Users of ONA include major global organizations and industry leaders
A software company providing the strategic tools to identify and understand the key social connections that drive commercial, organizational, and health results
Example: 71 people identified Person A as an effective source of info and 27 responded that greater access to him is critical to improving their effectiveness.
Issue:
• Hidden bottlenecks can invisibly slow down the work of everyone (when these over-loaded people feel busy and like things are happening).
• Who is Person A?• What would you do?
Leaders (and Most Organizations) Don’t Sufficiently Appreciate The Effect Of Overload Points In Networks…
Senior VP+Vice PresidentExecutive Director/Senior DirectorDirector or Below
Solutions• Structural: Re-allocation of
decision-rights, providing broader information access, delegation/addition of roles and formalized decision-flows.
• Relational: Defining and re-routing routine decisions (e.g., various personnel decisions, travel, resourcing efforts, clinical protocol and protocol design, modeling and simulation).
• Skill Development: Building alternative sources of expertise, behavioral modeling and coaching.
base is VERY susceptible to departure of just a few employees. Many of these people were not recognized as critical in the formal talent processes and so were more likely to leave.
Typically only 40-50% overlap between key enablers and top talent lists
Solutions• Retention-Based: Allocating
additional resources/benefits, building networks among high connectors.
• Development-Based: Developing key expertise and client (or scientific) connections amongst others in the network.
• Succession-Planning: Helping emerging leaders build networks required for success in a new role.
Identification of Key Talent for Retention Purposes…
Person 1 41 22 1 to < 3 yrs VPDev Lead Metabolics NJ
Person 2 39 22 1 to < 3 yrs VP RMSCardio- vascular
Person 3 36 26 < 1 year VP GHOMultiple Areas NJ
Person 4 34 21 1 to < 3 yrsExec Drctr GCR ImmunologyNJ
Person 5 27 16 1 to < 3 yrs VP GCR OncologyPerson 6 23 15 1 to < 3 yrs Drctr RMS Metabolics
Person 7 22 18 1 to < 3 yrs VP DMCPMultiple Areas NJ
Person 8 20 13 1 to < 3 yrsExec Drctr Other
Multiple Areas
Person 9 19 13 1 to < 3 yrsExec Drctr DMCP Metabolics NJ
Person 10 18 11 1 to < 3 yrsGp
Drctr GCR Oncology
Understanding the Behaviors and Early Assignments of Least Tenured Top Connectors Can Improve
On-Boarding Processes of New Hires
Characteristics of Fast Movers (i.e., Least Tenured Connectors) Compared to Others in Same Tenure Band: Provide expertise across the enterprise: almost three times as many cross-function ties. Create enthusiasm: four times as many energizing incoming ties. Help others: more than two and a half times as likely to provide advice to help formulate
High Performers* Show Unique Network Patterns: Replicating These Networks Via Talent Programs Can Yield Impact
More than twice the number of people find high performers energizing compared to others. Energized subordinates give greater effort and attract effective networkers. Energized leaders create room and provide resources.
Higher performers have a much greater focus on those outside of their capability (ratios are fairly similar for unit & CoE also):
High performers are more sought and seek out others more frequently than others. The comparative ratio is:
High performers are 2.8 times as likely to play a brokering role in the network by positioning themselves at key inflection points.
Notes:1) High Performers are defined as those people who received a bonus rank of 1. This represents 22% of the population.2) Ratios represent the increment of ties of high performers over those of all others on average.
High performers have significantly more ties with people outside their location:
High performers are much more likely to seek out others up and down the hierarchy. They are also more sought out by people in other grade levels.
Specific Dimensions of Network Connectivity Promote Individual Performance.
High Performers (i.e., top 20%) Have Non-Insular Networks:
• Select ties up in the hierarchy (to your boss and others) provides a breadth of information, context, resources and political support for your initiatives.
• Lateral connections to peers within the organization are important for brainstorming and best practice transfer as these people face similar issues.
• High quality (i.e., energizing) relations to those lower in the hierarchy creates reputation and draws emerging high performers to you over time.
• Select ties to experts outside of the organization yield innovations and novel opportunities.
Reaching Up Provides Info and Support
Internal Peer Networks For B-Storming
Energized Subordinates Give Greater Effort and Attract High Performers
External Peer or SME Networks For Process or Product Innovation
Customer (Internal or External) Ensures Satisfied and Learning Relationships
Specific Dimensions of Network Connectivity Promote Individual Performance
Connections that provide personal support/energy• People you re-group with when you have had a tough meeting or bad day.• People that you are energized by or people you can “just be you” with.
Connections and activities that support balance• People that influence involvement in and hold you accountable for:
• Activities that improve physical health (e.g., sports, nutrition)• Activities that promote mental engagement (e.g., hobbies, learning)• Activities that feed the soul (e.g., music, religion, art, service, etc.)
Minimizing or removing interactions with negative relationships• Toxic relationships that create unhealthy levels of job or non-job related stress.• Friends, family members or co-workers that enable or encourage unhealthy
behaviors on either a physical (e.g., nutrition or exercise) or mental front.
Specific Dimensions of Network Connectivity Promote Career Satisfaction, Psychological Well-Being and Health