By Sid Chadwick
“Can you find me an Operations Manager…for the East Coast…for an HP digital operation…someone who understands ‘Printing’….and ‘Quality?’ ”……..Print Consultant
INTRODUCTION:
The “void of (…experienced…) talent”…in our great industry…is growing.
With every client visit…with every Peer Group Meeting…there’s at least one voiced need for an experienced manager…with talent…to grow.
These conditions I believe…are worse…then they first appear.
Too many of our academic graphic communications programs are experiencing…increasing difficulty…recruiting talented students. Their academic offerings are not up-to-date…with too little of a contemporary, technical…and “business problem-solving”...content…to excite and attract talented, ambitious, bright minds.
There are exceptions…with a significant and growing enrollment…the University of Houston…has not only invested significantly in their facilities (we’re talking 7+ $ figures’)…a close examination of their “academic offerings”…are…in some areas --- practically “maxed-out” re instructors. In talking with Dr. Jerry Waite, I asked, “Have you offered this “Business Problem-Solving – through use of Print --- Case Study Course” --- to your Business and Marketing Schools?” His response, as I remember, “We would like to, they could use it…immediately…but we couldn’t support it…we’re ‘maxed-out’.”
Young, talented students…personnel…today…have “different professional expectations”…they may look different…may have different speaking accents…and may not…often are not…male…!
This Week:
I’m at a client I’ve been honored to serve for over eleven years. It’s a web plant, whose president, with no experience in printing, did not turn away…when his father, unexpectedly…handed him the keys to the plant. (We were introduced by his local association when he called for a recommendation.)
Over the last eleven years…he’s grown his web revenues…by over 300%… (with no Outside Sales Reps)…and…his profitability…is “double-digit.”
Our offsite discussions this week at breakfast…lunch…and dinner --- have focused entirely on “What’s next…?”…on a broad set of company-related subjects…he keeps extending the next meal discussion invitation...….(saying yesterday…“That was a good lunch break from our morning session….I just got about $1,000 of useful consulting advice”…!)
I’m here, delivering to his developing “Inside Sales Team” --- additional Programming --- on how to grow new customers, and revenues --- from inside CSR-type positions --- not “Outside Sales Reps.” We have half his Business Development Team in a morning session, and half his Team in an afternoon session, plus Homework Assignments --- for everyone, each day --- for the week.
SUMMARY:
With many segments of our industry on a continuing rebound, my view is that we are also at an “Inflection Point” re. recognition…of the critical value…. of young, experienced talent…to sustain development and momentum in an organization.
Young Talent won’t wait to be developed…and continually developed Talent…tends to attract…additional Talent…
Where are you going with your company? What’s next…? (Just doing what you’ve been doing…as an observation…is a formula for “eventual disaster”…it inevitably finds you.)
What are you doing to tap and develop your organization’s Teamwork, and talent…? (Note: Technical skills…are only half the picture…!)
What are you doing…now…. to develop…and attract…Talent you need now…and will need…?
“Teamwork remains the one sustainable competitive advantage that has been largely untapped…”………..Patrick Lencioni
Prefer to comment without registration? Click in the Name field and select "I'd rather post as a guest"