People Solutions

Everyone is rushing to hire for AI skills, but most many organizations are asking the wrong questions.In this episode, Sue MacArthur and Alyssa Curit unpack why hiring for today’s technical expertise may actually increase your risk in a rapidly changing environment. As tools evolve and roles shift in real time, the most valuable employees aren’t just the ones who know the latest platforms—they’re the ones who can learn, adapt, and stay effective through change.Sue and Alyssa explore:Why hard skills are becoming less reliable predictors of success The real drivers of long-term performance (learning agility, adaptability, resilience, and curiosity)Where hiring processes often go wrong How to shift to a more future-focused hiring approach If your organization is trying to keep up with AI, this conversation will help you rethink what—and who—you should actually be looking for.

Managers rarely intend to create confusion.  In fact, most leaders care deeply about communicating well with their teams. But even experienced managers can fall into subtle communication habits that lead to misalignment, frustration, and missed expectations.In this solo episode, Sue walks through five common communication mistakes managers make without realizing it, including:• Assuming people understand more than they do• Being vague in an effort to be polite• Communicating in only one way• Talking more than listening• Assuming silence means agreementThese mistakes usually don’t come from poor leadership; they come from busy schedules, pressure to move quickly, and relying on our natural communication style.  The good news: small adjustments can make a significant difference.Sue also shares practical ways managers can improve clarity, strengthen alignment, and create more productive conversations with their teams.  If you manage people and want to become a better leader, this episode will help you recognize communication patterns that may be holding your team back.Effective leadership communication isn’t about talking more, it’s about creating shared understanding.  If you or someone on your team needs help refining their communication skills, let's talk about it.  Schedule a complimentary consultation.

Many small business owners rely on workshops and online courses to develop leaders, yet they often find that very little actually changes afterward.  In this episode of our People Solutions podcast, Sue and Chris explore why that happens and what does work.The answer isn’t more training.  It’s coaching — simple, practical, day-to-day coaching that happens in real time as leaders navigate the work.We talk about:Why courses alone rarely shift leadership behaviorWhat coaching actually looks like in real life (not theory)How to coach effectively in just 10–15 minutes a weekHow to identify emerging leaders, even if they don’t have formal titlesThe common leadership gaps coaching helps closeHow coaching improves engagement, retention, and ownershipCoaching doesn’t have to be a big investment of time or money.  It’s about using meaningful moments to guide thinking, solve preventable problems, and help people take ownership over their work. If you’re a business owner who wants stronger leaders without adding more to your already full plate, this conversation will give you practical ways to start.  Need more help?  Schedule a complimentary consultation to talk about how STM can support your leadership development efforts: https://letsmeet.io/suemacarthur/complimentary-consultation

Company culture is often talked about, but rarely defined, measured, or intentionally shaped.  In this episode of STM's People Solutions podcast, Sue talked with Dean Mathews, Founder and CEO of OnTheClock, about what company culture really is, how it shows up in day-to-day behaviors, and why leaders - not policies or perks - are the most powerful drivers of culture.Why culture forms whether you manage it or notHow leadership behavior shapes trust, engagement, and accountabilityThe connection between culture, performance, and retentionPractical ways leaders can influence culture starting todayCulture isn't an HR initiative; it's a leadership responsibility and one of the strongest predictors of long-term success.If you're ready to take a more intentional approach to culture, leadership, and the employee experience, explore our tools and resources at Resources - Strategic Talent Management or reach out to schedule a complimentary consultation.

In this latest episode of STM’s People Solutions Podcast, Sue and Alyssa explore the book ends of the full talent lifecycle. Drawing on our Onboarding Essentials and Offboarding Essentials guides, they unpack practical frameworks that help organizations strengthen culture, accelerate productivity, and protect the employer brand at every stage.The first and last impressions an employee experiences aren’t just administrative checkpoints, they’re culture statements. When onboarding and offboarding are strategic, consistent, and human-centered, organizations benefit from:Faster time-to-productivityHigher retentionStronger engagementReduced turnover falloutBetter internal communicationA healthier, more resilient cultureIf you haven’t reviewed your onboarding or offboarding processes recently, now is the perfect time. Set up a consultation with STM to evaluate your talent lifecycle, reduce risk, and align your processes with the culture you want to build.  Simply reply to this email with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch to schedule a complimentary consultation.STM Resources:Onboarding EssentialsOffboarding Essentials

In the latest episode of STM's People Solutions podcast, Sue welcomes Kiley Peters.  Kiley is an international award-winning serial entrepreneur, speaker, and small business strategist with over 20 years of entrepreneurial experience.  She currently leads RAYNE IX, her strategic consultancy, and has helped hundreds of women launch, scale, and exit their businesses in pursuit of greater autonomy and financial freedom. Like it or not, every business owner will exit their business at some point.  Listen in for some tips on how to do so with clarity, purpose, intention, and grace.Often the most difficult part of preparing for an exit is not the how, it's the who.  STM can help sort that out with our succession planning services. Contact us for a complimentary consultation.

In the latest episode of STM's People Solutions podcast, Art and Sue are joined by Dr. Shayne Tracy, president of The International Institute of Coaching Practice (IICP) and IICP's Vice President of Safety Coaching, Marcel Van der Wal.  In many organizations safety is seen as something managed by HR and enforced by supervisors.  But in a strong safety culture, that ownership shifts to everyone.  Listen in to hear how they coach leaders in transforming their safety policies into a safety culture.Transition from having your employees follow the rules because they feel they have to into doing so because it's the right thing to do for themselves and their teammates.Build safety into strategic planning, decision-making, daily routines, and conversations.Spend your time living safety rather than just enforcing it.To learn more about IICP's safety coaching, you can contact Shayne at [email protected] or Marcel at [email protected] play a significant role in measuring the safety mindset in a similar way to how we routinely measure for a leadership, sales, or customer service mindset.  If you'd like more information, contact us for a complimentary consultation.

In this episode of STM’s People Solutions podcast, Sue goes solo and dives into the candidate experience—why it matters, where companies go wrong, and how to get it right. In today’s job market, the experience you offer candidates isn’t just a courtesy, it’s a business strategy.Listen now and discover:Why a great candidate experience is a competitive advantageHow to stop ghosting and start communicatingWhat bad interviewers are really costing youHow structured, respectful interviews lead to better hiring outcomesThis is more than an HR issue, it’s your employer brand in action.  Hiring is marketing and every touchpoint matters.Do you want to get a handle on your candidate experience?  Contact us for more information about our Candidate Experience Audit https://strategictalentmgmt.com/candidate-experience-audit/

Many organizations invest in training and development when times are good but retract when things get difficult or uncertain.  However, it's during the challenging times that development is most needed to build resilience, maintain morale, and prepare your team to be ready to come out strong on the other side.  In this episode of STM's People Solutions podcast, Chris and Sue talk about why now is the perfect time dive in and get your team ready for a more positive future.The ROI of Developing People: Make key investments for long-term gains.Future-Proofing Through Upskilling: Developing key skills helps you bounce back stronger.Small Investments, Big Impact: It doesn't have to be expensive!Need some help finding the right training and development options for your team?  Give us a call for an introductory needs analysis.

Too many organizations still treat performance management like a once-a-year check-the-box task. But what if it could actually fuel productivity, engagement, and growth? In this episode, Sue and Alyssa explore how to build a performance management system that works — one that’s fair, strategic, and supports both the organization and its people every single day.Define expectationsSet SMART goalsMake feedback routineIf this episode hit a nerve and you want help building or refining your performance management system, reach out. This is exactly what we do at STM.  Start, Stop, Continue Tool https://strategictalentmgmt.com/start-stop-continue-tool-lp/

We hear from our clients all the time that employee retention and engagement are critical to the success of their businesses.  But, it’s not always easy for them to accomplish.  How do we make the employee experience so engaging that our best people won’t be looking elsewhere?  To talk about this, we invited Joyce Gioia to join us on our podcast.  Joyce is focused on delivering value to her clients as a Best-Selling Author, Certified Management Consultant, Celebrity Futurist, Global Thought Leader, Professional Speaker, and TV Personality.  In this episode we answer some important questions.Why should we be concerned about retention?What elements contribute to a positive employee experience?What do we need to do to hang on to top talent in turbulent times?If you'd like to connect with Joyce, please visit her website, www.joycegioia.com.  Have more questions about retention and engagement?  Contact STM for more information.

There's no doubt that there's a financial toll to high turnover, but beyond direct salary and recruiting costs, a poor hire impacts team morale, lowers productivity, and can even damage client relationships. Our years of experience have shown that an effective, systematic interview process is one of the best ways to dodge these pitfalls. Learn about our 3-stage interview process Get some tips on the types of questions to ask in each stage Understand the importance of structure and consistency throughout the processWhat would improving your interviewing skills and hiring success mean to your business?  Tune in to get some tips and tools that could get you there. You can also listen to a past podcast specifically addressing Structured Interviewing: Episode 73: Improving Hiring Success - People Solutions | Podcast on Spotify. You can also check out our extensive Interviewing Guide for more guidance.  

What do you think about when you hear the term 'people pleaser'? Pushover, doormat, yes-man? In our latest podcast we are joined by Sarah Shepard of StringCan Interactive, and she asserts that being a people pleaser, if effectively channeled, can be a good thing. Give it a listen.Ruinous Empathy vs. Radical CandorUsing empathy to increase engagement and productivityEmbracing people-pleasing as a leadership superpowerYou can read Sarah's blog on the subject here (https://www.stringcaninteractive.com/blog/the-surprising-benefits-of-people-pleasing-in-leadership)STM's assessments can help you determine if someone has people-pleasing tendencies and if they are likely to use that power wisely or take it too far. Get in touch if you'd like to find out more.

In this episode of STM's People Solutions podcast, Susan Quinn, executive coach and CEO of Circle S Studio, joins Sue to talk about her new book, Does Your Business Show Up or Stand Out? which focuses on how experiences spur growth.  She, like we do at STM, believes that the employee experience, understanding core values, and creating and maintaining a positive company culture are the keys to growth.  Tune in as they discuss: The 9 traits of the highest performing companies The 3 key cultural mindsets Defining and measuring culture What are companies getting right and where are they missing the mark? To subscribe to Susan's podcast, you can sign up here (https://circlesstudio.com/insights/podcast/).  The paperback version of the book is now available on Amazon and you can order a copy here (https://www.amazon.com/dp/1966168047).Do you know what your culture is?  Is it really what you think?  STM can help you answer these questions.  Contact us to learn about our Culture & Management Study <link to product sheet>.

In recent conversations, Sue and Chris (STM's Senior Consultant for Training & Development) realized that there are some surprisingly similar pitfalls in hiring, job seeking, and dating.  Tune in as they have a lot of fun talking about common themes: Profile vs. Reality Intentions & Expectations Ghosting The cost of ignoring red flags Desperation leads to lower standards We hope you enjoy listening to this podcast as much as they enjoyed recording it.  You may even learn something along the way!

In the latest episode of STM's People Solutions Podcast, Sue and Alyssa talk about structured interviewing - what is it, why is it important, and how do you do it.  The basic elements are: Be very clear about your expectations Be deliberate in your choice of questions Have consistent and objective evaluation standards For more information about structured interviewing and how to build a winning process, download our Interviewing Guide .  Consider enrolling your hiring team in our customized Structured Interview Training to take your interviewing process from ordinary to extraordinary.  Simply reply to this email with TELL ME MORE and we'll be in touch to schedule a complimentary consultation.

In this solo episode of STM's People Solutions Podcast, Alyssa dives into the dos and don'ts of the hiring selection process.  Whether you're an experienced hiring manager or just getting started, this episode has valuable insights for everyone.  Listen in as she talks about: Preparing for success Effective interviewing Keeping candidates engaged Making a final selection Listen in now and elevate your selection process.  Need more help?  Contact us to learn more about our Hiring Success Services

There's a lot going on in the hiring market and employers need to rethink how they approach attracting and retaining top talent.  Although it's calmed down a bit in the last year or so, we're still in a candidate-driven market which is a real challenge for companies who are trying to add to their teams.  Tune in to our latest podcast where Sue and Alyssa talk about what you can do to attract great people. What are job seekers really looking for? How have priorities shifted? Why can you do to compete? Taking a more holistic approach to attraction and engagement will help you be an employer of choice.  Need some help figuring it all out?  Contact STM for a complimentary consultation.

In the latest episode of STM’s People Solutions podcast, Sue and Chris, STM’s Senior Consultant for Training & Development, talk about internal career mobility.  Small businesses are under more and more pressure from their employees to create paths for growth within the organization or risk losing good people.  But that doesn’t have to result in false hierarchies.  Tune in to learn about:   Impacts of internal mobility on engagement and retention Creating career lattices vs. ladders Benefits to organizations who support internal mobility Supporting a culture of lifelong learning   Younger generations are putting an increasing emphasis on learning and doing meaningful work.  Now’s your chance to give them those opportunities!  If you need some guidance on how you can support mobility and learning within your organization, reply to the email with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch to help.

In today's fast-paced world, balancing work, life, and family can be challenging.  But what if we reframe this challenge as an opportunity for work, life, and family integration rather than balance?  In this episode of STM People Solutions podcast, Sue and Alyssa discuss the differences between the two and tips for integrating life and work for yourself and your employees. Balance is separate but equal; integration is harmonious co-existence and is healthier and more attainable. It goes beyond work-from-home models and includes finding solutions for on-site employees as well. In integrated workplaces the focus is on productivity, contributions, and accomplishments, not on hours worked. The 4-day work week is coming!  Studies have shown that employees are more productive in a 32-hour/4-day week than the traditional 40-hour/5-day week.  There have been other positive results for employees and for their employers.  Happy and refreshed employees are productive employees! We're always interested in fielding your questions, hearing your stories, and learning about what's working for you.  If you have anything to offer on this or any other people-related topic, don't hesitate to reach out.  Perhaps we can even feature you on a future podcast!

In our latest podcast we're tackling a topic that's been on many minds lately: remote work productivity.  If you're crushing it, good for you!  If not, you're not alone.  As more businesses are trying to return to the office, what's the best choice for productivity and how do you make a remote or hybrid environment work for you. Remote work can be successfully managed with the right tools and systems in place. Tone of voice and body language are important elements of effective communication.  How does that translate (or does it) into today's remote workplace? Informal communication is an important element of on-the-job knowledge transfer that is difficult to replicate in a remote world. Remote work isn't right for every person or every organization. There's no one-size-fits-all answer, but STM is here to help.  For more information, download our resource 5 Key Traits of Successful Remote Workers.

In our latest podcast, Sue and Alyssa talk about the distinctions between job descriptions and job expectations.  The differences are important to understand and your expectations should guide hiring decisions and performance management activities. Job descriptions are a list of things you want an employee to do.  Job expectations are what you want them to accomplish.   Job expectations are measurable elements that define success. People can't exceed your expectations if they don't know what they are! Do you need help in defining success and clarifying your expectations?  STM offers comprehensive hiring support and performance management services, so just reply to this message with TELL ME MORE and we'll be in touch to help you out.

Recently, Art and Sue sat down with Dr. Shane Tracy to talk about coaching.  Dr. Tracy has been in the coaching business for 20 years and has trained approximately 300 coaches in his career.  He's seen the business evolve and describes it as the "wild west" with 2 million coaches worldwide.  With so many choices, how do you choose? Not all coaches are created equal.  Know what you're really looking for and who you're dealing with. Transparency about methods, expectations, objectives, and commitments is essential. Key to success is engaging the coachee's supervisor in the process. Are you considering taking on a coach for yourself or a member of your team?  STM can help you with a needs assessment and options.  Reply to this email with TELL ME MORE and we'll be in touch to talk about it.

We've all met them throughout our careers and difficult employees come in many forms.  The negative impacts they can have on our business can't be ignored: lower performance and morale, poor customer relations, turnover, etc.  In this podcast, Sue and Alyssa define various types of difficult employees and provide tips for leaders to confront these situations with less stress and more objectivity such as: Critiquing the behavior, not the person Identifying the causes of the problem Being open to feedback.  Are there factors involved over which you have some control? Documenting expectations and consequences We have a tool we use here at STM that helps to facilitate these conversations in an objective and less threatening way, Start-Stop-Continue <link>.  Do you need some individual support with handling a difficult employee?  We can help!  Simply reply to this message with HELP and we'll be in touch to give you a hand.

Sue recently had an opportunity to be a guest on Predictive ROI's Sell With Authority podcast.  Stephen Woessner is a terrific host, and they had a great conversation about how small business owners can put themselves first, allocate their time more effectively, build depth on their teams, and make the space and capacity to focus on business development. Identify what you're doing that would best be delegated (and trusted) to someone else.  What are you too expensive to be doing? Analyze the untapped talent and capacity of the people on your team.  Not sure?  Ask them! Be intentional in reevaluating roles and responsibilities to maximize efficiency and growth. Think about the real cost of mediocrity and stop putting up with it. Do you need help to make the most of your people resources so you can spend more of your time on business development and the things that will allow you to grow?  Contact STM for a complimentary consultation.

Art and Sue recently attended the annual AMI Build a Better Agency Summit hosted by Drew and Danyel McLellan.  Although the conference targets leaders of small to mid-size marketing and advertising agencies, the struggles are common across many industries and the solutions are applicable across the board.  Tune in as we talk about our experiences. Providing opportunities for your people to learn, grow, and take things off of your plate Developing a deliberate, structured, and consistent selection process to improve hiring success Managing today's onslaught of change in all aspects of our businesses Do you have a question about people challenges we can answer for you?  Is there a topic you wish we'd address in STM's People Solutions podcast?  Let us know!  Either reply to this message or reach out to us any time at [email protected].

In this episode, Art and Sue are joined by Drew McLellan, CEO of Agency Management Institute (AMI).  Drew literally co-wrote the book on Selling with Authority and talks about how to apply the same concepts used to attract right-fit clients to attracting right-fit candidates.  The power of knowing exactly what you do and who you do it for Making the connection between brand and culture How to attract the right people and repel the wrong ones  Drew was kind enough to provide a tool (Click Here) he uses with his clients to help narrow focus, specify what you do and who you do it for, and start selling with authority to attract the right people.  If you need additional resources to attract right-fit candidates, STM can help.  Simply reply to this email with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch.

In the second of this two-part series focused on internal leadership development, Art and Sue are joined by Danyel Newcom McLellan, partner and president of Agency Management Institute (AMI).  AMI teaches and consults with small to midsize marketing agencies about running their businesses better and Danyel is an expert and developing leadership internally.  She talked to us about transitioning leaders into owners.  Tune in as we discuss: How to identify leaders who have the capacity to transition into owners The benefits of internal succession How to prepare and when to get started How to avoid common pitfalls   STM has been a strategic partner in helping businesses of all kinds identify and develop internal successors.  For more information on how we can help, reply to the message with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch with more details and resources.  

In the first of this two-part series focused on internal leadership development, Art and Sue are joined by Danyel Newcom McLellan, partner and president of Agency Management Institute (AMI).  AMI teaches and consults with small to midsize marketing agencies about running their businesses better and Danyel is an expert and developing leadership internally.  She talked to us about growing young high performers into leaders.  Tune in as we discuss: How to identify people who have the potential for leadership How to create opportunities and a culture of growth Identifying key objectives and measuring success Avoiding common mistakes   STM has been a strategic partner in helping businesses of all kinds identify and develop young talent.  For more information on how we can help, reply to the message with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch with more details and resources.

In this episode of STM’s People Solutions podcast, Sue and Alyssa are joined by Sydney Walsh, a senior at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business.  Full disclosure, Sydney is Sue’s daughter!  Normally we wouldn’t have family members on the show, but Sydney had been sharing her ups and downs of the job search and had some interesting insight to share with those listeners who are trying to attract new graduates.   ·         What do college students find attractive in the candidate experience? ·         What obstacles and challenges do they face? ·         What should you be thinking about if this is your target market for talent?   Whether hiring right out of college or seasoned professionals, the candidate experience can make or break your ability to attract top talent.  If you’d like to get information about STM’s Candidate Experience Audit, reply to this message with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch with the details.

Workplace burnout is very much on the rise and has significant negative impacts on employee productivity, energy, drive, and engagement.  In this podcast, Sue talks with the woman who literally wrote the book on the subject, Shauna Moran.  Tune in as we address the key elements driving this shift.   What exactly is workplace burnout? How can you deal with it? Why should you care?   Read STM’s blog related to this subject, High Performance Punishment.  Do you need help combatting workplace burnout?  Simply reply to this message with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch to talk about it.

In the second installment of our Leadership Fundamentals series, Sue was joined by special guest Dr. Sandra Bryant.  Dr. Bryant has a wide variety of significant leadership experience as is currently a professor teaching leadership to MBA and PhD students at Tidewater Community College, Hampton University, and St. Leo’s University.  In this episode they address the topic of “Mindful Leadership”.   How to purposefully cultivate being present in the moment What mindful leadership means to your business How to engage younger workers through being present The power of asking, “What is your intention?”   We encourage you to download STM’s 13 Stages of Leadership.  Where are you on this ladder and where do you want to go?  

In this podcast episode, Art and Sue are joined by George Foster of Foster Marketing to talk about his “succession journey” which involved transitioning ownership to an internal successor.  He talks candidly about how he determined who would succeed him and how he was able to make that happen.   ·         Answer the question, do you want a lifestyle business or a legacy business? ·         It’s never too early to start. ·         Determining the “who” (people) will drive the “how” (legal and financial). ·         The best exit plan may not be a transfer to an external buyer, but to a valued employee.   STM played a role in helping George answer the “who” question, and we can help you to.  Click here to download information about our approach to the succession process or reply to this message with TELL ME MORE and we can set up a time to talk about how STM can support you in your succession journey.

In this episode, most of the STM team comes together to introduce the first in our series Leadership Fundamentals which will cover essential tools and techniques of leadership.  In this episode we tackle Agility & Adaptability and its importance in making connections.   Everyone comes to the table with a natural style and preferences, but the most effective leaders can adapt to meet others where they live. Agility and adaptability are essential to build connections and create buy-in. The ability to understand yourself and your people as individuals and the agility to adapt accordingly is leadership superpower.   For guidance on how to recognize your own style, those of others, and how to adjust to build rapport, download STM’s Behavior & Communication Guide and the 13 Stages of Leadership.

A subject about which Alyssa is particularly passionate is the link between job hopping and people’s desire to climb the salary ladder.  In this podcast, she and Sue talk about that link and the potential consequences of responding to pay increase requests with “we just can’t afford it”.   ·         Younger generations prioritize career growth (including salary growth), flexibility, and sense of purpose over career stability. ·         Job hopping is often influenced by a desire to climb the salary ladder and studies show this to be an effective strategy. ·         Turnover is expensive, often more so than meeting employee demands. ·         Retention is directly connected to providing growth opportunities, including salary growth.   Not sure how your employees feel you stack up when it comes to the salary issue?  Ask them!  Download our guide to Exit & Stay Interviews.  This includes a list of questions you should be asking in the Stay Interview in order to avoid the Exit Interview.

On this week's episode, Art and Alyssa re-opened a recent conversation in which they discussed different communication tactics and communicating with remote employees. ·         It goes beyond scheduled formal conversations ·         Don’t underestimate the power of spontaneous and informal interactions ·         Communication has to be a priority, and it is especially important with remote employees ·         Frequent conversation in the early days of employment build a sense of belonging and increases engagement and retention We hope you find this conversation insightful and don't forget to drop your communication tips in the Q&A box! 

In our latest podcast episode, Sue talks with Sharon Toerek of Legal + Creative about the legal implications of using AI in business applications.  Listen in as we discuss: Who owns what goes in and how to protect what comes out Avoiding unintended consequences and liabilities What you should be thinking about when adopting AI in your work or in your hiring practices Creating policies and standards Sharon has provided access to her AI Resource Center for our listeners. If you have questions about using AI in your hiring or performance management process, give Sharon or STM a call.Here’s the link to the resource she talks about: https://mailchi.mp/legalandcreative/6jkhz52z8a

In our latest podcast, Sue was joined by Karley Cunningham of Big Bold Brand to talk about differentiation – both from a company/product/service perspective and from an employer perspective.  Listen in to hear what Karley had to say about: ·         Looking internally to define what makes you unique and special ·         Defining the language that you use when you talk about your brand ·         Interweaving branding and culture ·         Getting started in defining your differentiators ·         Documenting, communicating, and taking action ·         Being authentic and sticking to your truth   Karley has provided her Surefire Audit as a resource for our listeners.  You can download your copy of the audit and guide at www.bigboldbrand/surefireaudit.  Do you need to work out the kinks in your culture or employer brand?  STM can help.  Contact us for a complimentary consultation.

Art and Sue recently had an opportunity to talk with David Jean, a partner at Albin, Randall & Bennett and head of their succession planning division, Altus Exit Strategies. David is very knowledgeable in the areas of the financial challenges of business succession and often works with STM to address the people side of the equation. David tells us that it’s never too early to start thinking about who your successor might be. Are they ready? Listen in as we talk about: • Business owners are often so busy working in the business, that they don’t have a chance to work on the business which puts their legacy at risk. • The more time you have to plan, the better the outcome. • Having a comprehensive exit plan can increase the value of your business 2-3 times! Listen Now What can you do TODAY to get started on a succession plan? Check out David’s resources at www.arbcpa.com for answers to your financial questions. Wondering how to choose and prepare your successor? Contact STM for a complimentary consultation.  

Unless you’re living completely off the grid (in which case you wouldn’t be reading this email) you’ve been hearing a lot about artificial intelligence (AI) – some of it fascinating and some of it downright terrifying.  In this podcast Art and Sue talk with Melinda Byerley, founder and CEO of Fiddlehead Marketing and an experienced marketing analytics leader.  Earlier this year, her clients urged her to expand her practice to include AI and she has a uniquely practical approach to the topic that we knew would be of interest to our listeners.  Tune in while we talk about:  - AI is nothing new, but the landscape is changing. - Beware of “hallucinations”.  Fact-checking AI is critical. - Talk to AI as if it’s human, but remember that it’s not. - How to prepare your business to address legal, ethical, and privacy issues.  Melinda has created a page for our listeners on which she offers up tools and information to help you make the most of your experience with artificial intelligence – fiddleheadhq.com/stm.  Check it out!

In our latest podcast Sue is joined by Noel Andrews, CEO of JobRack.eu, who specializes in helping businesses hire amazing remote team members. As we all struggle to find awesome talent in our own markets, and more potential employees are expecting to be able work anytime from anywhere, being able to successfully manage remote teams is an essential leadership skill. Listen in as Sue and Noel talk about:  Advantages of hiring remotely Managing accountability Maintaining a great culture

Art and Sue recently had an opportunity to talk with one of our clients about their experience with STM’s leadership coaching.  Listen in as we chat with Ellen Didier and Sarah Macaluso of Red Sage Communications and discuss our unique approach to this process:     •          It’s not about fixing a weak performer; it’s about helping someone with strong leadership capacity improve their leadership skills  •          Focus on addressing specific challenges in a defined time frame.  •          Involvement from senior leadership is essential to define expectations and hold people accountable    Learn more about STM’s Leadership Coaching - https://strategictalentmgmt.com/solutions/coaching-and-development/⁠ Do you have a rockstar who has the capacity and drive to grow but/and could use more tools in their leadership toolbox? We can help!

In a recent team meeting, the subject of work-life balance came up and how people from different generations have different perspectives on what it really means. It was then that we realized that among the four of us on the full-time STM team, we have four generations represented. That would make a great podcast, right? Listen in while we talk about: Common threads Differences Maximizing generational advantages  Appreciating generational diversity and making it work to your advantage can be a challenge. STM can help

In our latest podcast, Art and Sue tackle the issue of Influence vs. Manipulation.  Empathy and the ability to read people is an asset, right?  What if that ability is used for selfish or political gain?  Listen in as we talk about:  What are the differences between these closely related capacities? Why is it important to be able to determine one from the other? How can you determine if someone is genuinely empathetic and interested in making a connection, or if they’re using their ability to use social cues to just feed to what you want to hear?  Need more tools to help you avoid falling into the manipulation trap?  STM’s assessments can help!

In our latest podcast, Sue and our Senior Consultant for Training & Development, Chris Massaro, discuss internal mobility and how to give your employees opportunities to grow without creating false hierarchies in your organization. What is internal mobility? How can business leaders provide meaningful growth opportunities? What are some strategies that ensure internal mobility benefits both the aspirations of employees and the objectives of the organization? Leadership training and/or individual coaching can play a role in your internal mobility strategy.  To learn more about how STM can support these efforts, click here https://strategictalentmgmt.com/solutions/coaching-and-development/ to learn more about our Coaching & Development services.

Sue and Alyssa have been talking a lot about engagement, both with employees and with candidates, and put their thoughts into our latest podcast.  Listen in as they talk about: The Candidate Experience & Onboarding Factors that Affect Engagement How to Measure Engagement We’ve created a complimentary resource that we hope you find helpful – The Dos & Don’ts of Engagement https://strategictalentmgmt.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/stm-dos-donts-emp-engagement-sheet-062923.pdf  If you’re struggling with issues around engagement, or would like for us to perform a Candidate Experience Audit, call STM today!

In the second part of our conversation with Jim Robins of Spectrum Assessments – the creator and mastermind behind STM’s assessment technology – we dig into the issues of how to choose and use assessments.  In that discussion, we address: Privacy and informed consent Issues of legality and the appropriate use in hiring selection Validity and reliability What to look for in choosing assessments for your company Never taken an STM assessment before? Jim Robins is offering a complimentary assessment for our listeners. Try it today and we'll schedule a 30-60 minute call to go over your results with you. All Things Assessments with Jim Robins

In our latest podcast, we offer up part one of our recent conversation with Jim Robins of Spectrum Assessments. Jim is the creator and mastermind behind STM’s assessment technology and has a wealth of knowledge about assessments in general. In this first installment, we talk about: How to know if an assessment is really measuring what it claims to measure (face validity)  What our assessments measure and how they compare to other commonly used tools  The potential for social desirability bias and how Spectrum addresses it How assessments can inform your hiring decisions  Never taken an STM assessment before? Jim Robins is offering a complimentary assessment for our listeners. Try it today and we'll schedule a 30-60 minute call to go over your results with you. All Things Assessments with Jim Robins

Art and Sue just returned from Chicago where they attended the Agency Management Institute’s Build a Better Agency Summit. They each hosted a roundtable discussion – Art on leadership development issues and Sue on effective interviewing. There were so many good conversations and ideas that we thought it would be helpful to share some of the things we heard. Whether you’re with an agency or in another industry, we hope you find some tips and suggestions that can make managing people a bit easier. What issues are business leaders struggling with in terms of hiring and developing good people? What tools and techniques are working? How can STM support businesses that want to improve their hiring success and leadership development? There is a wealth of resources on our website, but particularly relevant to this conversation is our Interviewing Guide and recently released resource on Exit and Stay Interviews. If STM can help you address your people challenges, get in touch!

We’ve been talking a lot about the power of the exit interview and an emerging concept of the stay interview.  In this podcast, Sue and Nicole discuss the reasons for having these conversations and the importance of using the information to make changes that improve the employee experience.  Why are they useful? What questions should you be asking? What do you do with this information? Visit the resources page of our website for a complimentary summary and lists of suggested questions you should be asking <link>.  If you need help putting together a program for your business, give us a call!