The Map is a quarterly newsletter of useful information in quick-read format for business people seeking ways to improve their bottom line.

This publication is produced by Gail Finger of Finger Consulting, Laurie Breitner of Breitner & Associates, and Jeanne Yocum of Tuscarora Communications, Ltd. Drawing on decades of professional experience, these business owners and their guest authors target their message to the needs of other business owners and leaders.

The goal of The Map is to provide information that will help you:

• Become more competitive and profitable
• Work more effectively and successfully
• Create harmony and energy in your organization
• Manage significant change

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Have you wondered why your employees are not getting on board to help you achieve your company's goals? Learn four commonly overlooked steps.
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Is your CEO planning to retire within the next five years? Will your family business survive when it is passed down to the next generation? These questions often breed a high level of anxiety.
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Have you wondered why your employees are not getting on board to help you achieve your company's goals? Chances are, you have overlooked one of the following:

1. Clearly communicate your vision of where you want the company to go.

Think of your company's vision as a destination - where you want to be if you're truly successful. Even if you know exactly where you want to go, it isn't obvious to everyone else. Be sure you can define your vision in terms of company size, employees, products/services, customers and location(s). Create a "story" of what the company will be like and tell that story to everyone - employees, suppliers, customers and colleagues.

2. Develop achievable plans with measurable objectives and milestones to gauge progress.

Once you're clear on your destination, realistically assess where you are and set goals that will help you achieve your vision. Develop a plan that includes your assumptions, measurable objectives and milestones to check progress. Here's a simple example.

Business plans are, of course, much more complex, but the process is the same. Many business owners have achieved a level of success without detailed plans; however, they are stymied in getting to their companies to the next level. An outside resource can often be helpful in performing an objective assessment and developing plans.

3. Involve employees in all aspects of planning and implementation.

Involving employees is critical to achieving your vision. If you ask and listen, you can often learn a lot about your company's strengths and weaknesses, get good ideas for how to improve and develop a more committed workforce.

Employees who are involved in deciding what will change and how become committed through the process of evolving a plan. Conversely, employees who feel they are kept in the dark or are not active participants in making and implementing plans will often resist your best efforts to reach your goals.

4. Communicate to everyone what you want to accomplish and progress along the way.

Communicate your vision, goals and plans honestly and openly to everyone. Whenever you contemplate any change, make sure your employees are the first to know.

Employees will often create a "worst case" explanation for anything that isn't explained to them beforehand. Even when the news is good - a vendor doing a survey to recommend an improved benefit plan, for example - if the proposed change isn't communicated, employees may reason that the plan is being kept "secret" because it's bad news.

Some business owners readily communicate good news about their businesses but are closed-mouthed about any problems. Even bad news is better than no news. Be honest about any reversals. Your employees will be more likely to pitch in to try to help if they are given the respect that your honesty implies.   

Is your CEO planning to retire within the next five years? Will your family business survive when it is passed down to the next generation? These questions often breed a high level of anxiety. It's human nature to avoid high anxiety and, as a result, countless business owners have made the mistake of waiting until it's too late to put a succession plan in place. Many a viable business have gone under because employees and customers sense that adequate leadership plans are not being made to safeguard the company's future.

If they feel the business, and therefore their jobs, might be in jeopardy employees will look for other opportunities. When key employees jump ship, customer service suffers. To avoid putting your business at risk, start planning early. Five years is ideal.

Here are six key steps that will help your organization plan and implement a change in leadership:

1. Align your succession strategy with your company's strategic plan, vision and mission. To do this successfully, you must have a strategic plan and vision in place for the company. In addition, it is important to have a current mission statement that all employees are aware of. The strategic plan, vision and mission can then be used when communicating your succession plan to employees and stakeholders. If you take this key first step, your plan will have the credibility it needs to achieve buy-in.

2. Assess the key competencies needed in the role. Develop a competency model for the leadership role. The model should include a combination of job-specific hard skills (industry knowledge, experience, education, etc.) and soft skills (communication, leadership, change management, etc.). Have stakeholders, including employees at all levels of the organization, participate in the process.

3. Assess internal candidates for fit . Use a validated assessment tool or a competency-based interviewing process for this step. 360° feedback surveys can be invaluable in this process. They are multi-rater feedback surveys that provide insight into how a candidate is currently performing in key competency areas. They can also be used down the road to help create an Individual Development Plan (IDP) for the successor.

4. Make your choice early. This will allow enough time to have the successor shadow the current CEO, make networking contacts and become familiar with all aspects of running the business.

5. Create an IDP for the successor. The IDP will outline ways that the successor will develop needed skills and competencies and acquire needed experience. It contains action steps, target dates and measures of success.

6. Outline a timeline for the successor to acquire new skills, receive coaching and mentoring and take over the position. It is always a good idea to bring an executive coach in at this stage. The coach acts as an impartial sounding board and can help to create the IDP. The coach will ensure that the successor stays on track and that internal stakeholders are involved in the process. In addition, the coach can help to set up an internal mentoring program. Depending on the circumstances, the current CEO is not always the best person to mentor the successor.

By starting your succession planning process early and following these guidelines, you will greatly improve the odds that your business stays viable and healthy through its leadership transition.

Why have an increasing number of business owners turned to executive coaches to give them and their businesses an edge? These individuals subscribe to the idea that good leadership is a key component of business success and they believe that executive coaches can teach critical interpersonal skills and offer an unbiased perspective.

Of course, each coach brings his or her own way of working to the engagement, however, generally most coaches include these three major elements in their work:

• Coaches model effective relationship and communication skills.
• Coaches bring exceptional listening skills, curiosity in service of the client, and, often, remarkable intuition.
• Coaches tell the client the truth without judgment.

Because coaches focus on the client's agenda, the business owner generally feels free of manipulation and is able to be candid. Coaches believe that clients either know the answers or can find the answers with the coach's help; the relationship is free of unsolicited advice. The impact is a client that feels fully seen, heard and met without being fixed or judged. Clients often report that this feeling of safety and respect is the perfect environment for self-reflection and making key changes.

Regardless of our station in life, we humans have blind spots. We can't see what may be getting in the way of our success. An executive coach can help the client discover and address the blind spots in a way that peers, bosses, customers and spouses cannot.

Other intangible benefits of executive coaching are increased self awareness and awareness of impact. As a consequence, executives become more conscious and intentional about their relationships. As their relationships improve, so does their business performance. This conclusion is supported by a 2001 study by Manchester, Inc., which determined that working relationships for individuals receiving coaching were improved with direct reports (77%), immediate supervisors (71%), and peers (63%).

What about the tangible benefits for the enterprise? Most companies measure only levels of satisfaction. However, a 2001 study by MetrixGlobal found that coaching produced a 529% return on investment (ROI). When you include the financial benefits from employee retention, the ROI is boosted to 788%.

Also, the 2001 study by Manchester Inc. showed an average ROI of 5.7 times the initial investment or a return of more than $100,000 - according to the executives who estimated the monetary value of the results achieved through coaching.

Executive coaching is not about making minor adjustments to one's life situation. In its soul, executive coaching is about the relentless calling forth the executive's talents and potential, so that s/he can find a place where fulfillment and balance reside.

Finding the right coach and committing to the process are essential for success. Key points in choosing an executive coach are:

• Create coaching options with your mind and choose with your heart.
• Seek referrals from other executives and interview at least two, even if the first interview feels right.
• Ask for and experience a sample session with each prospect. The session and its impact will tell you how the relationship will work.
• Check out the executive coach's qualifications just as you would your doctor or lawyer.
• Get a sense of whether the coach "gets" your uniqueness.

Once you have chosen a coach, clear the time and space in your life to fully commit to the coaching process. You may reap benefits that go far beyond your work life!

Wayne B. Peacock, BSME, PCC, CPCC, works with executives and small business owners who are passionate about living a successful and meaningful life. Wayne is certified by the prestigious Coaches Training Institute (CTI) and the International Coach Federation. He is a graduate of the highly acclaimed Co-Active Space Leadership Program and the CTI Organization and Relationship Systems Coaching program. He can be reached at 401 885 8488. His web site is www.walkwithwayne.com .