OUR NON-NEGOTIABLES: GROUNDED CONFIDENCE
At The Gunter Group, the leadership traits and characteristics that define us are our Non-Negotiables: Collaborative, Integrity, Intellectual Curiosity, Thrives in Ambiguity, Emotional Intelligence, and Grounded Confidence. These traits and characteristics guide us every day in our interactions with clients, each other, and our community.
GROUNDED CONFIDENCE is an integral part of our company culture. It is in the fiber of who we are and how we lead. This approach to leadership is built on self-awareness and a recognition that we do not have all the answers but also confidence that we have the ability to overcome incredible challenges.
As a veteran, the concept of grounded confidence was a product of necessity to navigate the challenges of leading in the military. It became something that I intentionally practice and work hard to exemplify.
Being dropped into a deployment situation is inherently hard to describe. Nothing is intuitive. When you first deploy you have to reconstruct the fundamental context for how to function on a day to day basis from scratch. The foundational questions are endless, leaving you feeling vulnerable and exposed. It is an incredibly humbling experience.
Yet you have no choice but to persevere and tackle the unknown. And while the feeling of encountering the unknown is almost always uncomfortable, grounded confidence is knowing that you have the strength to move forward and lead for the betterment of the mission at hand and the people by your side.
TGG employs a number of veterans. Although nothing is the same as deploying to a foreign country, our TGG veterans embody the many parallels between the leadership traits and characteristics necessary for success in the military as well as in consulting. Grounded confidence is a key area of overlap.
We look to grounded confidence to grow our firm because we fundamentally believe that people who share this quality can accomplish great things together. By surrounding ourselves with people who flourish in the unknown, we sustain a culture that supports us in overcoming obstacles.
Whether at a client site or working with internal teams, we work collaboratively and support each other in the unknown to solve the most complex challenges. In doing so, we maximize the value we can provide our clients and the opportunities to grow and hone our own leadership skills.
The ability to lead with grounded confidence resonates with our clients. We don’t pretend to have all the answers. We don’t lead from a place of ego or superiority. Our clients’ problems change and the best solutions vary, so we opt to lead alongside our clients through unfamiliar terrain and challenging circumstances with grounded confidence. Together, we solve the most demanding problems.
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
By Ashleigh Gunter, Managing Partner, and Laura Magrone, Consultant at The Gunter Group.
If you could improve your company’s profits by 21%, reduce attrition by 24% to 59%, and improve your employees’ morale—all without significant cash outflow or investment—would you do it (1)? It is doubtful anyone would answer no to the above question, although that is what many are essentially doing when they don’t make employee engagement a priority in their organization.
Employee engagement extends far beyond simply measuring employee satisfaction; it can be defined as a measure of employee commitment to the organization, which drives company performance and outcomes. It is the act of including all employees in a conversation about what would make your organization better and then including each and every one of them in an action plan to drive changes. This is a proven effective approach for organizations of all sizes.
Business outcomes are directly impacted by employee engagement and are a key driver for implementing an employee engagement program. In an analysis completed by Gallup, a popular vendor for employee engagement surveys, results revealed that groups with higher employee engagement ratings significantly outperformed groups with lower ratings on crucial performance outcomes, including decreased turnover rates (2).
Establishing an Employee Engagement Program
Once you’ve decided to embark on improving employee engagement, you need to first consider how you will measure engagement. There are a wide variety of tools and vendors you can use, ranging from self-administered surveys to integrated platforms with extensive consulting support. If you choose to create your own and use something straightforward like SurveyMonkey, keep your survey simple. We recommend using publically available engagement questions rather than trying to develop new questions on your own. This will save you the time and effort of figuring out how to ask the right questions.
The Gallup organization has spent years developing the science around employee engagement. After millions of surveys, interviews, and significant in-depth analysis, they devised 12 statements as the key drivers of employee engagement. In the book 12: The Elements of Great Managing, Rodd Wagner and James K. Harter, Ph.D. describe these elements in detail. Here they are at a glance:
The 12 elements can be categorized based on four key areas: Basic Needs, Management Support, Teamwork, and Growth. These must be viewed as foundational. Basic Needs must be met before shifting to Management Support. Management Support must be solid before focusing on Teamwork, and so on. When using an engagement survey provided by Gallup, the results include these 12 elements and are helpful in honing focus areas to ensure your employees’ needs are being met.
If you choose to engage with a vendor that provides an engagement survey tool or provides a package of tools and consulting services, make your selections based on the availability of benchmark comparisons, confidentiality, cost-effectiveness, ability to view segmented results (department, tenure, function), and flexibility of question format. Take time to carefully consider these criteria and select something that will work for your organization in the long-term.
After selecting a tool/vendor, you should determine an effective communication strategy to launch the program, ensuring employees know why, how, what, and when the program is happening. Participation is critical. If you only get a small percentage of your organization to respond to the survey, you won’t have meaningful data. Too often, only the employees who are really unhappy or are really happy end up responding, leaving the employer with an inaccurate view of true engagement across the company. It is okay to provide incentives to encourage employees to participate in the survey. It is not okay for managers to tell employees that they have to take the survey. We’ll review more common pitfalls when implementing an employee engagement program below.
Once the results are received back from your employees, it’s time to get to work! Most employers make the mistake of assuming that they should take the results of the survey and ‘fix things’ for their employees. However, what we find is that this leader-led approach doesn’t improve engagement. What actually improves engagement is including all employees in the process of reviewing the results and making a commitment to change one item in each work group and then following through on that commitment. For instance, one of the clients I work with had a team who worked through how to improve vacation coverage for one another. The approach provided a softer re-entry to work and enabled employees to enjoy their vacations more and not stress too much about coming back. This led to increased engagement within the team and was a win for all involved.
While this approach sounds easy, it still requires very clear communication to employees and good engagement meeting facilitation. When employees review engagement results, they often want to focus on what they cannot control. For instance, “If I just got paid more, I would be so much more engaged” or “If I had five more days of vacation each year, things would be so much better.” The leader in the conversation must focus the discussion on what your team can change rather than what the team wishes the leadership would change. Once they can land on a specific thing to change, then the team needs to collectively commit to an improvement plan and determine how best to track and report progress against it. Don’t forget to share your results with others so that successful ideas can be replicated across the organization when appropriate. Sharing results also builds momentum and motivation to continue building on your employee engagement program.
There are some common pitfalls many organizations encounter which can undermine an entire employee engagement program. They are (3):
Lack of trust in confidentiality. Employees will not answer questions honestly if they aren’t confident that their answers will be confidential. Once confidentiality is compromised, it’s very difficult to rebuild trust in a survey. This often occurs when management attempts to determine by process of elimination how employees responded.
Lack of transparency. If scores come back low, an honest conversation is necessary—don’t just gloss over the low scores for fear of adversely affecting morale or to avoid difficult conversations. Focusing on problem areas and developing an action plan to address them will yield the greatest results.
Preferring high scores to honest feedback. Treat low scores as an opportunity for improvement and encourage employees to provide honest feedback without fear of repercussion.
Measuring managers by their scores. This can have a two-fold effect. Managers may pressure their employees to respond favorably in an employee engagement survey leading to skewed results. Alternatively, employees may not answer questions honestly for fear of negatively impacting their manager’s success.
Poor change management. If you don’t explain the survey and provide enough support to ensure managers are able to have honest conversations with their teams about the survey results, the activity becomes more of a ‘check the box’ than an opportunity for understanding and greater engagement. Be sure to take the time to prepare the entire organization for the process—in particular, the management team, who will need to facilitate the conversations with their teams.
Delayed communication. Survey results should be reviewed and an action plan should be developed as soon as possible. If there is substantial lag time between the survey and results, the engagement program becomes distant and possibly even forgotten.
Executive involvement. The most successful employee engagement programs are championed by senior leaders who promote accountability and follow-through. However, executives CANNOT decide that they will respond to the survey to fix everything, ultimately taking control from the employee population for improving the engagement.
In an engaged environment, employees are not only excited to come to work, but are committed to driving toward business goals. They take pride not only in being part of a great team, but in contributing to the success of the business. They are empowered to use their strengths to shine and are energized by doing so. It requires committed leadership and an openness and humility to evaluate yourself and your organization’s growth opportunities. Making employee engagement a priority provides amazing possibilities for improvements both for your employees and your organization as a whole.
References:
1 – https://www.gallup.com/workplace/236366/right-culture-not-employee-satisfaction.aspx
2 – http://news.gallup.com/businessjournal/163130/employee-engagement-drives-growth.aspx
3 – https://www.qualtrics.com/uk/experience-management/employee/engagement/pitfalls-to-avoid/
OUR NON-NEGOTIABLES: COLLABORATIVE
At The Gunter Group, the leadership traits and characteristics that define us are our Non-Negotiables: Collaborative, Integrity, Intellectual Curiosity, Thrives in Ambiguity, Emotional Intelligence, and Grounded Confidence. These traits and characteristics guide us every day in our interactions with clients, each other, and our community.
At TGG, COLLABORATION is in our DNA. It’s a foundational principle for how we work together and with our clients, and how we have built our firm. We believe creating partnerships is the best way to achieve goals, whether it’s delivering a complicated project for a client or supporting each other in getting our work done.
When we opened our doors in 2011, we knew that our early success would rely on collaboration and empowerment. As a result, we built a culture where each of us believes in raising each other up and sharing in the decision-making process. We look to each other to work with that same spirit of collaboration and partnership.
Naturally, we’ve grown by bringing in team members that share this value. At TGG, we believe in the value of diverse backgrounds and diverse experiences.
Through a strong spirit of collaboration, our team learns from each other’s experiences. By growing our consultants, we grow our firm. When we learn from each other, develop strong relationships, and support each other, we create a positive work environment and foster a culture of trust. We are proud of the fact that our collaborative approach has led to high employee engagement scores (in the 95th percentile).
Sharing our experiences also helps us to prepare for client engagements and address the complex challenges that they face. Our clients resonate with our collaborative approach as we listen and partner closely to help them develop and implement solutions.
Collaboration is a foundational leadership quality at TGG. We establish trust through meaningful connections that build authentic relationships with our clients and each other. Through these open and collaborative relationships, we’ve been able to help our clients accomplish amazing things. We don’t presume to know what our clients want or need or have a pre-canned methodology to sell. We prefer to build relationships and actively partner with our clients to solve problems.
At TGG, our leadership qualities are non negotiable. Whether with a client or on internal teams, our approach is always the same: develop strong relationships and collaborate to solve the problem.
THE GUNTER GROUP RECEIVES GREAT RESULTS 2ND YEAR IN A ROW ON THE GALLUP EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT SURVEY
The Gunter Group recently participated in the second annual Gallup Employee Engagement Survey. The results were very positive, which puts TGG in the 92nd percentile among small organizations that completed the survey. TGG ranked in the 99th percentile for overall satisfaction, reflecting the fact that our employees feel their input is valued and that we are committed to building a great team. After reviewing the summary results, Founding Partner, Mike Gunter said, “Our philosophy is that our team members come first. We could not be more proud of or happier about these results.”
In the 1990s Gallup did extensive research to identify obstacles that affect company growth and success. This led to their groundbreaking Employee Engagement Survey,which includes twelve workplace elements that impact organizational development. Gallup characterizes engaged employees as those that are “involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work.” Survey results consistently show that that a highly engaged workforce leads to improved employee retention, productivity and revenue.
According to Gallup’s June Monthly Report, only 31% of U.S. employees are truly engaged at work. These low numbers mean that employees are failing to develop and fully contribute at work. Maintaining an environment where employees feel engaged, rewarded and empowered is a priority for The Gunter Group. As The Gunter Group matures, we’re focused on maintaining a collaborative and rewarding environment where employees have a sense of autonomy and confidence in their work while feeling connected and supported within our team. This results in greater customer satisfaction and reinforces our commitment to building strong client relationships.
The Gunter Group is proud to receive such high results a 2nd year in a row on our overall employee engagement. This achievement along with being selected as one of the 2016 ‘100 Best Companies to work for in Oregon’, clearly differentiates The Gunter Group as an exemplary up and coming firm that strives to create an exceptional culture of talented employees who are committed to building success within our firm, our team and our clients.
About The Gunter Group
The Gunter Group is a management business consulting firm in Portland, Oregon, led by a team of experienced professionals with a track record of delivering practical consulting services. We provide operational and project-based consulting services that help our clients achieve tangible business results. We do this by pairing the deep experience with a “get things done” approach and energy from our associates. We are a results-oriented firm with experience across a number of industries including retail, healthcare, public sector, financial services, and manufacturing. Please visit www.guntergroup.com for more information.
THE GUNTER GROUP RANKS ON OREGON 100 BEST COMPANIES LIST AGAIN
The Gunter Group is excited to be recognized as one of the ‘100 Best Companies to Work for in Oregon’ for the second year in a row. Mike Gunter, Founding Partner, said “Our employees are the most important part of our company, and we could not be more proud of and happy with these results.” Upon hearing the news, our teammate Trisha Bowman added, “Working for The Gunter Group has elevated my career and life, I am so happy the company has been recognized as one of Oregon’s Best again!”
Each year Oregon Business Magazine compiles the list based on a survey that measures employee engagement, satisfaction and employer benefits. More than 235 companies and 10,730 employees participated in this year’s survey. The final placement results for the top 100 companies will be announced at the at the Oregon Business Magazine’s 100 Best dinner, to be held on March 3, 2016 at the Oregon Convention Center.
The Gunter Group is a management business consulting firm in Portland, Oregon, led by a team of experienced professionals with a track record of delivering practical consulting services. We provide operational and project-based consulting services that help our clients achieve tangible business results. We do this by pairing the deep experience with a “get things done” approach and energy from our associates. We are a results-oriented firm with experience across a number of industries including retail, healthcare, public sector, financial services, and manufacturing. Please visit www.guntergroup.com for more information.
THE GUNTER GROUP RECOGNIZED AT 100 BEST COMPANIES DINNER
The Gunter Group is pleased to be selected as one of the 2015 ‘100 Best Companies’ to work for in Oregon by Oregon Business. The 2015 list and rankings were unveiled at the 22nd Annual 100 Best Companiescelebration dinner on February 26th at the Oregon Convention Center. Matt Bader, a consultant at The Gunter Group who attended the event, expressed his gratitude. “It is such an honor to be on the list in our first year of participation. That said, I am not totally surprised. Being a part of this organization over the last three and a half years, I have always known that we were building something special. This award is external validation of what I have known for years.” Ashleigh Gunter, Partner, said “It was really exciting to spend the evening with Oregon’s best companies. It makes me so proud that our team believes we should be at the table with these amazing organizations!”
Five teammates representing The Gunter Group attended the dinner: Bader, Gunter, Tony Schweiss, Lindsey Swinehart and Ralph Pero. The event celebrates the top 100 companies to work for in Oregon, and the list is divided into three categories based on company size. The evening focused on recognizing the people that are essential for businesses to succeed – the employees. The Top 100 ranking is based on confidential employee surveys with questions related to workplace satisfaction including benefits, management, trust, work environment, and career development. This year, over 270 companies and 11,500 employees participated in the survey. The Gunter Group is thrilled to be recognized as part of this group of outstanding companies, and especially proud to be on the list in our first year of participation.
The Gunter Group is committed to creating a positive and rewarding environment for consultants interested in being part of a high caliber team of professionals. According to Schweiss, “What this award says about The Gunter Group in particular, is that our consultants find it rewarding and exciting to work with each other. We’re invested in our clients’ work and dedicated to helping each other succeed. Our dedication to excellence is the shared interest that aligns us with each other.”
THE GUNTER GROUP AWARDED OREGON BEST 100 COMPANIES HONORS
The Gunter Group is thrilled to be selected as one of the Oregon Business 100 Best Companies to work for in Oregon! This is an exciting recognition for us since over 270 companies were considered and 11,500 employees took part in the survey. On being selected Vivian Dhadli-Robinson said, “This is a great achievement for The Gunter Group. Even though by “industry standards,” we are still in the infancy stage of building our company, it definitely speaks well to the type of reputation we have built in the community already. I am really excited for what the future holds for the firm and for all of us who are lucky to be a part of it.”
When Founding Partner, Mike Gunter, started The Gunter Group in 2011, he wanted to create a unique consultancy grounded in building lasting relationships with clients and the local community. Maintaining good communication and consistently delivering practical, effective business solutions has enabled The Gunter Group to build strong and trusted long-term relationships with its clients. Mike said, “It is an honor and really humbling to be on this list of amazing companies. I know we have a great team, so it’s a testament to them.”
The Gunter Group is an emerging business consulting firm with offices in Portland and Bend, Oregon. We have a talented team of experienced professionals with deep experience across a number of different disciplines. We have set out to build a different firm where we leverage relationships to achieve great things in partnership with our clients.
The final placement results for the top 100 companies will be announced at the at the Oregon Business Magazine’s 100 Best dinner, to be held on February 26, 2015.