EPISODE 18: LEADING WELL, SERVING OTHERS, HIRING TALENT, AND JOB HUNTING DURING COVID-19

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Live Date: Monday, August 17, 2020

 

Show Description: Today, Heather is joined by former Vice President of Talent and Sustainability for Chick-fil-A, author, and speaker Dee Ann Turner. A 33-year veteran and the first female officer of Chick-fil-A, Dee Ann now speaks and writes about how to retain talent, hire well, and lead with impact. Heather and Dee Ann talk about how to take care of yourself and your employees during uncertain times, leading through crisis, navigating layoffs or preparing for job loss, the three C’s of hiring and building a strong team, developing a culture in an organization, advice for recent graduates, and so much more! 

 

Link to Full Episode

 

Biggest Takeaways:

 

  • In order to lead others well through times of uncertainty and crisis, like the last few months we’ve walked through, leaders must take care of themselves first. Dee Ann says self-care is vitally important right now. How does Dee Ann prioritize this in her own life?

  • Morning quiet time and prayer

  • Physical self-care and exercising more during stressful times

  • Enjoying a cup of tea with a good book before bed

  • A bath

 

  • Dee Ann shares three ways to serve our employees and team well during times like COVID-19, where everyone is mentally and emotionally exhausted:

 

  • Care for their basic needs. Right now, that means their safety, security, and health.

  • Inject joy into every day. Find something to celebrate each day.

  • Love on each other well. A small, thoughtful gift or surprise can go a long way.

 

 

  • As managers approach hiring for a role, Dee Ann wants you to remember the three C’s:

 

  • Character: Build a blueprint of your ideal candidate. What are you looking for in this person for this role? What character are you looking for?

  • Competency: Look to the future. Don’t hire to only fill a current role. You want to look into the future and ask yourself where this talent can go. What competency do you need for this role? And, what competency is needed to fill future roles?

  • Chemistry: Hire a teammate, not just talent. Find people who are not only alike but people who bring diverse opinions to the team but also value teamwork.

 

 

  • You may already have a strong team in place, but you are looking to build an organization that is known for serving others. Dee Ann says to begin by:

 

  • Start with the hiring process. Select talent who wants to serve and believes this is important.

  • Train for this always. You should constantly be training for service, regardless of the industry. Make this an everyday conversation in your organization.

  • Prioritize knowing the customer. Both as a whole and on an individual level.

 

 

  • A few tips for recent graduates:

 

  • If your internship or job has been postponed or eliminated, Dee Ann encourages you to use this time to further your education and make yourself more well-rounded. Take a masterclass. Learn a new skill.

 

  • After an interview, email the person who interviewed you and every person you met in the interview process that very same day. Gather those contacts as you meet them. And then, within the same week, send a handwritten note.

 

Quotables:

 

  • “One of the things that I love that I’m seeing from millennial leaders right now is that they are socializing the solutions.” – Dee Ann Turner 10:26

 

 

  • “Being in a place of panic and fear won’t help you make the next best decision.” – Dee Ann Turner 15:56

 

 

  • “I remember Matt saying to me, ‘I don’t want you to take your next step out of fear. Stop and pause for a minute before you make this decision.’ I think that was such sound advice.” – Heather Adams 18:35

 

 

  • “Get as close to what meets the needs of the customer as you possibly can in a time like this.” – Dee Ann Turner 20:54

 

 

  • “I think that communication of both long- and short-term goals, but also the progress that you are making, so that they feel encouraged and how they are making a difference.” – Heather Adams 24:17

 

 

  • “There is no more important time than in a crisis for a leader to go first.” – Dee Ann Turner 25:41

 

 

  • “I think you’re right. I think that chemistry is the most difficult, but putting them in a social setting with my other teammates has been an area where I have really been able to evaluate, okay are they going to be part of this great dynamic? Are they going to enhance the culture? Are they going to fit in well with this group that already exists?” – Heather Adams 33:02

 

 

  • “It’s better to select talent than hire people.” – Dee Ann Turner 34:08

 

 

  • “Purpose is the why – why are we here at all? Rarely does the purpose ever change, by the way. That usually stays the same for the entire lifetime of that organization.” – Dee Ann Turner 38:17

 

 

  • “They have to understand: how in demand is the work that they do? If they’re very high in demand, they still have some negotiation power.” – Dee Ann Turner 56:38

 

 

  • “We have to do more than teach and talk. We have to give them real responsibility and the opportunity to fulfill and be held accountable.” – Dee Ann Turner 59:24

 

 

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May 25, 2021

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