Pub. 1 2012 Issue 8

December 2012 15 l e a d i n g a d v o c a t e f o r t h e b a n k i n g i n d u s t r y i n k a n s a s advantage of the many excellent KBA education opportunities; every employee typically attends 1 to 3 KBA classes each year.” HANDS-ON MANAGEMENT Training cannot stop with front-line employees. Without training manag- ers in participative, interactive management (“hands-on” management) to help employees meet the new expectations, employees typically fall back into old habits. The principles are simple: • Manage first … every day: Time spent managing others is the high - est-leverage use of a manager’s time. Changing the behavior of direct reports early and often has a significant and ongoing effect on performance. • Manage each person, one at a time, differently: Executive coach Marshall Goldsmith notes, “Leadership is a contact sport.” Employee behavior is largely shaped in one-on-one interactions tailored for the needs of employees. • Relentlessly focus on behavior: Instead of seeking a characteristic, such as “Be proactive,” manage behavior by setting clear expecta - tions, checking performance, and delivering feedback. Hands-on management shouldn’t be confused with micro-management; in fact, many employees are under-managed. By setting up a closed loop of providing clear expectations, checking in, and giving feedback, managers give employees the attention and direction they need to grow and succeed. REWARD FOR PERFORMANCE Changing employee behavior goes far beyond “Showme the money.” But tying the previous factors to incentives such as compensation, bonuses, and recognition aligns expectations and rewards. It’s tangible proof of the company’s priorities. Organizations can drive dramatic changes in behavior and culture by the way they measure performance and align incentives with the behavior they want employees to develop. BETTER THAN THE ALTERNATIVE By helping employees clearly understand new expectations, building accurate job descriptions, providing training for both employees and managers, and rewarding those who meet and exceed expectations, a bank gets its house in order to survive and grow in the “new normal.” As a popular bumpersticker proclaims, “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.” Those who don’t adapt their culture to the new environment and expecta- tions may find themselves following … or getting out of the way. Teresa Bengtson, organizational consultant, and Derrick Nielsen, vice president, serve organizational development and family business clients for Allen, Gibbs & Houlik, L.C. They can be reached at Teresa.Bengtson@ aghlc.com and Derrick.Nielsen@aghlc.com. AD INDEX ATM Maintenance Integrated Coating Systems ...................................... pg 19 Banks Bankers Bank of Kansas (BBOK)..............................pg 2 First Bankers’ Banc Securities, Inc .......................... pg 27 First National Bank of Hutchinson ........................... pg 26 INTRUST Bank ........................................................ pg 19 Certified Appraisers/Consultants Marketing & Consultant Services, Inc ..................... pg 26 Core Processors DCI ........................................................................... pg 28 CPA/Accountants BKD............................................................................ pg 3 Financial Services BankOnIt.................................................................. pg 23 The Kansas Bankers Surety Company ..................... pg 13 Pulse......................................................................... pg 20 Integrated Services Diebold.......................................................................pg 5