Leadership Challenges: The Difference Between Hiring and Recruiting

By: Kendall Rawls | 8,397 Reads | 101 Shares

%3Cp%3EEffective+leadership+can+often+feel+like+a+mirage%2C+something+you+aspire+to+but+often+seems+fleeting.+People+are+fickle.+As+soon+as+experts+proclaim+they+have+figured+out+%26ldquo%3Bwhat+people+want%2C%26rdquo%3B+a+new+generation+enters+the+workforce+with+different+wants%2C+needs%2C+and+motivations.+With+this+comes+the+ever-evolving+leadership+and+succession+planning+challenges+business+owners+face+in+their+organizations.+Until+recently%2C+franchise+owners+were+not+as+challenged%2C+but+now+you+are+no+longer+immune%2C+especially+when+looking+to+grow+your+organizations.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EWorking+with+franchise+owners%2C+our+very+own+succession+planner+with+The+Rawls+Group%2C+Jeff+Bannon%2C+shared+perspective+on+how+franchisees+have+historically+approached+the+talent+conundrum.+He+has+found+that+many+organizations+hire+rather+than+recruit.+The+hiring+process+addresses+the+fulfillment+of+an+immediate+need+rather+than+an+intentional+investment+toward+a+long+term+goal.+He+believes+hiring+is+typically+based+on+past+performance+or+potential+talent%2C+not+attitude%2C+behavior%2C+and+work+ethic.+High+turnover+is+most+commonly+the+result+of+poor+cultural+fits%2C+which+reflects+in+performance+and+behaviors.+Many+in+the+younger+generations+have+expressed+a+need+to+%26ldquo%3Bbuy-in%26rdquo%3B+to+a+larger+goal+impacting+something+bigger+than+themselves.+The+buy-in+will+reflect+their+cultural+fit%2C+and+their+retention+will+reflect+their+perceived+opportunity+to+grow+into+a+more+impactful+role.+Adding+to+the+challenge+is+the+fact+that+society+has+adopted+an+expectation+of+immediate+gratification%2C+which+means+that+employers+have+more+pressure+on+them+to+provide+a+vision+for+upward+mobility+in+order+to+appease+highly+motivated+employees.+The+idea+of+%26ldquo%3Bearning+it%26rdquo%3B+often+has+a+shorter+cycle+than+the+previous+generation+would+agree+with.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EBannon+reminds+us+that+we+also+need+to+remember+that+leaders+are+developed%2C+not+born.+So+hiring+an+individual%2C+providing+a+pay+plan+and+job+description+is+just+the+first+step.+Whether+intentional+leadership+training+happens+internally+or+externally+via+independent+consultants%2C+it+is+critical+to+ongoing+profitability.+These+are+all+concerns+we+frequently+hear+from+multi-unit+franchisee+owners+working+to+overcome+the+leadership+conundrum.+This+begs+the+question%2C+%26ldquo%3BWhere+is+the+good+talent%3F%26rdquo%3B+and+with+this%2C+the+challenges+of+how+to+get+your+people+to+step+up+to+the+plate%2C+care+about+the+team+more+than+themselves%2C+take+on+an+ownership+mentality%2C+and+become+entrepreneurially+inspired+to+want+to+make+an+impact+on+the+community+around+them.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EWe+asked+Aicha+Bascaro%2C+CEO+and+founder+of+the+American+Franchise+Academy+to+provide+her+perspective+on+the+leadership+landscape+of+the+franchise+industry.+In+her+words%2C+%26ldquo%3BThere+is+a+leadership+crisis+in+the+franchise+industry.%26rdquo%3B+We+asked+Bascaro+to+elaborate.+Here+are+some+eye-opening+statistics+she+shared%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cul%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3ETurnover+in+the+retail+franchise+industry+averages+150%25+annually%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EToo+many+Millennials+want+to+go+from+college+to+Business+Managers+with+no+experience+or+practical+knowledge%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EThe+failure+of+new+managers+has+increased+because+business+owners+are+promoting+managers+before+they+are+ready%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EEntrepreneurs+see+bench+planning+as+an+afterthought%2C+because+they+are+too+consumed+by+the+day+to+day+management+and+not+enough+in+the+strategic+planning+of+their+business%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EBascaro+says+that+finding+the+right+leaders+is+getting+more+and+more+difficult+every+day.+From+unit+managers+to+district+managers+to+director+of+operations%2C+she+sees+it+first-hand+with+her+clients+and+that+is+why+a+big+part+of+the+work+she+does+is+helping+franchise+owners+define+their+people+strategic+plan+to+make+sure+they+have+the+bench+they+need+to+account+for+turnover%2C+future+growth%2C+and+leadership+needs.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EWorking+with+franchisees%2C+she+understands+the+desire+to+go+from+owning+one+unit+that+became+a+job%2C+to+owning+multiple-units+and+being+business+owners.+Bascaro+believes+that+this+growth+is+being+challenged+by+the+lack+of+ability+to+find+and+retain+quality+high-potential+individuals+who+are+willing+to+start+from+the+bottom+and+work+their+way+up+the+ranks+to+leadership+positions.+Hiring+from+the+outside+is+costly+and+very+risky+and+the+success+rate+with+external+hires+is+much+lower+than+with+internal+bench+strength.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EWe+agree+with+Bascaro+that+the+ability+to+find+great+people%2C+retain+them%2C+and+develop+them+into+future+leaders+is+a+critical+skill+for+current+entrepreneurs.+Many+franchisees+are+not+giving+it+the+attention+it+needs%2C+which+continues+to+cause+the+revolving+door+of+turnover+and+leadership+vacancies+in+their+organizations.+We+are+also+finding+franchisees+running+from+the+concept+of+succession+planning+because+they+feel+it+is+only+about+estate+planning+and+retirement.+Really+what+they+are+doing+is+halting+the+opportunity+to+think+forward+about+the+vision+and+future+needs+of+their+organization%2C+minimizing+its+growth+and+value+opportunities.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EHere%26rsquo%3Bs+what+Bascaro+suggests+for+franchisees+having+a+leadership+challenge+in+their+organizations%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cul%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3ESee+all+their+current+staff+as+potential+future+Managers%2C+District+Managers%2C+and+Ops+Directors%2C+and+treat+them+as+such%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EMake+sure+that+their+stores+are+fully+staffed+and+properly+trained%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EMaintain+a+manager+roster+that+includes+training+levels%2C+performance+level%2C+and+leadership+potential%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EHave+a+leadership+development+internal+program+or+reach+out+to+external+sources+for+help%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EPromote+from+within+so+that+existing+staff+can+see+that+they+do+have+growth+possibility+and+that+will+incentivize+them+to+stay+in+your+organization%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3EMake+sure+that+you+are+also+the+leader+that+people+are+looking+for%2C+have+a+positive+work+environment+and+a+company+culture+in+which+people+want+to+work%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EThe+foundation+of+what+we+believe+in+and+the+work+that+we+do+at+The+Rawls+Group+starts+with+your+people.+We+strongly+encourage+you+to+consider+your+leadership+team+and+identify+if+you+have+what+it+requires+to+take+your+franchise+into+the+future.+To+learn+more+about+Bascaro%26rsquo%3Bs+approach+or+her+background+and+expertise+you+can+reach+out+to+her+at+%3Ca+href%3D%22mailto%3Aaichab%40afamail.com%3Fsubject%3D%22+target%3D%22_blank%22+rel%3D%22noopener%22%3Eaichab%40afamail.com%3C%2Fa%3E+or+visit+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.AmericanFranchiseAcademy.com%22+target%3D%22_blank%22+rel%3D%22noopener%22%3Ewww.AmericanFranchiseAcademy.com%3C%2Fa%3E.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp+style%3D%22border-top%3A+1px+solid+%23DDDDDD%3B+padding-top%3A+5px%3B%22%3E%26nbsp%3B%3Cem%3E%3Cstrong%3EKendall+Rawls%3C%2Fstrong%3E+knows+and+understands+the+challenges+that+impact+the+success+of+an+entrepreneurial-owned+business.+Her+unique+perspective+comes+not+only+from+her+educational+background%3B+but+more+importantly%2C+from+her+experience+as+a+second-generation+family+member+employee+of+The+Rawls+Group+-+Business+Succession+Planners.+For+more+information%2C+visit+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rawlsgroup.com%22+target%3D%22_blank%22+rel%3D%22noopener%22%3Ewww.rawlsgroup.com%3C%2Fa%3E+or+email+%3Ca+href%3D%22mailto%3Ainfo%40rawlsgroup.com%3Fsubject%3D%22+target%3D%22_blank%22+rel%3D%22noopener%22%3Einfo%40rawlsgroup.com%3C%2Fa%3E.%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E

Published: February 6th, 2019