People Solutions

Art and Sue recently attended the annual AMI Build a Better Agency Summit hosted by Drew and Danyel McLellan.  Although the conference targets leaders of small to mid-size marketing and advertising agencies, the struggles are common across many industries and the solutions are applicable across the board.  Tune in as we talk about our experiences.

Do you have a question about people challenges we can answer for you?  Is there a topic you wish we'd address in STM's People Solutions podcast?  Let us know!  Either reply to this message or reach out to us any time at [email protected].

In this episode, Art and Sue are joined by Drew McLellan, CEO of Agency Management Institute (AMI).  Drew literally co-wrote the book on Selling with Authority and talks about how to apply the same concepts used to attract right-fit clients to attracting right-fit candidates. 

 Drew was kind enough to provide a tool (Click Here) he uses with his clients to help narrow focus, specify what you do and who you do it for, and start selling with authority to attract the right people.  If you need additional resources to attract right-fit candidates, STM can help.  Simply reply to this email with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch.

In the second of this two-part series focused on internal leadership development, Art and Sue are joined by Danyel Newcom McLellan, partner and president of Agency Management Institute (AMI).  AMI teaches and consults with small to midsize marketing agencies about running their businesses better and Danyel is an expert and developing leadership internally.  She talked to us about transitioning leaders into owners.  Tune in as we discuss:

STM has been a strategic partner in helping businesses of all kinds identify and develop internal successors.  For more information on how we can help, reply to the message with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch with more details and resources.

In the first of this two-part series focused on internal leadership development, Art and Sue are joined by Danyel Newcom McLellan, partner and president of Agency Management Institute (AMI).  AMI teaches and consults with small to midsize marketing agencies about running their businesses better and Danyel is an expert and developing leadership internally.  She talked to us about growing young high performers into leaders.  Tune in as we discuss:

STM has been a strategic partner in helping businesses of all kinds identify and develop young talent.  For more information on how we can help, reply to the message with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch with more details and resources.

In this episode of STM’s People Solutions podcast, Sue and Alyssa are joined by Sydney Walsh, a senior at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business.  Full disclosure, Sydney is Sue’s daughter!  Normally we wouldn’t have family members on the show, but Sydney had been sharing her ups and downs of the job search and had some interesting insight to share with those listeners who are trying to attract new graduates.

·         What do college students find attractive in the candidate experience?

·         What obstacles and challenges do they face?

·         What should you be thinking about if this is your target market for talent?

Whether hiring right out of college or seasoned professionals, the candidate experience can make or break your ability to attract top talent.  If you’d like to get information about STM’s Candidate Experience Audit, reply to this message with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch with the details.

Workplace burnout is very much on the rise and has significant negative impacts on employee productivity, energy, drive, and engagement.  In this podcast, Sue talks with the woman who literally wrote the book on the subject, Shauna Moran.  Tune in as we address the key elements driving this shift.

Read STM’s blog related to this subject, High Performance Punishment.  Do you need help combatting workplace burnout?  Simply reply to this message with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch to talk about it.

In the second installment of our Leadership Fundamentals series, Sue was joined by special guest Dr. Sandra Bryant.  Dr. Bryant has a wide variety of significant leadership experience as is currently a professor teaching leadership to MBA and PhD students at Tidewater Community College, Hampton University, and St. Leo’s University.  In this episode they address the topic of “Mindful Leadership”.

We encourage you to download STM’s 13 Stages of Leadership.  Where are you on this ladder and where do you want to go?

In this podcast episode, Art and Sue are joined by George Foster of Foster Marketing to talk about his “succession journey” which involved transitioning ownership to an internal successor.  He talks candidly about how he determined who would succeed him and how he was able to make that happen.

·         Answer the question, do you want a lifestyle business or a legacy business?

·         It’s never too early to start.

·         Determining the “who” (people) will drive the “how” (legal and financial).

·         The best exit plan may not be a transfer to an external buyer, but to a valued employee.

STM played a role in helping George answer the “who” question, and we can help you to.  Click here to download information about our approach to the succession process or reply to this message with TELL ME MORE and we can set up a time to talk about how STM can support you in your succession journey.

In this episode, most of the STM team comes together to introduce the first in our series Leadership Fundamentals which will cover essential tools and techniques of leadership.  In this episode we tackle Agility & Adaptability and its importance in making connections.

For guidance on how to recognize your own style, those of others, and how to adjust to build rapport, download STM’s Behavior & Communication Guide and the 13 Stages of Leadership.

A subject about which Alyssa is particularly passionate is the link between job hopping and people’s desire to climb the salary ladder.  In this podcast, she and Sue talk about that link and the potential consequences of responding to pay increase requests with “we just can’t afford it”.

·         Younger generations prioritize career growth (including salary growth), flexibility, and sense of purpose over career stability.

·         Job hopping is often influenced by a desire to climb the salary ladder and studies show this to be an effective strategy.

·         Turnover is expensive, often more so than meeting employee demands.

·         Retention is directly connected to providing growth opportunities, including salary growth.

Not sure how your employees feel you stack up when it comes to the salary issue?  Ask them!  Download our guide to Exit & Stay Interviews.  This includes a list of questions you should be asking in the Stay Interview in order to avoid the Exit Interview.