January 2010

Happy New Year ...
Happy New Decade!

"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future."
-JFK

Change, change and more change! It truly is the only constant in life. As we start this new year and new decade, many people are making new year's resolutions and resolving to implement positive change in their lives.

We are pleased with the positive changes that have been going on behind the scenes at ISHR Group. With the distribution of this update, we are pleased to launch our new ISHR Group website where our clients can access all of our services under one 'rooftop.'

The evolution to integrate our two legacy businesses, Incite Strategies and HR OptIn, into one cohesive group is finally complete. Our transition enables us to continue to offer our services to you, our client, via 4 distinct, although fluid, areas of expertise:

· Leadership Assessment
· Leadership Development
· Leadership Coaching
· HR Project Management

Our continued growth is referral-based and that is why meeting our clients' needs in an honest, customized and proactive fashion is so inherent to our business. We are excited about our new site. We love the look, the graphics, the colors, and, of course, the content. We invite you to take a look at our new site at www.ishrgroup.com. And, please, let us know what you think!

ISHR Group celebrated 10 years in business at the close of 2009 (hard to believe we began this venture an entire decade ago!). As we usher in this next decade, we wish you years full of positive change and new adventures. Relish the change that enters your lives ... and good luck with the resolutions you made. Our resolution? Simple. It's to fully live up to our mission: Develop leaders. Deliver Talent.

Warmly,
Monique

Ellen M. Dotts, VP-Leadership Assessment & Coaching

Monique A. (Dearth) Honaman, President

Stacy L. Sollenberger - VP, Leadership Development

ISHR Group Expertise

Our passion still lies in this core expertise on which we initially built our business 10 years ago. Our work in providing Leadership Assessment services to our clients has transformed over the past 10 years, but at the core, we still believe in creating a forum, a safe environment, for assessing an individual's strengths and development needs. We leverage the power of the 'live 360' process, provide customized reports focused on the nuances of each individual, and spend significant time on the post-assessment feedback and coaching. The end result? Both our clients and the leaders whom we assess walk away from the assessment process with invaluable insight into the areas in which they can become more effective and an action plan that will lead to success.

There are three ways in which we most often utilize our leadership assessment expertise.

1. Our clients hire us to complete leadership assessments on some portion of their internal top talent, typically stemming from an annual human resource review process (or similar talent review). This consistently-applied look at the top talent in their organizations provides a clear focus for succession planning and talent development.

2. Our clients hire us to assess external leadership talent they are looking to bring into an organization, whether as a new hire, or as part of an acquisition. Not only will companies receive an assessment on the potential hire, but also be able to provide some real-time coaching and feedback to new-in-position hires that is relevant to the company culture and their leadership style.

3. Our clients hire us to teach their existing HR leadership teams the nuances of leadership assessment. There is no skill more critical to being a successful HR business partner than the ability to succinctly and accurately assess talent for your organization. We coach HR leaders through the assessment process and teach them how to implement a rigorous talent assessment program in their organizations.

Our practice area in Leadership Assessment continues to thrive in these economic and business conditions which demand that the very best leaders are in the right roles and operating at the top of their game. We love the value and knowledge we gain in assessing leaders from a wide array of clients in different industries, with different cultures, and in different countries (in 2009 we completed assessment work not only in the US, but also in Europe and Asia!). What a fascinating look at leadership!

Take a closer look at iAdvance ...

"When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier." - Roy Disney (brother of Walt)

This belief is the cornerstone of all the leadership development courses we design. How can you begin to 'learn' leadership, if you don't know who you are and what you stand for? How can a leader make decisions within his or her organization without having a perimeter of values in which he or she knows to operate? With that as the foundation, thus begin all of our leadership development programs.

What else sets us apart in the world of leadership development? We believe experiencing leadership is so much more than simply a classroom experience. How often do you leave a learning program, jump back into the workplace, and go right back to doing things the way you always have? We recognize the need for on-going coaching, and leverage our coaching expertise to provide pre- and post-course coaching to all course participants as part of our standard curriculum. This intense and personal feedback and coaching provides the precise examples and accountability that most people need to implement lasting change. Furthermore, we teach leaders in our courses coaching skills to improve their effectiveness with their teams, peers and leadership. We have also received tremendous kudos on the impact of our peer partner programs utilized with our Leadership Development curriculum.

We currently serve as the sole source of leadership development programs for several clients. We would love to serve as your "Leadership U" as well. Contact us for more information on how we can customize our services to best fit your needs.

Take a closer look at Leadership ROI...

Executive Coaching? The term most frequently describes a one-on-one relationship between a business executive and his or her coach. To us, coaching is that ... and so much more. We value our experiences and our expertise in providing traditional executive coaching. Our clients value our experience and expertise in taking coaching to the next level and really working with leaders, and their teams and organizations, to help them to be more successful as an entity. We utilize a variety of tools including new leader assimilations, team strategy sessions, and organizational effectiveness programs to ensure that our coaching goes beyond one person, and impacts his or her success across a broader group.

A recent study on coaching described key attributes of successful coaches. The study revealed that people looking to utilize the services of an executive coach want real-world experience. They want their coach to be able to draw on relevant experiences that they too have experienced or observed. Each of our coaches has extensive experience coaching leaders at all levels gained from their respective corporate HR careers and global coaching assignments. Additionally, we are graduates of the Coaches Training Institute (CTI), the worldwide industry leader in coaches training, and members of the International Coaches Federation (ICF).

Our coaching services were recognized by the Georgia Coaches Association when we were proudly recognized as a finalist for the 2009 PRISM Award for providing outstanding coaching. We partnered with one of our corporate clients to create and sustain a thorough coaching program targeting high-potential leaders and arming them with the feedback and action plans needed for continued success.

ISHR Group is pleased to leverage both the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI) and the Birkman Profile in our coaching programs. For more information about the HBDI or the Birkman, please give us a call or check out our website.

Take a closer look at iCoach...

Our HR OptIn business continues to provide practical, affordable, and actionable solutions for our clients seeking talented HR resources for contract assignments. Our model is simple. We provide educated, experienced and energized talent on a contract or project basis to help with those HR projects that you don't have the time or specialized expertise to handle.

Recent assignments include:
·  Recruiting Project Manager
·  Leadership Coach
·  Program Manager for Internal HR Program
·  Benefits Analyst
·  Employee Policies & Procedures Project
·  Staffing Specialist

Our HR network links us across the US, and in 2009 we placed people on assignments in many states, including Connecticut, New York, Michigan, Washington, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Georgia.

While the goal of HR OptIn is to provide contract HR placements, several clients had a different idea for us. Given our tremendous HR network, we assisted several clients in filling permanent / full-time roles in 2009. Our approach is simple. We leverage our network and work strictly on a contingent basis. This 'back-to-basics' approach has been well-received. Feel free to reach out to speak with us about helping fill your open positions.

Opting In / Giving Back: We are proud to remind our clients of the win/win/win which occurs with our Opting In / Giving Back Program. Every time we place a consultant on assignment, we make a donation in that person's honor to the charity of his or her choice that supports women and/or children globally. It's great to see the list of organizations that we support continue to grow!

Visit HROptIn and see the difference that the "best HR Talent and the most HR Options" can make for you.

Giving Back: 21st Century Leaders

ISHR Group is proud to volunteer our time and services with 21st Century Leaders (21CL). The mission of 21CL is to increase the number, skills and diversity of Georgia's future leaders. Operated under the charter of Georgia Business Forum, Inc., 21CL is a non-profit organization that collaborates with business and education leaders to develop, inspire and nurture students with leadership potential to make a positive impact on their schools, communities and future places of work. ISHR Group worked with 21CL to develop a week-long leadership development program targeting rising high school juniors and seniors. This program was delivered on campus at Emory University in June 2009! Our thanks to Herrmann International for donating the HBDI materials for the students. It was a roaring success, and we look forward to delivering the program again this June!

CORP! Magazine

The December 2009 issue of CORP! Magazine featured an article entitled, "Thought Starters - Best Practices for Leaders." The question they posed was, "What is the one thing you have seen from an executive leader that was most effective and why?" CORP! solicited six senior leaders and entrepreneurs. Each had a different idea about what is important. Taken together, they provide an interesting perspective and sound insight for any executive to reflect upon. Click on the link above to see how ISHR Group answered the question!

ExecuNet CareerSmart Advisor

The December 2009 issue of ExecuNet's Career Smart Advisor featured an article entitled "The Best Leadership Advice." The article intro says this, "When the student is willing, the teacher appears, and every business leader can trace their professional history back to a pivotal moment when they heard the right message at the right time, which then opened up a pathway to success. Several extremely accomplished individuals agreed to share with ExecuNet members some of the wisdom that influenced their leadership."
Click on the link above to read this article, and see what advice ISHR Group provided!

Georgia Small Business Development Center Advisory Board

Monique Honaman accepted an invitation to serve a two-year term on the Georgia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network Advisory Board. The Georgia SBDC Network provides training, technical assistance, and research to help entrepreneurs improve their chances for success.

One of the key differences you'll find on ISHRGroup.com is an orientation to the real-world challenges HRMs face every day. Visit our 'scenarios' pages for each of our 4 service areas and you will no doubt relate to several clusters of actual issues confronting today's HR professionals. Visit our 'solutions' pages and you will also see how ISHR Group has developed robust services to meet these challenges head on, transforming problematic situations into manageable Scenarios for Success.

Become a Guest Blogger!

Is something on your mind you would like to share with our community of HR movers and shakers? Just drop us a line with an item for blogging and we'll make you an honorary Guest Blogger on ISHR Insights. The fine print: ISHR Group reserves the right of final editorial discretion. Email your blog post to [email protected]