Transcript Strategy for Departmental Innovation Recruiting and retaining top talent R. Kevin Grigsby AAMC Senior Director December 3, 2010

Strategy for
Departmental
Innovation
Recruiting and retaining top talent
R. Kevin Grigsby
AAMC Senior Director
December 3, 2010
Objectives
• Understand the rationale for investing in the early
identification and development of top talent
• Realize the needs and benefits of succession
planning as a vehicle for cultural change,
individual change, and servant leadership
• Become skilled in giving meaningful feedback to
develop top talent and facilitate the successful
transition into senior leadership roles
Every hire is an investment . . .
• Adequate due diligence before hiring
• Don’t make commitments you cannot keep
•Diversity your portfolio
• Protect your investments!
Search committees
• Searching and screening are the primary
responsibilities of search committees
• Search committees should not be asked to
select candidates
• Search committees should not be asked to
negotiate with candidates
• Search committees should actively search
• Passive approach is not effective
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Search committee chairs
Search committee chair is one of the most
important leadership roles in the AMC
• Excellent leadership skills
 Values based with high integrity
 Communication skills are imperative
• Organized; understands importance of process
• High degree of emotional intelligence
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Two major tasks of the
executive
1.
2.
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Charging the committee
• Description of need
• Responsibilities of the search committee
• Breadth of the search
• Timeline
Selecting and negotiating with finalists
Search firms?
Exception rather than the rule
• 26% clinical department chairs
• 4% basic science chairs
• 6% center/institute directors
Pros are many . . .
• Reduces typical search by 3 months
Cons are many . . .
• Adds expense
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Internal search coordination
Creating concierge level service is the goal
Increases efficiency
Makes a much better impression on candidates
• Candidates are interviewing you and your
campus
• Delivers the message that the candidate is
appreciated
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Internal search coordination
Creating concierge level service is the goal
Increases efficiency
Makes a much better impression on candidates
• Candidates are interviewing you and your
campus
• Delivers the message that the candidate is
appreciated
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Candidate attributes
• Orientation toward the future
• Values aligned with those of the organization.
• Ability to collaborate and work as a team
member.
• Some degree of business savvy and/or
entrepreneurial spirit.
• Good understanding of clinical and translational
research.
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Avoiding bias in the process
•Unconscious bias is well-documented
•Bias training should be mandatory for ALL
search committee members
•Search committee chairs should be accountable
for presenting a diverse slate
 Demonstrate promising practices in
screening and interviewing
Executives must be vigilant
 May insist that the committee expand the
pool
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Evaluating candidates
Screening
• CV alone is insufficient
• Cover letters should address the call for
applications and nominations
• Leadership/management summaries are of
value
Visits
Interviews
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Recruitment practices
Clear understanding of commitments and
expectations by both parties
• Candidates are interviewing YOU
• Repeatedly ask yourself and the search
committee members: Is this how I/you would
want to be treated as a candidate?
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Developing an offer letter
Ask candidate to prepare a plan
Plan should include request for resources
• Be prepared to make commitments
• Be prepared to set limits
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Good offer letters
Use the process to develop a vision and plan for
the future with mutual appeal
• Allocation of effort across missions is imperative
• Use effort rather than time
• Typical letter for a department chair: 12 pages
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Negotiating for resources
•Don’t create a dowry!!!
•Don’t bait and switch!!!
•Tie each commitment to an expectation
•Release resources as milestones are met
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Prevent a binge-purge cycle
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Dowry is given
Dowry invested poorly and is exhausted
Chair is released
Search process starts over again
Negotiating compensation
Think about having tools in the toolbox . . .
• Salary
• Incentives
• Bonuses
• Protected effort
• Resources
 Administrative support
 Access to technical resources
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Barriers . . .
Current role encompasses more than CME
Multiple clinical affiliates with no central
administrative (power) structure
Being able to express to the physician leaders and
learners exactly what is needed for the change
and to get them to embrace that change.
Transition to new leadership
Interim leaders may be great resources
Not too close; not too far in terms of support
Build mentor networks
Vice/associate deans are best allies
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Search process innovations
• Growing use of external search firms
•“Buying in bulk” from search firms
•Creating internal search firms
•Leadership development dean positions
•Search committee “cores”
•Interim leadership experience offers a “test drive”
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Retaining top talent
•New generation requires new ways of working
•$$ is not as attractive as other perks
•Create a culture that reflects values
• “Spin” won’t help you
•Invest in faculty ongoing faculty development
•Invest in leadership development
•Organizational integrity is key to keeping the best
and the brightest . . .
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Take your eyes off the rear
view mirror – Look through the
windshield!
Incentives and rewards of the past are no longer
as enticing
Growth will not necessarily result in success
Shift focus on sustainability
Recruit strategically
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Summary
•Invest in chair and committee member
appointments
•Seek future orientation in candidates
•Offer concierge level service
•Invest in negotiation/planning process
•Avoid bait and switch
•Avoid binge and purge
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Talent management of futureoriented candidates
•Requires promoting scholarship at the same time
as asking clinicians and scientists to maximize
revenue, ensure efficient use of resources, and
“right-size” the entire enterprise
•Organizational cultures must reward
interdependence and support work-life balance
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Goal of performance evaluation: review the past and
plan for the future
To evaluate performance in each mission
area
To set standards and expectations for each
mission area
To plan for development in each mission
area
A conversation is necessary…
Encourage self-assessment
Review evaluation from the previous year
In what areas have expectations been met or
exceeded?
In what areas have expectations fallen short?
What barriers or challenges might explain potential
problem areas?
What needs to change to be successful in the
upcoming year?
Stake out realistic targets
What is needed to meet expectations?
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Clinical expectations
Research expectations
Teaching responsibilities
Scholarly products
Service responsibilities or commitments
Establish clear assessment metrics
Clinician…(Productivity)…Clinic Director
Researcher…(Funding)…PI/Lab Manager
Teacher…(Evaluations)…Course Director
Service…(Committees)…Leadership
Outreach…(Engagement)…Scholarship
Tactful, honest statements of fact will
make the experience less anxiety
provoking for everyone involved