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KeyStone Search News & PressLars Leafblad Promoted to Principal at KeyStone SearchNovember 24, 2009 MINNEAPOLIS, MN - KeyStone Search has promoted Lars Leafblad from Vice President to Principal. In this role, he will lead two new practice areas; Corporate Affairs and Marketing & Engagement. Lars will also co-chair the new Education Services practice at KeyStone and serve as the firm's functional expert in Institutional Advancement. Mr. Leafblad joined KeyStone Search in 2007. Previously, he served as Director of Development for the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. He gained additional management experience as Assistant Director of Alumni and Parent Relations at St. Olaf College. Mr. Leafblad began his career in a leadership development program with GE Capital and subsequently helped launch Four51.com, a high-tech start-up. He is also an alumnus of the Famous Dave's of America National Touring BBQ Team. According to Mike Frommelt, Principal and Co-founder of KeyStone Search, "Lars' background is perfectly suited to lead these new practice areas. His innovative, strategic and highly engaged approach to executive search will serve these clients well, just as it has our existing clientele." Mr. Leafblad was recognized as a "40 under Forty" in 2007 by the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal. He was selected as a 2008-09 Policy Fellow at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute and serves on the board of directors for CaringBridge.org, the advisory board of The Salvation Army - Twin Cities, and on the host committee of TEDxTC.com. He is the founder of Common Grounds, a graduate student leadership development organization at the University of Minnesota, and a co-founder of the St. Olaf MBA Association. He earned a BA in Economics from St. Olaf College, and his MBA with a concentration in Strategic Management from the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. There he was recognized with a "President's Student Leadership and Service Award" for his leadership contributions to the MBA student community. KeyStone Search Chosen for Two Key CEO Roles in East MetroNovember 23, 2009 MINNEAPOLIS, MN - KeyStone Search has been chosen to conduct CEO searches for both the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation and Woodwinds Hospital. For over 100 years, the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation has been addressing the needs of the most vulnerable people in greater St. Paul MN. Through more than 70 diverse programs and services Wilder works with thousands of individuals every year to help them overcome barriers to learning, address their mental health, live with more independence, and engage in their communities. Wilder's current President, Tom Kingston is planning to retire in June 2010 after 30 years of service to the organization, including 20 years as President. Woodwinds Health Campus in Woodbury is part of the HealthEast Care System of St. Paul. Woodwinds has created an unprecedented healing environment that revolves around the needs of patients and their families. Woodwind's current CEO, Julie Schmidt will be taking a newly created system-wide role at HealthEast, Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer. "We are extremely excited to be working with both of these great organizations" says Rebecca Yanisch, leader of both the Non-Profit and Healthcare Practice Areas at KeyStone Search. "Wilder has been a pillar of the St. Paul community for over a century and Woodwinds is one of the new, vibrant models in healthcare - both are extremely important in the East Metro region. We are honored to be assisting them in identifying new top leadership". Building for Hopeful Futures (Leadership Track)Friday, November 6 2:15 - 3:30 p.m. During this session, four respected nonprofit and foundation leaders will discuss how they stay true to organizational culture and values as they anticipate major leadership changes in their organizations. Hear perspectives from Tom Kingston, president, Amherst H. Wilder Foundation who will be transitioning out of his organization after 30 years; Elizabeth Perlich Sweeney, executive director, Children's Heartlink who recently had a senior 21-year veteran retire from her organization; Paul Fate, president and CEO, CommonBond Communities who recently completed a full organizational review and financial analysis focusing on sustainability; and Joan Grzywinski who will provide an important perspective of a highly engaged board member helping a number of organizations prepare for major leadership changes. Join this session to understand how leaders prepare for leadership transitions while thinking about the stability, organizational culture, and success of their organization into the future. Presented by Paul Fate, president and CEO, CommonBond Communities; Joan Grzywinski, retired president and district manager of Wells Fargo St. Paul District and member of several nonprofit boards; Tom Kingston, president, Amherst H. Wilder Foundation; Elizabeth Perlich Sweeney, executive director, Children's Heartlink; and Rebecca Yanisch, principal, KeyStone Search Capella University's Board of Directors elects new chairFormer vice-chair of the online university's board of directors Dr. Marcia Ballinger, is elected to chair Aug. 7, 2009 MINNEAPOLIS, August 7, 2009 – Capella University (www.capella.edu), an accredited*, fully online university, that has built its reputation by providing quality education for working adults, announced today that Dr. Marcia Ballinger has been elected to chair Capella University's board or directors. Ballinger, who joined Capella University's board in 2007, previously served as vice-chair. She has been a principal with Minneapolis-based KeyStone Search, an executive search firm, since 2004, after serving eight years as a vice president in the executive search industry. Ballinger's previous corporate positions were as director of human resources development with two international manufacturing and distribution firms. She has been an adjunct faculty member in business at Capella University and St. Mary's University. "It's great to see Marcia elected as chair to Capella's board," said Chris Cassirer, President of Capella University, and board member. "Her experience and perspective on higher education will be hugely valuable with our efforts to continuously provide quality education for working adults." KeyStone Search Receives 2009 Minnesota Business Ethics AwardMay, 2009
KeyStone is extremely proud to have won this award, especially as the first executive search firm to be honored this way in Minnesota. Three non-profit executives placed by KeyStone Search featured in Star Tribune articleMarch, 2009 Lori Sturdevant, columnist for the Star Tribune, hosted a conversation with several MN non-profit leaders about the inauguration of President Barack Obama for her January 18 article, "Inauguration as the elixir that restores progress?". Three non-profit executives included in the story, Pamela Alexander, president of the Council on Crime and Justice, Morris Goodwin, Jr., chief administrative director of the Wilder Foundation, and Clarence Hightower, executive director of the Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties, were all placed in their current positions by KeyStone Search in 2008. Read more: http://tinyurl.com/loristurdevantleadership Caringbridge Names Three New Board MembersJan. 29, 2009 Eagan, Minn. (Jan. 29, 2009) — CaringBridge recently appointed Lars Leafblad, Jamie Thingelstad and Andrea Carruthers to its board of directors. CaringBridge is a Minnesota–based nonprofit Web service that provides free Web sites to those wishing to stay in touch with family and friends during a serious medical condition, treatment and recovery. Lars Leafblad is vice president with KeyStone Search in Minneapolis. KeyStone Search is a full service executive search firm with a unique emphasis on corporate culture. His previous experience includes serving as director of development for the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota, assistant director of alumni and parent relations at St. Olaf College and helping launch Four51.com, a high–tech start–up. Lars earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from St. Olaf College and his MBA from the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. Jamie Thingelstad has more than ten years of experience overseeing and delivering large–scale financial publishing Internet services such as the Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch, BigCharts and Dow Jones Newswires. He is currently developing a new company and serving as a consultant for growing Internet businesses. Andrea Carruthers is lead partner of the corporate real estate practice at Faegre & Benson, a general practice law firm based in Minneapolis, with offices in Denver, Boulder, Des Moines, Frankfurt, London and Shanghai. Carruthers has more than ten years of experience as a real estate lawyer. She represents companies in all aspects of transactional real estate, including “green” development and loan workouts. CaringBridge connects more than 20 million friends and families each year through personal CaringBridge Web sites that have generated more than 800 million visits and 20 million messages of hope and encouragement. For more information visit www.caringbridge.org. Commonsense Marketing the Guy Kawasaki WayJanuary, 2009 December 7, 2008 Personal notes from reading Reality Check: The Irreverent Guide to Outsmarting, Outmanaging, and Outmarketing Your Competition by Guy Kawasaki (http://www.guykawasaki.com/books/reality-check.shtml) 10/20/30 rule for presentations– 10 slides, 20 minutes, no font smaller than 30 – powerpoint mantra LogoWorks – creative designers - $400 logo design Innovation:
Sticky ideas – ideas that people understand and remember, and that change the way people think or behave – SUCCESS
Regional innovation installation:
Marketing
Great name
Art of Branding
Do One Thing Well – essence of good marketing strategy Selling
DIY PR
Effective email
How to get a standing ovation
How to be a great moderator
The Art of Blogging
Read "Influence: Science and Practice" by Dr. Robert Cialdini Six universal principles of influence
Art of Creating Community
Schmoozing Read "How to Work a Room" – Susan RoAne Read "The Frog and The Prince" – Darcy Rezac
Other – approach people standing alone, just smile and say hi or hello, listen, listen listen "Brazen Careerist" – Penelope Trunk Ten or so things to learn in college
Maturity
Read "How to change the world" – David Bornstein The Twin Cities Salvation Army recently added three new members to its Advisory Board: Jim Davis, Lars Leafblad and Dan Nygaard.November 4, 2008 Davis has worked for Northwest Airlines Inc. since 1986. He currently manages more than 800 employees as the Director of Customer Service and Airport Operations. He has worked in the airline industry since 1981 in both technical and management capacities. He lives in Lakeville with his wife and two children. Leafblad is vice president of KeyStone Search, an executive recruiting firm in Minneapolis. Since graduating from St. Olaf College in 1999, he has held marketing and communications jobs with successful companies across Minnesota. He received "40 Under 40" honors from the Mpls / St. Paul Business Journal in May 2007. He lives in Roseville with his wife and two children. Nygaard works for Xcel Energy as the Director of Supply of Chain Operations. In 1987 he was the top mechanical engineering graduate at the United States Naval Academy. He has held sales, marketing and management positions with the U.S. Navy, Honeywell Inc. and Exelon Corp. He lives in Big Lake with his wife and four children. All three men hold master's degrees. Below the men answer why they became Salvation Army board members: Jim Davis: "I was searching for a way to leverage my faith, gifts, education and experience to help others. While talking with the Northwest Airlines community relations department, the subject came up and they put me in contact with The Salvation Army. While I knew a little about the Salvation Army, I quickly learned how much good they do every day, working with people who have nowhere to go." Lars Leafblad: "I became personally connected to the The Salvation Army through the outreach of current board member Sandy Ulsaker Wiese, who invited me to attend a Beyond the Red Kettle Tour of Harbor Light last spring. I was greatly moved by the tour experience and Sandy's own story of her multi-year involvement with The Salvation Army. Sandy is one of the most talented, dedicated and authentic leaders I know. Her personal testimony about the impact and importance of the Army's work in our community inspired me to seek an opportunity to get involved. I'm incredibly honored to be serving with Sandy and my fellow board members on the Twin Cities Advisory Board." Dan Nygaard: "The work of The Salvation Army is closely aligned with my own personal values. By being involved with The Salvation Army, I can better serve other people by being aligned with an organization and with other people who share the same service commitment. My involvement started with a reference from an existing advisory board member who thought that The Salvation Army and I would be a good match." The Salvation Army serves more than 200,000 people in the Twin Cities and is a safety net for those with no place to turn. We serve 2,100 hot meals every day and house more than 850 people every night. To volunteer with The Salvation Army or to make a credit card donation, call 651-746-3400 or 1-800-SAL-ARMY. Checks made out to The Salvation Army may be sent to 2445 Prior Ave., Roseville, MN 55113. Click below to make an online donation. Lars Leafblad named Humphrey Institute Policy FellowMINNEAPOLIS, MN (10/08/08)- Lars Leafblad, a resident of Roseville, MN, has been named a Policy Fellow at the University of Minnesota's Hubert H.Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. He is one of 33 individuals selected for this year's program. Leafblad is a vice president with KeyStone Search, a Minneapolis based retained executive search firm with a unique emphasis on corporate culture. Prior to KeyStone, Leafblad served as director of development for the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota, assistant director of alumni and parent relations at St. Olaf College, and as a market development manager with Four51.com. He serves on the boards of Faith's Lodge and The Salvation Army-Twin Cities, and is active in a number of other organizations. Leafblad earned a bachelor's degree from St. Olaf College and a master's degree in business administration from the Carlson School of Management. He resides in Roseville with his wife Maren and their two children. The Policy Fellows program prepares individuals from all professional sectors to assume leadership roles in public affairs. Through a nine-month educational experience that includes workshops, seminars, and leadership development activities, Policy Fellows gain practical training in public affairs leadership while examining national and international issues confronting the United States. Fellows are selected from Greater Minnesota as well as the Twin Cities, increasing interaction and understanding among those who affect communities throughout the state of Minnesota. The Policy Fellows program is characterized by a distinguished tradition of training the best and brightest emerging leaders in Minnesota. Begun by Vice President Walter Mondale and Geri Joseph in 1990 and co-directed for a dozen years by former congressmen Tim Penny and Vin Weber, the program is now directed by nationally prominent political science Professor Lawrence Jacobs, the Walter F. and Joan Mondale Chair for Political Studies at the University of Minnesota. Says Jacobs, "We are thrilled to be working with this impressive group of Fellows, representing government, business, and nonprofit sectors. The program for the coming year will equip these individuals with the leadership skills to advance the common good in Minnesota and beyond," said Jacobs. "These new Fellows represent Minnesota's changing demographics and trends, and they join a distinguished group of over 500 prominent Minnesotans who are alumni of the program." The program is housed in the Humphrey Institute's Center for the Study of Politics and Governance. The Center strives to increase public understanding of politics and promote an informed and engaged citizenry through research and by offering a wide array of public events and programs. The Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, the University of Minnesota's graduate school of public affairs, prepares individuals for public service and designs more effective public policies and institutions. The institute offers four graduate degree programs and is home to 16 research and outreach centers and programs. Why Culture is so Critical in the War for TalentSeptember 2008 "The Role of Corporate Culture in the Quest for Talent" Judith Heimann (DiePresse.com) The war for talent has begun, and it is reshaping conditions under which companies operate. Previously they had to compete for clients only, as their personnel departments were overflowing with job applications from skilled candidates. Today it is still true that the most attractive employers enjoy similar popularity among job seekers. Yet, something has changed, and a new challenge has become reality for corporations. This challenge consists in attracting talented workers, and what is even more important - keeping them. This observation is corroborated by a survey conducted by the Talent Career Group (2007): 42% of CEOs claim that acquiring and retaining talent is the single most important factor that their companies face. Before considering the overriding role of corporate culture in succeeding in this task, it is worth examining the reason for this new paradigm of talent shortage in the corporate world. Why has the war for talents become so fierce? Not only has it become global, but also it is waged at several fronts. In the case of European corporations, some of the factors are more prominent than others. In the first place, the demographics in Europe have tightened the supply of new talent entering the labor market. According to a recent study by the Boston Consulting Group (2008), in the European Union alone population in the working age will fall by 16% by the year 2050. Simultaneously, companies will find it necessary to retain experienced workers from older age groups, which will have an impact on the corporate culture as the organization will need to manage their multi-generational workforce. The second front of this war for talent is the geographical one; today professionals are highly mobile, across countries and continents. Therefore a company must constantly work on its attractiveness to such individuals so that they would not be lured to leave and join a competitor. This intensive mobility also implies that corporations need to become more culturally-aware, flexible and responsive to challenges posed by multiculturalism. Outdated, insular approaches to organizational issues would surely hinder international expansion. Summing up, all these monumental demographical and social changes have contributed to make the global quest for talent more competitive. European companies have to learn to operate under the new conditions, and designing an appropriate corporate culture can prove tremendously helpful in achieving this goal. As Mary S. Rogers from IBM says, retaining talent is not just about paying more money (Talent Career Group, 2007). What is the role of corporate culture in winning the global war for talent? In order to answer this question it is crucial to realize that apart from fulfilling the two basic tasks (recruiting and retaining), talent management should additionally focus on maintaining contact with those who have left the organization. Taking care of these three groups of individuals leads to building a larger pool of unique skills, while neglecting any of them can result in the company losing its competitive edge – hence, the approach to designing appropriate corporate culture should be holistic (considering all factors), and long-term. It must not be reduced to improving salary schemes or promotion opportunities, but rather provide an environment in which talent can thrive. This task is nowadays more challenging than ever due to the complexity of corporate environment, which has been described earlier. Nevertheless, there are several guidelines for creating a "talent-friendly" corporate culture. In the view of the three-level talent management, three fundamental questions that should be considered arise. (1) How to attract new talents on the labor market? (2) How to retain skilled employees? (3) How to implement a system of maintaining contact with "alumni", i.e. former workers? The war for talent begins at the recruitment stage – but it does not finish there, the fact that is often forgotten. Conveying a positive, alluring image of the company is with no doubt of vital importance – as long as it reflects the actual corporate culture. A corporation should strive to market itself as a good place to work – or even a "great" place to work, a label that is granted each year by the Great Place to Work Institute. The key criterion of this worldwide ranking is based on the quality of relationships in the company, which is considered the foundation of a well-implemented corporate culture. Understandably, skeptics could say: "And what about the money? Do you mean that it doesn't matter?". There is cogent evidence indicating that a low pay can be a strong demotivator, but a salary increase does not motivate in the long run. What makes a difference belongs to so-called "soft" factors, including corporate culture, which is sometimes called "secret weapon" of companies (Saltzman, 2007). Another important issue emerging at the recruitment stage is achieving a match between an individual and a corporation. There is still relatively little awareness of the power of corporate culture; an employee who performs well in one company may lack motivation in a workplace with a different set of values and goals. Probably it is the reason why recent graduates are in high demand, although they are generally inexperienced. Molding a young talent into its own organizational culture is a big asset for the company – and a character-shaping process for their new employee. Nevertheless, retaining high performers is even a more challenging task than recruiting them. There are studies showing that motivation starts to wane as early as after six months of employment; after around two years, quitting the company is seriously considered (Saltzman, 2007). Taking into consideration the high mobility of high-performing workforce, companies should be especially aware of the risk of losing talent to the advantage of competitors. Creating a strong employment brand can make the difference, since who would want to leave a company known as a great place to work? In general, the secret resides in taking a long-run view by offering a promising future in the company and personal development options. Moreover, due to the changing demographics that have been discussed before, retaining mature workforce has become a burning issue for a growing number of industries – especially in Europe, where inflows of skilled immigrants are still lower than in the United States, for instance. Evidence shows that mature employees pay a lot of attention to the "atmosphere" in their job (i.e. corporate culture), thus concepts like "corporate wellness" – emphasizing the importance of a healthy, harmonious atmosphere in the office – should not be surprising any more. With no doubt, organizations have to adapt their organizational solutions to the needs of their experienced workers – a step that will be surely beneficial for the company as a whole. Last but not least, in order to develop a comprehensive approach to talent management, the company should not neglect the potential that lies in its former workers. Undoubtedly, regardless of the attractiveness of a workplace, a percentage of the employees will surely leave. Still, it would be a grave mistake to consider them as "outsiders". Future is uncertain, and there are high chances that some of them will consider rejoining their former employer at a given stage of their professional development. That is why fostering open communication and building relationships at the workplace is so significant that the Great Place to Work Institute has made a focal point of it. Building special "alumni programs" connecting the employer and former employees can help the company to achieve a larger and more diversified pool of talent, as talented individuals come back with newly acquired skills – including professional experience abroad. Corporate culture is not easy to measure, unlike profits or a market share. Nevertheless, there is cogent evidence demonstrating a positive correlation between a strong corporate culture and economic performance (Kotter and Heskett, 1992). In the world where companies have to compete for the best and brightest, they need a strong competitive edge in this fierce war for talent. Successful implementation of a positive corporate culture is a powerful weapon whose importance constantly grows. While piecemeal solutions are not enough to build a solid brand of a good place to work, a comprehensive strategy can make the difference. Of course, it requires resources, time, and determination. Winning the war for talent is a challenging task, but it is worth it. After all, it is the talent that makes the difference. JP Morgan and Bear Stearns: A Culture ChallengeApril 2008 By Liz Wolgemuth JPMorgan Chase's Fed-led Bear Stearns bailout was intended to save the financial markets, but it remains to be seen if JPMorgan can save the firm. As the two banks prepare to merge, the collision of corporate cultures promises a considerable challenge for Bear employees. It is certain that those at Bear who survive the merger—many are expected to lose their jobs—will have a different corporate culture to understand, says Jacalyn Sherriton, president of Corporate Management Developers, a firm that specializes in post-merger consulting. The companies certainly have different histories. While Bear had managed to remain an independent firm throughout its 85-year-old history, JPMorgan Chase is the result of many mergers. Chemical Banking Corp., Manufacturers Hanover, Chase Manhattan, JP Morgan, First Chicago, and Bank One have all become one under the JPMorgan Chase name. Bear Stearns's culture stood out on Wall Street, says Rick Peterson, a Houston-based recruiter for the brokerage industry. The firm catered to very high net-worth clients, and individual brokers were able to move quickly on clients' requests, he says. On the other hand, like other U.S. banks, Peterson says, JPMorgan tends to be "extremely cautious, ultra-conservative," and bureaucratic. This, he says, is the main difference between the two companies: "JPMorgan expects its employees to do as told, when told. Bear Stearns brokers are not used to being told anything. They're used to doing the telling themselves." The accomplishments or qualities that organizations reward in their employees tend to be very telling of their culture, Sherriton says. Some companies reward employees who toe the line, while others reward entrepreneurship. Nomi Prins, author of Other People's Money: The Corporate Mugging of America, worked at Bear Stearns for seven years, and, in a recent story for Mother Jones, describes it as "a colorful place" that was generally considered by employees and outsiders to be a firm that didn't fit the mold. "It was the oddball amongst investment banks from the standpoint of 'corporate culture'—a 'maverick,' the Wild West of banking," Prins writes. "We actually left our desks to eat lunch. Some of the sales-force drank theirs." In an interview, Prins said Bear's culture prized directness. "You kind of did things, as opposed to talked about doing things," she says. Her time at Bear was followed by a stint at investment bank Goldman Sachs, a place that—for better or worse—relied more on meetings. Prins withholds judgment of either culture but admits she never became totally comfortable at Goldman and suspects Bear employees may have a difficult time transitioning to another firm. While some Bear brokers are looking to jump ship, Peterson says, others will stay at JPMorgan to test the firm's new culture. JPMorgan will continue using the Bear Stearns name and will keep Bear brokers separate from its own high-net-worth group, Bloomberg quoted an unnamed source as saying last week. Top Bear brokers were also offered a retention deal aimed at keeping them with JPMorgan. Mergers can require such flexibility from employees that it's not unlike starting a new job, says Jim Stern, Sherriton's colleague at Corporate Management Developers and the consultancy's vice president. How staffers are held accountable can be a major difference between companies. Some employers keep workers on a short leash by docking pay and cutting bonuses, while others tend to be more laissez-faire. "Unless you're able to conform to that new culture of accountability, you're not going to be successful," Stern says. The post-merger environment can be tricky to navigate for any company. Consider the much-watched YouTube video of a Bank of America corporate gathering in 2006, following the bank's merger with MBNA. An employee expertly croons U2's "One," albeit with somewhat altered lyrics. The verses, an awkwardly forced celebration of bank unity, include such feel-good phrasing as: "One spirit. We get to share it. Leading us all to higher standards." When JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon addressed Bear Stearns employees this month, he did not serenade them, but he did ask for their support. Marcia Ballinger cited as Industry LeaderKeyStone Search is proud to announce that Marcia Ballinger, Ph.D., has been named one of this year's "Industry Leaders" by the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal. This honor is awarded to 25 women in the region every year who have proven to be strong leaders in the for-profit, non-profit or public sectors. Since joining KeyStone in 2002, the company has seen growth of 600%. What may be even more impressive is her leadership in the community. Marcia currently serves on the board of directors of the Twin Cities Red Cross, Capella University and the MN Adoption Network. In the past, she has also served on the board of the Crisis Connection and has generously given her time and talents to other charitable causes along the way. KeyStone Search welcomes Diane Meskan as Director of AdministrationKeyStone Search is pleased to announce that Diane Meskan has joined the team as Director of Administration. Diane will be responsible for coordination of all office activities, research projects and database management. Diane previously worked for the Bloomington Arts Center and earlier spent a number of years with Mackay Envelope in Minneapolis. Rebecca Yanisch Joins Board of YWCAKeyStone Search Principal Rebecca Yanisch has been named to the board of directors of the Minneapolis YWCA. The YWCA of Minneapolis focuses on empowering women and eliminating racism through a variety of community-based programs. The YWCA has been established in Minneapolis since 1891 and has continually made an enormous impact on the lives of girls and women, as well as the community at large. Lars Leafblad joins the board of Faith's LodgeFaith's Lodge, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving those who are facing the serious illness or death of a child, announced that Lars Leafblad, vice president, KeyStone Search, was elected to its board of directors. Faith's Lodge provides a place where parents and families facing the serious illness or death of a child can retreat to reflect on the past, renew strength for the present, and build hope for the future. Faith's Lodge is the only organization of its kind in the country. Collaboration with the Ronald McDonald House Charities - Upper Midwest, and other generous contributors, has enabled Faith's Lodge to serve over 125 families during its first year of operation. Executives Are Taking a Hard Look at Soft Issues, According to Global Management Study by Bain & CompanyMarch 2007 Bain Survey of More Than 1,200 International Executives Shows Significant Shift in Focus to Corporate Culture, Environmental Protection and Knowledge Management Results of Bain & Company's Management Tools & Trends 2007 study find that softer management issues, such as corporate culture, environmental protection and knowledge management, have now moved to the forefront of executive thinking. According to a survey of more than 1,200 international executives by the global business management consulting firm:
"Executives are actively addressing higher order needs, changing the rules and the tools of management," said Darrell Rigby, senior Bain & Company partner and author of the Management Tools & Trends study. "Organizational culture and so-called softer issues are now top of mind. Executives are clearly looking beyond cost-cutting for success." Launched in 1993 and now in its 11th edition, the Management Tools & Trends study examines executive attitudes toward management and industry trends, and evaluates the use and satisfaction with management tools. [Note to Editors: Survey methodology is explained in more detail at the end of this announcement.] The top-10 "most used" tools globally in Bain's Management Tools & Trends 2007 study are strategic planning (1st place), customer relationship management (2nd), customer segmentation (3rd), benchmarking (4th), core competencies, mission & vision statements (tied for 5th), outsourcing (7th), and business process reengineering, knowledge management, and scenario & contingency planning (tied for 8th). When asked to consider both usage and satisfaction with management tools, the executives overall give strategic planning, customer relationship management, core competencies and customer segmentation "above average" rankings. Conversely, RFID, corporate blogs, consumer ethnography, loyalty management and shared service centers all score "below average" in both usage and satisfaction. At a time when public attention and debate on outsourcing continues to grow, the Management Tools & Trends study shows the tool losing some luster among executives. When compared to results from the previous report in 2005, outsourcing drops from 3rd to 7th place in usage. Offshoring - a form of outsourcing - fell from 7th to 16th place in satisfaction. Offshoring also now has the 6th highest "defection rate" in terms of the relative occurrence of companies who have stopped using it as a management tool. Other highlights from the 2007 study include:
"In evaluating the Management Tools & Trends 2007 survey, we are keenly aware that management attitudes often shift faster than results do," added Paul Rogers, a London-based Bain partner and head of the firm's global organization practice. "While corporate culture, for example, is receiving considerably more management attention than in previous years, Bain research shows that fewer than 10 percent of companies currently succeed at building high-performance cultures." For more information about Bain's Management Tools & Trends 2007 or to schedule an interview with Darrell Rigby or Paul Rogers, please contact Cheryl Krauss at email: cheryl.krauss@bain.com or 646-562-7863, or Frank Pinto at email: frank.pinto@bain.com or frank.pinto@atwoodpartners.com or 917-309-1065. About Management Tools & Trends 2007 Over the past 14 years, 11 surveys have been completed - assembling a database that now includes 8,504 respondents from more than 70 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. The 2007 survey included 1221 completed surveys from a broad range of international executives. Tools were defined in a booklet, Management Tools 2007, An Executive's Guide, mailed with the surveys to senior executives around the world. Personal follow-up interviews were conducted to further probe the circumstances where tools are most likely to produce desired results. About Bain & Company, Inc. |
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The Minnesota Business Ethics Awards was established in 1999 by the Twin Cities Chapter of the Society
of Financial Service Professionals and the Center for Ethical Business Cultures at the University of St. Thomas. Its purpose is to raise the standards
for business ethics in Minnesota and to honor companies that exhibit the highest standards of ethical performance.