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Hiring is more challenging than most people realize.  Effective hiring begins with a pre-hiring process that provides clarity about whom you need to hire, what training, skills, etc. must that person have, and what steps must be taken before you attempt to find him or her.  Most employers don’t have a thorough process to hire effectively.  Make sure you have a solid process.

A solid onboarding process can prevent a ton of frustration, increase your new hire’s effectiveness right out of the gate, and return an immediate ROI to the company.  Because of poor onboarding, most employees fumble around for 6-18 months before they truly understand what they need to do to be successful in their job.  Don’t let that be true in your company.

Most employees view that once they have hired someone their work is done.  In reality, your work has just begun.  Employees don’t develop themselves.  They need guidance, encouragement, and accountability to reach their potential.  If you want to see your employees grow to their full potential, you must develop them.  Otherwise, they will settle in and flatline into a mediocre worker.  Don’t assume your employees will grow. Make sure of it.

Retention does not occur accidentally.  People do not usually leave because of money.  They leave because of poor management.  To stay with your company, employees need to feel valued, appreciated, and perceive opportunities for growth.  If you want to retain employees, you must create a sticky culture where people do not even entertain leaving your company. 

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5 Benefits to Being Objective

September 14, 20234 min read

Have you ever talked with someone that isn’t facing reality? Perhaps it is about a relationship, a job, or even a business. Being objective is more difficult than you might think. It’s hard to face reality.

We prefer to imagine things as we would like them to be, rather than the way they actually are. Imagining what we like rather than what is reality, however, keeps us from improving and moving ahead. Being objective results in five valuable benefits.

Objectivity doesn’t allow the past to skew the present.

One of the challenges to being objective is nostalgia. This is particularly true when an organization has declined. People remember what the organization was in the past.  The “good old days” become the reference point that skews the reality of the present.

I often see this when people get ready to step down from leadership.  They remember all the “blood, sweat, and tears” that went into building the company.  They are emotionally attached and value it based on what they have put into it, rather than by where it is currently.  

When new leadership takes over, they design their effort to move forward from what is currently happening, not what the business was in the past.  They look at it based upon what is happening today.  Leaders are surprised because others do not see what it took to build the company.  They don’t know the sacrifice the leader made to start and develop it. 

Objectivity doesn’t forget to value the people.

Objectivity doesn’t forget to value the people.

Valuing your company goes beyond valuing the physical plant and equipment. One of the most valuable parts of any business is the people who work there. Their knowledge, commitment, and experience can greatly increase its value.

Businesses depreciate equipment and buildings. Their employees can appreciate the business’ value. Having dedicated workers who are proficient at their jobs adds a great deal of value to an organization.  

How recently have you looked at your employees? What are you doing to increase their value to the organization? As a leader, it is very easy to overlook what could very well be the most valuable component of your company, the employees. 

Objectivity doesn’t fear investing in development.

Status quo is not usually a good thing. So many leaders work hard to develop good companies, only to allow them to decline during their mature years. A business is either moving forward or falling behind. There is very little middle ground.

Some leaders refuse to invest in development or improvement. It is costly, challenging, and difficult. Yet, failing to develop means your business is likely declining.  

It is wise to invest in development based on ROI. Take an honest look at where you have the most potential to experience the highest ROI. Ask yourself, “What would happen if I gave time, money, and effort in improving that area?” If there is great potential that you can regain your investment and additional income, then stop thinking about it and just do it. Doing so just makes good business sense. 

Objectivity doesn’t fear investing in development.

Objectivity doesn’t neglect to evaluate potential impact.

I am always amazed at how few leaders really think about potential impact. They get caught up in making payroll, covering operational expenses, and purchasing buildings or equipment. They do not really consider their impact. 

In what area is your business most impactful? You might be surprised at how few leaders know the answer to that question. They just don’t think that way, but they should.

Leading a company is about impacting lives. Making an impact improves your company and propels it forward. It means you can impact more people. Keep your eye on impact. It is a key gauge.

Objectivity doesn’t forget to stay engaged.

Leading a company can deplete you. It requires you to make big decisions, invest a great deal of time, and solve numerous problems. There is almost always someone “knocking on your door.”

It is not uncommon for leaders to disengage with their business.  They go through the motions of running their business without truly engaging in their work.

Ask yourself this question, “Is my heart still in my business?” If not, be honest with yourself and determine what you should do.  If you cannot or will not re-engage, then consider stepping aside and allowing another to lead.

Failing to engage in your company will result in your business heading downhill. Companies do not operate themselves. They need leadership. If you cannot or will not be the leader, then step aside for another to lead. 

Stop for a moment and take an objective look at your company. Be honest with yourself and take action where needed. You have worked hard to build and grow what you have. Don’t fall asleep at the wheel. A clear-headed assessment is needed in many companies.  Make sure your company takes one!


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Testimonials

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Mike Kanty

Dave is a calm and thoughtful leader. His focus on Pastoral Leadership is ideally suited to his skills and life experience. Dave helps pastoral leaders develop and implement a church growth system that reaches and impacts their communities. If your vision for your Church is getting fuzzy or you are challenged with not just retaining but inspiring and growing an active congregation reach out to Dave at Penn Coaching and Consulting.

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Kristin Sherry

Dave has been consulting with me for about half a year and helps me stay focused on what's important for YouMap LLC to scale and grow. The YouMap® Coaches and Facilitators love his quick start coaching process and everyone finds his insight to be extremely beneficial. He is a trusted partner and a blessing.

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Bob Sager

Dave is one of those people who, upon meeting him for the first time, you feel like you've known for years. Easy to talk with, he takes a non-judgmental approach to helping business owners become more successful and have more fun.

As a member of one of the Mastermind Groups I run, Dave has always applied his knowledge, experience and imagination to helping others solve their biggest challenges. I am so pleased to know him and recommend him highly.

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Mike Chirveno

I had the pleasure of working with Dave on an executive team for a couple of years. His ability to identify the "big rocks" in a situation, fashion the best "next steps" and marshal the efforts of a team to execute are the best I have seen. Dave is a gifted executive coach who makes his clients more productive, helps them stay focused on their highest priority tasks and probably most importantly, gives them a good sounding board for the important decisions they must make. There is no one I could recommend more heartily than David Pennington.

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Heidi Chapnik

I have known Dave for several years. It has been an honor to know him and engage with him at his best. Dave is a heartfelt salt of the earth man of integrity, which belie his talents. Dave is super focused, organized and effective in decision making, problem solving and team building. His approach as an executive coach is open door, empathetic, yet firm and strong. Dave is able to build teams after on target analysis of challenge areas. His wide range of knowledge spans to all levels of management and his effectiveness knows no bounds.

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Mark Burdette

Dr. David Pennington provided insightful, strategic business coaching that enabled my commercial firm to grow from 1 to 13 brokers and expand from 1 to 4 different geographical locations. He assisted with hiring & developing brokers, putting processes in place to manage and grow my firm. He is wise, encouraging, and a good personal friend. If you want someone who will help you grow as a leader, you cannot do better than hiring him!

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Anthony Totta

Doc Dave has been a very positive influence by challenging me to become more focused and thereby more effective. He showed me effective ways to prioritize. His "spin less plates and spin the remainder well" approach for me has been just what I needed. I am thankful Dave is now offering himself full time as a coach mentor. I am sure he will help many folks from many walks of life as he did me.

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PJ Petrillo

He is an excellent instructional leader who remains cool in a crisis, and responds well with clients and employees alike. David is a diverse individual who will be successful on whatever path he chooses to work within. He is a team player and mentors others well too.

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