Darin's Approach
This approach has consistently resulted in measurable gains in key metrics related to employee engagement, customer satisfaction and loyalty, productivity, quality, cost, and readiness. And, as noted in my work history, my employers often move me around or expand the number of teams that report to me so that I can broaden the scope of impact.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
I have always had a strong focus on the customer's experience at every company I have worked. A large number of Performa clients were hotels and resorts that preached customer loyalty, Pennzoil-Quaker State Company converted to consumer products and I was the lead on the cultural transformation, Royal Caribbean wanted to ensure the guest experience was consistent between ship and shore, and at Bayview I was responsible for the customer-centric design of two new companies and the customer experience at four others.
By applying organizational development and performance improvement practices to the identification, measurement, and prevention/mitigation activities related to improving how clients or customers are impacted by the company, departments, and employees, I identified ways to effectively operationalize the customer value proposition at each of my employers.
The keys to success are helping executives identify what is truly most important to our customers, create tools and methods for measuring those factors, identify critical points of friction, and applying effective and efficient project management and change management practices that ultimately hold leaders accountable for required improvements. This requires me to quickly gain credibility with business leaders, learn the industry and the core differentiators for the company, and help leaders and employees quickly solve some vexing issues to deliver quick, valuable wins.
DARIN'S APPROACH
Scan the industry and organization while evaluating all key internal and external stakeholders.
Design and implement a communication strategy and plan that facilitates the required change management
Identify what is truly important through critical incident methodology, design behaviorally-anchored rating scales that align to the most important factors, map the customer journey, survey actionable friction points to emphasize the voice of the customer, and launch root cause analysis/ continuous improvement initiatives
Draft customer personas and leverage them to evaluate and refresh key customer touchpoints, such as marketing materials, correspondence, and the call center
Build position profiles that differentiate the best from the rest in key roles and leverage the resulting competencies for price of admission and developmental activities (i.e. build valid selection tools and new hire training) – as well as drafting a simplified guide to help leaders manage those roles
Initiate a Reputation Management Council that will scan and address concerns and confusion in social media and online
Draft KPIs that accurately highlight the company's, team's, and individual's impact on the customer experience and pull that data into a CX dashboard to drive insights and accountability
As a noted expert on learning agility, competency-based assessment and development, performance improvement, employee and customer journey mapping, behaviorally anchored rating scales, employee engagement, heuristics and cognitive biases, position profiles, and performance metrics, I invest significant time into training my team members and others who would benefit from increased knowledge and skill in these areas
EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE
Taking my 10+ years of experience as an entrepreneurial HR consultant at Ulmer & Associates, Performa Solutions, and Mundo Strategies, 3 years doing HR outside of HR at Royal Caribbean, 3+ years in HR executive leadership roles at Pennzoil-Quaker State and Bayview, and nearly five years as the head of HR at Bayview, I designed and refined a strategic approach to transforming the human capital services being delivered to the business and employees.
The "people strategy and plan" makes it easier for the right people with the right competencies to do the right work the right way at the right time for the right reasons - all tied to the company's objectives. This requires the creation of an effortless experience, being an employer of choice, and earning an infectious bias for action and discretionary effort from employees (i.e. engagement). I ensure the HR professionals transform into project managers, talent management consultants, performance improvement architects, competency-based talent management gurus, and lateral thinkers.
Recruiters become talent consultants to the business. Trainers become performance support engineers that look beyond knowledge gaps. Employee Relations becomes the culture advocates and brand champions. Compensation & Benefits becomes a total rewards team. And, as the change agent, I assume the role of coach and mentor to the company's executives to ensure the approach continues to be aligned with the company's and each department’s unique culture and strategy.
DARIN'S APPROACH
Audit the policies, processes and procedures, technology, communications, and talent on my team and identify key stakeholders and their desired outcomes from my area(s)
Identify what is truly important through critical incident methodology, design behaviorally-anchored rating scales that align to the desired tenets and culture, map the employee journey, survey actionable friction points, and launch root cause analysis/continuous improvement initiatives
Design and implement a people strategy and plan that drives the organizational objectives, design, metrics, and communication
Build position profiles that differentiate the best from the rest in key roles and leverage the resulting competencies for price of admission and developmental activities (i.e. build valid selection tools and new hire training) – as well as drafting a simplified guide to help leaders manage those roles
Assess bench strength (usually starting with Lominger's Cultributes™), implement multi-rater feedback and development plans, provide supplemental development on learning agility, and then hold leaders accountable for their own successor
Increase diversity, inclusion, and belonging by sourcing and attracting across a broad spectrum, providing developmental education and assignments to all employees, then always hiring for readiness and fit; allow the creation of affinity groups and encourage the business to leverage them (e.g. marketing feedback or policy reviews); encourage employees to tell their story; conduct stay interviews; and create fair and desirable total rewards that support effective KPIs and celebrate success
Refresh the policies and procedures so that they are commonly-understood, plain English, common sense, and flexible (yet consistent)
Define and measure the employer brand using GlassDoor, Indeed, LinkedIn, and other sites where candidates and employees talk about their experiences (and measure net promoter score as well)
As a noted expert on learning agility, competency-based assessment and development, performance improvement, employee and customer journey mapping, behaviorally anchored rating scales, employee engagement, heuristics and cognitive biases, position profiles, and performance metrics, I invest significant time into training my team members and others who would benefit from increased knowledge and skill in these areas.