Amy Chulik
Blog entries by Amy Chulik 
CareerBuilder Leadership Series: Spotlight on Jim Rose of Mosaic Sales Solutions Corporation
July 2, 2009
This week, our spotlight is on Jim Rose, Chairman and CEO of Dallas-based Mosaic Sales Solutions Corporation, a 10,000-employee, privately held field sales and marketing company. In the Q&A to follow, Jim shares his thoughts on the importance of collaboration over individual success, the power of candid feedback, the coveted “White Glove” award, the importance of your employment brand, and more.
As a leader, what has influenced your strong emphasis on people?
People are absolutely critical to our business. If you look back over my nearly 15-year executive career, I’ve always been in the service industry, where people are the product. In these types of businesses, we aren’t making widgets. Instead, the input of people drives 100 percent of our company’s output. I have regard and respect for high-quality people because they contribute the best knowledge and skill sets to produce the best return for our customers. Aside from professional experience, my executive education has driven this value deeper. I earned my MBA from the Kellogg School of Management where people are the foundation of that program. The emphasis is on collaboration, teamwork and getting a job done together over individual success.
How do you describe your personal leadership philosophy?
My view is to lead very much by example. I have never believed that as CEO I am all-knowing, all-seeing, and all-being. I see myself as just another member of the team. I have a set of responsibilities and skill sets that are good for what needs to be done, but others have abilities and skill sets that are right for what they need to accomplish. I see everyone as playing an integral role in our team and collaboration as the cornerstone to success. I strive to be an action-oriented leader and, because I believe in management by walking around, I am with people all the time. Whether it is spending time in the field, attending meetings, rewarding people, or sending encouraging emails for a job well done. I am very engaged with our people at all levels. And this extends to social activities. I play on our bowling and softball teams and believe this helps people at all levels know who I am and that I am relatable. I enjoy giving our people the ability to ask questions and they know their opinion matters. In return, these gestures have an incredibly powerful effect on the team’s confidence and their contributions.
What is one value you feel leaders can emphasize to develop their people?
Feedback. It is easy to give positive feedback, but at the same time, good leadership means delivering the not-so-good message. I believe in showing appreciation for the things a person does well, but also providing constructive direction for the things that may have not gone so well. I am candid about areas of growth, suggesting why they are in need of attention and what steps can be taken to improve. This whole element of constructive feedback is a difficult practice, one that some leaders can be better at. In the moment, people don’t always appreciate the candor, but in time they respect the openness and honesty because they know the feedback is given with sincerity.
Is there a memory that had an impact on your professional development and influences how you lead today?
I have tons of those memories! The key point you’re hitting on is to have good mentors at a young age. And I think that’s huge. In high school I was a fry cook at Kentucky Fried Chicken, and my manager was phenomenal and took his business very seriously. After cleaning, he would point out areas I missed and taught me at a very young age that doing a job right took less time than redoing the work a second or third time. Each year, he would strive to win KFC’s “White Glove” award, which is an assessment from people hired to mystery shop at the store. The evaluation was based on the friendliness of the staff, offering French fries and Cokes, and whether the food was prepared properly and served at the right temperature. We were one of two or three locations to win the “White Glove” award that year, a very high honor. The award was not worth millions of dollars, we received an inexpensive plaque, but those things left a big impression in my life about quality, service, focus and discipline.
How do you define the value of your people at Mosaic?
As a client-facing organization, our whole business is service. Our purpose is to help our customers, both retailers and brand owners, be more effective in retail. Our field staff works hard to ensure that products are on the shelves, promoted and priced right. And they know that whatever communication or engagement we have with customers must be delivered appropriately because it ultimately drives sales for retailers and brands – and for us.
With nearly 10,000 employees, the bulk of our people are in the field performing sales-driven activities. Aside from the field organization, typical back office functions like finance, HR and IT are very front and center. They communicate with customers, participate in customer meetings, and contribute to solutions for our customers. Having people in these roles who understand the business and think practically is a significant value. With everyone at Mosaic able to interact with customers and be fully customer-focused, we differentiate and drive business forward for our clients.
What is the impact to your business when you have a vacancy in a field position? Is that a client who is either underserved or not served at all?
If we are understaffed or have the wrong individuals in place, we miss opportunities to be effective in retail for our customers. If we’re not out in the field making visits, we cannot generate revenue. Such a significant part of our business is driven by field activity, so the goal is to always be fully staffed with competent, well-trained and focused people who do an incredible job. As I mentioned before, people are our product.
How does your executive team strategically consider talent to sustain and grow business?
- Categories: Employee Attraction, Employee Engagement, Employee Retention, Employer Advice, Leadership Development
Laid Off Workers: Keeping Quite Busy, Thank You
July 1, 2009
You may assume that your recently laid off friend, family member, or annoying downstairs neighbor is just sitting on the couch, eating ice cream and building beer can pyramids, or “beeramids” (not that there’s, uh, anything wrong with that), but those assumptions may be way off the mark. A new CareerBuilder survey finds that, despite the hardships laid off workers are facing, they are focusing on positive aspects of being in between jobs to get them through a challenging time.
So what are many laid off workers doing to fill in the gaps of employment?
- 22% are spending more time with family and friends
- 15% are fixing up their homes
- 14% are exercising more
- 11% are finally taking time to relax
- 8% are volunteering
- 7% are going back to school
- 6% are becoming more involved in their church community
- 4% are starting their own business
- 4% are taking up new hobbies
- 3% are traveling
“While finding a new job and steady paycheck is definitely top of mind, laid off workers are also concentrating on activities that will help them grow personally and professionally,” said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder. “They are reconnecting with friends and family, getting involved in the community, taking classes and exploring new career path options that may lead to a greater return in the long run.”
Laid off doesn’t mean lazy
To the contrary, laid off workers, as evidenced above, are spending their time doing those things they’re passionate about, or that they haven’t had the time do to as a busy nine-to-fiver. It’s important to keep in mind as you are hiring and considering these workers that they may not only be “good” hires — they may in fact make up some of the strongest candidates out there. These people have not only made it through a test of adversity with a layoff, but they have, rather than give up hope, been honing their skills — and rounding out their talents.
Personal and professional growth
Many workers are bettering themselves both personally by working out and exercising more, eating healthily with non-vending machine snacks, and getting out of the office cubicle environment in general. Others are becoming more well rounded and cultured by traveling to places they’ve never experienced, taking up those long-talked-about guitar lessons or photography classes, or offering their time and service to local volunteer opportunities like soup kitchens or tutoring centers. Opportunities abound — and these laid off workers are grabbing them. Still others are building their professional skill sets by going back to school or getting certifications, starting their own business, or catching up on non-work reading materials.
Perhaps most importantly, laid off workers are taking this opportunity to relax, de-stress, and mentally recharge. When the time comes for a new job, they will be focused and ready to take on new challenges.
So, employers, don’t be turned off or scared of those gaps on the resume. These candidates can bring a host of new talents and qualifications to your workplace. Keep an open mind, inquire about their time spent during these employment gaps, and be prepared for the next wave of talent.
- Categories: Economy, Employee Attraction, Survey Results
Survivor of Layoffs? A T-Shirt for Your Thoughts
June 29, 2009
Are you pitching in to help your company survive the recession with less staff? If so, how are you and your employees surviving? What are the positives that have come out of your world, post-layoffs? We want to know.
- Have you encouraged your employees to learn a new skill or picked one up yourself?
- Have you forged stronger relationships with co-workers, or met new co-workers?
- Are you finding better ways to prioritize or manage your work/life balance?
- Have you made a professional or personal discovery?
- Has your life has changed for the better in any other ways?
Write us a comment and share your survivor story by Friday, July 10, and five of you lucky readers will be randomly picked to receive your very own CareerBuilder Koala T-shirt. Oh, did we mention it’s FREE?
Post your comment by Friday, July 10 for a chance to score this tee:
Eager to develop a deeper relationship with our beloved coffee-drinking, eucalyptus-munching friend? Don’t forget, you can become a friend of the CareerBuilder Koala on Facebook.
- Categories: Contest, Employee Engagement, Employee Retention
Who’s Letting the Dogs Out (and Into the Office) for “Take Your Dog to Work Day” Tomorrow?
June 25, 2009
Tomorrow, if you were not already aware, marks the annual Take Your Dog to Work Day. (And yes, that’s more than enough reason to blast this gem from the year 2000 on full volume). According to a Web site dedicated to Take Your Dog to Work Day, the day was first celebrated in 1999. Take Your Dog To Work Day, the site says, “was created to celebrate the great companions dogs make and to encourage their adoption from humane societies, animal shelters and breed rescue clubs. This annual event encourages employers to experience the value of pets in their workplace for this one special day to promote pet adoptions.”What a great concept, eh? You can register your support for the recognized day –and there’s Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace efforts you can join.
The site even includes the Top 10 “Things to say to convince your boss to take part in Take Your Dog to Work Day,” including:
- Wagging tails work great when the a/c is on the fritz
- Meetings end as soon as Rover starts staring at the conference room door
- Finally, someone at your office will actually be working like a dog
Doggone it
Despite the good intentions of this reserved day in which the greatest of human companions may roam the halls among us or take a swig from the water cooler when no one’s watching, however, controversy abounds as to whether dogs should be allowed in the workplace at all.
Are dogs allowed in your office — and if they normally are not, should you bend the rules, even just for this one occasion? That’s what the Marine Industries Association of South Florida has been doing.
Even The Obama family’s Portuguese Water Dog, Bo, has apparently been spotted hanging out during White House meetings. However, what works for one (oval) office doesn’t necessarily work for another, as the writer of a blog on the Sun-Sentinel contends. The decision often depends on the office environment and the dog itself. Business owners who allow dogs into the office on a daily basis stress that it boosts employee morale. But employees who aren’t comfortable with dogs may feel trapped, and obviously, some dogs are more “office-friendly” than others. On the other hand, you may work in a very dog-friendly office — and share a mutual love for dogs and acceptance of their co-habitating in your workspace.
Tips for bringing your favorite canine friend to work
- Be respectful to your co-workers. Be sensitive to those who are allergic, scared of, or otherwise uncomfortable with dogs in the office. Check with your co-workers before bringing your fine fluffy friend with you to ensure that everyone is on board with it. If bringing your dog in presents a problem, work to find an alternative that works for everyone — or find another way to give back to the canine community — like The Humane Society.
- Use your best judgment. If you know that Ruggles is an out-of-control 3-month-old who has yet to master the art of bladder control, it’s probably not in your best interest to bring him along to roam the cubicles (and will probably also score you a lot of lunches alone in the near future). Your dog should be trained, well-behaved, and have the ability to keep the barking and tearing up the carpet to a minimum (unless your co-workers are okay with that).
- Keep your dog happy — and it’s likely everyone else will be happy. Little things like bringing your dog’s favorite blanket or treats to make him or her feel at home and occupied can make a big difference. The Examiner offers some tips for your dog’s big day out.
So the question remains: Will every dog have its day? That’s for you — and your dog-fearing or dog-loving co-workers — to decide. What are your plans?
- Categories: Employee Engagement, Philanthropy
Surviving the Layoffs: Your Stories and a Chance to Win a CareerBuilder Koala T-Shirt
June 24, 2009
I recently wrote about CareerBuilder’s survey on survivors of layoffs. A few of us here were talking the other day and realized that, as 47 percent of survey respondents reported taking on more responsibility as a result of company layoffs, it would be great to hear some actual stories from those on the front lines of post-layoff reality.
You’ve likely heard a million times that companies are “doing more with less.” But as the consequences of that fall directly on a company’s employees, what does that mean for them? Workers are taking on more responsibility or new duties, working harder and longer hours, and likely not getting paid more for their work.
If you are pitching in to help your company survive the recession with less staff, how are you surviving? What are the positives that have come out of your world, post-layoffs?
- Have you learned a new skill?
- Have you forged stronger relationships with co-workers, or met new co-workers?
- Are you finding better ways to prioritize or manage your work/life balance?
- Have you made a professional or personal discovery?
- Has your life has changed for the better in any other ways?
Write us a comment and share your survivor story — and five of you will be randomly picked to receive your very own CareerBuilder Koala T-shirt. Oh, did we mention it’s FREE?
Post your comment by Friday, July 10 for a chance to score this tee:
Eager to develop a deeper relationship with our beloved coffee-drinking, eucalyptus-munching friend? Don’t forget, you can become a friend of the CareerBuilder Koala on Facebook or purchase your own Koala gear.
- Categories: Contest, Economy, Employee Engagement, Employee Retention, Survey Results
CareerBuilder Leadership Series: Spotlight on Jon Luther of Dunkin’ Brands
June 22, 2009
What exactly is the key to great leaders’ success? What do strong and successful leaders know that we may not — and how can we learn from them and apply those findings in our own businesses?
In the weeks to come, we will feature leaders in industries spanning from sales and marketing to health care. We will share their answers about their business insight, leadership strategy and philosophy, methods of finding and retaining top talent, and much more.
CareerBuilder recently interviewed Jon Luther, executive chairman of Dunkin’ Brands, and picked his brain a bit about his leadership philosophy, his role in Dunkin’s talent strategy, the secret to being a great leader, and how he balances inspiration versus reality in today’s economical environment.
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