Zenger Folkman Research Shows 3 Ways to Avoid Being Fired

-With companies constantly downsizing, Zenger Folkman reveals three steps employees can take to secure their job-

SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- With recent news events about the economy, employees have reason to fear a repeat of 2008. With the threat of downsizing, every person wants to be sure their name is not at the top of that layoff list. Zenger Folkman has gathered data from many companies to find out what factors led to choosing the employees that would be let go. By observing leaders that were fired and those that stayed, Zenger Folkman found three main areas where personal improvement could have saved an employee’s job.

“Our research showed that 77% of those who were asked to leave the organization had no clue this was coming,” said Joe Folkman, president of Zenger Folkman. “However, I have found that if leaders can’t answer the following three questions positively, they have reason to fear for their job.”

1. Do you struggle with interpersonal skills and find it hard to fit in with the culture of your organization? Despite all the effective ways to communicate with others through a screen, interpersonal skills still matter. Zenger Folkman found that those who were derailed or “fired” scored in the 37th percentile of effectiveness for interpersonal skills.
2. Do you consistently deliver results? There is a big difference between being busy and actually delivering results. According to the data, those leaders who were fired ranked at the 37th percentile in their ability to drive for results.
3. Do you posses one or more profound strengths? Zenger Folkman research showed that leaders who were fired were significantly less likely to have profound strengths and more likely to have fatal flaws. If you don’t possess talents or abilities that set you apart from others and add significant value to the organization, why would the organization keep you?

“Everyone is replaceable,” said Folkman. “However, the more value you add to the organization, the more you fit in and the more unique strengths you bring to the table makes you harder to replace. Doing these things will be your best possible insurance for keeping your name away from the dreaded list when layoffs occur.”

To learn more about how to not get fired, attend Zenger Folkman’s free webinar on Sept. 23, You’re Fired! — How to Dodge those Dreaded Words, by registering at http://zengerfolkman.com/webinar/. For more information on these findings and how to incorporate them into a leadership development plan, visit www.zengerfolkman.com.

About:

Zenger Folkman is the authority in strengths-based leadership development. Their award-winning programs employ research-based methods that improve organizations and turn good managers into extraordinary leaders.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150921005932/en/

Snapp Conner PR
Cheryl Snapp Conner, 801-994-9625
[email protected]

Source: Zenger Folkman

---

Serious News for Serious Traders! Try StreetInsider.com Premium Free!

---

You May Also Be Interested In

• Apple reportedly cuts jobs in Siri and Vision Pro teams amid AI shift
• Anbogen Therapeutics and The University of Tokyo Enter Collaborative Research Agreement to Evaluate ABT-301 Across Multiple Tumor Types, Targeting Accelerated Human Clinical Indication Expansion
• Rznomics Joins Lilly Gateway Labs in San Diego to Accelerate RNA Therapeutics