By ANITA BURZZESE
Gannett News Service

It seems that dotcom companies are hearing a lot of smug "I told you so's" from those who have been in the business game a long time.

As these start-ups drop by the wayside, observers are quick to say that it's because these newcomers had poorly thought-out business plans and zero management skills.

Unfortunately, some of that criticism is true, but there are still plenty of dotcoms thriving in a tough business world.

And it should be noted that dotcoms are not the only ones with management ills -- there are plenty of well-established companies that don't have a clue about managing a workforce properly.

Mary Ellen Brantley, a leadership guru in Atlanta, has studied top management techniques, and has reviewed what is needed in many companies today, including dotcoms.

"We have found that the biggest thing that helps a company hold onto employees is leadership," she said. "The good leadership means that the managers can be trusted to do what they say, they help employees grow and they are interested in developing a worker's skills. The bad leadership skills are the people who cannot be trusted, the managers who have little integrity or honesty."

And for those companies who don't believe their managers fall into the "bad" category, consider that usually about 40 percent of a workforce is considering leaving an employer at any one time. Add to that the job recruiters who contact workers weekly or even daily about other jobs, and that should be causing more than a few people to lose sleep.

Brantley, the author of Winning the IT Talent War (McGraw-Hill), said she believes new information technology companies can take several key steps to get off to a good start, and maintain long-term success.

Among them is hiring the "right" kind of employees for the different tasks. She said those key people are:

•  The Ice Breaker. This person creates opportunity. Relating well to all kinds of customers, this employee is an excellent communicator. When hiring for this position, she suggested posing customer problems and seeing how the candidate approaches them. Look for behavior that strives to clarify a problem.

•  The Sherlock. Job recruiters are often dazzled by technical expertise, and fail to hire a critical thinker someone who can analyze and dissect issues so they can be solved. This person is a quick study. Candidates for this job should be given simulations that test their problem-solving skills and their solutions. "You want to see how these people think. You want them asking a lot of questions."

•  The Straw Boss. With a strong focus on performance, this person can lead a project or team to success, and relates well to people. Often this is someone who has moved up the ranks in a company, and truly understands what the customers want. Brantley suggested someone vying for this position should be able to demonstrate a business acumen of how all the pieces of the company relate to one another, and be an influential communicator. Their depth of experience should be a prime consideration.

•  The Guru. These designated experts in their field. They know everything there is to know about a specific technology, and have a reputation of knowing that subject inside and out. The only way to choose someone of this ilk may be to have other top experts test the knowledge level.

•  The Sherpa. Often an entry-level position, these are the people who get things done. Always in action, they enjoy the creation of the project.

For more information on leadership, visit Brantley's Web site at techtalentwars.com or call (404) 238-0545.

Write to Anita Bruzzese c/o: Business Editor, Gannett News Service, 1000 Wilson, Blvd., Arlington, Va. 22229-0001. For a reply, include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.