I am a sucker for a good story. Basic story-telling should grab the listener early on, keep that person glued to the next word and then amaze and challenge to wrap it up. In the musical Into the Woods, a mish-mosh of fairy tales come together, initially in ways we would expect, but then all of it collapses around us, such challenges are presented. The pithy and wise-beyond measure granules of truth that come out of it are poignant, if not stunning at times. The baker's wife sings "But if life were only moments, then you'd never know you had one." The witch painfully sings "Children may not obey, but children will listen." Or, my favorite, the Prince states, "I was raised to be charming, not sincere." It's often the case that the simplest of stories can turn a head back to true north. Our gauge can be put off from purpose and passions because of the myriad of distractions in front of us. Our perspective has to be re-adjusted. We need to wake up. Sometimes, a trip to the woods is exactly what is needed.
Whether for a business or for an individual, this journey is one to be taken every so often. What can the challenges that come with walking through a different set of scenery do for you? Think about your company. What if you had three people walk in, at times you didn't know, when you were not there, and then report back what they observed. Would there be value in that? Of course! The meadow that you think you're lunching in may turn out to be full of thorns (or at least have some thorny patches). Perhaps it is wise to walk into a competitor's location and observe. You know, shop or use their services, but really just be there to take it all in. Sound deceptive? Nah. The great car makers bought cars from competitors. Mr. Gimbel shopped in Macy's once in a while. It's good. It's profitable. As individuals, the same push is there for us. Are we walking in the woods? Have I settled for complacency? Another line from Into the Woods is "you're not good, you're not bad, you're just nice." How awful! Listen, I think I am a pretty good guy, but I would rather have someone hate me than just think I am nice...bleck! With a new year upon us, what will you do to travel the path towards a new view, a new status, a new scene? I could give you a hundred ideas, but the point is to start the journey. Those doors will open. The pathway will become clearer. You will run into wolves, witches, princes and giants. All of them will help you to see who you are and who you want to strive to be. The inspiration comes not only from those feel-good moments, but also from those moments of despair and tragedy. Businesses must be sharp and ready. People must be challenged and pushed. We have each other. Walk the path with someone. Don't fear. Go to the woods!
(by +Victorio Milian) I've worked many jobs in my career. Some I've enjoyed, others I've hated. I'm fortunate at this stage of my life to be involved in a few professional ventures that I really enjoy.
Part of why I'm in a good place these days is that I've found a way to incorporate my creative talents into my work. For example, I've been writing for over five years for various blogs and other outlets. This has provided me with opportunities for my work to appear in magazines, to travel, as well as connect with other great professionals. My emerging interest in photography and graphic design is helping me with my clients and their respective needs. My hobbies and interests have a home in my places of work.
My creative activities also serve as a diary of sorts. It gives me an opportunity to reflect on my growth and development, both as a HR practitioner as well as a person.
I say all this because I recently read a NPR article entitled, 'Got A Hobby? Might Be A Smart Professional Move.' In it, the author, Maanvi Singh, discusses research which reveals that employees who have creative endeavors outside of work tend to perform better at work.
According to the researchers abstract:
We conducted two studies that examined the relationships between non-work creative activity, recovery experiences, and performance-related behaviours at work. Creative activity was positively associated with recovery experiences (i.e., mastery, control, and relaxation) and performance-related outcomes (i.e., job creativity and extra-role behaviours).
A word of caution--it was a study done on a small group of professionals. Also, more research needs to be done on the connection between a person's creative outlet and work performance. Therefore, I wouldn't point to it as definitive proof of a relationship.
For me, however, it does make sense. Particularly as a consultant, I'm more engaged with clients when I can bring my full array of talents to work, even if they're not needed or utilized. And I've learned plenty of things at work that I've applied at home. Also, having a creative outlet helps me to relieve stress and to regain balance.
How can employees figure out how to be more creative at work, so that they can be more satisfied? Here are a few suggestions:
Look at yourself. Take stock of the things you like to do, particularly those activities that you may not be able to engage in during work hours. Perhaps you like art, or exercising. Whatever it is, take stock of those things.
Look at your job. What type of organization do you work for? Specifically, what are the values and expectations within it? Understanding the type of environment you work within can help you identify whether or not there's an opportunity to explore incorporating creative activities at work. For example, I've worked in environments where my social media activities were encouraged. In others, it was a big no-no.
Look at your supervisor. You will have no bigger advocate or obstacle than your immediate supervisor. And that goes for any organizational initiative you may want to implement or adjust.
Finding that professional/personal sweet spot is tough, whether you're a CEO or the janitor. When people are able to clearly articulate and exist within that sweet spot between the two, they (in my opinion) tend to do better at work.
As a New Yorker, I use public transportation to get where I'm going. It's generally fast and relatively cost effective (especially when compared to the cost of owning and maintaining a car here).
It also provides a snapshot into how human beings act. Whether as individuals or in groups, commuters here speak quite clearly--through their behavior, dress, and other means--even as they avoid eye contact.
One observation I've made over time is this: New York City commuters carry lots of bags. Now this is unscientific, but I can say on my normal commute to and from work most passengers carry more than one with them. The vast majority of multi-bag carriers are women. Based (again) on personal observation, most carriers seem to carry one bag for personal effects, and another contains essentials for the commute, such as gym clothes or work items (e.g., laptop, paperwork). For me, people carrying multiple bags present a challenge. They take up more room on the subway, which my main form of transportation. When you consider that close to millions of people take the subway on a daily basis, every available inch counts!
In addition, I can't help but think that lugging that much stuff around consistently will have an impact on the carrier's health. If nothing else, it probably puts a lot of stress on one's back, shoulders, arms, and legs. I imagine that there's an enterprising chiropractor out there that specifically targets people impacted in this fashion. I know of one that has a sub-practice centered around clients who are in need, due to poor posture related to how they utilize their cellphones! With all of this, I strive to carry one bag with me when I'm out and about. Sometimes this presents difficult choices, but for the most part I can successfully balance my needs with my ability. I have bags of various sizes and shapes, and I also try to take care of myself so that, in the event of having to carry a particularly heavy load, I don't overdo it.
I also try to carry items that perform multiple functions. For example, utilizing cloud based services such as Evernote, Google Drive, or Dropbox allows me to carry less paper files around. Because they able to be used across multiple devices, I can mix-and-match which ones I carry with me. Most days, this helps me to avoid carrying around my laptop, by far the biggest and heaviest of my work related devices.
That being said, I'm overloaded in other ways. It doesn't necessarily manifest itself physically, yet it still can be exhausting. My issue is communication overload.
Here's a snapshot of the various communication devices or channels I manage:
Two smart phones (one for work, one for me)
Several emails (roughly 1/2 dozen)
Fax machine (don't ask)
Two physical work mailboxes
Two phone landlines
Social media outlets
There's a multitude of methods to reach me. And while it doesn't weigh much physically, mentally it can be a lot to manage and maintain. It demands that I check all these different methods, to insure I don't miss anything important. From a security perspective, the different programs and electronic devices I use means multiple access codes. It's a lot!
With that, it's time to start thinking realistically around assessing, consolidating, and/or eliminating these items from my life. Wherever possible, as Erykah Badu would say, it's time to let it go...
Deflection is an art. We can really get great at showcasing our ability to deflect responsibility and avoid consequences. In my life, I have known people who were great at this. Some might even say I know how to do this well. Perhaps they are right, but it seems to be such a requirement in the workplace that likely I've adopted methodology. Remember when Milli Vanilli were caught lip-syncing. And then we found out they didn't sing the songs that they won Grammys for. And then they were embarrassed. And then they blamed the record company. And then they blamed the pressure to succeed. (And then they released a demo of them actually singing? Just awful, by the way) Lots of blame being tossed around.
And why? Why is this the norm? Maybe some of it comes from the overbearing nature of some moms and dads (it's always about mom and dad, isn't it?). "Little Jimmy" could do no wrong in school ("it was that lousy teacher"), in sports ("the coach never gave him a chance") or in his first job ("it's the summer and they wanted him to work 8 hours in one day...the nerve!"). Mom and Dad could have meant well, but instead shut off the ability to fail, to stumble, to learn from his/her mistakes. Maybe it's because our society doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. I work with many companies that are corporately held in another country. When those CEO's engage with US workers, they notice how quickly feelings are hurt. It's an oddity to most of them. Are we too sensitive? Maybe. I mean, just because I still cry at the end of every repeat episode of Touched By An Angel doesn't make me sensitive, right? But I digress...
It's not unusual for an employee to blame another employee or a process as the reasons why something didn't work or why he/she was unable to complete a task appropriately. There may very well be truth to what that employee shares, but does it excuse the employee from getting the job done? Some companies that have stagnated find themselves making excuses along with employees as to why things aren't working. We think that more policies, more parameters, more rules, more goals, more more more will motivated change in process, in employee attitude, in results. OK, America, how's that working out?
If you don't like that your employees do it, have you checked to see if they are learning by example? Of course, this is not going to be the case in all situations. There is some tough love needed with some employees. They need to know that it's not okay to just wait for everything to be fixed before they work harder, smarter, better. They have to be accountable to their performance. If something is not right, what have they done to bring it to the right channels or, even more so, to try to correct it? We want to encourage innovation, critical thought and a healthy work ethic.
But sometimes, as I said, the company leadership has fallen into an excuse-laden mode of operation. Once we find the right people, things will get better. Once the new product line is tested, we will start to make money. Once the economy changes, we will be in better shape. I cannot tell you how many CEO's have said or thought that a new political party in power would change everything. It's not Bush's fault your company isn't working out nor is it Obama's fault. Of course there are things we wish they had done differently to help US companies, but regardless, it's the company leadership's responsibility to make things work in the context of what is, not in what's wished for.
Survey the environment, study the competition, take financial management courses, work with experts...do whatever it takes to make your company great. If you are a business leader, take that role seriously and expect it to be hard. If you are an employee, figure out ways to make your job work the way it ought to so that you can achieve the results expected.
For all of us, life is not about waiting for things to work out. You probably won't hit the lottery. You probably won't retire at 40. You probably won't get your way in everything. So what does that mean? Blame? For our company? For our spouse? For our children? For our parents? Really, think. What does that get us?
Be committed to excellence, not blame. Be willing to own what you are not doing well and then decide to change. Seek help. Seek collaboration. Seek ingenuity. We're much better than blame. Divert those energies into something remarkably positive.
With all of the talk of the Yahoo flexible staffing changes, much conversation has been had about measuring productivity. Some have argued that working from home means that there is no supervision and therefore less work is really being done. Some have said quite the opposite - freedom in flexibility drives people to work harder. Both sides have presented stats to support their position. So how do you decide? In some ways, I'm a bit old school. I believe in hard work for great results. I believe in an honest day's wages for an honest day's work. I believe no one owes you anything. Most of this perspective comes from my family. I was raised with a work ethic that was without excuse. My dad was out of work for over a year in the mid to late 70's and he tried to find a job in his field while he was remodeling kitchens and hanging Sheetrock/drywall on the side. He worked weekends and evenings. He knew he had a family to provide for and that was his mission. He wasn't too proud to lift a phone, a frying pan, a hammer. Now, I understand that nostalgia is just that. It's a sentimental remembrance of a time gone by. Time moves on and things change. I know that there are numerous people in an unemployment line today that feel that same passion to provide. I am heartbroken for the families that are struggling today and searching diligently for work. What I, also, know is that each week, I hear from a different person who brings up the feel of the workplace today and the air of entitlement that is pervasive throughout. Nostalgia aside, somewhere we've lost drive. Where did it go? Are we lazier? More tired? Stretched too thin? Burned out? Disenfranchised? No longer hungry? You tell me. I have read the "experts"; I have read books by some smart people. I have read countless blogs telling me what's wrong. So what do we do? I am practical in my business sense. In human resources, I don't believe in programs for programs-sake. Everything that HR does should point to the business bottom line. If it doesn't, then stop it. Time and resources are too precious. We've got to create an action plan to get motivated and get working again. As some of you have learned, you can only control what you can control. I didn't learn that from a fortune cookie (although, I should look into starting a business making them...side note!). I learned this from experience. When I was in my 20's, I was going to change the world. In my 30's, the world crapped on me. And now in my 40's (man, that's still hard to write), I have become laser-focused in the ways I can make change happen. I do have control over behaviors and actions; I don't have control over the world or all of life. The action plan we can create to conquer should be based on behavioral and attitudinal change along with clarity in mission. We should be on a mission to get back to hard work. The turn-around is not going to be easy. We are living in a country that is falling down the list as measured against other countries. We're 12th in GDP, 6th in innovation and technology and 7th in overall global competitiveness http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GlobalCompetitivenessReport_2012-13.pdf. (And if you're in HR and you don't know what some of these measurements or terms are, then you had better get an education quickly.) It was not that long ago that the US was 1st in everything. To lose this much ground is unsettling and it should cause us to want to roll up our sleeves and work hard. We're in a war for talent. Yahoo is implementing the changes to flexible staffing and schedules because they want to know that the talent they are investing in is returning a profit for the company. Measurement is telling them otherwise, hence the changes. I would argue, though, that we're not in a war for talent...we're in a war for GREAT talent. The pool of people who really fit the bill for what an employer is looking for has shrunk. Companies wind up settling in hiring because they just cannot find the superstars needed.
Some of this can be remedied by expectation from the employer. Not everyone can be the verbose sales manager that wins over a room with his/her personality and charisma. Not having those traits does not make someone a less desirable candidate. Can you imagine an office full of Michael Scotts or Chris Varicks or Joe Isuzus? (Google them if you don't know). It would be way too much. Superstars run the gamut of personality and approach, but can still produce results. Dig deeper in interviews; be situational and behavioral in questioning. This is where the work should happen in bringing the right people on board. Another part of this can be remedied by each and everyone of us. We've got to work harder. I'm serious. There are millions of us who've been infected with the entitlement bug. Take some antibiotics and move on. We deserve what we really work for. One of my favorite business biographies is about Hershey's. Milton Hershey failed seven times in business creation and went bankrupt a couple of times. And yet, he awoke each day determined to make what he knew would work. He refined candy making processes, he sought out better ingredients and he went door to door and in every venue he could to showcase his results. He worked hard for his success. I know that there are some of you reading this who are already traveling this road and have this perspective. I see the work you do and I know the results are measurable and real. Allow me to say "Bravo" for not only your work, but for your example to others. You are most appreciated and very much needed in our businesses. For those who will take the time to reflect on this, perhaps it will inspire you to take some action steps. Have you gotten a bit lazy in your work ethic? Is there an entitlement issue at the core? Identify, create a remedy process and seek out accountability in a trusted business friend. Hold yourself to the highest standard you can; forget about what everyone else is doing or isn't doing. I believe in working hard. We work hard to earn a decent living. We work hard to set an example for future generations so they'll know what it takes to maintain and surpass. We work hard to influence societal greatness. We have done it and we can work to do it again.
Flexibility in the workplace is not a new concept. For years, we've heard about it from both the employee and the employer perspective. There have been books and articles written about the 5, 8, or 10 steps in workplace flexibility (I know that there are other numbers of steps, but you get the idea). Lectures have been given, speakers have been paid and enthusiastic companies have implemented short-lived flexibility plans. SHRM has resource after resource of material and case studies for review. So what more can be said? How about this question: What is the business case for workplace flexibility? Too often the goal seems to be flexible people with flexible schedules working for flexible companies. What the heck does that even mean?! One thing I do know is that profitability is not supposed to be flexible. It's supposed to increase and move along a trajectory of growth. I don't want the success of a company to be measured in its constant ability to reinvent itself at the cost of its core product or service all in the name of flexibility. What if Apple decided that since being flexible is the latest rage, it would add a restaurant chain and a apron manufacturing subsidiary to its business? Silly and over-the-top, right? However, the point is that many of us in HR forget about what the company we work for is really about. The company is about making money. Every person working in the organization is in sales (just ask Todd Cohen). What the company is selling is its product or service to the global market. We don't want to take our eyes off the ball for the sake of being flexible. What if it won't work to have flexible staffing for your organization? What if you really need people to work the manufacturing equipment from 9AM to 5PM? Those employees cannot telecommute. They might not be able to have "fluid hours" (a new phrase I've heard). Sometimes, the work has to be done in a certain time and in a certain way. So, I ask you, are we to say that company is not flexible? Sometimes being inflexible is just what's needed. Sticking to what you know the business is about ought to be protected by the C-Suite and HR. There is a vast difference between studying markets and preparing for changes in production, assembly and marketing compared to putting programs in place to make employees happy at the destruction of the work itself. Some of those companies have granted their employees the most flexible schedule imaginable...the companies closed their doors. Please hear me clearly, I am flexible. I am a pretzel. In HR, we have had to walk into each day ready to conquer whatever comes our way. However, that is to be done to protect the core steady belief in the mission and vision of the organization. We have to take hold of those non-negotiables and refuse to apologize. The company's success will depend on someone somewhere making a decision and sticking with it. We cannot be flexible about everything. You're not a bad HR person if you cannot be flexible all the time. Re-read those mission statements. They are matter-of-fact and unapologetic in what the goal of the company is. Inflexible? Nah, right on the money.
