Bag Lady

(A post by +Victorio Milian) 

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...

How do you keep yourself from being overloaded?

This Used to be My Playground

For 10 years, I have to admit, I have loved What Not to Wear.  I didn't really love Season 1, actually.  There was a different male host and the show was a little predictable.  But Season 2 turned the corner.  Men and women (okay, it's been all women for the last six seasons) with varying fashion dilemmas are nominated by friends and family for a makeover.  Seems classic, right?  In many ways, you would be correct.  So why with all of the other makeover shows that have come and gone, did #WNTW (oh yeah, I'm down with the hashtag) last for ten years?

In part, the hosts are hilarious.  Stacy and Clinton, bravo.  In part, too, it's because there is the understanding that the clothes don't make you feel something, but rather, who you are is highlighted by the clothes you wear.  Personality, professionalism and passion all pour through your outfit.  Silly?  What does it say to you when someone highly qualified shows up to an interview with ripped jeans and a graphic T?  Unless it's Urban Outfitters or a company in your mom's basement, you might be disappointed that this person did not think it worthwhile to dress accordingly.  Clothes do make the man (or woman, as it may be), but the tactic of #WNTW is to do so as an output of who the person is.

The hosts spend time talking to family and friends.  They ask the contributor what life has been like, where they want to go in the future personally, professionally, and how those around him/her can know those desires just by the contributor walking into the room.  It's not a clean shirt, trendy haircut and new lipstick kind of engagement.

We can do the same thing...not the wardrobe makeover part (I've seen what some of you wear and you're lucky there won't be an 11th year of What Not to Wear!), but a talent makeover.  Some of the issues for our long-term employees are that they've done work a certain way for years and it's tough to get them to try new ideas or new processes.  Perhaps they used to try and it didn't work out or the plans were too all over the place, so they don't "waste their time."  They have gotten used to playing on the same swing set and don't want to hear about the latest and greatest stuff.  It's very much like some of the contributors on the show.  They are still wearing clothes from the 80's and don't know why they can't get a date or that the dates they do get are psycho.  They're comfortable in what they know; "it's worked for me" is a common phrase.  

Let's show them how valuable their experience can be in light of new understandings of production, marketing and technology.  Let's get them into a new "outfit" not because we want to make them look hip, but because it will allow people to engage with them quicker and find out what they know.  Take the time to look at how things work in your place of employment.  Do the seasoned employees hang out with each other exclusively?  How will the younger ones feel okay to engage?  What about knowledge management?  What if some of those seasoned employees retire...where will that know-how go?

Assess the environment.  Not just the physical attributes, but the cultural attributes.  What is it the company values and how is that upheld?  Just like the contributor is encouraged to let his/her inner passions and interests shine through the deliberately chosen wardrobe, so too should our companies shine the mission and values through it's outer markings.  And that is largely seen in our employees.

We ought to be the experts at recognizing competencies in our people.  We should look for ways to accent and highlight those KSAs in ways that others in the organization will take notice and want to engage.  Think of it like dressing someone up for a date.  He/She may look good when they walk in the door and cause the date to be thrilled at the sight, but the conversation throughout the date will determine how likely this relationship is to continue.  So many companies have thrown thousands at image and surface tactics only to come right back to square one once the hoopla is over.  We know better than to fall for that (I hope).

The territory we're in charge of is our organization.  Allow talent to speak through our talent.  How can we facilitate the recognition of such talent?  How can we get our talent to go deeper and express more?  It's our primary job in human resources to manage talent fully (that's a lot of "talent" usage, isn't it?).  We don't get a $5000 gift card per employee to get it done, but we do get to use the resources at our disposal, which includes our smarts, to make it happen.

Woman's World

You might want to watch the video and listen to the song first.  Get the blood pumping.  A techno-dance beat with vocals from Cher might do the trick.  Can you believe that Cher, at 67, has the #3 album on iTunes?  She has had the power to reach audiences since the 1960's, and it doesn't seem to be slowing down!

I enjoy power.  Power to create, to teach, to inspire.  I am not a fan of the dictatorial or bullying type.  Having a voice to engage with a variety of people for a variety of causes because of the power to captivate, to educate and, yes, even to entertain is a gift.  To this end, power is about service.

HR professionals have, at times, become caught up in the desire/need to have a "seat at the table" (do you hear me retching at the overuse of that phrase?).  In doing so, our eyes become incredibly self-focused and we dwell on ways to show ourselves to be valuable and necessary.  We attend seminars that tell us how to get our executive teams to welcome us in with open arms; we listen to webinars geared towards personal advancement.  Now, understand that I am on-board with the truths in these things, but I would like to submit that the best leaders I've worked with have served their companies/peoples by example and lead the charge as a result.

Servant leadership seems to come easier for women.  It's not weakness to those who observe and understand.  Take Mother Teresa, for example.  She had the ear of many world leaders.  She created an entirely new religious order of nuns.  She spoke and wrote about the issues of poverty, healthcare and hunger to the world who wanted to hear what she had to say.  And she earned the right to be heard by caring for thousands of impoverished and diseased people.  

It's not to say that this is only something women can do.  As men, we're often not raised to serve others well.  We are taught to serve only in as much as you can be served by doing so.  And women are not exempt from this thinking either.  The workplace has forced this thinking upon both sexes and pushed the boundaries for self-centeredness and self-indulgence.  There is a need to return to an air of humility in service so that the cultures we seek to create are founded on lasting principles.

Talent to lead is a skill.  It's not all natural.  There are those with a natural inclination to lead, but refinement is necessary.  Service to others most often helps to refine with lasting results. 

Lasting results.  Now, there is a concept.  So much of what we hope to do is short term.  Hard work is needed for all efforts, but consistent approach sustains.  In this case, leadership that is focused upon those to be served keeps us honest, impassioned and humble.  We should want to get better in the ways we can be effective, not only by attending self-help workshops, but by practicing what we preach by serving those to whom we're delivering the message.  Mother Teresa didn't decide to do what she did because someone told her to be a great leader.  She did what she did because she was driven to serve.  The more she engaged with the people she was to serve, the more she wanted to get better at leading the charge for change.  She didn't "serve" for a while (you know, put her time in) and then move on to the speaking circuit, distancing herself from the passionate purpose.

We need to keep our heads in the game.  We are some of the most incredible professionals to walk the earth today.  We have an opportunity to be impactful and engaging, and thereby able to lead effectively.  And we can maintain and expand these truths by serving well those with whom we've been entrusted.

Shake Your Groove Thing

I can recall winning a dance contest when I was 8 years old.  It was at a birthday party for a friend.  There were what seemed like 50 kids crammed into a small South Philadelphia row home.  We all had been sufficiently sugared up - candy buttons, small wax bottles filled with candy liquid, pixie stix and more.  There were games of all sorts being played and prizes awarded - jump ropes, hula hoops, that paddle and ball on a rubber band infuriating torture toy, etc.  But for the dance contest, there was a cash prize of $5.  For a kid in the late 70's, that represented 500 Red Hot Dollars (back when they were actually cinnamon and hot rather than raspberry like now) at Lou's Variety.

The music came on and my body began to show off some pretty dynamic moves.  Kids were all smiles as they watched in amazement (or maybe they were laughing at me, but I like my version better).  After it was over, I secured my $5 and received compliments from friends and the parents of the birthday girl.  Everyone knew at that moment that I could dance,  including me.

In our organizations, I believe that our outlets of creativity and expression have a place.  While I would not jump on my desk and bust a move (yeah, I just said that), I use those creative opportunities to prep me for engagement at work.  Energy levels are up when I dance or workout or have an opportunity to cook a great meal the night before or read a great book or swim in the ocean or...you get the idea.

Look to what you love and channel that in the work you do.  Focus on the energies and levels of health it gives you.  Our companies do well when we encourage staff to find and embrace talents and outlets.  Employees show increased engagement scores when companies encourage these outlets.  Organizations like Starbucks, Harrods and Pixar bake into their mission language commitment to creativity in their employees and fostering any opportunities to participate.  The investment of encouragement does not cost a company very much - some time in conversation and affirmation.

One of the truths from such creative pursuits is that it gives us a chance to do something in freedom.  The rules aren't seen as rules but rather parameters for us to be free.  Think of boxing, for example.  Gyms are offering forms of boxing as an exercise alternative.  To box, you have to have an opponent, a ring, some gloves and timed rounds.  Those rules are not burdensome but serve to surround so that the participants can focus their efforts on boxing with style and form, with paced breathing and movement and with concentration on his/her opponent.  The rules aren't seen the same way that the rule about not eating at your desk at work is seen.  We enjoy the freedom.

However, one point that presents difficulty for some is the identification of such interests.  For some folks, knowing what makes them energized is not so apparent.  They have hobbies, but sometimes those hobbies have become chores.  Scrapbooking is a great example.  When you start a hobby like this, the joys might be in the organization of the area to work, reviewing tons of photos and the memories recalled and the completion of the first book.  Nice.  By the 8th book, people start to think about "just getting it done" because it's taking too much time and the creative outlet it was supposed to be is now a mess on a desk.  

Suggestion: take an assessment.  Just what you'd expect from an HR guy, right?  Well, right.  We believe in assessments for work improvements, right?  Please be nodding your head yes.  We use skill inventory surveys, compatibility exercises, personality testing and the like all to improve our culture, the fit among our people and to explore new veins of growth from within.  Why would it be a shock to encourage the same testing usage for passions?  If we want to develop people, it cannot be in a vacuum of work.  Who they are is who comes to work.  By providing some tools to help those who don't know what they love or how to use what they love to energize their lives, we are helping to impact the whole person, which includes the one who comes to work!

Do a little research on these tools.  There are many out there so be careful.  Look for data and responses from people who've used it.  Take some of them yourself.  Maybe you'll be reminded of passions that you've long since laid aside for some reason.  Dancing, singing, working out, painting, cooking, sewing, playing sports, fixing cars...find out what makes you alive.  And then, do it.  Shake that groove thing.

I still dance (much to the dismay of my kids).  I can wobble, dougie, slide, gangham style and some party rock anthem moves.  It's funny to watch me do the running man, pop and lock and bust out some Kid 'N Play moves from back in the day.  It's a great release and always makes me smile.  And so, at work, when someone walks over to me to complain about the choices in the vending machine (again!), I can keep a right perspective and a healthy mental outlook because of the outlets I have and am using.  I might be swinging my hips back and forth while he/she is talking to me, but hey, at least it's on beat.

You Don't Have To Be A Star (To Be In My Show)

One of my favorite places to be is Disney World.  I know, a bit cliche, but it's true.  Every time I walk down Main Street towards Cinderella's Castle, I have a bit of a lump in my throat.  As a kid growing up in the city of Philadelphia, trips to Disney theme parks were not in the cards.  Don't get me wrong, I did not do without, but vacations were an extra and our blue-collar family kept ends met and little else.  So, at 18 years old, when I first went to Disney World, the anticipation was high and, thankfully, my expectations were met. 

What struck me the first time was how nice and engaged the staff were.  Pleasant smiles, helpful directions and exemplary service were delivered across the board.  Again, coming from Philly, I wasn't used to that.  I mean no disrespect to the City of Brotherly Love, but seriously, most of the "helpful directions" given involved one finger and it always pointed up.  I could hardly grasp why these people were like this, other than through some sort of powerful Kool-Aid guzzled each day.

Now that I am a bit smarter about employee development (you see I said, "bit", right?), I realize that Disney is strong in culture and in personal ownership development for each employee.  The employees really believe that they are delivering a magical day to everyone.  Talent is deeply important to the entire Disney experience.  Corporate Disney spends money and time to find out how to capitalize every skill in every moment.

In Investing in People: Financial Impact of Human Resource Initiatives, Cascio and Boudreau (p. 224) use Disney Theme Parks to speak about talent.  To the common observer, one of the most important roles is that of Mickey Mouse.  Let me warn you that if you read further, I may be destroying a truth for you.  There is a person inside of the Mickey Mouse costume; it's not really Mickey (grab a tissue).  The demeanor with which Mickey engages with guests is important, but let's think about what Mickey does.  He waves, puts his hands to his mouth in a laughing gesture, poses for pictures and walks around certain areas of the park.  Mickey has bodyguards who help lead him around; those same people protect him from the throngs of fans and speak on his behalf.  There isn't much development happening once the basics of the role are mastered.  This role adds value to the experience and thereby, to the overall organization.  Think about it, how stinky would it be if Disney World had no Mickey Mouse (yeah, that's right, I said "stinky")?  

But consider this: How crucial is the Mickey role to the strategic value of the growth and development of that talent for the organization?  Not very.  Waving, laughing, posing - doable.  In learning, the charting would look much like a plateau curve - quick learning of the role at the beginning and then a sharp, flat leveling off.  Let's instead think of pivotal talent.

Pivotal talent is where the investment in development would produce organizationally significant improvement and value.  In the Disney example, think of the street sweeper.  This role is multi-faceted.  It's not about just sweeping; again, if only that, then the learning would be quick and then flatten out.  The process would be demonstrated, measured and affirmed/corrected.  The reality is that the sweeper is often asked questions by the guests.  "Excuse me, can you tell me which way to Tomorrowland?"  "Can you tell me what time fireworks will happen tonight?"  "What time does the park close?"  Direct guest interaction happens.  Street sweepers will even walk guests to the spot they've had trouble finding.  The street sweeper role is pivotal to the success of the experience at Disney World (and other Disney properties) and it demonstrates constant development opportunities for this talent.

The mission of Disney is is to be one of the world's leading producers and providers of entertainment and information.  They do this, in one way, by providing exceptional guest experiences.  The investment in the development of customer service, knowledge of services and offerings, recommendations for guest experiences and more will come to fruition through street sweepers.  This makes this particular portion of talent pivotal for Disney.  And yet, Mickey is the star.

Think about the companies you work for or with.  Consider the talent that they have.  What roles serve multiple purposes?  Is that role pivotal to the continued success of the company? Would investing more in those roles advance the strategy of the organization?  It's not about just being the celebrity or the main focus.  Do you think that Martha Stewart is pivotal or valuable?  Investing more in making Martha Stewart more "MarthaStewarty" would be a waste of resources.  Instead, in this case, developing that talent that serves to advance the brand and to make differentiation happen should be priority.

HR professionals can sometimes slip into the star-struck trap and focus more on Mickey Mouse rather than the street sweeper.  Measure the value the role brings to the organization.  Where would more investment matter?  Are the right people in the roles that are pivotal?  If not, how do you get them?

I can't wait to get back to Disney World this year.  I am planning on visiting Mickey and the rest of the characters, but I know I will be appreciating the street sweepers much more this time.  Mickey may be the star of the show, but the street sweeper makes the guest engagement enjoyable and worry-free.  Find the street sweepers in your organization and develop them!

The Boy is Mine

Fight for your love, right?  It's Valentine's season.  It's all about love.  Actually, it's been all about merchandising since January 2.  Hearts everywhere.  Love, love, love.  Sick of it, aren't you?  I mean, listen, I like to be in love like the next person.  All those jittery butterflies in your stomach.  Dry mouth, sweaty palms, empty wallet...

I have been giving great thought to what we in the HR world fight for in our companies.  What we spend our energies on is typically a sign of our passion, of our love, if you will.  What we often say we love is strategy.  We are HRBP's (you know, business partners); we have a seat at the table (I might lose it if someone uses that phrase at the National SHRM conference this year); we have employee engagement surveys.  See how strategic we are!

Roll your sleeves up.  Let's look at our organization as our "boy" or "girl."  We love it.  We live for it.  We can't bear to be apart from it.  Now think strategically.  How do we keep it?  How do we protect it?  How do we fight for it so no one else takes it?  That's the driver of strategic business thought.  So let's start with one aspect for fun - strategic cost management.

Strategic cost management is all about analyzing and managing costs so your company can have a competitive advantage.  So how do you do that?  First off, it takes time.  "Date" the CFO for a while (scary to some, I know).  Find out all you can about profit margins and what the break-even point is for the company; better yet, if you don't even know what a break-even analysis is, then ask him/her, or Google it!  Find out where the company ranks in terms of efficiency and production standards.

Another component to start asking yourself has to do with what kind of business you are in the marketplace. Are you a low-cost product distributor?  Are you a high-quality, highly individualized customer service kind of experience?  These answers are not only part of what will help you develop a strategic cost management plan, but it will influence how you hire, retain and promote.  The talent in the company from the entry-level clerk to the CEO has to know what the value proposition is for the company as it competes in the marketplace.

Think of it this way.  If WalMart decided tomorrow it was going to be like Neiman Marcus in its customer experience, it would have to forego its position as a low-cost value giver.  It would be near impossible to offer that level of customer engagement and product level and still keep costs as low as we know them to be.  If WalMart did that, it would change its business strategy and would have to re-create a cost management structure.

This "boyfriend/girlfriend" of yours can be finicky at times.  Fluctuations in the economy, in raw material prices, in the political landscape, etc. all influence the relationship.  You might wake up one morning and realize that your love is not what you once knew it to be.  Fight to get her/him back.  Don't let someone else take the place that your company has.  Look at processes and procedures.  Are they efficient and effective? Can you develop plans for sustainable advantage?  What have been the constants in the relationship?  How can they be better leveraged for growth and for stability against competition?

Let me add a dash of perspective to the mix.  I know that you may not be a financial wizard.  Some of you reading this might think, "Listen, I got into HR because I stink at math.  I like people and that's it."  I understand that and respect it.  So let me meet you in it.  If you've ever been passionate about someone, then you know the time you spend with that person is precious to you.  You will choose to do things that the object of your affection enjoys just because you want to be with him/her.  You learn new things, you think differently, you open your eyes to new views because that's where the other person is.  Why can't you put that energy into your role at your company?  You love people, okay, but love them by setting them up for success.  Love them by putting effort into developing a healthy, long-term environment.  Love them by ensuring that the company stays open.

But remember, love isn't always hearts and flowers as the next day or two might show.  Sometimes it means saying no.  Sometimes it means compromise.  Sometimes it means pruning relationships so that they can grow fuller.  When you look at processes as part of the strategic cost management plan, you might realize that money is being wasted in one area.  Profits have not been seen in quite some time and the other business units have been covering for it.  It might be time to cut it off.  Work with your CEO around these issues; it's not a bad thing to promote growth and stability, but it can be painful.  A value in strategic cost management has to do with controlling costs and their drivers.  If inefficiency or lack of profit potential is found, then it might have to go.

I understand that this might be tough to take, but that's what passion is about.  Running hard after something to attain it and cherish it.  Your company needs you to be passionate about its health, its success and its future.  Learning the process of cost management and using it to really be strategic for your company is one of the best ways you can show love.  Your role within your organization is meant to be people-focused, but that is not to the exclusion of business acumen.  That is quite needed for your role!  Fight for what you have.  Fight to beat out the competition.  Fight to keep what your company has achieved.  Fight for the future of the company's success.  We love a fighter.

Can't Get There From Here

My son wants to play baseball professionally.  Yeah, I know, get in line.  But he's really good.  No, really.  Wait, did I mention that he pitches, fields and bats both left and right-handed?  Ha, now I got your attention.  He's really amazing at it.  I can hardly write with my left-hand (as a right-handed guy) so to watch him play first base left-handed and then switch to right-handed shortstop in the same inning is crazy (by the way, if any MLB coaches are reading this, yes, we are open to talking salary and Triple A teams now).  What also should be known is that he works at it.  He is learning how to be better at baseball.  He works with baseball trainers and attends clinics.  He is motivated to want to know because he sees what it can mean for him (I, also, know what it will mean for my retirement plan!).

We know that many employees have to have a willingness to learn.  Most realize that if they are to move ahead in an organization, they need to expand their skill set and be open to new veins of interaction.  Furthermore, it makes employees more marketable should they desire to move from one organization to another.  Being willing to learn shows an employer that team-player attitude.  Managers feel that more than half the battle is won when they are dealing with such a positive commitment from an employee.  Often, this trait is measured, to some degree, on performance appraisals and used to assess certain succession plans.

What about switching the perspective, though?  What about appraising an organization's willingness to learn?  Can't an employee expect his/her employer to demonstrate the same level of desire in learning as the employee is supposed to have?

"Strategic growth" is over-used (even by me...guilty as charged).  The intent behind it is to help companies figure out where their paths of improvement and profitability are and where they could be.  The problem with the terminology now is that companies tend to think that having a gym in-house counts as their strategic growth initiative.  Listen, I'm all for working out (I do it regularly myself, honest!), but that alone is a far cry from what the concept is really meant to be.

When I am privileged to be called in to meet with the executive team, it's often because the company is trying to maintain what it has and figure out how to use it to grow.  We have great conversations about competition, innovation, technology, people and marketing.  And it's in those conversations that I hear leadership talk about how much "others" have to do.  "If we could just get employees to do this better" or "If we had the money to buy that, things would improve" might be shared by the executive team.  I take my notes physically and mentally.

Companies need to start with what they can control.  What do they have right now that can be built upon?  Learning this approach helps to clarify mission and vision rather than re-hash wish lists and missed opportunities.  You can't get to the level of excellence desired if you're held down by what didn't happen or what can't happen.  There is plenty of what can happen today, in the short-term, to focus upon to meet the long-range goals.  

I met with a company that wanted me to help them grow by engaging employees at a richer, more inclusive way.  The company said it wanted to have employees involved in directing some of the goals of the company to help create buy-in, but also to create collaboration.  For years, apparently, employees had complained that the executive team did not understand life on the production line.  The company wanted to move forward in a healthier direction, which they believed would increase production and profit.  When I had conducted an employee survey, which included the items mentioned, the results were not surprising to me.  Employees were very specific about initiatives that they thought would help the company grow.  The survey was completed thoughtfully and challenges were expressed; the employees were extending themselves as part of the solution in the initiatives they were suggesting.  As I shared the first employee-suggested initiative for growth, the CEO said, "See, I knew this would happen.  They ask too much of us.  There's no way we can do that."

Didn't that CEO ask the employees to share in the collaboration process?  What did collaboration mean?  Just share things with me that I think the company can do today?  Weren't the employees allowed to be free in the brainstorming process?  Wasn't part of the goal in including employees to create buy-in?  What I left with that day was an understanding that the executive team had much more to learn and work through in order to really see growth, sustained growth, in their organization.

Intentions from a company only go so far (and it's not very far, by the way).  A company has to see where it wants to be first.  Create that vision board, dream and design a bit.  Once you know where you want to go, count the costs.  If it didn't cost anything, then all companies would be walking that path already.  The executive team needs to make a decision as to how much they are willing to invest - in time, publicity, relationships, training, etc.  Effort counts, but only if it's towards something that can be measured.  Companies don't make money by feelings (good or bad), but only when the health of an organization produces results in service and profit.

A company can't get to success (there) from the same approach (here).  Please know that I am not saying that everything has to be thrown out; if a company has tread water over the past five years, even that is saying something is working.  Yet, there are processes, markets, innovation and the like that should be explored for further growth.  An organization can learn.  

Companies should be ready to learn a new approach.  A desire to succeed means action plans that will stretch knowledge and skills.  So, get in the game, all you executive teams!  A swing and a miss is always better than watching the ball go by.

If You Asked Me To...

Believe it or not, there are managers who care.  Managers in the workplace who want to do a great job.  Managers who want to invest in employees and be a hero for the company.  What these managers need to meet those objectives is exhausting.  

They need to be diligent and focused.  They need to remain positive when it's tough to do so.  They need to be able to handle change well and be productive in every situation, whether good or bad.  Attitude is crucial and skills need to be varied and high.  This manager has to believe in what he or she is leading, not just managing.

The one component that they cannot manufacture is the employee.  There need to be employees who are eager to work, to excel and to learn.  Sounds easy, right?  Towers Watson has recently done a study showing that almost two-thirds of employees are not fully engaged in their work.  A big part of the reasoning behind these results has to do with those employees surveyed doing more with less.  The five to ten year old theme of having employees "multi-task" has gotten old.  Job enlargement and job enrichment tactics have been exposed as cover for "we're not hiring anyone else."  They no longer want to hear: "Just hang on until the economy picks up" or "The recession is almost over, be patient."  The concept of waiting five years or more for something is not easy nor is it popular in the US (good or bad, it isn't).  

So what happens with these employees left to work for a manager?  They function, but that's it.  The spark is gone for two-thirds of them.  Now, the manager, seeing what is before him/her, also begins to experience a waning.  All of the enthusiasm he/she begins with is eaten up by merely keeping people moderately productive.  Happiness is desired, but a chore to create.  And engagement strategies are still on vision boards hanging in the manger's office.  

What my experience has shown me is that the simple task of asking works wonders.  Managers, are you asking your employees how they are doing?  I know that there may be complaints, but your head needs to come out of the sand.  Ignoring the issues makes them fester and spread to others.  Just because you know (or think you know) what your employees will say doesn't mean that they know you know.  Ask them.

And then ask them what ideas they have for improvement.  Yes, ask them.  Ask them how they would fix an issue, create better processes or enhance innovation strategies.  Seek out their opinion, but be clear that all of the ideas may not be able to be implemented.  Employees understand that there may be other issues at hand that they know little about or that the cost of some options may not be doable at the time.  What's more important is that the employees know that they are being asked.

But wait, there's more.  What about the employees?  Employees, are you asking your manager how you can be more involved?  I know there may be frustration at all the employees have been doing to date, but perhaps the conversation can move towards skill improvements and new learning objectives.  Your asking is not to be rude, insulting or full of attitude (you know what I mean by attitude. I have a teenager and a tween in my house...I know attitude).  Ask for the sake of knowing and growing.  

What if you, as an employee, are not interested in your job?  Well, that is a different conversation, but it's one that you must have.  You want to be productive and useful.  If you're part of the two-thirds, then only you can change that.  Find your motivation.  Recapture that joy for the company, if you can.

Asking seems like such a simple strategy, but many times, the simplest is the most effective.  Regardless of the side of the employment relationship you are on, you can ask for clarity, for involvement and for improvement.  The better the company does, the more likely you'll have a job.  It's to everyone's benefit to ask and to act.

It's a new year.  Make a decision to just ask.

Giving You The Best That I Got

Personal excellence is not a lost art.  You know, we can work to be excellent at all that we do.  My wife shared with me that a friend stays motivated to fold laundry because she thinks about where the kids will be when they are wearing the clothing and the fun & learning they'll be experiencing.  She imagines this and is excited to be a part of it.  Wow.  I am "cranky pants on steroids" when I am left to empty the dishwasher.

At the workplace, many would just laugh at such a perspective.  Why would I be excited to make another widget for someone to use doing something that I don't really care about?  Engagement with the task at hand is not easy to maintain at a high level.  There are days when it's just not exciting to represent a company in service or production. My question, though, is does it have to be?

Self-fulfilling prophecies happen.  If you tell yourself that you'll fail, you will.  If you are sure that a certain person won't be attracted to you and therefore wouldn't say yes to a date, you're probably correct.  We believe the imposed hype much more than we should.  In physical exercise, this is referred to as unhealthy self-talk.  The exercise isn't the issue; it's the negativity that runs through your head that's a problem.  Isn't it possible that a reason you are not at the performance level you'd like to be or at the management level you'd like to be is because you don't really believe you can?

When a decision is made to accept a job offer, it is not common for the new employee to walk in thinking, "How can I do the least amount of work possible and still get paid?"  I'm not saying this never happens, but it is not the common approach.  Most will want to do a great job by giving great effort.  At what point did giving the best that you've got become passe?

Listen, even though I may not know you, I know you.  We all get hung up on lousy managers, lousy processes, lousy total rewards plans...I get it and I have belly-ached about those things, too.  But one thing I am more sure of now then ever before is that I allowed those things to take away my power to be excellent in what I do.  I settled for half-best rather than the best best I could offer.  I downplayed my talents in order to make room for the complaining.  I robbed myself of personal growth because I was frustrated, angry or fed up with the work I was doing or the company I was doing it for.  No more.

Let's walk into the new year convinced that we are awesome, convinced that we can be excellent at what we do.  Let's stop playing those negative tapes and make the decision, despite all of the reasons to complain, to excel at our work.  We spend so much time working, why not make it rich and valuable?  Why not change our perspective so that we pursue excellence?

I understand that some of you will read this and think I am being too sensitive or too Stuart Smalley-like.  I would have to come back to you and say I am not.  This isn't about feeling good, primarily, although that will be a by-product.  I am coming at this a bit more strategically.  According to the World Economic Forum, the United States has fallen to fifth in ranking; the US was last in first place in 2008.  Each year since has seen another step down the world business/economic health rankings.  

The US worker is one of the best in the world, hands down.  As such, we must reflect what we are.  To compete in the global market, which we ALL do to some degree, we must function at a higher level of excellence than our competition.  Giving the best that we've got is necessary more than ever; our country has to regain lost ground.  Product development, technology and innovation, and improved processes are crucial; however, without excited and committed human capital, these initiatives will fall flat.  We make the difference.

The new year is right around the corner.  Take some time to realign your enthusiasm and your commitment to the work you do.  You are in the role you are in for a reason.  Believe in what you know how to do.  It matters to your co-workers, your management, your company and your country...it should matter to you.

I Hear A Symphony

In my living room sits a piano that belonged to my wife's grandmother.  It's an upright and it sounds beautiful.  My wife dabbles on it from time to time.  What I wished for was that at least one of my three children would want to play the piano.  What I am currently dealing with are three children with little desire to do so and one bitter, Italian dad (can you guess which one I am?)

I had visions of being serenaded by my kids, you know, something similar to what the kids in The Sound of Music did.  I mean, am I asking for too much?

Simply, yes.  My vision for The New Partridge Family is not shared by the "company" I lead at home (please don't tell my wife I said I lead the company).  Forcing my objectives onto the group will not yield the product I desire, and even if I demand that they comply, what kind of music will I hear?  My expectation of soul-stirring singing with instruments in accompaniment will fall flat as the hearts of those performing will not be committed to the task at hand.

Often, in the organizations we serve, we are tasked with fitting "square" employees into "round" jobs.  We have become accustomed to by-passing talent and ability in order to meet basic skills requirements.  When I was working for the major distribution center for a national retailer, I could and did perform the tasks of sorting, re-packaging and tagging that took place.  I met the basic skills requirements, but would that have been the best use of my talent or skill?  Couldn't there be people in your organization that are misaligned?  Are you listening to the music and reporting on what you hear?  Who's out of tune?

I very much enjoy classical and operatic music.  When I hear those instruments working together to tell a story through music, my mind is transported.  I know I am hearing greatness, but not because the players are playing their instruments well.  Rather, it's because the players love playing their instruments well; it's what they were made to do.  Do we ever ask in a performance review - What do you think you were made to do?  OK, un-cringe.  It's not about religion or personal belief systems necessarily, but more about aligning talent to the best possible role.  Isn't that a responsibility in HR?

Mentoring programs and coaching sessions are great; I do them, I know.  However, those things will just be meetings if the other person involved does not see purpose and passion in what he/she is doing.  My kids aren't playing the piano because it's not what they are passionate about.  Baseball, soccer, dance, art...those things get my kids excited to perform and to do it well.  What a miserable existence to force someone to do something they don't want to do.  Why would it be any different for the employees at our companies?

Sometimes, the answer may be that an employee does not fit with the organization.  It is okay to realize an employee is not performing to the level needed and with the passion required.  Fit matters.  Often, the employee is already aware so the conversation about fit should go smoother.  The ability for our organizations to achieve greatness is, in part, a product of our strategic interface with all personnel and in understanding the KSA's involved.

Look for where the organization is out of tune and address it.  Don't just grit your teeth at the awful sound and hope it passes soon.  Be proactive.  Our role in human resources allows for our expertise to shine in such a capacity as this.

By the way, you may have asked yourself whether I can play the piano.  As long as playing the two keys needed for the Theme from Jaws counts, then yes, I play.

Get Into the Groove

What would it mean for you to fire on all cylinders each day?  Have you ever experienced that?  I have and it's a complete rush!  I often wonder why it doesn't happen more often for us.

Usually, there are external factors that distract us from the work at hand.  Annoying managers, complaining customers, broken processes or sub-par technology vie for first place as to why we can't get our jobs done or at least done smoothly.  We tend to work thoroughly with a desire to succeed (statistics back up that fact), but we do usually fall apart in one area.  Power.

We give power to so much outside of us.  Those factors that I mentioned above may not ever change.  Those managers will always be annoying (to a degree), customers will complain, processes will be a work in progress and technology is ever-changing.  Those things, however, do not represent you or what you do.  Too often we settle for those reasons and excuses.  For example, why does technology deserve power in your work process?  If it's not working, then figure out another way to be exceptional for a client.  

When I got my first job, I was thrilled.  I was a dishwasher at Friendly's Restaurants.  It's funny because I loathe emptying the dishwasher at home...I wonder if it's connected.  Anyway, I remember my boss often telling me, "Make it work," whenever there was an issue with the Hobart machine or the rude servers who tossed (literally) dishes at me.  While his lack of compassion is not recommended, I do appreciate his message.

We have to make it work more than we do.  Innovation is born out of problem solving.  Be a problem solver and improve processes.  Figure out how to reduce customer complaints.  What would need to be improved upon?  What experience is the customer having and how could it be better?  If the technology is not working, then grab a pen.  Think about the goals of your position and of the company.

Shake off your old way of thinking and embrace a new mode.  Change the record that's been playing and get into the groove of engagement and enthusiasm.