Don't Dream It's Over

When summer wraps up, there is something tangibly ending in our lives.  So much effort and energy are spent prepping for this season.  Not all of us live in the eternal sunshine states of Florida, California and the like, so summer is a big deal!  As an east coast resident, the three months of summer are gold.  Lots of effort goes into how to best spend those 3 months (really, it’s 2.5, but I’m rounding up!).  Day trips, evening patio dinners, weekend excursions, 7-day vacations, etc. are scheduled.  We don’t want it to end.

Danny and Sandy spent their summer swimming (Sandy almost drowned!), holding hands, staying out late and making out (Sandy tells it differently than Danny on this point).  Their weeks of summer were the best ever, but alas, summer ended and school was upon them.  Sandy had to go back to her faraway home and Danny back to his T-Birds.

In the business community, it’s easy to romanticize our off-site meetings or team getaways.  We build them up like the summer days that Danny and Sandy had. We set that time as the goal.  And just as those crazy love bird teens found out, the destination isn’t the goal.  For our organizations, the destination can be the annual sales celebration meeting in the Bahamas or the executive leadership team getaway to the Cayman Islands.  Those are amazing destinations and they are certainly more appealing than a frozen tundra (unless you prefer freezing your tookus off). 

Listen, get me on that plane! But the trip doesn’t last.  For some of us, we know better.  We get that the location is valuable, but it’s not the end.  We, instead, focus on what we’ll do once we’re there.  We redo mission statements; we plan incredible team building exercises; we bring in fabulous speakers to encourage and motivate our teams.  Those are great things!  So much planning goes into them and the hope for a return is desired.

And yet, therein may be the rub.  When we get back to work, what happens?  Is the pattern of normal living returned to?  When Danny went back to Rydell High School, he donned his leather jacket, put the cigarette in his mouth and entertained the ladies.  The “time of his life” that he experienced over the summer was a memory.

Perhaps much of the effort should be put into what the outcomes will be.  Yes, make the time memorable, but the post-trip time should be just as memorable. 

This applies to on-site excursions, too.  Those fantastic programs you put together.  The speakers you’ve brought in.  The launch event that marketing spent weeks on.  All of that is valuable, but it's not the end.  The leadership for the company, or at least for the division, should be involved in planning for post-trip.  More than one person will need to hold people accountable to the application or implementation from the event.  The team should be decided ahead of time upon the objectives as well as how to measure them.  This is effort, yes, but it's effort that justifies the ROI of such programs.  

Think about marriage.  So much time is spent planning for the wedding day.  Dress, flowers, photographer, venue, etc.  It’s all so important.  Months of planning are done.  What if that were it?  What if at the end of the reception or honeymoon, the newly married couple says, “That was fun.  We should plan another one of these again.  Take care and hope to see you soon.”  Each of them returns to his/her walk of life prior to being married.  As observers, we would likely think that they’re crazy.  They just got married…it’s more than a wedding.

That same logic holds true to the programs, events and conferences we help organize.  Think long-term for your team.  Don’t be enthralled with the “wedding” alone.  Think of the “marriage.”   The event won’t have to end; it will live on in its application.

Can't Stop the Feeling

Standing firm in an opinion is admirable.  Standing firm in an opinion is foolishness.  Which is right?  I’ve had managers defend their stance to me in various contexts and situations.  And there are times I’ve agreed with them and there are times I’ve not.  There are times I’ve had to ask them what they were thinking (a question I have regretted asking upon occasion because they’ve told me).

Whose perspective gets to win out and why? Is it just based upon how we’re feeling? If so, that has to stop.  

Often, the person with the most power gets to win.  The executive, the c-suite, the board of directors...one of them can pull ahead in the winning viewpoint rather easily.  The trick might just be to work with this level in understanding the winning perspective as well as influencing it. 

Remember that freshman year of Psych 101?  One of the many classic truths taught was that people want to be heard and validated.  Our need to belong and to contribute runs deep.  When people, especially when they sit on the decision-making team, don’t feel that they can do or be these things, they leave, attack or, perhaps the worst, die inside.  We can influence someone who is ready to settle for one of these options.

Perhaps it might be a worthy exercise to provide some case studies to the executive team, leaving out the resolution, in order to foster discussion between them.  Why wait until there is a real situation to find out which opinion will win?  And from here, understand and influence such an opinion, where appropriate. 

If someone has the opportunity to share his/her perspective and to be heard in a safe environment, then the defenses are lowered.  A time for conversation and for consideration is easier to foster.  It’s here that those details which are illegal or morally questionable can be vetted thoroughly by those decision-makers.  It’s here that previous experiences can be shared to offer clarity around a particular perspective.  It’s here that the cause of the organization can be upheld stronger so that the decisions made are broader in context.

The natural question that arises here is, “Who decides who is right?”  Well, that’s where the forum matters so much.  Our ability to foster dialogue is crucial; however, if we cannot do this in an environment where the sharing of thoughts can happen, it will not produce the desired results.  Our impact is based upon the results that come from such a time.  With the end in mind, it behooves us to ensure that the environment is healthy for dialogue.  Remember, just being able to express a view and for it to be heard clearly is a large part of the battle. 

But, it must be understood, that there may be a divide between positions.  There will have to be an ultimate decision made.  Respect for the next steps of those individuals on the opposing side should be offered.  If someone feels so strongly about an opinion that he/she needs to leave the organization, then that’s okay.  You’ve established an environment for that person to share the different view, as well as to be heard.  Being heard is not the same as full agreement.  We help cultivate maturity through situations like this.

This is not wishful thinking, by the way.  I’ve sat in board meetings where perspectives and opinions were being shared.  People were being heard, but these people were also the hearers of others’ expressed opposite viewpoints.  It’s not about making everyone think the same.  Group think has lots of issues to contend with, too.  This is about readying your team to act when it needs to.  This is about ensuring a path towards an appropriate response in situations.  This is about allowing each other to find out where the edges have to be smoothed out or where they need to be left sharp.

In Mommie Dearest, Faye Dunaway portrays Joan Crawford.  It’s an ugly look into the movie star’s life and her influence on her children.  There is one ancillary scene towards the end of Joan’s life where her husband, Al Steele, has died and left her with his seat on the board for Pepsi Cola.  She attends the first meeting afterwards only to be patronized by the remaining all-male board and “kindly” offered to be excused.  It was the first time a woman had been on the board.  The men did not know how to respond and had not worked through it ahead of time.  They were made to feel ridiculous and she offered a solid perspective on it that they could not dispute, but only to welcome her onto the board.

And while there are laws today which would prevent what Joan Crawford went through, there are still plenty of perspectives out there.  Someone has to listen to them, to understand them, to challenge them, even if it’s just to be prepared with a response as to why it’s the way it is.  Oh, and “because I said so” is not a thoughtful response or position.  Just in case that’s what your plan was.

Escapade

Starting over sounds like fun.  Remember when Billy Madison got to do all 12 years of school over again?  He challenged his father to let him redo each grade from 1^st to 12^th for two weeks per grade.  The goal was for Billy to show that he can work hard on his own, and therefore, be qualified to take over the family business.  And as a gibberish-speaking, Nintendo-playing, flaming bag of doggie poo lighting, raging drunk, that was going to be quite a feat.

Now perhaps you work for such a company owner.  Maybe, like Billy, your leader beat the odds and somehow ended up in the leader seat, despite having to wear loafer or Velcro shoes only due to an inability to tie a shoelace.  Maybe you’re wishing for your own do-over, or least the quickest escape. 

We both know that repairing the mistakes of others is an uphill climb.  It’s exhausting and it’s deflating to the soul.  Better would be to have a prevention plan in place and work from proactivity.  But this is for another blog….

What stands out from this is a positional consideration.  It’s very true that being at the ready with a dust pan and brush stinks, but consider using different tools and a different context.

If you’ve been positioned as a janitor, despite being hired for what you thought was a different role, act like you’re working in the position you were hired for.  Stop taking on only a cleaning role, but more, stop letting others think that is your role.  You can’t always quit your job and just start over somewhere else.  It’s not that easy.  Enact subtle changes now to re-position yourself into the role you were hired for originally.

What if, instead of loathing the company owner described above, you chose to be a partner?  Put yourself on his/her schedule for breakfast or lunch.  Ask about his/her hopes for the company.  Ask how he/she hopes to get that done.  Ask how he/she sees the organization needing to change or bend to make that happen.  Put down the broom and pick up a pen (or iPad).  Have a couple of meals together to unpack these questions and the ones they’ll lead to.  Take notes.  You’ll see the small ways you can insert your expertise and ideas into the conversation.  You can begin to change the view of your role in that leader’s eyes.

Come back to mission and vision.  Plan, in your second to fourth meal time, to bring up what you understand the mission to be.  How does your manager see it?  Are there connections to the expressed hopes for the organization?  You’re now moving into an analytical posture with your leadership.  That’s an attractive position because it opens the door wider for analysis of the organization.

Look at the team around you, too.  Where are strengths being used?  Where are they lacking?  And is the right person doing the right thing?  You already know that your role has mutated unhealthily, so don’t be surprised that others are suffering in the same way.  Put down the dust pan and pick up a conductor’s baton.  Pull them out of it and put them in places to showcase the hirable skills originally displayed.  And if there are tasks that need to be done, get them done, but be smart about assigning them.  Look to see where those tasks make the most sense.  Remember, you can then speak to your manager about this thoughtfulness and restructuring in the context of the conversations you’ve been having with him/her.

That alignment is a display of giftedness meant for your role.  Granted, clean-up is important, especially when you first get to a company.  However, don’t stay in that posture.  Just because you can clean up doesn’t mean you should always do it.  And if there is that much going on, something is broken and you can fix it.

A stumble along this new path may occur.  You might find that the last week has put you back into clean-up mode only.  It’s okay.  You’re re-training yourself as well as others.  A step back is not uncommon.  Just make a course correction.

You can start over right where you are.  Make weeks into escapades rather than preparation to escape!  You don’t need to go back to first grade to prove you have something valuable to offer.  But, if you start seeing giant penguins running around the office, the pressure has definitely gotten to you.  Time to use some PTO.

You Don't Own Me

It's not likely to be news that words have power.  They have power to alter behavior, influence change, lead a revolution and cause the deepest kinds of pain possible.  As professionals, we might forget that people still are impacted by words.  Perhaps we've taken to bending the truth in our conversations to either soften the blow or paint a better picture of things so that employees don't lose heart.  While there are a couple of studies that try to prove the value of lying, there are more that point to honest transparency as the beneficial route.  Whatever the reasons might be, our words matter.  

Have you seen the little girl telling her dad a lie about what happened to Barbie (and why?).  You must!  Amazing insight into our DNA.  We're not taught how to lie; it's a natural phenomenon for us.  We just do it in order to avoid trouble, deflect attention or save our skin.  Truth is easily replaced by a lie.  Consider the countless times people get pulled over.  Think everyone tells the cop the truth?  Or even playing the "I was speeding? I had no idea. Oh my gosh," when you know full well that you were flooring it.  Some of us give Oscar-worthy performances!

Fear is a huge motivator of our words.  What would it mean if an HR Manager said that he/she didn't know something that's HR related?  It shouldn't be a shock, but fear might stand in the way of that HR Manager being honest.  He/She might be afraid of looking weak or not-as-experienced as a supervisor would expect.  And so, if we are backed into a corner with our fear, we might lie.  We might say we know something.  We might say we have done a certain task.  We might offer perspective as if we've been there-done that.  All of it is dishonest.  And now those lies have to be built upon as time goes on.  Those lies own you.

Organizational health functions best in honesty.  When staff know that the words of the leaders are real, the response is genuine.  In late 2008, when the economy in the US fell due to the housing crisis, company leaders sat with their employees to let them know what was going on.  In some of those conversations, layoffs were presented as a viable option to save money.  The response from many employees was to keep everyone and just reduce every employee's hours.  They understood what was happening, why it was happening, and based upon the honest dialogue from leadership, volunteered a plan of action.  While the stress of the economics was real and cannot be denied, there was health in the approach to all get into the same boat and hold on.

It is important to note that no one is alone in this.  In some ways, we've helped create a culture of untruth.  Our fantasies are affirmed more than our realities.  We have allowed our leadership to be untrustworthy for a long while.  Just looking at our political landscape reflects such a position. Our role as management, as leaders, is to break the cycle.  I am not naive to think that this will mean open doors for everything with full disclosure.  Quite frankly, there are details that are not for the world to know.  This is not dishonest if it's shared just that way...."Here's what I can tell you and understand there are some parts that I cannot offer much detail due to (confidentiality, a matter of law, unsettled circumstances, etc.)"

We have one another to stand with in our doubt, in our lack of knowledge and in our fear. It's okay to not know something.  That's the beauty of asking our community, of attending seminars and workshops, of developing friendships with managers from other companies.  We can't know it all, and we have to be okay to say so.  Honestly, I know for myself and some others who've shared with superiors where our difficulties were, we were not fired.

Perhaps, you find this whole topic puzzling or amateur.  Fine, but the reality is that there is enough fear pushing a lack of truth in our workplaces.  If it's not you, it may be someone working for you.  Do our staff feel that they can say what they don't know without fear of reprisal?  Are they apt to lie?  How can we cultivate a different environment?

In HR, we see people lie often.  It's sad, but true.  We read resumes containing experiences that never occurred.  We hear from employees in a disciplinary situation covering their butts.  We hear executives tell us that everyone will keep their jobs as a result of a merger.  It is all around us.  We can push for a more honest culture by being an example first.

Hungry Heart

Wandering happens.  People find that what once satisfied, no longer does.  Marriages have broken up, families have been fractured, jobs have been left because of it, hobbies lay in corners of basements or garages all over this country because of it.  We get bored and our eyes begin to look for the next biggest, baddest, best option.

When The First Wives' Club started, the divorcees had all experienced a cheating spouse.  A spouse who found "happiness" in the arms of another (younger) woman.  The spark of attraction that originally came from the first wife was replaced with bland familiarity, boredom and predictability.  Of course what follows is hilarity, a song and dance number and domestic earnings of over $100 million (and counting).  In the movies, this is an "of course"; in our real lives, the song and dance is not usually found.

The struggle to find connection pulls at the heart of any relationship, whether person to person or person to purpose.  Brokenness and disconnect make other options seem more appealing.  There is a longing for something so much more than what someone is living.  And knowing this is a tendency for many of us, what do we do about it?  If we serve in a position of influence, however small, what kind of difference can we make?

A job becomes stale and predictable, just as a relationship does, when there is no encouragement towards or opportunity for creativity.  The imaginative spark has been studied for decades, particularly in its symbiotic nature with organizational change.  Creativity pushes boundaries and considers what might be.  Think about how your organization would benefit from such a posture.  Wouldn't the organization change as a result?  Perhaps it's the development of a new product or process.  Perhaps the method of delivery is improved or completely made over.  In some measurable way, the creative outlets for staff will drive organizational change.

Think about the correlation to relationships.  Wouldn't approaching a date with enthusiastic creativity likely make the date memorable?  If it's just dinner, again, where is the imagination?  So many of my friends do "date night" once a month with their spouses.  It's often just dinner.  Yawn.  It's no wonder that the time that's meant for connection becomes time spent looking at your iPhone to see what time it is.  Oh, when do we have to leave to get the kids?  

Stagnant relationships at work function in the same manner.  How do your staff relate to what their doing?  Do they own it?  Do they have an opportunity to enlarge their roles?  Bring your team together to see how this can happen.  Collaboration, also, fights against the restlessness of the role.  Working together and corporately setting goals for engagement and impact take the wandering eye off of what might be and focus it on what is and will be.  High functioning teams are not buzzworthy for the latest SHRM Conference; they have merit because the stats back it up.  Sales training, like Sandler, spend a full day on these merits and outcomes.  Jacob Morgan wrote a killer article on collaboration in Forbes a few years ago where he points out the heightened functionality that collaboration gives to the individual contributor, even when there are team or corporate benefits as well.  

An individual who is creative and collaborative has too much going on to wander.  He/She sees a place for contribution, impact and recognition.  The temptress walking by (whether a job posting, a call surveying interest to jump ship, etc.) isn't as appealing.  A deep connection to the work being done at the organization will keep people there.  The retention rate moves up, knowledge management can actually happen and succession planning becomes succession actuality.  The hunger for more is met with real opportunity from and with the same company.

As people who get to encourage our teams, it's important that we remember our relationships need vibrancy.  Our connection to the work, to the mission, to purpose have to be encouraged and kept fresh.  The lax that leads to a wandering heart will cost our companies money and time and resources.  Our staff will not be firing on all cylinders.  Stir the fire of creativity and spark collaboration.  And you'll satisfy the hunger.

Here Comes the Hammer

A smirky demeanor.  An eagerness to deliver bad news.  A willingness to be the bad guy.  It’s the callousness that might accompany the final step of employment for an individual.  Have you seen it?  Are you guilty of being this person?

From a humanistic standpoint, there is satisfaction in watching a poor performer lose.  It’s why movies like “Working Girl” or “9 to 5” are shown on TCM.  The plot lines are classic and stir up in us a desire to see someone pay for taking credit for the work of others.  We want to see that perpetrator fired.  We want to see the hard-working underdog get his/her retribution and overdue recognition.  Our nature inclines toward a measure of justice, fairness and goodness.

And yet, when a termination has to happen, even if for those reasons, do we in human resources lose our composure and impartiality?  Think about why Roz, the HR Manager, in "9 to 5" is believable.  And though we’re not judges, we do represent the larger picture for the organizational culture we seek to encourage.  If we’re cruel with someone’s feelings or circumstances, then others who work in the organization might view our approach as exemplary of how things are done at the company.  What was just about a termination might now open the door for sub-par treatment in other employment relationships.

Consider:

• Gossip – How many people really need to know about the termination?  The temptation to share with at least one other person is real.  And while that may not tempt you, it may be that the HR team has taken to inter-departmental gossip about a particular person’s departure.  We call that “safe” since it’s among the HR staff.  Is it?  What is our example to our junior staff members?  If we complain that HR is not included in some other components of the organization’s function and development, perhaps it’s due to the known loose lips of the HR department, even amongst each other.  Gossip is only about making you feel better about yourself, pure and simple.  Listen to what you’re saying about others as you share.  Would you just die if those personal notes were being shared about you to others?
• Just Cause – Of course, documentation is a necessary component of any good termination process as it really starts as part of the overall discipline process, but are you building a case out of a real problematic situation or more because you don’t like the person?  I have watched good employees be terminated because someone did not like a personality, a habit, a laugh (I’m not kidding), etc.  Would it be any surprise that people would be afraid to be around an HR department like this?  Who could be secure?  Look at why and how these terminations are occurring.  Validity and consistency of approach are pillars for the HR team.
• Management Training – Every termination is an opportunity to grow management.  Allow each situation to be a case study for discussion, explanation and potential change with management.  Is there something that should have been or could be done better?  Look together at how this termination might spur others on towards excellence.  How do we foster that?  Develop a plan of growth with management for those employees whose cages will be rattled.  Train a manager through this.  Or just settle for the basic thrill of dropping the hammer on someone’s employment.  It’s too easy to merely laugh with management and then be done.  Use every opportunity to grow people.
• HR Support – Why did this employee fail?  While, in certain circumstances, it will be hard to find anything more that the organization could have done to support the success of the employee, it won’t be the case all of the time.  What broke?  Why?  If it means job duty changes, do it.  If it’s about qualifications rather than the duties, then update them.  If a manager is struggling to deal with someone different than him/her, then coach them.  Whatever action has to happen, work out a plan to do it.  Too many HR departments will sit back after a termination and throttle the manager or other employees in the department.  We know best, right?  As we sit in our unapproachable offices sitting on our ergonomic throne, we dictate our truths about our people and our company.  Probably not the best approach.

This employee being fired is a person.  And as simple as this last thought may be, it is classically the one forgotten the most.  He/She has to go home and tell loved ones.  He/She has to deal with what's next.  And while it may be completely the fault of this person as to why the separation is occurring, and we had to act to separate, this person should be treated respectfully in the process.  It may not make for a great movie to end this way, but it makes for a great company when even the separation displays the right kind of response and culture.

Digging Your Scene

Dance, baby, dance.  Get up and move.  Shake your thing.  That’s it, make it groove.  Use your hips.  Get down into the floor.  Arch your back more.  Work it!

Those are various performance phrases used in the dance world to encourage excellence in the performer.  Uncomfortable?  Did it make you think I’d finally snapped?  (Don’t answer that).  A dancer needs to have his/her performance graded early on so that he/she can make corrections to the movement in the dance.  If a choreographer has developed a sequence of movement to tell a story and thoughtfully chosen a piece of music to compliment the story, it’s vital that the dancer perform the movement exactly to match the intention of the story.  Real time performance review is necessary.

In the case of the dancer, the choreographer is there teaching the dance.  He/She can then provide timely feedback, such as listed above, and encourage the dancer to move differently or with more precision when working to execute the story through dance.  Travis Wall, one of the best current choreographers, has to be unyielding in seeing his vision executed and so has to watch his dancers often and provide commentary.  A dancer then adjusts in real time.  And when the performance is shared with an audience, the efforts are displayed, and in Travis’s case, usually without flaw.

Intentionally taking the time to watch the scenes of performance that our employees create is a responsibility of management.  It is not to sit in an office and hope they are doing what they should be.  It’s not just looking at numbers at the end of a day or week, and then make grandiose decisions about staffing and product or service implementation.  The repetition of bad choices made in this context overflows into poor corporate culture, low gross sales, inferior candidates and frustrated management. 

Watch what’s happening in the “dance” scenes you’re creating at work.  Give feedback.  It does not need to be done via the official performance review annual form.  It doesn’t have to be a quarterly review.  It CAN include those things, but that’s not all it is.

As a kid, when I was doing my homework, my mom would look over my shoulder every so often to check.  If the writing was rushed and sloppy, she would tell me to erase it and write it again.  The longer she took to check in on me left open the possibility that I would have more to erase.  If she caught me after only doing a few, it was more manageable to correct the behavior and the remaining work was done neater.  It’s the same for management.  Observe often.

Micromanagement, by the way, is not the same as observing often.  A course correction is the responsibility of the manager by knowing why and how staff are travelling a certain road.  A micromanager is telling staff how to move their left foot forward, and then the right foot, and then the left again, and then the right and so on.  Travis can dance the choreography he creates himself, but the point is to take that vision and entrust it to the skill sets demonstrated in the dancers he works with regularly.  The cause is spread to a wider circle and therefore a wider impact.

Give staff the opportunity to perform.  Tell them the objectives and watch what they do.   And along the way, affirm what’s working and advise on what should look or be different.  Keep coming back to the mission or purpose of the work.  Managers have to be involved in what their teams are doing, with consistency and investment.  Come up alongside those employees who are working to make the mission happen and encourage them.  Praise and critique are encouraging, if it comes from an involved, invested perspective.  Do your staff see you that way?

The surprise in good performance review is that it seems very much like conversation.  It feels very much like smart people sitting together to get better at the responsibilities they have.  It opens the door for a deeper understanding of the support, tools and practice needed.  And it also allows for honest dialogue, due to the consistency of review, regarding who can do what’s needed.  Sometimes staff will even call themselves out to say that they don’t have the full skill set required.  And those are employees you want to keep for a long time, even if it means a role change.

Like me, for instance.  I know that in my mind, I dance with as much passion and skill as Alex Wong and could absolutely handle the choreography of Travis Wall.  And though I have been known to “get down”, the vision in my mind won’t make it a reality.  When I leap around the house with my daughters, they remind me, too, that I might not quite have the skills to dance or to choreograph.  Seriously? Have you seen me do the Cha-Cha Slide? Breathtaking. 

Respect (by +Victorio Milian)

95 years ago women earned the right to vote on a national level in the United States. On August 18, 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment of the US Constitution was ratified. This Amendment prohibited United States citizens from being denied the right to vote based on their gender.

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"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex."

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95 years. It seems like a long time ago, and yet... not really. In the cooperative (co-op for short) where I live there are numerous neighbors of that age or older. The co-op itself was built in the 1920's, so many of its first residents knew what is was like to live under both sets of legal circumstances. Also, that's roughly two generations removed from me. My grandmothers were kids when this went into effect, possibly making them the first women in their respective families to be able to vote. That makes this (in my mind at least) more tangible, and more horrifying as well.

It probably seems like a no-brainer now, but denying people the right to be full participants in what's considered to be a democratic republic was considered normal and proper at one time. And just because it was ratified doesn't mean that further resistance had to be overcome in order for the Nineteenth Amendment's intended purpose to be fully realized. Enacting a law doesn't necessarily mean it won't be challenged in some way, as evidenced by the use of discriminatory Black Code laws to circumvent legal protections afforded to African Americans following the Civil War.

Photo by Gordon Parks

Social justice, like any large scale change management process, is imperfect. It requires perseverance, the ability to convincingly articulate the need for change, and thick skin to deal with doubters (and worse). It involves successes (both big and small), and set-backs. It also requires building coalitions amongst those looking to achieve similar goals. Unfortunately, coalition building is easier said than done.

As important as all of these qualities are, successful change on the scale of an organization or larger requires enough people aligned around the change in question. With regards to the woman's suffrage movement (the driving force behind the Amendment's passage), it took more than the well known efforts and profiles of figures such as Susan B. Anthony, Lucretia Mott, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton to achieve success. It required the efforts, large and small, of people from many backgrounds who believed in the main purpose of the change in question.

Large scale change can be daunting work. Consider then what the potential impact will be. In the case of the Nineteenth Amendment, it meant that legally, women can now be fully engaged in the American voting process. That change also meant that they could also participate in the economic growth and development of the country. For example, according to a 2011 report published by McKinsey and Company, between 1970 and 2009, women went from holding 37% of all jobs to nearly 48%. This increase in workforce participation contributes to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Giving people the ability to be heard can also impact bottom line results.

For business leaders looking to make (or may be reluctant to make) deep organizational changes, consider what was accomplished on August 18, 1920.

What sort of impact are you seeking to make?

Bad Blood

Questions get asked of me often.  Various employees will call, email or walk in and ask, “Do you know that other companies give their employees as much vacation as they want?”  Or perhaps, “What’s our policy on filing a complaint against a manager? I’m just curious.”  Or a classic favorite of mine, “John, will you be a reference for me as I look for a new job? I love working with you, but I hate it here.”  We could share for days all of the various questions we’ve been asked, and trust me that there are some great ones to come still!

One question that’s a bit heart-breaking to be asked by an employee is, “How is it that the people who do the wrong thing (or nothing) get promoted?”  This is an unfortunate question for a few reasons.

First off, what if the person who is promoted is actually a great employee?  The perception of this person being less than stellar is shameful, but not necessarily the asking-employee’s fault.  Why weren’t the successes of the promoted employee heralded previously?  Why didn’t others know of his/her accomplishments or connection to the whole?  It’s a sad state of affairs to be good at your work, but not be seen as such.

Secondly, what if the person promoted hasn’t demonstrated his/her ability clearly?  It may not be a matter of poor PR, but rather a matter of hesitancy.  What if he/she is able but saw that the climate of the workplace is such that doing your job well would mean scrutiny by others?  I have been in workplaces where achievement was frowned upon as it upset the status quo.  It was very middle school in its mob mentality, but it was real nonetheless.  To show others up (which is how it was taken) was the kiss of death and a very clear hit was put out on you.  Other employees would snub you or somehow “forget” to include you in key decisions that affected your workload or process.  Sadly, this is more common than you might realize.

Thirdly, what if the person promoted really is terrible?  Is it a matter of sucking up that got this person the promotion?  How could this occur?  When I was younger in my career, a colleague once told me that “the flakes get promoted to the top.”  What a sad statement!  Such a phrase doesn’t come from one or two incidents.  Who are the people promoting these “flakes” and why do they do it?  It’s frustrating to have to deal with the repercussions of such decisions, and it’s usually HR that has to handle the fallout.

So, how do we handle this?  It’s happening right now and is likely to continue to happen in the companies we serve, so our thoughtfulness around an answer is better to consider now.  Is it okay to simply say, “I don’t know”?  Maybe, but more likely that if this is our answer, we won’t hear from the asking-employee any time in the near future.  Why would he/she be inspired to come to us again when we clearly don’t know what’s going on? 

And let’s not forget about tone.  Answering “I don’t know” with a sharp or sarcastic tone will minimize our leadership, the leadership of the company as well as the mission of the organization.  What kinds of people run this show?  Ones that make crappy decisions, who don’t consult HR, who don’t care about the promotee’s influence on work product or culture to date, and who seem to be living in an ivory tower without a connection to what’s really going on.  Yup, we can translate all of that in one sarcastic response or disgusted look.  We don’t need to add to any bad blood that’s already creeping into relationships.

It’s important to not be thrown by the question.  Someone made this decision.  An employee coming to you to ask is correct.  Where would you want them to go?  It should be you, HR.  You should have an idea as to why someone has gotten a promotion.  It’s not about justifying it to the asking employee, but more about you portraying confidence.  If you know, then you aren’t searching for how to feel about it while in front of this employee.  It’s not about agreeing with the decision but about knowing.  The time for agreement should have already occurred.  If it didn’t, then that isn’t a response that should be shared with the asking-employee.

I, too, have been in that office when I was asked about someone’s promotion and I had no idea what he/she was talking about.  Promoted? Who?!  But the trick is to step back and formulate how to approach this.  I could be dismissive about the manager who has been making these bad decisions.  I could cut down those involved.   I could, but I would be very dumb to do so.  Rather, I should look for ways to build a bridge.

Fix what’s wrong in the process.  Take initiative, be bold and introduce solutions.  Then, when the next question comes, you’ll know how to respond.  You can focus back onto the asking-employee and inspire that person in what’s needed to move forward.  Many times, the asking-employee just wants to know where he/she fits; it’s not so much about the promoted employee.  By knowing what it takes to contribute stronger to the whole and thereby be promoted, allows you to be a resource towards advancement.  The questions will continue so make sure the answers flow, too.

What You Need

It cracks me up when an employee approaches me to tell me what he/she needs.  I know it shouldn’t, but sometimes it’s just too funny.  I got to be a part of a company once when someone asked for a nap each day, paid.  Funny, right?  Funnier still?  He got it.  Contextually, you can see why I crack up.  I have been asked for more money, more time off, more time on, to move another employee out of a department, to fire an employee who annoys others, to tell the CEO he/she stinks, to tap phone lines, to read emails, to reduce payroll across the board and not tell employees about the check changes in advance, to… You get the idea.  Craziness. 

Most times, I laugh.  I get up from my seat while laughing.  Place my hand nicely on the shoulder of the requester and laugh as I slightly escort the person out of my area.  I don’t respond verbally.  Just laughter.  I do this because if I let myself say what I would want to say, I would be out of a job.

What I know will help to alleviate many of these situations, though not all, is the connection to basic needs.  People have needs.  In the workplace, what can we do about it?  Ideally, we can address them and set them up for success.  It takes a little work.  It might undo a culture completely.  It might cause everyone to see how unhealthy things have been.  So what?  Productivity improvements are connected to the people we employ.  Set up standards that allow for goals to be achieved while motivating staff and meeting their needs, and you would be a hero.

So, what do people really want?

• Collaboration – the ability to work with others. Relationship is a natural desire of humans.  Some love it more than others, but we’re all wired for it.  Creativity, ingenuity and resourcefulness are enhanced through collaborative efforts
• Invested Leadership – seeing the leaders of the organization take an interest in the goings-on of a work group and/or an individual contributor.  A manager of a small group of employees portrays an understanding of the culture of leadership every day.  Leadership is to take a vested interest in the people it employs.  This gives employees an understanding of fit and of connection to the mission
• Viability in Advancement – is there really a chance to advance in the organization?  We often say that there is, but employees figure out rather quickly whether that’s going to be true or not.  The real trajectory within an organization should be evaluated.  Providing a path for real advancement in usage of skill sets, knowledge and relationship motivates an employee towards a sense of purpose
• Compensation – salary, commission, bonus, PTO, benefits, retirement, etc. are a reality of living.  Our staff have homes, apartments, significant others, families, a social life, vacations, holidays for which to pay and enjoy.  Compensation allows an employee to handle some of the bottom levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs so that the more analytical level is addressed
• Impact – simply, is what an employee doing impacting the purpose of the group?  When we challenge the status quo and (re-)introduce the concept of impact, we wake people up.  What each employee does allows a product to be delivered, a service to be given, or a resource to be offered while changing processes, enhancing knowledge and keeping the lights on!  The line worker who is placing four screws on the same piece on the assembly line is a superstar.  Those four screws hold something significant together.  No task or role is small

If you’re a leader, not matter how small your charge, sit with this list and evaluate what’s going on at your company.  Now evaluate what you are doing to move towards meeting these needs.  Be practical.

And I would be remiss not to point out that there is a grand difference between need and want.  An employee might ask for what he/she wants and try to cloak it as a need.  Rip the sheet off of that want.  Expose it.  Time off is a need.  Six weeks of vacation a year is a want.  Just because someone asks for it, doesn’t make it a need.

There are days I need people to leave me alone.  And then I am reminded that is a want.  So, now what?  Oh, I know.  I will rephrase it.  “I want people to leave me alone some days.”  That’s better.  Now, what do I do about the HR career and people thing?  Crap.

One Thing Leads to Another

As a parent, I have the articles and books that speak to the importance of structure in raising kids.  Some of it goes really far (like posting schedules of what’s going to happen every minute of the day…I need a little spontaneity!), but overall, the intention is clear.  If my kids don’t understand process, boundary and authority, it will prove to be a difficult life for them.  They will fight against “the man” most of their lives and waste the great talents they have.

In the workplace, structure is just as imperative.  Have you ever worked for a company that is a bit of a free-for-all?  Holy guacamole, is that frustrating or what?  I mean, who is getting stuff done?  I’ve watched employees meander from one cubicle to another discussing all sorts of stuff, whether work related or not, as if life is one big latte.  Even the professionals at Google and URBN have structure, people!  Not everyone is walking around with a dog, a cappuccino and a copy of “The Fountainhead” while wearing Toms (if you’re walking around work like that as you read this, um…sorry).

Process points to purpose.  Giving structure in various areas of duty, responsibility and performance shows care.  Employees want to know they fit and are contributing.  Honestly, they don’t really want to wander.  It does no one any good if an employee lacks the structure to do his/her job.  Further, it actually dumbs down the skill set he/she has.  Without practice and use, it will atrophy and weaken.

 

In high school, I was on the track team.  My favorite event to compete in was the long jump.  While I cannot say that I was the best on the team (because that would be a lie), I can say that I practiced daily.  I ran down the long jump runway into a pit of sand dozens of times each day.  I practiced sprinting so that my speed improved to catapult me further in my jump.  I practiced on hurdles so that my “ups” would improve for takeoff from the long jump board.  I lifted weights and stretched to strengthen those muscles needed for the in-air motion to extend my jump distance.  And I knew to do this because my coach gave me structure.  He led me and my teammates through the process of working out, through drills, through conditioning…in the cold, in the heat…daily.

Without the cliché, anything worth striving for has to be practiced and pursued consistently.  Michael Phelps didn’t just happen to win all of those Olympic medals because he has a few good weeks over 12 years.  He devoted himself to the structure needed to win.  Our staff has to be invested in similarly.  We need to have process in place for skill improvement, for discipline, for praise, for critique, for job enlargement, for job enrichment.  We can lead them through the structure of career advancement within our organizations.  We can offer resources to help them handle the processes better.

Having structure is not the enemy.  Having purposeless structure, however, is demotivating and can lead an organization to think the structure is the enemy.  What is the structure like where you are?  Does it need improvement?  Is it just not known and so a different tactic for communication has to happen?  Are staff members afraid to offer some process improvement?  Do they even know how to report improvement suggestions?

Perhaps you can take time this weekend while you are working out to think through one area that needs structure or needs it enhanced or needs it communicated better.  Yeah, I know, I am making an assumption that you’ll workout this weekend.  Maybe I am pushing you a bit.  Maybe it’s time for this structure to be placed into your life.  Maybe I will find myself back on the track this weekend working on my long jump skills.  Maybe. 

Nothing Compares to You

There is likely no more appropriate focus for business today than to deal with the idea of entitlement.  Our workforce is pushed to consider self.  And while it is necessary to consider self in the grand scheme of life, it does not equate to all policy and business direction being dictated as it relates to self.

In our schools, for example, we have acclimated to testing utilizing a variety of methodologies and techniques.  If someone is a poor traditional test-taker, then we have allowed them to verbally take the test with the teacher or demonstrate a mastery of the subject matter is other ways.  Now move that same student ahead 10 years into the workforce.  How many different ways are there for the worker to demonstrate his/her mastery of the subject (work)?  Most times, there’s just one.  We assess in specific, often singular, ways.  A product has to look and function in a certain way; even the service industry has parameters to stay within.

The point is not necessarily that we assess in various ways (though I would lean towards such a thought), but rather our workers are left outside of the process.  They then slip into a fight or flight mentality.  Turnover comes easier when I realize I can’t do the work the way you want.  I will leave, no problem.  If I am 24, I will find another entry level role.  I’m young.  No big deal.  If I am 44, I will find another role.  I’m still young enough (please don’t tell me that this is not still young…I might just breakdown).  No big deal.  Plus there is always unemployment insurance to assist me in the transition.

But, if I choose to fight, I will retreat to entitlement.  I will call upon the god of entitlement and its minions - accommodation, leave and disparate treatment.  How can I take care of me?  How has this work environment been unhealthy?  It cannot be that I am unable to do what’s required of me, but rather it must be how terrible it is here at work.

Sound familiar.  Let me hit that nerve even more.  How many businesses are living in fear of their employees?  What if they sue?  Complain?  Gulp…call the Department of Labor?  The organizations established to protect the American worker are viewed as the enemy of American business.  How did this happen?  Entitlement.  (There are real situations where a breaking of the law is happening in some companies; it has to be addressed.  Of course it does.  I am not swinging the pendulum too far the other way.)

So, what to do?

• Address it – don’t be scared!  Call it out.  Say, “We all come from a position of entitlement.”  Work through simple examples.  Don’t accuse.  Share general observations.  Let people laugh at you.  Let them laugh at themselves.
• Be transparent – as best as you can, share financials.  Let people know that the pot is only so big.  Yeah, I want to live at Google offices, too, but we can’t.  Who’s going to pay for it?  Once some more liquidity is in our hands, how should we spend it?  Which of these three options makes better sense in light of our financials and our mission?  Let employees engage!
• Coach – devise a plan to battle “me first.”  How do we call it out in each other without irritating the stew out of each other?  There is nothing wrong with asking a question about self, but is that the default position?  Demonstrate business acumen and meet your employee where he/she is.  Guide them through components of business decisions.  Long term, this will pay off in huge dividends…and I don’t mean just money.

I believe we are better than entitlement.  We have to be.  Our business cultures, our family units, society as a whole needs us to move beyond this perspective.  When we see it, we have to take action.  Healthy, lasting business development comes out of a functional belief in the work to be done and the integrity it takes to do it.  Encourage pride, speak to the struggles and affirm correct competencies.  We are more than one.

Comic Book Heroes

By +Victorio Milian 

Growing up, I was a big comic book geek. Whatever money I had I would spend at the comic book shop, buying a variety of titles. And I come by it honestly--my mother enjoyed them as well. She would tell me about how when she was young, her mother made her throw out her collection. She had great titles, such as The Hulk, Fantastic Four, and others, that are now worth loads of money. I was horrified by my grandmother's treatment of these treasures. As a result I've done my best to preserve many of the comics I've purchased over the years.

Eventually, my interest in purchasing comic books waned. There was a variety of reasons for it. For one, as I got older other interests took over. For another, I got jaded as the comic book market became more focused on driving sales over quality storytelling. Lastly, as any geek will tell you, the social pull to put aside "childish" pursuits got to be too much. But, remembering my mother's horror stories of potentially valuable art disposed of, I put my comics in storage.

Fast forward to the present and the success of Marvel and DC comics across a variety of entertainment mediums has reawakened my love of comic books. Over the past several weeks I've gone into my storage space and gathered a few titles to read, as well as share with my kids.

Having them out has done a few things for me. It's sparked curiosity and creativity, not only in my kids but within me as well. We've had great discussions on character motivation, morality in comics, as well as different ways in which artists interpret certain iconic characters. This has prompted them, along with myself, to create our own comic inspired art.

As a Human Resources Consultant, revisiting my comic book collection has helped me to draw connections between art and work.

• HR and its perception as the villain. HR practitioners are often viewed as the "bad guys" within organizations. And some of us (unfortunately) are deserving of the label! Oftentimes, like the X-Men, we're just misunderstood.

• Villains and ethical behavior. Continuing with villains... great heroes are defined by the enemies they face. Batman vs. Joker. Captain America vs. the Red Skull. Many of the most well known heroes faced tremendous adversity. Most of the time they've been able to outwit their opponents. The critical difference is that the hero finds a way to succeed without sacrificing their morals. While it might be easy to view a disliked colleague as your enemy it's disruptive to business if you deal with them in an unethical manner. Remember, "with great power comes great responsibility".  
• To be successful it helps to have an ego. Think about it--why would anyone run around in tights? On a more realistic level, think about some of your career goals and what it'll take to achieve them. Whether it's to bring criminals to justice or getting promoted, achieving your objectives sometimes means ignoring what others may think of you (and your wardrobe choices). It means believing in yourself and your abilities, especially when it seems you're the only one that does.
• Teamwork. Even singular legends, such as Superman, Batman, and the Hulk, can't always solve issues alone. All are actively part of, or have partnered with, groups through which they've tackled problems beyond their capabilities. For us normal folks, think about which organizations or groups you're a part of (or should be). Can they help get you to the next level? Will its members challenge and encourage your unique combination of abilities?
• Persistence. Comic books were considered cheap entertainment (literally and figuratively) when they were first introduced. Now they constitute multi-billion dollar properties. Doggedly pursuing your goals even when the general public may not appreciate your work is a great characteristic to possess.
• Diversity and the lack thereof. There are no shortage of comic book characters. Look beneath the surface and you may notice that they tend to look alike. Quick-name three superheroes of color? That are gay? And there's much to be said about its portrayal of female characters. Unfortunately, comics mirror society in this respect. While the situation is improving (for example, with the launch of the Black Panther movie, as well as the introduction of the Falcon character in Captain America: The Winter Soldier), there's still a lot of work to be done.

Comics have been more than cheap entertainment for me. It's served as a creative metaphor for my work as a Human Resources practitioner, and how to be successful as one.

What's inspired you to be great at what you do?