Take the Detour !!

As I traveled to my nephew’s high school graduation this weekend, I was forewarned that the main highway to my brother’s house was closed for a 20-mile stretch in Tennessee.  Being from Ohio, and not knowing the sundry back roads of Tennessee, I was a bit concerned.  You see, we got a late start and we would be getting to the road closure at night.  Yes, I have a GPS, but you know as well as I do that they look for the shortest route to their destination and don’t like when you wander off course.

On top of having to leave the main highway, my brother advised me to follow the detour of the wide load trucks and not the flow of traffic.  I asked him why, and he said that it would be quicker.  Others coming to the graduation who had arrived earlier took the flow of traffic option and it took up to 2 hours to go those 20 miles.

My wife asked if we should trust my brother’s advice.  Being someone who doesn’t tend to follow the flow very often, I said, “Sure, let’s see where the road takes us.”

It turns out that it was a much quicker route.  However, during the detour our car was sandwiched between two semis barrelling through mountainous roads with little to no lighting.  Also, whoever designed the roads must have loved the art of massive and quick changing curves versus having straight stretches of road.  It was challenging, harrowing and exhilarating !!

My brother was right and our trek was much quicker than what the others had to suffer through.  I was glad to have taken his advice and also the route that I wasn’t “supposed” to take.

It made me think of HR (of course).  You see, we are a part of the most risk averse profession around.  It shouldn’t be that way, but it tends to be.  Whenever we are pressed with a decision, we tend to take the “flow of traffic.”  It’s a shame because there are a multitude of other routes availabe, we just need to try them !!

You see, the route I took gave the same result as the others who also had to leave the main road.  However, I was only one car among many trucks !!  I had to have faith that my intuition would pay off.

This week, take the detour a different way than what you normally do.  Be creative !!  See where the road leads and what outcomes occur.  It’s worth the risk !!

Everyone needs a Homer !!

This past week was tough, and something that no one in HR looks forward to.  One of my co-workers passed away.  His name was Homer.

Homer was amazing !!  He was the first person I saw everyday as I came into the office.  He greeted me with a smile and a warm handshake.  We exchanged jokes, laughed about life and talked about the day, our families and our work.  He loved working for LaRosa’s, and it wasn’t something to “say”, it was what he believed.  His pride in his work showed.

By the way, Homer cleaned the parking lot of the Corporate Office and also two of our nearby restaurants . . . and he was 79.

Homer was a great loving husband, father and veteran.  Also, he was my friend.

Lately, I’ve been seeing a trend in HR and in the blogosphere to group folks together so that we can better “address” or “handle” their generation.  I’m concerned by this because I think it waters down the spectacular fact of our diversity as individuals.  When I was born can be proven, but who I am as a person is an individual characteristic.  I think HR suffers when we try to group people into different categories so they can be more homogeneous.  It may seem “easier,” but it devalues what each person brings to work each and every day.

I’ve said it before, but I truly feel that HR should be practiced person-by-person.  Our employees deserve our focus, attention and care.  If you ever hope to be a diverse organization, then you need to really look at how HR is practiced in your place.  If everyone fits into a giant herd, or a “generation”, then you need to make an adjustment.

This week our company lost a dear individual who impacted the lives of many.  He did this intentionally and unabashedly.  I hope to carry on his example so that others can see how amazing each person who touches our lives really is.  I deeply miss him already.

Look around you this coming week at work.  Is there a Homer at your place?  There should be.

So Much Room to Move !!

Rain for hours.  Mud everywhere. Solemn flag retirement.  Scavenger hunt.  Tons of Euchre games.  Food that is flat amazing.  Big word Saturday (you got credit if you used big words during your conversations). Flames shooting from a lantern, and everyone points and says, “Mr. Browne – look !!  Cool !!”

As I type this week’s post, I’ll be honest, I’m exhausted.  I just returned from a weekend of scouting with the great boys and adults of Troop 941. It’s our annual “advancement outing” where we get our new scouts started along their way, and the older scouts also work on things to advance in their ranks. It seems that every Advancement Outing is filled with challenging weather and unexpected surprises.  This one was no different !!

One of the things I truly love about Scouting is that the focus is to let the boys learn, fail, learn again, teach and then move forward.  The hope is that they get the spark to someday reach Eagle Scout.

It’s interesting because the Troop is a microcosm (big word) of the workplace.  Every boy is different and has quirks that make them truly standout.  As adult leaders, we do our best to guide them to making the decisions that will allow them to truly develop.  We are constantly fighting the urge to jump in and fix it all because we learn that our greatest trial is . . . patience.

The beauty of the system is that the boys can do so many things in so many ways to reach their goals.  This drives some adults (and boys) crazy because they feel that tight structure will lend a successful end for one and all.  Some kids don’t even see the structure (which warms my heart !!)

In the workplace, we in HR use policies as our “structure” and we do our best to enforce, cajole and discipline everyone who falls outside of them.  We think we’re doing our job, but not really.  I think policies are broader than most.  They should be parameters that allow people room to move and perform.  They should never be vehicles for control than can never be fully reached and will most certainly not allow people to be consistent.

We need to be like the scouts who look at eminent danger and say, ” Oooh, cool !!”  I learn something every time I get to go and lay under the stars and the rain and the mud.  Amid all that, you only hear playing, laughter and memories being made.  It’s a great “workplace.”  Maybe we’d all enjoy what we did a bit better if we loosened the reigns and allowed people room to move !!

We’re Everywhere !!

I just returned from an incredible conference in San Antonio, Texas for the HR/TD group of the Credit Union National Association (CUNA).  This was my second time with this group of HR professionals and I have to say that, as a whole, they are some of the most welcoming folks I’ve met in our field !!

I never take it lightly when I get the opportunity to speak in front of any group – especially peers in my field.  I know the challenges they face in their organizations, how others outside of HR view the field and that working with people can be tough.  However, I also know that they have the ability to be amazing in what they do and where they work !!

It was truly fascinating to be inside an HR group within an industry.  Because, you see, most of us don’t even know these great HR pros exist !!

The majority of people in HR have a very narrow focus.  You can read all you want about being “broad,” but most people have either a comfort zone or a personal capacity where they keep their HR community pretty close.  Be honest, we tend to look for HR “voices” either in Social Media or through SHRM National, or local chapters.  These are all great avenues to connect with HR people, but it’s not the only place we exist.  The fact is . . . HR people are everywhere !!

Since that is the case and HR people are everywhere, what keeps us from connecting?  Let me throw this out to you . . .

We’re surrounded by people every day, and we lose site that there would be an advantage to get to connect with other great HR pros.  The “negative” voices rear their ugly head like – “They’ll probably want something from me.”  “What if they’re creepy?”  “I really don’t have time for more people in my already busy life.”

We’ve bought into the myth that our current relationships can provide all we need to be effective HR folks.  In fact, some companies HR people NEVER leave the confines of their own organization because they’re gigantic and they feel they have all the resources they need internally.

Don’t buy it !!  I can give you countless stories of great HR people I continue to meet, interact with, and connect to others.  I’m glad this faction of the HR world asked me to venture to Texas.  I told them that I was writing about them and hope to see more of them get connected in the greater HR universe.

My hope is you do this as well !!  This week, step out.  Meet one new HR connection.  I guarantee it will only improve what you do and how you look at HR !!

It’s Opening Day !!

This week I participated in a true Cincinnati tradition !!  My family and I went to Opening Day for the Cincinnati Reds.  It was truly a spectacle to behold !! Everyone was smiling, laughing and anxious for the start of a new baseball season.  The smell of bratwurst, pizza, beer, popcorn and peanuts filled the air.

People didn’t want to miss any second of the festivities.  The Reds have always valued this tradition since they were the first Major League team ever.  Fans are loyal and educated about the storied past as well as being encouraged about the current team.  They know stats, performance indicators and have strong opinions about their favorite players.

All eyes were glued to the field when they paid honor to wounded veterans who had proudly served our country.  Next was the unveiling of a gigantic American flag that covered the outfield as an enormous plane flew over the stadium at the perfect moment amid roaring cheers !!  The ceremonial first pitch followed and then we moved onto the game.  You could hear all types of conversations going on all around you, and every “ooh” and “ahh” of the plays on the field was palpable.

Seeing this event was truly a treat for my family and me.  It also made me think . . .

42,000+ people were filled with awe, joy and hope for baseball players that don’t even know they exist.  We go to work everyday with a team of people we need to have succeed more than any sports team ever will.

So, what if we treated the beginning of the day like Opening Day at work?  We were geeked to see everyone !!  We cheered their performance on and wanted to see them bring their best in all they did !!  We knew that each person had a role that made the team thrive and we built on it, encouraged it and gave them the equipment to “knock it out of the park.”

As you start this work week, you can have that Opening Day feel !!  What do you say?

Are you reaching out ??

A few weeks ago, my good friend Dave Ryan was the guest host of the Hire Friday Chat (#HFChat).  It’s a chat on Twitter for both HR folks and job seekers.  Dave’s topic was, “Do you have an HR Buddy?”  It was a fast paced chat that really intrigued me.  I was thinking to myself, “Do HR people see themselves as a resource for others – especially those in transition?”

The economy is still rough.  A telltale sign of this was something that happened to me the day after the chat.  I was asked to present a one-hour session on writing a resume and job search tips for local teachers who were losing their jobs.  Over three sessions, I saw 100+ teachers who were upset, confused, disillusioned and not sure what to do.  Oh, by the way, this is the district where my kids go to school.

The sessions were upbeat and I made sure there was a ton of laughter !!  They needed to just let it out a little more than listen to someone tell them what to do.  I also explained that I understood what they were facing because I had been in transition over my career as well.

At the end of the sessions, I was spent.  I went home and crashed on the couch because I had really gone through the whole roller coaster of emotions with the teachers.

I challenged the teachers to start networking and reach out intentionally.  One way I did this was by not giving them business cards.  I gave them my e-mail address and said that the first step in moving forward is to take action.  So, if you want to connect, then you need to reach out first.  An amazing number of them did and I was jacked up once again !!  I also asked them to Link In with me, start searching my contacts and the companies I might know.  Again, an incredible response !!

As HR professionals, I feel that ALL of us (ALL !!!) need to do more to reach out to those in transition.  Here’s why:

  • We can give sage advice on how to deal with HR people – and not have them want to kill us !!  Remember – the last person most of these people talked to was an HR person.  Soften the blow on dealing with HR and show them that we truly can be “human.”
  • We have skills in recruiting and interviewing.  Let people in transition “behind the curtain” so they can be more successful in their search.
  • There’s incredible talent out there right now.  There are many still available and looking who may be that great fit you’re looking for in your company.  Reaching out to the transition community makes you that first choice !!

I could list many, many more reasons why HR should be reaching out.  I know it takes time and effort on top of already full days/schedules.  However, remember this . . .

One day you may be in transition too.

Wouldn’t you want someone who would reach out to you ??

What we gain through loss . . .

This past week I lost a large part of my past. The church I grew up in, Ada 1st United Methodist, burned to the ground.

NOTE: Now, please know that I’m well aware that the “church” is not the building.  I hope you read on to see what I’d like to talk about . . .

Many memories happened at this church.  Weddings of my cousins and friends.  Funerals of dear people from Ada including grandparents.  Making pumpkin pies and hard tack candy for our youth group fundraisers.  Holding hands with my first girlfriend while I was supposed to pay attention to the service.  And most of all, tons of experiences that shaped me as a young man and helped define my faith.

Also, this past week, I learned of a friend’s, Dawn Hrdlica-Burke, loss of her father.  Three others facing serious, if not life threatening, health situations.  A continued group of people who remain jobless, and several folks near me recovering from the devastation of recent tornadoes.

Now, if you read my blog with any regularity, you know that I’m generally an extremely positive person !!  It’s not a facade or on-line persona, it’s who I really am.  So, when significant things hit home they really hit home.  It made me think . . .

You see, when I posted on Twitter and Facebook that my hometown church had been destroyed, I received messages of empathy and encouragements from literally around the globe.  That floored me !!  I was so thankful that I had people that cared enough to reach out and give a kind word.  And then I thought again . . .

Every day in the workplace the people around me are going through “stuff” just like this or worse.  Do I take the time to see if they’re truly okay?  Or, do I do the obligatory “Hi, how are you?” waiting for their inevitable answer of “Fine.”  We continue to be polite with each other because that next e-mail or task is really what we’re focused on vs. taking the time to see how someone truly is.

The fact of the workplace is that we want people to focus on the “stuff” we think is truly important like processes, projects and time frames.  We don’t want to deal with people’s “stuff” because that takes too much time, and what if they truly want me to care?

As I mentioned before, I was floored at the responses I received and am thankful that I have people who feel close enough to share their thoughts.  However, I truly feel that many people walk through the doors at work every day with life’s struggles in front of them, and they may have few, if any, people supporting them through what they’re facing.

It’s time for HR to be the model and break this distant approach with people.  People DO matter and it SHOULD matter to us how they’re doing.  It may get messy and you may have to act, but isn’t that great?  We need to be the ones taking the time to see how people really are.  It may be the ONE thing they’re looking for – a genuine connection at work.

This week, break the mold.  Be the Human that others need.  Take the time to get involved with their “stuff.”  It will change the world !!

Get Your Hands Dirty !!

This weekend my wife asked me to start sprucing up the house for the impending graduation gathering for my daughter in three months.  I needed the nudge because I was dreading the work ahead.  I love being outside, but this level of yardwork was going to be massive !!

One task was to realign the wall I constructed several years ago around our front landscaping.  There are 150+ pavers that span the front of the bed.  Now, this wall has needed attention for some time, and I would see that one or two pavers were out of line, and I’d get them back into the wall with minimum effort.  However, when I looked at the work in front of me it was more like an orthodontist facing a challenging set of crooked teeth.

The chore almost put me in the ground.  To repair the wall and get it where it should be took over four hours of digging, removing roots, being covered in mud and replacing about 1,000 worms who were wondering why they home was being “remodeled.”

I had to get my hands dirty and fully throw myself into the project in order to see a better end result.  As I sit here typing, I’m exhausted and yet invigorated !!  This simple project reminded me that we all need to reexamine how we do HR.

  • How many times do we see systems that need our attention, and we do a quick fix or update just to give it a little more life, when it needs a true overhaul?
  • How often do we sit behind our desk and shoot off an e-mail when we could go and see someone face-to-face to see what their situation entails first hand?
  • How often are we critical of how others handle HR situations, when we could be more integrated with them to help them succeed?
  • How often do we look for “best practices” when we should be creating “next practices” ourselves?

This list could go on and on.  So, the opportunity before us is pretty simple.  We need to get our hands dirty.  This week take a look at the “wall” that you see every day and see if it can be torn down, reconfigured and brought back to life.  It’s worth the work !!

What’s at the end of your tunnel ??

I love being in HR !!  For those of you who know me, this isn’t some random blogger’s statement.  I’m genuinely passionate about HR and love to see how the field can to continue to develop, evolve and grow.  That brings me to this week’s observation . . .

The majority of folks in HR suffer from “tunnel vision.”

By this I mean that too often we take the stringent and narrow when it comes to our policies, procedures and systems.  We continue to create and develop systems to keep folks in check (i.e. attendance systems, don’t do this/that policies, etc.)  At the same time, I continue to hear HR folks who are frustrated with what we do.  We belabor the fact that people continue to work around our systems and we don’t know how to get things back in line.

The reality of this frustration is that you can’t get things back in line – nor should you !!  There is absolutely nothing wrong with structure and focus.  People work well when they know there are boundaries.  But, boundaries are different than walls !!

I continue to find that people are vastly different.  This fascinates me because it makes it all the more difficult to come up with HR systems full of absolutes and must have’s.  So, I take a different path and I’d like you to consider it as well.  Here’s what I do . . .

My tunnel is a kaleidoscope !!  Like you, I need to focus, but by looking at each person and situation on their own within the parameters of the systems we have, you get a new image every time !!

Doing HR this way IS more challenging, but isn’t that cool ??  Also, I find it to be incredibly less frustrating and even more consistent because people know that I’ll evaluate the circumstance based on what they’re facing.  It has led to things being more decisive in most cases, and it’s also given my department more flexibility and the ability to make sure that we take the time to look at all facets of what’s facing us.

I used to say that HR is gray and not black/white.  I’m changing that to HR is psychedelic because that is the landscape that I see people moving through.  Why don’t you join me and turn the tunnel to see what new images you get ??

Image courtesy of Worldwide Hippies

 

Put a Little Love . . .

This past weekend I was at the University of Indianapolis with my daughter who decided after this visit to join them next year as a Freshman.  It’s a time of transition for me, my family and my daughter.  Why should that matter to anyone but us ??

Good question.  You see, I’m experiencing a “transition” in my personal life and it just hit me because SEVERAL of my friends have been facing transitions as well.  Just this past month the following has happened:  four HR friends lost their jobs, one HR friend lost her father and another his mother-in-law, three HR friends are struggling with their marriages and/or divorce.  It shouldn’t matter . . . but it does !!

As HR people we don’t take time to know what’s really going on in people’s lives because we think it takes too much time.  Also, if we know about what’s happening we might have to DO something with that information.  Another pressure we face is we have managers who think that personal situations just get in the way of work that REALLY matters.  Ironically, if a personal situation comes up that involves them personally, then they want us to take note.  Huh !!

What would happen if we did take notice of people’s personal situations?  I don’t mean to take it to a creepy level.  Instead, I propose this.  Take note of the various highs/lows that people choose to share and SHOW GENUINE INTEREST instead of passing glances and quick “Hello’s”.  We keep asking people to handle change, and yet we ignore the transitions and changes that are happening to them everyday.  Just by listening, we may relieve the anxiety, pressure and uncertainty of what they’re facing.  I take great joy in laughing with, crying with and rejoicing with people I work with and know that because those events truly matter to them, they likewise matter to me.

You can’t keep asking people to put the “H” back in HR if you aren’t willing to model it yourself.  It made me think of the great 70’s song “Put a Little Love in Your Heart.”  I love the Annie Lennox/Al Green version (in this link).

So, I’m excited about the new transition about to happen as my daughter continues to grow and head off to college next year.  I’m excited about your transitions too because it truly makes “the world a better place for you . . . and me . . . you just wait . . . and see !!”