Author: Steve Browne (Admin)

Write. Read. Share.

I’m going into my eighth year of having an HR blog. It’s something I truly enjoy. It gives me a chance to share my thoughts, perspectives and ideas. I have always liked being creative, and having a platform like this gives me a chance to see what hits the page. I was a relatively early adopter of HR blogging and I admired the folks who were already active, visible and vocal when I started.

Many of the bloggers I read have tapered off. I understand that. It’s hard to come up with content, be consistent and sustain a blog. I miss seeing their work, but appreciate all that they did to bring the world of Human Resources to the business arena !!

Now, there are several new HR professionals who have started their own blogs. They are at various stages of their careers and come from different industries. It’s honestly exciting and reminds me of when blogging first began.

At the same time, there’s a concerning trend that is honestly disappointing. I keeps seeing more and more tweets and blog posts bemoaning that these new bloggers aren’t sharing anything “new”. They only contain retreads of ideas. Or, even worse, people spending so much more time tearing the ideas of others down instead of trying to listen and understand someone else’s perspective. The darkness, negativity and cynicism seems to be rampant, growing and prevalent. It doesn’t make sense.

When, in the history of society, did tearing things down ever result in building things up ??

I want to see this change. I want people to see people share all types of perspectives and insights. It’s not a matter of agreeing with everything that’s written. However, it does mean allowing all voices to be expressed. There is more than enough room for everyone’s blog. We don’t need to constrain things. Keep in mind that these new bloggers are reaching a new audience as well. The work they’re creating is solid and has real value. With that in mind, I’d encourage you to follow a new model – Write. Read. Share.

Write

As I mentioned earlier, writing for me is a release. I seem to have ideas constantly swirling around in my brain just trying to burst out. In fact, I write a weekly email for a global forum called the HR Net that I’ve been doing for 19 years. I write a song parody about HR and have written over 500 songs. Again, they just need to get out. Writing is cathartic. It’s key to get your ideas in front of others so they can be consumed, critiqued and understood. I think that getting your ideas down is where you should focus, and however you choose to approach this is fine. There’s no one method that works for everyone. The most important facet is to take the first step and write.

Read

I’m a voracious reader. I have been for as long as I can remember. I have two to three books going at a time, and they’re rarely from the same genre. I also read the blogs of many people they range from curated sites which gather the works of many authors to individuals who I enjoy learning from. You see, I read to learn. I don’t want to ever fall into the trap that my voice alone is all there is to know on any subject or facet of HR, work or life. With billions of people roaming the planet at the same time, I have to believe that they myriad of thoughts available is endless.

Share

Writing and reading are wonderful, but they are also self-serving. If I only express myself by writing and then only personally learn from reading, then the impact of that information is limited to my personal capacity. I think that sharing the work of others even more important than writing. I am a zealot about being others focused. It is in my core. I have never felt challenged, diminished or obstructed by shining the light on others. If you look back in history, the only way people learned was by sharing.

From now on, be encouraging of others. Let’s stop the trend of negativity for good. You have the time. Remember this – If you have time to write, you have time to read. If you have time to read, you have time to share.

Go forward and write what’s in your heart and on your mind. Read what others say and learn from them. And, share broadly and often so that our HR and business community can grow.

Write. Read. Share.

Blank Canvas !!

This past Friday my wife and I were invited by a friend to come to the soft opening of her new business. She had once been in a Corporate Wellness role, but recently was affected by a downsizing. This is never easy. To be between jobs is challenging for anyone. She reflected on what her next step should be, and after some time and talking with her husband she decided to open a Pinot’s Palette franchise !! These stores are where you can go and paint your own masterpiece with friends and family or on your own.

That’s a giant step for anyone. To make the move from a role where you’re part of a larger organization where you have co-workers and resources to becoming an entrepreneur takes faith. I wanted to make sure to be a supporter of her new endeavor, so we attended the opening.

Now, we honestly thought we’d come to congratulate her and share a drink and some finger food. We’d take a tour of her new place, meet her husband and wish them the best. However, as we opened the door we were greeted with life, upbeat music and MANY friendly faces. We looked over at the tables and there were 40 small easels all with a blank canvas on them. I thought that was a good representation of what a normal night would look at the business.

One of the new staff said, “Pick out an apron from the wall. We have a space marked out for both of you.” My wife and I looked at each other and then back at the staff member. I said, “I’m sorry. We’re supposed to grab an apron?” She replied, “Well, yes. You’re going to paint tonight !! We’re all doing Van Gogh’s The Starry Night.” We were caught off guard.

We grabbed an apron, moved to our places and stared at a blank canvas in front of us. My wife had never gone to a painting class, and I had only been once. As the room filled up, you could hear most of the people who were associated with the new owners share their same anxiety about what was about to occur.

Before we started, we both shared some food and a drink hoping it would calm our nerves. We also introduced ourselves to our table mates. The instructor asked us to take our places and get ready to paint. My wife leaned over to me and quietly shared, “I’m not sure I can do this.” I reassured her that she’d be fine, and then the painting began . . .

Let me break away for a second.

My wife’s response in facing a blank canvas is very similar to most people I know. We don’t like the unknown. When faced with a task that seems daunting and beyond our capability, we doubt ourselves. It’s how many face work daily and keep their anxiety to themselves.

Are you there to reassure others that they are capable? You have a great opportunity in HR to be an encourager on a daily basis. I wish more HR practitioners would do this. Employees yearn for acknowledgement and someone who believes in them. I hope you willingly step into that role.

Now back to painting . . .

Layer after layer was added to our canvases. What started as several brush strokes of deep blue paint now took form and started to look like a landscape. The conversations that people had ranged from people in awe they could paint to inevitable comparisons. Everyone stated that their painting wasn’t good enough. They didn’t look anything like Van Gogh’s work.

Back to employees and workplaces . . .

Sounds just like work doesn’t it? Instead of being encouraged for the performance people give through their effort, we compare. We have entire systems which measure what people don’t do and how they fall short. How backwards is this? And yet, we do nothing to eliminate this archaic and ineffective approach. We can, and should, change our approach to focus on the work that people do and expect them to be creative and perform. Workplaces would thrive if this became the norm and not the exception.

And now we finish . . .

My final piece of art !! Had a great time doing this.

Everyone ended up with their version of The Starry Night. Not one was the same, and that was perfect. Each person worked from their skill set and their interpretation of the instructions and what they felt and saw. My wife and I had a great time. We made new friends and went home with a shared experience our own “masterpieces.”

You can treat every day as a blank canvas because it is. Instead of doubting your ability, pick up a brush, dab some paint on it and start covering the white space. You can also be someone who adds color, life and vibrancy to other’s and their blank canvas. Do this on purpose and see how much better you enjoy your work, HR in general and the amazing accomplishments of others.

Take Your Shot !!

A few weeks ago my wife and I got to experience something we had been anticipating for over two years. We went to see the musical Hamilton !! We had heard all the hype and hoped it would live up to it. We even did some show prep by listening to the soundtrack on Spotify and looking up the history of Alexander Hamilton’s life.

It. Did. Not. Disappoint !!

From the opening scene to the dropping of the curtain after the second act, every moment was wonderful. We loved the orchestra, the staging, the continuous movement and the story. It was different than anything we had ever seen. The songs weren’t what we were used to. The pace was new as well. The lyrics had life, movement and swagger !! It was wonderful to take it all in.

All of the songs were powerful in their own way and were key in telling the story of his life. I was fascinated by the third song in where Hamilton exclaims that he’s not going to miss his shot. He was very vocal about wanting to be involved with all that was happening in the birth of America as a nation. He didn’t want to miss out. He wanted to be someone who made a lasting impact and legacy. He was overt in making sure he was in the mix of those that were starting the coming revolution.

Do you feel like that as an HR pro? Do you ever have the desire to be someone who makes a lasting impact through your work or in your field? I think you should and I know you can !!

Too often we feel that HR should remain in the shadows or out in the hallway waiting for when, or if, we’re needed. We’ve taken on the mantle of “support” so willingly that we rarely step out of this approach. Please understand that providing support to others is necessary in our roles. Don’t think that I’m stating that we should walk away from this aspect of human resources. However, I don’t think it should be how we’re expected to be defined. It’s far too limiting.

I think we lack the zeal and confidence that Hamilton and his peers seemed to have. Now, they had a big, audacious goal to achieve in fighting for independence and then designing the structure of our first governing body. Hamilton and his peers were far from perfect. They were extremely flawed. Even though that was the case, they pressed on to lead and bring about significant change. I understand that giant shifts and projects come about rarely. It shouldn’t discourage you though.

There are opportunities for you to take your “shot” on a regular basis in your workplace if you choose to see them. You don’t have to be perfect or have a senior level in the company. You can take leadership as well as provide support. You can put yourself in the mix of the people who are looking to change and shape your company. I don’t buy the response that senior leadership won’t “let you” take this on. Companies are always looking for people to step up and lead. Always.

This week take stock of all you do in HR. I’m sure it’s incredible !! Now see where there are opportunities to take your shot. This time though instead of letting it pass you by, step up. Don’t miss taking your shot !!

Practice the Practice !!

Last year in November, my wife and I joined a gym. We wanted to get healthy, and we wanted to get ahead of the traditional rush of folks who make their annual New Year’s resolution. This isn’t a major accomplishment for most, but since we’re both over the half century mark, we needed to make a change.

We chose to join the Mason Community Center for several reasons. First of all, it’s far enough away that you need to drive to get there. That’s good because the 15 minute drive makes you be intentional in using the membership. Secondly, the facility is phenomenal !! It has treadmills, ellipticals, weights, an indoor track, a indoor swimming pool and several basketball courts. The center is a magnet and it’s always full of people.

I loved all of the potential activities, but I was especially attracted by the basketball courts. You see, I’ve been playing basketball for over 40 years !! In fact, I played on organized teams for eight years in schools and was even recruited to play at the collegiate level (small colleges, but still !!) I chose to pursue my education at a larger university so I changed over to playing on intramural teams. Once I graduated and settled into my home/job, I kept playing on community teams. As I aged, my passion for playing competitively waned because of having great kids of my own and other items that took my time and attention. I “played” outside my house every once in awhile, but not like I used to.

Seeing the courts at the community center brought back the urge to play basketball again. I even asked for a new basketball from my wife for my birthday in January. I got one !! Since I had been so proficient and successful in the past, I couldn’t wait to get out on the court and shoot around. I decided to combine my workout and make it half treadmill/elliptical and half basketball.

I was so eager to launch my first shot with my new basketball !! As I hoisted the sphere into the air, I watched as it arced toward the basket . . . and came up about a 1/2 foot short. How could that be? I was really good at basketball. It should just come back naturally, shouldn’t it? I had the proper equipment and there wasn’t anything keeping me from performing, but I was awful. I made a few shots my first time back out. A few.

What was wrong? It didn’t make sense. Sure, I hadn’t played competitively for several years, but I wasn’t trying to jump into a pick-up game. I was only taking some shots to get back into the swing of things. The one thing I was missing was – practice.

We don’t like to practice. We don’t. It’s almost like joining a gym. We know it will help us feel better and it makes sense mentally, but we aren’t willing to make the time and effort needed to get involved. It doesn’t change the fact that practicing anything makes you better. This idea of practice pertains to HR because I think we’ve lost sight of practicing our practice.

Sure, we work daily in our field, but do we continue to practice to make us better? I think we tend to get in a pattern of how we take on HR in our corner of the business universe and we stick to it. That works and it’s functional, but it’s also limiting. The “practice” of HR is ever evolving and never remains constant. If we’re not keeping up on this movement, then we’ll be just like when I picked up a basketball again. Our efforts will come up short.

Did you ever notice that the word “act” is in the middle of the word “practice”? Practicing compels you to act. You can’t just wish something into existence. You need to move and break the pull of inertia.

It’s time for all of us in HR to practice our practice. Trust me. The more you practice the better professional you’ll be personally, for your company and for the field as a whole. So, consider this your new basketball. Time to get back out on the court and start practicing !!

A Bright Future !!

“How old are you? Seriously, what’s your age?”

Pretty straightforward isn’t it? If that’s how I introduced myself, how would you react? I bet you’d be “offended” or put off because you would wonder why that had any bearing whatsoever on our meeting. The next thought in your head would be wondering why in the world I would start a conversation in such a rude way. You’d wonder if I was judging you or making assumptions about you as a person just because of a number. That’s assuming that you’d even answer me.

Seems pretty outlandish doesn’t it? However, we continue to do this as HR professionals and think nothing of it. In fact, we have conference sessions, books and blogs about how to “deal” with these young whipper snappers disrupting OUR workforce !! (Insert the “Get off my lawn” with the obligatory fist shaking motion here . . .)

Every HR conference has a “Working with Millenials” speech that you can get credit for. Sadly, the room will be packed because we’re so mystified by such a difficult challenge. Ironically, the presenter most likely won’t be a millenial. It will be someone older complaining about how different these folks are from us. Sad. Just freaking sad.

How did the profession that espouses diversity and inclusion become the profession that delineates employees based on their age? Who said this was a good idea? And, why in the world would you pay anyone as a speaker on consultant to come in and teach you how to “DEAL” with people who are different than you? One other quick fact, the next generation after the millenials is already entering the workplace. I can’t wait until the next phase of generation separation starts happening !!

I hope you can tell this ticks me off. It’s disappointing on so many levels and it has to stop. Here’s how . . . embrace the folks who will replace us !!

My future and yours !!

A few weeks ago I was fortunate to have HR students from Ohio University visit me as part of a field trip. They visited four employers from different types of industries to learn about the companies and how HR was practiced. I was geeked to have them come learn about LaRosa’s, Inc. You see, I am a proud OU Bobcat alumni !! I mentioned that I graduated from college before the internet existed. There were audible gasps.

We had a phenomenal time together !! They were eager, engaged and hilarious. We spent the whole afternoon together, and I let them ask me anything they wanted to know. They asked pointed questions about how I viewed/practiced HR and what workplaces were “really” like.

Not once did the students hold my age against me as a barrier. I didn’t treat them any differently than any person I encounter on a daily basis. It never came up. Nor, should it.

I encouraged the students to take a serious look at the cultures of the companies they were visiting as a benchmark for what workplaces are like. I told them a truth that I know which is people will stay or leave a company because of it’s culture. I also wanted them to ask their future prospective employers to describe how they view HR and the role it plays in their organizations. I told them to listen to the response because it would reflect the company’s culture and would be the best measure of whether they should join that company or not.

We closed the day in a very cool, and humbling, way. I was able to give them a copy of my book and when I signed the copies I put “OU ’86” under my name. One of the students said “Like 1986 ?? Whoa !!” I laughed. I loved that they thought I was ancient.

The future of HR is bright because of students like these !! I take any opportunity I can to meet with and speak to students because I believe that they need to hear from business people who won’t treat them differently. Instead, you engage them as talented, wonderful future employees.

This week, stop the generation separation. I mean it. We’re better than that. Let’s make our present as bright as our future !!

#HRMixTape2019 – The HR Edition !!

A few years ago my good friend, Mark Hendy, a fellow HR pro from Wales in the UK put a challenge out to put together a mix tape of songs. I remember growing up and literally making mix tapes taking songs from countless vinyl albums. It was always hard to make sure all of the songs flowed well and you had to really work at starting the next song right after the other recording ended.

Mark threw down the gauntlet once again and invited HR pros from around the globe to make their #HRMixTape2019. I couldn’t resist !! People are still buzzing about the great movie Bohemian Rhapsody which is a biopic of the legendary band Queen. I loved the movie and have been an incredible fan of their music for decades. They have so many songs that drip with HR goodness. So, here is my mix tape !!

HR does face pressure every day because we tend to deal with challenging situations daily. Working with people is hard. Realizing that, make sure you have someone you can chat with so that it never overwhelms you.

We have the responsibility for our employees from the time they’re considered as a candidate until the time they leave our company. Terminations are never easy, but they are a reality of our work. So even though another person leaves, make sure that you handle these transitions with grace.

I can’t encourage you enough to reach out and connect with other HR pros. We will thrive, survive and keep ourselves alive only from the support of others who go through what we do. This Spring I hope to meet Mark and many other HR prose when I visit the UK. It will be great to meet folks in person after we’ve been connected on social media. I love having connections of my peers in HR and chat with them daily.

I truly believe that HR is a global community. I would love if we would look past our geography and connect. Together I think we can change the workplace, support the workplace and add value to our organizations. It will take one vision to do this and I know that we can all connect. I hope you’ll join me in making this happen !!

If you remember nothing else, know that you’re in the best profession on the planet !! The more passion you have around what you do, the more you’ll show other how much Human Resources truly rocks. You have the chance to impact and lift up people every day. Nothing rocks more than that. Nothing.

A mix tape wouldn’t be complete if it didn’t have a “hidden track”. I believe that HR and music bring everyone together. So, enjoy my absolute favorite Queen track as we head out. Peace to all !!

All the Verts !!

This past week has been an interesting week of interactions. They ranged from conversations in my office to various connections on-line in social media forums. I tend to take in as much as possible on a regular basis because I enjoy all of the contact. Yes, I am an extrovert. In fact, when I’ve taken assessments that measure this, I’m off the chart. That isn’t always a good thing.

I only mention that because my extroversion is only one small facet of who I am. We tend to take our “vert” and use it to lead in describing us as people. This is solid because it’s a fact. However, we often use it as a label to explain what we’re not instead of highlighting who we are. Knowing who we are is essential because self-awareness, in my opinion, is the baseline of healthy relationships, interactions and even leadership !!

One of the unexpected interactions this week was from my friend Paul LaLonde. He just started a new blog called the HR Philosopher and he described how we met each other in person at last year’s SHRM Annual Conference. I love that he described me as “a giant man with a booming voice and a tie-dye shirt” because it makes me smile. He also shared how he stepped out of his comfort zone to be intentional that we met. I love this because I’m the opposite. If I see you in a room, I want to meet you.

The reality of your “vert” is that it drives how you process thought, how you tend to communicate and how you approach meeting others and the relationships you develop. Your vert is your lead in. That is spectacular and not a hindrance. Respecting that people land all across the scale of extroversion and introversion is imperative because we start interactions based on who we are and regardless of who the other person is. I would challenge you to not charge, or creep, into interactions. Feel things out. See if there is receptivity in initiating contact. It’s safer for all the verts to do this.

The other unexpected connection I made this week was listening to a podcast. I love listening to the HR Social Hour 1/2 Hour Podcast because it features fellow HR practitioners. You get to learn about them more as people including how they arrived in the field of HR, their varied experiences and some personal faves in movies, TV and music. This week’s episode featured Natasha Desjardins, an HR pro in the non-profit sector in Washington, D.C. She lit up the microphone with excitement and passion which was an instant draw for me personally.

She shared an incredibly profound statement which she stated is a personal philosophy that she has adopted which is an African proverb – “I am because WE are.” She described it so well stating that who she is as a person is because of all of the great variety of people in her life that are connected to her. She never said, “Because I’m an ______vert . . . We are __________verts.” Her joy about how she is intentionally connected to others was spectacular to hear. Honestly, I clapped in my car when the episode ended.

This week enjoy the interactions with everyone you encounter because of who they are and not because of some label !! We are far more than our “verts”, but we are also who we are because of them. Connect on purpose my friends. Show others how amazing the whole you really is !!

(P.S. – Start by connecting with Paul and subscribing to his blog and listen to Natasha on the podcast. You’ll be glad you did !!)

Change the World !!

Something has been truly puzzling to me lately. In the swirl of events, there seems to be a larger and larger focus on upheaval and dismay versus anything positive. I am not naive and ache for the constant wave of tragedy that fills every form of media. Honestly I do take time to step away and reflect just to break the pattern.

It’s odd to me that we continue to pile on more and more negativity that is happening either to us, or around us, and we expect that the more we scream and tear things down that we’ll hit some basement. I don’t think it’s possible because your “bottom” may not even be close to what’s happening to others.

I do my best to personally fight this and encourage others on purpose. I find that even in doing that, there is a push back that occurs because people feel better if you suffer with them. Enough is enough. I will not fall into the trap that I need to tear things down in order to build things up. I just won’t.

Recently, as I was working out walking and sweating on a treadmill, I heard a song that I hadn’t heard in years. The song is “Change the World” by Eric Clapton. It is a beautiful song and the words just tear at me. It’s a song that he sings to another person claiming that he’d pull down a star and shine it on his heart to show how much he loved and cared for another person. He would do anything if he could “change the world.”

I know that I’ve written on this topic in the past, and yet it still tugs at me. You see it seems that HR has chosen more to conform to be like the rest of everyone at their company instead of choosing to make a change. We’d rather blend in than stand up. I think we’d do better in understanding that our interactions could literally change the world !!

One of my favorite quotes ever is from Ghandi when he encouraged others around him to “be the change you want to see in the world.” We tend to shy away from this expansive aspiration because we think that changing the world would involve some massive effort beyond our abilities. I don’t think that’s the case at all. We just need to reframe how we look at making change.

I think there is far too much focus on results in all facets of work and our lives. Results are important, but they don’t lead. They lag. Relationships are far more important and you make change through those relationships. These lead to stronger results. Every. Time.

Changing the world isn’t about effort. It’s about people. It always has been.

In HR you’re surrounded by people and you can be the ONE person who makes a positive impact for them. A kind word, a listening ear and a willing heart can build up others. These aren’t “soft skills”, they’re human skills. And, make no mistake about it, human skills are what drives business and allows for world shaping change.

This week I hope you turn away from the negative noise and choose to be a person who can change the world. Pull a star from the heavens and reach out to others and show them that they matter and have value. Trust me, the more of us that make this effort will be the change we want to see in the world !!

Be the Bridge !!

When Winter rears it’s ugly head, it often forces you inside. That can either be insufferable, or a chance to get indoor projects done that you haven’t been able to get to. We’re on the projects end of the spectrum. This weekend’s project was to paint our master bedroom. I looked forward to it because I love to paint !! I mean it. I love painting indoors because it turns out to be me and my iPod.

Yes, I said iPod. You see I have an iPod Classic with 12,400+ songs loaded onto it. When I turn it on and hit shuffle, I escape into every song, and it makes any task I take on seem easy. What could easily become mundane because of its difficulty, now becomes lively and time flies. As I dipped the roller into the tray, I heard the beautiful voice of Art Garfunkel of the immortal duo Simon & Garfunkel. His beautiful lilting voice started singing the beautiful ballad “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”

Every time I hear this song played, I get misty. I really do. It’s a gorgeous melody with haunting lyrics that hit you right from the start. Here’s a snippet . . .

“When you’re weary, feeling small; When tears are in your eyes, I’ll dry them all”

The song talks about someone willing to be present for someone who’s going through something difficult. The imagery is that they are willing to be the bridge for their friend in order for them to reach the other side of whatever they’re facing.

The reason this song resonates so much for me is that this how I view HR. I truly feel that we need to be the bridge for others who need it. I know that this runs contrary to the current trend to keep a clear distance from people. Please note that I agree with, and understand, that there are boundaries that should always be respected. However, people are coming to work every day aching. I feel they don’t share what’s going on either because they don’t feel they’ll genuinely be heard, or they feel that they’ll be blown off because their personal situation isn’t “work.”

How long can we continue this disinterested stance and feel that we’re being effective? I can hear the resistance that is rising even as I type this. If we don’t watch it, HR is going to make itself so disconnected that there won’t be a reason for us to exist. We have to step in, reach out and be the bridge for others. You have to trust me, from personal experience, that whenever I’ve been a bridge builder great results have occurred. It hasn’t always meant that the person’s situation was completely addressed or that they even stayed with the company. However, the personal touch that they yearned for occurred and started something positive in the midst of the “troubled waters” they were facing.

I also think HR people stop being a bridge themselves because they’ve had a bad experience and have been burnt. This never good and is a definite risk. I do think it’s a risk worth taking though because this is more of an exception than the rule. Another factor that makes HR pros hesitate in being bridge builders is that we don’t have someone who will be our bridge when we face difficulties ourselves.

I know that I seem to be shouting a similar message over and over, but HR people need to understand that our peers can be a bridge. I have many very close friends that I can reach out to who also reach out to me. It’s not some hokey, professional camaraderie. They are genuine relationships that have developed over social media and also in person.

If you don’t have HR peers who are bridge builders, you need to find ones. I will also put this out there . . . I’m willing to be the first person to reach out. You don’t have to face what you’re doing alone. I mean it. You reach out and I’ll be there.

It’s time for us to realize that we have an incredible opportunity in front of us. Please join me in reaching out. Be the bridge !!

Image from Successories

Tradition !!

This past week my wife and I went to see Fiddler on the Roof as part of the Broadway Series in Cincinnati. We love seeing live theater, and this is honestly one of my favorite musicals ever !! This version did not disappoint either. It had your attention from the moment the lights went down until the cast was “walking” out of their town of Anetevka to end the musical.

If you’ve never seen this great musical, I would highly recommend it. It has a great story line and the songs are all very memorable. The show starts with the powerful song “Tradition” where the various members of the little town in Russia during the turn of the 20th century all sing about their designated role. The main character, Tevye, is both narrator the one who carries the torch of tradition for himself, the townspeople and especially his five daughters.

During the opening song, Tevye has a line that says, “You may ask, ‘How did this tradition get started?’ I’ll tell you. I don’t know.” That seems to be the case with most traditions whether they be ones you have in your family or those within organizations. Even though we may not know the origin of traditions, we follow them fully just as they do in the show . . . at least for a while.

You see, I think there is value in tradition. Many people get this mixed up with the practice of doing things the same way because that’s “the way things have always been done.” If you come across this type of stagnation, then you have to challenge it and/or change it in some way. There is a natural change that happens in companies just due to the fact of the passing of time and the addition and deletion of people. Any time you get new folks involved on work and projects, change occurs simply because they aren’t the people who were involved in the past.

Traditions have their place in companies because they can give you a picture of what has worked in the past. Remember, you can always learn from the past. You just can’t constantly dwell in it. Traditions are an essential part of a company’s culture. They give flavor, distinction and help shape the fabric of what your company offers. These on-going facets are those that critical components of retention. Traditions can be a very positive aspect if they are healthy, living and inclusive.

The key movement in the musical is also a great lesson for us as HR professionals in organizations. Tevye wants to desperately hold on to the traditions of his past that you assume happened for generations. His daughters challenge him in every way and break with tradition by choosing a spouse when spouses had been traditionally agreed upon by the father and another family. He reluctantly gives in on the three who choose a partner because he sees all sides of what the change will bring. This includes the hope that his daughters would benefit from breaking with tradition.

We should look around within our companies to see what traditions need to be tweaked or altered all together. One reason for this is that making changes will allow for diversity to be present on purpose. You can seek the input of others and make sure the voices of everyone have a chance for input. The goal would be for them to benefit from the changes that happen.

Traditions are all around us and we can benefit from having them personally and in our companies. The key is to make sure they are current and relevant. Know why and how you have the traditions that make you great !!