Category: Leadership

A Good Nap

This time of year is always exciting for me. I love watching the NCAA tournaments – both the men and women. It’s so fun to see schools participate in an elimination tournament with the simple premise – win and stay in. Lose and, well, better luck next year. I find myself taking in as many games as possible. Debbie often shares that she becomes a basketball widow over these three weeks.

On top of all of this excitement, my favorite team, Xavier University, made the field !! They had a tougher road than most because they had to win a play-in game to even get to the official first round. The game Wednesday night started around 10:00 pm, and we went to a local haunt with family friends to watch the action. Xavier won and it meant we got home around midnight. Of course, I had to work the next day. Thursday was very full at work and was a bit mentally taxing. So, I was tired coming home and still had things to do. Friday is always an early day with my Men’s Group meeting at 6:30 am. Another full day of work, and then our daughter and our granddog were coming home to visit !!

Xavier’s 2nd game was on Friday night starting at 10:00 pm again. I fell asleep after dinner for a quick nap with the hope that I’d be able to stay up and enjoy the game. I did and it meant going to bed at 12:30 am. I was on fumes. My Saturday was packed with a 2-mile walk with Wags in the early morning, making homemade apple cinnamon monkey bread for breakfast, a visit to several stores including a Costco run, and then . . . I was done.

I couldn’t keep going. I was becoming frustrated and conversations were tense for no reason. Little things started to tear at the edges of my exhaustion. I wanted to keep going but I just couldn’t. I somberly told Debbie, “I need to lie down.” I went out to our living room to my favorite sofa and collapsed. I didn’t have an alarm set or any expectation of when I’d wake up. Two magnificent hours later, I felt the heavy breathing of Wags blowing gently on my face.

I awoke renewed, refreshed, and in a much better mood overall. I’m amazed how much better I feel after a nap as if I’m surprised by this result. It’s as if I never remember how great it is. I need to keep this in my memory bank.

I don’t think I’m much different than most other people. We fill our days with as much activity as possible. At the same time, we complain we never get enough done. We’re on the go constantly while feeling we don’t accomplish nearly enough. It’s a vicious cycle that only hurts us. Just like forgetting the joy of having a nap, we overlook that running ourselves into the ground isn’t good for us.

How does driving ourselves to the maximum limit make us more effective? Seriously. Why do we convince ourselves that activity is far more valued than balance? Our bodies, thankfully, are designed better than our brains. If we don’t pay attention to the signs our body gives us, it will shut us down anyway.

I don’t think we can continue to yearn for more balance, when we don’t make the efforts to even attempt to attain a modicum of balance. Naps are just one option for us to make sure we are at our peak on a more consistent basis. Let’s listen to our bodies and fight the pace that life tries to use to entrap us.

I need to get back to the next round of games, take Wags on one last walk before he heads back to Indy, and . . . I hear that couch calling out to me !!

Leave Your Mark

My wife is incredible in many ways !! Yes, I’m biased and am good with that. She is very creative but she would deny that. She has a dedicated craft room in our house that has been her place to make things come to life. She has been a rubber stamper for decades. This hobby has resulted in countless handmade cards for birthdays, weddings, the birth of kids, graduations, and Christmas cards.

They are true works of art. I know many people who have kept every Christmas card she has made for years, and some put them out every year as part of their Christmas decorations. Debbie would tell you that she sees the ideas of others and recreates them. So, I’ll give her that. Let’s call her a structured creative. If you got to know her, you’d see that this description fits well. One of the many other amazing facets of her personality is her joy in structure. She has lists of things to do all over the house.

Every day I’m amazed that she chose to be with me because I represent the opposite of almost every aspect of how she approaches life. I tend to live in the moment. Very little surprises me, and I’m more comfortable adapting on the go. I’m creative as well, but I’d describe my methods as having flow, movement and involving a variety of styles. I like almost every iteration of how art is presented. I am comfortable if things are abstract, modern, distinctly drawn, or classical. Each one has its value.

Eight years ago, when my first HR book was completed, Debbie asked if I’d like to have bookmarks to give out to people. I was floored and excited at the same time. I didn’t know what we could come up with but I was in !! She upped my level of enthusiasm when she suggested we make tie-dye bookmarks. I couldn’t even conceive how this could be accomplished. I was tickled when I found out that we’d mix our creative approaches by using her rubber stamps along with alcohol-based inks to make the tie-dye patterns along with my idea of variety. We put the ink on transparency film (like what we used to use on overhead projectors).

We started to stamp the clear film cut into the perfect shape for a bookmark together. Debbie took one color of ink and dabbed the applicator before applying a beautiful, linear pattern on her piece of film. I took my applicator and put three dots of different colors on it and then smeared the ink all over my film. I continued to follow what felt right as she methodically constructed her set. When we looked up to pause, I had ten done and was moving forward when she commented, “How can you come up with patterns so quickly?” I shrugged and said, “I just see what I want to make and then try it.”

She then made a bright, executive decision. The step after the ink stamping was mounting the film on white, thick paper for backing and strength. She suggested that I continue with the stamping and she’d assemble them after that. Now, please note, her stamped bookmarks were stunning and crisp. We kept them along with my mish mash of variety, and I loved giving them out to people.

Since then, we made a new batch for use at the SHRM24 annual conference. We followed the process of a separation of tasks that we were both responsible for. Very quickly we had constructed 100+ bookmarks. I just found out that I’m speaking again at SHRM25, and I’m grateful for the opportunity. We just bought a new set of supplies and the manufacture of a brand new set of bookmarks will soon be started.

Let me back up just a moment . . .

More than a story of how we take different paths toward creativity, Debbie also had another stunning idea for making these handmade beauties. She said, “If people are nice enough to get one of your books, wouldn’t it be nice to leave behind a little bit of you for them to remember?” How freaking cool is that ??!!

You see, she wanted me to leave a mark. That thought was incredibly astute and she may not have even been aware of the weight of what she had suggested. It was so powerful because as people, we leave our mark on others every time we encounter them whether we mean to or not.

If you ignore someone or push them off to the side because you’re too busy for them, that leaves a mark. If you are pleasant to others to their face and change your story for how you feel with another audience, you leave a mark. When a task that isn’t yet completed takes more of your focus and attention than the people around you, you have left another mark.

We don’t see this or even acknowledge it. It’s time we did. Choose instead to be someone who leaves each interaction as one that is positive, encouraging and meaningful. Leave your mark in such a way that your impact makes their day better. It doesn’t have to be a big gesture. It can be something simple. Something . . . like a bookmark.

A Good Read

Before I moved to the “metropolis” of Ada, Ohio when I entered the 7th grade, I lived in two even smaller locales – Gibsonburg and Luckey, Ohio. Not kidding. My extended family all lived in these smaller burgs that were more rural than residential. I fondly remember when I started elementary school the Bookmobile would come around.

For those of you who don’t know of, or remember, what the Bookmobile was, it was a library on wheels. The vehicle would pull up in the parking lot across from the elementary school and you could wander through the racks and check out books !! The Bookmobile was a converted bus that had one aisle with bookshelves on the walls that stretched from floor to ceiling. It was magical. You could get books on almost any subject, and my mom made sure that my brother and I never missed it when it came to town.

My mother was a teacher for her entire career. Reading was something she valued and she made sure that my brother and I developed the same passion of reading the written word. I remember stacks of books sitting on an end table that we would devour. At first, we started with simple children’s books which made sense. Soon, however, we moved on to books that had more size, depth and content. We read throughout the year above and beyond the books we were required to read as homework for school.

Reading opened our imagination and expanded our horizons. We could travel anywhere throughout the universe and never leave our couch. This reading habit continued until we joined the local library. It was then that we discovered the summer reading program where you’d get prizes for reading a number of books. It was an on-going contest between Mark and myself. We didn’t want to be the one who lost.

As I entered junior high, I made sure to continue the habit of consuming books. Now I was reading books like the Lord of the Rings trilogy, biographies about Lincoln, and countless books on Civil War history. I began to stretch and take in authors like Orwell, King, Huxley and Dickens. All of the reading I had done on my own for those early years made the books I was assigned in high school seem easy to read through and understand with little difficulty.

As I entered college, the level of reading required for my courses took up most of my appetite. I took advanced courses that allowed me to read the works of Dostoevsky, Ghandi, early church fathers along with authors of various textbooks. I chose to get a minor in History, and that filled my desire to read a broad spectrum of books with various perspectives.

Graduation from college meant entrance into the workforce. Trying to get my career kickstarted took the majority of my time and attention. I had moved to a new city and needed to establish an apartment, friendships and learn what the city had to offer. Unfortunately, for about two and half years, I stepped away from reading books. Then I was fortunate to meet my future wife, Debbie. Little did I know that one of the many wonderful attributes she had was that she was a book reader as well !!

Truth be told, she likes to have a book underway all the time. Her passion for reading rekindled mine as well. I began to read again before we started our family. Once our daughter and son were born, we were able to start the cycle that my mom had started when I was young. We read to our kids and had books of our own going simultaneously. As they grew, I picked up the Harry Potter series, reread the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and asked for books each year for my birthday and Christmas.

I made sure to also read books about work, HR and culture. At one time, I had four to five books underway all at the same time. At the dawn of social media, I began blogging, reading the blogs of others and making sure a book or two got read.

Now that our kids are adults and have moved out, I have a confession to make. The lifelong habit I have enjoyed began to wane. The only reason was neglect and . . . technology. I’m not complaining, but I’ve found that the time I used to cherish diving into the pages of an author has transferred to staring at a screen. I’m not proud that this has happened. Truly. I have no problem spending far too much time behind a screen either at work, scrolling through my phone, or streaming some show.

My wife who is still a voracious reader called me out on it, and I’m glad she did. Just this past week I went back to the books I had started and finished a few of them. I then started to grab the memoir of Bono from U2 and recommitted to becoming a book reader once again.

You see, reading books gets you out of a rut. They open your mind to fresh ideas and renew your desire to be creative and use your imagination. I’m so glad Debbie pushed me to give tech a rest and give books the time they deserve.

This week I want to challenge you to make time to break out of the mad pace we choose to live in. Crack open the spine of a book of your choice and jump in. Revitalize a passion for reading books. You’ll be glad you did !!

Get A Car Wash !!

I’ve lived in the Midwest for the vast majority of my life. I enjoy the four seasons. They’re never as equally balanced as one would hope but that’s okay. We’ve had one of the more robust winters this year that I can recall. We’ve had more snow, more arctic blasts, more ice, and more gray than normal. It’s funny to me that if we have a year where we don’t get much snow we wish we had more. Now that we’ve had a significant and lengthy winter we complain that it’s too much.

One of the side effects of a full winter is salted roads. The wonderful road crews do all they can to keep roadways clear. This is often daunting because the weather rarely cooperates in the manner it is predicted to. They lay down tons and tons of road salt to assist in melting the snow, ice, and slush. This mixture rarely stays on the roadway due to the volume of never-ending traffic. Vehicle after vehicle speed through the concoction which inevitably ends up encasing your car in a thick layer of white, brown, and mucky corrosive material. It’s as if your car is a blank canvas waiting to be plastered with the evidence of winter.

I have a long commute to work from my home. It takes anywhere from forty-five minutes to an hour plus depending on the volume of people joining me on the road. If you have construction or an accident along the way, the time only increases. Throw on top of this the various winter precipitation of snow, freezing rain, or sleet, there’s no telling how much time you’ll be behind the wheel. With my extensive commute, you can imagine how my car’s exterior starts to appear throughout the winter.

The below-freezing temperatures that held us in an endless grip for weeks on end only meant you couldn’t get your car washed. The dirt, grime, and sludge just grew in depth while creating an abstract painting that became a hardened shell. It becomes a nuisance because, even though I’m fortunate to have a garage at home, each time I try to walk around the car my coat and clothing get salt transfer. It only seems to stain or smear when you try to wipe it off. It never gets completely removed.

This weekend, the temperature sneaked just above the freezing point. I decided to chance it and get my car and my wife’s car washed. We have a local business just around the corner from where we live that does a great job. It’s an automatic, ever-moving chain that pulls your car through the various brushes and blasts of water and soap. When I pulled up, I saw that I was one of many who were trying to take advantage of their services as well. The trip through the car wash took less than two minutes. When I exited the building, I could swear I heard our cars sigh with relief. They were clean once again !!

A car that keeps moving through the mix of winter precipitation and road gunk is a lot like working in HR. One of the challenges of being in this field is that we get to experience and hear the dark side of work. This may include the various “life” situations people are facing or the general negative conversations that abound throughout the workplace. It can be, and is, draining. You hope for uplifting and encouraging conversations to be the norm, but they are unfortunately the exception.

I’m not trying to be a downer, and you need to understand that I am generally an overly positive person most of the time. However, even I get caked with layer after layer of road salt at work. It comes with the job and is as inevitable as taking a winter commute to and from work. If we’re not cognizant of our exteriors being constantly covered in road spray, then we too become encased in a hardened shell . . . and heart.

We need a car wash. We need to make sure to take a few minutes on a regular basis to wipe out the darkness that tries to envelop us. Too many others around us don’t see that they too are covered in their own blanket of dirt. When the majority of people start their days worrying about what is sure to go wrong, then you’re already facing an uphill battle. Lay on top of this a poor conversation in the hall, the emotions tied to senseless media and social media opinions with the pressures of performing, and you get folks who are buried.

It’s imperative that we’re more aware of the environment we’re in. We need to wash off whatever tries to hold us captive so that we can be at least one bright spot in the days of others. I’m not asking you to ignore the challenges and divisiveness swirling around us. I’m just encouraging you not to let it encompass or define you. It shouldn’t. Remember, a quick trip can wash away months and months of crud (that’s an official HR term by the way).

This next week, make time to get a rinse. You’ll breathe that sigh of relief as well, and it will allow you to move forward with confidence once again.

It’s Bananas !!

If you’ve been a regular reader of my posts, you know I have some quirks. I think most people do, but they tend to keep them to themselves. I find that they help define who I am and how I view life. I have various collections of llamas, lava lamps, conference lanyards over my entire career, buttons (like the flare when TGI Friday’s was popular), and shoes. Specifically one brand of shoe – The Chuck Taylor Converse.

I had my first pair when I was in 7th grade and joined the Ada Jr. High basketball team. When I started to play basketball, the standard of having nice, high-top, leather sneakers hadn’t yet come to be. I was at the end of the tradition of playing basketball with canvas Chuck Taylors which had absolutely no support whatsoever along with no arch supports. They are not “good” for your feet, but man are they stylish !! Our school’s colors were purple and gold, so my first pair was a beautiful dark purple set of size 13 high-tops.

I loved them and was hooked. Throughout high school, I always made sure to have a least one pair in my closet even after we switched to leather high-top Adidas sneakers for basketball. I just liked wearing them. Their innate comfort was a way to relax as I made my way through those awkward teenage years. During college, I made sure I had a pair of kelly green Chucks as I meandered the pathways of my alma mater Ohio University because the school colors are a proud kelly green and white.

Post college when I started my HR career, I bought a pair of bright red Chucks since I moved to Cincinnati and was a Reds fan. In fact, I went to a Reds outing with work peers from Procter & Gamble, and they asked me to sit in a section away from the majority of them because of my shoes. I was geeked that something so simple could be so disruptive. As my career started to take off, I invested in more pairs of Chuck Taylors so that I had a variety of colors to wear whenever I felt the need.

When I started to speak at HR conferences, I originally dressed like the other speakers. I wore khakis, a buttoned-down Oxford dress shirt, and dress shoes. I was mimicking those I saw who were also on the speaker docket. I thought that following the norm would open more doors for me. It didn’t feel right. I wasn’t being true to myself. At my third presentation, I decided to bring out the Chucks. I went with a solid deep blue. I switched from khakis to jeans, and my Oxford shirts switched to either a rock t-shirt or a sweet 70’s inspired paisley.

You’d have thought I injured somebody when I received comments from tenured HR peers and conference committees. This wasn’t “business casual” or the classic “professional.” Ironic isn’t it? How someone dresses is more of an obstacle and a focus than the content a speaker provides. Now, 20+ years later, I’ve started to see the dress of speakers begin to shift. Some still rock out traditional suits and dresses while others stretch to wear jeans and dress sneakers. I’m cool with whatever they choose to wear. If it makes them feel at ease, and they can bring their content to help others learn, then it all works.

One of my favorite pairs of Converse is covered with bananas. They are reflective of an Andy Warhol painting. I’ve always had an affinity for Warhol. He looked at the obvious things around him and turned them into art. Soup cans, Brillo pads, Coca-Cola bottles, iconic celebrities, and bananas. He even tied the banana to the experimental and revolutionary rock group – The Velvet Underground. They’re also made of leather versus the traditional canvas that most Chuck Taylors are constructed from.

The shoes are a reminder to always view HR, people, work, and life differently. Refusing to follow the norms while still being inviting to others. Being disruptive doesn’t mean one has to be destructive. Far from it. It only means that you don’t have to accept things and just fall in line because everyone else does. It’s a small variance from what people expect. Usually, it leads to conversations, questions, and interest. Then who knows where things could lead?

I think it’s bananas that more people don’t push the boundaries around them to form new ones. It would be great if everyone found whatever their personal Chuck Taylors were. Then, they’d make sure to put them on and walk into the world around them. I think if more people would look at constructive ways to disrupt, the world would be a brighter place !!

Wags

Recently, our family’s life changed for the better. I’ve often written about my incredible wife and our wonderful kids. I do that because so much of my life is intertwined with theirs. We have been very fortunate in the scheme of things. Sure, we’ve hit some bumps and continue to face challenges here and there. Overall, however, we enjoy each other and walking through the journey of life together.

We’re at that stage of life as a married couple where we get to help navigate our adults if they ask for our advice. We expect them to make good choices, and we’ve let them know we’re always available for counsel if that is what either of them need. Melanie has been living in Indianapolis, Indiana for over a decade now. She’s a leader in her role as an occupational therapist and purchased her own home. She’s felt a tug lately to get an addition to her household. Several of her friends have taken a similar step with various levels of success. Now she felt it was the best time . . . to get a dog.

She had been on a few sites to look for rescue dogs. She’s let us know about a few and asked our opinion. We gave her a list of things to consider such as cost, that you had to be available all the time for the dog and to look how she could continue to be active and social without being confined only to her house. There were a few wonderful dogs who didn’t quite make a match with her. That was disappointing and a bit frustrating but she pressed on.

Then, the call came for Melanie to meet Wags. He was in a situation where a family had too many dogs under one roof. They didn’t want to part ways but felt that if he had a great home, he could make the transition. The moment they met, she knew she had found her dog and he had found his person. Wags is three years old and soon to be four. He’s a sheepdoodle who was past the puppy stage, was house trained, and was very interested and comfortable with whomever he met. He is far more intrigued by other humans than other dogs. It seemed to be the perfect match.

The family who had Wags were very gracious. They gave Melanie a ton of his dog toys, food, a leash, and a harness. It was like visiting PetSmart and getting all the needed accessories all at once. Wags eagerly jumped into Mel’s Rav4 to travel to his new home. Once there, he explored each room and seemed to be comfortable. He made sure to stay at Melanie’s side. Wherever she went, he was quick to follow. Their bond was set.

When Melanie sent the news to our family group text, we were all ecstatic to hear this !! Our son Josh even declared that Wags was now his favorite family member. We weren’t surprised. My wife Debbie and I were geeked to become granddog parents. Last week, Wags, made the trek to visit our house in Cincinnati. Debbie had prepared as if we had a new grandchild. She purchased food, dog bowls, an accompanying mat for them to rest upon, and new toys for his home away from home.

When the mighty gray and white dog entered our home, he was instantly interested in meeting us. He skipped through each room of our house and then made sure to be back in the room with us. He loved his new toy pizza (you knew that was going to happen), and he never felt out of place. Melanie brought home Ally, a work friend, with her to visit. So, the following day Melanie and Allie took the opportunity to have adventures throughout Cincinnati. That was fine with us. We wanted to watch Wags.

When the girls first left, he sat at the back door and whimpered for several minutes. He missed his human. It was touching to see. When we were able to let him know that it was fine to be with us, he warmed up to play and run around. Unfortunately, I was not feeling well and was quite run down. That is not typical for me. I tried to push through and took Wags on a walk in a light mist. He couldn’t wait to explore and was a joy to walk with.

During our jaunt, he slowed down and rubbed his head on my leg. It was uncanny. He sensed I wasn’t feeling well and he was checking to make sure I was going to make it. When we returned to the house, I collapsed on the sofa. Wags jumped up behind the crook in my legs and laid down with his head on one of my legs. We took a two-hour nap together. It was amazing and I was grateful he was there to give me comfort.

The rest of Wags’ visit was wonderful. It helped both him and us get prepared for his next upcoming visit where we’re watching him for a week while our daughter goes out to visit our son in California. He has found a place in our hearts and our family.

I share this story because we all need people, or animals, who are there by our side just because. They aren’t asking for anything other than our interest and attention. It could lead to a friendship and that would be a bonus. In the meantime, it’s important to be wanted and for others to want you in return.

The world is full of people who are lonely. They could be in a room full of people and still feel desperately alone. This is true in our workplaces as well. That is why I want to continue to encourage you to be there for all of your people FIRST !! It is so much more important, impactful and lasting. Those connections and moments of your day may be exactly just what they needed.

I’ve already learned a ton from Wags. All he’s done is show up in our lives and give us his full attention, warmth, and interest. It’s a good example for all of us.

Get Your Mojo !!

I used to work in an HR department of one for an engineering & architectural consulting firm. I loved it there because of the people. Also, I had quite a field day being one of the few extroverts working with an entire firm of introverts. I was there for over nine years and didn’t think I’d ever change jobs. (Quick aside – Never say Never. I did change to take on the role I’m in now for the past 18+ years . . .)

One of the great parts of my role at the firm was to incorporate a social vibe into our highly detailed and analytical company. I was surrounded by incredibly smart and talented people. The majority of their day was spent creating drawing sets, cranking out calculations, and working on securing permits for the work they were designing. The employees were at a desk behind a monitor for 8 to 10 hours a day.

I decided we needed to break the pattern of people’s daily existence. So, we had the CDS Open – our version of a golf scramble. (CDS was the name of the firm where I worked.) We opened the outing to all of our team members. There was no qualification for skill level or golfing acumen. The employees jumped at the chance to experience something different. They wanted to have a break from their daily activities. Almost everyone in the firm signed up to play. We had enough teams to rent the entire golf course. This initial idea stuck and we ended up having the Open annually and it was a blast !!

People loved to not be tied to their computers and desks, take time to play, and “compete.” There were a handful of people who golfed well while most of us hacked our way up and down the course. At the end of the day, we’d have a cookout and give out prizes. I organized the outings, got the prizes, and was the emcee for the award ceremony. We had the traditional scramble prizes of longest drive, longest putt. closest to the pin, and the team that needed to vastly improve on top of an award for the best scoring foursome. People were cordial and congratulatory for each winner.

The first year I found Mojo golf balls from Nike. I bought them because of the name, look and vibe. The carton looked like it was designed after the psychedelic rock concert posters from the 1960s !!

Each member of the winning foursome received a carton of Mojo golf balls. When I handed them out I said, “Your team won because you had your Mojo going !!” People would howl – especially engineers and architects. I was fortunate to be on the winning foursome that first year and I still have the carton in my office as a reminder that I need to bring my Mojo to my work every day.

How about you? Is that how you view what you do in HR? Has it become too mundane and/or challenging?

It’s easy to fall into the trap of the daily grind as HR pros. If that’s true for us, you know it has to be true for all of the employees around us regardless of their level or role in the company. We can all slip into a funk that drains the joy, fun and drive to perform and do well.

This week see if that’s the case and then fine something that helps you get your Mojo back. Figure a way to break out from the malaise that threatens to swallow us. You can find a way to untangle yourself from the hairball of work. It’s time to get your mojo back. You owe it to yourself and others.

Work with Purpose

In my second HR job, I worked for a start-up manufacturer. We made the components for convenience stores at gas stations. This included a modular store, the canopy covering the gas pumps, and the sheaths which gave the pumps a decorative look. We were ahead of our time because others constructed stores onsite and from the ground up. We made the full store in our shop, and then delivered them to a site. They were placed, plugged in, connected to utilities and were ready to go.

To perform this intricate work, we hired welders, carpenters, truck drivers, painters, metal workers, and field crew. The employees were hard-working, proud and diligent. Sure, we had some petty things people complained about but not much. I was responsible for every facet of HR and honestly, I was not versed in how to do it well. I understood the administrative mechanics of HR. They came to me easily. What I didn’t know was our business.

I could rattle off the names and roles of every employee, but I couldn’t tell you what skills they needed to do their jobs well. We had the requisite job descriptions, hiring process, and interview template. I interviewed daily and hired regularly. The problem was that all of the front-end steps I was taking didn’t mean I was choosing the best candidates. They breezed through the HR side of joining our company, but many of them couldn’t perform the tasks that were needed to build our products.

The president of our firm heard from the plant manager that the HR guy wasn’t finding the people he needed. I was raw and new. I didn’t have a working relationship with the plant manager so it made sense that he went around me. The president, Dick, told Ron, the plant manager, that he had a solution to see if I could learn the role. He liked me and my approach overall. He also knew how green I was.

He came up to me on a Friday in the office and told me he wanted to talk with me. “Steve, on Monday I want you to go to the plant at Homeward Way.” That didn’t seem like an unreasonable request. I told him that would be fine. I liked being at the plant. “Oh, one other thing. Wear jeans and get some steel-toed shoes. You’re going to learn how to weld on the floor.” Then he left and my jaw dropped.

I chased after him and asked him why he wanted me to weld. He replied easily, “You aren’t hiring well because you don’t understand our work. So, I want you to weld for the next 30 days. Ron knows you’re coming and he’ll get you set up.” I stammered and responded, “But I’m the HR guy.” He didn’t miss a beat, “I know you are. But you need to learn what we do, who does it, and why it matters.”

On Monday, I reported to the plant and saw Ron. “Hey there new welder !!” He giggled after saying this. I went out on the floor with my toolbox from home which looked as if it had never been used with my brand new, ultra-clean work boots. Roy, the welding supervisor saw me coming and he scoffed. “What’s he doing here Ron?” Ron replied, “Dick wants him to learn how to weld. He’s all yours.” Roy swore under his breath and reluctantly took me on.

“First things first,” Roy exclaimed. He then stepped on my new boots and scuffed them with black soot. The other welders on the shift came over and did the same thing. I didn’t know if this was some cruel hazing initiation because everyone did the scuffing silently. “What’s going on ??,” I said angrily. Roy simply stated, “If you’re going to work with us, you need to look like you really work.”

That month was one of the most challenging of my young career. The guys messed with me, played pranks, and also took time to teach me. I learned to value who they were and what they did. We became close and I grew to appreciate them. I hadn’t really noticed them as talented people. I thought they were necessary “workers.” I couldn’t have been more wrong.

After my one-month training session, I returned to interviewing. Before my trek, 8 out of 10 of my hires failed. Afterward, I was hitting 9 out of 10 who stayed. Later I took some time to be a carpenter, metal worker, field crew member, and painter. (Never did learn to drive a semi-truck and that was best for all involved !!)

I learned something back then that has remained with me to this day. People who work with purpose are truly talented. They don’t go through the motions. They want to bring their best every day not only to produce but also to make the company succeed. By valuing what our people did and understanding it because I worked alongside them, I now had a full appreciation of their contribution. Along with this, the guys on the floor had a better sense of who I was and how I could help them through my role as their HR person.

Do you work with purpose?

Have you stepped back to ponder that? I’ll bet you haven’t. For far too long you’ve been going through the motions because tasks have become rote. You know the patterns you follow, and you make sure others are following theirs.

The reason I want you to reflect on this is simple. You can’t expect others to work with purpose if you don’t do it yourself all the time. It’s like trying to hire welders without knowing what it entails to be a great welder. It would be amazing if you decided to stop working how you’ve been working and go back to working with purpose.

After you have this practice mastered, you can start developing a culture where working with purpose is the norm versus the exception. The lesson I learned decades ago rings true to this day. Value what you do and value what others do. Encourage them and acknowledge them. Do it. On purpose.

Being Shaped !!

My wife and I have been engrossed by the Netflix series, Blown Away, which is a competition between glass blowers. There have been four seasons so far, and we love how creative these artists are. I kept saying how intrigued I was by what the contestants did, so my wife surprised me with a gift certificate to a local glassblowing shop as a Christmas gift. I was so geeked and pumped to be able to try my hand at this craft. Then, I put the certificate in a drawer along with other gift cards.

That was three years ago. This year, though, I received the best request from our adult daughter Melanie. She was going to be able to spend most of the week of Christmas visiting us. She asked if I’d take a day off for a father/daughter day. You need to know how much that touched my soul. You see, Melanie turned 31 on Christmas Day, and here she was asking if she could still spend the day with her dad. Did I get weepy? Of course – as all good dads should regularly do.

I wanted the day to be memorable when I remembered the glassblowing certificate I had tucked away somewhere. My incredibly organized wife knew exactly where the gift certificate was. I told her I was going to see if I could get a class for Melanie and I to create some art. She hoped the certificate was still good which was a fair concern. I mentioned the thought of being in a glassblowing hot shop to Mel and she jumped at the chance.

I called Neusole Glassworks and asked to schedule some time for us to make two items – a Santa Claus hat and a Christmas Ornament. Thankfully, the gift certificate was still valid and we had a time set for the Friday afternoon after Christmas. Our father/daughter day started with a full breakfast with my wife and my Men’s Group at a local breakfast diner. Then we did some errands and shopped for some miscellaneous items to span the time before heading to the Glassworks.

When we arrived, we were given a quick tour and some safety instructions. We had already received instructions on the type of clothing to wear. They especially recommended wearing a T-shirt because of the heat in the hot shop. It was a brisk, cold winter day when we went so we had sweatshirts over our t-shirts. Once we entered the hot shop, the sweatshirts were shed within two minutes !! The oven that was used glowed brightly, and you felt the immense heat immediately.

We were scheduled for 1 1/2 hours in order to make our items. Seth was our instructor. He was patient, thorough, and encouraging. I was a bit concerned I’d be able to work the glass because the stations are set up for those who are right-handed. I am fiercely, and almost exclusively, left-handed. Seth assured me I’d be able to do all of the necessary tasks. He was right.

We had an absolute blast making our items while concentrating through sweat and a dry mouth. We both wanted to take the molten glass and shape it so that our pieces would be both unique and wonderful. Once we completed everything, Seth placed all four creations into the annealer to cool for several days. We had to wait a week to see how things turned out.

We closed out our father/daughter day by going to music trivia at our local haunt along with other family friends. We won too !! It was the perfect day all around.

Melanie returned home to Indianapolis over the weekend. While I was waiting to collect our glass creations to cool, set, and reach their final state, I thought our experience reflected something very applicable to HR, employees, culture, and work.

Glass, by itself, will maintain its shape unless it’s dropped or chipped. Then, unfortunately, it shatters and can’t serve its purpose. However, it can be reclaimed, heated and melted. The molten blob on the end of a blowpipe can become anything in a glassblowers hands. It can be clear or multi-colored. It can be shifted, altered, and maneuvered in any direction. There’s no telling what will be the end result.

People and change are just like glass. They all have a purpose and if they’re in their normal state, they can perform. However, when they get nicked, chipped, or even shattered they lose that intended purpose. We don’t like it when we face stress or “heat” that causes us to bend, fold, and change. It’s uncomfortable and we will do what we can to avoid these types of situations.

What we need to come to terms with though is that heat is exactly what we need to shift, grow, and stretch. We need to trust that when this happens we can be shaped into new creations that can offer even more than our original shape. We need to trust that these actions are what we need to go through even though its uncomfortable for a time.

At the beginning of a New Year, instead of resolving to “get into better shape,” why don’t we agree that we may need to be shaped ourselves? I have a feeling that each of us has more to offer if we’d allow the heat and stress to unlock the creative object that is waiting to come forth.

By the way – I picked up our artwork. It came out perfectly. Take a look !!

Put Your Apron On !!

My family is made up of an eclectic mix of people who have had a variety of occupations. I come from three families altogether – my mom’s side, my biological dad’s side, and my step-dads side. (My mom remarried my second dad after being widowed.) Many of my relatives were, or are, farmers. They’ve had farms where they worked the land and raised livestock. These farms have been generational, and through their hard work they have fed countless people.

Another portion of my family worked in manufacturing plants or in front-line roles putting in hours in various conditions. They were also responsible for making great products or providing services to many people. Most of my extended family never saw the end users of their efforts. One person stands out, particularly in this family work history – my stepdad, Don.

Dad grew up on a farm and used to tell us that he began work soon after birth. That was probably more truth than fabrication. I know that he worked constantly for his family growing up. He and his twin brother, Ron, were two boys of seven siblings. After high school, he began working at a grain elevator in Ada, Ohio (which would become my hometown later.) He worked his way up over time from shoveling grain and loading trucks to becoming the manager of the elevator. When he married my mom, he was the manager. I don’t know if he ever only worked 40 hours a week. Not kidding. He would put in a full day, come home for dinner, and go back to work.

His work ethic was genuine and natural. He modeled it and expected the same effort and commitment from me and my brother. It didn’t matter if that was in school, our volunteer efforts, or in our jobs. He viewed work as something to cherish and give your best to every day. Sure, I bet there were times when things were a grind. And, I’m sure he also experienced challenging employees and customers. That never swayed him.

While working at the elevator, he put himself through night school to get his Associate’s Degree in Accounting. This led to an accounting role for the local electrical co-op where he worked until he retired. I’ve always appreciated and admired my dad for how he approached work.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago . . .

I was asked to be a guest on a webinar for WorkProud. Their CEO, Michael Levy, and I had a great conversation about the future of work and how to develop a people-first organization. I am grateful anytime I have the chance to contribute to blogs, podcasts, or webinars. I don’t take it for granted. Once the webinar was completed, Michael asked me for my address because he wanted to send me something as a “Thank You.”

Soon there was a package on my porch and I was floored when I opened it !! I saw some weathered green canvas along with some leather. I was confused as to the contents of the package at first. I pulled out the item and began unfolding it. It seemed to unfold over and over. It still wasn’t clear as to what it was until I laid it flat on my kitchen island.

It was an apron !! A work apron. It was magnificent and I took several minutes just to look it over. I ran my hands over the material and it already felt like it had been used. It was as if someone working in a hands-on environment had finished their day’s work and had hung it up on a hook to be ready for the next shift. My wife asked if I was planning on keeping it, and I immediately said, “Absolutely !!”

You see, I think the apron is a solid reminder for everyone in HR to pick up their proverbial apron and put it on as we head into work. We can have the same approach and dedication my dad showed throughout his career with our “aprons” on. We are a profession that rarely sees the outcome of our efforts because we have the privilege of working with people. Each day provides a different circumstance to take on and work through.

Having a put your apron on mentality will keep us grounded as well. It is a tangible reminder that we represent all employees from the front line to the C-suite. Our “work” is in caring for, assisting, and developing others. We can build up our callouses doing this work well. This week I want you to pause before you start. Break up your regular pattern and add a new step. Find your apron. Put it on. Tie it tightly and then head in !!