‘Creativity’ Articles at Everyday People, Page 3

Lava Lamps in India !! #SHRM14

I am slowly, and I mean slowly, coming down from my high state of euphoria I experienced at #SHRM14 !! I really don’t want it to end, but it will have to suffice as my HR peer fix until the next great event.

The entire event was a whirlwind of interactions at a level I hoped would occur. To get jumped in the hallway outside the Exhibition Hall by Simone Carroll saying “Hello Steve !!” in a beautiful Australian accent followed by a hug to exchanging music, ideas and insights with the SHRM HRblog Squad, my time at the Conference was never dull.

I enjoyed the Keynotes for various reasons. I don’t expect them to “hit” or change HR because they are brought to the Conference to give it some “star” power. My fave was David Novak, CEO of Yum! Brands because he was Geeked about people in his business and I truly connected with his approach to HR – especially in the restaurant business.

I loved the concurrent sessions I saw with Jennifer McClure, Jason Lauritsen and Clint Swindall. Each of them had takeaways on how to do things like build the business case for HR and leadership (Jennifer), Become a Social Architect in HR (Jason) and how to become a Weekday Warrior (Clint). Yes, I went to sessions to try to improve humans around me. I just can’t get enough of it to be honest !!

The Exhibit Hall rocked !! I loved the SHRM Store and the Volunteer Leaders lounge was a great place to rest and catch a snack with friends who give their time and efforts to SHRM at the Chapter and State Council level.

The event that sent me truly over the top was the opportunity to speak myself. It was a rush to be opening the activities on Monday at 7:00am to a full room. I am thankful that friends came to show support because I love seeing them all the time. I was even more excited to see a room of unfamiliar faces (at least when we started). I met HR peers from Uganda, Saudi Arabia, Denmark, Nigeria, Turkey, the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Canada and India all in my session. Having a chance to share HR from a different perspective and also reach folks from across the globe . . . . amazing !!

I think the attendees at my session weren’t quite ready to be jacked up that early in the morning. To be able to show HR people that you can have fun, mess with your employees and truly impact the business you work for seemed new to most there. I thought everyone was a bit tentative to start, but by the end of the session people were laughing, smiling and learned what it’s like to be Geeked about HR !!

I challenged the attendees to do something completely radical and say, “Hi !!” to all of the attendees at SHRM14 who weren’t in my session for the rest of the week. I told them I would check on them throughout the week to see how it was going. Amazingly, they told me that others were wondering why they were greeting them. I asked if that discouraged them, and they began to glow with excitement !! They eagerly told me, “No, I keep saying ‘Hi !!’ to more folks now. This is awesome !!”

You see, I think a lot of HR needs to be simplified. People want to engage and be connected – but the difference is that WE have to be the ones to do it instead of expecting folks to just “get it.” One thing to start this is making your office fun. At my session, I closed everything out by telling folks I was adding them to the HR Net (a free resource open to all HR folks) to keep them connected, and I gave away a lava lamp.

When I pulled the name, I stumbled. It was a longer name and I didn’t want to mispronounce it. I got the name out and a wonderful, young lady quietly stood and said, “Yes, that is me. I won.” Meet Jaya from India !!

How cool is it that the 1st time I get to speak at SHRM National, I can plant a cool, hippie HR vibe in another country ??

You see HR – It’s time for us to shine our light within our organizations, our profession and with each other. Well, I’m geeked again just by writing this !! I hope the Conference was fab for everyone who went – and I hope to see YOU at another great HR event sooner than later !!

Is It Inside You ??

I love to write. It’s cool to have a blog to make this happen. But what if there’s more? Are there ideas that have been percolating and they are just aching to get out?

Have you read other’s people’s work and thought “I could do that !!” Well, what hold’s you back? How do you go from a wish and make it come to life? What if you wrote an entire book ??

I have a few HR friends who have done this and put out some amazing content !! I would recommend you picking up Dwane Lay’s Lean HR, Jason Lauritsen and Joe Gerstandt’s Social Gravity and Dr.Daniel Crosby’s You’re Not That Great. The took the jump of making that inner voice public. All of them are great resources !!

Another great resource is the new book by Cathy Fyock and Kevin Williamson entitled On Your Mark: From First Word to First Draft in Six Weeks. They provide the perfect starter to get your words down on pages and into a book. You see, they wrote a book on how to write a book. Brilliant !!

Cathy is an accomplished author, with this being her fifth book, and a fabulous HR pro. I’ve known Cathy from my work as a fellow SHRM volunteer at the State level. Kevin is an editor with incredible experience. (His Style section at the end of the book is worth the book alone !!)

I loved this book because it demystifies what most would think is a daunting task. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a huge amount of work which takes intentional effort and discipline. However, Cathy and Kevin give tangible examples and break down the process into manageable pieces. The exercises at the end of each chapter will help you build the discipline you’ll need to create your book.

I’ve been seeing a flurry of blogs later that are saying that HR seems to be stuck in an endless loop. The thought is that people aren’t coming up with creative ideas, but I disagree. There is still so much to learn, share and generate.

More and more people are joining the blogosphere from HR. It’s great to see new voices and I still make sure to read the myriad of posts which come out each day. I think it’s better to be positive about what’s being said. You can always learn from what others have to offer.

Make sure to get Cathy and Kevin’s book. After reading it you’ll see if you want to take that next step. They make writing a book seem not only attainable but also inviting. I know it peaked my interest !! Now to get that voice out to see what hits the page !!

All I Want Is You !!

Desire.

It’s an innate human element. Every person has desires about something. You can determine what those desires are typically by where a person spends their time and money. People can say they desire a variety of things or be more focused. Desires are unique. Even if people are wildly passionate about the same types of things, it’s never really the same.

Desire.

It’s something we want employees to have every day when they come to work. There are countless articles, blogs and efforts about employee engagement. When I see these I think more and more of the effort is on getting “buy-in” as to what a Company offers instead of allowing people to bring their desires to the workplace. We aren’t very comfortable with really allowing people to be who they are.

HR spends an incredible amount of its time and focus on limiting behavior and adding stipulations to systems to make sure people comply and fit in. In fact, most managers talk with the majority of their employees only when needed. That includes sitting down for performance reviews, weekly meetings, etc. More and more of our structures force interactions, but they don’t develop communication or bring out the best in our people.

What if we changed ?? What if HR took the opportunity to be less restrictive and chose to work on ways to bring out the best in people? It’s not the norm in our field by a long shot. It calls for more variety and people assume that more variety will bring instability and chaos. I think that’s not true. There is more variability, but that should allow for genuine diversity and not some trumped up program that makes us “feel better.”

Desire.

Think about it. A workplace that is filled with people who can discuss and share their lives. I don’t think this should be a forced effort in the least. However, HR struggles with this too. I’m not sure why we all have relationships, friendships and interactions rather naturally as a social norm, but we don’t try to foster that in the workplace. I think that if we took the time to not just “talk” with people, but just treat them like the desirous, passionate humans they are, we’d enjoy each other so much more !!

I want to encourage you to take a “U2” approach to this. You have to know that I’m a fierce U2 fan and love all of their work. You could say that following them is one of my desires. One of their fab songs is “All I Want is You.” The song lists many things that someone wants, but the signer responds that all they want is that person. It really is a consuming approach to have the feeling that someone wants you that completely.

I know this is a big step. I also know that it works !! I try to take more and more of my time with my co-workers and find out what drives them. I may not share their same interests, but knowing what they are passionate about is fabulous. It allows me to have more of a connection with them as well as something to check in on when we see each other. It’s very enriching and it makes HR wonderful.

You see in the end – I hope our desire is people.

Giver or Taker ??

Have you ever been unemployed? I have. It’s happened a few times in my life. I’m not talking about transitioning from one job to a new one. I’m talking about not working in your profession. It’s hard.

The reality of the financial implications hit first and you’re kind of taken over by fear. You think that EVERYONE would want to hire you immediately, and that you’re sure to land your next job quickly. That rarely happens. These items aren’t “new” and there are countless blogs and pieces of advice for jobseekers.

However, I think there’s a HUGE opportunity for HR to make a difference and turn the tide for people who are in transition. Likewise, there’s a HUGE opportunity for jobseekers to take a different approach in their search as well. It takes a different mindset for both sides of the unemployment quandary.

I grew up in Ada, Ohio (otherwise known as the center of the universe). It’s a rural village in Northwestern Ohio that can be compared to growing up in Mayberry from the Andy Griffith Show. People are very down to earth and full of sage advice. My Dad has lived in and around Ada his entire life. He pulled me aside one day and said, “Steve, there are two types of people in this world – givers and takers. You need to decide which one you’ll be.”

I know my Dad didn’t come up with this saying. However, he and my Mom have been the model of givers in all areas of their lives. I’ve tried to live this in my life as well. It’s where HR needs to be too in my opinion.

I think HR folks should make themselves available for people in transition. I have been working with people who are between jobs for years. Here’s a big difference – I haven’t hired any of those people, and I haven’t charged them a dime for my time and efforts. Sometimes, I meet for coffee, take a phone call, review a resume or make a call to someone as part of my network. At the HR Roundtable I facilitate, people in transition are welcome to come, share their resume and network with HR pros to show others that they have always been talented pros themselves. I truly get geeked when a person sends me an e-mail to tell me they’ve landed !!

You see, I believe great companies who hire great people will be companies that differentiate themselves from the pack. Why wouldn’t I help other companies get better? To me it’s the benchmark for great HR !!

Here’s what I’d like to challenge HR and jobseekers to do . . .

Intentionally network with each other even if the person in HR isn’t hiring. HR folks know others in HR. So, even if the company isn’t hiring, a person may open a door to someone who is !!
Don’t ignore the long-term unemployed HR. Talented people are everywhere around us. Look at people for what they bring to your company, not how long they’ve been between jobs.
Remember to help others first. Too often jobseekers get their next job and forget the network who helped them land. Don’t be a taker !! Be forewarned on this. Folks I know who have only used others to get a job are usually looking for another job in 18 months. Avoid this behavior and keep networking.
HR folks – connect with other HR folks. We still have miles to go before we truly become the “community” people write about. Link In with each other. Follow each other on Twitter. Meet each other in person. We can help others by being more connected ourselves.

Finally, understand that my Dad’s saying is true whether you read this and act or not. So choose who you want to be. I know this – by giving to others, my life is richer every day and I wish the same for you !!

Focus.

By now you’re aware that we’ve entered a New Year. The flurry of posts that flood blogs encouraging resolutions, new attitudes, new approaches, etc. have died down. I love to see the positive launch into a new year because I think people are eager to start clean and move forward.

A new start is true for companies as well as it is for individuals. Going into 2014, our company is taking an approach that most don’t – and I dig it. Instead of piling on layers and layers of more goals and objectives, we’re stripping things down and asking people to focus. In fact, it’s becoming so engrained in who we are that the CEO is sitting down individually with his leadership team to review what they’re focusing on each month throughout the year.

This intentional move is a bit uncomfortable because it takes “accountability” away from being something that you hope will happen to something that is EXPECTED to happen !! I had my first meeting with the CEO, and it was so cool to see not only the individual approach to a collective whole, but that HR is supposed to be involved and have focus as much as all of the business units of the company.

So, what am I focusing on ?? The answer may seem obvious, but it’s . . . . people.

This is a bigger challenge than you think. Most companies thrive and build on processes and things in spite of people. We all claim that people are our most valued asset, but the reality is that companies focus on revenue. That’s not wrong in the least. The question is do you work through your employees to allow them to truly perform, or do you just make sure things “get done” regardless of who’s handling the work.

The other aspect of this focus that is challenging is – people are typically focused on themselves and not others. People are selfish. They want to make sure they’re taken care of first and that their needs are being addressed. This isn’t “wrong”, it’s human nature.

I want to see HR be a contrarian force in this challenge and be focused intentionally on others first.

This throws people (even people in HR). Why would you put others first? What if they take advantage of you? What if they disappoint you? What if they aren’t committed to this approach and it affects you?

All those things may come true (and probably will). That shouldn’t dissuade us at all. If HR truly puts others ahead of themselves, then actual cultural change will take root and blossom. This isn’t some theory, it’s fact. It’s just incredibly hard because it requires an incremental approach that evolves over time . . . and never stops.

I’m geeked about being able to practice this focus at my workplace. I’ve been trying to do it all of my life. To be able to have it permeate through a company’s culture is extraordinary and exciting !!

How about you? Can you adopt this focus yourself? Think about it. What would happen to you in your life and in your HR role if others came first? I think you’d like the result !!

Be Disruptive !!

This past week I hope you felt a shift in the time warp continuum in the HR universe !! Over 200 people gathered at the incredible Rhinegeist Brewery for the beginning of a new movement – DisruptHR !! I was fortunate to work with Chris Ostoich, from BlackbookHR, and Jennifer McClure, from Unbridled Talent, in making this groundbreaking event come to life.

The employees from BlackbookHR and the sponsors we had made the event literally seamless and “set the stage” for what erupted. 13 speakers from a variety of backgrounds and companies took the mic to give their presentation in a way that was truly new to the normally conservative Cincinnati.

To be a presenter, you were given five minutes and 20 slides which automatically transitioned every 15 seconds. Even though I’ve given many presentations, I never had to compress everything into that tight of a time frame.

The rules were cool because the audience was encouraged to be supportive of the brave souls who stood in between the two gigantic screens that seemed to be racing as fast as they could !! The presentations ROCKED !! The styles ranged from a more traditional feel to complete presentations with pictures only and no words. People were much more relaxed and felt at ease after Chris became the first ~~martyr~~ speaker to take the stage.

Now, I know that Ignite talks, TED talks and Unconferences may be the “norm” in other cities around the globe, but DisruptHR was truly a pioneering effort !! It’s not often that you can be on the ground floor of a new movement and direction for HR.

There were some key observations that came from the night:

There are MANY more voices in HR that we need to pay attention to and get to know. It was exciting to meet new folks and hear their perspectives. I think we get too narrow too quickly to follow certain people. This isn’t being critical – it’s a call to open our horizons and make sure we continue to take new voices in.
There are TONS of HR people who aren’t connected to the greater HR community !! There were so many people who came to DisruptHR that aren’t normally at other HR events. What a great opportunity !! This forum drew a new group out to connect and get engaged. So cool to get a chance to meet more HR people !! Seriously. I am geeked whenever I can meet new HR people !!
People are wanting to hear new messages in a new way !! We can’t continue to think massive conferences that take days away from the office as well as immense amounts of training/traveling dollars are the way to reach people. One night, in a brewery . . . for FREE and people flocked to be a part of it. We need to change our models if we truly want to reach HR people where THEY are vs. where we expect them to be.

The coolest thing about DisruptHR wasn’t its initial success. It was the fact that it’s only beginning !! This was just the inaugural event. Now it’s going to grow to other cities and to other venues. So, be on the lookout !!

Get ready to attend, or even better, get ready to present !! In the end, I hope ALL of you are disruptive from now on in HR !!

Here’s a little taste to get you hooked !!

DisruptHR – Cincinnati 12/4/2013 from BlackbookHR on Vimeo.

Do You Teach or Demand ??

This past weekend I had the opportunity to go camping with my Scouts again. It’s always a great time that inevitably involves rain !! I’m used to that and so are the scouts. It’s truly fascinating to watch the interaction that happens during an outing because the adults aren’t in charge of any facet of what happens.

The scouts plan the outing, plan the meals, pack the gear in the trailer, set-up camp and also plan all of the activities that happen throughout the weekend. The reason it’s so fascinating to watch is to see which style of leadership the boys choose to employ. Adults want to step in to fix and correct things, and that’s where I come in to remind the adults that we’re basically on the outing to ensure safety and that the boys carry out their plans.

Here’s a simple example . . .

At EVERY campout we play Euchre !! If you don’t know what Euchre is, it’s basically the card game of kings. Seriously !! The boys can’t wait until some down time to get cards out and start playing. They play each other and relish the chance to take on the adults. Euchre is not an easy game to learn. It has some twists that don’t seem logical. Hence, the nuances of a game. All great games make you think and react. We play for hours at a time and set up tournaments.

If a scout doesn’t know how to play, you have to teach them. For people who are seasoned Euchre players, teaching someone is tedious. You want the new player to “get it” but it takes time and several games to learn. Once a new player understands the game, they take off !! They can literally play the game, and enjoy it, for life.

It’s amazing to watch a new scout struggle to learn and understand, but most everyone is understanding. However, once a scout starts playing for one or two outings, they become extremely frustrated and intolerant of those who don’t know the game’s rules or how to play well. They completely forget that they just learned how to play Euchre just a few short months ago.

You can take this example to almost every facet of an outing. The kids either teach each other how to do skills and are patient during the process, or they demand that people just catch on to what they’re supposed to do. If they don’t do the task well or right, the boys just want to skip working with others and will even avoid them or work around them.

Sound like work ?? Sound like HR ??

I think it’s exactly like the interactions we have at work. In fact, at work the “demand” approach is what is followed the vast majority of the time. HR needs to recognize this and destroy it. When I see HR that is built on compliance, discipline, writing people up, “building a case”, and policies that only measure what goes wrong, I see the demand approach in full bloom. HR isn’t the only department that uses the demand method, but it IS the department that can eliminate it.

Teaching people how to perform and giving them expectations of outcomes and the ability to use their skills is what we should strive for in any workplace !! When we do it, they’ve learned something they can enjoy and “play” for life. We have to recognize when Managers and Supervisors fall into the demand mindset and “teach” them as well. It’s time-consuming and incremental, but worth every single moment.

So, HR, step up !! Refuse to be like the norm in our field who use the demand system and parameters to feel they’re practicing great HR. Be a teacher instead !!

And, if you need to learn Euchre, let me know. I know some pretty good teachers !!

Folks I Learn From !!

Recently, I’ve been trying to think of more ways to put resources in the hands of other HR pros. When I saw the recent post from Trish McFarlane on HR Bloggers as well as the new e-book from David D’Souza – Humane, Resourced: A Book of Blogs, I wanted to chime in as well.

You see, I have this incredibly audacious goal !! I want to see the ENTIRE HR community connected, informed and able to rock in their roles. I desire to see the “social” HR folks connect with HR practitioners and vice versa. I believe that the more we’re genuinely connected, then we can share the resources we enjoy in order to do a better job in Human Resources.

Also, I’m a voracious reader who always yearns to learn. There are so many great ideas, thoughts, concepts, trends and movements to be taken in. Often, people shy away from information because they load in the filter of “Well, I can’t do that in my organization . . .” and they shut down. If you do this, stop it !! What company wants an HR person who only focuses on what can’t be done ??

What if you took the stance of, “I’m not sure if I can use this, but it’s important for me to learn about it.” Who knows? You may be able to take something from all you take in and apply it to your culture and situation. How do you ever plan to change the norms in your organization if you continue to practice only what you know today? If someone reading this uses the “I just don’t have time” excuse at this point, then just stop reading.

It is an opportunity to use your time differently, creatively and constructively !! Wouldn’t you love to have that freedom everyday? I do, and it is exhilarating !!

So, I wanted to put some folks out there in front of you and off the blog roll so that you can consider connecting with them and learning from them. I do this each week when I send out the HR Net, and now I wanted to highlight some folks every so often to make sure you’re being exposed to folks I learn from !!

First up is Paul Hebert. He works for a cool company called Symbolist. Paul and I have known each other for years now and we chat often. I learn from his blog writing as well as our deep conversations. I mean that. We say hello, ask about families and then jump in deeply to talk about all facets of HR !! He’s an incredible resource and you will enjoy how he looks at the human facets of engagement, culture and recognition.

Next is Michael Carty. We’ve only known each other through social media, but I know that we share an incredible amount of similar likes (HR, Global HR and Rock Music) !! Michael is the consummate curator and works for a phenomenal HR resource – XPertHR. He hails from the UK and it is on my bucket list to meet in person sooner than later. Michael is someone who has a pulse on the global perspectives in HR. Whether it’s through his writing or in his compilations of tweets and blogs on Storify, he keeps others aware of a broad pallet of issues and trends. He’s a phenomenal person (and resource) to know !!

This is just the start and I hope to feature more folks each month. Make sure you’re getting more and more connected to the greater HR community !! You’ll only be better for it !!

Now’s Your Time !!

One of the absolute best things about living in Ohio is that we experience four distinct seasons. The winters can be a little bleak at times, and the summers can be extremely humid. However, spring and fall are magnificent !!

Fall is especially fantastic and my favorite season of all. The crisp weather that is more chilly than warm brings about football, pumpkins, apple cider and hot chocolate !! The most brilliant spectacle during fall are the leaves. To see the trees all around you transform into their natural state which has been hidden under its green mask all year is breathtaking.

I have a 40 to 45 minute commute to work each day one way. Having this extended time allows me to enjoy the changing foliage more than most, and I relish it !! The variety of different shades of reds, yellows and oranges just splits the early morning and early evening skies giving them more life than normal.

So, what does this have to do with HR? I think it’s pretty obvious. You see, leaves wait for months to shed the cover of their original green coloring to reveal their natural beauty. It’s intentional, vibrant and visible !! We should do likewise. I don’t think we should wait for months, but when you see your time to shine – then you should burst forth !!

When this happens with leaves, people travel to see the panorama of color. They drop everything to make sure they don’t miss it. Too often, HR stays in the background and misses the chance to step out and show its value. The more this is done in organizations, the deeper HR fades into the backdrop. Remember this, being visible doesn’t make you arrogant. Bringing forth valuable solutions, viewpoints and approaches is what is expected of us. You don’t forsake your ability to help others. In fact, it allows you to bring to the surface methods that can become your company’s regular practice.

Don’t sit back any longer. Make the transformation and let your true colors take their rightful place. Trust me. Having this happen will not only change you, but it will improve HR and your company’s culture for many seasons to come !!

Listen to the Deep Tracks !!

I’ve been feeling a bit nostalgic lately. If you don’t know this about me, I’m a huge music freak !! I have music playing constantly in the car, in my office and when I’m working around the house. I’m not very particular when it comes to styles of music either. I prefer to keep the iPod on shuffle so that there is a constant mix flowing around me.

The reason I’ve felt nostalgic is that I grew up in the era of Album Rock. You looked forward to the full LP from an artist vs. anticipating the next hit single. This isn’t a rant against Pop Music. There have always been artists who are more known for their hits more than their body of work and there always will be. Unfortunately (in my opinion), the pendulum has swayed back to the hit single now instead of enjoying an artist’s full album.

I love vinyl records. Everything about vinyl is great. The look of the record. The size of the album. Knowing that you have to turn the record over in order to hear all the songs. And, yes, I love the scratches, pops and snaps that emanate from the speakers while the songs play. When you hear the first crackle as the needle drops and you don’t hear any notes for a few seconds, it’s bliss !! Enough reminiscing . . .

The true joy of vinyl is that you are almost forced to listen to an entire side of an album. It’s really difficult to skip a song, so you make time to listen to all of it. That’s when it happens. You discover a gem of a song by an artist you enjoy. If you were given the chance to pick and choose songs, you’d probably only listen to the hits from the set. But now you find that the deep tracks of the LP are actually better, more creative and show the depth of the artist. Granted, there are some misses, but not that often.

In the workplace, we tend to pay attention to the employees who put out “hits” and are very visible, and we ignore the steady folks who are those “deep tracks.” HR needs to play the part of the stereo arm and guide management to pay attention to the “whole album” vs. being enamored with the employee who may be a “one-hit wonder” !! HR has the chance to take the hitmakers and show them how to develop their body of work into classic albums as well.

I know there a tons of comparisons to music in this post, but seriously, look at your systems HR. They reward the people who have your attention at a particular moment. This is true of performance management systems, compensation systems and how you promote people. We need to be more focused on development so that we can enjoy all of the contributions people make.

I can tell you this, I’d much rather have a stack of vinyl to work with all the time instead of a quick single from iTunes from someone I may never hear from again. This week dust off your vinyl, drop the needle and enjoy Track 8, Side 1. It will be great !!