Tag: employees

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.

Meet Me Where I Am

It’s hard to believe that I’m inching closer and closer to two milestones in my career. I’m moving towards my 19th year with my current employer and in a little over a year I will have been in HR for 40 years !! Neither one of these things seems even feasible. I’m not stating these as some foreboding “end of the line” post, far from it. I’m still as geeked and eager to see HR continue to grow and thrive as when I did starting out decades ago. Probably even more so.

There was an HR Chat that was recently rekindled on the new BlueSky platform that is based in the UK. It’s called the “HR Hour” and I love it. It follows a simple format – two questions over one hour. You’d think there’d be giant gaps of silence, but that’s not the case at all. The conversation and dialogue is rich and diverse.

This past week when they kicked things off after a short hiatus, they started with the question – “How has HR changed over the past 25 years?”

I jumped in to share immediately since I had some observations and I also had worked through that entire time period. After the hour of chatting drew to a close, I remembered when I first started in my current role . . .

I work for a regional pizzeria that is truly an iconic institution. We celebrated our 70th anniversary in 2024 which is a rarity in the restaurant industry. We continue to be vibrant, viable, and growing. When I first joined, many of my HR peers pulled me aside and said, “Are you sure? HR in restaurants isn’t easy. There’s a ton of turnover and people stuff that happens.”

I didn’t have any HR peers who also worked in the restaurant industry at that time. I was a bit perplexed that others were more discouraging than encouraging. I hadn’t even started !! I’ve never been a person who feels compelled to go just from others’ opinions. I’d much rather dive in and make my own experiences, and then decide what an environment is/isn’t.

My new boss may have sensed some uncertainty when I started. You see, I was an outlier. The vast majority of the corporate staff had grown up within the company. I was an outside hire which has been the exception rather than the rule for our organization. He gave me an odd set of directions to follow when I began. He said, “I want you to listen to everyone for three months. I don’t want you to bring me ideas or suggestions for change. I just want you to observe and get to know folks at our pizzerias, our manufacturing plant ,and our call center. Make yourself available. That’s all.”

I’ll be honest, this was the most unique approach I had ever had. Even though I was a bit skeptical when I started, he held true to his instructions. We’d check in with each other on a weekly basis, and he’d ask me about who I’d met and what I’d seen so far. Once the three-month timeframe passed, he asked me for my ideas. He started with, “Okay, Steve, now that you’ve been watching, what would you change?”

I responded with a story . . .

I told him that while I visited the pizzerias I saw a change occur over time. When I first started to visit, I’d hear managers and team members say, “Shhh, that’s the HR guy from corporate.” It was disappointing that this was the initial response I received. However, I’m sure it was earned over time. If you know me at all, whenever I’ve received this type of greeting, I jump right in. I don’t let people have this kind of relationship with me or with HR.

I walked into the midst of folks and did something radical . . .

I’d say, “Hi there. My name’s Steve. What’s yours?”

That was it. I didn’t bring up my role, or my title or mention anything that alluded to any sense of “authority.” I just made sure to get around and meet each person. Every. One. After I’d get their name, I’d ask what they did and how long they’d been with LaRosa’s. Then I’d ask about their lives. Some shared and some didn’t. During every encounter, I never talked about my HR role. I’d share stories about my family and would answer any questions I received. I felt it was more important to get to know people for who they were.

My boss concurred with my approach and encouraged me. He liked what I chose to do. I explained that I have always felt more comfortable meeting people where they are vs. where I expected them to be. Each person is unique and comes from a different background and place in life. Acknowledging them for who they are connected me more effectively than trying to establish myself from some corporate position.

It worked and has been working for the past 18+ years. Actually, it’s how I’ve viewed HR since I began. We have a distinct opportunity to value people for who they are by meeting them where they are. It seems simple, and we tend to look for some model or formula that is far more complex in order to interact with people. Those never work and never will.

This week start meeting people where they are. It’s a good place. You’ll find out more than you ever imagined by being the person who’s open, vulnerable, genuine, and accessible first. It works for HR and for people in any environment. Just start with your name and see where it goes from there.

Cluttered

Now, I know that even the title of this blog may make some people squirm. I want to challenge that notion if only to offer a different perspective. As I’m writing this post, I am surrounded by a stack of books I intend to read, various notebooks all dedicated to different areas of work, a stack of crumpled flip chart pages, two sets of markers, two tote bags, and two backpacks. I have a playlist with the soundtrack of the alternative Netflix series, The Umbrella Academy, on shuffle and I’m watering our trees to thwart the drought we’re facing. This is normal and comforting . . . for me.

Please note that I’m not touting that my method of approaching life is what others should do. As mentioned earlier, any semblance of this type of manner of walking through life unsettles far more people than those who concur. I have no recollection of ever not having this as my standard style. I don’t want to venture into if my brain is wired in a certain way or another. I don’t feel it’s fair to project or label how anyone moves through their daily lives. When I find people do this, it’s not comparative, it’s judgemental. There’s a right and a wrong.

I believe there just . . . is. That may be far too existential for some. However, when I look at the world and the people around me I see variety, diversity, and uniqueness. I try my best not to squelch or confine anyone else. I don’t particularly agree with how others maneuver through work and life, but only because I know it won’t work for me. If you visited me at my office, you’d see this pattern of being cluttered lived out. To me, it’s a very natural environment that offers endless stimulation and movement. It’s a snapshot of how the world appears in my head daily.

One day a former executive came to my office and was mortified. He looked at everything stacked, teetering and threatening to topple at any moment. His countenance dropped and he was immediately judgemental because my setting ran completely counter to how he did life. That was true of his dress, his communication, and his leadership style. Instead of trying to understand my beautiful mess, he challenged me because he wanted to show me how wrong I was to work like I do.

“This is something,” he retorted.

“Is there something you need or I can help you with?” I replied.

“Do you even know where anything is? I mean (dramatic pause) LOOK at this place !!” he exclaimed. His voice was raised and he started to turn red. I didn’t understand why this was a confrontation, but I remained unphased.

“What would you like me to get? Glad to help you.” I said this with a bit of a twist and a hint of sarcasm and he felt it.

“Well, um, where is the project list we’re working on for the Strategic Plan?” he stammered.

I reached into the middle of a stack while steadying it with my other hand. “This list?” It was exactly what he was asking for. I said, “This isn’t luck or a magic trick. It’s how I think. I know this isn’t how you like to approach work and I respect that. I ask you to do the same.”

Needless to say, he was not happy. I didn’t want that to happen, but I also felt he should be more open-minded to different perspectives. We all say we’re comfortable with those who are different than us, but that’s not really true. If we were honest, we consider different – wrong. It isn’t. It’s just different.

This week take a look around and take in the array of the people you work with and see how each one is unique. They’re all amazing because of their differences. Some will be organized and others will be cluttered. Some will think linearly and others don’t even know what a line looks like because they see countless versions of ever-changing intersections.

Let’s see how all of those differences make us better. I need to get back to my stacks . . .

Shed Shopping

This weekend I personally crossed a threshold. I have always enjoyed mowing my yard by walking it using a self-propelled mower. When we first owned our house, I could mow the entire 1/2 acre in about 1 1/2 hours and on one tank of gas. It was invigorating and I looked forward to every cut. Now, Father Time is winning and what was once a task I enjoyed has turned into a chore.

I still love being outside and working in my yard. I hope that desire never wanes. However, mowing has now turned into a several-hour task where I end up spent and exhausted. I have resisted the purchase of a riding lawn mower. I have been defiant and stubborn because I never wanted to admit defeat. The time has come to accept that I need an alternative so that mowing never becomes a health issue.

To get this elusive piece of equipment to assist me in my yardwork calls for a new addition – a shed. We don’t have enough room in our garage for a riding lawn mower with our cars. I know I could park outside, but we have enough room to add this new structure. (Please note that I know we’re fortunate to have the home and property we have and don’t take it for granted.)

To find a location that sells sheds, I searched online and found a location that was a mere five miles from my house. That seemed ideal and too good to be true. My wife and I jumped into the car and trekked over to hopefully find what we were looking for. When we pulled up to the drive, we were a bit concerned. There were examples of sheds lined up along the right side of the drive, but we didn’t see anyone we could talk to. We saw one of the buildings that had a small clock sign on it with hands saying people would be back at 10:00 am. It was 10:30 am. We didn’t feel confident about this location or experience. It was disappointing, but we weren’t defeated.

We looked for other places throughout the city we could venture to. One site looked promising but it was quite a drive to get there. Undeterred, we headed out. As we pulled into the location at Miller Barns, we felt more at ease and thought we’d potentially find a shed. The buildings were more spread out and there was a main office right as you entered the property. We were able to meander in and out of as many buildings as we liked. We checked out sheds of every style and size. Inside each one was pricing information and dimensions.

After almost an hour, we went into the office and were greeted by two young, eager, and engaged men. They started with, “Hi there !! What brings you in?”

“We’d like to buy a shed,” I replied. “Well, then I think you came to the best place for that,” said the lead manager. I know this sounds cliche but it wasn’t. The two staff were full of passion and couldn’t wait to answer every question we posed. They asked what our time frame was and tried to gauge our interest. They were fairly sure we weren’t going to make an impulse buy, but they wanted to do their best to get us closer to making a purchase.

We thanked them for their time and reassured them we’d be back to get a shed after we did some measuring back home. To try to ply us one last time they offered us some delectable donuts on the way out. (We passed . . . this time.) The experience with the team who loved their job made our decision easy. We’ll definitely be back to get the new house for the impending riding lawn mower.

Do you see what a difference it makes when you encounter people who love their job? The first place we visited was run down, sketchy, and virtually abandoned. The second place was warm, welcoming, informed, and prepared to provide a great customer encounter. What is it like where you work? How about you personally?

You see, I think we focus so much on what’s wrong at work. Or, we complain about how others aren’t as good producers as they should be. The two gentlemen did none of that. It’s going to end up in a sale. What if we took on their approach and loved what we did instead? What would our companies look like if we expected this from others as well?

I know it makes a difference by loving the work I do. I believe that if you can see this shed shopping, you can make it come to life everywhere !!

Tell Me a Story

A few weeks ago, I had an opportunity to meet many people who wanted me to do one thing . . . listen to them.

You see, I was wandering the massive conference hall at McCormick Place as part of the SHRM Annual Conference. Something truly unique has been happening the past few years when I attend. My friends have learned to be very patient when walking alongside me while I wander. Why is that? As I go from place to place, I will often be stopped by a fellow attendee who wants to meet, introduce themselves, and take a few moments to chat. Whenever this occurs, my friends inevitably either have to pause or keep going to the area we were all heading. I usually tell them that I’ll text and catch up when I can.

I don’t take one moment of this for granted or think that I deserve this level of attention. There isn’t a good enough word to describe how humbling it is that someone wants to meet you intentionally. I’ve had a few people who have told me they’ve waited for years to do so because they were just unsure if they should take the chance to stop me. That is hard for me to come to terms with because I never want to be in a position where I’m perceived as unapproachable.

Once I’m stopped, the real joy of the encounter starts to take place. After we share names and I ask them where they’re from I stop talking. I want to listen to whatever they’d like to tell me. Sometimes people want to let me know what they enjoyed from a session. Other times people want to share they were encouraged so they could continue to bring a human-centric approach to HR. Every conversation is filled with emotion. It may range from joy and laughter to tears and hugs. You never know what is going to be shared, and I’m completely cool with that.

Why? People want to share their story.

For anyone to have the courage to approach someone they know very little and share something that is personally important to them is amazing. I have found that it is also a felt need that typically isn’t being filled. I don’t know if this is true from their personal life, but I can almost guarantee it’s happening because of their professional life.

We have become a society filled with little tolerance for giving our time to others without an agenda. We value production and closure far more than we do having a conversation. We feel that most people are in the way, an annoyance or they’re sure to ask us something that will have a negative consequence. This is true with our peers, leaders, and employees at work. I can’t tell you how many times people feel bothered when others attempt to get someone’s attention to talk with them.

You’ll see people look over someone’s shoulder or they’ll glance at a screen because their mind and attention are already seven steps ahead. When I hear people complain about the amount of broken communication at their company, I am sure it’s because we feel that other people are not worth our time.

That’s why if anyone ever wants my attention, I stop and give it to them. My day is as full as theirs, and I have work I could get to or a place I could visit. But, if I rush to what I tell myself is more important, I miss their story. I can’t do that. I want to hear what they want to share.

Giving someone a few moments of my day is far more valuable than any task that is burning to be done. Having an unhurried conversation with someone who has sought me out on purpose deserves whatever time they need. And, more than anything, I get to learn about the wonderful, creative, talented person across from me. You never know who you’ll meet and how the interaction you have will brighten their day.

Everyone has a story. From now on take time to stop, listen and learn.

Be Still

Whenever I get the opportunity to speak in front of a room of HR and business professionals, I need to do something to capture their attention. That’s because if given the chance, they’ll be staring at one screen or another. It may be their laptop or their phone. It doesn’t really matter. The pull and allure of each device are so strong that we’ve all become mentally and emotionally attached to them. Sound harsh? It should because it’s what has happened to every person (including me.)

The voices in our heads tell us that we must stay eternally connected because if we don’t, we’re sure to miss something. I’m not being critical just observational. We don’t break away – and honestly don’t want to. When canvassing the presentation attendees each person is burdened because of the busyness they find themselves in. It’s all-encompassing and it seems like there is no exit. Instead of finding a needed respite, we take on more and more tasks and commitments adding to the crushing weight we already carry.

Whenever we do try to step back and rest, we feel guilty and tell ourselves that if we don’t jump back in quickly then “things” won’t get done. We’re not entirely clear what those “things” are, but we are confident they will remain undone. We don’t really know if that’s true or not because we’re not patient enough to find out. It’s a vicious cycle.

Lately, I’ve been more reflective and intentional to not fall into this trap any longer. It’s not that I want to avoid getting things done. Far from it. However, feeling compelled to be on the go constantly isn’t healthy mentally, emotionally, spiritually, or physically. I heard a person recently state that people find that “low-grade exhaustion is the new normal.” That’s encouraging, isn’t it ?? I have a feeling that you can relate to this even while you’re reading this.

What can we do? How can we make time for ourselves to rest and disconnect? What will happen to the myriad of tasks, deadlines, and mountains of work and activity if we dare break our pattern? It’s a two-word answer.

Be Still.

It’s not more complicated than that, but the discipline and faith to make this a reality takes true effort. Whenever you try to move in this direction, the pull to stay entrapped is great. However, once you do accomplish this breakthrough, the benefits are immense. I don’t want to be prescriptive or suggest a step-by-step model that surely will work for each of you. I think this approach is ineffective.

Being still is a cognizant step to breaking your current life pattern with the assurance it will work. You’ll have to trust me that it does. I now take time to be still regularly. I don’t try to fill this space with something else. I just simply take a break to calm myself, focus on the environment and people around me, and relax. Stopping the maddening pace of life gives me peace. I find that having this practice built into my days has actually rejuvenated me.

Now, I have more energy, joy, and time (yes, time) because I refuse to keep running at a breakneck pace. Being still has also cleared my thoughts enough that when the next challenge or conflict is at my doorstep, I’m in a better mental space to address it.

This week break away. This week don’t keep fighting to stay afloat. This week refuse to keep running. This week . . . Be Still.

Just 3 Chords !!

A few weeks ago I was fortunate to attend the Louisiana SHRM State Conference. I relish it when I can spend time with HR peers. It fills my bucket. I also gave two presentations and got to see the good work of other presenters. Conferences are a great time to connect, network, learn, and have fun. We spent so much time laughing while getting to know each other better.

After the conference came to a close, my dear friend Rebecca secured tickets for a real treat. A handful of us who were staying after the conference decided to go see two legendary bands – ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynrd !! I was so geeked because I have been a fan of both bands throughout their long and illustrious careers. The night started by grabbing some incredible Mexican food and decompressing from the successful conference. We gobbled down our food and drinks because Rebecca and I wanted to make sure to catch every moment of the show.

When we made our way to our seats a third band on the bill, Black Stone Cherry, ripped the roof off. This was completely unexpected. I had never heard of them. They destroyed their set and were a mix of southern rock, heavy metal, and a bit of country. ZZ Top quietly took the stage as they sauntered out. Billy Gibbons strummed his first note and they were off !! (I’ll come back to this Texas trio in a sec.) Skynrd was so talented. They played a series of hits and elevated the room as we sang along ending the night with Freebird. The whole night was epic !!

The surprise of the night for me though was ZZ Top. Three musicians made enough noise to literally shake your chest with their sonic mastery. It was astonishing. All of the band members are now in their 70s which is ridiculous. They spoke little but did share the quip – “We’re just three guys with the same three chords.” So simple yet so powerful. They played a mix of their hits along with some deep, deep cuts and I was in heaven. I sang, screamed, and cheered throughout their entire set.

There is magic in threes. This is true for these rock legends just as it is for us professionally. We often talk about the need for mentors in the workplace. I agree. Being a mentor is a great privilege. Helping others learn the ropes so they can succeed in the company has limitless value. There is a watch out for this though because one should not just be a mentor. No one should feel they are so talented that their sole purpose is to have people sit at their feet just to listen to their wisdom.

People who are successful mentors have mentors themselves. That approach puts them in a trio. You shouldn’t mentor others unless you have a mentor. You need the 3 chords in order to make mentoring work effectively. We gather experience over time and there is strength in sharing what we’ve gone through. At the same time, we should never stop learning. Never. There is always something new to learn or glean from others who are your mentors.

This week follow the ZZ Top model for mentoring. They’ve been together playing their unique style for over 50 years. Three guys playing three chords works. It always will !!

To keep the vibe going as you read this, enjoy this deep cut they played live.

Fill the Potholes

My wife and I ventured this weekend to Indianapolis to visit our daughter. If you’ve been reading my blog for any time, you know we’ve had some adventures in working at her home. It’s only 105 years old !! You honestly wouldn’t know it with all of the sweat equity we’ve put in over the past 1 1/2 years. We enjoy helping her out and it’s fun to get your hands dirty as we continue to make her home come to life.

If you’ve ever watched those HGTV shows, anyone who ever buys a house makes changes. We all have different styles. Something that appealed to the previous homeowner may not fit the current owner. Melanie had been making style changes and repairs to get things updated and put her twist on things. What’s a bit intriguing is she is the 3rd most recent owner. The couple she purchased the home from did more living in the house with very little effort to keep things nice. She has been making alterations to the gentleman who owned the home before that.

He had done a good job. We met him last year and he explained that when he purchased her home it was falling apart. So he basically “flipped” it. One choice he made was contrary to how Melanie had grown up. I love landscaping !! One of the main reasons we purchased our home in 1991 was the lawn, trees, and landscaping. My kids have been working in the yard with me since they were very young. Some of our greatest experiences were spent in the yard and the beds getting them mulched and planting endless perennials.

Melanie’s beds at her home were covered in stone. The beds were either a thick layer of pea gravel or river rock. They didn’t look bad, but it’s not what she wanted. Well, in order to get the beds to where she could add topsoil and mulch, the rocks had to be removed. That may sound easy and on the surface, you’re fooled into thinking it will take just a few hours to remove the stones and prep the beds. It isn’t easy, and it didn’t take just a “few” hours.

My wife and I came to help take on the rock removal and two of her close friends volunteered to jump in as well. Once we started putting the rocks into wheelbarrows, we needed to decide where to place the stones. Did I mention that Indy is full of potholes? Not kidding. It’s a giant problem throughout their city. The alley that runs next to Mel’s house is fraught with them. If you tried to drive down the alley you are fearful your suspension is going to fail.

We saw an opportunity staring right at us. (Please note that our daughter tried to contact the community council and they said they’d look into it. Hmmm.)

So, we filled the potholes. Load after load. We moved hundreds of pounds of stones. Her neighbors came out and thanked her for looking out for them and taking action. It was a great feeling to be in a position to help them.

We started our day hoping to finish moving the stone out of both the front and back yard. You have to have goals !! We quickly realized getting the front yard done would be enough. Six hours later we went to a local brewery to enjoy a few adult beverages and talk about our day.

Once I had a chance to relax and not focus on my aching muscles and joints, I thought that we as HR pros could fill the potholes of those we work with. I’m not suggesting we fix people. I do, however, think we can give people our attention, focus, and effort. The number one need of people at work is to be acknowledged and recognized. Doing that helps mend the potholes they are all experiencing. You see, our time is just like the stones we moved. Giving people small doses of our time intentionally can repair any divots. It helps smooth out their day so they can perform.

This week, make the move and fill your HR wheelbarrow with your time, and then head into the alley. There are potholes waiting to be filled and you are just the right person to do that !!