Tag: Life

Rehumanize Yourself !!

As my iPod continued on its endless shuffle at work, Rehumanize Yourself by The Police came on, and I found myself hitting repeat several times.  The song tells of people in “everyday” jobs who are reminded to humanize themselves because their work doesn’t really mean much.  Who knew that this song still has significance 30 years later?

I’m not writing about employees who seem to slog through the daily grind, I’m talking about HR practitioners !!

The job that HR does these days ranges from the ideal to the mundane.  It’s hard to find a sweet spot to truly excel in HR within organizations due to a myriad of reasons.  I’m not trying to define what may be ideal for some and mundane for others.  Where I’d like us to focus is this . . . humans are more important than systems !!

Systems are needed and provide great structure and definition.  Without them people make things up because they really want to do a good job. But without definition, they’ll make it up to fill time and make sure they are “busy.”  These folks are the sloggers.  They come in every day, knock out a job and then go back to what truly interests them.  Their jobs are a necessary evil to pay the bills.  Oh, yeah, I’m still talking about HR people.

No one said that HR had to be mundane !!  In fact, great HR is far from it.  However, it means getting outside the systems we create and enforce to the real heart of our businesses – the humans.

Where are you on the spectrum?  I get it that you can be creative in making new systems and that you can be broad in the “things” side of what HR has to offer.  But I’d challenge you in that those things impact people.

At the recent OHSHRM Conference, I challenged the attendees to be positive the whole time at the conference.  Sounds odd that you’d even have to say that doesn’t it?  But, I felt it was needed because I hear so many people stuck in what they’re NOT doing vs. what they do so well !!  I only heard positive things from people because they knew a different expectation was set for them.

In organizations, HR has to set that expectation themselves !!  So, this week be positive and encourage others to see what amazing things are truly happening all around you that you’ve been missing.  Make sure to  . . . rehumanize yourself !!

 Image courtesy of Dan White Jr.’s blog

 

Gir and a Mix CD . . .

Did the title grab your attention?  Hope so because last week I had two very cool things happen !!  I received two surprises that solidified my contention that we have to quit talking about the “echo chamber” of HR folks in social media.

The first event was the arrival of Gir – the constant companion of Shauna Moerke (the HR Minion). Gir has been around many different HR Conferences and events.  When Shauna asked if anyone would like Gir visit, I couldn’t pass up the chance for him to experience LaRosa’s. We visited one of our locations to have a calzone.  I actually took Gir with two of my staff and when I said that he was joining us, they said, “Of course he is.”  I guess working with me for awhile, they have come to understand that I look at HR differently.

After a great meal, we came back to my office to find the second cool gift of the week.  I received a mix CD from David Kovacovich from Michael C. Fina.  It is an incredible mix of newer Indie music.  David told me he made it because I write a song each week that makes fun of HR on the HR Net.  I tend to parody more of the Classic Rock genre and David wanted to make sure my tastes stayed current as well.  To capture the moment, I took a picture of Gir with the mix CD (songs handwritten on the back) with some of the decorum from my office.

The reason I find these two events so cool is that we tend to think of people who are active in Social Media as HR pros as either avatars or people that exist electronically.  It is so far from the truth !!

We have to realize that first and foremost, we want to have true connections in our lives.  This isn’t a “brand” thing or a response to people who choose to have an on-line persona that doesn’t match them in real life.  Reaching out like this just shows how we still like to share things that matter with others.  It reminds us that we can always stay young at heart and do simple things that matter.

This week, I’m writing to those who are also active in the “echo chamber.”  Two things to leave you with.  (1) Reach out to others and make the connection to show others how amazing you really are !! and (2) The chamber will only expand and someday include all HR pros only if you wish to become connections and not personalities.

I’ve been fortunate to meet many of the voices who are truly moving HR forward and they rock !!  Reach out this week.  Take the action to do something cool.  It still matters.  I need to go know as Gir and I listen to Track 3 on my new CD from Noah & the Whale.

 

 

 

Come on Get Happy !!

When you saw the title of this post it either made you smile or cringe.  Do you need to be “happy” at work? Heck, can you even be “happy” in HR ??

The cynics out there, many of whom are my dear friends, would be saying things like, “It’s not the 70’s again !!  This isn’t The Partridge Family !!”  Some people at work, and life in general, feel that making someone happy is imposing on their personal space or beliefs.  Others, refusing to be happy, come to work everyday in a dark mood while ominous dirge-like music plays in the background.  There are countless statistics that now show that most people want to leave their job for something else.  For some – ANYTHING else !!!

So, why am I going on and on about being happy?  It’s because I’m knee deep into a great new read called The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor.  It’s a fascinating book that hit at the right time.  The premise is counter to most of the history of the field of psychology and that is this . . . If you are happy, you’ll be successful.

Achor points out poignantly that all of us have been looking at this the other way around – When I get successful, I’ll be happy.  However, the research shows that people never feel they’re successful enough – ever.

So, what does this have to do with HR?  EVERYTHING !!!

Many HR people I know are miserable in what they do.  They are burdened by the reality that working with and dealing with people is rough.  There is no doubt about that.  But, you don’t have to be miserable.

One of my friends visited one of our franchise locations a few years ago when I just had joined LaRosa’s, Inc.  He asked the owner if he knew me and he said, “That’s the new HR guy isn’t it?  Man, what’s wrong with him?  He’s happy all the time !!”  Great isn’t it?  The owner and I know each other more now and he’s a great guy.  He still wonders how I can be happy and be in HR.

So, this week ask yourself . . . happy ??  I think Achor is dead on by his premise that a person needs to be genuinely positive before they’ll ever be successful.  What do you think ??