Everyday People, Page 44

I Can’t Wait !!

In a few weeks, I will be heading to Orlando, Florida for the SHRM Annual Conference. To say that I’m Geeked would be an undersatement !! It’s a chance to break away from the daily norms and be with 14,000+ of my HR peers. Some may find that overwhelming while I see it as welcoming.

There are many reasons that are making this year’s conference even more intriguing. The obvious item that will gather the most attention will be the next steps in the SHRM Certification transition. I want to see where things will go and it will be great to see and hear things first hand. I also have the great chance to meet with the SHRM Board of Directors as part of the Membership Advisory Committee (MAC). I’m fortunate to be a part of a great team of other volunteer leaders from around the US who are seriously intentional and engaged HR pros.

To top all of this off, as if that wouldn’t be enough already, I get to speak !! When I heard that was going to be a part of the program, I was humbled. I truly was. You see, giving the presentation will be a thrill in itself, but even more than that I’ll be talking to my peers. I have been at many conferences and hear that HR folks want to hear from fellow practitioners. Now I get the opportunity to do that. Wow !!

Conferences give you a chance to meet great HR pros from all over, develop lasting professional relationships and get connected to resources that help you do your job better. If you’re going to SHRM14, I’d love to see you and connect !! I mean that. I try to meet as many folks as I can because I find that I have learned more from these great people over the years than I ever would have on my own.

I know that there are several reasons why people go to conferences, but for me it truly is all the people. It’s fascinating to realize that there are so many others who practice HR and have a chance to do it in various ways !! I also plan to see other sessions from people that take a different look at HR. I look for sessions that stretch and challenge me because I want to bring back items that will allow me to improve HR in my workplace. I don’t want to settle for something or sit through a topic just because it gets a certain level of credit.

So, as my level of excitement continues to grow, I hope to see you !! It would make my Conference to get to see you, meet you and experience it with you. Geeked !!

Image courtesy of blogworld.com

Listen.

Human Resources is often written about in vast layers and fantastic catch phrases !! When I see posts about “harnessing the synergy of human capital” I start to twitch. One of the shortcomings of what we do is that we try to make it harder than it needs to be. I think that HR has fallen into the trap that if we sound like we’re more intricate, then people will give us more credibility.

Weaving a broader web of terms and efforts that keep the “mystique” of HR as our brand lends itself to more confusion than clarification. When I talk to many of my peers, they share that many companies just “don’t get” them. This has to be frustrating for those practicing HR and those who work with them.

I’d like to show you a simple alternative. Listen.

It’s an overlooked skill and attribute that we don’t practice in HR, or in organizations for the most part. Please understand that I’m not talking about the different “types” of listening highlighted in communication models. It’s much more simple than that.

Our employees want people who will take the time to hear what is on their mind. We tend to think that these requests are such a hassle because we have so much more that is important and needs our attention. I have to work myself to not fall into this approach. I think that we consider the request to listen to people difficult because our mind tends to think the worst will occur. If we were honest about it, we tend to be more negative about people than positive. Our minds start to formulate all the “what if” scenarios that are sure to come up when the conversations occur, and they never come true.

Just this past week I had several requests from both Managers and front-line staff to meet with them. This wasn’t on my schedule or in my planner. The fact was that I had some fairly large projects in front of me that were due. I chose to fight the urge to put these requests to the side and went to meet with each person. I’m glad I did. In each situation, I was able to be the sounding board that was needed at that time. The conversations ranged from personal issues outside of work to difficultly with a manager who seems to be ignoring his staff.

Honestly, it was the best use of my time because the challenges that these employees were facing were only going to grow if someone didn’t listen to them. I think there are three keys to making listening work:

Be Available – That sounds simple, but as I mentioned before, we put other things in front of people all the time. Being available takes discipline and a ton of effort. If you do this, you’ll honestly differentiate yourself from most HR practitioners !!

Don’t Seek Solutions – This goes against the grain of who we are. We don’t feel we’re being good professionals if we don’t come up with the perfect solution to everything we face. You may get a chance to offer a solution, but just listen first. Seriously, listen and see where things go before formulating what could be done.

Be Consistent – You’ll do better to listen to all of your employees and not just those who are problems. The more you listen to people the more you learn. This will allow you to be closer to your team members, and chances are you’ll hear things early on and be able to anticipate how things will move.

Listening is something that has taken me years to learn. It’s tough to admit that but it’s true. I know it makes a difference. This week start listening and see what happens !!

Those Who Serve !!

Today is Memorial Day and I was fortunate enough to spend it with my parents and my brother’s family. As we all get older, it’s harder and harder to get all of the kids (now young adults) together with everyone. We were able to grill out, share stories, see how fortunate we are to have such great kids. I cherish my family and this day, more than most, makes this even more true.

You see, one person wasn’t able to be at our gathering, my biological father. My dad, John Browne, was a veteran of the US Army. He served during the Vietnam War and went on four tours during his service. The Army was really the only choice at the time for my dad. He was an average high school student and the Army was a way to have a career and develop skills to use later in life. He entered as a private and rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant. He ended up being a highly decorated person for his bravery, valor and leadership of his troops during the war.

If you notice, I keep noting these things in the past tense. My dad passed away in 1968 after losing a battle to Hodgkin’s Disease cancer at the age of 26. It’s amazing to me that he survived the difficulty of battle only to lose to a disease.

I’ve heard that my dad was caring, gregarious and had a deep laugh that came out easily and often. He was a dedicated friend and loving husband and father. I was only four years old when dad died. I have a handful of memories of him, but wish I had more time to have been with him. From what I’ve been told, he and I are very similar !! We look the same, have the same voice and I guess I even walk like him. When I laugh (which is often), my family has said, “That’s just like John.” I’m sure he loved life and lived it to the fullest !!

One other thing that gives me pride . . .

My dad volunteered to be in the Army. Just when the draft was going to come into full force and be a dividing factor in our country’s history, my dad chose to serve. He knew that he could be called to be in harm’s way, and he signed up anyway.

Today, there are thousands of men and women who are just like my dad. They weren’t drafted into service. They chose to serve, and they continue to do so in both times and circumstances of war as well as humanitarian efforts around the world. We are so comfortable in our day-to-day lives that we take for granted these folks who protect our freedom. That’s a shame and something none of us should take for granted.

Without these thousands of people willing to step in and serve, I wouldn’t be having a picnic with my family this Memorial Day. So, I wanted to say “Thank You” to all the people of the Armed Services – not just on this day, but every day. When you see someone in uniform, thank them in person. They deserve this and so much more !!

I hope you join me in being thankful for those who serve !!

What Matters to Me . . .

The past few weeks have been full of change in the world of HR with the announcement from SHRM and its new certification effort around HR competencies. I have been reading about this on various HR blogs, and talking with many HR folks directly about this daily since the announcement.

I have my SPHR and am very proud of holding that designation. I was like most when I heard the news about the change. There was a mix of emotion, confusion and a desire for clarity of why, how, what, etc. I happened to be at SHRM Headquarters when this happened as a member of the Membership Advisory Council (MAC).

Since the announcement, I’ve been trying to have conversations with people to listen to their concerns and feelings about what’s happening and the change that is in front of us for both HRCI and SHRM.

Here’s a different perspective . . .

This week, my amazing daugher Melanie (pictured here) came back from Ghana, Africa. She went there as part of a school class/mission trip for the University of Indianapolis. While she was there, she and her fellow students had a boat sink with them on it, floated in a lake surrounded by gasoline, had a runaway truck run into their van (all of them are safe), walked through fire ants and also got to meet a ton of fantastic kids who loved being with her every single moment !!

When she was back home in our living room, I asked her how she was and she said, “Well, I’m not sure.” I was confused by this answer. “What’s wrong?,” I asked. “Dad, I know I’m back home, but I’d rather be in Africa.” I was humbled by her answer.

After going through adventure after adventure that most would see as harrowing or disheartening, she was drawn in by the challenge, the environment and the experience.

What does this have to do with the changes in the certification system we’re facing? Everything !!

What matters to me . . .

is faith, family and friends. In the conversations I’ve had with HR pros, I’ve asked how they were doing first. Not their opinions on this change, but how THEY were. This has been an emotionally charged 1 1/2 weeks ranging from anger to disgust to frustration because of a lack of information and clarity.

I understand that and have experienced it myself. It matters more to see how people are doing because I’ve heard stories about the challenges folks are facing personally, at work and with their employees.

There is so much life going on around us. In no way do I want to diminish how people feel. I value my certification and my affiliation with SHRM as deeply as the next person. It is, though, just one aspect of who I am as a person and as an HR professional.

What matters to me . . .

is passion. I think both bodies have overlooked that this decision is more of a people decision than a system change. Those of you who know me know that I am fiercely passionate in most areas of my life. I appreciate that people are exhibiting this passion now, and I hope that both SHRM and HRCI see that. It’s great that we care about this. My hope is that this passion is also what all of us exhibit in our roles as HR pros all the time and not just in reaction to this change. We work in a fabulous field because we get to work with other great people – who are also passionate !!

What matters to me . . .

is you. In the end, and after the dust settles, the most important factor to me in the situation we are addressing is people. That’s why myself, and others, have been reaching out to have conversations and provide context as well as listen to others. It’s really practicing HR to work through a significant change. I consider myself fortunate to have the opportunity to have the relationships to have these conversations. I would encourage you to reach out and have these too.

I know I’m taking a chance by posting this and that comments could come that say ” I don’t understand.” I do. I’m trying to work through this to see solutions and a resolution occur. I want to see both bodies, HRCI and SHRM, succeed.

I appreciate you letting me share a different perspective !!

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 !!

Dark Matter

The conversation usually starts out like this . . .

“You’ll never believe what just happened !! I have an employee who . . .”

The conversation unfolds and you find yourself deep inside yet another difficult, dark employee relations issue. Before you can say a word, or offer any insight, the mob (usually folks outside of HR) have gathered their torches and pitchforks ready to unleash their fury in the form of some level of progressive discipline – up to and including termination. At least this time they came to you versus handing out their own type of justice first and expect you to pick up the pieces.

The challenge for you is not only that you are delving once again in the dark matter of people’s lives and in the organization, but how do you keep it up? Seriously. If you are always around the dark side of people’s lives and behavior, how do you not quickly fall into that same black hole?

Have you ever been to an HR Conference? It’s like a dark matter convention. If you listen in on what HR pros are talking about, more often than not, they’re unloading the dark matter situations that they’ve been dealing with since the last conference. It becomes a flurry of “Oh, yeah but let me tell you about this one !!” I don’t fault people for sharing because they’re doing it to try and cope with constantly being surrounded with difficult situations. Some of the stories truly are funny, but most of them are tragic and sad.

Add on to this the constant bombardment of people wanting HR to focus on Employee Engagement, being a great place to work, and building an attractive culture. These are definitely items people would prefer working on. The barrier to doing this is the lurking feeling that the next dark situation is just around the corner.

What can be done to combat this fact of working in Human Resources? How can you make it so that you aren’t consumed with the next negative aspect of human behavior? Is there something that isn’t trite or cutesy like inspirational posters on the wall that no one reads?

There is. It’s not easy, but there is.

I’ve been in HR for over three decades now and I continue to enjoy it more and more each year !! That’s not some motivational quote for a blog. It’s the truth !! Have I been discouraged at times? You bet. It hasn’t been for long though. Here’s what I do to fight the dark matter:

Remember that EVERYONE has value !! – We always talk about employees as if they aren’t people. We also forget that we’re people too. We can’t wait to pull out some manual and address people with policies. You need to address people as people first. If their behavior falls into an area that deserves discipline, then be consistent with it. However, you must meet with the employee first and see what’s happening with them before launching into some short-sighted action just to lessen the pain.

Surround yourself with positive people !! – This is more than the usual “be positive” encouragement. If you are around other HR pros who are positive as well as you are, then you have a community that gives your alternative perspectives to consider.

Have an accountability partner !! – You will slip and get dark. It’s impossible not to. However, you need to have an anchor or two who will be there for you no matter what. They are your “confessor” so that you make your feelings known and they’ll be there for you no matter what is shared or felt.

Be the light in the dark !! – I know this sounds like a catch phrase, but hear me out. You have the choice as to how to approach people every single day. If you think poorly about others, it will show. If people constantly bring a sigh to you and not a smile, then you can see where you are.

Turn that around. I can tell you that it’s worth it. I don’t think being positive is some parlor trick. It’s a way of life. Be that light. Start dispelling the darkness. Your company is looking for it !!

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.

I Love to Laugh !!

How often are you around little kids? I would have to say that I’m not around them nearly often enough !! Little kids “get it” when it comes to life. They see everything around them as something worth looking at, taking time for, and experiencing. They will do this for their entire day and think that it’s normal. When adults step in to squelch their innate sense of joy and exploration, kids respond with some of the most confused facial expressions possible.

One characteristic that I truly enjoy is hearing children laugh. It’s infectious. They see things that most of us consider mundane or irrelevant, and just flat lose their mind. It’s fantastic !! When a child loses themselves completely in laughter, anyone who is near them will be affected . . . in a good way. They usually bust out in raucous laughter themselves.

I have to confess. I’m a laugher. It’s a loud, belly laugh more often than not. I make sure to laugh every day. Every day. It’s not like I put in a planner or on my To-Do lists. There are just too many things that happen every day that deserve laughter and joy. You never know what it will be, but you will miss it if you’re not looking for it.

I wish more HR people would bring laughter and joy to what they do !! When I get together with my peers, and we can peel back the frustrations of the job, we have more laughs than not. The question is – how can you incorporate more laughter in your workplace? The first thing to do is to take on the philosophy that Charlie Chaplin followed (see the picture).

If you thought that your entire day would be wasted if you didn’t laugh, I bet you’d laugh more often !! There are countless studies that show the healing power of laughter and how it reduces stress. If that’s not enough of an incentive, it also clears the cobwebs and allows you to look at something with a fresh perspective. Any feelings of angst just disappear.

Secondly, you have to take on the Mary Poppins approach where Ed Wynn proudly sings, “I love to laugh, loud and long and clear !!” Laughing out loud is essential. We are way too reserved as HR pros in the workplace. We keep to ourselves and don’t feel that we can express ourselves. That’s truly a shame because we have an opportunity to bring life and excitement to our people, our workplace and our culture. If you chose to look at HR with this perspective, would it change your outlook as to what you do?

This week, stop the grousing and start the chuckling !! Something so simple can be something extremely profound. Look for the laughter. I know I will !!

Friends.

After a great Easter weekend, it’s easy to come back to work because I had the chance to take in something that I value more and more. I hope that I have always valued what I experienced this weekend, but I would have to say that sometimes I take it for granted as well. What am I talking about? Friends.

This weekend for our Easter gathering, my family got together with two of our closest families. Our children are now all young adults and we have been together since the birth/infancy of each of the seven kids. We aren’t related biologically, but these two families are as close and as dear as any family member could be. There was nothing unique, magical, or overwhelming when we got together. We went to church, shared an incredible lunch where everyone pitched in, played outside, laughed, shared stories and memories and ended the day with warm hugs as everyone went on their way.

So, what in the world does this have to do with HR ?? Absolutely everything !!

You see, many HR pros continue to struggle and practice in what they do because they try to gut it out on their own. You can be somewhat effective in this approach, but the key word is “somewhat.” Now, I’m not talking about having a “network” or your own personal “Board of Directors.” Those are important, but this is something more basic and essential.

Because HR folks are in a field that has more challenges than rewards at times, you need friends. Friends are people you can open up with and not fear about being judged. Friends are people you can laugh with, share with and encourage through all types of situations. Friends may have answers for you as a resource. At other times, they might just be present for you when you feel no one else will.

For far too long, HR has been taught that you aren’t supposed to develop relationships at work. You’re supposed to keep an arm’s length distance from others in the event that you have to be the negative voice sometime in the future. This stance has put a dark mark on our profession and the people who practice it. How in the world can we say we’re in a field to care for people, but we’re not allowed to be close to them? It seems way too out of kilter for me.

I do my best to develop as many friendships as possible as I can with other HR folks. I want to make sure that people have at least one person who wants to know who they are, what’s going on in their lives, how things are in their corner of the HR universe, and what they love to do. I usually call folks every night on my long commute home just to check in and see how they’re doing. I don’t schedule it or make it formal. I just call them to let them know that I’m there for them and can’t wait to hear what’s happening in their lives.

When I go to conferences, I do the same thing. I want to meet and get to know as many humans in HR as I can. We need friends. It’s something that keeps us grounded. It’s something that needs to be the norm and not the exception.

So, this week as you head back into work, reach out to someone else in HR. Check in to see how they’re doing. Be a friend. Trust me, you’ll love every moment !!

Image courtesy of Oozie

A Daily Mantra !!

This past week we celebrated a Team Member’s 30th anniversary !! This is a rarity in any organization these days. She truly is beloved. When we sent out the notice that we were going to recognize her, many people, including several Executives and Senior Leaders, cleared their schedules to make sure they were present.

Our recognition program is very personalized. We meet our Team Members during their shift and at their location. We finally learned that recognition needs to be focused on the employee and not the HR program or benevolence of the company !! This simple shift has made recognition meaningful for all involved.

What made this occasion so great was the impact that this Team Member has had. EVERY person who came to say congratulations had worked with her including the CEO and the President of the company !! She has literally touched the lives of an incredible number of people who passed her to take on loftier roles in the organization.

When everyone gathered, there were loads of hugs, laughs and stories shared. She had at least one story about everyone who came. Here’s mine . . .

She is truly unique and salty !! When I started in my role, my first interaction with her was because she had hung signs in the kitchen that said, “Make sure to put away your mother*$#*%ing glasses !!” She heard that HR wanted to talk to her and she was ready for me. I told her that I’d like to take the signs down, and asked her why she felt the need to say these things. She didn’t miss a beat. “Do you see all the glasses sitting around ??” There was never any ill will or intent in her approach.

No one has ever felt threatened or hurt by her coarse language. When I talked to her I got to know her better and she got to know me as well. I make sure to drop by and see her every once in awhile and she says, “Hey, Steve, I haven’t put up any f*#$ng signs lately.” And, we howl !! We’ve both learned from each other over the years.

The whole time we were recognizing Louise, it was very emotional. We shed tears, laughed until it hurt and reveled in the stories from her 30 years with us. It was fantastic !!

As we were wrapping up, the President of the company shared this . . . “Recently, I read that to have a full life people should laugh out loud, cry out loud and touch someone else’s life every day – and Louise that describes you perfectly !!” You can guess that tears flowed freely.

I think it’s something that all of us as humans can take on as our mantra. This isn’t just an “HR” thing. You see I believe that our workplaces are full of people like Louise. It’s just that so many people continue to think that HR’s focus is on the negative. I hate when I hear people trying to learn from HR horror stories because that’s when idiotic policies, procedures and programs come to life.

I could have jumped her when I saw her signs. I could have written up a tenured employee because she was using harsh language. I could have overreacted and jumped to conclusions, created a massive anti-cursing policy with 5 levels of progressive discipline. Or, I could talk to her and hear her side of things.

I’m so glad I took the last approach.

I made sure I was Louise’s last hug. It was warm, caring and I told her how much she meant to me and to the lives of so many. She pulled back and said, “Thank You. Now get out of here you . . . “