Category: Leadership

Sweet Emotions !!

The alarm goes off, and a classic rock song wakes me abruptly from a DEEP sleep at 5:00 a.m. I stumble into the bathroom to shower and get ready in the dark. I make sure to be fully dressed because as I leave my bedroom, a four-legged ball of fury speeds past me. He pinned me against the wall at the top of the stairs, and then looked at me with fierce anticipation as I slowly took the stairs one at a time. I grabbed his leash and knew I had 20 minutes to take him on his morning constitutional. He was so eager to get outside and pull me down our cul-de-sac. He, of course, stopped every 2.5 feet to smell and take in every inch of his walk. He didn’t want to miss a thing.

After he obliged me on his walk, I took Wags back in and got ready to jump in my car to “really” start my day. His countenance dropped, and he seemed forlorn that I was leaving for the day without him. I decided to grab a cup of coffee at Cavu Coffee on my way to my Men’s Group. It’s a weekly ritual for me, but this one was special because my best friend’s celebration of life was later that afternoon. Hannah greeted me and thanked me for including her in my blog a few weeks earlier. She was touched and humbled. As I grabbed my large, steaming cup of Ethiopian brew, my cell phone rang. The leader of our small group was calling. That’s usually never a good sign because it’s so early in the morning.

I braced myself and then answered. I was right. He shared some tough news about someone we knew. He wanted to keep me in the loop. I told him I appreciated the heads-up. After the group, I headed into work. By 7:30 a.m., the emotional roller coaster I experienced had taken several unexpected twists and turns. Landing at the office only opened up a whole new plethora of emotions flying at me. There were conversations of encouragement, frustration, greeting, anxiety, and uncertainty. I hadn’t even been able to get all of my lava lamps, music, and laptop set up yet. This wasn’t unusual. In fact, it was the norm, and I loved it.

It was tough to keep focused throughout the day, because in the back of my mind, I knew that grief was about to land like an anvil when I left to get ready for Fred’s celebration of life. I headed home a bit early to brace myself when I was introduced to a new person – Addie. One of Melanie’s college friends, and one of our adopted daughters, Samantha, stopped by for a visit. When Addie started to fuss, I stopped working and asked Sam to give her to me because I had the touch to put her to sleep. After a few minutes of rocking Addie gently and rubbing her back, she nestled into my neck. She was out. The drool on my shirt was the proof.

It was so great to see Sam and Addie before heading to the funeral home. I was right; the wave of grief slammed into me as we pulled into the parking lot. We had a magnificent time at the celebration, filled with memories, stories, hugs, laughter, and tears. There were so many HR friends who made the trip to remember him and check on me. My emotional tank had been filled, emptied, filled again, and then slowly trickled out. A group of us went out for drinks and dinner. A new wave of emotions was kindled as there was more laughter and fond memories shared. We headed home about 10:00 p.m., and I was spent.

Note – that was just Friday !! I didn’t include how many emotions bombarded me, just the highlights.

My adults were in town for the full week on top of this. They came to the celebration to be supportive, which was so meaningful to me. When they’re home, it’s an endless stream of activity and energy. I’m grateful that they want to still be home with their parents and involve them in a multitude of activities. We are literally on the go constantly. They want to soak in every moment together and want to make sure Debbie and I are included. It is as if you’re at the edge of a beach, and the emotional waves crest and then land on you squarely on your chest. You sputter, gasp for breath, rub the salt from your eyes, and hope there’s a break when the next one is on top of you.

This is reality. I’m not complaining. I’m only trying to show that we are fully human – bursting with a constant change of emotions. It’s like we’re living in the Pixar movie Inside Out. You have to switch from one emotion to the other in a matter of seconds. You may experience so many emotions within a small amount of time that it’s easy to get overwhelmed. We don’t like this ever-shifting mix of ups and downs. We long for harmony and stability. Good luck. You’re with people.

I hear my HR peers, senior managers, and people leaders bemoan the emotional tsunami they face every day from every possible employee. They long for people to be predictable, confined, and level-headed. Small variations are “acceptable” IF the day is going smoothly. This is so unrealistic and an awful way to approach our profession and the workplace in general.

I am a VERY emotional person – just like you. I’ve chosen to embrace who I am and meet people where they are, regardless of how they present themselves or what they’re facing. I don’t freak out, overreact, or tell people things like, “Calm down,” or “It will be okay.” Emotions are natural. It’s how we were designed as humans. I’d have it no other way.

We need to come to terms with the fact that emotions are sweet. They are such a key factor in the makeup of people. Why should we put a damper on that ?? You need to know something – you really can’t.

This week, understand that the mix of sadness, joy, fear, disgust, and anger (to name a few) is going to happen to you and to others. Stop being crushed by the waves. Grab a surfboard and catch each wave to see where it goes.

Sunday morning at 2:30 a.m., another alarm snapped me out of slumber. I was taking our son to the airport for a flight leaving before dawn. As we met in the family room, he saw me and burst into tears. He fell into my arms, and his shoulders heaved as he wept. He knew it was time to fly back to California, but he was also leaving his home. I embraced him and wept as well. I told him everything was okay and that I loved him. I also told him that it was a joy to have him and his sister with us for the past week.

He took a deep sigh, pulled back, and wiped his eyes. “Just needed to get that out, Dad.” I replied, “I know. I think it’s sweet.” (Emotions)

You Are Not Alone

The past month has been a time for me to refresh my need to be surrounded by my HR peers. I was fortunate to speak at both the Virginia/DC SHRM and Illinois SHRM State Conferences. Let me make sure you understand the biggest takeaway from both of these events.

There are sooooooooo many HR peers out in the field that I have yet to connect with or know.

You may wonder why that even matters. Let’s turn back the clock for a moment. This year, in June, I’ll be celebrating my 40th year as an HR professional. That seems surreal. Over this extended time, I’ve learned so much. I continue to be as engaged and passionate about the field I chose four decades ago. If I could split my time in HR in half, I’d see one very distinct shift that mattered more than any other.

No, it wasn’t who I worked with, who my boss was, or what role I held. The first 20 years of my journey, I worked as an HR department of one. That means I had no one I could easily go to to ask questions or bounce ideas off. I was a lone ranger. The fact is, I didn’t even think that others were in human resources. My focus was primarily on my work and my daily job. I never thought about seeking out others. I didn’t know others existed. Sadly, that limited me in ways I wasn’t even aware of. I was a self-taught HR practitioner with few resources.

Right around the turn of the century, I happened to join the local HR Roundtable in Cincinnati. That simple step opened up a world to me, as if I had been a pioneer exploring a new frontier. Suddenly, I was surrounded and connected to several peers. It was magnificent !! Once I began to realize I could intentionally connect with others in HR, I never stopped. And, I don’t intend to.

The two conferences had 700 and 450 people, respectively. I did my best to reach all of them. I know how challenging our jobs are without having connections. It’s nearly impossible. Most of them were eager to connect as well. Most, not all. That always crushes me. I want people to have the faith that others in the industry are people to believe in and learn from.

My experience has been that the more people I meet, the more meaningful relationships I form. This leads to being a resource for others while also having the ability to reach out to them and ask them for their insight and advice. I’ve yet to find a peer in HR anywhere around the world who wasn’t willing to have a professional reciprocal relationship. I can assure you that I could reach out at a moment’s notice to ask for someone to share their experiences on a situation, and my inbox would be filled within moments.

As part of my mission to connect people with purpose, I’ve partnered with People Over Perks by Leapsome — an HR community built for candid, peer-to-peer conversations. It’s a global gathering of professionals who regularly share ideas, best practices, and real-world approaches in an environment that actually feels safe to do so.

What makes People Over Perks genuinely different? It’s completely sales-free. Leapsome hosts the community but never uses it to promote their platform, and joining won’t land you on a sales call list. They wanted to create a space where HR peers can congregate and gather. They realize that HR folks need each other. That we’re better together !!

One other amazing facet of belonging to this community is that there’s no cost to belong – ever.

It didn’t take much to have me jump right in. I welcomed the chance to get to meet and interact with more HR peers. And, I’d love to have you join me as well.

Here’s the link to do that: https://hubs.li/Q04dPscd0

Make this your pivot point as I did 20 years ago. You don’t have to be alone in HR. You shouldn’t be. Find your community. Take the first step with People Over Perks. You’ll be glad you did !!

Thank You for Being a Friend !!

When you hear the word “friend,” what comes to mind ?? I can answer this simply – Fred.

My best friend, Fred Eck, has been an integral part of my life for almost 30 years. He’s retired and happened to be in HR. I can’t adequately capture how much Fred means to me. He introduced me to his peers when I was just starting my career. He opened doors I didn’t even see.

He had been a trailblazer as a local SHRM chapter volunteer before I even knew what a chapter was. He held roles at the local and state levels. When he and I first started hanging out together, he introduced me to his peers who had also been trailblazers in their own right. He made sure I was included and fit in with this OG group.

I think the tipping point of friendship for us happened when we were both volunteering on the Ohio SHRM State Conference Committee. I had just started speaking at chapters and was about to speak at the State Conference for the first time. One thing to note – Fred and I both live in suburbs in northern Cincinnati. We’ve always been about 20 minutes from each other. So, we would carpool to meetings that happened in Sandusky, Ohio, which is 4 1/2 hours north of where we lived. During these treks, we never lacked in topics to discuss. Never. We’d both have a giant cup of coffee and some snacks as we took to the road before dawn. The conversations started the moment we were both strapped in.

Back to the conference . . .

My session was on Friday morning at 7:00am. We had been out with our crew for hours singing and enjoying a “few” adult beverages. About 2:00am, I tapped out, and I said, “I need to get a little sleep, or at least try.” Fred said he’d be in the front row. He rolled into our room about 4:30am. Champion. Guess who was in the front row helping me set up for my session at 6:45am ?? He was fully present, alert, and geeked to see me present. THAT is a friend !!

I could write a book filled with stories about our friendship. I nominated him for Mentor of the Year at our local chapter because I promise you, I wouldn’t have been the person I’ve become in the industry without him by my side. A few years ago, I was present when the Ohio SHRM State Conference named and awarded the first Fred Eck Committee Member of the Year award. He’s a force !!

Four weeks ago, Fred called me to let me know he was going to have extensive back surgery. He wanted me to know and asked for prayers. He knew I had him covered. I told him I would make sure to be there when he got out. The surgery went well, and I’m grateful. His recovery has been a lot tougher than he had hoped for. It’s very tedious and slow. He’s positive as ever, even though Father Time has taken a big chunk from the man I know and love. My wife and I have been able to visit him, and that will continue for as long as he needs. He’s always been there for me. I will always be there for him !!

I write this story for encouragement. Too many people in this world may have acquaintances, but few have friends. Seriously. You may have oodles of connections personally or on social media, but few of them cross over to deep relationships. That needs to change.

You see, I am a FIERCE friend !! If you choose to connect with me, get ready because I will pour into you as much as you allow. Like most people, I’ve had friends come and go over time due to various reasons of time, distance, or interests. I wish that wasn’t the case, but I don’t know how to stop that from occurring. I do my best to cultivate friendships often. I do this at work, in my church, in the community, and throughout HR. I ache when I know people don’t have close friendships.

So, let me leave you with two things: (1) You weren’t meant to go through life alone. You just weren’t. And (2) Be a friend first. Take the steps as Fred did, and step into the lives of others. Trust me, they’re yearning for it.

When I visited Fred this weekend, we shared LaRosa’s pizza (a Cincinnati tradition) and enjoyed an unhurried conversation. I look forward to the day when we can talk for hours and hours with ease once again. I’ll need to wait for that. As I left, Debbie took a picture of us together because that defines us. I shook his hand, told him I loved him, and that I’d continue to pray and shed a few tears. I hate seeing my friend suffer. He needed to know how thankful I am for his friendship !!

To keep the theme going, here’s a song that was great long before they used it as the theme for The Golden Girls. Andrew Gold captures friendship perfectly. Give it a listen !!

A Good Walk !!

My wife, Debbie, and I recently had an extended visitor at our house. It was our daughter’s sheepdoodle, Wags. We love our granddog, and it’s a joy when he excitedly romps around our house. We had him for a week before, but he needed to visit for a bit longer this time. So, we had him for three full weeks !!

Some people enter the phase of their lives as empty nesters with trepidation and hesitancy. That was not us. We deeply love our kids (adults). We love that they’ve taken flight and found new homes and cities to live in. We continue to be a very close-knit family regardless of space and time zones. As an empty nester, you get used to living with just you two in the house. There was a small adjustment at first, but then we easily adapted to our new norm.

We’ve had cats in the past as additional roommates. They were both wonderful and with us for years. We tried an experiment with a rescue dog before our daughter was born 32 years ago. It didn’t go well. He was a fantastic dog, but he needed constant companionship and attention. We both worked, so it wasn’t ideal for him. We found him a home through a rescue shelter on a massive farm where he could run for days. We’re sure he had a full life being a farm dog !!

Back to today . . .

Wags is the ultimate companion. He loves being with you and being active. Debbie gets to spend time with him since her retirement, and when I get home from work, he jumps to attention, waiting to go on an extended walk or play for hours at a time. I decided to do my best to walk him twice daily for at least 30 minutes at a time. During his visit, nature decided to throw a mix of massive cold, wind, and rain at us. I was undaunted. He needed to walk.

So, I did something I had “threatened” to do for years . . . exercise. I set my alarm for a very early wake-up call, rolled out of bed, walked over Wags, and got dressed. I slowly made it downstairs, put on layers of jackets and a headlamp, and out the door we trekked. The cold morning air snapped me awake whether I wanted to be or not. After about a block, I felt ready to head into the darkness to make sure we had a good dose of exercise.

On the weekends, I could get him out to a local park with a trail that loops around a lake. It’s over 1 1/2 miles on the regular loop, and he relished the chance to take it on. New smells. New sights. New people to encounter. He was full of excitement for every step. I loved seeing our shadows together as my companion pulled me with eagerness around the trail.

As our extended visit was drawing to a close, I had a choice. Did I keep walking without the dog ?? I was now in a pattern of walking over 4 miles a day, and I felt better than I had in years. I breathed easier, and a few pounds may have evaporated. I decided to keep walking !!

Since then, I’ve been getting up early, stumbling down the stairs, donning my headlamp, and heading out. At times, I turn on music through my Shokz headphones, and other days, I just take in the sounds of the birds. I have been able to see and enjoy the sunrise every day, which I have missed for decades. It has been wonderful. This past week, I went to a conference and walked each morning with one of my friends who was also attending. When I returned from that, Debbie decided to join me too !!

What had been a necessity for Wags to burn off energy and do his business, now became a needed habit for my well-being. I’m going to do my best to stick with it because I’m more alert, patient, and excited to face the day ahead. I don’t want that to wane. I could fill a book with excuses for why I should have exercised, and I’m sure many reading this could as well. I could also let you know that life is too full and busy with activities that are far more “important” and deserve my time and attention.

Here’s a dose of reality. (This is not new, by the way. People have been extolling the virtues of exercise for centuries.) When I’m healthier, I’m better. At home, as a husband, as a friend, as a co-worker, and as a human. I can perform better because I’m in a better place.

I’d encourage you to see what your daily pattern is like. Is it too full ?? Do you have 30 minutes you could allocate to something else ?? Would you like to feel better each day ??

I suggest this. Have a good walk.

What, Me Worry ??

This Valentine’s Day weekend, my wife joined me on a quest that was bent far more toward my interests than hers. There’s currently a special art exhibition showing at the Cincinnati Art Museum that completely captured my childhood and teenage years. It’s a full history of the art of the incomparable MAD Magazine !!

As a child of the 1970s and 1980s, I don’t know that I missed an issue of this phenomenal publication. It was filled with intricate illustrations, endless satire, and opened my eyes to world issues without me even knowing it. I loved diving into the parodies of popular movies and television shows. I also learned more about the national and global political landscape than I ever did watching the evening news with my parents. You may not remember a time before cell phones and social media, but I lived through it (and survived !!) We found our entertainment through publications like MAD Magazine.

I have to thank Debbie, who willingly went through panel after panel of examples of cartoons with me. The smile on my face couldn’t be erased, and I laughed out loud at several of the displays, reading them as I did as a teenager. There were multiple examples of the genius of artists Al Jaffee, Don Martin, Mort Drucker, Sergio Argonés, and Norman Mingo. Those names may mean little to many people, but they brought the magazine to life !! I fondly remember trying to replicate the drawings of Don Martin, specifically. I loved his style and still doodle long-faced characters as he created.

The iconic staple of almost every issue of MAD Magazine was the ever-present gap-toothed mascot, Alfred E. Neuman. His tag line was, “What, Me Worry?” It encapsulated the whole vibe of this somewhat irreverent monthly. Regardless of what was happening in this ever-turbulent world of ours, Alfred never seemed to be concerned. His countenance didn’t change, and his simple, non-descript feeling of contentment always grabbed my attention. He was consistent and unflappable, even when everything else seemed to be off kilter.

I know far too many people who live a life that is defined by worry and fret. It doesn’t matter what the situation is. It could be personal, work-related, or something happening around the world. They are bound in a state of fear, wondering what could potentially happen. Each day, they are sure the worst possible outcome will occur. You can’t convince them differently.

This runs contrary to how I exist. I’ve never been one to worry. Seriously. It’s been frustrating to others in my life, including my wife, my kids, my friends, and my co-workers. Please don’t mistake the absence of worry for a lack of concern. Far from it. There are countless situations that concern me because I want the people in my life to thrive. I don’t like to see people who are consumed with fear, apprehension, and doubt. One of the biggest facets of my career in HR has been to be a calming force. We don’t talk about this nearly enough.

So much of the focus of HR continues to be on the do’s and don’ts of the workplace. Rules, policies, and procedures, unfortunately, define us more than care, concern, empathy, and approach. We fall into the confinement trap of practicing HR because of . . . worry. What would our jobs, our companies, and our cultures look like if we eliminated worry as the primary spark of our existence ?? I think we’d find that it would be far more productive, engaging, and relevant. Not kidding.

It would also change your perspective as an HR practitioner. Instead of bemoaning all that is difficult and challenging in working with people, you’d see the value of each person who is doing their best to get through life – just like you. I’m choosing to believe the best in others and be like Alfred E. Neuman. Stable. Unflappable. And, free of worry.

Life At 3 MPH

Are you someone who always seems to be in a hurry ?? Whether it’s work, home life, community activities, or just the myriad of thoughts that never seem to slow down in our minds. If we were honest, I think most of us are hurried. We don’t know anything different. In fact, I think it’s become so much the norm that we can’t think of going through a day without being rushed.

Now, it’s ironic that even though we’re in this constant state of hurriedness, we don’t like it. It’s exhausting. We look for ways to somehow slow the pace of life. We don’t succeed very often because if we try to slow down, the others around us don’t. Then we become anxious because we feel we’re behind. It’s an awful spiral to find yourself in !!

Being hurried is a choice. We may not think it is, but it is. The idea of living life at a constant blistering pace isn’t healthy. And, if you think that remaining constantly on the go makes you vastly more successful than others, you’re mistaken. We mistake activity for production. It’s just an activity. I’ve been thinking about this lately, because the pace of life seems to be far more out of control. Not only for me personally, but also for the people around me. People I work with and care for.

What I’ve found is that a hurried pace of life may get me somewhere quicker, but at what cost? I can’t tell you how many heavy sighs I exhale every day just to make sure I’m staying up with all that’s in front of me. Some of those sighs are to catch my breath. Others are signals of exhaustion and exasperation. Like most people I know, I’m a high-capacity person. I feel more complete when my life and days are full. Staying full is important. The challenge isn’t capacity. It’s maintaining a breakneck pace day in and day out.

I’ve decided that this has to change. I’m adopting the 3 MPH approach to life.

Did you know the average human walks at a pace of three miles per hour ?? How cool is that? When you approach your day, stay at the average pace of walking. When you do, you’ll naturally slow down. You can’t help yourself. When you start incorporating this intentionally slower lifestyle, you see the things around you that you used to rush by without noticing them at all. You’ll see people whom you could meet. There are scenes of nature that will all of a sudden come to life. It’s amazing !!

These things have most likely been present all the time; you just didn’t see them. Instead of holding onto a sinking feeling that you’re missing out on things unless you run at life with abandon, understand you’re actually missing more. Being still takes discipline. Slowing down will initially feel unnerving, but stay strong and stick with it. This week, slow down. Don’t keep seeking the pace you can’t keep. Try to live life at 3 MPH and see what happens !!

Calm in Chaos

When I was younger, I loved playing softball. I started when I was in college, playing on co-ed teams. Post graduation, I joined my cousin’s team for his law firm, a co-ed team we had with Young Friends of the Zoo (a volunteer group), and a men’s team through my church. I loved the pace, the camaraderie, and the chance to be a little “athletic.” Please note that I was never the best person on the team. Far from it. I could hold my own in the field and was a bit of a secret because I was one of the few left-handed players in each league.

I loved being on teams and competing. In some teams I was on, the focus was far more social than trying to take the league title. It was a nice balance to the men’s teams I was on that tended to be far more competitive. Quick reminder – these were softball teams. That didn’t seem to matter to some because their competitive juices would jump to the surface the moment the lineups were set. I enjoy winning. I don’t know who doesn’t. However, to win at all costs and with any level of behavior, not so much.

One other odd facet of playing on all of these various teams was that I usually became the team coach or manager. I was never the person who started the teams, but sometime during our season, I landed in the coaching chair. I loved it. This gave me more excitement than playing the games because I had the opportunity to check in on each member of our team to see how they were doing as humans. I’d go out of my way to ask about them, their families, their jobs, and keep track of how things were going. Making sure we were a unit was far more important to me than focusing on the few superstars we had on our roster.

One of the teams I was fortunate to lead for 20 years was always at the top of the standings. We were usually playing for the championship every year. We weren’t the most talented team ever. We were consistent and played together. I made sure we took time to encourage each other, whether we were batting or out in the field. I made sure we emphasized sportsmanship regardless of how the games progressed or the final outcome.

In most leagues, you find that you’re going to have one or two rivals. It just happens. Ironically, in our church league, we had such a rival. Our ragtag group of guys would take the field with the other team, who evidently had more financial backing than we did. Crisp uniforms, great equipment, etc. They were uber-competitive !! Trash talking, coarse language, and making fun of when our players performed at a standard less than they thought should be as elite softball players.

One time, as we were playing each other for the league championship, the tension was building each inning. My players were getting very frustrated with the tone and approach of our rivals. You could feel it was about to boil over and explode when I called a time-out. Instead of pulling our team together to rally them to stay calm and continue playing, I walked out to the center of the field. This was not how these were supposed to go.

I stood there and addressed our rivals and our team. I explained that there was no reason for this level of anger, frustration, and poor behavior. We were playing for our churches. It didn’t reflect who we should be, and I stated that if it continued, I was going to have us forfeit. We weren’t going to be a part of this. By the way, we were winning at this point.

A silence came over the entire field. The umpire came out to me and said, “I got this.” He called the captains of both teams together, and we had a reset. The game continued and was far more enjoyable. In the end . . . we lost. However, we kept calm in the midst of a very tense situation. As we shook hands after the game, the guys from the other team apologized, and we made peace.

Now, I understand that tensions rising during a church softball game isn’t “chaos.” Most people who consider things chaotic aren’t truly, but they are for them. We all encounter times in our lives where chaos erupts. The question is, who will lead people through what they are facing? There are far too many people who look to the loudest, most charismatic voice in the room. They may be loud, but that doesn’t automatically translate into leadership.

There’s also a difference in asking people to just calm down. That’s not helping either. We need to be leaders who remain calm ourselves. Take time to listen, assess, and then step in. By being the one who keeps calm during times of chaos, you’ll find people identify you as a leader. One that they can follow confidently.

Today, chaos seems to be happening everywhere. It gets more attention than those who choose to be calm. Stay strong. Be calm. Step in. Lead.

A Snow Day Reminder

My wife and I were hunkered down this weekend, anticipating the predicted winter storm. We were told that we’d get over a foot of snow. Now, living in Greater Cincinnati for the majority of my life, I have become skeptical of weather reports like this. In fact, several of the meteorologists slyly joked that we’d all be in our homes, wondering if the massive amount of snow would truly arrive.

Well, it did !! It started very slowly and then built up overnight while we were asleep. Sunday morning revealed a deep blanket of snow everywhere. That wasn’t even the end of the weather adventure. It continues to snow and accumulate as we saw more and more objects disappear under the encompassing white covering. Thankfully, we were safe, warm, and kept our power throughout the storm.

This weather was the talk of everyone around here on social media. Church services were canceled, stores and restaurants closed early, and we were sure all of the surrounding schools would be closed on Monday. This story isn’t unique. This particular storm reached across the majority of the U.S. with frigid temperatures, ice in many forms, and challenging circumstances.

The snowstorm forced me to slow down and reflect. Something I don’t do nearly enough. I was struck by the fact that while I was stuck in my house for a period of time, there were many who continued to work. People who, a mere six years ago, were considered “essential.” The road crews, public workers, hotel staff, hospital employees, and police and fire crews. That doesn’t even cover all of the folks who remain the backbone and foundation of the work being done all the time.

Once the pandemic receded into some form of normality, we quickly slipped back into a mindset of a work environment that is predominantly focused on professional-level office jobs. This is backwards and upside down. With 80% of the workforce occupying non-office roles, the focus is misplaced.

Honestly, wouldn’t it be better if every role, job, industry, and occupation were always considered essential ?? Why do we continue to only value people in certain roles when an emergency occurs? We’ve become so narrowly focused as a society. The only things that get our focus are those that affect us personally. We don’t take the time to raise our heads from the daily grind we find ourselves in to acknowledge or recognize the contributions of the many people around us. We still have the expectation of “getting things done” far more than valuing the talent and effort everyone brings daily in their given occupation.

No more. I want to be a person who happens to work in HR who is grateful and benefits from the work of those who don’t hold office positions. We all should have this mindset !! Let’s do what we can to turn the tide so we don’t have to have the next catastrophe hit in order to see the people who make up our foundation. Value everyone. Make sure they are all essential !!

Looking Ahead !!

This weekend, my wife and I did one of our favorite activities by going to see a movie in a theater. We’re both big fans of movies, and there still isn’t an experience as grand as seeing a movie on the big screen. There just isn’t.

I had to do a bit of convincing to get her to see the feature I wanted to see, but she agreed to give it a go. We chose to see Song Sung Blue starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson. I was fully engrossed the moment Jackman started the film. The script was wonderful, and every member of the cast was perfect. There were several actors who had been very popular in the past who came back to the screen and crushed it. On top of the story, you laid in the incredible musical catalog of the legendary Neil Diamond.

For me, the movie was very emotional. I think I cried 6 or 7 times throughout the film. The story has giant highs and extreme lows. It’s very human and based on a couple who were featured in an award-winning documentary. They saw themselves as entertainers who wanted to help people forget their troubles for the few moments they saw their shows. Jackman played Mike Sardina, who fancied himself a Neil Diamond interpreter nicknamed Lightning, and Hudson played his talented wife, nicknamed Thunder.

To say this couple experienced “life” would be an understatement !! Much of their lives was fraught with tough choices, poverty, and a lack of what many would consider success. It didn’t squelch their passion or desire to constantly move forward. Their dream to perform never dimmed. Never. They didn’t know what lay ahead for them or their family members, but they kept looking ahead.

It was a magnificent movie, which I highly recommend not only because you’ll enjoy it, but also because it conveys a great message for where we are today as a society. We all wish we had a crystal ball that clearly revealed what would come next for us in our daily lives. We don’t, and it’s a good thing. Life is unpredictable and always will be.

The question is, “How will you react when the unexpected comes?”

We’re on the edge of beginning a New Year. Most of what you read, see, and hear is dripping with disdain, negativity, and divisiveness. “What’s wrong” is the lens that leads most people’s days, regardless of what they’re facing. That is discouraging and could lead to you getting mired down to the point of not moving at all. Even if you choose to be immobile, life continues to move around you.

I think we’d be better off as individuals and as a society if we learned from Lightning and Thunder by pushing forward by first coming together. They realized how much better they were as a duo to tackle what was in front of them than trying to gut things out on their own.

I’m excited about 2026, and I have no idea what will happen. I refuse to succumb to the antagonism and darkness that try to claw for my attention and emotions. I will do all I can to see the best in others, even if they fail me (because I’m sure to fail others myself). I will encourage others to thrive and be there to listen to how life is treating them. I will pursue my passions and make sure to reach out to connect with others any time I can. When something unexpected comes, I’ll pause, assess, and then move forward. That’s how I choose to look ahead !!

To give you just a tiny flavor of the film, here’s a deep cut Neil Diamond hit they played. Just phenomenal !!

Be Pliable !!

If you haven’t already figured this out, I’m a big kid in an older adult’s body. By the way, I’m very cool with that. I know I have peers who are far more concerned with their title and level in their company than I am. It’s never been a focus for me. And, may I add, I feel that a person’s actions and behavior are far more indicative of who a person is than any title resting on a business card.

I love to have fun every day. It doesn’t really matter if I’m at work, out in the community, at an HR conference/event, or at home. There’s always time to see the possibilities of what will bring people a smile or make them giggle.

I recently added a favorite toy to my menagerie at work – Play-Doh. I mean, how can you really overlook this wonderful substance? I remember playing with Play-Doh for hours upon hours when I was younger. My brother and I would make all types of abstract shapes and “sculptures” while mixing as many colors together as we could. It seemed like you could never come up with every possibility of creation with Play-Doh. It has a true infinite quality.

The reason for having a container of this magnificent matter on my desk is so that I have a reminder about the positive aspects of being pliable and moldable. I find that many people are very rigid. They live in an “either/or” world. There’s no gray seen or considered. There is one side or another. Period.

That’s a miss in my opinion. People are like Play-Doh. They can bend, squish, stretch, expand, or contract. They’re unpredictable, colorful, and not limited to a tight set of do’s and don’ts. No matter how much HR or organizations try to keep people fenced in, they will move in, around, above, or below the barriers we arbitrarily construct.

I think we should take a different approach. We should acknowledge that there’s more potential in being pliable and moldable as individuals and as a work culture. People need the ability to move and become new creations on a regular basis. It’s in our nature as humans. Always move. Always grow. Always take on new shapes.

Wouldn’t it be better to have leadership, culture, and a workplace that chose to be moldable instead of concrete? When you adopt this, you will rarely hear that tired old phrase, “Because we’ve always done it this way.” A pliable environment allows for far more solutions, perspectives, and opportunities than the traditional atmosphere people want to cling to. With all of the potential changes on the horizon for how work will be done, you can’t afford to be sedentary.

This week, buy a jar of Play-Doh. Put it on your desk. It will be a constant reminder for you to remain flexible personally, and it will reframe the possibilities of how you can bring out the best in others !!

Fun note . . .

I had shared this article originally in the weekly email newsletter I send out as part of my HR Net forum. At the end of this week, a friend dropped off an unexpected gift that he felt would accompany my new toy. Check this out !! A Play-Doh Pizza Kitchen (since I work for an amazing pizza company) So, freaking cool !!