Category: HR Strategy

A Splash of Color !!

It has been amazing to see how the workplace has evolved over the years. When I started my career, I was expected to wear a suit and tie. The only way I could add some “flair” was to wear either a white or a blue Oxford shirt. Stunning !! I worked for a Fortune 100 company, and formal was the culture from the executive suite to the front line roles in the corporate environment.

In my second role in manufacturing, I was able to stretch the boundaries a bit and wear slacks with a dress shirt. We didn’t wear ties because they could get caught in machinery. The employees on the plant floor wore work pants from a uniform company. We provided the clothing because they soiled every inch of them daily. In two other roles, I was back to ties, dress shirts, and slacks. You could get a bit creative with your tie choice, but not too much. The message of the workplace for the first 20+ years of my career was uniformity and sameness. It was what was seen as the expected norm.

The advent of “casual Friday” was revolutionary !! As companies, we lifted the strict expectations of dress codes to allow (take a deep breath here) – jeans. Only on Friday. Only. Every other day we went back to the corporate wardrobe because, let’s be honest, jeans aren’t professional. Right ???

Most people never pushed back to question the norms of dress. I understand there are some environments where clothing is a safety issue, and I get uniforms too (working in the restaurant industry). This isn’t a call for determining a right or wrong when it comes to attire.

Over the past several years, I decided to push the boundaries. It was overdue and I wanted to see how others would respond. You see, I dig patterns and color. Always have. The years and years when I was expected to wear solid colors and blend in felt restrictive. So, I decided to break out the paisley shirts I have worn while making presentations at HR conferences. I complemented these shirts with jeans every day and Chuck Taylor Converse shoes. The shoes are also a mix of styles and colors.

Once I started wearing the clothes that reflected who I am as a person, I felt like I was finally in my own skin. It may seem to feel like a surface issue, but trust me, it’s not. If people can wear clothing that shows their personality, they’re more likely to perform. There’s one other key to this approach.

No dress code !!

I don’t expect others to don paisley shirts, jeans, or Chuck Taylors. If they wanted to match my choice of style, then fine. However, it’s not necessary. People should be able to express themselves within the norms of their company’s culture. If someone wanted to come in wearing a tie while I have some wild, purple pattern on, then that works.

I’ve worn these shirts so regularly now that if I come to work in a solid shirt, people ask me what’s wrong. I get made fun of and often hear that others would never wear my shirts, and I’m completely cool with that. When others see me in my colorful garments, they know that I’m bringing my entire self to work.

We tell people to bring their entire selves to work if . . .

“Those said selves don’t detract from the norms of professionalism, decorum or allow for any sense of individuality or diversity. Keep people in line because it’s ALWAYS worked.”

Think of how we find ourselves spending our days as HR pros. We end up policing those who are exceptions, and then develop 24 policies for each exception to make sure that everyone stays in their place. At the same time, we want people to thrive and perform. It seems a bit counterintuitive, doesn’t it?

This week, decide to add a splash of color. Do what works for you. If it’s through your clothing, excellent. If it’s putting some personal item that has meaning for you out on your workspace, fantastic. Whether it’s a major shift or a minor one, make the change to personalize the culture. Then, let others know they can do it as well. It doesn’t matter whether you work in the field, a manufacturing plant or an office. Allow people to express who they are.

Trust me, it will free you and them to enjoy their work even more. If an exception comes up, then do something radical – Go talk to the person. Let them know the parameters they can move within, and then trust they’ll do the right thing.

I need to go and get my new paisley shirt ready for work. How about you?

Patch and Repair

Spring is upon us and I’m geeked !! Seriously. I love the rain, the storms, and the inevitable greening of the lawn. Some of my best time is spent out working in my yard. I enjoy trimming, mowing, planting, and rearranging our landscaping. Sure, there are days when there’s too much rain or the sun is scorching, but that is to be expected.

When the lawn wakes from its dormant winter slumber, you see how it fared from the prior season. You’re hopeful that it will grow back into one lush, consistent carpet. However, that rarely happens. There is that initial tinge of frustration and a heavy sigh. But, then the juices start flowing and the joy of yardwork begins for another year.

I went to Costco and bought two bags of patch & seed, and felt I would have enough to cover any parts of the lawn that didn’t look like they were going to fill in. It took me quite a bit of time to carefully prep the areas and then spread the material. I was quite satisfied with my progress until I looked around. It was definitely a good start, but I could see that more seed would be needed. I was able to get the first batch spread before an overnight rain which made the work worth it.

Sunday meant another trip to Costco with a more measured assessment of what I’d need. The first two bags were used in the front yard. I didn’t even get a chance to take a peak at the backyard. This resulted in more of an investment and the purchase of five additional bags. I wasn’t sure if it was an overreach, but I wanted to make sure the job could be accomplished.

Our entire yard has very mature trees. They take in a ton of water any time they can. I can’t fathom how massive the root systems running throughout our yard are. They have to encompass a majority of our 1/2 acre lot. That means patches appear and the front yard took a beating. I ended up spreading five of the seven bags of patching material in the bare spots seemingly everywhere. It was a bit disheartening because I still wanted to get to the backyard, and hoped I’d have enough to cover those patches.

Thankfully, I did. The seven bags sufficed. What you need to keep in mind is that 85% of our lawn is in great shape. The 15% that needed attention was in rough shape, but it didn’t mean that I needed to reconstruct the entire lawn (thankfully). Now, I’m hoping that the predicted storms from tonight water the patches, the seed will take root, and new growth will cover the bare areas. A couple of hours of work could result in that wonderful, lush carpet I seek.

This most recent project is similar to work. We’re in a challenging time in the workplace, and honestly, the world. More than I’d care to admit I have heard co-workers exclaim how they feel everything is f****d !! They openly use the word you think it is. That doesn’t offend me. What is concerning is that the bare patches they’re working on have convinced them the entire lawn is shot.

We get so laser-focused on what’s “wrong” with the work we’re responsible for that we miss seeing any other part of the work landscape. A friend and fellow co-worker of mine had this amazing sign she put on her workstation so that when you enter her office, it’s the first thing you see. It gives you a different “F” to use.

Everything is Figureoutable !! It’s a great phrase and I love that it’s a made-up word because it makes you pause and think. If we take this stance to how we do work and how we choose to interact with each other, then I think we’ll make sustainable progress. This frames your day in a constructive way. It allows you to find out what needs to be patched and repaired.

Yes, those patches may take a heavy lift of time and attention, but they are not the entire system of how a company functions. They may represent the 15% of my lawn that needed some care and love. Everything isn’t f****d. It just isn’t. We can’t allow the allure of challenge and negativity to suck us down into the muck.

This week see how you can see things as figureoutable. Get the materials you need to cover the bare spots, and then see how your good work will pull the workplace together !!

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.

Put Your Apron On !!

My family is made up of an eclectic mix of people who have had a variety of occupations. I come from three families altogether – my mom’s side, my biological dad’s side, and my step-dads side. (My mom remarried my second dad after being widowed.) Many of my relatives were, or are, farmers. They’ve had farms where they worked the land and raised livestock. These farms have been generational, and through their hard work they have fed countless people.

Another portion of my family worked in manufacturing plants or in front-line roles putting in hours in various conditions. They were also responsible for making great products or providing services to many people. Most of my extended family never saw the end users of their efforts. One person stands out, particularly in this family work history – my stepdad, Don.

Dad grew up on a farm and used to tell us that he began work soon after birth. That was probably more truth than fabrication. I know that he worked constantly for his family growing up. He and his twin brother, Ron, were two boys of seven siblings. After high school, he began working at a grain elevator in Ada, Ohio (which would become my hometown later.) He worked his way up over time from shoveling grain and loading trucks to becoming the manager of the elevator. When he married my mom, he was the manager. I don’t know if he ever only worked 40 hours a week. Not kidding. He would put in a full day, come home for dinner, and go back to work.

His work ethic was genuine and natural. He modeled it and expected the same effort and commitment from me and my brother. It didn’t matter if that was in school, our volunteer efforts, or in our jobs. He viewed work as something to cherish and give your best to every day. Sure, I bet there were times when things were a grind. And, I’m sure he also experienced challenging employees and customers. That never swayed him.

While working at the elevator, he put himself through night school to get his Associate’s Degree in Accounting. This led to an accounting role for the local electrical co-op where he worked until he retired. I’ve always appreciated and admired my dad for how he approached work.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago . . .

I was asked to be a guest on a webinar for WorkProud. Their CEO, Michael Levy, and I had a great conversation about the future of work and how to develop a people-first organization. I am grateful anytime I have the chance to contribute to blogs, podcasts, or webinars. I don’t take it for granted. Once the webinar was completed, Michael asked me for my address because he wanted to send me something as a “Thank You.”

Soon there was a package on my porch and I was floored when I opened it !! I saw some weathered green canvas along with some leather. I was confused as to the contents of the package at first. I pulled out the item and began unfolding it. It seemed to unfold over and over. It still wasn’t clear as to what it was until I laid it flat on my kitchen island.

It was an apron !! A work apron. It was magnificent and I took several minutes just to look it over. I ran my hands over the material and it already felt like it had been used. It was as if someone working in a hands-on environment had finished their day’s work and had hung it up on a hook to be ready for the next shift. My wife asked if I was planning on keeping it, and I immediately said, “Absolutely !!”

You see, I think the apron is a solid reminder for everyone in HR to pick up their proverbial apron and put it on as we head into work. We can have the same approach and dedication my dad showed throughout his career with our “aprons” on. We are a profession that rarely sees the outcome of our efforts because we have the privilege of working with people. Each day provides a different circumstance to take on and work through.

Having a put your apron on mentality will keep us grounded as well. It is a tangible reminder that we represent all employees from the front line to the C-suite. Our “work” is in caring for, assisting, and developing others. We can build up our callouses doing this work well. This week I want you to pause before you start. Break up your regular pattern and add a new step. Find your apron. Put it on. Tie it tightly and then head in !!

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 !!

The Future Workplace

This past week I had the incredible opportunity to speak to an auditorium filled with college students. I’ve become accustomed to speaking, but this time I was a bit anxious. You see, I’m almost 40 years older than all of the young students in the room. I wasn’t quite sure I’d connect with them. I was hopeful but it wasn’t a sure thing. Even though I’ve been speaking for several years in a variety of venues, I still have that tinge of uncertainty which I welcome. I never want to take it for granted or be so self-assured that I overlook the reason I speak – the audience.

The topic was fascinating because I was tagged to speak about the Future Workplace !! (Cue space music in the background.) I wanted to see where the mindset was of the students so I asked them using Slido.

(Quick aside – If you’ve never used Slido as a presenter, I highly recommend it because it allows full participation from the group you’re in front of anonymously. Check it out !!)

The kids pulled out their phones, clicked on the QR code, and started typing. I chose a WordCloud for them to populate. There were nearly two hundred responses and the top answers were: Money, Work-Life Balance and Flexibility. So, the newest folks who will be entering the workplace would like to get paid and not work all the time !! I agree that is a need even today.

Once I knew where they stood, I turned the tables on what they expected. Instead of lecturing to them about my decades of vast experience, I talked about topics to look for and expect in the workplace. The tone was more about encouraging them to be intentional and create the workplace of the future themselves. I didn’t want them to be subject to what others define for them. My generation did that and I felt that the majority of my career was filled with traditional boxes following a top/down approach.

The workplace of the future is going to be people-centric and people-first. Since the auditorium was filled with people, I shared that they had the foundation already sitting in front of them. We talked about culture, behavior, contribution, adding value, and more. The message I wanted to make sure stuck with them was this – Embrace all that they are as people and all that they’ll bring to the workplace from their vantage point. Also, I emphasized to NEVER let people from other generations put them down or degrade who they are or how they approach work.

I closed by encouraging them to connect with current businesspeople to establish mentors to be resources for them. Yes, I also told them they should network, but I wanted them to know that networking is a business skill and not a job-seeking skill. I kept with my style of having my accompanying office table filled with toys and even got some laughs despite our age difference.

At the end of the presentation, I was touched by how many students stayed to chat. Several of them said, “I didn’t know what to expect when I came tonight. I thought it might be dull and boring, but it was fun.” My favorite comment was, “I had a picture in my head of what an executive from a company looks like and sounds like. I was floored to see you dressed in a colorful shirt, fun shoes, and jeans. You were down-to-earth and authentic. You changed my perspective on what C-Suite people could be.”

It was reassuring and ironic at the same time. My nervous assumption about our significant age differences was unwarranted. We connected because of the common fact – we’re all humans. I think we should continue to focus on the human factor of the workplace now and into the future. The “things” like AI, HR Tech, new processes, and systems will always be evolving into something new. We’ll never fully be ahead of the curve and any predictions will have some things right and others will be missed.

I’m sure people will be speaking far more about the “things” of work instead of the humans. That’s a shame because the workplace of the future will include people. People frame the culture. People design the strategy. People make work come to life through the systems and processes.

I encourage all of us to embrace those who will make up the future workplace. It will be exciting to see what they do and what is invented next. Believing in them now and lifting them up is how WE can impact the future. We don’t have to keep focusing on the How and What is coming. We will be successful now and into the future for years to come if we focus on the Who !!

I’m geeked about the future. I can’t wait to see what all of those students will do. I hope you are geeked as well !!

Simple is Hard

This past week, I was fortunate to return to the speaking circuit for the first time in 2024. Whenever I get to speak to a group of my HR peers, my bucket is instantly filled. I never take it for granted. As soon as the obligatory speaker introduction ends, I can hit the first slide, and time seems to disappear.

I can feel the energy of the room ramp up when I introduce a few of the concepts I wanted to cover during my time. You see, I believe in and have practiced a stripped-down version of HR throughout my career. When I began practicing several decades ago, it wasn’t even called Human Resources it was Personnel. What was interesting was the old name of the field was a more accurate description of how most of the work was done. It was impersonal distant and heavily process-driven.

People are probably reading this and screaming that little has changed. That may be true in pockets or in companies that don’t value HR. I hate to hear that. I can’t tell you how many times people have come up to me after presentations sharing that they are faced with roles that still value the Personnel approach. Interestingly enough, there is this constant push to rename and rebrand the profession yet again. Instead of focusing on doing good work with people, we’re worried about what we’re called as an industry. I really am not concerned with what HR is or isn’t called as long as we try something that works.

Great HR is best when it is simplified. When we strip back the layers of the muck that have been built in over the years we make true progress. We thought our purpose had been to continue to build system upon system, process upon process, and policy upon policy. The more we wrote and implemented, we assured ourselves that our work and relationships with people would go smoothly. We have tricked ourselves into believing that we can have the perfect model with a set number of prescriptive steps to refer to for any situation we face.

There are still speakers, books, blogs, and podcasts that propose this ineffective and archaic belief system. Isn’t it ironic that if we only needed one true system then there wouldn’t be the need for any others? Have you stepped back to consider that?

Simplifying HR is needed because people are complicated. Each individual on this planet is unique. They can’t be, and shouldn’t be, crammed into a box of any sort in order to comply and conform. But, as Martin Scorcese so aptly stated, “Simple is hard.” You think it would be just the opposite. However, creating more and more and more layers of do’s and don’ts (mainly don’ts if we were honest) is easy. Having the discipline to keep things simple and not allow the layer building to occur takes considerably more effort.

The key to understanding here though is this – Keeping HR simple allows you and your employees to thrive. You have to trust me that you unleash more of the inherent talent people want to bring to work if you focus on allowing them to perform. How that looks where you work is up to you.

This is the baseline message of almost every talk I give. I’m out to deconstruct the past in order to build up the profession. Pulling the layers back and eliminating them reveals amazing people who have been there all the time. We just haven’t seen them because we’ve been lulled to sleep doing work building matrixes.

This week find one thing to strip back. Just one. The next week find two to three more and so on. Have faith and know that simplified HR can work for you. Taking these steps will be far more impactful than building the next great initiative. Enable the people you have working at your company to perform. You’ll find when you do this, they will.

Put Your Spin On It !!

I love those painting places where you can go and have someone teach you to paint a picture. Everyone in the class starts with the same blank canvas. The instructor stands in the front of the room and shows you what a finished product could look like.

Instructions are given and everyone hears the same things. However, once a brush dips in the paint and is applied to the canvas, something happens. Not one person does it like another person. Not one. Why is that? They all heard the same instruction and they all viewed the same picture. Wouldn’t it make sense that you’d see a room full of identical pictures? Logically, it would but creativity isn’t logical.

That doesn’t dissuade anyone from taking the class. In fact, everyone loves taking a peek at everyone else’s canvas to see how they interpreted the painting. They are unique – just like each person. There wasn’t any hope of any two canvases turning out to be alike.

(These are two of my interpretations . . .)

Now, compare this to the workplace. I was talking virtually with a friend from the UK and we were lamenting the ongoing insistence of companies copying other companies. We call it “best practices.” There are countless speakers and consultants who encourage you to adopt best practices in order to be more successful. They have good intentions, but best practices don’t work. And, if we’re honest, they’re behind.

We shouldn’t be mimics trying to recreate the culture, procedures, or approaches of other companies. Can we learn from them? Absolutely. Have they accomplished impressive things? You bet. Do you work for exactly the same company with the exact make-up of employees and have the same resources they do? No. No, you do not. Since that is our reality, why do we think we can recreate how those companies do work?

I’d like to propose a different approach with two components for you to consider. The first is this – Know that your workplace is your own blank canvas. You can see the painting someone else did before you on an easel. Start painting what YOU see. Whatever the outcome is be good with it. It’s your creation. You learned from the best practices that are exhibited on the easel and you added your own touch.

At my workplace, we call this LaRosaifying something. We look externally to see how others do things well because you can learn from good work. Taking pieces from these practices and molding them to fit how we do work with our talented people is very successful. We won’t ever be (insert name of well-known company here) and we don’t want to be.

Secondly, create the “next practice” instead of trying to replicate the work of others. You are creative !! You may not think so, or you may not think you have time in your full day to be creative, but that’s just not true. Every good idea had to start somewhere. Why not from where you work? The best practices we’ve been talking about were created somewhere by someone else. Why can’t your idea be something that inspires others?

We sell ourselves short far too often. We are consumed with production and results which keep our heads down. We don’t see the paint, brushes, and canvas just waiting to be used. If we’d be willing to pause, breathe, and lift our heads up from the day-to-day, we’d see countless canvases waiting for us to add our creations to them.

This week stop the mimicry, pick up your brush, and start painting. Put your spin on the good work you do. You’ll be surprised by the masterpiece that is just waiting to be completed.

Be a Bracket Buster !!

If you’re a member of my immediate family, then you know that this time of the year is occupied with one thing . . . basketball. I grew up playing myself for years and when I got married, my amazing wife came to games I played as an “adult.” I started coaching local teens before I had kids of my own and then they started playing !! Our daughter played through high school and our son played through elementary school.

Layer on top of all of this frantic basketball activity we’re avid in-person and TV basketball watchers. We became fans of Xavier University living in greater Cincinnati. For years we were fortunate to go to games at the Cintas Center and we loved every moment. Throughout the college basketball season, one game or another is sure to be playing. My wife has even mentioned she’s often a basketball widow. It’s taken her decades to understand the nuances of the game, but now I’ll hear her scream, “That was traveling !!” It warms my heart.

During the NCAA tournament, nothing else is on TV. Nothing. We watch teams we cheer for and also ones we don’t know. We have a family bracket (of course) and more often than not Debbie wins (the one who never played.) We’re glued to every result and we exclaim disappointment and angst when any of our picks are wrong. They are inevitably wrong because it’s nearly impossible to choose the winner of every game. When a lower seed upsets an upper seed there’s added excitement even when it busts your bracket.

In fact, we love when the underdog surprises the favorite and wins. I especially like it because the sportscasters become flummoxed and tongue-tied. They are at a loss for words because they’ve been conditioned to primarily focus on the favorites. The networks also appear to do research and stats for the bigger programs and schools of note. The cynic in me also feels the networks want the favorites to win because that means more people watching and bigger advertisement dollars.

This makes the win of bracket busters even sweeter. The lower seeds are filled with talented players. They may not be future NBA superstars, but any athlete who has the skills to play at the collegiate level is more talented than most. It’s great to see the players who are on the teams who caused the upset talk because they ALWAYS talk about their team as a whole. Always. This is true even if one or two of their players excelled more than the others. There is a team mentality that makes them more cohesive and effective.

I believe we should have the same mentality and approach you get from the bracket busters in the workplace. Every employee who you work with is talented. Every. Single. One. Bringing employees together as a collaborative team is what we should strive to build. It’s great if you get a few people who may have a stronger skillset in one area or another, but they perform even better when they’re part of a larger team.

We need to move away from focusing primarily on a few people and see how each person can thrive and move the organization forward. Start making the effort to pull folks together into teams throughout your company. Make a group of bracket busters and see how you unlock the talent that is already present !!