‘Change’ Articles at Everyday People, Page 8

Culture of Awesome !!

There are countless numbers of blogs and articles regarding culture. I’m absolutely in that mix because I feel that culture is the most critical factor of today’s workplace. The challenge I see though is that people continue to offer models of what will absolutely work for you. I think this is an incredible presumption !! I can’t come close to understanding what your company culture is or isn’t.

There are a few assumptions I can make that will be accurate:

Your company has people that work there.
All the people you have are different and unique.
No one agrees on having the same culture.

In our constant pursuit for the silver bullet for all things HR, we tend to get frustrated because we can’t make everything “the same.” I’d like to suggest one component regarding company culture that you can control, but you overlook. That cultural component is . . . YOU !!

In organizations, we talk about others and how THEY need to improve their behavior. In fact, the majority of our time in Human Resources is dealing with the behaviors of other employees. After a while we get desensitized to thinking about how we affect the behaviors of others because we are always trying to address and “fix” people. That approach is exhausting isn’t it?

A friend sent me this picture with the message, “I thought of you the moment I saw this.” I am smiling even as I type this blog because I get Geeked everytime I see it !! What makes it an amazing picture is that the advice is not to start with others, it’s for yourself first. Behavior is most affected by what you model and not what you dictate.

If each and every day started this way for you, how would your day go? Imagine that this framed your behavior as you pulled up to work, got out of your car, and as your hand hit the handle of the door to enter your building – it was on !! I understand that this could be tough to pull off for some people even one day a week. I just believe that HR has the ability to set the tone of the culture where they work. If you came in to set up a Culture of Awesome – you would set the world on its ear. People would look at you, and at HR, differently. There may be some skeptics to start, but you’ll see that it will become a norm for the environment around you.

Tomorrow, or when you read this, start with Rule 1, move to Rule 2 and see how you start working better with everyone around you as you incorporate Rule 3 !! I think you’ll agree that it’s AWESOME !!

It’s How You Look At It !!

This past week we lost a comic genius in Robin Williams. It’s sad that he passed because he always seemed to bring joy through his work. I’m one of those who “grew up” with Williams from his stand-up comedy, through Mork & Mindy and all of his movies.

I enjoyed his comedy because he looked at things from a slightly different perspective. His views were frenetic and never predictable !! I think that’s one reason that people loved watching him because you never knew what what coming. I think most would agree that they loved watching Williams and his madness, but they would not be comfortable practicing it themselves.

Having a different perspective on things is never popular. The pressure to stay within the norms of interactions, conversations and actions is huge. If you are an outlier, then people tend to look at you as a disruptive force instead of something inviting.

HR needs to learn from Robin Williams in a couple of ways. The first is that we should be the group that brings the different perspective to situations. We have the opportunity to represent both the employee and the leadership in organizations. Too often we are seen as representing management only. We need to be the voice of both sides and that takes some moxie to stand up and not be aligned to the Company only.

Secondly, we can breathe life into our role and our organizations like Williams did for us. Today, people don’t enjoy coming to work. It’s well documented and publicized to the point that you wonder if anyone enjoys work anymore. We can be the overwhelmingly positive model through HR. Each company has it’s struggles and obstacles, but it’s how you approach things.

One of my favorite Williams’ movies was Good Morning, Vietnam. In it, his character takes the horror of the situation people were involved in and looks at it differently. The humor he brought gave the troops a little light despite the situation they were in. I know what we do on a daily basis doesn’t compare to that type of extreme environment, but bringing a positive viewpoint to what we do is sorely needed !!

This week take the step to start having a different perspective in what you do, how you do it and allow others to bring in different viewpoints as well. Also, make sure you’re taking time to laugh and bring a positive perspective to HR and the employees you get to serve.

The Value of Context !!

I am a dad. It has to be the greatest accomplishment I’ve ever had, or will ever have. My kids are on the verge of being adults now so they are doing more and more on their own. What I’m finding is how easy it is to take a small amount of information and blow it out of proportion if you are missing context. I’m seeing this both from them spreading their wings and having to make bigger life decisions as well as my wife and I letting them fly more. We don’t always have context around what their decisions are, and it’s hard not to want to step in and “fix” things.

Please note that my kids are flat amazing !! My wife and I are fortunate because they’re both honor roll students (college and high school). And, they’ve made great choices (so far) in their friends, activities and life.

This past week I had a chance to get some more context myself. In addition to being a father, I’m a SHRMmie. A SHRMmie is someone who is active with SHRM as a volunteer, chapter member, etc. I see it as someone who has made a broader attempt at getting involved with SHRM as an organization.

I went to an event put on by my local chapter where Dr. Kari Strobel from SHRM Research presented on the SHRM Competency Model. I’ve known about SHRM’s work in this area for the past few years and have heard about it as it was being developed. Now that it’s completed, it was intriguing to see the depth of the model and how it can be used by HR practitioners.

I learned that they have taken the model and equated each of the competencies to levels of your career. So, you can take the “Business Acumen” competency and see how to utilize it as an entry-level practitioner to a Sr. level practitioner. I appreciated seeing that the model didn’t take a one size fits all approach. I also like that the model is a mix of behavioral competencies as well as solid HR technical knowledge as a competency.

When the presentation finished, the attendees wanted to quantify the SHRM Competency Model to the new SHRM Certification and the impending exam that will launch in 2015. Dr. Strobel handled the questions well and understood that people wanted to seek context around this change. The questions and answers were very good and each one let people build on what was said before it.

It was obvious that the Certification issue is still very personal and emotional – and it should be. You see, when people put their emotions into something, they care more about it and want it to be protected. I appreciate that people care about their professional status and their certification. As an SPHR myself, I agree that it matters.

What I’d ask everyone to do with this passion, is seek context. Please note that I don’t want you to seek context to sway you one way or another. I want people to take the time to seek context because then you can make educated decisions on what you plan to do.

So, as you continue to look at the different aspects of the SHRM Certification as it evolves, get more information. Go to an event at your local SHRM chapter or State Conference. Reach out to someone and talk to them. Go to the site they’ve developed specifically for the SHRM Certification here. It helps to see more about what is happening.

I am excited to see things moving. I’m working on trying to learn more and understand more and get as much context as I can. I hope you’ll join me !!

Ride the Waves !!

This past week was truly wonderful !! I was on a beach with my family enjoying vacation. Overall, the week was fairly uneventful and relaxing. We did the things we enjoy like playing Euchre, tackling an impossible 1,000 piece puzzle, rounds and rounds of miniature golf and time with our feet in the sand.

I don’t do well just sitting on the beach. I need to move and be a part of the flow of the environment around me. I love watching all of the different people walking by and sincerely wanting to talk to each of them (if it wouldn’t creep them out) and learn about who they are and what they do. I don’t do that . . . much, but the throngs of people fascinate me. I tend to roam up and down the beach to search for shells, look for unique things and take in as much of the experience as I can.

This year we were actually in a condo on the beach. And I mean ON the beach. The endless pulse of the Atlantic Ocean was a constant melody if we were splashing around in the waves, or listening to them as we fell asleep at night. It was a hypnotic symphony that I loved hearing and watching.

My kids and I love bouncing up and down in the waves for hours and hours. We happened to be out in the surf in some rather active waves. In fact, you had to really try to maintain your footing. After fighting this force of nature, you were worn out. We’d catch a breath, grab a drink of water and head right back out into waves.

It reminded me of HR, work and life. It may seem like a stretch, but hear me out. Life comes at all of us in waves. And, like the ocean, the waves never stop. I love it when we expect our employees not to “bring their life” issues to work because that is a flat joke. You can’t wish that people would do this because it’s not possible. Instead, I think we need to have a characteristic that should be in every HR role – resilience. It’s something that we don’t teach, and it’s even hard to think about it. This attribute is needed because waves of different sizes and intensity come at all of our employees every day. Instead of being pulled out by a rip tide, or having the waves of life bury us, we need to be there to pull people up and get them on their feet once again.

Too often we bemoan the circumstances of life that people share with us. We want everything to be just perfect and smooth and get frustrated when it’s not. Being resilient is what is needed instead. If we are the people who can be the example to others, then they will understand they have support. Support is something lacking in most workplaces for our employees. If HR could step in consistently, then people would appreciate this and not be overwhelmed by what comes at them.

Tomorrow, I jump back into the surf, but this time it’s at the office. I can’t wait to be in the waves with all of those around me !!

I Need a Bucket !!

Before you think this is a post about Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life, it really takes a different twist (even though I’m a devout Python fan !!)

There has been a recent trend in blog posts that came to life at work for me this week. I first came across Susan David‘s fabulous post on Harvard Business Review on engagement and meeting employee’s needs. Secondly, I read one of my faves Paul Hebert on Symbolist and his take on finding out what employees want. If you take nothing else from this post, make sure you connect with these great folks and resources !!

This all came to life for me through one of my favorite Team Members. Greg has been with us for over 30 years and he started when he was 16. Greg is fantastic because he has always done the work that most people look down upon or consider below them. Greg started with us as a dishwasher taking care of all of the various dishes from our guests as well as the kitchen equipment. It really is one of the key positions in our pizzerias !! A little over a year ago we asked Greg to try something new and clean the parking lot for our anchor store as well as the parking lot for the Corporate Office.

Greg has always taken great pride in his work, and he welcomed the new opportunity. A few weeks ago he asked me for a new bucket. I didn’t think much of it because he had a bucket, but something seemed wrong. He seemed out of sorts which doesn’t happen that often. When Greg saw me, he’d check in and see if I had found a bucket yet. I asked Greg what kind of bucket he wanted and he said, “Something big and colorful.”

I took Greg’s request to heart and found a beautiful, blue bucket at Lowe’s. I walked it over to the pizzeria and asked the GM to get Greg and have him meet me at the restaurant. He thought something was wrong, but his eyes lit up when he saw me with the new bucket !!

He explained to me that someone had ruined his last bucket and it was great to have something new !!

You need to know something fantastic about Greg !! He is a Special Needs Team Member who is flat awesome. In fact, when we had a group of sixth graders visiting us, Greg asked if he could speak to the class. He was absolutely captivating because he spoke from his heart about how much he loved working for us, and he encouraged all of the kids to make sure to apply to work for us when they turned 16 just like he did !!

A bucket. Something that seems to be insignificant and simple to most, changed Greg’s day. I can see him now across the street as his blue bucket bops up and down as he walks joyfully through the lots.

What’s something that’s staring you in the face which may mean little to you, but would change an employee’s life ?? We make HR so layered and difficult, and miss people’s needs that are right in front of us.

This week, strip off the layers and look for those “bottom shelf” needs that you have been missing. Recognize that it’s important to someone else and then fill their bucket !!

Lava Lamps in India !! #SHRM14

I am slowly, and I mean slowly, coming down from my high state of euphoria I experienced at #SHRM14 !! I really don’t want it to end, but it will have to suffice as my HR peer fix until the next great event.

The entire event was a whirlwind of interactions at a level I hoped would occur. To get jumped in the hallway outside the Exhibition Hall by Simone Carroll saying “Hello Steve !!” in a beautiful Australian accent followed by a hug to exchanging music, ideas and insights with the SHRM HRblog Squad, my time at the Conference was never dull.

I enjoyed the Keynotes for various reasons. I don’t expect them to “hit” or change HR because they are brought to the Conference to give it some “star” power. My fave was David Novak, CEO of Yum! Brands because he was Geeked about people in his business and I truly connected with his approach to HR – especially in the restaurant business.

I loved the concurrent sessions I saw with Jennifer McClure, Jason Lauritsen and Clint Swindall. Each of them had takeaways on how to do things like build the business case for HR and leadership (Jennifer), Become a Social Architect in HR (Jason) and how to become a Weekday Warrior (Clint). Yes, I went to sessions to try to improve humans around me. I just can’t get enough of it to be honest !!

The Exhibit Hall rocked !! I loved the SHRM Store and the Volunteer Leaders lounge was a great place to rest and catch a snack with friends who give their time and efforts to SHRM at the Chapter and State Council level.

The event that sent me truly over the top was the opportunity to speak myself. It was a rush to be opening the activities on Monday at 7:00am to a full room. I am thankful that friends came to show support because I love seeing them all the time. I was even more excited to see a room of unfamiliar faces (at least when we started). I met HR peers from Uganda, Saudi Arabia, Denmark, Nigeria, Turkey, the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Canada and India all in my session. Having a chance to share HR from a different perspective and also reach folks from across the globe . . . . amazing !!

I think the attendees at my session weren’t quite ready to be jacked up that early in the morning. To be able to show HR people that you can have fun, mess with your employees and truly impact the business you work for seemed new to most there. I thought everyone was a bit tentative to start, but by the end of the session people were laughing, smiling and learned what it’s like to be Geeked about HR !!

I challenged the attendees to do something completely radical and say, “Hi !!” to all of the attendees at SHRM14 who weren’t in my session for the rest of the week. I told them I would check on them throughout the week to see how it was going. Amazingly, they told me that others were wondering why they were greeting them. I asked if that discouraged them, and they began to glow with excitement !! They eagerly told me, “No, I keep saying ‘Hi !!’ to more folks now. This is awesome !!”

You see, I think a lot of HR needs to be simplified. People want to engage and be connected – but the difference is that WE have to be the ones to do it instead of expecting folks to just “get it.” One thing to start this is making your office fun. At my session, I closed everything out by telling folks I was adding them to the HR Net (a free resource open to all HR folks) to keep them connected, and I gave away a lava lamp.

When I pulled the name, I stumbled. It was a longer name and I didn’t want to mispronounce it. I got the name out and a wonderful, young lady quietly stood and said, “Yes, that is me. I won.” Meet Jaya from India !!

How cool is it that the 1st time I get to speak at SHRM National, I can plant a cool, hippie HR vibe in another country ??

You see HR – It’s time for us to shine our light within our organizations, our profession and with each other. Well, I’m geeked again just by writing this !! I hope the Conference was fab for everyone who went – and I hope to see YOU at another great HR event sooner than later !!

Being Heard !!

I just returned from #SHRM14 in Orlando. This was the best experience I’ve personally had at a SHRM Annual Conference. I got in a bit earlier than the masses because I was there as part of the Membership Advisory Council (MAC) of SHRM. One of the facets of this role is that we meet with the SHRM Board of Directors as well as the board of the SHRM Foundation.

Our job is to share the feedback, concerns, ideas and pulse of the SHRM Members. It’s really an extremely cool volunteer position to hold because it’s like practicing HR for your Association. We listen to our members and then share with Senior Leaders directly.

I knew that we’d have this opportunity and the other four great ladies I serve with had met with the Boards last year. There was some anxiety because I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’m a huge believer in experiential learning and this was going to be a great experience.

What I found was not only reassuring, but gave me confidence in an organization that I sincerely believe in because we were heard !! When we met with both bodies they listened to what the SHRM members had shared with us, especially about the new SHRM Certification. The feedback we shared was candid, emotional and forthright. It was even described as “unvarnished.”

There was a key distinction about how we approached this opportunity. You see, we made the business case for the feedback and broke it into the areas that fit all of the comments we received. I happened to go to a session led by Jennifer McClure later during the actual conference where she shared the steps to consider when making an HR business case to Senior Management. It looks like we followed the steps well because we gave recommendations for the Board to consider around the next steps of the SHRM Certification evolution.

I want to clear something up that I heard at the Conference as well. I understand that people may not feel the SHRM Board hears people, but I know that not to be true. This is, and will continue to be, a highly emotional issue. The Board Members heard that directly and when we discussed the issue, it was on both a tangible and strategic level.

In the end, we took the first step.

I truly think that is how this work should continue. People are demanding absolutes which is too narrow of an approach. Details need to come – and they will. Communication needs to be better and consistent – and it will be. People need to stay engaged in the process as it rolls out – and they will.

You have to know that I am not someone who is trying to only tout SHRM. This situation allowed the MAC to practice HR. We listened to our constituents and then brought that data to our leaders wrapped in potential solutions and recommendations. We acted as a bridge to not only bring things together, but to move them forward.

For those that know me, I am one of the most fiercely passionate HR pros you’ll encounter. The great folks I serve with are also fiercely passionate business people. We always yearn to be heard and taken seriously as HR professionals. I can tell you that it happens because we experienced it firsthand.

I’m geeked about the level of involvement I experienced and also in working with the leadership of SHRM while being connected to its volunteers. We have hit some bumps and shed some tears. We have raised our voices . . . and we are being heard !!

I Am HR !!

In the classic film Spartacus, Kirk Douglas leads a revolt against Rome. He and his fellow slaves are face-to-face with the Roman troops when the commander demands that Spartacus reveal himself. All of his fellow slaves stand and declare that THEY are Spartacus until the entire throng claims to be Douglas. He stands defiantly facing his enemy while everyone rallies around him. It is timeless and a call to arms for people to support a just cause and overthrow the empire !!

This past week a true revolutionary in our field of HR, Laurie Ruettimann, released her new e-book, I Am HR: 5 Strategic Ways to Break Stereotypes and Reclaim HR. To put it simply, it is magnificent !!

Laurie has been a trendsetter in Social Media and HR for several years. Her punk rock approach to what we do is edgy, challenging and intentional. She hasn’t settled for HR to remain in stasis, and that doesn’t always sit well with people. In fact, I know that people tend to either be hot or cold with Laurie since she rarely takes a stand in the middle of the road.

I respect Laurie for being a boundary stretched in a field that cries out so desperately for this. For too long HR has bemoaned how it “isn’t this” or “isn’t that.” We are the ONLY profession that does this by the way !! Laurie and I have different approaches to being passionate about HR, but I consider her a dear friend who makes me think and not accept the norms that are often set as standards for our industry.

This e-book takes the stereotypes of HR and peels them back. It doesn’t pile on or reinforce them, but it does ask you as the reader to face what we’ve become.

The true appeal to Laurie’s work is that she offers some tangible solutions for each of these stereotypes to be addressed and thwarted. Some HR books give lofty theoretical models filled with catchphrases and false motivation to get you jacked up to “act” into yet another phase of corporate ambiguity. This book doesn’t do that. In fact, Laurie gives real world examples of HR professionals that she has observed as people who break these stereotypes. You can find each of these HR pros active in all facets of the field and from all types and sizes of industries. Ironically, each of the people she lists are also visible and active in Social Media trying to move the entire profession forward as well as where they work.

This book will push you to look introspectively and then ask you to stand and proclaim. I know that when I read it, I readily exclaimed, ” I AM HR !! ” as if I was rallying with Spartacus. I encourage you to download the book, keep it on hand, refer to it often and join the throng to proclaim that YOU ARE HR !!

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.

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 . . . “