‘Difference’ Articles at Everyday People, Page 15

All you need is . . .

This past weekend, some friends of mine and I went to a local pub. Our intention was just to catch up and share a few adult beverages. When I got there, my friends were all excited because the pub was doing a music trivia contest. A DJ played a snippet of a song and your team had to guess the song and the artist.

Now, for those of you who don’t know me very well, I’m sort of a music freak !! I have music playing constantly. In the house, in the car, while I’m doing yardwork and ESPECIALLY in my office. (We’ll get to this in a bit . . .)

My friends knew that I was really into music, so we jumped in eventhough we missed the first round. By the end of the contest we moved from missing the first round to placing 5th out of 20 teams. To say I was geeked was an understatement !!

The true highlight of the night though came during The Beatles “speed round.” Ten songs with just a small bit played and you had to guess. During this round, more than the others, the patrons of the bar sang every song out loud. It didn’t matter that we were competing against one another. The music brought everyone together.

What does this have to do with HR ?? EVERYTHING !!

To often in the workplace, we focus on what pulls us apart. In fact, some people in organizations count on this fact because if they can try to get people to see what bothers them, then you won’t even attempt to look at what draws you together.

To be honest, this is draining and defeating. To constantly be at odds with others within your organization, and possibly in your own department, is detrimental and leads to discord and other nasty things.

What things do you have around you that bring folks together? Is it music? It is another cultural tie that people rally around?

Remember, there will always be folks who won’t join in to the ties that bind others together. The trick is to move toward the ties and let them be. In time, they will either not like the positive direction you’re going, or you can sit with them and say, “We’d love to have you be a part of this.” And show them what they’re missing.

I don’t apologize for the music that emenates from my office. In fact, I keep it going even if I’m not in there to enjoy it. HR has the responsibility to set the constructive culture of a company and show how people can bring their indiviudal nuances and strength to make the “song” even better !!

The Beatles kept it simple in their classic, “All You Need Is Love.” The question you have to ask yourself this week is . . . What do we need ???

Image courtesy of Society 6

Encourage and Lift Up !!

You may, or may not, know this but I am EXTREMELY passionate about most areas of my life !! I was reminded of this recently when I read a blog post from a friend who asked people to truly be who they are – both in person and on-line. I didn’t see that as being critical, but as being encouraging.

In HR I get the opportunity to be around a myriad of people who are going through a myriad of things all the time !! Too often, when I encounter them, it starts our negatively. I don’t mean that they are negative people. Just the contrary, but we live in a world where “negative” is our 1st line filter.

I love it when people cloud this fact and say, “I’m just being realistic !!” No, you’re being negative and justifying your realism. There are difficult things all around us. We tend to have the mindset that NO ONE can be going through the challenges that we are facing.

This isn’t a post about “downer truth or dare” because that gets ugly quick !! There are so many people in HR and in the workplace who need to be encouraged. I’m not talking about recognition (although that is usually encouraging). I’m talking about noticing the little things around you in the lives of others and lifting them up – on purpose !!

Most people are hesitant to encourage others. There’s the fear of a “hidden agenda,” or that people just are nice to get something from you. (Remember, people start from a negative filter . . .)

Also, people want others to make the first move. We are much more likely to reciprocate encouragement if it’s genuinely given first. Well, I’d like to “encourage” you to be that first person who steps out on a regular basis to lift others up wherever you are.

I’m not talking about a formal program with a goal of so many positive comments a day. I’m talking about turning off your negative tendencies and replacing them with positive ones. It may seem tough at first, and people may even mock you for being different. But, isn’t that cool? Your efforts could be the one difference that someone needs just at the time you encourage them.

Don’t pass this up !! It’s time for you to unleash your passion !! HR has been lacking this and it can only improve when YOU join in !!

Let me start . . .

Thanks for being in HR !! I know people are tough – but remember – you’re a person too !! I’m glad that I get to know, learn and grow from people like you. Continue to know that you’re making a difference !! You truly are !!

Talent Takes Time !!

This weekend I had an incredible time with my son and 5,000 other Boy Scouts at Peterloon. This isn’t a post about scouting, it’s about talent.

You see, this weekend my son was the “Senior Patrol Leader” meaning that he was in charge of the entire weekend. He made sure everything was packed, ready to go, the camp was set up and the boys/adults had a productive time during the event. He had to organize activities, keep track of details, encourage great behavior and address behavior that was a little more “challenging.”

During the camp tear down, I was about to “direct” some scouts to take care of things, when my son stepped in and said, “Dad, that’s not what we’re going to do. That’s not a good use of our time. I want to see the boys move the dining flies, tear down the chairs and then put things in the trailer. Then we’ll eat. We need to get these things done so we can stay on track.”

Did I mention my son’s 15 ??

This is the same young man who has done all of the goofy things boys do. He’s incredibly funny, creative, witty and caring. I am sure he will be successful in whatever he chooses to pursue. His ideas are so far out of the box as to how to approach people that he finds people following his lead and innovation.

He’s a great example of why talent takes time. If you would have told me that my son would become the young man I saw taking charge this weekend when he was young, I would have laughed out loud !!

Too often in organizations, HR follows the bright shining star who bursts onto the scene. Everyone follows this person exclaiming their talent and the gold mine of leadership that he/she is sure to be for years to come !! At times, this plays out. However, too often the supernova is just that – a super nova. They dazzle, draw attention and may do something short-term that astonishes everyone around and has great initial success.

Talent happens over a slow burn. Talent is sustainable. Talent is consistent and remains constant . . . over time.

So, when you clamor for the next “Talent Management” seminar or best practice, step back and review the employees around you. Who is that person or department that consistently builds others up? What person(s) make others shine through bringing their whole team along? Are you trying to develop a series of supernovas, or true talent?

I can’t wait to see what happens in the future for my son. I know it’s impossible to predict. He’s surprised me so far. I’m sure the great people around you will surprise you as well . . . if you just look out for the talent all around you !!

Don’t You Forget About Me !!

Over the weekend, I saw the new movie Pitch Perfect. Part of me wanted to see it because I love comedies, but the other part of me wanted to see it because I was in a Show Choir – the Varsity Singers – during high school. It seemed like a great combination, and I was right !! (Make sure you see this flick !!)

What made it EVEN better was the reference to an essential movie that I lived through – The Breakfast Club. I was surrounded by all of those characters in the movie, and let’s just say I could “connect” with Anthony Michael Hall.

The key theme in this legendary movie, was that these people didn’t even know each other until they were forced into a situation during detention. Even then, they had incredible filters and stereotypes of what each person was like, or so they thought. The Pitch Perfect movie plays on this by pulling together another unlikely group of people together to make an amazing team !!

Too often, as HR professionals, we want to group people together in our organizations instead of celebrating their individuality. We’re concerned that if people don’t “play by the rules” or “fit in,” then they’ll surely be trouble makers. Also, in the classic closing song by Simple Minds, the lyrics remind us not to “forget” people.

Organizations tend to reward, promote and recognize those that are the most vocal and visible. The people who may be the true talent who underpin those that are public are often relegated to anonymity. Since they never speak up, we are okay with it.

This needs to change. ALL employees have the opportunity to add value. ALL employees !! These great, unmined talents need someone to take note of who they are and not “forget” them. This is squarely upon our shoulders as HR people.

I’m not talking about the exercise where everyone shares on every answer during a meeting or training session. I’m talking about seeking these employees out intentionally and giving them our attention to let them know that they matter !!

So, this week, be like the end of The Breakfast Club !! Break down the filters, seek out the greatness that works all around you and lift them up !! They’re waiting for you !!

Play Ball !!

This week I head out to the 40th Annual Ohio HR Conference – HR: A League of Our Own !! Geeked isn’t even a strong enough word for how excited I am !!

The Conference Committee has once again put together a spectacular event including national speakers, buckets of HRCI credits, incredible Resource Partners and other surprises that will make for a sold-out show !! Standing room only !!

I know that we are in the midst of State Conference season. As I was packing my gear getting ready to head north to Kalahari Resorts in Sandusky, Ohio, I wanted to share some things I’ve found that make a conference successful !!

Have a game plan !! – That goes for every aspect of the conference. How long does it take to get there? Are you firm on which sessions/speakers you want to see? There are many more questions to consider, but by planning ahead, you won’t be rushing to decide when you arrive.

Meet the team !! – No game is complete without meeting the great folks around you. I know this may come easier to some than others, but we’re in HR – we should be able to get out and make some great new professional connections. This includes both attendees and Resource Partners !! The vendors may be the perfect piece you’ve been looking for to enhance your efforts at work. Don’t just get the swag. It is fun, but meet the great folks too !!

Start the Wave !! – This is a big step for most folks, but conferences are not only a great venue for professional development, but they’re also a great place to stretch a little. Go to sessions that may show a different perspective than what you’ve traditionally attended. You may find great information that can make your HR efforts a “grand slam” in your organization !!

So, in the end, get off the bench and hit the field. It’s time to Play Ball for all of us !! Make sure you are getting out to a phenomenal SHRM State Conference around you. They are amazing and you’ll love them !!

Stand Up Against the Odds !!

My family and I just rented (yes rented) The Hunger Games. We were enthralled !! No one had read the books, so we had no preconceived notions. It was intense, dark, dramatic and hopeful !! If you haven’t seen it, please do.

In the story, Katniss, the heroine, goes through an adventure none of us would venture to volunteer for or dare to endure. One of the incredibly moving images of the movie is from the inhabitants of her District. She hails from District 12 which is a mining area and the poverty is devastating.

The people watching her compete in the Games all lift their hands in a three-finger salute of solidarity supporting her and against the State. It is moving and causes them to rise up in action to fight the oppression they are under.

Sorry to be so geeky – but there is a point to all this.

As HR professionals, we often find ourselves in the middle of “everything”, but still on our own. HR folks are one of the few professions who continues to try and perform in isolation within companies.

It’s time for us to raise our three-finger salute in solidarity. Not “against” anything – but FOR each other !! Too many of us feel like Katniss in the Hunger Games out surviving for ourselves and doing our best to fend off the fires that we rush to put out.

We need to be more connected as professionals and as a profession. In doing so, we will be better able to lead in our companies, mentor others and move things forward. If we keep trying to do things in isolation, then we’ll be picked off and no longer be in the Games at all. (Read the books and see the movie – shameless plug.)

So, if you have a chance to go to an HR Conference – do it.

If you have a chance to reach out and attend an HR chapter meeting or professional development event – do it.

If you can connect with people on Social Media forums like Linked In, Twitter, etc. – do it. Don’t be afraid of these. See how to use them best !!

And most of all, if you can personally connect with other HR pros “in person” by phone or face-to-face – then don’t pass up that chance !!

As you are reading this, my right hand is raised in a three-finger salute looking for you to join me as we stand together in HR !!

Go Tagless !!

I love the new campaign from Hanes with Michael Jordan. The most recent ad shows a man trying to cook at his grill while the tag is telling him everything to do. (Watch it here).

The “tag” line at the end of the commercial is fantastic !! “Tags are annoying. So we got rid of them.”

The message sticks with you and you see yourself nodding as the tags in your clothes mysteriously start to itch. But I digress . . .

We tag people all the time (or label them). It happens in all facets of life, but especially in the workplace. By labeling someone, we feel we can contain them and that they should fit in our box of who we think they should be. I’m not specifically calling out the classic EEOC categories here either. We put labels on people and expect them to live within those. Most of the time those labels aren’t communicated either. They are just whispered by management, or they are our filter on performance reviews.

HR has a chance to really impact an organization when it comes to removing tags !! However, we need to start with ourselves. You can’t expect others to follow this movement, unless you first remove your own tags.

For instance – remove the tag that you’re “only” in HR. We are a vital facet of all organizations due to the simple fact that they have people. If they have people – they need HR. Secondly, remove the tag that you only exist for either management or employees. You exist for ALL employees and can therefore be a consistent force and voice for all levels of the organization.

When you’ve removed your tags, then look at the various HR systems in your Company to see where things need a little trimming. Allow your employees to develop, grow and move throughout the company instead of making sure they fill a certain niche. It doesn’t mean promoting everyone “up or out,” but it does allow people to excel by taking on work where they can add value and utilize their strengths.

One “tag” you should keep is “genuine.” It’s missing in many corners of our profession, and it needs to be sewn back on. Helping organizations remove their labels is essential and it is an area where we can shine !!

What do you say? Can you do it, or do I need to have Michael Jordan come over and say, “Hand it over.” Go tagless with me. It rocks !!

One Small Step . . .

This weekend one of my heroes passed away – Neil Armstrong. Maybe because he was a farm boy from Northwest Ohio, or because he was proud to be “nerdy,” or because he was humble and genuine.

I vividly remember being in my Grandfather’s house in tiny Luckey, Ohio with my aunts, uncles and cousins crowded around the TV as Walter Cronkite reported the landing of Apollo 11 on the moon. When Armstrong actually came out onto the ladder and began moving toward the surface of the moon, there was awe and silence in the house. After he uttered his immortal words and stepped onto the moon, my Grandfather – the epitome of the hard working farmer – just kept saying, ” I’ll be damned. I’ll be damned.” The general disbelief of what we all just saw was burnt into our lives forever.

If you’ve ever seen interviews with Armstrong after this life- changing event, he remained unassuming, thoughtful and curious. He wanted to see people continue to stretch boundaries, just as he had. The Armstrongs live about 30 minutes from my current house just outside Cincinnati. So, this legend, was living a regular life and that is a great example !!

When he said “One small step,” he inspired a nation. It makes you think. What could I do if I took one small step? So often, in our lives, and especially at work, we think that change has to occur in giant chunks, or earth-shattering movements. In reality, it only takes those small, incremental steps.

What are some steps you could take in HR to be this type of “explorer”? Could you make sure to say “Hi” to ALL of your employees (and not just the ones you’re comfortable with)? Could you challenge something that needs to be corrected, but no one will step forward? Would you join a local HR chapter, go to a regional or State Conference to meet other HR folks?

The questions and efforts are all within our reach. This week, find your Neil Armstrong moment and take one small step forward in some area of your life. Who knows – it might end up being something that is a “giant leap for all mankind” !!

Image courtesy of NASA

Stop the Definite Maybe !!

As we are headed into the midst of the great State SHRM Conference season (Ohio SHRM is just a month away !!) , I continue to see sessions on “being strategic.” Don’t get me wrong, it is imperative that we are strategic in what we do. It just confuses me that this topic is at every conference . . . every year, and it has been for at least the last 10 !!

Has “being strategic” changed that much over the past decade? I think we need to quit thinking that we are going to reach a business “awakening” and experience nirvana. As if, one day you walk in and it hits you that you have reached some plateau. We need to eliminate one thing in our way, and the journey to being consistently strategic will be at hand.

Stop the “definite maybe.” Other, than being an incredible song by the Kinks on their State of Confusion set, there’s no place for being indecisive. HR needs to be decisive in order to be strategic.

I’m the first one to absolutely follow the “it depends” model of HR because circumstances are never the same when you’re in the midst of employee issues. Being adaptable to move within, around and through situations will allow you to truly consider a well-rounded decision. But . . . the key is to decide !!

Recently, I’ve been faced with many people who want policies to be concrete laws that are carved into stone tablets that we can smash people with when they are violated. However, we’re rarely consistent when we choose to take a hard line stance because the “it depends” factor will come into play. You like one person more than the other. One person’s a “high performer” and the other’s a “slacker.” The list goes on and on. Even though people beg for absolutes, they pull back when, and if, the absolutes affect them.

The two keys to remember are: (1) Policies are parameters that allow people to move and perform within them, not rules to look for ways to discipline and terminate and (2) Come to a resolution on things understanding that that resolution may bend, mold and morph the next time you’re faced with a similar situation. People react well when you’re decisive – even if it’s bad news they’re getting.

HR, this is a chance for us to shine !! Senior Executives want people who can bring things to closure and move things forward. It’s great to get in the fray and slug things out a bit if it means that things move ahead.

So, this week, get out of the mire and trap of indecision !! Plant your flag !! Take a stand !! Be the champion for ALL of your employees and stop the definite maybes !!

Release Your Inner Pop Artist !!

Last week my family and I enjoyed an incredible week of vacation in Chicago !! We took in sites such as the harrowing Skydeck of Willis Tower, the incredible Lincoln Park Zoo and the Cloud Gate “Bean” sculpture in Millenium Park. We ate well in local restaurants and had a glorious time !!

A true highlight for us was the Art Institute of Chicago. My kids are old enough to “tolerate” art and they even sought out some pieces/artists on their own that they “just had” to see. It was cool to experience this with them. They know that I’m an art buff and love to see how people express themselves creatively. A true surprise during our visit was the Roy Lichtenstein exhibit.

Ironically, we walked into the back of the exhibit which featured his work from his final years and we worked our way backwards. What was fascinating was that when we got to the “beginning” of where we should have started, we saw that he started out like other abstract artists of his time.

He hadn’t developed his style like you see here from his painting “Whaam!” from 1963. His colors, styles and brush strokes could have been mistaken for other artists of his time. He chose to develop his own style and approach to art and he ended up one of the most dynamic and memorable creators of Pop Art ever !!

It made me think of HR. (I know that’s geeky, but go with it.) Most HR people I know are great copiers, mimics and people who take on “best practices” that they admire from others. This type of HR is very effective and you can be very successful doing this.

But, what if you released your creativity and took your work, and profession, in a different way? What if there was a Pop Artist just waiting to burst onto the scene to be heard? What if your “work” and art was someday seen in museums and exhibits?

Sound crazy? I don’t think so. Not in the least.

You see, I believe that there is creativity in each of us. Some may repress it or ignore it, but we love creating things as people. HR needs creativity in so many facets. There really are no limits as to what can be done in your role, your company and your field.

Why not be like Roy Lichtenstein who learned from his peers and then took a step out in a whole new direction? Just think of what you could do !! I try to be creative every day in at least one way. This week see if you can join me and release some of the creative brilliance in you just waiting to hit the canvas !! I look forward to seeing your work !!

Image courtesy of Art Encyclopedia 2012