Tag Archive for Employee Engagement

| June 4, 2013
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What’s Your Legacy?

“If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.” 

Benjamin Franklin

 

I have a new friend, Michael Wagner.  Michael is the CEO of White Rabbit Group and he’s a delight.  He’s intelligent, insightful, and darn fun to talk to.  I met him while I was at The Frontier Project in Omaha, Nebraska and wanted to stay connected with him so, of course, I did via Facebook.

 

This was in one of his posts yesterday,

“If your organization was to disappear tomorrow, who would miss you?”

 

This immediately resonated with me for a number of reasons, the biggest of which was that many of my clients thought I had “retired” a little over a year ago.

I won’t bore you with the details as to why but know this, when I realized what was happening, I panicked and called many of my “regulars” to let them know I was still consulting, I was still available to help them, etc.

 

what?What I found was both comforting and startling.

 

Many clients had been worried; they knew I was still alive but didn’t quite know what had happened to me nor did they know how to approach my absence.

They missed me, but weren’t intrusive about it.  This made me feel cared for, wanted, and needed yet not impatiently so.

 

However, others didn’t care – they had moved on.  There are many HR experts in this town and apparently, I wasn’t that special, I wasn’t memorable and indeed, I wasn’t missed.

This stung a little.  Ok, that is a lie, it stung a lot!

 

Regardless, I realized that I had done what I encourage others not to do.

I had lost sight of my legacy.

 

I often ask my clients, the people I mentor, the young adults with whom I work, the recipients of my volunterism, my children and/or their friends these two questions,

“What is your legacy?”
“What is that you want to leave behind?”

 

I love hearing their answers, and I love it even more when I see them working towards their truest of end goals.  They light up, they are passionate, they are dedicated, they are aligned and they are focused!

 

This past year or so, I went on a very, very long vacation to Pity City and in doing so, I lost sight of what turns me on.  I quit caring about what I know and what I want to be known for.  I failed to do things that make me memorable and I certainly didn’t do all I could to ensure I would be missed.

 

My vacation is over and I’m back on the clock.  With the help of family, friends and great new colleagues like Michael Wagner, I am on track and aligned with my end goal.

 

What is your legacy?legacy

 

What is it that makes you uniquely you and what do you plan on doing with it?

 

What is it that you’re passionate about and are willing to blaze that trail to see it through?

 

What is it that lights you up and recharges your battery?

 

What do you want said about you at the employee recognition party, at your going away party, or during your wake?

 

And, as Michael Wagner so simply put it,

“Who will miss you if you disappeared tomorrow?”

 

 

 

Category: General | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
| April 22, 2013
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Employee Engagement, Part Two

My posts this month all center around employee engagement as, like many of you, this has been on my mind.

I’ve developed/presented classes on engagement for years and have coached many leaders on how they can increase employee engagement, which we all know is directly related to discretionary performance.  I’m confident the activities I have/will suggest to you increase engagement and I hope these posts inspire you to try something new!

 

My first post this month was a challenge to Leaders to “grab the potato.”

Build the relationship, define what engagement looks like, measure it and recognize the efforts made by your staff when they step up, lean in or otherwise get involved.

Last week, I offered three “activities” I believe leaders can do in order to increase employee engagement.

  1. Align employee’s activities and behavior with the vision, mission and values.
  2. Grant forgiveness and allow risk.
  3. Recognize appropriately.

 

This week, I’ll offer four more activities.

 

4. Push your employees outside their comfort zones.

My mom used to tell me, “no one ever rose to a low expectation” – I LOVE IT!  I rely upon this advice when I tell you it’s ok to push your employees.comfort zone

We all know that learning, development and success rarely happen inside our comfort zones, and most of us know from first hand experience that complacency in thinking and doing often occurs inside our comfort zones!

Therefore, push ‘em!

I’m not an advocate for having unreasonable standards but I am an advocate for treating performance as the high jump, not as the game, limbo.  This means you need to know where the bar is (what your standard is), identify if your employee is meeting it (even just slightly so) and raise it.  Don’t go crazy high, but raise it and let him/her know why.

Tell your employees why the standard should increase, tell them why you trust they can handle it, tell them it’ll be ok if they stumble and fall, provided they get back up again (this goes to the forgiveness activity discussed in the last post).

Know that your employees want to succeed, but some of them may need a little push in that direction every now and then.

 

5. Hear what your employees have to say about their jobs.

Everyone’s got an opinion, but not everyone believes they should or can safely share it.  Therefore, my challenge to you is to ensure your employees know you want to hear their thoughts and concerns about their jobs.  It could be about their work activities, it could be about their schedules, it could be about an organizational process, etc.  It doesn’t matter – let them know you want to hear their opinions about how the work is done, when the work is done, where the work is done, etc.

This exchange of information results in you knowing TONS more than you knew yesterday, which will make you a better supervisor or manager.  In addition, it  buys you a team of employees who believe they have a say in things, who feel empowered to think and act upon their ideas, etc.

opinion

6. Inquire about how your employee think about you.

This activity is different than #5 above.  The latter activity is about what your employees think about their jobs.  This activity is about understanding what they think about you.  And notice it’s pro-active, suggesting you solicit the information!

Don’t want to hear their opinions?  Don’t think you should go asking for them?  Do everyone a favor and resign now!  

As a leader, you have no right to block yourself off from scrutiny and judgment.  Only when you allow yourself to be judged, only when you commit to your employees that they can share their opinions accordingly, only when you thank them for doing so can you truly call yourself a leader.

I’m not suggesting you fall on a sword every day and I’m certainly not suggesting you allow your staff to exchange information in a way that is unprofessional, disrespectful or otherwise.  Instead, I’m suggesting that you commit to pro-actively checking in on what they think about you, your communication, your leadership style, your problem solving tactics, etc.  And regardless of how much that feedback may sting from time to time, I challenge you to say thank you.

Your staff, when they realize you are working hard for them, you are open to your own development, you are committed to improving, etc., will respond in kind.

 

7. Care about your staff.

While this is #7 on my list, don’t think it’s because it is the lowest on my priorities…I may have saved the best for last.

I don’t think you have to love everyone, so don’t get all hot and bothered, but I do think you have to give a damn about them.  Demonstrating that you care about their well being, their careers, their development, their concerns, etc., will go a long way in getting them engaged with you and your program.

Regardless of how tough we say we are, regardless of how “fine” we are with the forced organizational boundaries we find ourselves in, regardless of how “independently minded” we claim to be, we all have a basic need and desire to be cared about.

If your employees don’t have this basic foundation, everything else you try to stack onto the relationship will be a bit unstable.

 

So there you have it…seven activities.  Can’t remember them?  Remember this word: GRAPHIC

Grant Forgiveness
Recognize appropriately
Align them to your vision, mission and values
Push them outside of their comfort zone
Hear what they think
Inquire how they feel
Care about them

 

Think that’s too much?  It’s not…trust me!  Try one or two – over the next few months, make them a consistent part of your day.  Then, add another one, and then wait awhile and add another.

Before you know it, you’ll be consistently doing all seven activities; they’ll become a habit and you’ll be one of those leaders who says,

“Employee engagement problems?  I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

 

 

Category: Employee Relations, Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
| April 8, 2013
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Employee Engagement, Part One

“To win in the marketplace you must first win in the workplace.”

Doug Conant, CEO of Campbell’s Soup

 

Last week, I wrote about employee engagement – and I suggested that “engagement” had become a hot potato that neither Human Resources or Leadership was willing to grab.

I offered easy ways to grab the potato…

Build the relationship, define what engagement looks like, measure it and recognize the efforts made by your staff when they step up, lean in or otherwise get involved.

 

This week, I offer a few activities that leaders can do to help increase employee engagement.  (I have seven things…but you’d be bored to tears if I shared all of them in one post so I’ll share three today and I’ll share the rest next week.)

 

1) Align employee’s activities and behavior with the vision, mission and values.

As leaders, we should be connecting with the vision and mission and, as leaders, we should be consistently demonstrating the values of the organization.

Yet so many of us underestimate the power of this alignment with our own staff.

Why?  If it works for us, why would it not work for them?

I suggest that leaders change the way they communicate to their staff to ensure the “connection” is made – to ensure alignment.

alignmentIt is fairly easy to overlay the vision/mission/values onto current communication.

Instead of saying, “the client has made another change order,” he could say, “our goal is to be the most referred contractor and that’s dependent upon client satisfaction…and this client has requested a change to our contract.”

Instead of saying, “thanks for providing a creative solution to problem X,” she could say “your creative solution to problem X was exactly what this company had in mind when it identified innovativeness as one of our values.”

Seem cheesy?  Perhaps…but trust me on this one…communicating in this way helps articulate the vision, mission and values, which helps the employees understand how they are aligned.

 

2) Grant Forgiveness

I suppose many leaders think they already do this…but I am willing to bet my dear friend’s pretzel rolls that they don’t do it well or consistently.

  • Do they hold a grudge?
  • Do they ever chastise or otherwise tease someone when they screw up?
  • Do they hold themselves and others to an unreasonably high standard?
  • Do they tolerate mistakes?
  • Do they allow for risk taking?

This is about the culture they are maintaining.its ok

  • Can someone put his neck out without fear of getting his head chopped off?
  • Can someone make mistakes and still feel good because there is learning and development that ensures a better output next time?
  • Can someone make a mistake or blunder that won’t be held over her head for her entire career?
  • Are employees comfortable with vulnerability?  Do they see it as a weakness or do they know it sits on the cusp of creativity, innovation and brilliance?

I challenge leaders to look in the mirror and honestly evaluate if they are cultivating a culture that grants forgiveness.

If not, they should expect to struggle with employee engagement.

 

3) Recognize Appropriately

Many think recognition is a fancy program that costs money.  Others think recognition is something they need lots of time for.

I call BS on those excuses.

Recognition is free.  

I’m not asking anyone to buy or procure anything.  This is not about certificates, logo gear, movie tickets, gift cards, etc.  This is about the leader getting up, speaking up, sending an email, taking a walk to a different work area, etc.

Recognition takes time.

Indeed, it does!  However, it doesn’t take a lot of time.  And here’s a harsh truth, if a leader doesn’t believe he has time to recognize his staff, he should do his company a favor and resign.  In my opinion, one doesn’t deserve a leadership position if he/she can’t invest some time in this activity.

 

This is about recognizing “appropriately.”   recognition

Timely recognition is needed.

A dog wouldn’t know his owner was happy he did his business outside if she (the owner) withheld praise until after the dog came inside.  Likewise, the dog wouldn’t know he wasn’t supposed to do his business on the owner’s cowboy boots if she (the owner) only scolded him when she noticed the mess hours later.

Employees won’t know what performance/behavior to repeat if the leader doesn’t recognize their efforts/performance at the time.  Nor will the employees learn much if the leader tells them they didn’t meet the standard in May during their employee evaluation meeting in October.

 

Clear recognition is needed.

The “genius” who, decades ago, convinced supervisors to “sandwich” a negative between two positives confused an entire generation of supervisors.

Why bury the reality of the situation?  If the leader needs to give positive recognition or feedback, he should give it!  If constructive or negative recognition is needed, he should give it!

The feedback can be turned into a learning moment if the leader offers “conditional recognition.” Conditional recognition works like an “if, then” statement:

“if you would have done X, ABC would have happened.”

“because your work was A, XYZ is the likely result.”

 (Two other posts on recognition may be of value to you:
All You Need is Love, Part One
and Part Two offer some interesting insight.)

 

Alignment, forgiveness and recognition.

It’s not rocket science…they are just three easy tips on employee engagement.

 

Try one…I’ll offer four more next week.

 

 

Category: Employee Relations, Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
| April 3, 2013
2 comments

Hot Potato, Hot Potato

Employee Engagement

Two words Managers know they want but don’t know how to get.

Two words HR loves to say but doesn’t know how to get.

The potato that no one wants (or knows how) to catch.

Except me…I intercept that spud every chance I get. 

 

It is not Rocket Science.
Slide1First, NEVER forget that it starts with a relationship.

Don’t feel like building a relationship?

Game’s over…you lose.

Whether you are a Manager or an HR Professional, do everyone a favor and resign now.  You’ll save everyone from the suffering of employee turnover, low productivity, decreased quality, and overall pissy attitudes.

 

Second, define it.

Whether you define it in the context of your company, your department, or your team, define it!  What  is “engagement”?

  • What does it look like?
  • What does it sound like?
  • What is the result of having it?
  • What is the result of NOT having it?

Don’t know the answers?  Go ask someone!

Ask your customers, ask your stakeholders, ask your vendors, ask your employees!  Trust me, they know what it is.

 

Third, measure it.

If you care about it, you’ll measure it.  Likewise, if you don’t measure it, your employees, your customers, your boss, etc. will think you don’t care about it.

Don’t know how to measure it?  Don’t make it difficult.

Take the answers from the questions above and put some data to them. Then, track it, talk about it, figure out what the data means, and put some intentional and thoughtful work into improving things.

 

Fourth, recognize it.

Where the heck would you be in your marriage, in your friendships or in your other relationships if you didn’t recognize the value the other person added to them? You’d be in fewer relationships, that’s for sure!

Therefore, recognize when your employees get engaged in something.  Whether it be their involvement on a project, their offering of ideas for a problem, or their demonstrated commitment to a customer…when they get engaged, recognize their effort!

 

Is there more to employee engagement?

Of course there is…and I’ll write another post next week with some other ideas.  But for now, start with the simple stuff.

Build the relationship, define what engagement means to you and your team, measure the results and recognize the effort.

 

Oh, and two last things…

 

Managers, quit waiting for HR to do something “corporate wide.”  You don’t need HR; you need a mirror and some gumption.

Be honest with yourself, identify which relationships need some work, and do something to change it.

Then, sit down with your team and ask what they think about engagement.  Trust me, they’ll have some ideas on the subject.

Then, commit to personally engaging more…with them and with work.  Reciprocity is almost guaranteed.

 

HR, quit blaming Managers for increased disengagement.  Last I checked, placing blame didn’t turn the problem around.

Instead of simply “surveying” the workplace and pontificating about “the value” of increased engagement, try modeling the behavior yourself.

Start facilitating some discussions about the subject and putting some pragmatic solutions into place to respond to employee’s concerns, desires, etc.

Try coaching your supervisors and workforce on stepping up, leaning in and otherwise getting involved with work.

 

Hot Potato, Hot Potato…who wants it?

 

Category: Employee Relations, Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
| January 27, 2013
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From Death Do I Start

Let no one weep for me, or celebrate my funeral with mourning; for I still live, as I pass to and fro through the mouths of men.

Quintus Ennius

 

I had the pleasure, and the torture, of attending a memorial service yesterday for a young girl not yet 15.

While the death of anyone is difficult, maybe even maddening, this particular tragedy screamed at those who mourned…it was simply too early for her to die, too early for her to vacate the lives of her family and friends, too early for her to lose faith that happiness, peace and comfort are possible.

This morning, while not yet emotionally removed but the events of yesterday, I realize I received some valuable lessons about parenting, love and grief.

While I am not able to speak about how this event has affected me as a mother, I will attempt to communicate how the lessons I received will affect me as a leader.

 

My first lesson came from the grieving mother.  While demonstrating much courage, she stood at the microphone, looked at us through teary eyes and choked out that she had not really “liked” her daughter for years.  Not because she didn’t love her with all of her heart, but because she didn’t take the time to get to know her daughter “well enough” to like who she had become.

 

Take a moment to absorb that thought.

 

As a parent, as a spouse, as a child, as a friend, please think about it.

 

This message should not be minimized.

 

Supervisors and managers fall into the same trap. 

We often lose sight of who our employees are, what they are struggling with, what they celebrate, what they hope and dream about regarding their careers, their future, etc.

We lose sight of these things because sometimes, our employees get on our nerves.

They irritate us, they piss us off, they inconvenience our master plan!

 

As I sit and absorb this message, I realize I have been selfish.  These “barriers” I hawho are youve allowed to get in the way of knowing my staff are self-imposed, if not selfish obstacles.

My employees are not hiding from me, they aren’t reclusive hermits wanting to be left alone, they aren’t withholding or denying me the opportunity to know them.

Their idiosyncrasies, faults and scars are insights to who they are!   But instead, I have often treated these things as “excuses” to not getting to know my employees better.  Or worse, I have listed these faults as “reasons” to not liking them.

 

Have you do the same thing?

 

Perhaps we should challenge ourselves to get to know our staff.

Perhaps, as my mother told me many many years ago, we should look hard enough and “find something to love.”

Maybe, just maybe, we could salvage a relationship, we could increase engagement and commitment, or we could prevent a resignation.

 

 

The second lesson I learned yesterday was given to me by the pastor. He offered up the poem “Parable of Immortality” written by Henry Van Dyke.

sailing ship

 

In the context of leadership, this poem reminds me of the many times I, when receiving a resignation of a great team member, grew weary, hurt, or even angry that he/she chose to move on.

 

Has that happened to you?

 

Have you found yourself thinking the employee was crazy to think the “new job” would be better?  Have you suggested to the resigning employee that no one else could offer greater opportunities than what you were offering?

 

Have you allowed your own resentment to minimize the value the employee had given you and your team?

 

Have you allowed your own anger or concerns to overshadow the benefit you have enjoyed because of his/her presence?

 

I have…but I will not again.
The fact is, for as long as I am a supervisor, I will have employees who need and want to move on.

 

I suppose I can, as I have in the past, fight with this fact.

I can grow so concerned with the consequences that I lose sight of the possibilities.

I can become resentful, angry and suspicious of what and who will follow.

I can play the victim…or the martyr.

 

Or, like the poem suggests, I can let go of my own needs and be happy for the departed, and be happy for those about the meet them. 

 

As a leader, I should revel in the fact that my exiting employees will be received in a manner befitting of their talents and skills.

  • Someone will benefit from their talents.
  • Someone will feel the security and trust that I did with them at the helm.
  • Someone will get the opportunity to watch these employees thrive and develop in their careers.

 

As a leader, I should find happiness in the fact that my “previous” employees will enjoy their new journeys.

 

Those were my lessons from yesterday.  I hope you, too, can find something of value in them.

 

Category: Employee Relations, Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
| September 18, 2012
One comment

Wanted

I’m not afraid to admit it…I like country music.  I don’t like “classic” country unless it involves a bit of bluegrass…but I do like “today’s” country and find myself listening to it in the car, at my FroYo shoppe, while I clean the house, etc.

 

A few months ago, I heard for the first time “Wanted” by Hunter Hayes and immediately the song resonated with me on a personal level.  I won’t go into the details of that LBJ (long boring story) but know this…I listened to it over and over again!

 

Anyway, I heard the song this morning and, being in a better emotional state, listened to it from a different perspective…from that of the workplace.

  • I thought of Employee Engagement and how feeling wanted is a strong motivator.
  • I thought of Employee Satisfaction and how feeling wanted equates to feeling important, desired, and coveted.
  • I thought of Recognition and how showing someone he/she is wanted is a valuable feedback activity.
  • I thought of Leadership and how I need to ensure my staff feel appreciated and indeed, wanted.
  • I thought of Teamwork and how everyone needs to feel a sense of purpose, a sense of inclusion – they need to know their teammates want them around.

 

Everyone wants to feel wanted!

This feeling is a basic sentiment we learn when we are young.  Knowing someone truly wants you gives you a sense of wholeness.

(This is not to be confused with self-importance but instead, it should be thought of as feeling “complete.”)

 

 

I think the feeling of being wanted is a high…it’s euphoric, and perhaps even addicting!  (I’d do quite a bit to keep that feeling, wouldn’t you?) 

Powerful stuff indeed!

 

To illustrate this point, I offer two stories. 

Years ago, I had a boss who wasn’t the nicest person on the planet; she had an extremely short temper combined with a strong hankering for perfection.  On top of all of that,  she struggled a bit with clearly communicating her expectations.

However, she consistently let me know she wanted me on her team, she regularly told me she appreciated my thoughts and hard work, and she often told me she was happy she chose me over the competition.

The result?

Regardless of what went wrong on any given day, I didn’t give up, I didn’t get resentful, I didn’t think of greener pastures, etc.  I knew I was wanted…it was the drug that kept me satisfied.

 

Likewise, I once had a colleague who was the biggest pain in the butt.  He was a bit self-inflated, he managed time about as well as I manage my caloric intake, and he was always talking about the latest video games.  Annoying and obnoxious, that’s what he was and most people avoided him.

I didn’t.  I had no interest in stroking his ego, enabling his work or learning about video games but I liked working and being around him.  He said thank you in creative ways such as “I am glad you were around to help me with that” or “I’m thankful for your brain.”  He had funny ways of telling me that his work benefited from my insight.

The result?

It was quite addicting, that feeling of being wanted, and I helped him out as much as I could.

 

Being wanted by someone, whether it’s a supervisor, a colleague, an employee, a client, etc., is a mighty thread.  As long as the connection remains, you’ll always have something motivating you, pushing or pulling you to “do” something for that person.

 

But what happens when the thread is broken?

 

What happens when someone stops wanting you, or stops making you feel wanted?

 

Consider how many times we hear the following…

  • My supervisor is playing “favorites”!
  • It doesn’t matter” how hard I work because my boss won’t notice anyway.
  • My manager is trying to push me out of this organization!
  • My teammates are leaving me out.

 

I think these feelings are stemming from needing, but not feeling wanted.   

And I think we should do something about it.

 

I am making a commitment today – to my staff, colleagues, clients and customers.  Whether it be through my actions or my words,

I want to make them feel wanted.

 

Category: Employee Relations, Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
| September 16, 2012
4 comments

Four Questions

A lot of attention has been given lately to the recruitment and selection process and ensuring a good fit for the organization.  Indeed, if this process breaks down, you’ll have an employee churn problem and who wants that?

 

Recruitment is all about determining where, when and how you’re going to fish for qualified applicants.

 

 

 

 

Selection is about determining if applicants meet your qualifications and, if so, how they are going to “fit” into your organization.

 

 

I’m always interested in learning about organization’s selection activities, but I’m saddened when I learn that hiring managers often limit their chances of success when they fail to get creative or intentional in the interview process.

 

I have never been a huge advocate of “time in grade” questions; I don’t believe time spent doing something is a reflection of how well the person did it.  Many who share this belief resort to competency based interviews.  However, if you’re not a skilled interviewer and if your questions aren’t intentionally created to solicit specific competencies, these interviews can fall short as well.  That being said, I do a thorough job analysis to identify what specific competencies, both technical and behavioral, are needed for ultimate success in position and develop my questions accordingly.

 

But I don’t stop there!  If my ultimate goal is to find someone who can be an extension of me, who can represent my organization well, who can maintain, if not improve, my organization’s reputation with the community, I turn it up a notch and dig a little deeper!

 

The following questions help me get the insight I need.

 

“When it comes to your professional life, what are you passionate about?”

This question helps me understand what the individual is working towards, what drives/motivates him, what he would strive for and/or not compromise, etc.  The answer also helps me better understand the individuals’ interests and how he may/may not align with that of my company.  The individual’s answer may reveal there is no passion behind his work; this may/may not be a bad thing but gives me valuable insight either way!

 

“When it comes to your professional life, what accomplishment are you most proud of?”

The answer to this question tells me to what type of standards the individual holds herself.  The answer may also reveal whether or not she is intrinsically or extrinsically motivated, which would be very helpful to know should she be hired.  The answer may give me some insight into how difficult the employee’s past positions were and/or how shiny she had to be in order to stand out as special.

 

 

“If you could change any past decision or action you have taken in your professional life, what would it be and why?”

The answer to this question gives me tons of information about the person, both in the way he answers it and in the story itself.  I look for sincerity, humbleness and self-reflection but I also dig deeper into the answer so I can ascertain his critical and logical thinking skills, determination and willingness to change, ability to learn from one’s mistakes, objectivity, etc.

 

“If you you ran this business, what would you look for when building your team and why?”

This question doesn’t always get me what I need…but when it does, it SINGS and therefore, I keep it in my arsenal.

The answer to this question highlights whether or not the individual understands my vision and the culture I am trying to create.  It demonstrates whether or not she has paid attention to me over the “courting” process.  It highlights if she is a creative thinker and if it’s probable she will bring some new and innovative ideas to my business.  It gives me insight on whether or not she is a “yes sir” type of employee or if she is willing to step out and give valuable feedback, whether it’s negative or positive.

 

Whether you are a recruiter or supervisor, small business owner or CEO, I’m sure you want your employees to be a good match for your company, to be well aligned with your vision and mission, to fit well within your culture, etc.  I’m willing to bet you want your employees to take your business as seriously as you do and you want them to have a high probability of improving upon it!

 

Your interview process should have a good balance of technical and behavioral competencies and, in my opinion, should dig a bit more into how the applicant thinks…as this is the only way you’ll figure out if they are a good fit!

 

The questions I share above are the ones I use to get there.  However, don’t limit yourself to my perspective – take the ideas offered here and run with them!

 

Good luck!
Category: Recruitment, Workforce Planning | Tags: , , , , ,
| August 2, 2012
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Insights From The Baseball Field

I had the pleasure of watching the Little League Majors games for the Alaska State Championship this past week.  My nephews team, the Juneau Majors, were playing and, as a good aunt would, I attended every game!

As I sat and watched the games, I thought how nice it would be if the things I saw on the field could be seen more in the workplace.

What do you think?

  • Coaches capitalizing on players strengths and talents

  • Coaches, family and friends supporting the players with positive feedback, fun anecdotes, and words of encouragement
  • Errors and missed opportunities met with acceptance, correction and/or forgiveness
  • Players listening…really listening to their coaches…and acting upon the coaches’ suggestions, direction, etc.
  • Players engaged with the game whether they were on field or on the bench
  • Celebrations for the little things
  • Compassion and empathy

I wish supervisors would capitalize a bit more on the strengths of their teams.  I learned a long time ago to plow with plow horses and race with race horses – if you screwed the two up, you’d have two unhappy horses and the work wouldn’t get done!

 

I think we can give more praise.  I don’t think it needs to be over the top but it saddens me that more people don’t give thanks and/or kudos when they should!  And I think we should have fun with it – just saying good job is fine but gettin’ creative with it is even better!

 

I think supervisors should communicate that errors at work are opportunities for growth and learning instead of opportunities for ridicule or blame.  Likewise, I wish more employees were as open to feedback as a young ball player!  Wouldn’t that be nice?  Perhaps supervisors wouldn’t avoid giving constructive criticism if it was taken in the spirit it was given?

 

I know we can be better engaged with our work!  When a player is disengaged with the game, the coach sometimes lets them play a different position…now there’s an idea!  The coach sometimes encourages the players to try another sport…to find something they are passionate about.  There is another good idea!  I think we should take advantage of our right to manage the workforce and move people around when we see complacency set in or when we see that someone is bored and/or not excited about his work.  I also think we should make it easier and less stressful for our employees to leave – if they truly don’t have passion for our company and/or our work, why do we want them?

 

I definitely like the idea of celebrating the little things.  I used to have a quick “huddle” with my staff every Friday to celebrate the crazy things that occurred during the week.  At first, my staff thought this was a stupid idea and drug their feet to this mandatory “huddle” outside of my office.  But before long, people were scurrying to my office around COB on Fridays.  Lesson learned?  People like to be recognized and, for the most part, giving employees a small taste of success every once and awhile makes them crave the big payoff!

 

I wish people would show more compassion and empathy at work.  I don’t believe in over doing it…I’m not the type…but I do think we have to meet people “where they are” and if this means cutting them some slack every now and then, so be it.  If this means we “ooh and ahh” over the pics of their grandchildren, so be it.  If this means we touch their shoulder or give them a hug when they tell us their dog died, so be it.  My mom used to tell me I should take every chance I get to show compassion because one day, I would need it returned.  I believe she’s right.

 

Finally, above all else mentioned here, I saw smiles on that field…tons of them!  These kids were having fun and, in turn, their coaches were enjoying things.  Likewise, the fans were having a ball!  We should do more of this at work.  I was chastised once for laughing too much at work…the coworker told me it was obvious I wasn’t working as I was having too much fun.  HA!  Quite the opposite was true!  (Looking back, I realize that because she was an accountant, she couldn’t possibly understand having fun at work!  Hee Hee Hee, I couldn’t resist that one!)

 

So that’s it…insights from the baseball field!  

 

By the way, my nephew’s team won the State tournament.  They are currently in California representing the great state of Alaska as I write!

 

Category: Employee Relations, General | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
| July 21, 2012
2 comments

Red Headed Speed Bump

I don’t like “fast food.”  Occasionally, if the need arises, I’ll go to Subway.  It was my visit yesterday with a patron in Subway that inspired this post.

 

The line was fairly long and usually when this happens, I slip out of line, head three stores down to SoYo, my FroYo shop, grab coupons, come back and hand them out.  But yesterday, for no reason in particular, I chose to wait out my time in line.

 

In front of me was a CUTE red headed boy.  (Please know I prayed for a red headed child…most of my siblings got one and darnit, I wanted one too!  But alas, I have two towheads.)

Anyway, this little boy had beautiful red hair so I complimented him accordingly.  He politely said thank you and I proceeded to tell his mother that I was jealous of her carrot top kid!

The young boy asked if I had a picture of my kids.  I showed him a recent one from my phone.  His mom then showed me a recent one taken of him and his little sister.

 

It was then that I noticed she had
a tear in her eye. 

 

 

“Moments of Significance!”

 

 

 

I allowed silence…and then it came: her story.

Her daughter had died.

They felt fortunate to have had her in their lives for 20 months. 

They had started a foundation in her name. 

They missed her but knew she was in a safe and pain-free place. 

Her son had won the chance to name an animal in the zoo and he named it (a lamb) after his sister.

 

I cannot tell you how happy I was that the Subway employees were turtle slow that day!

Had they been on their game, I would not have had the opportunity to be the sounding board this woman needed.  As it was, we kept talking long after the sandwiches were made.

As she talked, I noticed that her entire body changed; her face went from pained to relaxed as she spoke of her daughter’s genetic disorder, her ailments, her life and her eventual death.

 

For no reason in particular, I chose to stay in line.
For every cathartic need in her heart, this loving mother told me her story.

 

She wouldn’t have if I had not noticed that small little tear.

She wouldn’t have if I had not allowed the brief moment of silence.

 

She and her son came back to SoYo later and while we didn’t talk then (I had since gone back to my real job!), I got a sweet message and a picture of her son with his cup of FroYo!  I am confident this is a start of a good relationship.

 

Today, as I reflect back on yesterday’s conversation, I realize I move too fast.  Shoot, I typically pride myself on it!

 

However, I also realize that as a parent, a friend, a daughter, a sibling, an HR Professional, a Supervisor and a Leader, I need to slow down.

 

 

How many “moments of significance” have I missed?

 

How many of my family members, friends, staff, colleagues or customers have needed to tell their stories, release their pain or frustration, receive empathy, eliminate confusion, obtain information, etc. but I was or am too busy to notice?

 

How many chances to build or repair a relationship have gone undiscovered because I am multi-tasking or am otherwise pre-occupied?

 

I don’t know how many…but I fear the number is large.

I commit to this: from now on, the number will be smaller!

 

What about you? 
Are you moving too fast?

 

 

 

Category: Employee Relations, General, Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
| July 13, 2012
6 comments

Developing Trust

I received a call the other day from a dear man who needed my help.  He was weary of calling his employer’s Human Resources representative because he had no faith in her ability to

1) listen to him,

2) understand him, and

3) help him.

 

While I was flattered he trusted me, this made me sad because honestly, this man’s perception is one I hear a lot.

 

Listening

Too often do HR professionals fail to listen!

We have a tendency to railroad the conversation; we can’t seem to help ourselves and we interrupt the flow of information!  We struggle with seeing past our own perspectives and sadly, are unable to adequately put ourselves in the others’ shoes.  In addition, we often attempt to multi-task during the exchange or act like we are paying attention but fail to really hear.

 

We must develop and utilize good listening skills.  This means we must keep an open mind, we must see things from the employee’s perspective, and we must allow them to talk, vent or otherwise “get it all out.”  We should give the employee our full, undivided attention to ensure they know they are important and valued.

 

Understanding

Employee’s concerns, issues and problems are complex to them.

If they believed they were easy to fix, or if they could figure it out themselves, they wouldn’t bother coming to us!   That being said, we need to appreciate there is a degree of vulnerability with the employee who comes to us…and with that comes the need to be understood!  The employee needs to leave trusting his/her needs will be met and this assurance will not come if we fail to truly understand what they need or desire from us.

 

We need to develop and utilize good interviewing skills.  This is not just asking a few questions!  It includes active listening techniques such as paraphrasing and summarizing the information offered.  It includes using our knowledge of verbal, para-verbal and non-verbal communication cues to fully recognize and appreciate the thoughts of the employee.   It includes logical reasoning and critical thinking skills so we can draw some conclusions (and validate them with employee) and/or anticipate what other issues may come up regarding the situation.   What it boils down to is this…we need to commit to understand…to do whatever it takes to ensure the employee trusts that we “get it.”

 

Helping

An HR Program exists to help facilitate a positive employer/employee relationship. 

However, some HR Professionals forget there is an employee in that relationship; we sometimes forget we must represent both the employer and the employee.  I know this is a shaky fence to sit on but nonetheless, we need to balance!

 

That being said, we must help every employee, potential employee and exiting employee.  We should get them the information they need, we should act on their behalf, we should be their voice when needed, etc.  In a nutshell, we must advocate for and serve them!

 

I won’t say these things are easy…I will never discount our profession and the challenges we are faced with every day!

 

However, as HR professionals, we cannot shy away from the hard stuff.

 

If we are to prove our worth, if we are to develop trust, if we are to be deserving of respect, we must listen, understand and help.

 

 

Category: Employee Relations, General, Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
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