Tag Archive for Engagement

| April 22, 2013
No comments

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
No comments

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
One comment

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: , , , , , , , , , , ,
| December 18, 2012
2 comments

Mover of Things

A Post Inspired by a Not So Biker Dude

 

When I hung out my shingle many years ago, I found myself working from client to client, project to project, without any real sense of accomplishment other than getting the work done and keeping the bills paid.  For many, this would be enough, but I was restless and discouraged.

A year or so later, I realized that if I established business/career goals each year, I had something to work towards, and that as the year came to an end, I felt better about what I did, where I put my resources, etc.   (Business 101, I know, but Lord help me, I’m an HR professional!)

In any event, in addition to annual goal accomplishment, I typically contemplate these questions,

“did I do anything worthwhile?”

 and

“for what am I most proud?”

 

I’m sorry to say that 2012 wasn’t really a good year to answer either of those questions, and for most of November and December, I have held my head low, finding myself discouraged almost as much as when I first started my business.

But this weekend, I read a post on Facebook from a friend…and while he thought nothing of it, his words helped me raise my head.

His simple post reads as follows:

I am a mover of things; I move substantial amounts of dirt. No, I am not speaking of gardening or of breaking ground with large robots of industry. I am speaking of moving dirt from the countertop to the garbage, of moving dirt from the window sill to my rag, of moving dirt from the floor to my vacuum and my mop bucket.

 

I am a mover of things and dirt is the least of what I move.

 

I move words from letters to meaningful thoughts. I move feelings from lower elevations to higher ground. I move hands and arms from positions beside the body to higher positions that embrace love and friendship. I move my thoughts in spirals that reach higher in search of greater clarity.

 

I am a mover of things…dirt is the least of what I move.

 

My friend managed to capture in acute clarity what I most needed -
permission to not move mountains, to not impress, to not WOW or WIN.

 

My friend gave me permission to simply move forward, to “manage”, to think, to inquire, to give love and offer friendship.

Moreover, his post suggests these things are as significant, if not more so, than the accomplishments I had hoped for.

 

I asked him to write a guest post for me on his concept and he politely said no, saying he was not masterful and that all he does is,

“make certain that I put passion and love into each job and strive, in some small way, to make the lives of those with whom I come into contact a little better, easier, or happier.”

 

Who needs more words than that?

 

About My Inspirational Friend

I met Slade Elbert many years ago when he was dating a friend of mine.  I pictured, when I heard his first name, a biker dude covered in tattoos.  However, when I first met him, he was de-tangling those mountain climbing thingymajiggers and I’m not sure I saw one tattoo!

 

Many years later, we have gardened, ate, drank, sang, camped, laughed, cried, etc. – he’s a great friend and I’m proud to have him in my circle.  He currently lives in Baker City, Oregon, a place he has fallen in love with and is now calling home.  He is a fantastic carpenter, a great chef and he owns Better Rentals for Beautiful Baker City. As if that’s not enough, he has recently found that his passion and talent for photography is greatly admired by those who wish to buy it!

Category: Leadership | Tags: , , , , , ,
| November 23, 2012
3 comments

If We Look Hard Enough…

I didn’t get along very well with my siblings…just ask them, they’ll tell ‘ya!

 

My mom, a single parent, grew tired of me and my siblings bickering all the time and would often look up to the heavens and ask,

“What did I do to deserve this? 
Can you please help my children love each other?” 

 

This would, naturally, result in eye rolling from us and we would continue to argue, offend each other, do things out of spite, etc.

 

When I became a teenager, I think my mom finally gave up asking God to intervene because she started doing something new when we fought.

 

Mom would drag two chairs out from behind the dining table and put them facing each other…close!   She would then drag our bickering butts over and sit them in those chairs, facing each other, so close our knees and legs would touch.  YUCK!

 

Mom would then give us our directions:

Don’t move!
Don’t talk!
Don’t look away from each other!

 

and then, she would offer her final expectation…

Find something to love!

 

You see, my mom believed that if you looked at someone long enough, you’d always find something to love, to like or, at the very least, to appreciate.

 

Please note, me and my siblings would sit there for awhile, glaring at each other, rolling our eyes, etc.  But, alas, you didn’t disobey my mother for long.  She was nearly 6 ft. tall, red headed on the outside and the inside, the eldest of 7 siblings and an Okie!  (For those of you who have heard of this combination via southern folklore, you surely know that compliance is the only option!)

 

Eventually, me or my sibling would break the silence and tell Mom we were ready…and subsequently, she would facilitate a discussion about likes, dislikes, differences, commonalities, etc.

 

This practice took time, it took patience, and it took work…but it wasn’t long before the trick was no longer needed.

We had absorbed the lesson, we had acquired the skill, and we had embraced the concept.

 

As a Human Resources Professional, I use my mom’s “trick” all the time!  

 

I don’t make my employees/clients sit and face each other nor do I suggest they touch legs and arms until their will expires…but I do encourage, persuade and sometimes even force them to identify something to appreciate in each other.  Or, if the situation is desperate, I start with helping them identify common ground, and then I build from there.

 

I use this practice in group settings when entire teams are at odds.  I use it one-on-one when staff feel the need to complain about their peers or about leadership.  And I use it when supervisors are fed up with their staff.

 

Twenty one years ago this month, my mother passed away.  Today, I am grateful for what she inspired me to believe.

 

I believe that only when we can find the good in others can we learn to work with what we consider as bad; 

 

I believe that only when we appreciate our commonalities can we accept our differences; and 

 

I believe that if we look hard enough at someone, we’ll find something to love.

 

 

 

 

Category: Employee Relations, Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
| November 5, 2012
No comments

Happiness

A Guest Post from Kalani Parnell

(This post is long but well worth the read.  It is an excerpt from an email Kalani sent me earlier this year.  While I have edited it slightly to fit this blog, I have tried not to remove any of the context as I fear it would take away from the key message.)

 

You asked yesterday if I was happy…and at the time I couldn’t answer you.  But today is different. I believe I had breakfast with a messenger of God this morning.

I met a young man this morning at the valley restaurant.  He had Down’s Syndrome.  I had recently arrived and about five minutes later, he walked in and sat a few chairs away.

The young man knew everyone and as he exchanged hellos with all of the waitstaff, his eyes found Bonnie, a middle aged woman who was the only one to greet him with a warm embrace.

He asked me if he could sit in the seat right next to me and I said sure, realizing I must be in or near “his seat.”  As he sat down, he feverishly rubbed his hands together and rubbed his hair with excitement and anticipation of his breakfast.

As is my custom, I continued reading my news until Bonnie came over and suggested that the young man be quiet so as not to disturb me.  But I gestured to Bonnie that he was okay, though at the moment I was honestly unsure.

You see, I couldn’t smell this young man from three chairs away, but right next to me he smelled of Cheetos, but in a body odor kind of way, not in a way that said he’d just eaten some. His hands were thick mitts, calloused, with very long fingernails and dirty.  He belched an average of once per minute and coughed without covering his mouth. When he rubbed his hands and hair, I was concerned something unsanitary and unsavory would wind up in my food.

Regardless,  I responded to Bonnie that he was just fine!

So the young man began to talk to me.  He didn’t speak well, and mumbled most words but he compensated with a quasi sign language, in the same way charades is played.

He told me he played basketball so I asked if he was good at it.  Without thought, he definitively said, “YES!” as if he was legendary and I was the only one who didn’t know!

He offered his name to me but I didn’t understand so I said “what?”  He spelled it out on the counter while he exclaimed each letter.  D*E*V*I*N.  Then he said “that’s me” as he pointed to himself.

He asked “what’s you?”  I told him, “Kalani,” but he said “what?” so I repeated myself.  (In hindsight I should have spelled it on the counter with my finger like he did for me.)

 

Devin told me he loves Bonnie.  Then six or seven times, he said it not just with words, but with sign language. First pointing to his heart, then crossing his arms in an X, then pointing to Bonnie, then locking his index fingers together. Then, he would make a noise that I could only describe as “primal glee” as he rubbed his hair.

Devin pointed out to me that the ketchup bottle was red, the napkin in front of him was white, and the counter was blue…”just like that” he said as he pointed to the small American Flag at the register.

 

Then Devin said, “I’m happy.”  Of all the words Devin mumbled during our breakfast together, these two words were the most clear:  “I’m happy.”

 

He would end similar color comparisons around the room and each time ending with this significant two word phrase.

The message had been delivered.  But while I had heard it, I had not yet recognized the lesson I had just been given.

 

Devin asked if I liked boxing. I said yes, and asked if he liked it. He said no, but asked if we could box. I chuckled and said, “no Devin, you would win.”  This made him laugh and he then admitted he boxed.  He informed me he had two belts at his house as he demonstrated with his hands: starting at the navel of his chubby belly and moving his hands toward his sides, he illustrated the word “belt.”  Devin then held up a pretend microphone and said, “you do this?”

 

I didn’t understand so he turned his hands into puppets and made them pretend to talk. “Oh,” I exclaimed, “you want me to be the announcer?” to which he exclaimed, “YES!”

 

I asked him to go first so he held his pretend microphone to his mouth and mumbled a sentence I didn’t understand but by the inflection of his voice, I could tell he was imitating a boxing ring announcer.  He cracked himself up with whatever he said, which made me laugh because of the irony – Devin had apparently said something really funny, that I heard but didn’t understand.  (It made me wonder if a joke was told in a language that no one understood, was it still funny? The answer must be yes.)

 

Then Devin gestured that it was my turn, so I pretended to hold the microphone and I put on my best Michael Buffer impersonation…

“And in this cornerrrrrr….hailing from Palmer, Alaskaaaaaa….the one and only undefeated heavy weight champion of the worlllddddd.

Deeeeeevvvvvvviiiiiiiinnnnnnn!!!!”

 

As I said his name, he clasped his hands and raised them over his head in quiet accolades!  We traded off doing introductions four or five times.

 

My breakfast came and at first my plate was angled to my side away from Devin as you see, I still had the fear of something flying onto my plate. But as I ate, Devin continued to talk. He first asked me if it was good, then told me what he was going to eat, which was really a series of questions from me to him that he would answer yes or no to. “Eggs?” yes. “Sausage?” no. “Bacon?” yes and so on until I’d dialed in his breakfast preferences.   And by the time we finished this conversation, my plate was now closer to the center.

 

While I ate, Devin told me he was here with his mom, uncle and three siblings who were sitting at a long table in the middle of the restaurant. He didn’t so much say it as much as he pointed and gestured. But through my questions, I discovered that he likes to sit at the counter because “his seat” is right next to the “ice cubes” as he says, where the wait staff frequent, which gives him the opportunity to chat and and be friendly…especially with Bonnie.

 

Devin asked if I have dogs, I said no but asked if he did, to which he replied he had two. I asked their names but he said, “I don’t know.” This was a common answer to many questions that involved the name of something, like his basketball team, song he was singing, etc.

 

Devin’s meal came, and he held an imaginary microphone up to his mouth and asked me to announce it.  So I announced all of the elements of his breakfast as if they are warriors stepping into the circled ring of his plate to do him battle. The outcome was a forgone conclusion. Devin would massacre that bacon, those eggs didn’t stand a chance, and that toast….would be, well…toast.

 

Devin laughed very hard which got the attention of Bonnie who came over and said “Devin, it looks like you’ve made a new friend” to which he replied, “yes, I’ve made a new friend, he knows my name, and I’m happy.”

 

Bonnie turned to me and asked if I was alright; I think she was worried that I was just being polite, but that I was really not okay.

 

But by now…I WAS really okay, in fact…I was happy.

 

Devin and I continued to chat while he ate, and I realized that Devin, like me, likes to make sandwiches with his food if bread is present. I laughed inside about that as I got up from the counter to pay my check and leave. I told Devin goodbye and patted him on his shoulder.  Without fanfare, he said, “okay goodbye” and continued with the feast he was so blissfully delighted to get.

I chose the right option!  I gave myself over to Devin’s frequency or oscillation, and was blessed for it!

 

I could have buried my head in reading the news, I could have attempted to eat my meal in the comfort of solitude, or I could have creatively thought of a way to change seats.

 

But I let Devin into my bubble and I’m thankful for having done so.

 

I learned today what I did not know yesterday: You don’t ponder being happy.  You don’t need to logically convince yourself you are happy.  You certainly don’t, by process of elimination, arrive at happiness.

You just are happy!

 

We should all take counsel from Devin.  We should start with joy in the tiny things – like the mere anticipation of our favorite meal, or spotting our favorite colors. We should allow ourselves the opportunity to say “I don’t know” without thinking less of ourselves.  We should recognize the moment of delight in seeing someone we love.  We should find commonalities when we meet a stranger and find laughter when we convince others to engage and play with us!

 

Being present and focused in these moments can provide us happiness.

 

If we practice, we can master moving from one happy moment to the next! Then, when we look back, we will realize we were and are happy. That’s the sermon as delivered to me today.

 

About the Author

Kalani Parnell is the Organizational Development Coordinator at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Organization in Anchorage, Alaska.

I have had the pleasure of knowing Kalani for nearly 7 years and have shed many tears, guffaws and “aha moments” since that time.  A Master at telling stories, Kalani has always inspired and taught me things about leadership, teamwork, and perseverance.  He has been a source of knowledge and encouragement to hundreds of executives, managers and leaders throughout his career and is highly coveted for his LEAN Six Sigma knowledge, Quality Improvement expertise and his facilitation and public speaking talents.  Earlier this year, he was attempting to tell me about “oscillation” and how we can (and should) turn ourselves over to the positive energy of others. He and I were speaking of happiness and you know the rest of the story…he met Devin.  I hope you have enjoyed Kalani’s message and, likewise, may you have ample opportunities to find happiness today.

Category: General | Tags: , , , , , , ,
| September 23, 2012
No comments

Haters Gonna Hate

Human Resource professionals, especially those who work in Employee Relations’ programs, see it all!  We are exposed to employees’ pride and egos, their ambition and their perseverance.  We see victims, aggressors, observers and doers.  We meet collaborators, competers and accommodaters.  We witness generosity and selflessness, laziness and selfishness.  We observe hatefulness and take notice of unprofessionalism.

 

While hatefulness and unprofessionalism are hardly inspirational words, they inspired this post!

 

Recently, I concluded a workplace investigation that despite all the discriminatory allegations, counter claims, and retaliation complaints thrown around, what it boiled down to was there was a lot of hatefulness (feelings) and oodles of unprofessionalism (behavior).

 

Hatefulness and unprofessionalism…
they have no place in a workplace!

 

Yet they are everywhere!

 

Whether they are blatantly standing in the hallways or silently lurking in the break rooms, they are there.  Whether they are worn as royal garments or protective armor, they are carried by us.  Whether they are in the spotlights or clandestine whispers in the ear of employees, they make their way into our communication, our interaction and our work.

 

What makes someone hate?

I suppose there are lots of “reasons” and I’d be lying if I told you I have not defended my “reasons” to hate others in my past.

I’ve hated a boss, I’ve hated a coworker, I’ve even hated some customers.

But here’s the thing, I didn’t allow my feelings to affect my behavior.

I don’t know why I refrained from doing so – certainly I wanted to from time to time!

  • Maybe it’s because my mother taught me not to or maybe it was because I was given clear expectations by my boss.

  • Perhaps it was because I did not want to get in trouble or it’s possible I just wanted to look good!
  • Maybe it was because I was confident but then again, I suppose you could argue it was because I was not confident enough.

 

Who knows and who cares?
I didn’t allow my feelings to affect my behavior.

 

 

 

But many of us do!

We think we have the right to behave unprofessionally simply because we don’t like, STRONGLY dislike, or hate another human being.

 

I CALL BS!

 

While at work, we are expected to effectively and consistently communicate with our customers, colleagues, bosses and anyone else who is involved in our work.  What we “feel” about these people should have no negative impact on what we say, how we say it, how much we share, how much we offer, etc.

 

While at work, we are expected to work WITH others.  Whether it be on a project, activity, or simply within a close physical proximity, our efficient and productive interaction with others is required.  What we “feel” about these people should not matter.

 

While at work, we are to focus our minds, bodies and efforts on work.  We wouldn’t spend 1/4 of our time conducting personal business from the break room or spend 1/2 of our time practicing for our next music audition.  What makes us think we can spend a preponderance of our time perseverating about how much we don’t like someone, thinking about how we can get them in trouble or encouraging or persuading others to turn against them?  It’s ludicrous – if we want to waste our own resources, we can, but we have no right to waste those of our employer!

 

While at work, we must comply with our employer’s rules and policies.  Whether we like it or not, we are bound by a duty of loyalty to our employer.  Don’t want to be bound?  No problem…resign…it’s that simple!  Most companies have a rule, policy or standard for work behavior and therefore, we must comply with it!  (And don’t try pointing your finger at the other guy.  Clean out your own closet before you start cleaning out his!)

 

What it comes down to is this: while at work, we are paid to work.  PERIOD, END OF STORY, MOVING ON!

 

  • If we are spending time talking about but not talking with the person we hate, we are not earning our keep.
  • If we are spending time avoiding, interfering or otherwise sabotaging the person we hate, we are not proving ourselves worthy of continued employment.
  • If we are spending energy identifying workarounds, switching shifts or projects to avoid the person, requiring others to “mediate” or “referee” our interactions with those we hate, we are proving ourselves useless to our employer.
  • If we decide that our ego and pride give us freedom to break the rules and otherwise ignore our duty of loyalty to our employer, we can and should expect our employer to do the same.  In other words, your employer can and should considering severing your relationship.
Hatefulness…it’s your choice…haters gonna hate.
Professionalism…it’s your choice…demonstrate it or leave.

 

 

 

Category: Employee Relations | 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: , , , , , , , , , ,
| August 2, 2012
No comments

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: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
« Older Entries