Guest Article: I Meant What They Said by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

Sometimes the words of others are exactly what we want to say. Here are some of my favorites...

"Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act."
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear."
- Rosa Parks

"It takes no compromise to give people their rights...it takes no money to respect the individual. It takes no political deal to give people freedom. It takes no survey to remove repression.
- Harvey Milk

"Conscience is the perfect interpreter of life."
- Karl Barth

"The time is always right to do what is right."
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.
Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - I Meant What They Said»

Check out more of Jay Kuhns' work at No Excuses HR

Guest Article: Hire then fire: Who's slipping through your background checking net? by Ross Clennett

A couple of months ago I ranted I call BS on employer groups: Get better rather than want things to be easier about the whining of Australian employer groups, specifically the Ai Group and Australian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, and their respective calls to make it easier to fire workers. I suggested that these groups would be better off helping their respective members improve their
Article source:Ross Clennett - Hire then fire: Who's slipping through your background checking net?»

Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Guest Article: Breaking the (HR) Rules: Making Friends at Work by Ben

Last week I had the pleasure of speaking at the Alabama SHRM Conference. It was a great experience, and I love taking notes from other speakers throughout the day as well. My friend Dawn Burke from Daxko was speaking about stress on our employees and most notably on the HR staff. There are several reasons we face stress, including the work we do (terminations and investigations, anyone?), the sensitive nature of our jobs, and this pervasive idea that we shouldn’t be friends with anyone in the workplace because we “might” have to face them in a difficult conversation one day.

I have always thought that was somewhat silly, but hearing Dawn talk about it validated my thinking somewhat. When I think about the times I have had to investigate people at work or terminate them for cause, the people weren’t the type of folks I would have been friends with anyway. And even if I was, they were less than 1% of the company’s workforce. If I had decided not to be friends with anyone I would have instantly closed off that entire population of people, ultimately making my work less pleasant and enjoyable.

Today I hope to eliminate this idea that we should close ourselves off from the rest of the world by encouraging you to make some friends in the workplace.

HR should be friends with staff. Problems with that are the exception, not the rule. Via @DawnHBurke #alshrm15

— Ben Eubanks (@beneubanks) May 20, 2015

You Need Friends at Work

Let’s go with someone reputable, like Gallup, to make this argument.

Human beings are social animals, and work is a social institution. Long-term relationships are often formed at work — networking relationships, friendships, even marriages. In fact, if you did not meet your spouse in college, chances are you met him or her at work. The evolution of quality relationships is very normal and an important part of a healthy workplace. In the best workplaces, employers recognize that people want to forge quality relationships with their coworkers, and that company allegiance can be built from such relationships.

The development of trusting relationships is a significant emotional compensation for employees in today’s marketplace. Thus, it is easy to understand why it is such a key trait of retention, and is one of the 12 key discoveries from a multiyear research effort by The Gallup Organization. Our objective was to identify the consistent dimensions of workplaces with high levels of four critical outcomes: employee retention, customer metrics, productivity, and profitability. The research identified 12 dimensions that consistently correlate with these four outcomes — dimensions Gallup now uses to measure the health of a workplace. An associated research effort, in which Gallup studied more than 80,000 managers, focused on discovering what great managers do to create quality workplaces.

This item — “I have a best friend at work” — is clearly one of the most controversial of the 12 traits of highly productive workgroups. In answering this item, many employees do not stumble over the word “friend,” because they have many friends at work. Instead, they get stuck on the word “best,” because they feel the term implies exclusivity, and they have trouble identifying one “best friend” among their coworkers.

Gallup discovered the power of this item in identifying talented workgroups — that the strongest agreement occurred in the most productive workgroups. Because some employees had difficulty with the word “best,” Gallup went back to those groups and softened the word to “close” or “good,” or excluded the word “best” entirely. When this was done, however, the item lost its power to differentiate highly productive workgroups from mediocre workgroups. This suggested that the use of the word “best” actually pinpoints a dynamic of great workgroups.

Okay, so friends at work are important to say the least. But let’s say that you have subscribed to the “no friends at work” rule for some time now. How do you start and reverse the trend?

By being friendly.

Here are a few stories about people I know that work in HR that I would say are better than the average and have cracked the code on how to be friendly with staff.

Krista Francis is the HR Director for Jubilee of Maryland, a nonprofit organization. As you can see in this picture, she changed the title of their department for a time to “Humor Resources” as a way to get employee comments and demonstrate their own sense of humor in the team. I think this is fun because people often see HR as the “no police,” not as a source of humor. Side note, check out the Levity Effect if you want more ideas on this.

Dawn Burke, the speaker I referenced at the beginning of this post, works for Daxko. The company provides cubes for all employees, including HR. That means that instead of the snazzy corner office, they get to work in and among the employee population on a daily basis. There are private areas for when times call for them, but I think this helps to break down emotional barriers with employees by breaking down any physical barriers that exist.

How I’ve Done It

Now, I certainly don’t have a monopoly on making friends as an HR pro, but I have several stories about how I have made this work for me that I’d like to share.

In the past when I had the chance to work in a cube environment, I actually appreciated being close to the employees I was serving. Anyone could stop by with questions at any time and didn’t feel like they were bothering me. When I moved to an office it changed that dynamic, even in subtle ways, and I missed the cubicle for that reason.

I also took time to invite random employees to lunch because we shared some common interest. Aaron the Engineer and I always went to lunch and talked about kids, building things, and faith. In the afternoons after work, Duke the Program Manager and Tina the Engineer were always amazing running partners and we could share stories and learn from each other. I also enjoyed chatting with Dave the Systems Analyst about his band and other fun tech-y type things. So many great memories!

Find people who have similar interests to your own and become genuine friends. For instance, in this photo I am standing with my good friends Duke and Tina at the Cotton Row 10k last year. We won the corporate team competition. We started running at work together.

Find people who like your same physical activities!

In this photo I’m hanging out with Trish and Steve, two of the smartest, nicest people I’ve met, at the Ultimate Connections event earlier this year. I met both of them through a shared interest in HR and improving the profession.

Find people who like your same work activities!

In this picture I’m looking very chipper despite it being 3:00am at the time. This is our celebratory dinner after the annual midnight 5k that we put on to support our local food pantry. Each of these people is passionate about helping others and supporting the needy, which is why we spend dozens of hours planning this event annually.

Find people who like your same volunteer/charity activities!

So, think about how you can connect with those around you. It is a chance to enrich your own life and the lives of those around you.

Friends make you better, and better friends make you even better.

Are you friends with people at work? My guess is the smaller the organization the more likely HR folks are friends and the larger the organization the more likely they are not, but maybe that hypothesis is incorrect. I’d be genuinely interested in hearing some stories from others.

The post Breaking the (HR) Rules: Making Friends at Work appeared first on upstartHR.

Article source:Ben - Breaking the (HR) Rules: Making Friends at Work»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: Ideas From Google Any HR Pro Can Try by Melissa Fairman

This week I’m reading the new book from Laszlo Bock, Google’s head of People Operations,  called “Work Rules!.” Despite the stereotypes about Google there is actually a lot of good information in this book.

 

I’m half way through the book and despite the “only at Google” moments I think there is some great information here for any HR practitioner or leader. Below are some ideas you can use to challenge yourself and your team:

1. Directly connect people (especially those that do not deal directly with customers) to the business and in the process show them how they impact the business.  What better way to drive engagement than to show people how their job impacts the big picture? At Google they make it a point to show their online ad sales people how their ads have helped small business customers.  These employees typically spent all day online and rarely heard about how ad sales helped small businesses.  Once they realized the impact they were having the salespeople were thrilled and inspired. Everyone in your company impacts the business, how difficult can it be to illustrate that?

2. Take a data based approach to hiring strategy. Bock lays out some interesting data on two different views on hiring: buying the best talent or identifying great talent and coaching and training them into the best talent.  For Google,  the solution is to spend money up front on attracting, assessing and cultivating (sourcing) new hires. In his view if you have a massive training budget its because you didn’t hire the right people to begin with.  I’m not saying this is a strategy you should apply but it certainly upends many company “strategies.”

I like this challenge to traditional hiring practices and you should at least think about how different your organization would be if you weren’t always looking for a bargain hire and instead focused on hiring the top performers.

3. Hire slowly and try different approaches.  Bock goes into great detail on the evolution of the hiring process at Google. From using billboard puzzles (didn’t work) to staffing firms, to requesting SAT scores, the People Operations team at Google has not been afraid to try different things.  Underlying what can be a lengthy process is a critical belief: hiring slowly benefits the company because it reduces the risk of Google making a bad hire that negatively affects the team. My takeaways: keep trying different methods and track their usefulness. Remember that a toxic hire can have a terrible impact on the team, if you aren’t satisfied with your current slate of hires, slow down and take your time.

4. What is your staffing team focusing on? Screening resumes and scheduling interviews? Or an in-house staffing firm dedicated to cultivating relationships and finding the best candidates? Again, I’m not saying that the Google model is the answer but the idea is to take a look at your current model and challenge yourself. How well do those outside staffing firms really understand your company? What could you do if you took the money you spent on staffing firms and instead spent it on an excellent recruiter?

5. Your best teachers already work for you. Why are you paying for sales training when you already have great sales people that can teach the rest? Bock lays out a great case for utilizing your existing high performers for training opportunities and includes ways to combat resistance you might get.  Bock doesn’t argue against using formal training but he believes the best trainers are those that are on the inside of your organization.

 

None of the above is really revolutionary (the revolutionary people work at Google is a whole other series of blog posts) but I tell you about it to emphasize that Google starts with some very basic ideas.  Hire good talent. Strive to maintain your culture. Challenge your HR team. Look at core HR processes differently.

 

I love the emphasis on culture but I’m also concerned about creating a culture that is too insular.  Yes, we want to hire good people that fit but at what point does “fit” become “just like me?” I love the idea of using your best salespeople to train but that assumes your salespeople are the ideal salespeople. I hope that Bock tackles these concerns later in the book.

Check back next week for my final review on Work Rules!

Article source:Melissa Fairman - Ideas From Google Any HR Pro Can Try»

Check out more of Melissa Fairman's work at HR Remix

Guest Article: I'm Broken by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

strength: 
- muscular power, mental power, moral power, power by reason of influence, endurance

I take pride in being strong. I work hard in the office, on the road with clients, and in the gym taking care of myself. I push myself to be current in the work that I do, and I am not afraid to make big sacrifices for those that rely on me in all aspects of my life.

Being strong, for me, has become part of who I am...not just something I "try to be."

But sometimes being strong all the time is hard.

Power
Power affects us all. For some, power becomes a drug that replaces our work and evolves into our primary focus. The work, the team, and sadly common sense are soon forgotten as the cult of personality takes over. 

For others, power is a scary burden that is simply too much too manage. Although those leaders believe they can handle the responsibility and impact that comes with power, it quickly becomes obvious to those around them that they 
are not yet ready.

Power corrupts our ability to be strong in a healthy way.

Strength
The peaks and valleys of being strong, feeling strong, and occasionally feeling like you've lost your edge are normal. The challenge, as I've learned over and over again, is to rise up each time you feel like you've slipped off course.

The danger is that we allow the feeling that we're somehow irreparably broken to become the lens we see ourselves through.

But that doesn't mean we don't feel that way sometimes. 

How About You
Who do you know that might feel broken today? Maybe it's a colleague, a team member...or you. Don't lose your momentum. Keep pushing...take care of yourself...and don't let the noise of the world turn you sideways.

You are stronger than you think...and you sure as hell are not broken. I'm not either.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



pic
Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - I'm Broken»

Check out more of Jay Kuhns' work at No Excuses HR

Guest Article: What Type of Employee is a Good Fit for Holacracy? by Jennifer Miller

Do employees really enjoy working in a self-organized structure? Holacracy—sometimes touted as a “leaderless” environment—eliminates traditional management titles and functions. The degree to which employees enjoy this organizational structure depend on many factors.  Some people take well to this extreme level of self-organization, others don’t.

Even at online retailer Zappos, the most famous of Holacracy adopters, 14 percent of the workforce opted out rather than move to 100 percent self-organization. But it’s difficult to parse out exactly why they departed. As this Washington Post article points out, not all 210 employees left Zappos because they disliked Holacracy.

What type of employee is a good fit for Holacracy? Based on my research of this management structure and my work with employees from across the globe over the past 25 years, here is a list of traits people must possess to thrive in Holacracy.

Ability to Self-Organize. This seems like a no-brainer, but it bears stating: if you don’t like to figure out what to do each day when you come to work, don’t apply to a company run with a Holacracy operating system. If you’re one of those college graduates helicoptered by your parents, you might want to look elsewhere.

Rapid Learner. This is a skill useful in any organization, but imperative for Holacracy. Because this work arrangement is unfamiliar to many, there will be a steep learning curve for assimilating all of the terminology required to successfully operate in this environment. Which leads me to the next trait . . .

Comfort with Structure. Structure—there’s lots of it in Holacracy. Just because there aren’t formal “bosses” around anymore doesn’t mean there aren’t rules. In fact, companies that fully implement Holacracy follow a “constitution,” a 40-page document that outlines how all aspects of the organization will operate. It’s a fairly rigid process and if you’re more of a “go with the flow” sort, this may be too much for you.

Talent for Juggling Multiple Roles. Employees reside in more than one “circle” (a group dedicated to a project or a function, such as Customer Service) at a time, so it’s important to keep all of those elements straight. For example, according to this Quartz article, one employee may reside in the call center 50 percent of the time and split the remaining time between merchandising product and running the company’s wellness program.

Capacity to Let Go. And be able to do so quickly. There are no traditional job titles in Holacracy. People are moved in and out of the self-organized circles according to the needs of projects and company objectives. Employees who enjoy moving from one thing to the next will thrive in this atmosphere.

Comfort with Conflict. Proponents of Holacracy point to the structured process for airing grievances amongst colleagues. Here’s the thing: you’d better be willing to address many of those concerns in a public venue. Because that’s often where they’re addressed—as part of “governance meetings.”

There are undoubtedly several other traits that come into play for people considering applying to work in a Holacracy organizational structure. Some may argue that these traits are useful in a more traditional environments. Although that may be true, it remains to be seen if companies with “bosses” will allow these traits to bloom in their organizations.

 

 

 

Article source:Jennifer Miller - What Type of Employee is a Good Fit for Holacracy?»

The 5 Ps of Preparing for a Video Interview

Many companies are increasingly utilising video interviews as a means of making the recruitment process more time and cost efficient. As hiring is becoming a more global process, video interviewing has become an easier way for both employers and employees to speed up the process. What a lot of interviewees are unaware of, however, is that on average only 7% of all communication is verbal.  Tone of voice, how you present yourself, and body language are therefore essential components of communication, especially when you are being video interviewed.

So how can you best prepare and nail that video interview?

Place
Try finding an area for your interview with a plain background. Although an ‘office/study’ area might look nice, it can be distracting to the interviewers. Beforehand, try to record a mock interview in this area to see how the interviewers will see you. Practicing also allows you to prepare for speaking into a microphone clearly and maintaining eye contact with the camera (and not the screen).

Position
Position yourself in front of a camera that is at the same height as the top of your head. This will give the hiring staff a professional view of you. In addition, be aware of your posture and ensure you don’t slouch, squirm, or look bored. Instead, seat yourself just as you would if you were in the interviewer’s office.

Presentation
Even though you’re behind a camera, take the time to brush your hair, clean your face, and dress in business attire. In addition, check the lighting before the interview and clean that smudge off the camera lens to ensure that you are visible. Present to the camera as though you are making eye contact with the interviewer.

Preparation
If it is a live interview, ensure that you have all the materials you might need in front of you at least 10-15 minutes in advance. In addition, double check all internet, camera, and microphone connections to ensure no technological issues arise during the interview. Turn off your mobile (or at least on silent and out of your sight) and minimise the amount of distractions that could occur via family members, pets, etc. 

Pacing
Take your time when composing your answers. There can be a transmission delay when doing a video interview, so pace your speech at a slightly slower rhythm whenever there is an internet connection involved. Nodding when you have heard the question and waiting three seconds before you respond is a useful strategy to overcome interruptions due to lagging internet connections.

As the chances of being interviewed by video is becoming more and more likely, being well prepared in advance can help increase the probability of securing a job. Even though you may be in the comfort of your own home, remember that it is no less formal than a regular interview. Therefore, make sure you treat it as if you were actually in the employer’s office.


Voice Advantage, is our recently launched sleek and advanced interviewing platform
As a job seeker, you can interview via phone or video (depending on your tech) in your own time. To try it out, take a quick 3 minute demo here.

Finally, remember to be confident and GOOD LUCK!

Guest Article: A Day in the Life of a Recruiter by Ben

This is the second in a series of posts on a day in the life of an HR pro. Today we’re turning our sights to the recruiters out there. Below I have profiled several readers who recruit for a variety of industries and companies. If you missed it, the first edition focused on the work of a human resources manager. Read on below to learn about what recruiters do all day, including some funny comments, in-depth descriptions, and other helpful details.

The Life of a Recruiter

Kyle

• Company/Industry: Telecommunications
• Years with Current Company: 7 months
• Years in HR: 10
• Degree/Cert: N/A
• Average Day: I’ve always been one of many hats and my role continues to be that with my current employer. I love working for a company that places the customer front-and-center of everything we do! The ability to find the right person for the right position is priceless.

Alicia

• Company/Industry: Staffing Agency
• Years with Current Company: 4 months
• Years in HR: 4 months
• Degree/Cert: Certificate in HR Management
• Average Day: I spend most of my day recruiting on active positions that my clients have an urgent need to fill and plan for 2 hours out of my day to proactively recruit great candidates. My day consists of phone screening, interviewing face to face, prepping candidates for their interviews. Its competitive, fast paced and a ton of fun. The other side of my job is building relationships with my candidates and hiring managers, for example, taking them out to lunch or breakfast. I love that every day is never the same.

Sharon

• Company/Industry: Healthcare
• Years with Current Company: 15
• Years in HR: 17
• Degree/Cert: Certificate
• Average Day: A typical day in the life as a Professional Recruiter typical begins with a checklist of priorities. Filtering through emails and notifications of hiring requests. Almost on a daily basis I review the status of new hires and where they fall in the on boarding process, i.e. pre-employment physical clearances, background checks, references and education/employment verifications via our database linked to the vendor we contract with for this service, Tabb Inc.Many days I may find myself working through lunch or eating at my desk depending on the activities I am juggling with, providing wrap around services to our hiring managers and potential candidates. phone screens phone interviews, scheduling in person interviews seeking potential candidates. Our applicant tracking system is our primary resource in our selection process as well as Monster’s resume database. On average I can recruit for up to 75 requisitions across the board from professional, technical, clerical and support services.Finally, my days generally end with checks and balances noting where I left off and what I will plan for in the coming days. I usually set aside 1 to 2 hours towards the end of the business day to manage applicants in our ATS/Monster. Email follow up and other correspondence as needed.

  I work in a fast paced, high volume organization where each day can bring the unexpected. You adapt and rise to the occasion with confidence and poise. It can be a very rewarding and self fulfilling having the ability to change and impact lives for the better. The ability to offer employment opportunities is what makes me want to report to work every day.

Alison

• Company/Industry: Healthcare
• Years with Current Company: 7
• Years in HR: 10
• Degree/Cert: SHRM-CP
• Average Day: Our tool is disfunctional so I spend 50% of my day doing transactional items. We are working towards a consultative recruiting model. 1/4 of the day I do phone prescreens with the top applicants. The other 1/4 of my time I spend with managers. Any left over time I am digging out of my overflowing email box.I really like finding a good fit for an applicant and manager. I dislike all the hoops we have to jump through to make it happen.
• HR wit/wisdom: Sometimes it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.Be careful who you trust, if someone will discuss others with you, they will certainly discuss you with others.If it’s really funny, it’s probably harassment.

  It’s the moments together that change us forever.

  HR Dept: will work for doughnuts. :-)

Carly

• Company/Industry: Financial Services
• Years with Current Company: 3.5
• Years in HR: 2
• Degree/Cert: N/A
• Average Day: I spend a lot of my morning sorting through resumes as I sip on my breakfast protein shake. Since we are currently recruiting an average of 10 positions with no ATS, needless to say, my inbox is a nightmare!Much of my afternoon is spent on initial phone interviews with qualified candidates. I schedule blocks of time each day for these meetings, pack them in back to back and and cross my fingers that everything sticks to schedule. I don’t know why I am still surprised by how many candidates are late or stand me up completely – but thats another story for another interview.What’s left of my day is spent going back and forth with hiring managers to get more clarity on what the h-e-double hockey sticks they are looking for in a candidate (changes daily) or talking them off the ledge of a potential bad hire.

  And that’s just the Recruiter side of me as I wear a lot of hats in HR.

Coming up soon we’ll have other HR roles and responsibilities, but I appreciate the participants for sharing! Let me know in the comments below what you think about this series or what specific roles you’d like to see highlighted. 

The post A Day in the Life of a Recruiter appeared first on upstartHR.

Article source:Ben - A Day in the Life of a Recruiter»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: Give Me Something To Break by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

Guest Article: Some slave labour with your free range chicken? by Ross Clennett

Anybody that viewed the recent 4 Corners 'Slaving Away' report (4 May, 2015) would have been absolutely appalled, as I was, at what they learned. Reporter Caro Meldrum-Hanna lifted the lid on sham labour-hire contractors (to classify those operators exposed by 4 Corners as '
Article source:Ross Clennett - Some slave labour with your free range chicken?»

Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Guest Article: Thank You Chris #ThanksPonder by Melissa Fairman

 

The PIC Team manning the social media booth the Louisiana SHRM Conference. From left: Justin Harris, Chris Ponder II, Janine Truitt, myself, Sarah “Buzz” Williams, Tiffany Kuehl and Chris Fields

One of the first people to let me write for their blog was Chris Ponder over at Performance I Create. Chris was looking for writers and I was looking to write more.  It was a good fit.

Over time new members came and went but the core team stayed true.  That team has always been led by Chris. Until now.

The person who created the site, maintained it and was consistently patient with us has left the site in good hands. I’m happy for him.  I get it.  People need to move on.  Change is good.

In the case of PIC I think change really is good. After his announcement Chris Fields of Cost of Work, stepped up to lead the site and has been doing a great job. So yea sometimes change is good.

Thanks Chris Ponder for creating the site, leading a disparate group of writers, maintaining the site and leaving it in good hands.  We wouldn’t be where we are now without you.

Oh and by the way I finally did some writing this week.  I’m over at PIC with: Which is more important, Education or Experience? 

Article source:Melissa Fairman - Thank You Chris #ThanksPonder»

Check out more of Melissa Fairman's work at HR Remix

Guest Article: Leading Yourself on the Path to Employee Engagement by Jennifer Miller

Do employees really want to be engaged? If you define “employee engagement” as author Kevin Kruse does (“The emotional commitment the employee has to the organization and its goals”), it’s likely that yes, all employees want to feel some level of connectedness to the work they do. Yet, as Kruse, author of Employee Engagement is for Everyone points out, it’s not only the manager who’s responsible for the feelings of engagement.  Employees also must take on ownership for designing their level of satisfaction with their work. That’s the premise of Kruse’s book: that to achieve maximum employee engagement, both employees and their managers have an equal stake in making engagement a reality.

This represents a shift in philosophy for many employees because it requires that they rethink how they show up to work. They need to see themselves as part of a partnership with their manager and their peers. They also need to see themselves as leaders too.

Wait, what? All employees are now leaders? How in the world is that going to work? But in this world where there’s more frequent talk of a “leaderless” organization (at least, “leaderless” in that nobody holds an official management title), employees must find ways to lead themselves—and others— to successful organizational outcomes.

When Employee Engagement is for Everyone debuted, I interviewed Kevin Kruse. You can see the interview series here. While researching an article on Employee Engagement, I revisited the transcript of our interview and found this previously unpublished gem from Kevin about what it means to be a leader and how it impacts employee engagement.

Here’s our conversation:

Jen:  I read that you believe that people don’t have to have a title to be a leader. Would you please elaborate?

Kevin:  We often use the phrase “employee engagement” to indicate a certain set of conditions that people feel and act upon in the workplace. But at a higher level, it’s really it’s all about leadership.

Jen: How so?

Kevin: It seems like an academic exercise to think about the definition of leadership, but I encourage people to really get comfortable with what leadership means to them. Unfortunately, I think many people think the words “leadership” and “management” are synonymous. And really, I don’t think they are.

I think that the core of leadership is about using social influence towards for the achievement of some goal. And I like to purposely omit any reference to direct reports, because you don’t need an official title to lead and you don’t need direct reports to be a leader. We can all lead from where we are.

Jen: That might seem like a stretch to some people. How about a few examples.

Kevin: I like to remind people that we can chose to be a leader in our family. We can chose to be a leader in our neighborhood or our community. We can chose to step up and be a leader in our church or place of worship. And in these situations, we don’t have direct reports in the congregation or in our family or in the neighborhood. And yet we would all see that we could chose to influence others and to accomplish certain goals.

I think it’s the same in the workplace, we just don’t think of it that way.

So let’s say I’m a frontline employee, on a team of eight people. I have a manager that I report to, but I do not manage employees.   What you do or don’t do on any given day, what you say or don’t say on any given day influences those around you. So it is really a choice: do you want to say and do things that are neutral or might even bring people down or be disruptive towards the attainment of a goal? Or do you want to say and do things that will encourage others and to help achieve their goals and help everybody to feel more engaged at work?

We need to recognize that we can all lead from where we are and that we can all influence our peers.

_____________________________

This is Jen writing now.

This is always a controversial topic: can anyone be a leader? Definitely something to think about. As always, I thank Kevin for sharing his thoughts with the readers of The People Equation. We all appreciate your insights!

Tell me something: what do you think about the idea that all people can be leaders?

Disclosure: some of the links in this post are affiliate links which means if you click on the post and make a purchase, I may be compensated.

photo credit: Pixabay http://ift.tt/1ed1dzl

 

Article source:Jennifer Miller - Leading Yourself on the Path to Employee Engagement»

Guest Article: Newsflash: Micromanagement Really Works by Ben

Breaking News: Micromanagement has the last word, now recognized as valuable business practice

“This is the best news since man landed on the moon” said one supervisor for a nationwide clothing retailer.

Just last week news broke that will change the face of the workplace forever. Micromanagement isn’t just a fad anymore, it really works.

Our subject matter expert, Ima Dum’he said, “I know, I know. This seems like one of those things that is too good to be true. But it’s not. I’ve always been a closet micromanager and now I can finally step out into the light proudly. This is a banner day for micromanagers everywhere.”

According to an informal poll conducted prior to publication, we have determined that employees are very excited about this revelation. In the words of one respondent, “Our employees are loving it. We have always hired people that needed some extra ‘direction’ at work, and now we have the proof to back up our actions. The fewer decisions we can leave for them, the better. I mean, we hire people but we really can’t trust them to make decisions on their own. We are actively developing what I like to call a “second check” system where all decisions are flowed up the management chain before we take action in any department.”

Some organizations are wasting no time in pursuing this latest best practice in the business world. Our HR correspondent, Stu Pidhead, told us that for companies to get the most out of micromanagement they need to have executives involved in every decision, no matter how small. He expanded, “Obviously the executives know better than everyone else, how else did they get into those positions? What your employees have to say is irrelevant. Just tell them what you want, all the time, at every juncture, and at every opportunity. They will be very happy to avoid any decisions and be told exactly what to do.”

Another key tip is to develop a policy supporting managers internally in their micromanagement efforts. This ensures across-the-board application and that none of those supervisors trying one of those silly, unproven “leadership” strategies can avoid using this necessary business practice.

We’ll follow this story closely as it continues to develop…

The post Newsflash: Micromanagement Really Works appeared first on upstartHR.

Article source:Ben - Newsflash: Micromanagement Really Works»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: For The Stab Wounds In Our Backs by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

Six Management Practices That Can Boost Employee Productivity

Close your eyes and imagine a world where all your employees could work at their full performance capacity, for every minute of every day. A world where your staff don’t steal glances at the clock every minute, and where they aren't taking their 10th coffee break within the hour.

Here are six tips to help boost employee productivity:

Understand your employee

Why is it they come to work? How should you communicate with them? Do they like to receive praise publicly or privately? How do they like to be rewarded, and how do they respond best to feedback? Understanding your employees on a more personal level means that you can cater tasks, feedback and incentives to boost their morale and improve their productivity

Carefully structured incentives 

As a general rule of thumb, a manager or director of a company shouldn’t expect an employee to work for the sole success of the enterprise. Employees may come for social gratification, financial stability, and a whole host of other reasons. When a task is seen to solely benefit senior levels, it will see junior level staff becoming unmotivated to reach the same goals to the best of their abilities. Employees must see worthy and valuable benefits and rewards of completing goals. This means that management should conduct motivation tests to understand the drive behind why employees come to work every day, and reward the team equal to their contribution and according to their desires.

Constantly providing meaningful and constructive feedback

Feedback systems should be implemented, and performance evaluation tests should be regularly conducted to identify talent gaps or to identify where employees excel.

Adequate training

From conducting feedback tests, management should employ talent management tools to improve staff in required areas. Employees who receive complimentary courses or trainings will feel that management is invested in their success and talent – whilst management benefits through their improved skill set and morale.

Personalising the job

Employees all work in different ways – and giving individuals the wrong tools can often cause them to work slowly and more unproductively. Allowing employees’ flexibility in how and when they work – providing that they have a good record of meeting deadlines – can allow them to work at a pace and in a way that is beneficial to both them and the company.

Give credit where it is due

Recognition reinforces good behavior, and allows the employee to realize that their good work has not gone unnoticed. Managers should assume that employees do not realise that they’re doing a good job, and give recognition to show their appreciation for the workers’ efforts.

Performance capacity is largely dictated by management practices, and a manager’s ability to maintain a constant level of motivation through the implementation of performance management activities. So what can you do to boost your employees’ performance?

Boosting employee productivity is not as simple as throwing around some cash. It grows from monitoring and improving your workplace through to understanding the employees, and allowing them to feel the benefits of their hard work. The employees should feel as if they are a valued member of the team.

Tools such as job satisfaction surveys can help you understand your employees, as well as identify what may need changing in your workplace. For more information on job satisfaction surveys, please visit the Psych Press webpage: http://psychpress.com.au/psychometric/talent-retain.asp?job-satisfaction-survey

Guest Article: 23 Leadership Lessons About Energizing Yourself and Others by Jennifer Miller

How do you derive energy from the task of leading? Many times, being in a leadership role can be draining, not energizing. As with many other things in life, one needs to actively seek out ways to overcome flagging energy. This month’s Frontline Festival blog carnival, hosted by Let’s Grow Leaders’ Karin Hurt, assembled 23 stories about how leaders can energize themselves and others. Topics include:

– The benefits of taking time off

– How connections create energy

-How to prevent or recover from an emotional crash

– Authentic listening

Read all 20-plus stories of energizing leadership at: Experts Chime in on “Energizing Leadership:” A Frontline Festival.

Article source:Jennifer Miller - 23 Leadership Lessons About Energizing Yourself and Others»

Guest Article: What Type of Engaged Leader Are You? by Jennifer Miller

Are you a Plugged-In Leader or an Otherwise Occupied Leader? To find out, go on over to Smartblog on Leadership and read my May post, Are you the wrong type of “engaged” leader? A hint: while researching the meaning of “employee engagement” and “engaged” employees, I discovered an intriguing nuance in the definition of “to engage.” It’s wordplay to be sure, but the difference may be enough to prompt you to consider a change in your leadership approach.

As always, I welcome comments here on The People Equation, or on the Smartblog site.

 

Photo credit: 123rf   alexwhite

 

Article source:Jennifer Miller - What Type of Engaged Leader Are You?»

Guest Article: Why crap interviewers don't know they are crap by Ross Clennett

Most people who conduct recruitment interviews have never been trained in how to interview effectively. Yet this lack of training doesn't stop these interviewers from believing that they have good interview skills and don't need any training.   It's called confirmation bias eg 'I hired Gavin and he turned out to be a winner'. A view that is rarely countered with the
Article source:Ross Clennett - Why crap interviewers don't know they are crap»

Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Guest Article: Where Are The Courageous Leaders? by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

Guest Article: So, I Auditioned for Family Feud in Birmingham, AL by Ben

A few weeks ago I received a strange text from my cousin. He wanted to know if I would be interested in trying out for a game show called Family Feud. Of course my instant reply was “YES!” We had to put in some effort up front and submit our interest. We got together and created little jingles for each person to sing to introduce themselves and did some humorous stuff to try to stand out, then we submitted our video and waited.

Within a few weeks we received a note asking us to come and audition in person, and I found myself in beautiful Birmingham, Alabama on a Saturday afternoon surrounded by hundreds of other families hoping for a shot at getting on the Family Feud game show.

As luck would have it, we were one of the first few families to turn in our paperwork, so we quickly had our shot at the practice audition.

As the team captain, I jumped up to introduce my family and then we got into the practice game. Let me tell you this: the practice is much harder than you might think. It is fast-paced, and without a scoreboard you can’t tell what answers have been guessed already. Our two questions were “What sport should you not do if you’re not a good swimmer?” and “Name something people do around the house naked.” Yes, really.

We played two practice rounds against the other family and won both of them. Afterward we left for dinner, hoping that our performance and winning charm were enough to get us an invite onto the actual show. We are still within the notice period to find out if we will be invited, but as I thought about the experience this week I realized there were some interesting lessons I learned that I would like to share.

• The goal of the producer on site is to make a very quick judgment about the families playing. They want families that will do well on camera, not freeze up, and entertain the audience. Making quick judgments is difficult to do and is often fraught with incorrect decisions, but we often have to do the same with limited information. Bottom line: know where to look for clues and insights, make the call, and move on. No wasting time second guessing or evaluating sunk costs.
• They were quick to tell everyone that winning in practice didn’t ensure a spot on the show. They were more interested in chemistry and engagement than in results. I thought that was a good argument for focusing not just on the “what” but also on the “how.”
• As I said, practice was harder than the actual show, because some of the visual cues and timing were completely haywire. This translates to us making our training and “practice” harder than real life so our people can be ready for whatever their day throws at them.
• Embarrassing but true: the question was, “What sport should someone not do if they are not a good swimmer?” We guessed some really good responses: surfing, triathlons, synchronized swimming, water polo… But not a single one of us said swimming, which was the number one answer. When we have to make snap judgments and quick decisions, the easy stuff is often forgotten in the rush. Don’t overlook simple answers in a rush to be “right” or to be first.

I’m hoping that we can get onto the show so I can share more about that experience, but for now, that’s what I have to offer. :-)

The post So, I Auditioned for Family Feud in Birmingham, AL appeared first on upstartHR.

Article source:Ben - So, I Auditioned for Family Feud in Birmingham, AL»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: 4 Ways to Get More Out of Meetings with Your Manager by Jennifer Miller

Are you getting the most out of your 1:1 meetings with your boss? According to a recent study, about 73 percent of employees meet with their team leader at least once a month. That’s not a lot of face time, so be sure you make the most of this important interaction with the following tips:

Show Initiative

Are you thinking, “What one-to-one meeting? I’m lucky to see my boss at lunch in the cafeteria once a month,” then you have your work cut out for you. But just because there isn’t a consistent meeting time set up with your team leader doesn’t mean there can’t be. You’ll need to take the initiative and request that a meeting schedule be set. Most likely you’ll need to “sell” this a bit – be ready with reasons why it benefits your boss, such as quicker decision-making on his or her part, your improved productivity or heading off problems at the pass. You might think, “Why should I have to sell this? Isn’t it my boss’s job to stay in contact with me?” Yep, it sure is, but remember: communication is a two-way street. If you focus on what your boss “should” do, waiting for him or her to wake up and get with it, you will not get the attention you need to grow your career.

Clarify Expectations

If your one-to-one meetings with your team leader are unsatisfactory, maybe it’s because you and your boss have differing ideas about the meeting’s purpose. It’s okay to bring this up by saying, “I have a question about our one-to-one time together. I’m asking this so we’re as productive as possible – what are your expectations for this meeting? What outcomes would you like to see each month when we meet?” When you frame your question in the context of productivity, it doesn’t point the finger at anybody, so it reduces the likelihood of defensiveness. If your boss is stumped by the question, be ready with an answer that suggests the meeting’s agenda and format.

Get Organized

One of the best things you can do for your career is to maximize individual time you have with a work team leader and to do this, you’ve got to get organized. When I worked in Corporate America, I kept a running list of things to discuss with my work team leader Steve at our next meeting. This discussion list contained things that were important, but not time-sensitive. Every time something came up that might require Steve’s attention, I asked myself, “Can this wait until our next 1:1?” If it could, I put it on the list. Examples included things such as career discussions, ideas for new projects and follow up on tasks from previous meetings.

Think about the Bigger Picture

A lot of the communication between you and your boss most likely flows on a daily or weekly basis: urgent issues, status updates, small details that need to be passed along. Here’s what typically does not get discussed at the Monday morning huddle: your career aspirations. And with good reason: daily interactions are meant for the business of getting your job done. Yet if you don’t make time to talk about your goals for the future, you will have less chance to respond to career opportunities as they arise. When you plan for your one-to-one meetings, think not only of the running list I mentioned above, but also think about the bigger picture: how can you grow as an employee? Whether you desire a promotion, or you’re perfectly happy with what you’re doing right now, it’s important to continually add to your skill set. When you meet with your manager, be ready to offer examples of progress you’ve made toward growth and solicit feedback on ways you can continue to improve.

One-to-one meetings with your team leader, although infrequent, are one of the best ways for you to improve yourself for future job opportunities. Make sure that you are confident, prepared with an agenda, and focused on the bigger picture, and you’ll have made great progress in capitalizing on this important communication method.

 

Copyright : Cathy Yeulet

 

Article source:Jennifer Miller - 4 Ways to Get More Out of Meetings with Your Manager»

Starting a career blog – to blog or not to blog?

‘To blog or not to blog, that is the question!’

Blogging is rapidly emerging as a great new way to advance your career. Blogs have become a ritual reading, an indication of a person’s professional reliability and at the very least an opportunity to have your name on the internet other than on a Facebook account. As the saying goes ‘It’s not what you know, it’s who you know’. With the added bonus of introducing you to a whole new circle, establishing a strong base of professionals who read your articles frequently and can be beneficial to you, and your career.

When’s a good time to start blogging?

There is no time like the present!

• You will be giving the readers a chance to read about your journey and connect with you throughout your career- if you keep them interested that is.
• Taking this initiative looks great on a resume!

Whether you’re a freshly graduated professional or have been employed for a while, everyone has experienced situations similar to yours and there is always going to be someone else who is experiencing what you’re going through. Blogging will become a source of comfort for your readers, although be sure to follow our guidelines to prevent anything career damaging from ending up on the internet!

Establish Yourself

Showing readers that you’re a reliable source is how you strengthen the degree of respect that’s associated with your name, and subsequently this could open up avenues for media sources to contact you- a little publicity never hurt anyone. For example, if you’re an early career Allied Health Professional, writing material relating to current issues in the field is one way of establishing yourself and giving yourself some credibility when you walk into your next interview.

Passion

Be passionate about the topics you blog. The more engaged you are with the content, the more engaged the reader will be.

A blog is not the same thing as a personal diary:

• If you are relaying personal experiences, make sure it still has something of value. Ask yourself, how would my readers benefit from reading this?
• Though you are dealing with social media, try to make sure your spelling, grammar and general flow of text allow readers to take you seriously.
• If you’re not the most creative and influential writer (you don’t have to be!) be sure to share your work with friends or colleagues before going live. This is especially helpful in identifying passages that don’t make sense to others, but that may seem perfectly normal to you.
• Be careful not to reveal any confidential information or inadvertently expose people.

Happy blogging!

Guest Article: The HR Analyst Job Description: A Day in the Life by Ben

I’ve been working as an HR analyst for about a year now. Several of my friends, both in HR and out, have asked me lately what my days look like. I wanted to take a moment to highlight what it is and what it is not. I’ll also say that this is my experience. It’s certainly different for different people at different organizations. Did I mention it’s different? :-)

Even my coworkers that do very similar work as talent management analysts, learning analysts, and workforce management analysts have different schedules, projects, etc. I know there aren’t a significant number of HR analyst jobs out there, but for those that might be interested, this is a good peek behind the curtain.

A sample HR analyst job description

First of all, the things I spend most of my time on are briefings, research, writing, and editing. I publish all of the blogs and case studies, which is fun to get to see the full spectrum of what we do. Each day is different, of course, and I break down some of those aspects below.

Little man is still not sleeping through the night consistently yet, so when he wakes up at 4:30 I just get to work after feeding him.

• Up between 4:30 and 5:30, work to 6:15 on email and any high priority work. This is the time to plan my day.
• 6:15-7:30 Kids! Family! Craziness! I help get Melanie and the kids out the door, then I drop off little man at the sitter’s before heading back home to jump into the workday full speed.
• 7:30-10:00 Typically catch up on email, work on case studies, editing briefing reports, or writing. Most of our internal company meetings are in the morning as well.
• 10:00-10:30 Break! I’ll usually do something to break up my day, whether it’s calling a friend, squeezing in a quick workout, or going for a run to clear my head. I can’t work in long blocks without losing focus. Also, while I’m working out I often have some of my best ideas for writing or solving problems I’m working on, so this is critical to me being productive long term.
• 11:00-11:30 Eat lunch. While I eat I’ll do some reading and research to catch up on what’s going on in the industry. I sometimes use this space to reply to emails and plan my calendar for the next few days to be prepared for any big meetings, etc.
• 11:30-2:00 Back to work. I like to use my time after lunch when I’m typically at my “low” for creativity and focus to do things like making contact with HR pros to set up briefings and trying to work on any outstanding emails.
• 2:00-4:30 By this time I’m past the midday “slump” and am in prime gear to do some writing. This is when I typically create marketing copy, write my Brandon Hall Group blog posts, and do any “major” editing work that requires significant brainpower.
• Melanie usually gets home with the kids between 4:00 and 5:00 and that signals the end of the workday for me. There are some nights where I pick back up again around 8:30-9:30 if I have something pressing, my wife has to grade papers or do lesson plans, and all the kids are in bed.

Now, I know that’s just an average, so here is a breakdown of some of the actual work I get to do. As you might expect, necessary skills for an HR analyst are heavily weighted toward writing, editing, research, and data analysis.

• Meetings: internal meetings average about 30-60 minutes per day, spanning topics like research, marketing, and technology.
• Briefings: I spend time talking with HR leaders to learn what’s going on in their world and to stay plugged in. This is one of my favorite parts of my role. And talking shop with HR pros and calling it work just seems unfair. :-) I also host all of our vendor briefings. And while sometimes it’s a chore to fit them in, I have always been a bit of a technology nerd, so finding out what is the latest and greatest in learning, recruiting, or HR is a lot of fun.
• Case studies: Ever wonder how Hilton runs its learning program or how multimillion dollar security firms hire their staff? I did, too. And now I know, because I get to publish case studies from those companies that describe exactly how they approached the problems and solved them. Here’s a recent blog post on the Brandon Hall Group blog where I talk about them.
• Blogging: I get to blog! It’s a blast. As you can tell I love the blogging format, so this is just one more opportunity to share my thoughts. More importantly, I love the conversations it opens up to talk about what others are interested in–I certainly don’t have all of the answers. I have about 20 drafts in varying stages right now (some of which I’ll probably never actually write, funny enough) on a variety of topics, from recruitment marketing to technology selection to metrics and more.
• Research webinars: this year I picked up a new role and am hosting our research webinars with various analysts on the team. It’s a chance to share the latest and greatest research, and I like the opportunity to get in front of our great audience over there. (info on those webinars, if you’re interested)
• Attending events: a minority of my time is spent traveling and attending events. With a 5 month old at home this is something I’m thankful for. I do love getting to go to great events like the HR Technology Conference and other vendor-focused ones, but I don’t get out very much. I have a total of about 4-5 trips this year at my last count. As the kids get a bit older I expect to do more of this but not a crazy amount.
• Speaking: I speak occasionally and these are honestly the best types of events for me. I like getting to wear multiple hats. I’ll actually be presenting at SHRM this summer in Las Vegas (anyone else going? I’d love to meet you!) and the Alabama SHRM conference as well. Again, I don’t put in many applications for speaking because I don’t travel a significant amount, but I always enjoy the opportunity. When I speak I usually spend anywhere from 5-10 hours gathering information, developing slides, etc.
• Informal research: I am a Feedly fiend. I have it open any time I have 5-10 minutes to spare, because I’m always reading other blogs to gather insights and information. It’s amazing how often this inspires me to write something myself, even if the blog I’m reading is focused on design, marketing, or travel. At least half of those drafts I mentioned above started when I read a blog post or news article somewhere else.

5 surprising things about working from home as an HR analyst

This whole “working from home” thing is a bit of what I expected, but it’s also different in other ways. Here are five things I didn’t expect:

1. Nobody seems to understand that in some ways working from home is harder than working in an office. None of your friends asks to “swing by” or if you can do an errand for them when you work in an office setting. Thankfully that was short-lived, but it happens.
2. It can be hard to “turn off.” When I worked in an office I had the drive home to decouple from work and shift gears. Now if the family gets home and I’m in the middle of writing or editing I have to suddenly shut everything off mentally and it can be tough to do that.
3. I have more time. I’m not spending 2+ hours driving daily, and that means I can get more accomplished instead of commuting, getting to work after spending almost an hour in traffic, trying to dodge “that” talkative coworker, etc.
4. I have less time. :-) I feel like with the additional time I can do more things and take on more tasks, even when it’s not really possible. That can be tough to deal with at times because I like to run in a hundred directions at once.
5. Some people warned me that I would be “bored” or that I would miss working with people. While I do miss some face to face interactions with friends, I am actually well-suited to working remotely and solo. I can spend all day without turning on the radio, TV, or anything else. The days when I don’t have calls scheduled I can go for up to 9 hours without saying or hearing a single word, which is pretty peaceful. This certainly isn’t for everyone, but it’s something I think is very interesting to know. I’m a natural introvert and talking a lot and interacting with people can be draining for me at times.

HR analyst salary information

Information about a human resources analyst salary is all over the map. I think that’s due in part to the fact that some companies are loose in defining what an analyst is/does, so that means the job duties can range (and pay naturally follows). Here are a few resources for details on what an HR analyst makes. As you’ll see, it can vary wildly.

• Glassdoor salary info
• Indeed salary search

Human resource analyst job openings

As I said above, the type of analyst work I’m doing is reserved typically for very large companies, vendors, or research/consulting firms. Other names for this type of role (if you’re searching for an HR analyst position) that could be helpful:

• human resources analyst
• talent management analyst
• talent acquisition analyst
• learning analyst
• workforce management analyst
• principal analyst
• senior analyst
• associate analyst
• business analyst
• HCM analyst
• human resource analyst

So, what else do you want to know, whether it’s about this whole “working from home” or the HR analyst role? I’d love to answer questions if you have any!

The post The HR Analyst Job Description: A Day in the Life appeared first on upstartHR.

Article source:Ben - The HR Analyst Job Description: A Day in the Life»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: (Caught) In Your Words by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

Guest Article: The One Minute Manager – A New Leader’s Story by Jennifer Miller

In 1984, as a college senior, I was employed by my university as an Assistant Residence Hall Director (AD). It was the first job in which I had a staff that (dotted line) reported to me. During the day, everyone answered to the full time Residence Hall Director. On the evenings and weekends, I rotated shifts with two other AD’s overseeing fellow students who were Resident Advisors (RAs).

In the fall of that year, a few days before the RA’s arrived for their training, our Hall Director Marilyn gather the three AD’s in a room and told us, “I’m excited to be working with you this year. You are a talented group of individuals and it’s wonderful to have you as part of my management team.” It was the first time anyone had every acknowledged me as a leader and it was heady stuff. I felt a mixture of emotions: excited, proud, scared, disbelieving. And then Marilyn handed us a copy of The One Minute Manager.

I remember Marilyn talking about the “Three Secrets” and how we could help guide our staff members via brief exchanges.  She said that this book was easy to read, but contained very important messages about managing people. Marilyn focused mostly on the “praise” section of the book, a wise choice given that we were leading a group of peers.

This week, Harper Collins Publishers released an updated version of this international bestseller, titled The New One Minute Manager®.  Authors Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson have tweaked their Three Secrets to better fit the realities of today’s workplace. As I read the new version, what occurred to me is this: even though so much has changed in the workplace in the three decades since the book’s introduction, a remarkable amount of the book’s content is still the same—and still relevant. That’s because technology comes and goes but the human experience is constant.  As Blanchard and Spencer write, people who feel good about themselves produce good results, and this book helps remind leaders of this basic fact of humanity.

I will always be grateful to the book The One Minute Manager, not only because of the concepts contained therein, but also because its arrival in my world signaled the start of my leadership journey. Some accuse this book of being simplistic, but I disagree. It’s very simple, that’s true. But after 30 years in the workforce, I’ve realized that simple is better. This book won’t help you navigate complex strategic leadership issues, or give you a series of charts and supporting academic research, but it will help ground you in the most important concept of leadership:

And if you don’t buy that message, then you’re in the wrong line of work.

Curious about how The New One Minute Manager differs from the original One Minute Manager? Read this guest post by Ken Blanchard on The People Equation.

Free Book Giveaway

Tell me something!  Have you read the original One Minute Manager? If you have, what valuable message did you glean? If you haven’t read it, what would you like to know? I’ve received permission to give away an “Advanced Reader’s Edition” of this book. Leave a comment here on the blog by 5:00 PM (eastern time) Friday, May 15, 2015 and I’ll do a random drawing and notify the winner by email. **Technical note: I’m having some challenges with reader comments displaying properly. Don’t worry if you can’t see your comments; they are displaying to me in the administrative panel of my blog.

 

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for the purpose of writing this review. Also, some of the links are affiliate links, meaning if you click the link and make a purchase, I may receive compensation. This doesn’t increase the price of your item and I only review books that I believe my readers will benefit from.

 

Article source:Jennifer Miller - The One Minute Manager – A New Leader’s Story»

Guest Article: Focus: Your future depends on it by Ross Clennett

Twenty four years' ago I was in my fourth month of employment at Temporary Solutions in Sydney. I was an accounting temp consultant. Unemployment (7.9%) was continuing to rise, eventually peaking at 11.2% in November 1992. The market was tough. Jobs were hard to come by and good candidates were plentiful. One of the few things I had in my favour was that I had focus. My job was very clear; I
Article source:Ross Clennett - Focus: Your future depends on it»

Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Guest Article: Are Custom Learning Experiences The Future of Training? by Ben

I’ve been wanting to write for some time about the customization of, well, everything. I think it’s fascinating that so much can be customized to your very specific, individual tastes. Personalization is in virtually everything we do.

Movies/television? Give Netflix a go.

Music? Check out Pandora.

Hungry? Get a NatureBox with your own favorite snacks.

Sports? Yes, even sports. ESPN’s 22 million (and growing) website visitors are going to see a customized display based on their own location, interests, etc.

This incredible shift is hitting us in all of these areas, but a story I heard a few years ago about a school in New York could be the next advance in learning.

Let me introduce you to the School of One from iZone. Here’s a bit about them:

iZone is a catalyst for 21st Century learning across the New York City Department of Education, (NYCDOE) the largest school district in the country, serving 1.1 million students in more than 1,700 schools. We work with schools, the edtech marketplace and policy makers to design and scale promising learning models that prepare all students for college and careers.

So what is the School of one? In a nutshell it is an individualized education plan that adapts to a child’s learning style. Not just a program that we set based on a child’s preferences, but an actual adaptive program that can change over time to deliver the highest-impact learning experiences possible.

This is blended learning at its best. Children are taught in traditional group classroom lectures, small group work with peers, and online tutoring sessions. Then teachers can review the data on performance before and after the types of sessions, and an algorithm helps to select the following day’s exercises based on which ones the student learned from best. Over time this happens continuously to fit the program to the individual student—hence the name “School of One.”

But What about the Workplace?

We know that our training and development efforts are not going to reach all employees in the same way. And each employee has different needs from the training programs we offer.

What if instead of using a blanket program we could tailor it over time to deliver the best possible learning experience for the lowest possible price? Here’s an example of how this could play out in the workplace.

The Custom Learning Training Method

Let’s say Mary scores highly on a post-test after she sits through a live instruction class, but Bob scores higher after he completes a learning game. Tomorrow we swap them to compare the results. If both of them have the biggest improvement from the learning game, maybe we start lean more heavily on the gaming aspect.

Then we introduce another element: social learning. At this point they diverge. Mary does poorly when it comes to social interaction, but Bob does even better than with the game. So in terms of the learning programs Mary’s preferences are built this way:

1. Game
2. Live instruction
3. Social

But Bob’s are different:

1. Social
2. Game
3. Live instruction

And over time the algorithm will continuously tailor the training to best meet their needs and return the best results for the time invested.

How is this different?

Some would say that companies already offer these types of training options, but the difference here is the system learns what works best for you and redirects time and resources into training you via that medium. It’s not just based on preference–I might like video training but it doesn’t necessarily improve my results as much as a learning game.

My first thought is that this sounds incredibly costly to develop. But Pandora offers an even deeper level of customization completely for free for most users (and still managed to net $230 million in 2015 revenue). And Netflix is just a few dollars a month for a matching algorithm that measures your TV and movie preferences to deliver recommendations that you would enjoy. As more attention moves to this concept of the custom learning experience, we will see more opportunities to scale these types of programs. I’m excited to see what is next.

What are your thoughts on custom learning experiences? What other ways can customization and personalization weave into our training methods and HR practices? 

The post Are Custom Learning Experiences The Future of Training? appeared first on upstartHR.

Article source:Ben - Are Custom Learning Experiences The Future of Training?»

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Guest Article: Bringer of Light by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

Guest Article: A New Book for a New Generation: The New One Minute Manager® by Jennifer Miller

Note from Jennifer: I’m honored to host this guest post from Ken Blanchard, business consultant and international best-selling author. Ken and his co-author Spencer Johnson have updated their classic management book “The One Minute Manager.” Here is Ken’s outline of the new book and why it’s as relevant as ever.

Guest Post by Ken Blanchard

On May 5, 2015, HarperCollins will release The New One Minute Manager. I’m already getting a lot of questions about how the One Minute Manager has changed since the original book was published in 1982.

The workplace has evolved dramatically over the last 30 years. In the early 1980s command and control leadership was a way of life. In those days, the One Minute Manager was the one who set goals—he decided who to praise and who to reprimand. The New One Minute Manager realizes that today the old top-down management style doesn’t work, because people want to find meaning in their work and be recognized for their contributions. Now side-by-side leadership—being a partner with your people—is much more effective.

To address these changes, my coauthor Spencer Johnson and I have updated and adapted the Three Secrets used by the New One Minute Manager—One Minute Goals, One Minute Praisings, and One Minute Re-Directs. Now the Secrets are more relevant than ever.

Readers will discover that goal setting is no longer a task managed by the leader and handed off to the employee as a list of directives. Setting One Minute Goals is now a collaborative activity that the leader and direct report work on together. The focus is on setting clear expectations and providing examples of what a good performance looks like. People are encouraged to review their goals daily so they can stay on track by focusing on their most important projects.

The Second Secret, One Minute Praisings, remains one of the most powerful tools a leader can use to encourage and motivate people. The New One Minute Manager knows the importance of catching people doing things right and praising them right away. In time, people learn to praise themselves and become self-leaders.

The Third Secret is where we’ve made the biggest change: One Minute Reprimands have been changed to One Minute Re-Directs. We did this because the pace of work is so fast today that people are in constant learning mode. Even if you’re an expert today, tomorrow your area of expertise may be outmoded. It’s not helpful to reprimand or punish a learner. Today it’s more effective to coach and support people with One Minute Re-Directs.

I’m excited about the practical tips we’ve incorporated into this book for a new generation. Now more than ever, the Three Secrets provide powerful tools to help you build relationships and achieve personal and professional goals. And the heart and soul of the new book remains the same: one minute really can make a difference. In fact, I believe the best minute of the day is the one you invest in your people.

To learn more about The New One Minute Manager and download the first chapter, visit The New One Minute Manager website.

About the Author

Ken Blanchard, PhD, is the Chief Spiritual Officer of The Ken Blanchard Companies. He has co-authored 60 books, including international bestsellers The One Minute Manager, Raving Fans, Gung Ho! and Whale Done! In 2005 Ken was inducted into Amazon’s Hall of Fame as one of the top 25 bestselling authors of all time.

 

 

 

 

Article source:Jennifer Miller - A New Book for a New Generation: The New One Minute Manager®»