Guest Article: RCSA 2016 Excellence in Candidate Care Winner: Cox Purtell by Ross Clennett

At the RCSA Gala Ball on 26 May, Cox Purtell was announced as the winner of the RCSA (Aus) 2016 Excellence in Candidate Care Award.   This week Cox Purtell Managing Director, James Purtell, took time out of his day to answer a few of my questions about Cox Purtell's approach to candidate care.   Ross: Congratulations on your win, James. Firstly, can you give me a bit
Article source:Ross Clennett - RCSA 2016 Excellence in Candidate Care Winner: Cox Purtell»

Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Guest Article: Snark is Not a Leadership Skill by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

Snark - "Biting, cruel humor or wit, commonly used to attack someone or something."

Snark and Credibility
I'll be honest with you. I love jokes...not only playing them on people, but also being on the receiving end of a good prank. Good ones use a combination of fun, creativity and a clear signal that the balance between humor and cruelty will never crossed.

Quite honestly I think they can show the human side of leadership, particularly if we demonstrate that we don't mind being on the receiving end of a well-intended and harmless prank. I would much rather have the team feel comfortable teasing me vs. them worrying if my teasing has some sort of underlying message (even though it never does.)

Never lose an opportunity to show the "real you" with your team.

Snark and Losing All Respect
The flip side of course is when the fun morphs into simple cruelty. We've all made mistakes and crossed the line, but that's not what I'm talking about. 

The decision to brand oneself as the one who always takes things a little too far is for stand-up comedians.

It is never a legitimate strategy for leaders.

Ever.

Candidly the underlying issues that seem to drive these behaviors are typically based on low self-esteem and some sort of inferiority complex. 

I've seen it many times in my career. It has nothing to do with how bright or accomplished the aggressor is; in fact many are quite good at their jobs.

Sadly though, they allow their insecurities to shine brightly as they use snark as a weapon.

How About You
Which leadership style have you chosen? Do you look for opportunities to show that you are human along with the rest of your team? Or, is your self-talk machine blaring so loudly you don't realize you are inadvertently hurting those around you?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - Snark is Not a Leadership Skill»

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

Guest Article: Hand Me My AR-15, the British Are Coming...Oh, Wait by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

The gun control issue is so polarizing in the United States, that I almost decided against sharing this post. However, judging from the flood of comments I received when I hinted at writing on this topic, it speaks to the need for the dialogue to continue.

This is not a comprehensive policy proposal; rather, it is a message about one component of the bizarre place we find ourselves in...regardless of which side of the "debate" you fall.

-----------------------------------------------

I am pro-gun ownership. 

Let me make that crystal clear. I am pro-gun ownership.

From target practice, to hunting, to feeding one's family or to protection in extreme circumstances, guns are a valuable part of our society.

Our forefathers sent a powerful message about guns and freedom as well...IN 1776!

In Case You Missed It, We Won the Revolutionary War
The message the Founding Fathers sent to all Americans was that we could fight real tyranny (think King George III...aka a foreign power occupying America) and gain our independence. The bravery of those patriots, both men and women is absolutely astonishing. 

But the world is a very different place today than it was in colonial times. Our government (regardless of how much the crazies want to claim that it will happen) is not going to turn America into a police state and invade our homes.

It's not going to...so please stop talking about defending yourself from...ourselves.

Machine Guns Are For The Armed Forces
One of the things that surprises me most about the gun control debate (if you can call the choke hold the NRA has on Congress a "debate") is the belief that ordinary citizens need high powered machine guns.

Seriously? It would be funny if it wasn't so pathetically embarrassing for those that believe we need that sort of firepower laying around our homes. 

Before any of you head out to do a drive-by and exert your Second Amendment rights, check out this and this or this from the New York Times. Guess what? We're number one in the world! 

In gun deaths. Please save the "guns don't kill people excuse"...the other civilized nations of the world don't have the guns we do, and shockingly they have far fewer deaths.


Coincidence? Um, of course not.

How About You
Do you think our forefathers would have been excited to have each and every farmer load up with a row of cannon outside their barns? 

The rabid gun advocates should be absolutely ashamed of themselves. 

Although, I feel sorry for them. They have lost their way...they actually believe we have "control" over the millions of guns in America, and it's just an enforcement issue. 

I wonder who they trust to "control" things, or at least have a meaningful discussion about the many layers of this issue? It appears, no discussion is the preferred option.

SMH.

What do you think?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.


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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - Hand Me My AR-15, the British Are Coming...Oh, Wait»

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

Guest Article: Manners Matter at Work by Jennifer Miller

Far from being an outdated, quaint throwback, manners are still in vogue at work. “Please” and “thank you” go a long way towards greasing the cogs of social interaction in the workplace. You might be skeptical of my claim, given our country’s current election cycle. But look past the soundbites of the 24/7 news cycle, and you’ll find that people want to work for leaders who are civil.

Believe me, people are watching how their leaders treat others. If you think a rude brush-off doesn’t matter, or that “they’ll get over it,” you’re sorely mistaken.  There’s a very real, measurable impact on employee productivity when there’s incivility in the workplace. Georgetown University associate professor of management Christine Porath has studied the effects of workplace incivility for many years. She has found that people reduce their work effort—by a significant amount—when their leaders treat them rudely.

I attended Porath’s breakout session, “Civility: Do We Have Time to be Nice at Work?” at the 2016 WorkHuman conference. She presented fascinating information regarding workplace incivility, including these statistics:

People who experience incivility in the workplace:

• Are 5 times less likely to notice details
• Perform 17% worse on cognitive tests
• Take longer to make and record decisions
• Make more errors

There are other reasons to stop being a jerk at work, as I write in my latest Smartbrief article. Porath’s research finds that what people want most from their leaders is respect. They want this more than even the often-cited recognition and appreciation.

So just like your mama taught you: manners matter. Simple courtesies like waiting your turn, saying you’re sorry and listening to others can have a big impact on your leadership effectiveness.

 

Copyright: sabinezia / 123RF Stock Photo

Article source:Jennifer Miller - Manners Matter at Work»

Guest Article: Is charging temps/contractors a 'payroll admin fee' a new low for our industry? by Ross Clennett

I seem to be very late to the story on this one. Early last year, people2people Shared Services Manager, Lisa Johnson had this issue raised with her in the comments section of her people2people blog Is your recruiter ripping you off? and subsequently Lisa wrote a follow up blog later in the year Who Wins When a Recruitment Agency Charges Temps an Admin Fee? specifically about the apparent
Article source:Ross Clennett - Is charging temps/contractors a 'payroll admin fee' a new low for our industry?»

Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Guest Article: Soar! by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

There is a unique responsibility that comes with a leadership job. It's more than just representing your company well, and working hard (much of it behind the scenes that most simply can not appreciate.) 

It's a responsibility that has to do with how we treat people. I know that sounds like an overused phrase, except there's a catch.

Many leaders...formal and informal alike...treat their colleagues and team members quite wretchedly. 

Yes Sir, Yes Ma'am, Yes Sir, Yes Ma'am
Before you completely dismiss this post, consider those around you. Think about the team members who are keeping their heads down...who are remaining quiet...who seem reserved "all of a sudden" or are quick to agree with everything the "leader" has to say.

Maybe there is something happening that you're not aware of yet.

It seems that something odd happens when people are offered the privilege to serve in a leadership role. They suddenly lose the perspective they once had when they were starting their careers, and now believe they can act without any consequences. 

That is a flawed assumption.

The Most Important Thing
It turns out that the most important thing that happens in any organization comes down to how the leaders treat the people. Whether it is employees, volunteers, vendor partners, interns or students shadowing as part of their academic curriculum, the people are the number one priority.

After many years in human resources leadership mired in policy and procedure manuals, I have learned a couple of very important things:
- people matter
- our job as leaders is to encourage, support, mentor and develop
- our ultimate goal should be for our people to soar

How About You
If I were to ask the people who interact with you everyday, would they tell me that you help them soar? Or, might I hear something different?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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inspiration
Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - Soar!»

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

Guest Article: Want to End Harassment? It’s a Culture Thing (#SHRM16) by Ben

In case you missed it, there was a SHRM Conference Daily post this week with a very interesting headline. In short, the EEOC said that training doesn’t reduce discrimination. The logic behind the commentary had a few holes that I want to point out really quick, but I want to spend the majority of the time today helping you to understand what actually works for eliminating harassment. Here’s the synopsis:

The biggest finding of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC’s) Select Task Force on the Study of Harassment in the Workplace may be what it failed to find—namely, any evidence that the past 30 years of corporate training has had any effect on preventing workplace harassment. “That was a jaw-dropping moment for us,” said EEOC Commissioner Victoria A. Lipnic in a Sunday Session at the Society for Human Resource Management 2016 Annual Conference & Exposition.

Two quick notes that need clarification:

• There are 90,000 harassment claims, so training doesn’t work. What kind of training was used? How many of those complaints actually were legitimate harassment issues?
• 90% of harassment is never reported. That means that hundreds of thousands of workers in the US are harassed every year. I don’t buy it. Working with a jerk or someone that is not always pleasant doesn’t equal harassment, but many people miscategorize it that way all the time.

How to Completely Eliminate Harassment

Want to absolutely crush harassment at your organization? It requires a culture that encourages ethical treatment of others. It requires a company that values not only individuality, but the fundamentals of respect and appreciation for others.

Think about it. We’ve all worked with people that simply didn’t respect others around them. Those people are the ones that often bring about harassment, because they do not have the respect for their peers and coworkers that is necessary for good working relationships.

So, we need to create organizations that are uncomfortable for those kinds of people. We need to make it unpleasant to be disrespectful by addressing it as a performance issue. We need to create an environment where those kinds of behaviors demand a swift and unpleasant response instead of sweeping them under the rug, brushing them off, etc. Harassment is serious, and not just in a “oh boy, we’re going to get sued for that one” kind of way. It can cost you great, productive employees and drive away the talent that your organization needs.

So, it may be no small feat, but crushing harassment is a worthy goal. Start today. Build a culture of respect and appreciation. Take issues seriously and address them promptly. Then you can reap the benefits of a collaborative, harassment-free workplace.

Article source:Ben - Want to End Harassment? It’s a Culture Thing (#SHRM16)»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: #SHRM16: The ROI of Relationships by Ben

I’m blessed again this year to be attending the SHRM Annual Conference. Yesterday I spoke with a friend that I haven’t seen at a SHRM event in a while. I asked him about what he was most looking forward to, and he had a quick response for me: the people.

Yes, the content is good.

Yes, the general sessions are motivating.

Even the expo hall has a great set of vendors and providers to fill every possible need in the HR world.

But the people—that personal connection—is what drew him in more than anything else.

That made me pause, because I can remember a point in my career when I desperately needed the content. FMLA, 401k planning, and compliance sessions were my go-to for staying on top of the latest developments and information. I planned my agenda months in advance so that I could take full advantage of the experts available. But in this season of my life, I have begun to put more and more emphasis on the personal relationships around me as the main reason to attend SHRM.

But therein lies a problem.

For many attendees, the difficulty comes in translating that “relationship building” to a business case for someone to pay for you to attend the SHRM Conference. Saying, “I want to go make new friends” is a surefire way to get yourself laughed out of the room when you’re asking to go to the event, but there is an answer that makes sense. The true value lies in the ROI of the relationships you’re building. Here’s what I mean:

• Several years ago I met Mike Haberman at an event. The guy is a whiz when it comes to compliance in simple, non-legal terms that we in HR can understand and implement. When I have questions, I reach out to Mike for help.
• Someone recently reached out to me online to help her with a compensation issue within her organization. We had connected briefly in the past, and she was interested in getting some help to make sure her company did the right thing for the firm and its employees.

In each of these examples, we see that initial relationship paying off. That has true financial value. If we assume an HR consultant makes $100 an hour (round figures), and you save twenty hours a year in consulting costs by building out a network of competent, trustworthy people, then you can justify the cost of attending an event like the SHRM Conference.

Some of you might be wondering if this applies to you, even if you’re not a social butterfly. As an introvert, the social/personal connection is one that is tough to pull off for me personally. It has taken some time to get there, but now I have a set of experts ranging from employer branding and culture to compliance and regulation. And like a true HR pro, I look for ways to help my friends and colleagues in the industry by putting them in touch with these people as well.

I’m not saying you need to completely bail on the sessions or give up on the content piece, but you do need to make an effort to talk with a few people that you wouldn’t have a chance to meet for the other 364 days in the year. We’re all in this together, and the stronger the relationships are, the better we all become. As the great quote says, a rising tide lifts all boats. So take a few minutes today to connect with someone and start building a relationship (AKA networking). You’ll be glad you did.

Article source:Ben - #SHRM16: The ROI of Relationships»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: My New Career Strategy by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

Today is my birthday. Some people bemoan their birthdays because it means they are getting older. Others don't want to share their age because our society has a "thing" about numbers. 

I'm happy to take as many birthdays as possible.

I'm Going To Live to 100
My Dad used to tell me he was going to live to be 100 years old. He was serious, and for a long time I thought he might make a run at it. How we get from our very first day, through each birthday, and land on our last day is a combination of genes, luck, and hard work.

Since Dad didn't have the chance to hit his magic number, I've decided I need to finish the job for him.

Today I'm just about half way home.

Hard Work
I don't have much control over my genes, or the luck that is (or isn't) headed my way, so I've decided that if I'm going to live that long I need to focus on the hard work part of the equation.

Today begins a new commitment to hard work. A new way to think about fitness and food and sleep and health.

I already enjoy working out, and I am quite disciplined with what I choose to eat. But I haven't been thinking big enough about how far I can go...about how much I can achieve...and how much harder I can push myself.

How About You
Oh, and one more thing. One of the most powerful benefits of my fitness journey so far is the incredible amount of energy I have at work. Think about that for a minute. I'm now making health a central part of my career strategy. Maybe it could be part of yours too.

Now it's go time! Dad, I've got your back.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - My New Career Strategy»

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

Guest Article: Continuous Improvement for Self and Others – Aha Moments for a Pharmaceutical Leader by Jennifer Miller

Leadership is a balance between managing the business and leading people. It’s this interplay between business and people that prompted Kevin Wurch to seek out an executive education program. Wurch, who is an Associative Director of Program Management for the digital medicine program at Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, is fortunate to work for an organization that espouses “continuous improvement” – both for their products as well as their employees.

With over 16 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry (first at Merck and now Otsuka), Wurch has worked in both the commercialization side of the business as well as clinical development of products. Deep knowledge of the product commercialization process requires years of experience. Wurch likens it to a puzzle.  “It took years to understand how the pieces connect,” he says. Beyond understanding one’s personal role in the process, a program manager must engage the entire team. “As a program manager, it is important that you are able to put the pieces of the puzzle together and help form a common goal for these trial functional teams to focus on,” he adds.

A Commitment to Continuous Improvement

It’s this need to help engage others and bring them into the process that drove Wurch to seek outside training via an executive development program. Self-development is encouraged and part of the culture at Otsuka, notes Wurch. “[One of our] organizational goals is that we spend a percentage of our time making sure that we continuously improve and learn.” The pharmaceutical industry is at the leading edge of medicine. Therefore, it’s important that employees continually evolve their skill set. “We need to remain agile in our learning and have to remain open to new ways of doing things,” says Wurch. So Wurch knew he had the support; he simply needed to find a resource that would meet his professional development needs.

Multiple Instructional Formats Aid in Learning

Wurch chose the Managing Yourself and Leading Others (“MYLO”) program offered by University of New Hampshire’s, Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics . He did so because he felt that the course made the best use of a variety of media and learning formats. “If you had a style that was introverted or extroverted or you are a reader or a listener, they hit you on all fronts,” he says of the program. The instructors used pre-work assignments, offered links to TED Talks, and issued personal self-development assessments. “Whether it was visual, whether it was technical with providing data, they knew how to reach the participants so that we were the most fulfilled at the end of those two days,” explains Wurch.

Learning Benefits for Self and Others

Wurch has a team of direct reports, so one of his main goals in attending the MYLO program was to learn how to improve as a manager. One of the key themes of the program was an emphasis on building self-awareness and leading your own self first. Through the use of the self-assessments such as the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument and the Meyers-Briggs Type Instrument, Wurch explored how to maintain constructive relationships, take the initiative to make things better, and lead by example. One of the biggest learning moments for Wurch came through discussions led by Dr. William Hassey, who facilitated a discussion on the difference between “motivating” employees and “engaging” them. “I was reminded that [employees] must have the emotional buy-in to the purpose” of an organization’s goals relayed Wurch. It’s something that he now strives to more actively bring to the workplace as a leader.

Beyond his current leadership role, Wurch also thinks his executive education experience prepared him for future opportunities at Otsuka. The MYLO program “helped me gain a greater appreciation for the importance of self-awareness. It also helped me catalyze innovation, which is always top-of-mind at Otsuka.” Beyond the self-reflection element of the course, Wurch was also able to consider his employees. “It really helped me think through, ‘How do I help others become successful and provide them with opportunities to develop their strengths?’”

Innovation and continuous self-improvement are hallmarks of the pharmaceutical industry. Participation in an executive education course allowed one pharma industry Program Manager the opportunity to bring the continuous improvement process directly into his own sphere of personal development. Not only did he benefit personally but so did his team members and ultimately, his organization.

 

 

 

Article source:Jennifer Miller - Continuous Improvement for Self and Others – Aha Moments for a Pharmaceutical Leader»

Guest Article: Hays: Still a force but Japanese invaders pose new threat by Ross Clennett

Last week I wrote about the recognition Hays Australia recently received as a top performing business (using the measure of return on shareholders’ funds). This week I have a closer look at the trends of the local Hays business over the past five years. The information I have listed below is for the combined Australia and New Zealand operations, as separate reporting of the two countries is
Article source:Ross Clennett - Hays: Still a force but Japanese invaders pose new threat»

Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Guest Article: There's Something About Power by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

It seems to me there is a direct correlation between the amount of power one has and their ability to think clearly. 

Yes, I said it. The more power we have, the less tuned in to reality we are. You can't argue, because quite frankly your primary rationale for arguing is to justify your continued level of power.

Mmmmm....power. It feels good.

Entitlement

Why is that when someone moves into a formal position of authority they equate that with their own brilliance? Quite the opposite is actually occurring. Good leaders are the ones that recognize the enormity of the responsibility before them, and quickly build the most effective team of bright minds around them. 

"I don't need to come up with the best ideas. I need to implement the best ideas."
- Jay Kuhns

I fear for those organizations that have leaders who believe they are the smartest people on the team. How many new and innovative opportunities to grow the company, build the culture, and achieve breakthrough performance are lost simply because an arrogant leader believes he or she "has it all figured out?"

Real Power

There is an old, and incredibly accurate phrase that basically says...the more power that you give away...the more power you receive.

I can personally attest to this being true. I can also tell you it used to be extremely difficult for me to give away any power. I knew what needed to be done! I could do it myself very quickly! I knew my path to the endpoint was the best path!

Until I realized I really did work with a bunch of bright people who had different (and better!) ideas on how we could reach our shared goals.

It is a very good thing indeed that I have an appetite for humble pie.

How About You

How do you navigate your personal power trip? Does everyone on your team know that you are the boss with the best ideas? Or, are you the leader that everyone wants to work for?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - There's Something About Power»

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

Guest Article: Starting a New Chapter by Ben

Today marks my first day at a new company, and I have to say that I’m very excited about the weeks and months ahead. Two years ago I joined Brandon Hall Group as an analyst to see if that was the direction I wanted to go with my career. I’ve been doing an informal analyst “thing” here at upstartHR since 2009, and what I learned was the “formal” analyst role isn’t all that different from what I’ve done here. It all revolves around knowing the technology and trends and being able to discuss them in a way that makes sense for your audience. As I was telling a friend last week, it’s not something that you can study for or know overnight–it takes time, dedication, and effort to truly grasp the wide variety of concepts and inputs.

Personally, it felt good to confirm that I have been on the right track for all this time and that the many hours invested into this site was a good way to build up my skills, connections, etc. for when I was ready to make the next step. Think about my journey so far. I’ve worked as an HR leader and in-the-trenches practitioner, but I’ve always wanted to have a bigger impact on the world around me. That mindset has led to numerous volunteer opportunities with SHRM and my local chapter, but it still wasn’t enough.

The New Gig

As I’ve always done, when I felt like I had learned everything I could, I decided it was time to move on to another opportunity. I have explored some new areas of HR and human capital management over the last two years, and now I have decided to move to a new firm with new challenges and opportunities.

I am now the Principal Analyst at Lighthouse Research and Advisory, which allows me the freedom to explore the various areas of HR, talent, and learning that appeal to me without having to be pigeonholed in any particular area. Many of you wonder what the heck an analyst actually does (I know my wife is still asking herself that question all these years later). Here’s a short explanation:

• Through regular briefings and updates, I stay on top of technology and how it is changing. I’d estimate that I’ve had one or two meetings with vendors every week for more than two years now.
• Through regular corporate briefings and updates, I share research and gather intelligence from companies on their challenges and any other noteworthy trends.
• I use those insights to help target advice and content for those vendors so they understand YOUR needs as HR practitioners. If you’ve ever bought HR technology, you know how hard it is. I’m hoping to make that easier in some way.
• That insight comes in the form of white papers, research reports, webinars, conference attendance, speaking, and advisory sessions.
• Occasionally I work with corporate clients to help them with their innovation, technology, or strategy plans. As I said, this stuff is complex and it helps to have an outside viewpoint when you’re contemplating a new direction.

That might not be super clear, but it gets us closer to home. :-) By the way, if you want to reach out to me about anything connected with Lighthouse, here is my email address.

I’m also a member of the HR Federation, a group of rockstar independent analysts that covers pretty much the entire market. Honored to be associated with this illustrious group.

And the best news yet…

It’s an exciting time for me and my family, especially since we have a new baby on the way! Yes, little peanut is due in November 2016, and we are all very excited for the arrival. With the baby coming and my desire to have more freedom and flexibility in my work, we felt like it was the right time to make the move.

As for my plans for upstartHR, I’m still here. My heart for small business, in-the-trenches HR, and witty banter hasn’t gone away. I still plan to write, share, and explore the best ways to improve your HR service delivery and work as a strategic player. I’m selling HR certification tools for the PHR and SPHR to help those of you who are looking to improve your capabilities as HR leaders.

Thanks for everything you do to support me and this site. I couldn’t do it without you!

Article source:Ben - Starting a New Chapter»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: No Pollyannas Allowed – The Case for Rational Optimism by Jennifer Miller

After a powerful presentation on “The Optimism Quotient: Changing Our Mind, Fueling Our Success” at the WorkHuman conference, happiness researcher Michelle Gielan conducted a Q & A. One of the first questions out of the gate is probably one she hears a lot. An audience member said, “I really believe in the power of an optimistic outlook and I work to demonstrate that at work. But lately, my co-workers have been rolling their eyes at my optimism. How can I maintain a positive outlook but not seem like a Pollyanna?”

It was a common question at the conference, which features speakers on topics such as positive psychology, mindfulness and optimism in the workplace. Conference attendees were “sold” on being positive, but had encountered less-than-enthusiastic responses from their colleagues.

Gielan acknowledged that all professionals want to be seen as a person of substance.  Nobody wants to appear clueless about a business challenge. She addressed the question by saying that we need to strive for rational optimism. This is the type of optimism that acknowledges a challenge and sees a positive way forward. Gielan cited a study in which people exposed to potential solutions after reading a sad story about world hunger felt 20 percent more positive than the control group who read the sad story, but had no solutions provided. The key element in this research is hope—the belief that perhaps something can get better.

She went on to say it’s important that when we come up against life’s challenges, we feel that our behaviors in addressing our challenges will matter—that we can have a positive impact on our situation. That’s not to say we ignore a troubling situation or a dire problem. Rather, we tell ourselves, “I can handle this. I have had successes and wins in the past. I will be able to deal with challenges that come my way.”

She counseled the audience member to first validate that the problem exists. “It’s important that you demonstrate that you understand the situation and that you have made a realistic assessment.” It is only after you show that you understand what you’re up against, that you can the move on to optimism by expressing confidence that a solution will be found.

Here are five things to say that will help show you are a rational optimist:

1. What are your biggest concerns about this situation?
2. What has been tried before? Why do you believe it didn’t work?
3. I want a realistic assessment. What am I missing?
4. Let’s assume for a moment we could solve “X” (X = biggest barrier.) If we did that, what else would prevent us from moving forward?
5. Where am I being too optimistic in my assessment of the situation?

Some people are pessimistic and no amount of role-modeling a positive mindset will change their ways. Yet there’s a whole group of people out there who are simply skeptical of an overly enthusiastic person. Or, they may have been burned before by someone’s promises of a “better way.” You can avoid looking like a Pollyanna if you first acknowledge the challenge, then confidently express hope (without over-selling it) that your team can find a solution.

Article source:Jennifer Miller - No Pollyannas Allowed – The Case for Rational Optimism»

Guest Article: Breathing Lightning (The Right Thing) by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

It sounds so simple. So easy. We're taught to do it from the time we are "forced" to share with other kids at pre-school. That same mantra flows through our formative years and into our working life.

When facing a difficult situation, just do the right thing. No problem, right? After all, we're leaders, so we always make the right decisions. (epic eye roll here)

But seriously, we do, don't we?

You always have the chance to do the right thing.

Not So Fast
I think we can agree that difficult decisions are not all the same. Some can be hurtful but necessary. Others will have a winner and a loser...and sometimes we can not avoid having someone lose. 

We are even faced with decisions that may derail our own career temporarily because we can no longer support the behavior of the leaders in our organizations.

What often starts with so much promise...all of a sudden...isn't so clear.

Until the right thing comes undone.

Choices
As leaders we strive for many of the same things: for our teams to trust us, to be known as someone who makes "good" decisions even when they are the hard ones, and above all to be an example of how the work can be done well while still caring about people.

By the way, if these aren't at the top of your list, I'd love to hear what is.

When those difficult choices come up, the team is relying on us to do the right thing. We may be filled with doubt. We may be concerned about how our decision will "look" in the eyes of others. Even with our best intentions, it can be so confusing.

I look inside myself, is this the right thing? 

How About You
They say that leadership is a lonely place. Take a deep breath...and accept that they're right.

Is this the right thing? I don't know.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuse.

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - Breathing Lightning (The Right Thing)»

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

Guest Article: Self-Awareness is a Lie by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

"No matter how unbiased we think we are, we may have subconscious negative opinions about people who are outside our own group. But the more we are exposed to other groups of people, the less likely we are to feel prejudice against them."
- Mind Tools

I'm in Leadership, I'm Not Biased
I hate to break it to you...but yes, yes you are, and we have our brains to blame for some of those biases. We are not able to process the millions of bits of information slamming into us every second of the day. 

So, our brains make quick judgments based on things that are familiar (skin color, accent, job, education, geography, etc.) to help move past the simple things and get us to the really important stuff. Except the little things are the important stuff.

Trying to convince ourselves otherwise is not only foolish, it is quite literally, impossible.

Attack Your Biases...With Humility
One of the inherent problems of leadership, and in particular as we rise through the corporate ranks, is that we rely on our our own opinions more and more. We become removed from the operations, and the work flow, and the team that understands how the work gets done in the trenches.

Our over inflated egos block our ability to see and hear what we need so desperately to lead effectively. If we are to guide our organizations forward, we must understand what is happening from every point of view.

The solution is pretty straightforward if you're a strong enough leader to handle it.

- Ask for input.
- Listen to what your trusted circle tells you.
- Do not get defensive.

How About You
Who is there for you? For me, it is my Personal Board of Directors. A team of leaders who don't know it, but are the ones I on rely for candid feedback when I'm sure "I know exactly what I'm doing."

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - Self-Awareness is a Lie»

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

Guest Article: Five Signs You Are Not Ready to Be A Manager by Melissa Fairman

Today’s post comes to us from Helen Sabell. She works for the College for Adult Learning, and is passionate about lifelong learning. She has designed, developed and authored many workplace leadership and training programs, both in Australia and overseas. You can connect with her on LinkedIn. Thanks for the post today Helen!   Management roles […]

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Article source:Melissa Fairman - Five Signs You Are Not Ready to Be A Manager»

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

Guest Article: Hays: A top 10 performing Australian business across all sectors by Ross Clennett

Last week some fascinating financial data was released by economic research firm, IBISWorld. IBISWorld founder, Phil Ruthven decided to scrutinise all large enterprises in Australia, not just the home grown or ASX-listed ones, over five years to 2015, to identify the highest performing enterprises measured by return on shareholders' funds (ROSF). He removed those companies with tiny
Article source:Ross Clennett - Hays: A top 10 performing Australian business across all sectors»

Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Guest Article: The Power of Time by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

I received a healthy dose of "don't forget what you can do Jay" from a member of the team during a call last week. I had decided to forgo an extra night at a hotel to save my company a few bucks. But... 

...I was reminded that time is more valuable than money.

Making It
Despite the never ending stream of "I'm so busy" comments that we hear all day, it is really not about our work, or responsibilities, or life that gets in the way. It is our unwillingness to make time. Have you ever heard this phrase before?

"Where does the time go?"

Of course we all have a full plate, that's not what I"m talking about. It is the choice to protect time, schedule time...to literally make time to get important things done.

Sharing It
One of the most important things leaders can do is share their time with the people around them. Yes, the people that help make them, and the company, successful. Sharing our time is not a one way communication. I often receive as much as I give when I connect with our team.

Often...as in...every time.

Not only does sharing time help with the fundamentals like communication, building internal communities, and living the values of the company. It also reinforces the influence leaders have in their organizations.

Think about the early days of your career. Did it matter if a senior executive took time to connect with you. Not because they had to....but because they genuinely wanted to?

It sure did for me.

There is another reason it is important to invest your time in the people you work with, and it is quite obvious. We all talk about how important our people are to our businesses. When we connect with our people, we are connecting with the lifeblood of our companies too.

Are you with me?

How About You
The old adage that time is money is true. But it is far more important than dollars and cents. How we prioritize our time speaks volumes about whether we back up our executive-speak or not. So, how will you spend your time today?

Thanks for the reminder Julie.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - The Power of Time»

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

Guest Article: The Time I Intentionally Insulted a Candidate I was Recruiting… by Ben

I’d love to say that I am perfect and haven’t ever made a mistake in my career, but we all know that just isn’t the case. While this isn’t like the time I set an ATM on fire, it is one of those moments that I relive over and over again with more than a little remorse. See if you can learn any lessons from my own experience…

Years ago I was recruiting for technical writers to join a growing team that I was putting together to support a government contract. Instead of the usual ones and twos, I was hiring a dozen people for this position at one time. It wasn’t your run of the mill tech writer opening, either. I was looking for people with experience writing to military specifications. I needed writers that could do some illustrations. I also needed at least one of the hires to know how to be a “provisioner,” the hardest job I’ve ever had to fill (yes, even harder than helicopter instructor pilots).

The skill set was very obscure, and I had to sift through tons of unqualified resumes to find the few that were a good fit. All this was capped off by an unreasonable deadline set by the customer–a surefire recipe for disaster.

Despite all of the things working against me, I was feeling pretty confident. We had an employee referral or two, and since it is a relatively tight community, I was able to get feedback on some candidates to know which would be a good fit and which wouldn’t before investing time into building rapport with each. I had a great first round of interviews with our pool of applicants, and we were moving a good number of them forward to talk with the hiring manager and the technical lead on the team.

I was working long hours, as I usually did during heavy recruiting seasons of the year. As with many small companies, I was wearing all of the HR hats, and recruiting was one of many of my duties. When a big effort spun up, it would put other things on hold, no matter how critical they might be. I’ll never forget trying to set up a performance improvement plan for a staff member, investigate another for harassment, and try to find a pilot to go to Hawaii for a year-long contract. I survived those hectic weeks purely on Diet Mountain Dew, which I no longer consume.

Anyway, I was working hard. One thing that I have always felt was a differentiator for me as a recruiter and HR leader was that I put the extra effort into communications, and it had paid off. I got massive results from my LinkedIn invitations to candidates. I had high readership and engagement from internal staff on HR communications I developed. I knew that skill set, while it took time that could be used on other activities, was going to continue paying dividends over time. But one day, for some reason, I snapped.

Yes, I snapped. If you’ve ever met me in person, you’d have a hard time believing I could snap at anything. And yet I did. 

One of the candidates I was chasing for the final slot had been leading me on and was slowly becoming less responsive as the days went by. I thought I might be losing him, but despite everything I put into every conversation, there didn’t seem to be a way to turn it around.

Finally I asked him point blank what the issue was. Why was he backing off? Was there something I could do to fix it?

And the guy responded with something that drove me over the edge.

He said that he had heard the company wasn’t very good to its employees and that he wasn’t interested in working at a place like that.

And it happened. I. Went. Off. 

Now, before I tell you what I said, I want you to understand something. I had worked for the company since it was a startup. I knew every employee and spouse by name, and I was pretty darn good about knowing their kids, too. People loved the company and the work. We had phenomenal leadership and a great mission. We prided ourselves in taking care of our people financially, professionally, and personally.

One time, an employee’s house blew away in a tornado on his first day of work. We all pitched in to make sure he had leave to cover his time away with his family to pick up the pieces. We really worked hard to take care of these people just like they were family. I agonized over absolutely every detail to make sure the company was the kind of place that I would be proud of my own kids working for. I had employees from our partner companies calling me daily asking how they could join our team because our employees were so darn happy with their jobs and the company.

And this guy had the nerve to lie and say that we didn’t care. 

I responded back to the guy and told him that after reviewing his resume, I didn’t think he was a good fit for the company. Now, or ever. We didn’t need people like him on the team anyway. Good riddance. So long, jerk…

And you know what? I felt great! It was so awesome to get that off my chest.

For about five minutes.

Then I realized I had just treated this guy the way that the fictional company he imagined us to be would have done. And I am still kicking myself all these years later for doing it and proving him right.

Within half an hour I sent an apology, attempting to salvage the contact for future efforts even though I knew it was probably toast. The next morning I immediately went to my boss and explained what I had done, telling her that I had even apologized after the fact. She knew that I was going to beat myself up about it worse than anything she could do, so she let me off the hook.

What’s the lesson here? The moral of the story? Well, we all know that we should never respond to anyone, in any situation, in a spirit of anger. That time it got the best of me. I also learned that I should never respond to emotionally-charged situations via email on my cell phone, because I tend to be more direct and less concerned with the message in general when I’m responding via that method. Painful reminders that stick with me to this very day. The final one is to try and keep stress from getting to you. Yes, it’s easier said than done, but we all know it never leads to positive outcomes.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, the guy never replied back to anything. I never talked with him again, and I can’t even remember his name at this point. But I will never forget where I was and what I was doing when I read that note from him. Or how it felt when I realized what I had done.

Over the years I’ve recruited many, many more people. I’ve never again responded to any of them, no matter the situation, in anger or in a way that would embarrass the company or myself. That was a painful lesson to learn and one that still haunts me when I think about it, but I am glad to know that it only took one instance to make it stick with me.

Ever done anything embarrassing as an HR or recruiting pro? Feel free to respond anonymously in the comments. 

Article source:Ben - The Time I Intentionally Insulted a Candidate I was Recruiting…»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: Wearable Technology At Work by Melissa Fairman

  If it seems like everyone is wearing a Fitbit or a smart watch, you aren’t completely imagining it.  According to a recent report, 21 million items were sold in the wearable technology category (Pebble, Fitbit, smart watch, etc;) in 2014 and the sector anticipates a 48% compound annual growth rate.  Right now the biggest […]

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Article source:Melissa Fairman - Wearable Technology At Work»

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

Guest Article: The One Thing Your Leadership Success Depends On by Jennifer Miller

This quote comes from Christine Porath’s WorkHuman session called, “Civility: Do We Have Time to Be Nice at Work?” Christine is an associate professor of management at Georgetown University. She’s studied civility in the workplace for the past twenty years and has conducted some fascinating research regarding the ways people interact in the workplace.

Christine framed the quote in a leadership context, saying it’s imperative that leaders show the courtesy of the small gestures like smiling, showing concern and generally treating people with respect.

I thought this quote was so powerful. It raised many questions for me, such as:

• Is this a quote that pertains only to leaders?
• Is a leader’s job to get people to “give more?”
• Does how you show up really “mean everything” to most people?
• Is this the best measure of a leader’s success?

Please join in: What questions occur to you as you read this quote? How can this quote help you become a better leader – of yourself – and of others?

Article source:Jennifer Miller - The One Thing Your Leadership Success Depends On»

How to Become a 'Networking Natural'

In the increasingly competitive society we all live in it is getting more and more difficult to ‘stand out’ from the crowd. Never has the adage: “it’s not what you know but who you know” been more relevant! How can you get to know key figures that can help you get your foot in the door so to speak, or potentially even land that dream job you’ve always wanted? The answer: networking.

Networking is simply about forming associations and building relationships with people involved in the profession you are working in/would like to work in. But for some people the term ‘networking’ is enough to send shivers of dread and cause sweaty palms. Done well, it can set you apart from other candidates and leave a good impression with those who may be involved in recruitment. Done poorly, people may come across as fake or self-serving. The other extreme is not networking at all and sticking with a group of familiar people. This doesn’t help you in the long run.

This article aims to provide some techniques to make networking more manageable and natural for the budding networker.

Don’t think of it as networking!

Some people get turned off at the word ‘networking’ because this makes connections seem false and only meant for personal gain. Think of your meeting as making new friendships with people and genuine connections.

Be genuine

Ask friendly questions to build rapport and to show that you’re genuinely interested in what the other person has to say. Such questions may include: “what do you do at XX company? What is the work like at XX company? Where do you see the industry in 5 years from now?”

Don’t feel like you need to stand out

You don’t have to be the funniest person or the smartest in the room. Having those expectations on yourself will just reinforce the ‘networking’ fears and you can end up feeling fake.

Don’t feel like you need to ‘agree’ with everything

Having an individual opinion and stating so shows that you are an independent thinker. But challenge within reason and be open to the opinions of others – this shows your team work abilities too.

Find like-minded individuals

Begin by finding someone who engages at your level (or a level that you feel comfortable with) and spend a bit of time ‘practicing’ your networking questions and behaviour. This can also help build your confidence at networking.

Don’t aim too high (at first)

If networking is hard in general don’t go to the CEO of your dream company at your first go. Get to know the staff and managers below the CEO – know a bit about that CEO indirectly and gain that initial confidence before you meet them face-to-face and try your networking skills. Getting to know the CEO and the company beforehand also shows that you have done your research. Before you go up to the CEO and tell her about your stamp collection, make sure she is interested in stamps! It may not be true that: "philately will get you everywhere". (Sorry!)

Keep in contact

This is one tip people generally tend to forget. Just because you meet and had a good conversation with someone once doesn’t mean they will remember you forever. Share business cards and keep in contact with the person. For example, if you had an interesting discussion about Australia’s financial instability, send a follow-up email with a relevant article/paper you’ve read. This not only shows YOU’VE remembered that person but that you are up to date with the latest happenings in your field. Maintaining a genuine connection with the person means validating the conversation you’ve had.

What can you do for them? 

Reciprocity is fine, but see what you can do for someone else before you ask them to do something for them. Thinking about what this may be, really tends to focus your attention on the conversation and remember what has been said.

Networking is about getting to know people in your profession. Building these good connections may help you get a job in the company, build new friendships and people who could help you further your career.  One final piece of advice - the first step in networking is to get out and make a start!

Guest Article: Interview questions to avoid and what to ask instead by Ross Clennett

Eight years ago I wrote this blog about interviewing. At the time (28 May 2008) it was my third blog about interviewing in eight months of blogging. In the 96 months since I have written an additional 30 blogs about interviewing and assessment. After eight years I had hoped that I could have reported an upsurge in interviewing skills amongst recruiters. Sadly, I cannot. Recruiters are still
Article source:Ross Clennett - Interview questions to avoid and what to ask instead»

Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

How to manage your job demands and resources!

Feeling stressed? Overwhelmed? Or just unsure about what your role entails? You could be feeling this way because the demands of your job are high, but the resources you have access to are low. No wonder you might sometimes feel it is hard to do your job effectively! Understanding the various factors which lead you to feeling stressed will help you to become more self-aware and insightful about the certain things within your job which create negative feelings. This is very important! If we can acknowledge and hone in on the specific factors which make our jobs more challenging, it gives us a better opportunity to come up with targeted strategies to help improve these stressors and also means we are better prepared for a conversation with our superiors if we need help managing these challenges. 

The Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model can be used to predict employee burnout and engagement, and consequently organisational performance.The central assumption of the JD-R model is that job strain develops – irrespective of the type of job or occupation – when (certain) job demands are high and when (certain) job resources are limited. See the diagram below for examples of job demands and job resources and how they can negatively lead to exhaustion (health-impairment process) and disengagement (motivational process).

Finding the balance between job demands and appropriate resources can be a challenge for organisations and for employees. For organisations to elicit the best performance from their employees, it is important to provide appropriate resources for employees so that job demands are maintained at level which does not create extra stress or pressure. For employees, it is important to identify what types of job demands can elicit feelings of stress and to combat these negative feelings using evidence-based health and well-being strategies such as mindfulness, exercise, maintaining a healthy diet and getting enough sleep. In other words- keep striving for the sometimes elusive work-life balance!

  

Guest Article: In Our Mind by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

Group think. 

Let that phrase roll around in your head for a minute. Group Think.

Is it positive? 

Is it the corporate equivalent of a lynch mob? 

Thinking Is Good
It sounds funny to say it out loud, but thinking through the challenges we face is a really good thing. Except, there always seems to be a little voice in our head that cautions us about our thinking.

"What will the other leaders think of that crazy idea?"

"That will surely be a career-limiting decision if you push too hard."

"Remember the tricky behind-the-scenes alliance of those leaders who conspire against those who don't do things their way."

That little voice is annoying as hell...and is just as wise.

Thinking Is Bad
Sadly, the pressure cooker of leadership brings doubt, fear, and worry about our decisions when in reality we should be excited about the energy our teams create together.

We should be fired up about a new day to solve problems, help people breakthrough to the next level in their leadership, and help our team members feel even more valued than yesterday.

But that little voice...

How About You
How do you handle that voice that tells you to slow down...don't take risks...fall in line...and maintain the status quo? I used to listen obediently as a member of the executive club.

Until I realized that's not what real executives do. So I listened to my own voice instead, and decided that taking risks and kicking ass was not only a lot more fun...it actually helped me get the work done.

Which voice are you going to listen to?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - In Our Mind»

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