Guest Article: Making the HR Technology Leap by Ben

I was talking with a friend last week about technology–specifically the kind we use in the HR, payroll, and recruiting space. His organization is using an awful tool that costs quite a bit of money. It’s not user friendly. It doesn’t make data easily accessible. And it’s become a running joke that any basic business need will require yet another $20k+ module just to meet that single need. It sounds like they are in the perfect place to be considering other technology, right?

And yet he and I both know that they are not going to make a change any time soon. Despite the availability of various “HR modules” within the system, he uses a point solution to handle recruiting needs and an Excel spreadsheet manage employee data. At some point he’s going to have to move to something else, but he and his organization are just part-way into the HR technology maturity curve. Here’s a look at the curve (in my opinion) and how technology is normally put into place.

The first steps

Diving into HR technology doesn’t have to be scary

One of the first steps most companies take in terms of HR technology typically comes with recruiting. Adding an applicant tracking system to eliminate manual job posting, tracking of candidates, and collaboration with the hiring team. Using a piece of recruiting software (like RecruiterBox, for example), can drastically change HR’s role in the hiring process from administrative to strategic.

I can still remember the before and after look at my recruiting practices when it came to technology implementation. When it was all manual, I was just trying to keep the mass of information organized enough to pick anyone competent and qualified. When we transitioned to using an applicant tracking system, I was able to then spend more time coaching hiring managers, screening candidates more thoroughly, and onboarding new employees.

Another common first step is in payroll. Again, it can be an opportunity to change from very administrative (did we get that person’s dependents right?) to a more strategic focus on compensation, variable pay, and other important elements that fall through the cracks when you’re spending several hours a week reviewing pay stubs.

Next up: performance/learning

Depending on the organization, as they grow there is usually a focus on automating performance management, learning, or both. For instance, when I worked for an organization with heavy regulations around training and staff certifications, our primary system (even before having a good HRIS) was a learning management system (LMS). In another organization, I campaigned regularly for a performance management solution to help alleviate the burden of continuously growing performance management paperwork. This is often seen as less strategic and important than recruiting or payroll, which is why it’s not at the top of the list in terms of implementation priority.

One area I’ve seen grow of late is the set of companies offering performance feedback/employee engagement solutions based on simple surveys and quick “pulse” feedback gathering. These are very easy to implement and don’t require all the trouble of the typical performance management solution.

The later stages

The deeper into this maturity process the company goes, the more likely it will select a suite to consolidate vendors and ensure a uniform data set across the various platforms (learning, performance, compensation, etc.)

One area I’ve been very interested in of late involves the difference between companies that pursue point solutions to solve various problems and those that snag the suite to combine each area. A few questions that have bounced around in my mind:

• Which type of organization has better performance?
• What factors play into that overall technology selection choice?
• Are organizations using data better if the systems are integrated than if not?
• What about the specific benefits highly targeted point solutions offer that the big suites do not?

What are your thoughts? Where are you in this HR technology maturity curve? 

Article source:Ben - Making the HR Technology Leap»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: An Ocean Between Us by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

I think a whole bunch of leaders are scared to do their jobs. I'm serious. The pressure of leading in today's world is scary even for those of us that have been leading for a long time. What are they afraid of? Well, it's actually more like who?  It's not their boss, or their customers, or their vendor partners.

They're afraid of their employees.

Myth #1 - Leaders Are Too Busy
Newsflash! Everyone is busy! When leaders try to explain to the team that the reason they are unavailable is they're too busy it is embarrassing. Guess what? Your employees are busy too! Those lame excuses don't cut in 2015. (heck, they didn't cut it in 1915 for that matter)

The cop out strategy that leaders have used for years is the open door policy. Ha! Fail again! This ancient approach was designed for the sole convenience and power of the leader. Think about it...

"Welcome to my office, the one your coworkers just watched you come in to and close the door to speak with me. I'll be here behind my big desk reinforcing that I have all the power. Thank you making me feel better about myself."

Open doors are only good for one thing...walking out of them. When we stop thinking about our own convenience, and begin to place the employees above ourselves we will finally learn what it means to have an engaged workforce. Until that time, we will be trapped in a never ending cycle of corporate spin that isn't fooling anyone.

Myth #2 - Leaders Are Good Communicators
Consider the biggest time killer on every leader's calendar. Meetings. Don't tell me it's focusing on customers, or employees, or the competition. Meetings dominate life.  If we're going to break the cycle of dominance that meetings play in the modern world of work, effective leaders will need to schedule time to use the open door policy the way it was intended.

Get off your butt...walk out the door...and start talking to your team members. Really talk with them. Don't parade around as if their life is changing because you've stopped by. They don't care about you that much.

They want leaders who will genuinely listen.
They want leaders who will follow up.
They want leaders who will invest the time to understand what is really happening.
They want leaders who will make decisions to make their work life better.

How About You
Are you comfortable walking the halls of your company? What about the hot spots in your organization? By the way, you have them whether you want to hide in your office and make excuses or not. Get moving...start leading...and make a difference.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - An Ocean Between Us»

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

Guest Article: What you may not know about recruitment's Top 16 Influencers (part 1) by Ross Clennett

Over the past two weeks I have highlighted the nominations (16 individuals) of those who were voted by my invited peer panel as the most influential people in the Australian recruitment industry over the past 60 years. Here's some background that you may not know about each person (eight of the list are profiled this week and the remaining eight will be profiled next week).
Article source:Ross Clennett - What you may not know about recruitment's Top 16 Influencers (part 1)»

Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Guest Article: A Former Manager’s (Surprising) Thoughts on HR by Ben

One of the sites I follow regularly is Ask a Manager, where Alison Green shares her thoughts and wisdom on management, job hunting, and the workplace. With a wildly popular site like hers, she gets all kinds of questions from readers about different situations. I wanted to take the opportunity to get her thoughts on our (HR) side of the fence, so I pitched her a few questions. She was gracious enough to answer in detail, so check out the great Q&A below!

—

Ben: So, Alison, I see that one of your more typical answers to questions from job seekers and workers is, “No, don’t go to HR” when responding to letters you receive. Working in HR, there are times I would like to see some of the requests that these people raise. I understand that HR can be backward and bumbling at times, and for some organizations it can even be an evil arm of management dedicated to squeezing the life out of employees. So, what sorts of instances would you recommend someone actually contact HR for help, assuming no evil intent?

Alison: I’d say there are four main categories of times when I suggest people talk to HR instead of their manager: (1) to report harassment, (2) to report discrimination based on a protected class like race, sex, religion, disability, etc., (3) when they want to take advantage of a protection guaranteed by the government, such as FMLA leave, and (4) with questions about or issues with benefits.

In very limited circumstances, I might also suggest going to HR about an issue with your boss — but not as a general rule. If your boss is yelling or being abusive, then yes. Or if your boss is doing something that clearly your company would be horrified to know about (like dating a subordinate or directing people to violate a safety rule or never permitting anyone to use sick leave).

But if you just don’t like your boss or have relatively mild issues with her, that’s not a matter for HR. In some companies, it can be helpful to go to HR to get ADVICE on how to navigate a tricky relationship with a boss — advice, not intervention. But you have to know your HR department to know if that makes sense; some are great at giving advice in those situations and others will turn around and share the conversation with your boss, and not in a helpful way.

Ben: That’s excellent advice, and I’d agree that those are the times HR actually wants to hear from people. So, what qualifies a company as having “good” HR in your opinion, both as a manager and employee?

Alison: I’d say that a good HR department one that’s highly aligned with the organization’s culture and goals and does excellent work in areas like ensuring that managers are well-trained, benefits are strong and well-administered, salaries are benchmarked to industry norms, and that they help rather than hinder a company’s managers (for instance, by finding nuanced, flexible solutions rather than requiring everyone to operate the same across the board, which is a hallmark of a bad HR department). A good HR department can help managers get more done, more effectively.

Ben: I love that explanation, especially around flexibility. I always thought that was an incredible power (for good or evil) that companies often used poorly. As a former manager who now coaches managers frequently, what relationship do you advise for managers to have with the HR team?

Alison: If you have a good HR department, they can be a great resource to managers — a source of advice on all sorts of tricky issues, from delivering tough feedback to navigating hiring dilemmas to helping retain your best people. If you have a bad HR department, I recommend an avoidance strategy.

Ben: Give me a couple of the most common reasons people say they plan to reach out to HR that cause you to just shake your head at them.

Alison: I think sometimes people think of HR as being neutral referees who they can go to when they have a problem with a coworker or are upset with their manager; they think HR will mediate for them, which of course isn’t exactly how it works. I hear a lot of things like “should I talk to HR about my coworker who won’t stop playing her music too loudly” or “can HR help me if my boss is nitpicking my work?”

Ben: Referencing the last question, I often see this when people are having petty squabbles with managers or peers. Do you think decision to “go to HR” is just an inability to emotionally distance themselves from the situation, a lack of understanding of what HR actually does, a last ditch effort when all else seems to fail, or something else entirely?

Alison: I think it’s a lack of understanding of what HR actually does. It’s the idea I mentioned above that they’ll be a neutral referee. I also think people often think HR is there to be their advocate and don’t understand that HR is there to serve the needs of the business. Of course, in some cases that means advocating for employees against bad managers, because it’s in the best interests of employers to retain great employees, spot and address bad management, and nip legal problems in the bud. But lots of other times, what’s best for the employer might not be what’s best for the employee, and the best interests of the employer will always win out. Employees don’t always get that that’s how it’s supposed to work.

I also think people often go to HR for things they should be trying to solve themselves. It’s why so often when HR reps ask people, “Have you talked about this directly with the person you’re complaining about?” the answer is no. And that’s not surprising — I mean, my mail is full of letters from people who are looking for ways to avoid having a direct, semi-awkward conversation with a coworker or a manager; everyone hopes there might be a solution that will get them out of having a tough conversation that they’d rather avoid.

Ben: That’s entirely true, and I’ve seen it in pretty much every company I’ve ever worked for. Let’s shift a bit on this last question, because I know you have a big chunk of your audience in the form of job seekers looking for advice. On the recruiting side, I completely agree with you about candidates not “reaching out to HR to follow up.” We hate that and it just slows things down (hint: we often have other things besides recruiting going on, and while recruiting is a big deal for you it might be a relatively small priority in the bigger scheme of things). So, is there a time or two that makes sense for a candidate to reach out to HR?

Alison: If you’ve been interviewed, and they told you they’d get back to you in X amount of time, and it’s a week past X. At that point, it’s reasonable to reach out and see if there’s an update on the timeline.

Or if you’ve been interviewed and you have another offer that you need to respond to, so that the company has a chance to expedite things if they’re interested in you.

Otherwise, I know it’s tempting to follow up and ask for updates, but really, if the company wants to hire you, they’re not going to forget about you. People do know that on some level, but it’s so normal to feel anxious and want closure and everything else that makes job searching so emotionally difficult.

—

Thanks again to Alison for spending some time with us! Please follow her on Twitter and check out her site if you haven’t already. Here are a few good stories that you don’t want to miss:

• someone is leaving their fingernail clippings in my desk
• crazy, shouting, crying, bullying boss
• the top 10 weirdest coworkers

What did you think of Alison’s honest opinions about HR from a manager’s point of view? Do you agree or disagree?

Article source:Ben - A Former Manager’s (Surprising) Thoughts on HR»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: Performance Doesn’t Happen Without Accountability by Melissa Fairman

We need more accountability.  We need it from our politicians,  our leaders,  our friends and of course – ourselves. If you want to move your organization further, get better results or just make it a nicer place to work we have to push for accountability.  That means we (HR) have to take on the bully in XYZ department that everybody is afraid of. Or maybe it means we have to closely with line managers on how to have tough performance conversation with someone who is really nice but just isn’t cutting it right now.  I’ve been ruminating on this topic for a while now and wrote a piece on it over at PIC, here is a quick snippet:

“Too often we fail to hold ourselves or others accountable because we want to avoid tough conversations.

Maybe it’s with a direct report that is going through a tough time, you feel bad for their plight but they just aren’t producing good material like they have in the past.  You want to move them to a lower profile project until things settle down but…

Or maybe it’s a co-worker that you like as a person. They are a great person but they’ve been slacking lately and you really need them to get their s*** done so you can finish your project.

These are tough situations because there typically isn’t a clear answer to what should be done. The knee jerk reaction from some of us is “tell them their work sucks and be done with it!” others may cite the extenuating circumstances…”

Click over to PIC for the rest.

Article source:Melissa Fairman - Performance Doesn’t Happen Without Accountability»

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

4 Signs You May Be Burnt Out

This article is a part of a 2 part series on Workplace Burnout: how to identify it and how to manage it. Burnout is a state of chronic stress, when one is no longer able to function properly. It is caused by constant distress which has built up over time. Here are the signs to look out for that are your bodies way of telling you to take a step back.

1. Feelings of irritation
If you find yourself constantly irritated by things that seem small and nonsensical, this may be a sure sign that you are headed for burnout. This may just start as just a feeling of irritation and if unmanaged can lead to feelings of anger or rage. Anger that’s not controlled can have serious consequences on your professional and personal life. So if you feel constant irritation it may be time to take a break.

2. Physiological Symptoms
If you are experiencing unexplainable physical symptoms such as a sore stomach or constant aching head, it may be a sign of burnout. There symptoms are more obvious but often people may misinterpret the cause of the discomfort and brush it aside.

3. Sleep disturbance and feelings of lethargy
Depleted energy and constant tiredness as a result of insomnia type symptoms or a lack of opportunity to sleep can be detrimental to your functioning. If you find yourself relying upon caffeinated drinks to survive it may be time to take a break before you hit burnout. Studies have shown that “a person who has been awake for 17 hours faces the same risk of a crash as a person who has a Blood Alcohol Content reading of 0.05” and are twice as likely to crash their car than someone who has consumed no alcohol.

4. Reduced performance in the workplace
Reduced performance can be a sign that your concentration while at work is being affected. A lack of concentration is one of the first symptoms of burnout. This may present in various ways such as feelings of indecisiveness or helplessness. You may also experience feelings of being unproductive or frustrations that work is taking a long time to complete.


It is important that you self-reflect to establish if you are affected by any aspects mentioned above. In the next alert, we will give you some strategies to manage and overcome burnout. The important thing to remember now is that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. If you require any assistance, please contact your company’s EAP service or call Beyond Blue’s Support Service on 1300 224636.

Guest Article: War Ensemble by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

Risk.

Reward.

Failure.

Reset.

Progress.

Success.

…repeat.

Battle Ready

The world of work is loaded with lots of twists and turns. I love (kidding myself that I’m actually able) to be in control. 

The pace is simply too fast to stay ahead. The rush I get is trying to balance all of my responsibilities in the moment.

Think white-water rafting in a power suit.

For me, it’s no longer about taking the time to step back and plan a neat little strategy that feels so perfect that it’s impossible to fail. That’s what inexperienced leaders think actually happens.

The reality for me is to balance all of the action, the waves, the hits, the setbacks, and the think-fast-on-your-feet moments that separate progress from stagnation.

Battle Tested

So how do you know when you’ve moved from a panicked leader who is scared to make a mistake, to one who is looking for the next wave of treacherous challenges with anticipation?

You’ll know because the work will feel different.

You’ll know because the butterflies you used to feel will now get you fired up.

You’ll know because you won’t want any other member of the team to handle the big stuff.

How About You

Work isn’t really like war. But that doesn’t mean you should’t get yourself pumped up like never before. This week could be the biggest week of the year. But only if you decide to make it so. Are you ready?

I’d love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - War Ensemble»

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

Guest Article: Can Companies Truly Offer the Work Flexibility that Employees Crave? by Jennifer Miller

I’m a sponsored blog partner with Spherion (a staffing and recruiting organization) and am participating in the release of findings from Spherion’s Emerging Workforce® Study (EWS).  All opinions are mine.

When I was a kid, the cartoon The Jetson’s featured flying cars. Decades later, we still aren’t flying around like George Jetson. All that time ago, humans could envision individual air transport, but it’s not a reality yet. Predicting the future is a heck of a lot easier than making it come true. (Just ask Google how easy it is to get people to accept self-driving cars.)

The same came be said of the “workplace of the future.” What will that look like? Like transportation preferences, workplaces are equally slow to evolve. Even so, we can still draw upon what’s happening right now to take a guess as to the workplace that employers should create for the future. Spherion’s Emerging Workforce Study identified an interesting trend in organizational benefits: programs centered on offering more work/life balance to employees. (Some also call it “work/life integration.”)

At the heart of these programs is a very specific employee need: flexibility. Employees crave flexibility so they can take care of issues outside of work, without feeling stressed about “personal time off” or number of sick days taken.

Employers are responding to this need. According to the EWS, formal work-life balance programs are on the rise. Programs such as Flex-Time, Telecommuting, Paid time off for community service and Sabbaticals were all offered more frequently in 2015 than in 2014.

Image courtesy of Spherion’s EWS Executive Summary

Employers feel these programs are well worth the effort. 81% report higher worker satisfaction, and nearly 75% say that these programs boost productivity.

Yet there is a shadow side to these glowing statistics. Work/Life Balance programs are great—if you are eligible to use them. As HR consultant Robin Schooling points out in her post The HR Hamster Wheel, not all employees qualify for flexible work schedules. Production, fulfillment and customer-facing jobs are highly structured and less likely to support a flex-time arrangement. That’s most likely why nearly one-third of employees surveyed for the Emerging Workforce Study indicated they were only “somewhat satisfied” or “not satisfied at all” with their current work/life balance programs.

According to these stats, a third of your workforce still hasn’t found the flexibility they need to fully integrate their work and outside-of-work life. You’ll never get to 100% satisfaction, but there is still opportunity to improve. Start with your management team. How can they involve employees to determine the best ways to offer flexibility within the unique constraints of their departments? Even highly structured operations have managed to find ways to help employees get the flexibility they crave.

Will the future hold “self-motivating” employees like the “self-driving” cars touted by Google? We’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, you can help improve employee satisfaction and productivity by thinking about ways to offer flexibility in your department or organization.

 

About the Emerging Workforce Study: For more than 18 years, Spherion has examined the issues and trends impacting employment and the workforce. This year, Spherion’s “Emerging Workforce Study” was conducted between March and April of 2015 by Harris Poll, a Nielsen company. The study polled over 2,000 workers and 225 human resource managers on their opinions and attitudes regarding important workplace topics such as employee engagement, job satisfaction, generational differences and work/life balance. One of the study’s goals was to look for indicators for what the workplace will become. As the perspectives and attitudes of the workforce evolve, employers must better understand employees for greater business success.

You can also follow Spherion on Twitter (hashtag #EWS2015) or join them on Facebook.

 

Disclosure: Spherion partnered with bloggers (like yours truly) for their Emerging Workforce Study program. As part of this program, I received compensation for my time. I was free to form my own opinions about the data supplied by Spherion and all opinions are my own. Spherion’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.

Article source:Jennifer Miller - Can Companies Truly Offer the Work Flexibility that Employees Crave?»

Guest Article: #HRevolution 2015 Location is Set! by Ben

We’re closing in on HRevolution 2015 in beautiful Saint Louis, and we are happy to announce the location for this year’s event. We will be at the Morgan Street Brewery Lodge, a stylish setup and an all-around fun place to visit.

Why this place?

Well, I’ll have to take you back 2010 to explain. That year we held HRev in Chicago, and we had an amazingly creative location picked out. The entire building seemed geared toward creative thinking, and it has remained a perpetual favorite of HRevolution attendees for years. So we decided to try and one-up that location with this phenomenal find.

But why Saint Louis, of all places? One key reason is because my cofounder, Trish McFarlane, lives there! We have hosted this amazing event at various locations since 2009, and this is the first time we’ve held it in her hometown. We have a great group of long-time HRev fans living in and around the STL area, so we know that it will be a great experience for those looking for a unique HR event.

Thinking about it? On the fence? Wondering if it’s worth your while?

Come. It’s worth the drive. You won’t get a legal update. You will get excited and passionate about HR. If you’re not excited about working in HR and the potential impact you can have, then this probably isn’t the event for you. If you consistently hear “you’re not like any HR/recruiting person I’ve ever met,” then this is what you have been waiting for. Plus we’ve created a first-timer’s discount! Just use “firsttime” when you register and you’ll get 20% off the ticket price.

Previous attendees have told me HRevolution is the single most important event they look forward to all year long. And while other events cost $500-1000+ to attend, HRev is just Why not see if the same is true for you?

Article source:Ben - #HRevolution 2015 Location is Set!»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: 5 Ways to be a Leader – and Only One Requires a Title by Jennifer Miller

 

Everyone has the capacity to lead.

Not everyone agrees with this statement. In fact, it’s a hotly contested debate on many leadership blogs.

I believe it.

I believed it when I helped co-author The Character-Based Leader in 2012. And I believe it more with each passing day, especially as I coach my kids in their daily endeavors.

Now, a book has come along that succinctly summarizes what it means to be a leader—in five distinctly different, yet important ways. This week, the book Co-Active Leadership: Five Ways to Lead launched. It’s the perfect response to people who think that leadership belongs only to a special few.

The authors, Karen and Henry Kimsey-House, co-authored one of my all-time favorite books, Co-Active Coaching: Changing Business, Transforming Lives, along with Laura Whitworth, who passed away in 2007. Whitworth and the Kimsey-Houses are co-founders of the Coaching Training Institute (CTI). But you don’t have to be a personal coach or an executive coach to use this book.

The book presents a very simple, easy-to-understand model of leadership. According to the authors there are five ways to lead:

• The Leader Within
• The Leader Beside
• The Leader in Front
• The Leader Behind
• The Leader in the Field

Only one of their leadership “dimensions” listed above typically has a formal title – “The Leader in Front.” The authors write that everyone, at some point, has the opportunity to decide to act out one of these leadership dimensions and title rarely has anything to do with the decision. It’s more about wanting to be “responsible for your world” than being in charge. “Decide” is the operative word here. As with most coaching models, personal choice plays a big role in the conceptual construct of their model.

The five-factor model is extremely easy to understand and apply to all aspects of one’s life. The authors give detailed examples of the five leadership dimensions in action. They draw from the business world, the educational sector, community activities and family life to bring this leadership model to life.

The thing that I liked most about this book is that they show what leadership without a title looks like. Many have said “everyone can be a leader,” but few have specifically shown us how. Karen and Henry Kimsey-House demonstrate, through their clients’ and coaches’ stories, exactly what behaviors comprise each of the five dimensions of leadership.

Readers will be encouraged by these examples because they are drawn from everyday occurrences that all of us can relate to. This book is a very quick read and one that will help you re-think what it means to lead. Pick up a copy today.

 

Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book for review purposes. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning if you click the link, I may receive a small commission on the purchase. I only review materials that I think will benefit my readers.

Article source:Jennifer Miller - 5 Ways to be a Leader – and Only One Requires a Title»

Guest Article: The 15 most influential people in the recruitment industry in past 60 years by Ross Clennett

In last week's article, I listed the top five nominations in the peer vote of those in the Australian recruitment industry that have been the most influential people over the past sixty years. Those nominations were: John Plummer (Senior), Greg Savage, Geoff Morgan & Andrew Banks, Geoff Slade and Julia Ross.   These five nominations (6 individuals) were easily the most
Article source:Ross Clennett - The 15 most influential people in the recruitment industry in past 60 years»

Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Job Posting Tips: How to Attract Top Talent

If you’re hunting for top talent, writing a compelling job advertisement is the only way to start. Top talent seekers are the ones scrolling quickly through a minimal amount of job openings. To reach these people your advertisement needs to be compelling and instantly resonate with high performing individuals. Also presenting and posting a job advertisement in an appealing manner could reduce the risk of receiving an overload of low achievers and make your life a lot easier. Here are 4 tips to help ensure your job post really stands out and attracts the best candidates.

1. Stand out early
Your title needs to stand out from the other 100 or so job posts that are offering the same benefits. I’m sure you’d be more likely to click on the link that reads ‘SEEKING CAREER DRIVEN SOCIAL WORKER’ than just ‘Social Worker’.

2. Give details
At this point, the jobs seeker only knows the position and company name. That’s all! Therefore, don't hold back when presenting the opportunity and the company in the description box. Give the job seeker some interesting information about the company, because they may have never heard of you. Don’t forget to make it interesting! For example, turn ‘New company located in Melbourne CBD seeks..’ into ‘Exciting new company seeks driven ___________ to join our innovative team with great career incentives.’ Keep your tone and energy consistent, this is all part of walking the talk and showing the true value and culture you have helped build up over your company’s life.

3. “For you to be considered, you must possess the following...”
As a previous job seeker, you may have seen this sentence and then seen it generally followed with ‘great career opportunities and ability to work in fast paced and friendly environment.’ As nice as it was to read that ALL these companies ALL cared about you having opportunities and challenging myself, you were probably longing for the time when you read an attributes section that didn’t look like they’d opened a thesaurus and searched for the word ‘hard worker’. It saves you money and the job seekers time if you simply let them know exactly what attributes or qualifications they need to even be considered for this job.

4. Add some character
Character and attitude in a job description translates so easily into first impressions, and leads to action from top (and time poor) talent! Describe to them what the work culture is like and use language that is going to convince this person excited to work with you.

Good luck with your next job posting!


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Guest Article: The Company Sanctioned (and Sponsored) Addiction by Ben

Today’s post is a personal one about my recent experience quitting caffeine and all of the associated side effects. Not so much about HR, but definitely an interesting look at the experience!

One month ago I quit caffeine. My main delivery method was diet cokes (that’s soda for those of you outside the Southeastern United States). I quit for multiple reasons, and the experience was what I expected in some ways and very much different in others. The thing that hit me since I quit (more on that experience below) was that those of us in the workforce don’t put much of a stigma on drinking caffeine. This experience has helped me to truly see the grip it had on me and the withdrawals were quite… um, intense. I don’t know that I’ll sway you to try quitting yourself, but stick around for the story!

The Background

Those people that know me know that my poison of choice is Diet Mountain Dew. Well, it was, anyway. I haven’t decided if I’ll ever go back to a more moderate intake, but for now I’m trying to live a decaffeinated life. I realized this summer that I was drinking about a two liter a day, and I knew it couldn’t go on forever. I am pretty healthy, eat well, and exercise regularly. But the mental slumps and anguish without caffeine combined with bouts of insomnia helped spur my decision to move away from the green juice.

Like many people, I started drinking caffeine heavily when I was in college. I worked all day, trained for 50-kilometer races in the afternoons, and attended classes at night. I needed something to keep me awake when my mind went fuzzy after a full day. Then I rationalized drinking even more when my kids came along. My joke was that I was short on sleep, and the best bridge for that gap was caffeine. :-)

Now that our third is nearing a year old, I was already going pretty heavy when he was born, so that wasn’t an excuse any more. In addition to that, I had a lingering foot injury from a previous race and poor sleep quality, so I knew I needed to make a decision.

Making the Call

My wife and I were at a funeral for a family member one afternoon and I overheard someone say, “Look at her sister! She’s 92 years old and still fit as can be. If the others had avoided smoking they would still be around too.” In addition, we attended yet another funeral the week prior for a friend of the family with three small children left behind. The death was a result of health complications and I realized how quickly something awful could happen to any of us. It’s amazing how often life events such as these cause us to stop and think about the bigger picture, right?

I decided on a Sunday that I was going to start my taper. I figured cold turkey would probably kill me, so I wanted to ease off and slowly get through the withdrawals with as little pain as possible. I did enough research to know that there were headaches and mental fog to be expected no matter the method used. I wanted to lessen the impact to my work and family, so I planned to taper by a few ounces a day over the course of two weeks.

Thus began my journey.

The first day felt so good that I restricted more than planned. Day two also felt pretty good, so I drank much less than planned (and about a third of my usual intake). I thought, “If this is as bad as it gets, I should have done this a long time ago.”

Then came day three. And boy did it ever. I’m not sure if I’ll always remember the day, because our brain has a setting deep inside that blocks out painful memories to protect our fragile sanity. Suffice to say it was rough.

And why break the cycle? Day four felt terrible. Day five I had back pains and insomnia—seriously. Back pain. That’s what clued me in to the thought that this is more than just something to keep me alert in the early morning hours. It’s affecting my system in ways I can’t even imagine.

One thing that helped was recording the experience. I kept a journal throughout the withdrawal process, noting each day and what I felt.

The most amazing thing is that I can now sit for thirty or forty five minutes at a time without fuzzing out or my thoughts getting hazy. I’ve always had a hard time sitting and focusing for long periods of time, and I attributed that to my naturally high energy. Apparently some of that was due to caffeine! In addition, I can actually recall what people say during those time periods. I’m still a high-energy person and always have been. I just realize now that the caffeine was masking my true energy in a hyper state of random thoughts with no ability to focus. I’m amazed that I have been able to work as a writer and researcher in the past year with this monkey on my back, and I’m glad to say that each day feels better and better in terms of focus.

My sleep is better than ever, and I am falling to sleep at more natural times and waking up feeling more refreshed than any time I can remember.

The Business Take

We freely offer this drug. Heck, we usually pay for employees to consume it. The rationale for many is that caffeinated employees are more productive. Some studies have shown the opposite to be true: when the caffeine “high” and the resulting “low” are balanced out, there isn’t much impact. (Note, I found some of that data while I was quitting as a way to encourage myself, but I can’t for the life of me find the study now that I’m writing this post!).

Anyway, whether it’s a call for wellness or an opportunity to reset your own caffeine clock, I encourage you to try living without it for a month and see how it affects you. It amazed me at the changes I felt weeks later.

Love to hear from some of you! Are you junkies like I was? Are you caffeine free? Why? How do you feel? 

Article source:Ben - The Company Sanctioned (and Sponsored) Addiction»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: The Social Leader by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

I talk a lot about the power of social media in the business world. It has become a primary communication, marketing, recruiting, networking and branding channel to reach more people better and faster than at any time in history. It doesn’t really matter if I wanted the world to become a digital place…or if I was hoping the world of work would be completely dominated by these tools. It wasn’t up to me…or you. But I decided to embrace it instead of resisting.

I consider myself a social leader.

Social has taken over…and I pity the leaders who still believe resisting is actually an option. They look old…they look out of touch…and candidly I would never work for someone that far behind. Ever.

 

(hint…no one else under the age of 35 will either…)

Healthcare

Think for a moment about the tools patients use every day to gather information. They use the web…they use social media…they read blogs.

If you’re a healthcare leader and you’re not using these tools how in the world are you supposed to connect with your patients?

Think for a moment about how people look for jobs? They use the web…they use social media…they read blogs.

If you're leading an organization that is trying to hire talented people to help you execute your strategic plans (think —> every hospital everywhere) how in the world are you supposed to connect with applicants and differentiate yourself from your competitors?

Labels

Sometimes people label me as the social media guy, and fail to see the link between my acceptance of the world as a digital place and my skills and experience. It’s as if being a social leader negates all of the work I’d done prior to the last few years. 

It makes me laugh sometimes. And it also makes me feel bad for those leaders that are intimidated by social media. They’re just as qualified as I am to be a social leader in their discipline. The difference is they don’t have the courage to try.

That’s right. Courage solves it. In fact, courage solves just about everything, don’t you think?

How About You

Do you want to be a social leader? What’s holding you back? I have the same amount of time each day that you do. Is it that your “organization doesn’t allow the use of social media?” Well your patients, employees, and candidates are using it every day.

It’s time to go for it. I’ll help, because sometimes it can be scary at first. Hmmm…I guess courage really does sum it all up after all.

I’d love to hear from you.

No Excuses. 

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - The Social Leader»

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

Guest Article: Tips for Improving Your Company’s Leadership Development by Jennifer Miller

When I interviewed Devin Lemoine for the Smartblog on Leadership article, Is your star player ready for a promotion? she offered up excellent advice for companies seeking to develop their leadership talent. Lemoine, who is the President of the leadership development consulting firm Success Labs, had so many great ideas that I couldn’t use them all for the Smartblog post. Devin generously agreed to share a summary of our conversation regarding leadership development practices as they relate to High-Potentials (“HIPO’s”), High Performers, and peer-to-peer coaching. Use this information for your own team, or pass it along to the senior-level leaders in your organization as food for thought.

JM: What’s the difference between a “High Potential” employee and a “High Performing” one?

DL: When helping companies distinguish between HIPO’s and High Performers, the competencies that set HIPO’s apart from High Performers fall into a few categories.  High Potentials tend to show agility around their work relationships, have good critical thinking, and manage change well. They also show an ability to work with others in a variety of situations to get results, and have good perspective on the broader business.

JM: What advice would you give to executives on how to improve the effectiveness of their company’s development of high-potential employees?

DL: The best piece of advice I would give is to make sure development isn’t focused just on technical skills, certifications or degrees.  High potentials can benefit most from developing relationships with important internal and external stakeholders, as well as increasing their broader business acumen. It’s important to understand how the different parts of the organization work together to deliver value.

Many companies focus on identifying high potentials, but don’t really implement development activities and experiences that will actually move high potentials from point A to Point B effectively.  Companies must be specific about those development activities. For example, attending a class is different from identifying three specific people to build relationships with or learning to negotiate the annual budget process and why those things are important.

JM: Many organizations use peer-to-peer coaching as a part of their leadership development process. What have you observed as the benefits of connecting high-potential leaders with one another for development purposes?

DL: It can help High Potentials to be more collaborative rather than competitive.   After all, these people may be leading side by side in the future so it can help to begin the relationship-building process earlier.  Also, those connections/relationships can help companies retain their talent.

JM: What’s a “success story” you have to share about peer-to-peer coaching?

DL: We [worked with a company that] had two managers both in succession for Director roles in different departments.  The Supply Chain Manager was already participating in a formal coaching process but the Maintenance Manager was not. Because the Maintenance Manager saw the transformation of the Supply Chain Manager, the Maintenance Manager reached out to him for feedback and to get advice.  The Supply Chain Manager was able to give him both critical feedback on how he was viewed by other peers as well as connect him with resources that helped him grow and change to become a more competitive succession candidate.  This peer relationship had more impact on the Maintenance Manager’s growth and development than other workshops, coaching and even feedback from his boss.

 

This is Jennifer. A huge thank-you to Devin Lemoine for sharing her expertise with the readers of The People Equation. If you’d like to learn more about Devin and her team, check out Success Labs at mysuccesslabs.com  or on Twitter at @Success_Labs.

Article source:Jennifer Miller - Tips for Improving Your Company’s Leadership Development»

Guest Article: The 5 most influential people in the recruitment industry in the past 60 years by Ross Clennett

To coincide with the 60th anniversary of the founding of one of Australia's pioneering recruitment agencies, Centacom, I selected over one hundred people from the Australian recruitment industry and asked them to nominate the most (up to 10) influential people (based on their subjective view) from our industry over the past sixty years. I asked each voter to consider the following criteria
Article source:Ross Clennett - The 5 most influential people in the recruitment industry in the past 60 years»

Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Guest Article: Go...Now! by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

I've entered a whole new phase in my career. It's not just that I moved from a good job to an even cooler one, it's about how I work. I still have a long task list...I still attend meetings (although not nearly as many as I used to)...and most importantly I still have to deliver results.

Except it's different now.

Go
My company is growing at an incredibly fast rate. We are adding new clients, and supporting existing ones that are expanding so rapidly we feel like the world of work has become a non-stop sprint. These are good problems to have!

But something happens when the expectations to deliver big results continue to build.

Big results mean making an impact. It means a mindset shift from "working on it" to "doing it." Delivering for clients (whether they are internal or external) in a rapid growth environment means pushing yourself differently.

I'm not talking about being busy. We're all busy...and we all know the person who spends so much time talking about how busy they are that we wonder if they actually do any work, or just want to announce to everyone that they are busy.

Leaders don't do that by the way. At least the legit ones don't.

Now
There's another important piece to how my work needs to get done. Put simply, it needs to get done now. When I hear leaders say "they'll take a look at that" or "we'll pull a team together and start a dialogue around that topic" I want to throw up.

There is no time. Results matter now. Over thinking, over-planning, and over-obsessing about making everything perfect is a complete and total waste of time. Leaders that want to look perfect end up failing miserably because perfection is a fantasy. It is not attainable. 

What is attainable is progress...momentum...getting started...

...and for God's sake making decisions.

How About You
Are you waiting for the perfect time to make the absolutely right decision? Guess what, you all ready missed it. It's time to go...now. Be relentless and don't apologize for it. Get moving, make a decision, and push yourself. 

NOW!

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - Go...Now!»

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

Give yourself a competitive advantage – tailoring your resume to suit the job

Whether you are between jobs and looking for work or have a job that you are ready to move on from, having a solid resume is essential. Almost all jobs in the market still require a resume or CV as part of the application. As a result, your resume is the first impression an employer will have of you, so it is important to not make it their last impression of you. When you are applying for a job, tailoring your resume to the job description can make all the difference in setting you apart from others.

From a recruiter’s perspective, whilst it is great to read a list of diverse skills and qualities, if these skills don’t pair up with the advertised skill sets, it will do little to help you get your dream job. Generally speaking, employers spend less than 30 secs on each resume! Although a big fancy list of previous experiences and skills may look impressive to you, employers will most likely overlook any unnecessary and irrelevant information regarding the available position. Keeping your CV brief and relevant to the job will not only save time for both parties but is vital to help you stand out amongst your competitors. Always remember quality over quantity!

Here’s an example. You’ve just found an advertisement online for a full-time Lead Physiotherapist and this really sparks your interest. The advertisement stresses the importance of working in a multidisciplinary team and being an effective communicator. You send in a great resume filled with experiences and skills; however you forget to sell yourself as an effective team-player, with excellent communication skills. Instead, you choose to emphasise your abilities in working autonomously and managing your time effectively. Another applicant with the same level of experience as you mentions their teamwork and communication skills. Instantly, they have placed themselves higher on the hierarchy of ‘who is most qualified’ for the available role. And, just like that, you’ve minimised your chances to grab the opportunity!

It is even advisable for you to go one step further and conduct your own research into the company to find relevant information that is not written on the job advertisement which you can include in your resume or cover letter. For example, if the company has a client base in a rural area, you may mention any experience you have in regards to practicing in a rural location. The key is to include any skills or experiences that you think may add additional value to you as a potential candidate for an advertised position. 

Applying for jobs can be a challenging, time-consuming, and at times, almost futile exercise. However, by ensuring that you tailor your resume specifically to suit each job you are applying for, you can ultimately save yourself time and gain a competitive advantage over other applicants. That has to be worth your effort!

Guest Article: Intelligent Leadership (Book Review) by Ben

When it comes to leadership, we hear the word on a fairly consistent basis. But what does it really mean, and how do people “get” it? Awhile back I reviewed the book Talent Leadership by John Mattone and really liked it. I was able to get a copy of the author’s latest book, Intelligent Leadership: What You Need to Know to Unlock Your Full Potential, and enjoyed it as well. Here are a few of the key points that stuck out to me.

• We all have mentors of varying shapes and sizes, and yet when we think about them, they are often people outside the business world that we claim as mentors: friends, family, clergy, etc. There is a definite need for more mentoring within our organizations, and we need to be growing leaders to take those roles. When you think about your managers, you can usually bring to mind a bad boss fairly quickly. What if the mentors we immediately thought of were those people closest to us in our working lives instead?
• Speaking of growing, Mattone uses a phrase early in the book that sticks out to me. Here’s the quote: “I have come to believe that organizations that do not compulsively develop leaders and future leaders… unknowingly grow and multiply leadership with a high probability of derailment and failure.” Think about it–we’re all being developed and shaped on a daily basis. The question is whether it’s in a positive way or a negative one.
• The 3 C’s of foundational leadership are capability, commitment, and connectedness. Capability is the set of skills and competencies available for development and enhancement. Commitment is the set of motivational factors that drive people to higher levels of achievement (passion, zeal, etc.) Connectedness involves the alignment with personal values and organizational goals.

The bottom line

As I’ve said before, I really like reading leadership books, because every one is different and I always pick up some new insights. This one was no exception. Mattone brings some great stories and data together to paint a picture of organizations that truly need a strong crop of leaders while demonstrating how you can make strides toward becoming one of those individuals. Get your copy here.

Like this? Check out other book reviews here.

Article source:Ben - Intelligent Leadership (Book Review)»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: How to Increase Your Training Impact through Business Simulations by Jennifer Miller

This post is brought to you by Simulation Studios, specializing in creating business simulations and gamification solutions for leadership development, business acumen, and business silo reduction.  See below for full disclosure.

Picture this: a group of promising young leaders is seated in their classroom, awaiting the arrival of their instructor. It’s the second week of their two-week leadership development program. The topic for the day is “Business Acumen.” From the back of the room, strains of “Space Odyssey: 2001” swell to a crescendo. A man wearing a purple wizard’s robe makes a dramatic entrance. The “Wizard of Wall Street” has arrived! He’s ready to lead the group through an intensive, all-day business simulation on the financial management of a company.

Business acumen? Financial management? What a dry topic, right? Not when it’s wrapped into a business simulation. “The Wizard” was a top-rated instructor for a leadership development program I created for a Fortune 500 company. Why did these leaders need to learn business acumen? Because the course materials featured real-life financials from our company paired with a hands-on simulation of running a company for a day, and all the complicated factors that involves.

Simulations have been around for a long time—think paper-and-pencil “in basket”-type activities. For many years, high-end simulations were limited to executive development. That’s not the case any longer. Thanks to advances in technology that decrease the time it takes to develop simulations, employees from all areas of the company can experience the thrill of “real-life” business scenarios.

Simulations now seek to develop a variety of skill sets beyond business acumen. Bill Hall, President of Simulation Studios, reports that over 80% of his company’s clients want to learn more about how to use simulations for leadership development. Simulations improve the impact of training because they are the real-life “glue” that connects leadership theory with hands-on action. Simulations are more accessible than ever, thanks to a lower cost of development. Once available only to Fortune 500 companies with large training budgets, now even smaller companies can use these training techniques.

The popularity of simulations is on the rise for another reason as well: people are much more comfortable with the idea of using technology within their learning environment. Hall finds that as technology has advanced, there are many more tech-savvy trainers who are comfortable using business simulations—and its younger cousin— gamification.

One of the most exciting elements of this learning methodology is that the people in charge of delivering the training find that it’s easier than ever for learners. “It’s really about creating self-sufficiency for the client,” states Hall. “Clients who use our business simulations are getting up and running more quickly and using the technology with ease. It used to be that running a business simulation required extensive training in order to successfully facilitate a business simulation. Now, corporate trainers are up and running very quickly,” notes Hall.

It’s encouraging to see that technology advancements have driven down the price of business simulations and made them easier for trainers to implement. From my days as a corporate trainer, I well remember that the most powerful learning occurred when people could “get in there” and experienced something hands-on. “Hands on” learning is the best way for people to experience the key skills they need to do their jobs. Get as many employees using simulations as possible and you’ll increase the impact of your training dollars.

 

Disclosure language: This is a post sponsored by Simulation Studios. I was compensated for writing this blog post. Even though I write about topics and services that I think will benefit my readers, this post is not a specific endorsement of the products and services listed. I encourage you to make your own decisions (purchasing and otherwise) based on research you conduct.

photo credit: Copyright : Robert Churchill 123rf.com

 

Article source:Jennifer Miller - How to Increase Your Training Impact through Business Simulations»

Guest Article: What Do You Stand For? by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

This post is not about your political views, religious affiliation or insert-another-sensitive-topic-here. I write about leadership, and that is at the heart of the question in the title.

Your View Matters

A colleague of mine asks new leaders this question regularly. Think about that for a second. You’re all fired up to start your new gig, and the HR executive asks you directly what you stand for as a leader. What would you say? Are you ready to answer right now?

I’ll wait for a good answer…because I’m guessing you can only come up with a cliche filled ramble under this type of pressure.

"Um, teamwork…and bringing people together.”

Please.

Your Behavior Matters 

Now that you’re committed to coming up with your answer you’ll quickly realize I’ve placed a fairly significant burden on you. You now have to live up to your answer to the “what do you stand for” question. 

Think for a moment about the influential leaders in your life. One of the reasons they came to your mind so quickly just now was because of one key leadership trait.

Consistency.

The values they believed in as leaders were demonstrated day after day after day. Now you will do the same thing. It’s hard to sustain anything, but once leading others shifts from being your job to being who you are as a person, you will find it much easier to find that cadence of consistency.

How About You

Take some time today to write down exactly how you would answer the question. What specifically will you say? What are the words that will define you? Once you’re ready...

I’d love to hear from you.

No Excuses. 

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - What Do You Stand For?»

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

Guest Article: The Weekly reMix – HR Lite Edition by Melissa Fairman

Not much HR this week.  Shocking I know.  I guess that my insights and interests were other places as some big events happened this week, culminating of course with the anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks today. I’ve never written about that day because my memories of that day are nothing compared to people who lived through it directly or indirectly but it has affected me in other ways that this article sums up appropriately:

 

“But most people my age, we say it’s terrible, we mourn on the day, and we move on. Because we have to. I think it pushes us to be the best we can be, so we can make a difference for the future.”

 

Down the turnpike from me is Shanksville, Pennsylvania where flight 93 crashed.  A few years ago Bill Clinton gave this magnificent speech on the 10th anniversary of the attacks.  Take a listen and scroll on down for the other stuff I read this week:

 

 

Here is what I did read on the HR front this week:

 

How to Keep Your Career from Getting Outdated via Penelope Trunk

When Religious Liberty Clashes with Job Requirements via The Ohio Employer’s Law Blog

The 5 Best Cultural Fit Scenes From Hollywood via Fistful of Talent

Curiosity Did NOT Kill the (HR Lady’s) Cat via Robin Schooling

How to Debrief a Meeting Regardless of the Topic via HR Bartender

 

And Everything Else:

 

Spygate to Deflategate: Inside What Split the NFL and the Patriots Apart – via ESPN

Fashionable Grown-Up Backpack’s For Fall Under $150– yes this is a concern of mine.  Via Gen Y Girl

Who is the Ipad Pro For? Via The Verge

Trump’s War With Palm Beach – Via The Politico

How an Ohio Reporter Helped Convict More Than 100 Rapists – via Columbia Journalism Review

Article source:Melissa Fairman - The Weekly reMix – HR Lite Edition»

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

Guest Article: Every Star Player Isn’t Necessarily Senior Leadership Material by Jennifer Miller

Do you have top performers that are ready for promotion? Before you offer more responsibility, determine if your star players are “high potential” or “high professional.” This distinction is important because you want to offer the challenge to people who are both able and willing to step into a larger role. How to tell the difference? I highlight three areas to focus on in this month’s Smartblog on Leadership post, Is your star player ready for a promotion? Go on over and check it out.

Article source:Jennifer Miller - Every Star Player Isn’t Necessarily Senior Leadership Material»

Guest Article: How probation should be assessed by Ross Clennett

Last week Greg Savage spoke at the RCSA 2015 International Conference on the topic of 'The DNA of the Recruiter of the Future'.   Greg finished with two key messages:  1. Always be hiring 2. The people with the best people will win. Do you have the best people?   I agree strongly with both of these points. The second point has been one of the core
Article source:Ross Clennett - How probation should be assessed»

Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Guest Article: Innovation Judo (Book Review) by Ben

I’ve been reading like crazy lately and have had trouble keeping up with my reviews. Usually it’s even worse: I have no time to read all the books and they just pile up around me. This time around I picked up Innovation Judo: Disarming Roadblocks and Blockheads on the Path to Creativity by Neal Thornberry, PhD (Amazon). I’m a sucker for innovation-focused stuff, and this was definitely a great read on that front. A few good pieces I pulled from the book:

• Incentives: Want to encourage innovation? Make sure your incentive pay aligns with what you’re trying to promote. Rewarding someone with a movie ticket when they saved the company $10,000 isn’t going to promote additional innovations (or it better be the most awesome movie ever).
• NIH is poisonous: The “not invented here” mentality that many organizations espouse is a dangerous one. It ultimately leads to more silos and less innovation. Procter & Gamble used to be very closed off, and the book talks about how the business was losing millions of dollars annually due to that sentiment. Now it requires 50% of new ideas to come from outside the company, and it wants to increase it to 80%. That’s a powerful shift and a reason why the company still stands strong year after year.
• Wackiness: We run into this all the time. People make decisions that make no rational sense and ultimately end up breaking something or causing more work. That can even be the CEO in some cases. Thornberry talks about how nobody wants to tell CEO they are making bad decisions. The good thing is that in the end it usually falls to HR, which can be an opportunity to improve the value of the CEO-HR relationship.

Bottom line

Innovation is about more than sitting in a room “brainstorming” ideas like “we should use less paper in our new hire applications” or “maybe we could print front and back to save money on costs.” It can be a serious differentiator between you and the competition. If you are looking to improve the quality and quantity of innovation your organization is producing, I’d encourage you to check out Innovation Judo by Neal Thornberry, PhD. Get your copy here.

See other book reviews about HR, leadership, and more.

Article source:Ben - Innovation Judo (Book Review)»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: Bound to Fail by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

I think it’s interesting that we default human nature to negative behavior. Think about it for a minute. People take the easiest path…and it’s human nature. Employees do just enough to get by…and it’s human nature. Leaders sit back and avoid conflict because….well…it’s human nature.

And we almost expect things in life to go poorly…we’re bound to fail…it’s human nature.

I’m calling B.S. on human nature. There is a huge difference between courage (which is the human nature I prefer) and laziness. Laziness is not human nature…it’s a choice…it’s an excuse…and makes people look like fools.

Self-Confidence First

When was the last time you heard someone characterize a leader’s courageous style as their “human nature?” We all know…albeit only a few leaders…whose courage seems to come naturally. 

They have no fear when it comes to trying new strategies. They don’t worry about consequences the way we think they should. 

They are rule breakers…they don’t care about norms…they just see endless possibilities.

It’s in their nature.

Bound to Win

So how do we move from “life is horrible” to “I am so committed to helping my organization win that I’ll try anything?” What is the secret that moves us from the hapless masses that quite candidly are a waste of our time…to moving in to the rarefied air of being confident, fearless, and loaded with so much courage we scare those around us?

The answer is quite simple…but the execution is difficult for most. Corporate pressure and politics cloud our ability to think clearly. They become derailers that move us away from winning for our organizations. You must do what you are scared to do…what you think is too politically complicated…and what may compromise your position. 

Others may mock you along the way. So what?

Others may openly question if you’re doing the right things. So what?

You may even end up feeling quite alone along the path to progress.  So what?

How About You

You are NOT bound to fail. You are bound to take risks…to try new things…and make a real difference.

Do not falter.

Do not look back.

Do not rejoin the hordes of leaders stuck in 1995.

Lead. Today.

I’d love to hear from you.

No Excuses. 

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - Bound to Fail»

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