Guest Article: Silence Calls the Storm by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

Leadership experience is a funny thing. The more I get…the more I see through the behavior of those that claim to be effective in their roles. They talk it up, yet their choices seem to contradict the rhetoric. It happens in the corporate world, it happens in our personal lives, and it happens to those in public life too.

Too Many Examples

The actions of others, above all else, have shaped how I view the responsibility I have as a member of my organization’s leadership team. 

Sadly, some of the most poignant examples of behavior I've experienced have come from those leaders that preached leadership frequently, yet were absolute failures. Let me share...

- the executive who dropped the f-bomb when he was upset, and threw reports across the conference room table at the team for doing a poor job (when in fact the team was beating the national industry performance average)

- two executives who held an ambush meeting attempting to intimate and discredit another member of the leadership team (when in fact their data was completely wrong and they ended up looking foolish and lost all credibility)

- the executives who secretly tried to undermine a colleague who was clearly the boldest, and most courageous member of the team (their efforts backfired and they were shamed into backing off)

How About You

When you see disgraceful behavior from other leaders what do you do? Is it too scary to stand up to them? Are you worried that you might compromise your own career if you do the right thing? 

Are you so self-absorbed that these issues would only matter if they were happening to you?

Guess what? If you don’t take action, no one will be left to help you when it’s your turn.

I’d love to hear from you.

No Excuses. 

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - Silence Calls the Storm»

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

Guest Article: The 3-Step Process to Writing Your Personal Social Constitution by Jennifer Miller

When you’re clear on what you stand for, it’s easier to weather a sea of distractions. Most people are fairly clear about their personal values, but sometimes it’s difficult to stay true to those values, especially at work. When I interviewed Hyrum W. Smith for his latest book The 3 Gaps, he described a simple process he uses to help people keep their values first and foremost in their mind.

First of all, Smith says, everyone has a set of governing values, whether they realize it or not. Interestingly, he says the exact nature of those values doesn’t matter. “I never suggest what those values ought to be. That’s none of our business.” Smith has been teaching people how to verbalize their values for over 40 years and he finds that the themes of family, physical and mental well-being, financial wellness, education, and integrity are those most often mentioned. Of course, your values list may differ and that’s OK.

To help you identify your values, Smith advises you create a “social constitution.” He says it’s a simple three-step process:

1. Write down your governing values.
2. Write a statement describing what those values mean to you.
3. Prioritize your values.

Why do you need to prioritize your values? They’re all important, or else you wouldn’t put them in your constitution, right? Here’s the thinking behind prioritization: you need to prioritize your values because knowing what you value above all else helps you stay on the right path. Smith offers this example:

Let’s say you have a value that says you are loyal and then you have a value that says you have integrity. If you put loyalty above integrity and you are asked to do something at work that isn’t quite right, you will probably do it. But if integrity is ranked above loyalty and you are asked to do something at work that is not quite right, you probably won’t do it.

Smith says that when people create their social constitution, they in effect create a “shield” that allows them to deflect incompatible values. Or, at the very least, you will understand when you’re not in alignment with the values you hold most dear. People become more comfortable saying “no” to requests because they understand that it doesn’t line up with their value system.

And the benefits to doing this exercise can have some really profound impacts. Says Smith:

We’ve had people tell us that when they wrote their personal constitution, it had such an impact. We’ve had people stop doing drugs, stop drinking, stop smoking. We’ve had marriages saved. We’ve had all of these things, just by people identifying, “Hey this is what matters to me. Why does all of this other crap matter? It doesn’t.” It really centers people.

What do you stand for? Are you willing to write it down? As the modern proverb goes, “if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” When you write a personal “constitution” you’ll ensure that you won’t fall for something that’s not in line with what matters most to you.

 

 

 

 

Image credit: Copyright: dedivan1923 / 123RF Stock Photo

Article source:Jennifer Miller - The 3-Step Process to Writing Your Personal Social Constitution»

How Meditation Can Help You Climb The Corporate Ladder

We all experience a lot of stress in our lives that can be particularly constricting to our productivity and potentially, and to our next promotion.

How often have you sat at your desk, trying to be creative or efficient, but found yourself staring blankly at a flashing line on the computer screen? The mental blocks that we encounter day after day are a product of our brains trying to process too many different things at once; better known as stress.

A method that you may not have originally considered helpful for you to climb up the corporate ladder is meditation.

Meditation practices are techniques that encourage and develop concentration, clarity, emotional positivity, and composure. Aren’t these all valuable aspects for trying to move up the corporate ladder?

Whether it is transcendental, chakra, zen, azem… meditation can seem way too left of field, too difficult, and time consuming. That is quite understandable. After all, how is one supposed to sit quietly and think of nothing for something to break up your lunch period, especially when there is a promotion to be had?!

Recent research has shown that meditation allows for the brain to process more cognitive and emotional information, providing it with greater freedom to think outside the square.

Perhaps we are simply re-affirming centuries old Buddhist beliefs!

The solution?

Taking five minutes to calm your breathing and clear your mind of any trivial concerns allows you to open up your mind to focus on the task at hand. This can simply be achieved by closing your eyes and focusing on three deep breaths. Or by taking a simple bathroom break or  a short walk outside to help clear your mind from the fogginess.

Some simple meditation can help you start the day with clarity and freedom for creativity. You might just find that work life becomes a lot easier and that corporate ladder becomes that much shorter!

To find more hints and tips on all work related topics visit us as http://careerexchange-advice.blogspot.com.au/

Guest Article: Speed Wins by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

Guest Article: Fearless HR by Melissa Fairman

Last week, one of my favorite HR bloggers, called on HR to get in Formation.  Reflecting on Beyonce’s Super Bowl performance, Sarah Williams wrote a nuanced article not only discussing Beyonce but also the implications of her Formation message in our organizations. This is one of my favorite parts of the article:   “… As […]

Continue reading...

Article source:Melissa Fairman - Fearless HR»

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

Guest Article: Client loyalty is unpredictable and other tips for stars changing jobs by Ross Clennett

Fifteen years ago I had just celebrated my ten year anniversary at Recruitment Solutions. I was the General Manager for the Sydney office comprising four divisions; Perm Accounting, Temp Accounting, Sales & Marketing and Business Support.   Unfortunately my time at the company was drawing to a close. The new Managing Director and I had a different view of what was
Article source:Ross Clennett - Client loyalty is unpredictable and other tips for stars changing jobs»

Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

First Day Butterflies...

Congrats!! You just landed a new job which means all those countless hours of resume refining, research and interview practice have paid off! So why the nerves?! You clearly impressed with your resume and handled the interview jitters well enough to stand out from fellow applicants and you obviously have the right skill and attributes for the job. 

So take a few deep breaths and remind yourself of the following tips when the butterflies in your tummy begin to get the better of you… 

Preparation

Think of your first day as an extended interview and prepare accordingly. Plan to arrive early to work to give yourself time to settle into your new surroundings, chat to your colleagues and your boss. Your preparation can start the night before work as well! Get plenty of sleep and put some thought into your work attire.

Dress for success

Do your research and take into consideration what is usually worn in your new workplace. However, for your first day, take this idea and add a touch extra to ensure that you’re making a good first impression. For instance, if the office attire includes trousers and a button up shirt, add on a tie to your first day outfit.

Make a good first impression

Now that you have your outfit sorted, make sure that your body language is open and welcoming. Take the initiative to say hello to people in your new office and ask them a little about their jobs. Not only will this make you feel more at ease, it gives you an opportunity to discover some useful information about your new organisation.

Confidence is key

Be confident, not cocky. Show enough confidence in yourself so that your new work colleagues won’t doubt your position in the organisation. One way to show your confidence is to put yourself out there and invite your colleagues to lunch. 

Relax!

Don’t forget to breathe! Remember that first day nerves are completely normal and will subside in time once you start getting into a routine. Don’t feel disheartened from an unsettling first day. Remind yourself why you were so excited when you landed the job and more importantly, that you were hired because somebody believed that you could succeed in that role.

Guest Article: Stop Talking About Diversity by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

Your read that right. Stop.

Here's why...

All Talk
Many organizations, leaders, and employees claim to be be pro-diversity. They preach fairness for all...a culture of support and risk-taking...and the joke-of-all-time...an open door policy.

They're lying.

All of that talk does nothing except disappoint. Why? There is no follow through. There is no real risk-taking...and there certainly isn't an investment in diversity in a meaningful way for most companies.

Mirror Time
Let's do a little self-assessment of ourselves and our organizations, shall we?

1.  Do you have a Chief Diversity Officer?

2.  If not, have you aggressively advocated for one?

3.  Do you reward employees for taking risks; or, is your corporate culture based on a small group of leaders (typically pale and male) deciding who is a "good fit?"

4.  Does your organization recognize the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday?

5.  Do your benefits policies include employees who are part of the LGBT community?

6.  Do you focus on having a diverse slate of candidates for open positions?

7.  Are wages for men and women in similar roles....similar?

8.  If not, how are you possibly justifying that values-based decision? (Yes, it is a statement about your corporate values.)

How About You
The list of priorities around diversity is a long one. I've highlighted a fraction of those opportunities here...the proverbial low-hanging-fruit we all love to take care of right away.

Are you going to pick this fruit in your organization?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - Stop Talking About Diversity»

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

Guest Article: Employee Investigation Best Practices by Ben

Investigations are one of the toughest parts of working in HR, because you have to work between very fine boundaries and there is always going to be someone upset with the result, no matter how gently you tread. In the various investigations I’ve been a part of, I have picked up some tips and tricks that help to make the process more smooth. No matter the result, if you know you’ve done your best and have given the most definitive answer possible, then that’s pretty much the only way you’ll have a satisfied feeling after you close the books.

I still vividly remember one of the first serious investigations I was a part of. Does this scenario sound familiar?

Employee comes to you claiming she is being harassed by a supervisor. The only witness is the best friend and coworker of the employee. The employee has been having consistent performance issues for some time and was on the verge of a performance improvement plan at the time of report.

So, how do you proceed? It’s a tricky road, especially since the employee is also a military reservist and the manager has voiced complaints about her service in the past…

The Benefits of Investigations

I do want to say this. While it’s not all roses and candy canes, there are some positive benefits of investigations worth noting:

• Doing it properly and impartially helps to defend the company against litigation
• Doing it fairly and quickly helps employees to see that the process and people involved are trustworthy

Again, not pleasant, but definitely worthwhile.

The Top Five Investigation Mistakes

I’ve seen many investigations go wrong, and it doesn’t have to be that way. Let’s walk through the top five mistakes I see and how to counteract them.

1. Delayed action
2. Poor planning
3. Retaliation
4. Lack of follow up
5. Losing objectivity

Delaying is a problem, because unlike your favorite pair of yoga pants this doesn’t get better with time. Whatever your reason for delay, get over it and get to work. Too busy you say? How would you like to explain a $95 million judgment to your boss? Yeah, I thought so. Move this to the top of your list, get to work, and get it done.

Planning is an issue. Most inexperienced HR pros freeze when the investigation hits their desk. But the pros know that following the plan/process is the fastest and most painless way to get through. Taking a little time to put together a simple plan will not only help to improve the results and reduce your stress–it will also help to make sure you are consistent across a variety of investigations, topics, etc.

Retaliation is a huge problem. The EEOC is trying to determine new guidelines regarding this issue. I always start every investigation with a clear message to everyone involved: retaliation will not be tolerated by anyone throughout the entire process, whatever the result turns out to be.

Lack of follow up can be another hangup. It’s tough to make sure you touch base with everyone after the fact, because you know that as soon as you file that report with the right people you have to get back to the work that has been stacking up on your desk since you started the investigation. Even if you can’t share results with the people involved, at least let them know when you wrap it up. And you do create and file a written report for each investigation, right?

Finally, losing objectivity is my Achilles heel. There are two sides to this that get to me. The first is trying to remain objective despite obvious and outrageous evidence presented at the outset. It’s hard to assume that someone is innocent until proven guilty, but you need to ingrain that into your thought process. Secondly, if someone becomes emotional it’s very easy to want to comfort and share your own opinions, but that doesn’t help anyone. Keep a lid on it.

Bottom line: we all have issues. Still, it’s up to you to help make sure your organization isn’t blindsided by something that could have been addressed in its early stages.

What interesting, weird, or crazy investigations have you carried out? Any tips to share? 

Article source:Ben - Employee Investigation Best Practices»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: Over-Thinking Things? Here’s How to Get Out of Your Own Way by Jennifer Miller

Have you been struggling through a dilemma and spinning your wheels? You know the feeling: you’re trying to come to a decision, but you just can’t shake the niggling sense that something is out of place. You’ve made a list of “pros” and “cons,” you’ve talked with friends. You’ve searched the internet and read dozens of chat boards on the topic. And still, no decision.

You, my friend, are over-thinking it.

It’s time to stop analyzing so much and dial in to your “other” intelligence: your feelings.

Shelley Row is the author of Think Less, Live More: Lessons from a Recovering Over-ThinkerShe’s researched the field of neuroscience to understand exactly what happens when we are “stuck” and trying to figure out what to do. Row is a professional engineer and “the ultimate over-thinker,” so she personally understands how what it’s like when we mentally “spin our wheels.”

When I interviewed Row for my book review, she told me why it’s OK to have feelings at work—and how those feelings can help you make important decisions.

Because I [Row] am a hardcore thinker, I can relate to people who “love to think.” What I help them understand is first of all, to recognize their feelings. I do an exercise with my clients that I call “Notice and Name.” It’s very simple: notice the nagging feeling you’re having and give it a name. Are you “scared”, “worried”, or “disgruntled”? Because when we over-think things, there is this little nagging feeling that gets in the way. When you give a language to the feeling, you help validate another part of who you are. When you notice and name how you’re feeling, you move yourself from negativity into more positive territory for problem-solving.

Why is this? Here’s how Row explains the brain and its relationship to emotion:

The “feeling” part of your brain – it doesn’t have access to language. The feelings come without language. So when you recognize you are getting that little gnawing inside, you know something is bugging you, it’s just not sitting right. Then to give it a name helps give voice to the feeling which is actually part of your intelligence. It just comes to you through feelings rather than through thought.

Row’s research uncovered another benefit to tapping into feelings: speed.

There is a thinking part of the brain and it is really powerful, but it is also slow (in terms of brain processing speed) and energy intensive. The other parts of the brain which store things like long-term memory, your value systems, your habits, and your expertise – that’s in the part of the brain that is very fast and it takes very little energy. That’s where the brain likes to “live”, but it doesn’t have language. So when you have that little nagging feeling that is coming when you are overthinking something, then it is a different part of your brain that is trying to bring your own intelligence to you. So when you shove it away, you are literally shoving away part of your intelligence. So for hardcore thinkers . . . when they begin to understand how the brain is working, then it gives them more permission to acknowledge the feeling that is coming and try to understand what their other “intelligence” is bringing to them.

So the next time you’re agonizing over an important decision, stop and notice what the non-language part of your brain is trying to tell you. Give your “thinking brain” a rest for a while and just let your “feeling” brain do the talking. I personally find that doing something physical, musical or with nature (inside with plants or outside) is helpful for giving the feeling brain a chance to speak.

Disclosure: some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means if you click the link a make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. Please know that I only mention items that I think my readers will find value in. However, you should make the final decision as to what is “valuable” to you.

 

Image: Copyright Stuart Miles

Article source:Jennifer Miller - Over-Thinking Things? Here’s How to Get Out of Your Own Way»

Guest Article: Beliefs, Deadlines and Productivity Measurements by Jennifer Miller

Before I interviewed Hyrum W. Smith for his new book The 3 Gaps, I asked my Facebook friends to submit questions for the best-selling author and former CEO of Franklin Covey. He graciously extended our interview to field those questions.

If you’ve never heard Hyrum Smith speak, here’s what you need to know: he’s energetic, relentlessly upbeat yet no-nonsense, and funny. His answers definitely reflect his personality and his life-long quest for making a positive difference.

Here are three questions my friends asked, and Hyrum’s answers:

How do our beliefs inhibit our productivity?

Ask yourself: “Is there a gap between what I believe is true and what is actually true?” One of the concepts I teach is something called the “Belief Window” – which is like a small, clear window that you’ve got hanging in front of your face. And you put all sorts of beliefs on that window – things you believe to be true. For example, if I believe that my self-worth is dependent on never losing an argument, you know what’s going to happen every time I get in an argument? I’m going to win somehow. Will the results of that behavior meet my needs over time? Probably not. So I’ve got a bad belief on my Belief Window.

The Belief Window metaphor is something that is very simple. People pick up on it right away, and all of a sudden they start seeing this window and seeing this stuff they put on the Window. And some beliefs are correct and some aren’t. And if you can learn to do surgery on your belief window, the [ineffective] behavior takes care of itself – and leads to higher productivity because now your beliefs are starting to meet your needs over the long haul – maybe not right way, but over time.

How do you stay productive when you don’t have a deadline?

Well, this question addresses the differences between an externally enforced deadline and an internally enforced one. Working against a deadline is always helpful, always productive; and so, my recommendation is you create your own deadline. If the deadline has not been created for you, then you create your own deadline because that creates urgency and when urgency is present, productivity goes off the chart. So if someone says to you, “I need this report in a few weeks.” And you’re thinking, a few weeks – what does that mean? If it were me, I am going to tell myself, “I am going to have this done in six days.” And I will get it done and the person who asked for it may not ask for it for two weeks. Or I may take the report into the requester, and say “I don’t know when you wanted this, but here it is.” And the person gets it earlier than he or she thought they were going to get it, that’s a big plus. So, personally imposed deadlines work wonderfully.

A registered dietician asked, “I calculate my productivity percentage monthly and I give it to my boss. I have been told that a person’s productivity percentage should be between 70 and 110%. Does Hyrum agree with that?”

[chuckling] In my world, there isn’t anything more than 100%, you know. So I don’t know where they get the other 10% stuff from. I’d be really intrigued about how she measures that. I don’t know if there such a thing as 110%.

My general response [to the productivity question] is: it depends on the job. There are lots of job descriptions that you can measure that type of productivity. For example, if you work for the VA, how many documents did you process this month? And they can say, “We expect you to do 1600 and you only did 1200, so you are at the 70% level.” It’s easy to calculate but not everybody’s job is like that.

If you can keep it above 70% that’s good; but man, I would have to know how you are measuring that. That sounds like a very subjective observation.

My thanks to my friends, colleagues and family members for offering your questions. I hope you found these responses helpful!

Disclosure:  Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning if you click the link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. 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.

 

 

Article source:Jennifer Miller - Beliefs, Deadlines and Productivity Measurements»

Guest Article: NZ update: Construction recruiters in Auckland driving flash new cars by Ross Clennett

One of the best indicators of a country’s economic performance is the level of recruitment agency activity. Whether it’s strong organic growth or hot levels of M&A activity, you can be sure that recruitment agency profit levels make new markets attractive for aggressive agency owners with deep pockets or strong credit ratings.   I am a big fan of New Zealand’s preeminent
Article source:Ross Clennett - NZ update: Construction recruiters in Auckland driving flash new cars»

Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Make Recruitment a Dream, Not a Nightmare – The Biggest Recruitment Mistakes and How To Avoid Them

What do you picture when you’re looking to hire a professional? Perhaps someone who works hard, brings in business and establishes rapport with your customers, raising the reputation of your company. Now while that all sounds like a dream come true, I’m sure you don’t have to be told that it doesn’t happen all of the time.  

The flip side of this is a recruitment nightmare. A hire gone wrong can mean wasted hours and dollars spent on-boarding and training and reduced morale within the team. With the wrong fit, it’s likely the first to notice will be your customers! 

Needless to say, those who are in the game of recruitment have a lot at stake. Avoiding these crucial errors will help you to sleep soundly when you make recruiting decisions. 

1) Know exactly what you’re looking for

Having a well thought out position description works in two ways.  Firstly it should help to direct job seekers as to whether their skills and experiences are enough to get them across the line. You can save time sifting through resumes by including a polite statement along the lines of “those without the minimum qualifications need not apply”. By spending extra time preparing a position description in more detail, you will also form more tangible expectations of your ideal candidate whereby you can quantify how many boxes each applicant ticks against your criteria, rather than going with a gut-feeling. 

2) Work within your niche

A huge mistake that many make when advertising a job in a specific field is to advertise it on a gigantic, generic job board. The risks here include having your add lost in the depths of the hundreds of other similar positions and frustratingly, having applicants without the relevant tertiary qualifications trying their luck and applying anyway. Using a more specific job board, ensures your job advertisement gets seen by the right people and the right people only. 

3) Don’t forget to consider recruiting internally 

Candidates already within your team are your best asset. Working to up-skill your workforce with continuous professional development can help you to move your employees step up to a bigger role. This may leave a lower ranked position vacant, for which hiring is less of a risk. Another benefit of promoting existing members is significantly boosting employee morale, thereby increasing staff retention. 

4) Keep up with the times 

You are aware that gone are the days of posting a job ad in your local paper. What you may not know is that even non-mobile friendly webpages may not make the cut on the market preferred by the upcoming generation in the workforce. Research suggests that around 80% of millennials expect to be able to browse and apply for jobs on their smart phone. Advertising your job in a way that is highly accessible on the World Wide Web, not only via a computer monitor, but also smart phone and tablet can help you to avoid losing out to the more tech savvy competition when looking to pick up fresh new faces for your business. 

5) Don’t waste your time meeting candidates too soon 

Job interviews take time and are expensive; for an hour long interview, your hourly rate multiplied by the number of job interviews conducted equals a costly process – which if used in isolation may lead you to making a bad hire! Avoid going straight into interviewing everyone and anyone that simply look good on paper. Resumes can be deceiving but questionnaires, especially well formulated psychometric questionnaires, can help paint an unbiased picture of your candidates. They can do much of the work for you and can help you to eliminate those who may not be appropriate  for the job before scheduling out your precious time.

Recruiting right the first time saves time and money. Not to mention helping those in your business to meet their full potential. 

If you would like to chat about an assessment based recruitment approach we would welcome your call.   

Working with assessment partner, Psych Press, Capable People’s recruitment process integrates the full strength of online assessments and video interviewing for fast, job-fit relevant, data-driven results.

• Using science not ‘face value’ – our assessments are catered to industry, role, and function and are able to pinpoint the most promising talent from a large pool of candidates
• We learn about your goals + company  – to  design  custom campaigns and assessments that are tailored to your situation, not just ‘off the shelf’ solutions
• Fast and cost effective – As more and more applicants are online nowadays, so are we! Our online approach allows us to give you great candidates faster, and we’re also able to budget flexibly based on your needs.

Need Capable People? Contact us on 03 9670 4275 or email info@capablepeople.com.au to find out how we can assist your next campaign.

Guest Article: Is CEO Pay A Tale of Unintended Consequences? by Melissa Fairman

After listening a recent NPR Planet Money podcast on CEO pay and thinking over my own experience, I’ve come to the conclusion that despite our best, well-researched intentions, incentive compensation can be a minefield of unintended consequences.   A very short story: In the 90’s, CEOs were paid based on the size of the company. […]

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Article source:Melissa Fairman - Is CEO Pay A Tale of Unintended Consequences?»

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

Guest Article: Trend Killer by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

I don’t know about you, but it feels like the pace of change is at an all time high. Combined with a hyper-competitive struggle to find and keep the best talent, it is clear that staying current as leaders is no longer a ‘nice to do.”

It truly is a “must do."

New social media tools are exploding onto the scene everyday, and they all can be used to connect with employees and candidates alike.

Let me say that again. They ALL can be used to connect with employees and candidates alike.

Just A Trend?

Have you fully embraced social media yet? If not, are you comfortable filling the role of “empty suit” in your organization?

I hate to break it to you, but simply because you’ve been so scared to look bad in front of your team because you don’t how to use these business tools (yes, business), doesn’t mean you are some sort of strong leader. What you’ve actually done is position yourself as the odd man (or woman) out.

Put simply, all of your employees and the talent you want to hire are using multiple social accounts. However, since you are now invisible you no longer matter. Oh, and saying you have a LinkedIn account with (hopefully) a picture, and a couple of job titles and dates of employment doesn’t count.

You’re invisible.

Much More Than A Trend

The solution to the seemingly bottomless pit that you continue to dig for yourself has two simple steps.

1  Stop taking pride in the fact that you don’t use contemporary tools for business. Just be quiet. You’ve all ready proven how clueless you are with respect to how all of society now interacts, and you aren’t going to kill this trend. Just. Be. Quiet.

2  Eat a gargantuan slice of humble pie and reach out to someone you trust to help you get started. (Insider tip: social media tools are so ridiculously easy to use even you will be a pro in a few hours.)

How About You

Am I fired up about this topic? Yes! But it’s really not social media that I’m focused on today. If that’s all you’re taking away from this post then either you’ve completely missed the point; or, I’ve done a poor job of explaining myself.

You and I must be contemporary leaders. We don’t have a choice. We need to push ourselves into areas where we are uncomfortable. It's time for us to be better every day. Claiming that we’re “old school” and “don’t have time for that stuff” makes us sound stupid. 

Don’t be stupid. Suck it up and lead the way instead.

I’d love to hear from you.

No Excuses. 

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - Trend Killer»

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

Guest Article: 100 Top Leadership Blogs – According to Social Media by Jennifer Miller

Every year the Center for Management and Organization Effectiveness (CMOE) analyzes the social sharing patterns of leadership blogs. They publish the results each January. For the third year in a row, The People Equation has made the list. See the full list here: The Top 100 Socially-Shared Leadership Blogs of 2015.

I’m grateful to CMOE for doing the heavy lifting of analyzing the stats. It’s helpful to figure out where my readership resides, social media-wise.

 

A few observations about the social sharing stats:

• There is no one “right” social platform for leadership bloggers. Some blogs had robust Facebook activity, others (like mine) favored LinkedIn
• Frequency of posting doesn’t always directly correlate to number of social shares. The #3 blog, Robin Sharma, only posted 35 times in 2015. Other blogs posted nearly 10 times that amount and were ranked much further down the list.
• For those of us who get a lot of Tweet activity, our rankings suffered this year, as CMOE didn’t include Tweets in their social share numbers.

Here’s my overall take: the conversation end of blogging is dominated by Facebook. No surprise there. Writers like me need to find a way to link our ideas, personal brand and the “real estate” of our blogs to the platforms that invite conversation. And for now, love it or hate it, Facebook still reigns supreme.

Article source:Jennifer Miller - 100 Top Leadership Blogs – According to Social Media»

Guest Article: Dead World Assembly by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

I hear a lot of leaders talking about culture, teamwork, and how they have a "vision" for how work should be done.

Ha!

Sadly, many of these same leaders are so out of touch with how the modern world of work functions that they don't even realize they are the root of the problem.

Team
Let me toss out a few questions to get us started:

- Are you losing valuable employees?
- Have you convinced yourself and the other executives that this is all "good turnover?"
- Do you still believe in the embarrassingly ineffective command and control style of leadership?

How is that working out for you?

I'm Calling You Out
The responsibility to create a culture that actually values employees in a tangible way is entirely up to the leader. No one else. 

I don't want to hear that employees complain too much. 

I don't want to hear about your fancy job title. (I've had a fancy job title for years, and the only result was that the burden on me to be a better leader grew exponentially.)

Guess what? Your staff meetings are nothing more than a dead world assembly. 

Stop trying to justify your struggles. No one believes you anymore.

How About You
It's time for a new start. Get over yourself. Accept that you've made some mistakes...and open your mind to leading in 2016.

Otherwise, you're going to lose the rest of your team. I promise.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - Dead World Assembly»

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

Guest Article: HR Informational Interview Questions–Answered by Ben

This week I was approached to complete some HR informational interview questions by a young lady heading back to college for a master’s degree in HR. I’ve answered similar questions before, and I have always had a heart for students looking to break into HR, so I obliged. As I responded, I wondered how others would answer and what advice they would share with someone preparing to enter this amazing profession of ours.

Would you pick a question and give your own answer in the comments section below? I used these informational interviews years ago before I got started in HR, and the responses helped me to hit the ground running when my entry level HR career took off.

HR Informational Interview

1. What are the main duties of someone in HR? It depends on the position, but an HR generalist typically touches a variety of areas, such as recruiting, compensation, benefits, employee relations, training and development, and safety.
2. What kinds of problems or difficulties occur in performing these duties? I’ve found that in general, companies and leaders that do not value HR are the biggest stumbling block to success. If they don’t believe that what you’re doing is value-add and benefiting the organization, then no matter what you do there will always be a limit on the positive impact you can have.
3. What kind of rewards or enjoyments does this work provide? I would say that HR pays fairly well, if you are competent and willing to work hard. Beyond that, the satisfaction of helping families with their benefits, working with an employee to develop themselves for a promotion, or helping to coach managers through challenging times are some of my favorites.
4. What characteristics do you believe are needed to be successful in Human Resources? Usually this question is met with answers like “confidentiality” or “multitasking.” I’ll take a different approach: you need to have a sense of humor. This job can be draining if you don’t have an outlet. Imagine having to terminate someone through no fault of their own simply because the money isn’t there to support the position. Do that often enough without a release and you start to lose your mind. For me, a sense of humor is one way I can get through those tough days and stay fresh.
5. What kinds of knowledge and skills must someone have to be successful in HR? The basics of HR include recruiting and staffing, managing employees, labor relations, risk management, benefits and compensation, etc. The more nuanced things include this list of the top five senior HR leader competencies.
6. What else should someone thinking of getting into the HR field know? It will be nothing like you expect from the textbooks. You will learn about 10% of what you need to know to be successful with a degree in HR. The other 90% comes from doing HR every day.
7. As I said I have a B.S. in Family and Human Services. Do you think that my background will influence me, positively or negatively, in the field of HR? I think you’re probably going to be very caring and considerate of the differences people have and what that enables them to bring to the table. The only concern is a lack of business-mindedness that is a critical part of HR today. If you can’t speak the language of the business leaders and only talk about morale and such, you won’t have any credibility.
8. Why did you decide on a degree in HR specifically and not another Business-type degree? I knew when I was a child that I wanted to be in HR–I just didn’t know it was called HR. My parents owned a small business and had constant challenges with hiring, benefits, retention, etc. I always thought I would get a degree in management to figure out how to solve those kinds of problems. When I got to college I realized that this “HR thing” was exactly what I had always wanted to do!
9. What exactly is your current position and what does it entail? Currently I’m not in a traditional HR role. I am working as a research analyst helping some of the largest companies in the world by creating research, publishing case studies, etc. I spend much of my time writing and creating research from primary survey data.
10. Why haven’t you made a switch in career fields? If you have, why did you return to HR? Some would say that I did by stepping out of the traditional HR role, but I like to think that now I can help employees at a hundred companies instead of just those at the one company I was at previously.
11. What general advice do you wish people told you about HR before you started? I did many interviews just like this one, so I had most of my questions answered early on. The only thing that would have helped more would have been more general in nature. I would have liked to know that companies often don’t change, even when they are on the wrong path. My first HR job was for a company that ended up going over the financial cliff because our leadership was unwilling to make the changes necessary to improve the business.
12. Any specific advice for me? Especially concerning pursuing a Master’s Degree and what to do before and during the program. I’d spend as much time shadowing and talking with in-the-trenches HR folks as possible. Sign up for Twitter if you’re not already there and follow conversations like #NextChat. This will help you find other HR leaders that are worth following. Look for other HR blogs that will help you see through the eyes of accomplished professionals, such as HR Capitalist, HR Ringleader, and HR Schoolhouse. Good luck!

What do you think? Did I steer her in the right direction with the informational interview questions? Did I miss anything critical? 

Article source:Ben - HR Informational Interview Questions–Answered»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: Quotes from Women in #Leadership by Jennifer Miller

Blogging on The People Equation has taught me that readers love lists of quotations. Leadership quotes are a particular favorite. And if you bring gender into the equation,  you get brisk discussion out of it as well. Just ask my friend and fellow leadership blogger Jesse Lyn Stoner.

John Walston, co-founder of the site Resourceful Manager, sent me an email to let me know about a leadership infographic his team created for their blog. It caught my eye because it featured women in leadership. My curiosity was piqued so I checked out the rest of the site. Written by a cadre of former journalists, Resourceful Manager features excellent content for managers seeking to improve their leadership abilities.

The infographic is reproduced here with permission.

I’m especially drawn to Rosalynn Carter’s observation that leading often requires taking people to places they initially resist.

Which leadership quote resonates most with you? Join the discussion and enter a comment.

 

 

 

Article source:Jennifer Miller - Quotes from Women in #Leadership»

Guest Article: How the World Outside of Work Helps You be a Better Leader by Jennifer Miller

Because I came to motherhood late in life, I had nearly two decades of supervisory experience under my belt before my first kid arrived. Up to that point, I had been a frontline leader, a manager, an internal coach to executives. I led workshops on numerous leadership and managerial topics. I knew a lot about leadership.

Or so I thought.

Then I had a kid. And I realized my leadership learning had really only just started.

Our lives outside of work have so much to teach us about leadership – if only we will open our eyes, ears and hearts to the lessons. For me, parenthood has been immensely instructive. For you, it might be sports . . .or the arts . . .or volunteerism.

Whatever is happening in your world outside of work – you can use those experiences as inspiration for becoming a better leader. Want more ideas on how to do this? Check out my post for Smartblog on Leadership. It’s called, Surprising ways to become a better leader.

I’d love to hear from you: where in your life have you experienced powerful leadership lessons?

 

Image credit: By Mike’s Birds (Mother and Baby Ducks  Uploaded by Magnus Manske) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://ift.tt/KcQbXG)], via Wikimedia Commons

 

 

Article source:Jennifer Miller - How the World Outside of Work Helps You be a Better Leader»

Simple Strategies to Prevent Workplace Anxiety

Workplace anxiety is more common than you might think. The ‘2014 Stress and Wellbeing in Australia Survey’ conducted by the Australian Psychological Society found ‘issues in the workplace’ was one of the top five sources of stress among Australians aged between 26-45 years, with a massive 44% of Australians identifying work as a key cause of stress. Work related sources of stress can include things like; starting a new job, lack of autonomy, heavy workloads, and poor resources, and limited support. Constant anxiety, worry, apprehension, fear, and feelings of impending doom can arise from stress and be long-lasting, even when the original stressor is gone.

With the fast-paced environments and pressures of meeting client demands, deadlines, and keeping on top of your game, it’s easy to develop work related anxieties. Struggling with anxiety at work can be debilitating; even the simplest tasks can become difficult to complete. Stress is often unavoidable in the working world, but it is helpful to identify key sources of stress, and have some strategies at hand to prevent it developing into a more serious problem.

Here are six simple ways to prevent stress and anxiety in the workplace:

1. Slow down. Close your eyes and focus on slow, deep breathing for several minutes until you feel yourself physically relax. This will make it easier to focus and gather your thoughts for the task at hand.
2. Break it up. Sometimes when faced with a difficult situation, rather than tackling it head on, break it down into smaller tasks. That way, you can set goals for getting each part done. Reward yourself by taking a break in between set tasks; go for a quick walk to clear your head.
3. Exercise. We’ve all heard that exercise plays an important role in keeping mentally healthy, and it’s true. Find and join a gym close by and go before, after or even during work. If you think you can’t handle those spin classes, make an effort to walk to and from work. Not only does being physically active improve mental health, just being outside with some natural greenery has been shown to have positive impacts to emotions and self-esteem. Every bit counts!
4. Enjoy your social life.  Don’t forget you have a life outside of work. Catch up with friends and family to keep yourself socially active. Organise things for 'after work', so you have something to look forward to and keep you going throughout the day.
5. Face your anxiety. That feeling of frustration, anger or nervousness might seem normal at first, but when it lasts a little longer than it should, it can be a good idea to talk it out to yourself, write your worries down, and actually stop and think about what is worrying you and accept the stress or anxiety might be more serious than you thought. Self-understanding is important to finding a resolution. If you think it’s weird talking it out to yourself.
6. Talk to someone else. Find a co-worker, friend, family member or a mental health professional that you are comfortable talking with. Sometimes just saying what you’re going through out loud can bring an immense amount of relief.

Stress is a normal reaction when something at work is a little more demanding or challenging. However, it’s good to learn to recognise the signs when it’s getting a bit too much for you. Many organisations have an Employee Assistance Program available to help employees enhance their health and wellbeing, and some even accommodate leave of absence from work so you can have a day away to mentally recharge. If you’re finding anxiety is getting the better of you, take a minute to discuss your options with your manager or supervisor, or contact a medical professional for extra support.

Guest Article: Play to Win by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

S: "Jay, do you ever not win?"

Me: "No."

Maybe it's just me, but the world of work seems to be more competitive than ever. Whether people are jockeying for a new opportunity; or like me, are working hard to grow the company they work for to its fullest potential.

That includes finding the best talent.

Don't Just Play
As the crushing force of political correctness invades the world of work, and in particular Human Resources, it seems increasingly distasteful to be ultra-competitive.

Why?

Am I a bad person if I push myself hard to be successful?
Am I perceived as uncaring if I don't take care of my competitors as well as I take care of my company?

What is going on? Have we all become so soft that the options are either you end up labeled as a cold-hearted capitalist, or an ineffective "leader" trying to win some sort of popularity contest...but never actually execute because that would require standing up to someone?

Play To Win
Despite all of the "correctness" that I'm supposed to conform to (...not happening, by the way...) I'm going to do everything in my power to represent the three brands that matter most:

- my own
- my organization's
- the clients my company works with

Period.

Nothing will stand in the way. There are too many amazing people working at my company, and candidly, they expect me to be more driven than any of our strongest competitors, regardless of their size.

How About You
Are you one of those people that believes there is enough for everyone, and if we all share everyone can win? 

I'm not.

There is simply too much riding on my success, and the success of the team of people I work with to risk doing anything less than my very best. 

Do you play to win? If the answer is no....why the hell not?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - Play to Win»

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