Guest Article: Beggin' and Payin' by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

Ridin' high when I was king,
Played it hard and fast cause I had everything,
You walked away, won me then,
But easy come and easy go and it would end

Too Comfortable
When I look back on my career and think about all the twists and turns, highs and lows, and everything in between one thing becomes clear. Without people giving me an opportunity I would have nothing.

Nothing.

Sometimes I can lose sight of the journey I've been on simply because the pace of life is so hectic. Juggling my responsibilities inside Kinetix as well as with our clients, going full speed in my busy personal life, squeezing in daily workouts, and generally trying to stay out of trouble can all be a distraction. 

I don't necessarily feel bad about being so busy, in fact it is a blessing to have so many exciting things happening...even if they seem to be happening all at the same time!

Stop Begging, Start Paying
The risk, obviously, is that what I have now can erase my memory of what it took to get here. More importantly, it blurs the memory of who got me here.

The early part of my career was all about working hard, and hoping for an opportunity. The professional version of begging, if you will. Fortunately, there were many people who saw something in me, and took risks of their own to give me a chance.

Now, it's my turn! In fact, it's been my turn for quite a while. I've embraced connecting with people early in their careers. I love encouraging new members of the teams I've worked with, even to the point of challenging them to think beyond their role with the organization because I thought they could do more right now.

It would be impossible to list everyone who has been influential in my career, but here are a few...

Dad and Mom, far and away the most influential role models in my life

Paul McBride, undergraduate school professor

George Haskett, graduate school professor

Mike McNally, first HR VP that I reported to and early mentor

Kathryn Gillette, CEO, former boss, and mentor

Trish McFarlane, HR leader, social media, blogging mentor and friend

Mike VanDervort, HR leader, social media, blogging mentor and friend

How About You
How do you connect with the early careerists in your company? Do you notice them; or, are you too busy running to your next meeting to "really see" them? 

In addition to my focus on payin' - I'm looking forward to serving as a formal mentor for one of our interns this summer!

How are you payin'?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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beggin'
Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - Beggin' and Payin'»

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