Guest Article: Planting Seeds of Greatness Requires You to SEE the Human in Your Employees by Jennifer Miller

Great leaders are like farmers; they plant seeds of greatness in their employees. Then these leaders provide all the conditions necessary for them to grow. So says Kevin Ames, co-author of Appreciate: Celebrating People, Inspiring Greatness. Ames, who is Director of Speaking and Training for recognition company O.C. Tanner recently spoke at the Influence Greatness 2018 conference.

One of the “seeds” that leaders can plant continuously is that of giving appreciation to your employees. Lucky for you, there is no “planting season” for appreciation—it blooms all year long. As an avid veggie gardener, I appreciate Ames’ metaphor. Further, he provided a distinction that many leaders miss: when praising employees, be sure to see the humanity in their efforts, not just the work they do.

Giving appreciation, says Ames, isn’t part of a company program, it’s a “moment” an employee experiences. And if done correctly, a moment after which the person leaves the interaction feeling appreciated. As such, you need to recognize the person first, then praise the work they do. Remember to say, “I appreciate you” [emphasis is mine] to employees. “If all you do is praise the work, eventually employees will wonder if you value them as human beings,” cautions Ames.

This is a subtle distinction, and one that I haven’t considered very closely. But when I think about it, some of the most effective leaders that I work with have said to me, some form of “Jennifer, I appreciate you.” They also praise the specific work I’ve done, and that’s great to hear. But there is still something so very satisfying about being praised for being you.

Think about the those to whom you will soon have the chance the praise or recognize (kids, colleagues, volunteers . . .) How can you recognize who they are, as well as what they do?

For more on the Influence Greatness Conference, follow the hashtag #greatness18

Disclosure: I attended the Influence Greatness as a guest of O.C. Tanner. I was not required to write anything about the conference.

Article source:Jennifer Miller - Planting Seeds of Greatness Requires You to SEE the Human in Your Employees»

Guest Article: For Soon Is Yesterday by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

I've been thinking a lot lately about how I...well...think about things. I like to have a clear understanding of what's behind me, as well as a vision of what's ahead...develop a game plan...execute well...and get to where I just knew I would get to.

Sure.

Back
I easily fall into the trap of looking back at my life, both professionally and personally. What could I change? What might have happened if I took that other job? What about that big decision I made...what if I made a different one?

These back-facing questions are helpful for us to understand things, but aren't necessarily productive if we spend all of our time looking backwards.

Forward
Conversely, I L O V E spending time planning what's next! Big thinking! Big ideas! And best of all..acting on those plans! In my business life this is an area where I get the most satisfaction.

Personally, plans on a massive scale can shift and move resulting in us investing lots of energy on plans instead of embracing the incredible moments that we are blessed with each day.

Of course I want to plan in my private life...but not at the expense of my life.

Are you with me?

How About You
Looking back to learn, and looking ahead to dream are both important parts of our life experience. Those investments of time can help us understand, learn and prepare. But we must not lose sight of the incredible things that happen each day. Those small moments that make life special are so important.

I'm still going to think about everything...but savoring each day is going to take a little higher priority than in the past...what about you?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

pic
Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - For Soon Is Yesterday»

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

Guest Article: How AI is Changing HR for the Better by Ben

Last week I was one of several thousand people that attended the 2018 HR Technology Conference and Expo in Las Vegas. I had the opportunity to share about my take on the HR Technology landscape as it pertains to AI and automation technology that is affecting recruiting, talent management, core HR, and more.

In the video below, I answer a few key questions about how AI is driving value for employers that leverage it to solve HR and people-related challenges. This is from my upcoming book (now available for presale!) on Artificial Intelligence for HR. It’s a very practical look at where HR is today and how technology can enable us to FINALLY be strategic in ways we’ve always dreamed of by automating some of the simpler, transactional components and “grunt work” that we all have to do on a daily basis.

Plus, I grew a mini beard for HR Tech this year. Enjoy. :-)

I am planning a special presale bonus for the book. If you want to get in on it just sign up over at http://aihrbook.com and I’ll let you know what you can get for being a presale buyer!

Article source:Ben - How AI is Changing HR for the Better»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: How to Become a Modern Elder by Jennifer Miller

It makes for a great fish-out-of-water movie premise: fifty-something worker has to report to a much younger boss and is perplexed with the change in power structure (ala Dennis Quaid’s character in In Good Company.) But it’s not so funny when you are that employee, still feeling vibrant and willing to contribute, and you wonder if younger leaders are undervaluing you.

A new book, Wisdom at Work: The Making of a Modern Elder explores members of the workforce who feel this pain. The book, written by 58-year-old Chip Conley, tackles head-on a social dynamic that threatens our workplace. “In a world that venerates the young, many in midcareer sense that the ground is shifting beneath their feet, leaving them feel invisible, undervalued and threatened by the digital natives nipping at their heels,” he writes.

Can you relate? And you don’t even have to reached your sixth decade for this to resonate. In the hyper-youth-oriented tech industry, even 35-year-olds feel the sting of ageism.  “Wisdom at Work” seeks to provide reassurance, along with practical resources, that you are most definitely not too old to contribute. In fact, your age is an asset, if you know how to present it as such.

As a member of the target audience for this book, I was heartened by its message that one’s life experience has value. Conley seeks to liberate the term “elder” from “elderly”, pointing out that the latter is simply how many years you’ve been on this earth, but the former is what you have done with those years. Conley uses the term “Modern Elder” to describe a person who has married their wisdom and experience with curiosity, a beginner’s mind and a willingness to evolve.

Conley has lived the last several years as a Modern Elder in the making. In 2013, at the age of 52, he sold his boutique hotel company and joined Airbnb as head of global hospitality and strategy. His boss (Airbnb’s CEO) was decades younger than him, as were many of the senior management team members. Conley’s experiences as one of the “older guys on the block” led him to explore what it means to age with vitality at work.

Wisdom at Work is Conley’s compilation of  ideas, backed up with demographic data, on how people entering the mid-terms of their work journey can still have meaningful careers. He outlines the characteristics of a Modern Elder (spoiler alert: if you have become complacent, you won’t like a few of his suggestions) and he provides ample anecdotes, examples and reference materials to help you grow in your efforts to see your age as a strength that your employer will value.

I devoured this book. It seems like just yesterday that I was the youngest member of our company’s management team, fresh-faced, energetic and yes, a bit smug about how some of my older colleagues were a bit out of touch. I’m grateful that one of my contemporaries has taken the time to lay out a path for those of us who want to stay relevant. I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of Wisdom at Work.

Chip Conley has created an excellent resource list on this topic. Download the PDF here.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for the purposes of the review. This post also contains an affiliate link, which means if you click the link and make a purchase, I may receive a small compensation.

 

Article source:Jennifer Miller - How to Become a Modern Elder»

Guest Article: What is Your 'One Word?' by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

I'm not sure it's fair to ask you to reduce your entire life down to 'one word.' Our lives are full of all sorts of emotions, activities, responsibilities, aspirations, convictions, anxieties, and goals.

One word?

Why Just One
I think there's something to be said for being concise...for clarifying who and what we are in a direct, no nonsense sort of way. We've all heard the people who use lots and lots of words but never really say anything.

I also think it's an interesting challenge to try and put our whole self into just one word. 

So many options, right?
- love
- faith
- peace
- competitive
- driven
- human
- focused
- extrovert

...and the list goes on.

For Me Though
For some reason I've been thinking about my 'one word' lately. Then last weekend the issue came up during a service I attended, and I felt even stronger about 'my word.'

It's not a human resources, professional, or politically correct word in my opinion, although it gets used that way all time. 

"It comes down to what matters most to me 

about the world and my place in it." 

That is where I started to answer the question about 'my word.'

For me, the word represents something that transcends my biases, the divisions in our country and across the world, and speaks to what my parents taught me, what I've tried to teach my children, and most importantly, what my faith says to me.

How About You
My word is inclusion.

It's inclusion because every single person is important. Every person has value. 

No judgments.
No assumptions.
No predetermined notions about race or religion or nation or any other thing.

Everyone matters.

What's your word?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

pic
Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - What is Your 'One Word?'»

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

Guest Article: How to Legally Avoid Paying Overtime Wages [Reader Question] by Ben

I’m trying out a new Q&A format for some questions I’ve received in the last few weeks. Let me know what you think in the comments or by emaiing me your own question to ben@upstarthr.com

Last week I got a question in the mailbag that was short and to the point.

How can we avoid paying overtime to employees?

My answer was short and sweet:

I’m pretty sure that there is a point to making overtime wages a required thing, and it’s to avoid questions like this. In reality, the way to avoid paying overtime is to work people less than 40 hours a week, manage a balanced staffing plan so that you have enough floaters and part time help to fill the gaps, and closely watch your trends in customer needs and staffing to make sure they match up.

I’d like to take a deep dive into this conversation and offer some specifics, because I think it’s a common question. I’ve heard many times over the years a variation on this: why pay out extra money when you don’t have to? How can you reduce costs and help the company be more profitable? What strategic part can HR play in this discussion?

Some of the key factors in overtime (especially high usage) may not be related to the actual job duties at all. For example, I’ve often found that overtime can be attributed to performance issues on the employee or the manager side of the equation. While that might not always be the case, it does come up more often than I’d care to admit.

Additionally, if OT is an issue, then the company needs to understand what is truly driving the overtime usage. Which people, which tasks/projects, etc. Is it variable or fixed in terms of workload? The answers to those questions will tell you what to do next. Is it a performance issue? A staffing issue? A workload issue? Each piece of that puzzle contributes in some way to overtime problems, and it’s important to dig deep and find out which is actually driving the numbers.

The short answer, though, is that you can’t legally avoid paying overtime. Don’t even try. Some employers get the bright idea to “make” employees exempt/salaried to avoid overtime costs, but that can’t just happen based on a whim. Additionally, it comes with other challenges that employers often don’t want to deal with.

Article source:Ben - How to Legally Avoid Paying Overtime Wages [Reader Question]»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: Bullets by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

The corporate kind.

We take them...at least I believe we're supposed to. We take them personally, for our colleagues, and for our organizations. We don't share the majority of them with anyone.

We just take them. Straight up.

Martyrdom or Leadership
Balancing between accountability and organizational advocacy is where the fine line is drawn between company martyr and staunch advocate for your organization. Sometimes it's impossible to see that line...at least it is for me.

Sharing every stumble or human mistake is hardly worth discussing. Ah, martyrdom. So lonely, yet so satisfying in an odd way.

Conversely, when a a stumble becomes a fall, sharing becomes mandatory. Ah, the risk of being the negative leader.

Finding the Line
I'll be honest...I can't find the line. Some days I can manage it, take the proverbial bullets, and move on. Other days, I'm not sharing enough to keep the team up to speed so they can 'do better 'next time.'

Hold back?

Share? (read here...pass along complaints?)

Sure, it's easy to say it should all be shared. Yet, somehow it doesn't feel right, particularly when there is precious little to share in the first place.

When to speak up?

When to take the heat?

How About You
How many bullets do you take? Are you a strong leader who isn't afraid to take too many; or, are you the one that shares everything as soon as it comes in so you can never be 'blamed' for anything?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

pic
Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - Bullets»

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

Guest Article: I Tried to Look Too Far Ahead by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

There is an allure about achievement...at least there is for me. I consider myself to be fairly driven in just about everything I do. Career, relationships, family, music, fitness, faith...it's full speed all the time.

It feels like I'm always pushing to meet the next milestone or deadline or goal. The "next" thing is always the most important...

The Time Is Now
Recently I've taken on a new perspective on...well...just about everything. Reaching for the "next best thing" doesn't seem to work out very often. 

Sure, we need to be prepared, but being prepared at the expense of the people and world around us right now is a major miss.

Looking ahead...too far ahead...no longer makes sense. 

Do I have long-term goals? Of course I do! Do I want to maximize my time here while I still have that fire in my belly? You bet I do!

But, do I want to look so far down the trail that I miss most of the things that are important today?

Hell, no.

Priorities
Somewhere between planning everything so tightly that I end up closing my mind to what's really important; and, not paying attention to today is where I'm going to land. 

Showing empathy, appreciating the roller coaster ride that each day brings, and keeping those most important to me at the top of my priority list are really what matters most, right?

How About You
It's not really about balance...it's about focusing on your true priorities. Write them down, practice focusing on them, and deliver for those close to you, for your organization, and for yourself each day.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

Inspiration
pic
Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - I Tried to Look Too Far Ahead»

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

Guest Article: Your CEO “Steps In” to Help a Troubled Project: Good Practice or Not? by Ben

This year I’ve watched with some interest the saga of Tesla, which is run by Elon Musk. He’s a genius with technology but seemingly less so with human relationships. Musk is known for making bold claims about technology and innovation, but Tesla has faced some struggles to meet production deadlines and more. This is from a few months back but the story and question are still relevant:

You can probably argue over whether it’s a good or a bad sign, but Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed on Twitter today a report in The Information that he has taken over direct control of the division that’s producing Tesla’s Model 3 electric sedan after the company failed to meet the delivery goals it set.

Specifically, Tesla had intended to produce 500 Model 3 cars per day, or 2,500 per week, by the end of last month. But according to a company-wide email to employees that was sent today and obtained by Jalopnik, Musk said Tesla has been making closer to 2,000 of the cars per week. (Musk estimated last July that Tesla would be making 20,000 of the cars per month by December.)

In his email — fired off at 3 a.m. PDT — Musk added that if “things go as planned today, we will comfortably exceed that number over a seven day period!”

Musk may have been referring in part to the reorganization. But while The Information reported that Musk had seemingly “pushed aside the company’s senior vice president of engineering, Doug Field, who had been overseeing manufacturing in recent months,” Musk quickly took issue with that characterization of events.

The question I have for you is this: what does it say when the CEO “steps in” to take over in this scenario? Let’s look at the bright side:

• There’s no way someone can say the CEO isn’t engaged actively in the business and its success.
• The CEO can calm investor fears and show some initiative at a critical time.

The challenges, though, are pretty obvious:

• If you’re the employee that was “stepped over,” then you are probably not going to stick around afterward without good reason. You were hired to do a job and you either failed or the CEO made promises too big for you to keep.
• If you go with the “hire people smarter than you” philosophy, which is a great way to build a strong, high-performing team, then you technically aren’t as good as that person at running the show. Hmmm…

What is your thought? Good plan? Bad? A mix of both? What would you do if your CEO “stepped in” to take over operations or even HR for a period of time during a crisis?

Article source:Ben - Your CEO “Steps In” to Help a Troubled Project: Good Practice or Not?»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR