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When my kids were babies, it was fascinating to watch them learn to walk. One of my kids was determined from a very early age—far before it was physically feasible—to stand upright in what my husband and I can only assume was an attempt to begin to walk. We have pictures of our seven-month old child doing a downward dog-type yoga pose, with baby hands and feet planted on the floor, and a teeny, diaper-clad baby butt jutting towards the sky.
Of course, it was many months before that baby actually learned to walk. In the months between the first attempt and the actual first steps, there were tears, falling down and loads of frustration. But there was no way to communicate, “in all due time, my sweet one.” So the persistence continued, unabated. Like Greek mythology’s Sisyphus doomed to forever roll the boulder back up the mountain, persisting towards an unattainable is defeating.
Today, twelve years after the baby yoga-posing, that same child is still very driven to achieve, but at least we now have a way to communicate when the time has come to seek an alternate path when “try harder” just isn’t cutting it.
Pursuing a goal with tenacity is admirable. Big goals require grit. Equally important is the ability to figure out when it’s time to take a new direction. Otherwise, it’s just “stupid grit,” as Caroline Adams Miller, author of the forthcoming book Getting Grit calls it. I long ago learned to help my children see the difference between dogged pursuits at all costs and tweaking a goal to better fit the realities of life.
It’s not always easy to know when it’s time to move on. Western society reveres persistence. The quote, “Never, never, never give up” is often attributed to Winston Churchill, when in fact he did not say those exact words. What he did say, in a 1941 speech to the boys at Harrow School (according to The Churchill Centre) is:
“Never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”
To me, the element that is often lost when paraphrasing Churchill’s words is, “good sense.” Relentless pursuit of a goal, when it’s clear that, as Miller said, it’s time to pivot, is stupid. It doesn’t show good sense. Pivoting isn’t giving up. But when you can discern when it’s time to either move on or change directions, you save yourself a lot of mental anguish and frustration.
Food for thought: when in your life have you succumbed to “stupid grit?”
I’ve had this question pop up from a few people I have met in recent weeks, so excuse the commercial if you’re not looking for a speaker for your event or to train your HR team… :-)
I know from interacting with many of the readers of this blog that you guys are tied in to various regional, state, and local organizations that require speakers. Just recently I attended the 2016 Annual SHRM Conference in DC where I spoke at the SHRM Smart Stage about choosing the right HR technology for your company, but I also speak about a wide variety of HR, recruiting, and leadership topics.
Today I added the “Speaker” tab at the top of the homepage to help you guys reach me specifically about speaking/training opportunities. One of my favorite activities is writing, but right behind that I really enjoy getting out and spending time with you, the HR leaders in the trenches that make your organizations great. That’s funny considering the fact that I’m an introvert by nature–I just think I like the practice and process of teaching enough to overcome those natural tendencies.
Over the past few years I have spoken with local SHRM chapters across several states for 20-100 people. I’ve been to larger events, like the SHRM Conference, that attract more than 15,000 participants. I have done seminars, workshops, conferences and vendor events as well.
If you are seeking speakers for an upcoming event, I would love to talk with you about joining the roster. I will be doing some local workshops in the coming months (several of the workshops receive up to three hours of strategic/business credits), but there is definitely room for more.
In addition, if you currently lead an HR team and need someone to come and talk with your team about some of the topics I have listed on my Speaking page, I would love to chat with you about the opportunity.
Thanks! We’ll be back to our regularly scheduled programming next week.
I'm a big fan of wellness programs. As a long time HR-guy I'm sure you're not surprised. If done well, they can impact the health plan spend for the organization. After all, the real goal of any wellness plan is to spend less money on the company sponsored health plan. Let me say that again... ...the real goal of any wellness program is to spend less money on the company sponsored health plan... Fitness Matters I am passionate about fitness. My own...my family's...and my colleagues. Just take a look around you today and you will see the obesity epidemic raging across the workplace. It's as if our definition of "fit" has changed, and we accept a new normal. That's not right. The risks of obesity have devastating effects on health, life, and yes, health care costs. Yet for some reason we have confused the primary goal of wellness programs as being...well...wellness. One of the outcomes of an effective program is improved health, and might even include a new passion for personal fitness (oh, if that were true all the time!) But in reality, fitness actually is a secondary goal.
Accountability is Required Healthcare costsare such a massive amount of each state as well as the Federal budget that we almost accept that as normal too. Just from my own experience as a Vice President of Human Resources for a mid-sized hospital, I oversaw a rapidly increasing health plan expense line that seemed to have no end in sight. One of the approaches to flatten that cost curve was to implement a wellness program... ...that held employees accountable, and rewarded them for their verifiable results. No self-reported fitness. No questionnaires that simply give points toward a company logo stress ball. No trust...only verifiable results (think fitness tracker, doctor visits, etc.) Sorry all, but without hard core accountability, your wellness program is a gigantic waste of money that not one executive will support. Ever.
How About You Are you considering implementing a wellness initiative in your organization? If so, make sure it is more than just a feel good program that promotes "a healthy lifestyle." No one suddenly "gets healthy'" because their employer rolls out a program with no accountability. I'd love to hear from you. No Excuses. pic
Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - Pass the Tchotchkes ...I'm Developing A Wellness Plan»
I have just finished reading the autobiography of six-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt (Faster Than Lightning: My Story by Usain Bolt with Matt Allen, HarperSport, 2013). I doubt any readers need an introduction to the 29 year old, Jamaican sprinter however just in case you have been living under a rock these past eight years, let me list a few of his accomplishments: The first man to
Article source:Ross Clennett - Lessons in high performance: Usain Bolt "... forever cussing my mistakes"»
I just wanted to say “thank you” for the last few years. I have enjoyed my work and appreciate the opportunity to contribute. As of today I am turning in my two week notice…
Like you probably have, I have had multiple versions of that conversation with managers over the years. Sometimes it’s painful, and other times it’s a relief to put in your notice to depart. But the question we’re examining today is this: should employees give notice when they quit their job?
My Workplace Philosophy
It is my firm belief that we should treat others in the workplace just as we would like to be treated. In many cases that has worked out well, and it is something that I don’t have to be ashamed of when I’m doing the right thing. Even when employers, like my last one, don’t hold up their end of the deal, at least I know I have done the right thing.
If you also believe in this approach, then you have a long, successful career ahead of you. At the end of your working days, at least you know that you have done the right thing by those around you at every opportunity. We all mess up, but keeping that as your guiding force over time will lead you to make more friends than enemies and more good choices than bad ones.
This applies to giving notice just as it does to most workplace situations. If I was a business owner and an employee was planning to quit, I would want as much notice as possible to get ready for the change. It takes a while to recruit and select a replacement, and while many people think there is a law around giving notice, the employee has no reason to give the employer a heads up if they don’t want to.
When to Skip Giving Notice
If you work for a company that consistently kicks people out when they give notice, then you do not have to give any warning before you depart. The company/owners/management give up their right to receive advance notice of your departure when they make a standard practice of not letting people work the entire notice period.
Most people in the workplace are on the verge of financial disaster. It’s a fact. That’s why it is so critical that an employer honors the notice period when it is requested. People need that income to bridge the gap before they start at a new employer. As an employee, if you are like the majority of Americans and living paycheck to paycheck, then you need to take this decision seriously as to whether you give notice or not. You don’t have to tell your employer you are leaving in advance if they have not given others a chance to work out their notice period. It’s not worth putting yourself in financial trouble if the company has demonstrated that it doesn’t honor a notice period.
I’ve had one employer kick me out the day I gave my notice. I was on the fence about providing any warning, because they had not treated people well historically, but I went ahead and did it simply because it’s in line with the overall philosophy I mentioned above. The thing that was the worst about being locked out immediately is that I didn’t get to tell all of my coworkers and friends I was leaving. I’ve been on the receiving end of that situation and it is strange not to get at least a bit of closure when someone departs, especially if you have become friends over time.
I can remember when a friend’s son turned in his notice and the boss started treating him terribly during his notice period. My friend was thinking that his son had to stick it out until the end, but I let him know that if the manager was treating his son poorly, then he didn’t have to stick around and take it. The manager gave up his right to a notice period when he started acting like a fool instead of appreciating the employee for giving enough notice to start finding a replacement. He was incredibly relieved and basically told his son to collect his check and get out of there.
Reasons to Terminate Someone Immediately
That said, there are some reasons from the company perspective that would warrant an immediate termination. As an HR pro, these are the big reasons I would not allow someone to work a notice period.
Open investigation against the employee
History of issues/offenses
History of irrational behavior and the position to do something unpleasant (HR, security, IT, etc.)
In case you’re wondering, these situations would encompass maybe 5% of the workforce. The other 95% don’t fall into this camp and shouldn’t be shoved out the door like yesterday’s garbage. Sooner or later that kind of treatment catches up with companies and they can’t hire high quality talent to replace the ones that left.
What’s your take? What is the right way to give (and receive) notice?
And for those of you that like a little drama, just be glad this guy doesn’t work for you.
What's holding you back from doing what you really want? Who or what is standing in your way? Money? Status? Responsibilities? Comfortable routines? Maybe it's time to... - try something new - take a risk - stop accepting that things will always "happen" to you - consider a fresh start - quit your job - start writing - stop playing politics - follow your crazy dreams - tell the naysayers and loud mouths to shut the hell up - stop being a door mat - be fearless - stop making excuses and live your own life for a change Maybe it's time to find your freedom.
Have you ever been to a leadership training program and realized the concepts taught would be as much use to you at home as at work? According to research by Development Dimensions International, leaders who apply their newly learned skills at work also put those skills to use at home. The same is true in reverse: you can draw upon life outside of work to be a better leader at work. All it takes is sharpening your observational skills and a focus on seeing leadership lessons in life’s daily activities.
Leadership lessons unfold in unlikely places; it’s surprising how life can help you become a better leader. Look to these six potential sources for inspiration.
The arts. It’s riveting to watch other people navigate life’s challenges, especially from the comfort of our living room sofa. It can be instructive as well. Movies, theatre, and television all provide countless lessons on leadership, if you pay attention. The same goes with literature; nearly any well-written book showcases instances of leadership greatness and failure. If this feels too much like “school,” save the introspection for titles you’ve already seen. Watching or reading an old favorite with new eyes uncovers nuances you probably missed the first time around.
Sports. Whether it’s your kid’s Little League game, a collegiate showdown, or a professional contest, lessons on motivating and leading a team abound. Every so often, take your focus off the “victory” element of the sporting event. Instead, watch for how coaches and team captains rally to create greatness on the field. Dig more deeply to learn even more from lesser-seen but still important players such as parents, fans and behind-the-scenes support staff.
Gardening. If you’ve ever coaxed something green to thrive, then you know that leadership and gardening share many common themes. The acts of seed selection, soil preparation, planting, watering, and pruning—they all have lessons to teach about tending our workplace “gardens” as well.
Volunteer work. Community service is one of your strongest learning labs because it most closely resembles your work environment. A person who successfully leads a committee learns as much as any MBA management class has to offer. “Management by committee” is a tough slog, but if you learn from it, your team—and your career—benefits.
Family and friends. This one’s a bit dicey because it’s difficult to distance ourselves from the interpersonal dynamics at play with those closest to us. Yet our families and close friends are our earliest teachers, for good or bad. If you can objectively reflect on the “lessons learned” about trust, motivation and building camaraderie, look to this cohort for inspiration.
Nature. Do you ever look to nature to help you puzzle out a challenge at work? I tend to favor the botanical, (as in this essay on dealing with change) but any “-ology” that helps you better understand your corner of the management biosphere is especially helpful.
The full gamut of our life’s experiences can help us become better leaders. Take a look around you to see how your world outside of work can help you be better when you’re in the office. It costs nothing, yet the potential rewards are immense.
