Guest Article: Oops! How Failing an Interview Question Taught Her About HR Strategy by Ben

I had been on the job search for a little while, and I was very thrilled when I received a request to come in and interview for a manufacturing operation that produced rubber molds and other rubber pieces.

This was going to be my first big HR role, and I was really nervous. Fast forward to the interview session, and I was feeling a little more confident. Everything was going well, but then the president of the company threw me a curve ball.

He asked, “Why do you think our capital costs have risen so much in the last few years?”

So I thought about it for a minute. Then I responded, “Well, it’s not like rubber grows on trees.”

He gave me a strange look and proceeded to tell me that yes, indeed, rubber does grow on trees.

—–

When I heard that story from a reader a while back, I had to laugh. And in case you’re wondering, yes, she still got the job. The point here is that the core piece of understanding how to create HR strategy is by understanding the business and how it operates. (And it also shows just how much of a role we can play as the CEO’s most trusted advisor.)

The lady who sent me the story realized that she had a gap in the basic understanding of the business, its resources, and how it operated. To remedy that, she proceeded to learn what she could about strategy and business in general, but also about the organization itself. That blend of learning put her in the driver’s seat when it came to creating a forward-looking HR strategy.

I find it very interesting that strategic HR is one of those things that seems to be well known for some and a mystery to others. It’s probably why more than 6 in 10 companies have no HR strategy in place. I did some research last year and found that there were dozens of sessions at the Annual SHRM Conference that mentioned “strategy” in their name or the content description, far and away the most common word that was present in the session listings. So unless they are way off the mark (and SHRM knows its audience), there are a lot of people looking for information on the topic. I hope this funny story helps to illustrate for you just what you need to know in order to support your own organization.

Do you have a story about how your lack of understanding of the business created an opportunity to learn more and build a stronger partnership between the business and its HR resources?

Article source:Ben - Oops! How Failing an Interview Question Taught Her About HR Strategy»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: In Support of Amy Cuddy and Power Posing by Jennifer Miller

Wonder Woman kicks butt. She’s strong, principled, and makes people tell the truth with her golden lasso. When I was a kid, I watched the Linda Carter version on TV.  She’s my favorite heroine, as evidenced by the many WW items adorning my home.

When Harvard professor Amy Cuddy made news with her 2012 “power posing” TED Talk, I could relate. The posture she exhorts audiences to adopt—legs in a wide stance, hands on hips, evokes a Wonder Woman vibe. The premise of her talk: that powerful body language can help a person feel more confident and competent. Cuddy followed up her TED Talk with a New York Times best-selling book, Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges, which describes, in part, the benefits of power posing. Cuddy backed up her claims with research conducted with two other colleagues in 2010.

Over the years, several in the academic community have questioned the researchers’ conclusions. Last week, the scrutiny intensified when one of Cuddy’s co-researchers, Berkeley professor Dana Carney, published this note on the University of Berkeley’s faculty site. Carney was blunt: “I do not believe that “power pose” effects are real.”  (Carney’s formatting intact.)

For those of us interested in the social sciences in general, and psychology in particular, this is a big deal. Scientists don’t typically denounce their findings with such finality. Cuddy has developed a robust speaking career on topic of “power posing.” As you can see from the photo below, I met Cuddy at a conference a few months ago where she was one of the keynote speakers. I thoroughly enjoyed her presentation; many others I spoke with did too.

So is it all bunk? Should we forget about learning to pose like Wonder Woman to help us feel more confident?

It depends on who you ask. If you dig a bit further into some of the social psychology discussion boards (as I did), you’ll find mixed responses. From a purely scientific research methodology standpoint, the methods that Carney, Cuddy and Zap used a mere six years ago have now fallen out of favor. But as Cuddy points out in her New York Magazine response to Carney’s criticism, there are still 46 studies that support various elements of the benefits of power posing. Cuddy is sticking to her story. Others in the field, including behavioral scientist Uri Simonsohn, at the Wharton School of Business acknowledge that power posing might simply be the placebo effect in play, according to this NPR interview.

But here’s the interesting thing: amongst therapists and practitioners who encourage clients to “power pose” to reduce stress, they say it works. And they don’t particularly care whether it’s placebo or not. Several practitioners supported Cuddy on her Facebook Community page stating that while it’s important to follow rigorous scientific methods in the social sciences, as a matter of practicality, the concept is still useful. One commenter also pointed to this article in Nature claiming that nearly two-thirds of psychology research can’t be replicated.

Now, back to that impromptu meeting I had with Amy Cuddy. I found her to be a genuinely warm person and very interested in the people she was meeting. It’s difficult to fake that sort of sincerity. Does that mean her research was infallible? No. And she doesn’t claim it to be. Her response to Carney’s post was, “Science grows incrementally, moved forward by improved data and discussion, often involving disagreements among scientists, which is a critical part of how science advances. . . I welcome constructive back-and-forth examinations of research findings as we seek the truths that benefit society as a whole.” A classy response to a challenging situation.

This is my take-away: perhaps power posing doesn’t have the measurable cognitive and physiological benefits that Cuddy’s original research suggests. Enough people are finding it useful in their everyday lives to continue to use it as a means to gain confidence. As long as someone finds it useful and the actions they take aren’t harmful, then why not go ahead and continue?

One time, a few years ago, my mom asked her doctor about the benefits of taking a daily multi-vitamin. “Do you think vitamins help you?” he asked. “Yes,” she replied. “Then keep taking them,” he said. My mom continues to take her daily vitamins.

I’m sticking with power posing. And Wonder Woman. Both work for me.

How about you?

 

 

Disclosure: some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means if you click the link and make a purchase, I may make a small commission. Please draw your own conclusions as whether or not the products will meet your needs.

Article source:Jennifer Miller - In Support of Amy Cuddy and Power Posing»

Guest Article: You won't believe the disruption the legal recruitment sector is facing! by Ross Clennett

Two years ago I posted a blog under the title Soft free kicks in the media continue for ‘internet recruitment entrepreneurs’ in which I bemoaned the incredibly soft journalism being offered up by the ‘broadsheet’ media with respect to the reporting of supposed technology-based recruitment disruptors.   Last week they were back to their old habits when AFR journalist; Misa
Article source:Ross Clennett - You won't believe the disruption the legal recruitment sector is facing!»

Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Guest Article: Piece of Your Action by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

Quick poll: how many of you have executives running around your organization getting into everyone else’s business? These same leaders are often focused on their own popularity instead of tackling the real issues facing organizations in a thoughtful, intentional way.

 

…and how many of your other colleagues wish “someone” would do something about it?

We Created This Problem

Perhaps I’m reaching a bit, but here goes. At times if feels as if society has created a mindset that almost demands we avoid hurting people’s feelings at all costs, raising controversial topics, or…heaven forbid…holding people accountable!

What if they don’t like me anymore?

What will “they” think about me?

I’m not good at confrontation.

Well, I have to ask…what the heck are you doing in a leadership role? This is not daycare. 

Let’s Ask Ourselves

Have we created a new generation of weak leaders who are proud to have finished 9th, and no longer understand their obligation to get results (in a thoughtful way…yes, it can be done.)

Are the legions of junior level executives now positioned to assume true leadership roles, actually ready to take that next step?

By the way…age has NOTHING to do with this dilemma. We all see leaders who are “older" yet behave as if they are still trying to win a popularity contest instead of taking bold decisive action.

How many times do they need to admit that they made a mistake before we relieve them of the burden of their own "leadership?"  

Solving the Problem

How do we correct this situation quickly? There is a simple solution, yet I don’t think many will follow this path. It will require standing alone while your colleagues watch and wonder what will happen to you.

Confront the leader who wants a piece of the action directly. Directly.

Directly. (are you with me?)

How About You

Are you exhausted from managing the behavior of the executives in your organizaiton? Trust, that you are not alone. Make the decision to step up and do what everyone wants “someone” to do.

You are that someone.

I’d love to hear from you.

No Excuses. 

Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - Piece of Your Action»

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

Guest Article: You Can Go For It Too! by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

"I knew things needed to change. I just didn't feel like I was staying as current as I used to do so effortlessly. It felt like my job had changed, the industry had changed...and somehow I was suddenly stuck in place."

Realization
I remember when I realized I was on the precipice of becoming irrelevant in my work. Oddly enough, it happened when I was settling in to one of the most important roles of my career. I had just accepted a VP of HR position and could not have been more excited.

All those years of hard work and sacrifice had come together. The people I was going to be working with were terrific, and as I would find out later, were willing to try very new ideas.

But first...I came to a chilling realization. 

"If I kept the same mindset...the same approach...and the same attitude about HR leadership...I would no longer deserve to be in my job."

Talk about a buzz kill! I felt like I was moving from hero to zero in no time. Something had to change, and I knew what...or rather who...had to change.

Commitment
Sadly, role models for my transformation could not occur in the healthcare human resources space. There simply weren't any leaders taking risks or doing innovative work (that they shared!) particularly when it came to employer brand, recruitment, or candidly, getting results.

I decided to watch and learn from other leaders and industries and then apply those approaches to myself and my work. It was scary at first. It was difficult to explain at first. It was slow at first.

Until it wasn't scary, or hard or difficult. Why? Because actually working in 2016 vs holding on tight to your 1992 mindset changes everything.

How About You
Maybe it's time you took a hard look at what you are actually required to deliver in your work. I had to do it.

It turns our that the human resources department is not the core business of any organization. We are the jet fuel that helps each company deliver world class results in an ultra competitive world.

Are you ready to go for it? I'm here to help.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

pic
Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - You Can Go For It Too!»

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

Guest Article: SMB to Enterprise: The HR Technology Divide (#HRTechConf) by Ben

Recently I was interviewed by a good friend from SHRM’s Public Affairs team, Mary Kaylor. She asked me a few questions about the HR Technology Conference, and you can read it all here. What I want to expound upon here is the final question in the interview. I had to be succinct in my response to her but I think it’s worth a discussion. The question that spurred today’s discussion:

As technology evolves, what do you think the future of HR will look like?

My dream is for HR to be as savvy with its technological approach and focus on data as someone within the sales and marketing organization. Ask a marketer how a campaign went, and she can tell you stats about landing page visits, conversion rates, and more.

Ask an HR leader today how a particular program is running, and they will probably give you a blank look. Okay, they might be able to give you anecdotal information or even a basic piece of information, but they can’t drill down to the level of these other functions. I see this as a chicken-or-the-egg type discussion. Instead of waiting for solutions and support from the vendor community, HR leaders need to be demanding the tools and services to enable this change.

The more HR executives make data and analytics capabilities a requirement for their vendor partners, the more robust and mature those functionalities will become. HR in the future will be a technology-enabled, company-leading function that drives immense value through the people resources.

The Great Divide

One of the most striking things that hit me when I became a full-time analyst a few years ago was the divide between large and small organizations when it comes to technology. Small companies have limited solutions and budgets, often cobbling together free tools or going with the old standard for an HR system: Microsoft Excel.

There are companies that will budget something to get beyond 100% manual processes in areas like learning (training delivery/tracking) or recruiting (applicant tracking). But it’s still an ad hoc approach and is hard to prove value.

Other companies at the larger end have already reaped the rewards of that initial technology implementation (time savings, reduced admin burden, etc.) This often comes in the form of a patchwork of systems and solutions that don’t integrate well, if at all. For instance, I spoke with a friend at a large (20k+ employee) firm and the company is using five different systems just to manage end-to-end recruiting. In the words of my friend, it’s a “Frankenstein” approach to getting the job done, and it’s not even all that effective at anything other than creating frustration for users.

Smaller companies are getting into the tech game thanks to solutions like Zenefits, but it’s still just a piece of the overall HR puzzle and doesn’t solve some of the challenges around integration, data, and decision-making.

One of the areas I’ve been keenly interested in over the recent months has been the slew of small to mid-market solutions that are serving the HR community with a variety of technologies and services. I’m going to be meeting with several of these firms this week at the HR Tech conference and hope to get some good insights about how they are helping to bring these smaller firms along.

The big suites are too complex for small companies. Just like paper and manual work don’t scale up beyond a hundred or two hundred employees, the massively complex systems offered by the large providers can’t scale down to fit the process needs of a small firm (assuming we ignore the price).

My Vision for HR

I want to see HR leaders being as intentional about technology as their counterparts in other areas of the business. Marketers are smarter and faster because of their technology. Why can’t HR see these tools as enablers of performance as well? As I said before, the HR function of the future will be a technology-enabled, company-leading function that drives immense value through its people resources. I don’t think tech is going to replace people any more than processes will replace people. I think it’s going to help us to deliver greater value to the workforce and to our employers over the long haul.

What are your thoughts? How has your firm used technology to support HR? If you haven’t, why not?

Article source:Ben - SMB to Enterprise: The HR Technology Divide (#HRTechConf)»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: Finding Your Sunshine At Work by Jennifer Miller

Every summer, I plant a small veggie garden in my Michigan backyard. Even though the location is too shady for some of the sun-loving plants, it’s the only place that works in our yard, so we (and by “we”, I mean both the plants and I) make do. This summer I experimented with the placement of several plants to see if they would thrive in the shadier part of the garden. Surprisingly, all of the vegetable plants did well.

One thing I did notice, though, was that my basil plants had an unusual “leaning” thing going on. At first, I attributed it to them being planted askew. After a few days of monitoring, I realized that they were growing in the direction of the sun. If you remember your high school biology class, plants are “heliotropic,” meaning that they move or grow towards the sun in an attempt to flourish.

Human beings tend to (metaphorically speaking) gravitate towards the light as well. Social psychologists use the term “heliotropic effect” to describe how societies, groups or individuals move towards a person, situation or belief that they perceive positively. No doubt you’ve seen this in your life: there are some people to whom you are naturally drawn. That’s probably where the phrase “sunny disposition” comes from. My twelve year old daughter described one of her classmates in similar terms. “Cindy (not her real name) is so nice, Mom. Like, not fake-nice, but just really nice. Everyone wants to be her friend,” she once told me. That’s high praise (and no easy feat) for a preteen in middle school.

Caroline Adams Miller, a life coach and an expert on developing grit, talked about the heliotropic effect at a conference I attended. She described certain people as “energy hubs,” drawing others towards them. Like the basil plants in my garden, we turn towards these people because they inspire us and make us feel good. They can also help us perform better. Miller cited professional NBA basketball player Steph Curry as an example of a player who, whenever he’s on the court, elevates the stats of his fellow team members.

So, what if you’re not exactly the Step Curry of your office? Not everyone has a naturally “sunny” disposition. And that’s ok. You don’t have to be Suzy or Sam Sunshine to be effective at work. If you truly want to give your best at work, you do however need to pay attention to how your behavior affects others. Think about your interactions with others. Do people come to you for advice or input? That’s a good sign that you are seen as a helpful member of the team. Here’s something else to consider: not everyone feels drawn to the super-friendly, or the extroverted personality. Perhaps you can draw others towards you in a more quiet way.

One last thought: sometimes the “sunshine” seems very far away. If you are discouraged that there are no energy hubs to draw upon at work, consider this: my basil plants, even though planted under less-than-ideal conditions, still produced an excellent yield this summer. They persisted until they found some sun. That’s my wish for you as well—I hope your search for positive energy is fruitful, even if times seem very cloudy at the moment.

Article source:Jennifer Miller - Finding Your Sunshine At Work»