Moving Out of Silos

I consider myself an enthusiast of people improvement. Motivational speeches, blogging, coaching, mentoring, and Employee Engagement consulting are my thing. It is a massively fulfilling cross-over of personal ambition and professional drive....a purpose driven passion. Life is good!

In my advocacy for people empowerment there is a prominent obstacle:
People are still working in silos

In my work with Human Resources groups, I have found consistent requests for:

• Feedback
• Better Management
• A Clearly Defined Path to Success

Let's do a survey...
It seems to be popular opinion that the way to gather employee feedback is by issuing a survey. There are a few reasons why these surveys might fail:
- They do not ask the right questions 
- They do not produce actionable data
- They come from a place of mistrust

Asking an employee for their feedback in private may only produce selective data. If an employee invests in the process of stating their mind, leadership action is necessary. Otherwise, a survey will work as a demotivator.

Protecting the flock
It has been said that people leave bosses, not companies. This is not always the fault of the boss! If transparency is a fear factor in your organizational, your culture will be broken!

Everyone loves social media....we facebook our faces off, we use twitter, and LinkedIn is our professional bible. So, if we know that our employees love social interaction, why are our processes for management still anti-social.

Performance reviews suck, one-on-one calls do not produce action planning for career development, and top down direction does not create a holistic approach to organizational development. There has to be a better way!

PATH
To the former point, your employees can use social media to build their personal brand. OR your company can utilize the social enterprise to enhance your employee's career path within your organizational culture.

If my career goals are confined to a talk with my manager, only he/she can guide (or discourage) my success. If my goals are not clearly defined, documented and/or actionable...all I can do is assume my effort will fulfill the company's expectations. Hardly motivating!

Let's Break Down The Silos

Why are we still protecting employee feedback?
Why is only our manager in control of our career development?
Why are we still coaching with the office door closed?

Too many organizations have employees who are fearful to interact. They believe anything they say can, and will be, held against them. There are employees who believe that if they ask for feedback, they are only inviting criticism. Managers are forced to micro-manage to keep employees on track instead of inspiring them to grow. All silos in a field with no crop circles of interaction.

Motivation 2.0
I have 3 simple suggestions in conclusion to the pain this post has revealed:
1. Discontinue performance reviews...now!
2. Promote socialized goal setting!
3. Solicit feedback from all angles as a means to career empowerment!

Lack of transparency only leads to mass exodus of talent!

Don't Forget to Remember!

Dave

Performance Empowerment

Throughout this year I have had the pleasure of teaching a seminar on "Cultivating Employee Engagement" to a variety of professionals. I moderate an interactive conversation as we explore the pillars of what attracts and retains great talent.

I told the story of the Goldman Sachs employee who posted his letter of resignation in the New York Times. This example was used to validate the fact that most exit interviews are dismissed as discontent from a soon-to-be former employee. Why wait until your employees are fed up to the point of quitting to ask for their input?

This lead us to the topic of "stay interviews" - a process of checking the organizational pulse by gathering input from all ends of the organization. We were told the story of a company that promoted the "best place to work" survey to their employees...the Executives soon found out that they were the worst place to work....the culture was broken and the brass didn't know.

In all of the sessions there has been one overarching theme....Performance Reviews are not working:

• Assessing areas of weakness once a year is hardly a retention strategy
• People need encouragement every day to achieve their goals
• Everyone should have an opportunity to support their peer's performance

Here's What You Are Not Doing....
If we cannot learn from the past we are doomed to repeat it. However, if our past failures are used to overshadow our past accomplishments, we will be distracted (not motivated).

Let's be very honest. Performance reviews are a way to document areas of concern so in the event you need to fire someone you have documentation. You send along a word document rating hours of human effort and note your areas of concern. So I have put in 3,120 hours away from my family to make the organization better only to receive a 3 out of 5. Hardly motivating.

If you are measuring performance simply as a means to validate termination your culture is broken!

Here's What You Are Doing Right....
What if one-on-one meetings and the annual performance reviews were replaced by daily goal setting sessions? What if you looked forward to interacting with your boss because he/she existed to encourage your success instead of berating your effort? What if performance assessment became goal empowerment?

It would be nice to hug your boss when you see him or her instead of turning in the other direction to avoid criticism.

We know our business critical objectives and we need input to achieve them. We need to be empowered every day! With the recognition of our path to success we get closer to the sunset (instead of doing just enough to stay out of trouble). Picture a world where we all work together to achieve greatness...I would be willing to bet we would get more done with greater purpose.

"Hand me the club and tell me I'm the best golfer in the world"
- Jack Nicklaus

Here's What We Can Achieve Together!  
Working in silos is a way of avoiding transparency. Transparency is avoided not because you suck at your job but because your boss has been forced to act as a manager not empowered to lead.

That's right! That poor review you got is a result of disabled coaching not lack of effort on your behalf.

What if our goals were transparent? If we all knew what we had to achieve together and were able to encourage one another while we navigate our collective path to success. The collective is empowered to help one another instead of using accountability as a means for motivation.

The workplace is changing. Employees have never been more empowered. The greatest organizations are using bottoms up feedback to drive their organizational strategy. No longer is ivory tower dictatorship acceptable. Micro-management will only encourage employees to do one thing: revise their resume.

It is time to help one another succeed instead of planning who to blame when things don't go well. It is time to tear down the silos and tear up the performance reviews.

We all just want to be happy. We are happy when we succeed. It is even more fun to succeed together.

Don't Forget to Remember!

Dave

Personal Prophecy Perspective

Let's examine the life of a critic. Your occupation is to criticize. I would guess the underlying premise of said occupation would be to spend your life judging others to avoid any judgement upon yourself.

I never put stock in reviews. In fact, a bad review from one of the aforementioned deflectors of personal accountability may even prompt me to engage the art that they seek to destroy. Reviews are meaningless. If reviews were of such profound merit, we wouldn't have to see a film at all, we would simply let a few interpret the creation of others. All things created are yours to interpret in your own way. No one's opinion should matter more to you than your own!

In this blog we have frowned negativity as a motivational tactic and we have scrapped popular opinion in favor of unique individual inspiration. Today will be no different.

No one lives every minute in your shoes. Still, you will be told of ways to improve yourself and on the surface level this may seem like an attack. In most cases, people see your path to potential and want to help you kick the pebbles aside. It is vitally important not to let a pebble slow your pathway stridings. Be aware that the intent of your accuser is nothing more than a pebble on your motivational path.

Consider the Source
My friend was interviewed recently for a job she was entertaining. She called me afterward in disbelief of the interviewer's arrogance. The 20 year sales veteran was questioned by an accusatory staffing pro who's time on earth barely matched her career length. She explained to me that the job offered less money than she was currently being paid, the company was not a proven, and that the person interviewing her made no correlation of her applicable skills to the position. In short, she had met the gatekeeper to a land she didn't even want to enter.

You will walk into "no win" situations. It is always better to be polite, give the gatekeeper a few cookies, and to move on to a land in which you will be appreciated. The company may have another candidate in mind, you may be column fodder for due process, and maybe the interviewer's brother wants the job. It is my candid advice not to over-analyze strange misgivings. If you start a climb at the bottom of the hill with a ton of bricks on your back, two things can happen:
1. You succeed at the behest of your accuser
2. You will fail

Neither is an all-fulfilling formula for winning. When you prove someone wrong you usually put money in their pocket for betting against you. Why would you want to do that?

Path Assessment
The best partnerships are not forced. You can point to people and companies with whom you have worked who just "get it". They understand that you add value becuase you are not trying to fit a big square in a small circle.

You may love your I-pod but that doesn't mean Apple is a good company to work for. You may be a music fanatic but a position in Def Jam's marketing department might cause you to hate music. You could be an awesome golfer but your drive accuracy will probably not make you a better salesman for Callaway.

It's about finding partnerships that fit:

Do your organizational cultures align?

Does your product address their need without a ton of work arounds?

Does the person with whom you will work appreciative of you as a person?

Find Your Kingdom 
I would venture to guess that a dream job is out there for every one of us. A place where we can have fun, make money, and bring value to the world.

Professional life offers two options:
a. Search tirelessly for that perfect fit and do not compromise until you find it
b. Make your current job the best it can be

Start by considering the criticism you face every day. Sometimes you are given advice that you have to hear....it will help you remove obstacles and make you a better professional. Accept advice, assess how it will fit into your strategy and apply what will make you better. If in considering the criticism of your accuser you cannot find merit, politely ignore them!

You are in charge. You can make your current job your dream job. You know better than anyone if you have given your maximum effort. Listen to others but let your personal motivation drive. Take advice with a grain of salt and thank those who help you grow. Ignore the unkind. Be critical of your effort without beating up on yourself.

It's not just a job, it's your life. You will succeed by being honest with yourself. You are the only person who knows your genuine truth! Let your genuine truth lead!

Don't Forget to Remember!

Dave           

The Departed

I have been a traveling salesman for over 15 years. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area many of my commutes are accompanied by sports talk radio. As such, I was disheartened to hear that the great Ralph Barbieri was fired by his employer KNBR. In a statement he released, Ralph discussed that he arrived to work, was taken to the GM's office, was then told to hand in his keys, and to grab his belongs. He was escorted out of the building and his voicemail was immediately disabled. Standard firing procedure. But, after 28 years of service to the organization, I think Ralph deserves better.

Ralph Barberi was given the nickname 'the razor' for his edgy on-air demeanor. With this in mind, one might consider that his aggressive behavior may have worn on his employer after so many years. KNBR should have simply explained this. Now the parting of ways is mired in legal discussion that encompasses ageism and physical workplace limitations. Uncertainty breeds questions and formulates assumptions. The whole situation could have been addressed with more class on the part of the industry veteran's long time employer.

Of course, there are 2 sides to every story. Over time, the legal process will exercise itself and the real story will be reveled. So let's examine the lessons learned from this unfortunate parting of ways:
1. Performance should be measured daily
2. Animosity toward one's employer never produces results
3. Every day is Day 1
4. There is such thing as manners

Performance
Performance reviews suck! Annual reviews of performance are a legal charade to document areas and concern that will serve as defensible grounds for firing in the event that needs to happen at some point. Managers and Employees alike hate doing performance reviews. There is no dignity in telling people where they are falling short or by grading their life's work. Too much goes into a 10 hour day to quantify human effort. Ralph Barberi's firing is an advertisement for performance reviews. If you are going to shit-can someone, you better have documentation.

Ralph Barberi is a 70 year old man who has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. This is not why he was fired, but he will site the aforementioned assumed disabilities in a lawsuit, and probably win a few dollars as a parting gift.

Animosity
Tom Tolbert and Ralph Barberi had a special relationship. The 2 men separated by a few decades in age developed a camaraderie that warmed the heart. There is nothing more special than seeing people who genuinely appreciate one another...it is even better when these individuals are on seemingly separate sides of the spectrum. The 2 gentlemen lived out a Hemingway story and a Neil Young song for all to hear...every day. The only thing better than receiving sage-like advice from an elder is when this process works in reverse.

Even Tom Tolbert recognized the blessing and the curse of Ralph's strong personality. That's why he was fired. His employer simply couldn't put up with his disruptive behavior any more.

Comfort
I have been enthralled by Reid Hoffman's book, The Start-Up of You. This book is a manifesto of the entrepreneurial ethos that drives today's working world. No longer is longevity a word that encompasses greatness in the workplace. Each and every day one must recreate themselves to stay relevant. The minute you stop moving forward, you start moving backward.

Employee's know when they are under performing. At a certain point in everyone's professional life they plateau, for some it takes just a year others endure it for 30 years. When you face professional 'burn out' you are faced with 2 realities:
1. Refocus on the task at hand
2. Get a new job

In both cases the key is to find the passion in what you do and let that drive. You can ruin the job of your dreams by taking it for granted. You can also fool yourself into believing you are doing the thing you should be doing because it is convenient.

Manners
The world of work is a heartless machine. So much is involved in running a business and thousands of decisions are made every day. Some decision are made it haste and they are usually fixable. Certain decisions made in haste can be ever damaging to a company's reputation.

KNBR will not soon be forgiven for the manner in which they released Ralph Barbieri. They could have allowed him to play out his contract for another 7 months, had an on-air ceremony in his honor, and sent him on his way. This leaving a proud company alumni and a new directions for the loyal listeners of KNBR to be proud of. Regardless of reason for Ralph's dismissal, it could have been handled better. I would venture to guess that hindsight creates regret in this case.

In his famous walk to the Exit at SMI, Jerry Maguire, makes a plea for decency in the workplace. The premise of the Jerry Maguire story is finding a heart in the professional meat grinder that we submit ourselves to every day. With each day a loyal employee sees 20 years of their life dismissed in a walk to the exit. Then there are those who view every day of work as their last and perform accordingly. It is impossible to be the greatest version of yourself every single day for 20 years. We all get complacent, it's human nature.

I would leave you with this question:
If Ralph Barberi really loved his job and his employer would it have ended in the way it did?

If the answer to this question is "no" then it seems the parting of ways will ultimately be best for everyone involved.

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened" - Dr Seuss

Don't Forget to Remember!

Dave

Life's Unfair Balance

There is a lot of doom and gloom these days....struggling economy, protests, political muck raking, less than entertaining sporting events, over priced nights on the town. It seems the work day requires us to do more with less and when we try to break free our bank accounts are emptied. Not exactly a fair way of living: bust your butt, earn a few bucks and spend them all releasing stress....a steep price to pay for a headache.

If we are able to admit we may have to work harder than ever to earn less (and be OK with that) we might be on to something revolutionary! Life isn't fair, times are tough, and our only certainties are death and taxes. The landscape may not change any time soon. So you can sit at the bottom of the hill and cry or you can strap your boots on and start climbing the mountain.

With every task there is another, there are thousands waiting to fill your job, and you feel tied to the whipping post. The choice is pretty simple: get busy living, or get busy dying. Your Perception and your Attitude navigate your destiny.

In this time of uncertainty the following things remain indiscernibly true:
Hard Work Pays Off!
The 5 Best Words in the Human Language
Take a Breath

An Inarguable Truth
We are all looking for that idea, stock option, or widget that will catapult our wealth. There is only one sure answer: Hard Work! No matter what you do, if you grind it out for long hard hours, you will succeed! You can always work harder, you can always do more, your true potential is almost impossible to realize. It may take a month or a year or five years....but if you stick to it with unflappable determination: You Will Win!

Things that are out of your control may derail your progress. Someone may play dirty to take that promotion you wanted. There will be times when you trust the wrong person. Sometimes you take a chance and fail. Allow nothing to discourage you! If you keep working hard, success is eminent!

5 Words We All Want to Hear
I once worked for a person who saw my truest potential and pushed me every day to discover it. She liked me immensely but she would never let me know it. She felt responsible for my success and she would not allow me to under perform for even one day. When I finished at the top of the revenue report she met me at the bar at our awards banquet, put her hand on my shoulder and said....

I Am Proud Of You!

...I nearly cried. Those 5 words made 365 days of total effort completely worth it. Some employees want more money, others want gifts or travel vouchers, and there are those who like trophies. But, everyone wants to be told they have honored their post with the fullest of integrity!

Who Cares
I am a hyper-focused professional. I take advantage of every opportunity to improve and I take my work personally. Those who do less than I, and pass judgement, make me insane!

I once asked a really good friend (professional musician) to hear me out on an interpersonal struggle I was having at work. I explained the situation to her and she replied:
Who Cares.........!!!!!

Usually that reply would drive me nuts but in this case it made perfect sense. I was so focused on the mundane detail of a completely irrelevant point that I lost my focus of what was important. It was a shocking revelation. We often fret over things that are completely meaningless. In fact, most of the things that cause stress do nothing more than distract us from our actual goal. Sometimes you have to take a breath, blow it off and move on!

Week in and week out we learn that we often neglect what is important. We lose time with our children because we are pre-occupied trying to please someone at work. We are distracted at dinner with a loved one because our head is in our BlackBerry. We forget to tell Mom we love her...and then she is gone!

Time is fleeting, use it wisely! Nothing is too important!

Don't Forget to Remember!

- Dave

3 Ways to Love Your Job

Last week's post on Employer Branding ended with 3 vital questions.

I have been in sales for 15 years. My roles, markets, and client emphasis have evolved rapidly over that time. I got into Sales after spending the better part of the 90's at Arizona State University. I figured my leadership experience in student affairs coupled with my love for socializing would serve me well. It has. 

I came out of school doing tele-sales for a cigar company. I played the law of averages. If I call 100 people 2 of them will say yes. It worked....but my skill set never evolved. Two things are inelegant in this process:

- 2% is not a good ratio
- Hearing a bunch of NO's to get to YES does not foster any type of customer loyalty

Over time, my sales career has gone from transactional to consultative. It is no longer about the widget and now about the essential place I have in my customer's company culture. The law of averages no longer exists, the gift of gab has been dispelled, and the product/service/price is not enough.

In order to aid my professional development I have had to be aware of the 3 questions we pondered at the conclusion of last week's post:
•Which companies do you want to partner with because you know they cannot function without your partnership?
•What is your dream job and how can you get hired in 5 years?
•Are you willing to tell your CEO that from where you are sitting things are not working?

Gotta Have It!
There are companies out there whose products you might really love. There are other companies that might have a sexy culture that really intrigues you. But if you are not selling a sexy service said company probably does not have room for you on their 'vendor roster'. Just because a company has great product development and/or marketing does not mean they are a fun company to work with.

I go back to Simon Sinek's book, "Start With Why". In this book, Simon addresses the issues in this blog by dispelling what we seem to have convinced ourselves. You cannot pretend to be who you are not as a company. Your valuable time and effort will be wasted in chasing rabbits if they have no reason to stop and meet you eye to eye.

You need to find companies, prospects and new hires who match your WHY. The core values of your company need to match those of your desired prospects. You need to hire team players with common personal missions. You, as a job hunter, need to find that company whose business purpose matches your personal intent.

Where Is Your Rushmore?
Max Fisher had convinced himself that he wanted to be in high school forever. He had a school rich in opportunities that allowed him to form several student groups while developing himself as a leader. But, he neglected his grades and got kicked out of school. It wasn't the school that mattered. He just needed an organization that supported his ambition, trusted his intuition, and allowed him to experiment.

Too often, we think in direct extremes:
"My job sucks but it's work"
"That company is super cool but they would never hire me"

So we pass the time punching the clock and pretend that work is work.

In the movie Cool Hand Luke, our hero challenged the biggest guy on the lot to a boxing match and got his ass royally kicked. On his way back to the barracks as his constituents looked over him with shame he said, "at least I tried". Damn Right!

It's easy to hate your job because you settled for a company that would hire you. It is easy to have a job that does not challenge you but pays the bills well enough. It is easy to sit back and watch others fail...to shake your head and tell them they should have stayed off the radar. At some point, you owe it to yourself to go fight the bully!

Open Door
I bet you see things on the job every week that could be improved upon. I bet you either keep it to yourself or throw your hand up in a team meeting and bitch about it.

In a seminar I did earlier this year I asked attendees "how do you know what your employees prefer and how do you convey that to your CEO?"
The responses:
A. We take a survey (but never show the results to the CEO)
B. We do a focus group (without considering the participants)
C. We value our Executive directives and do not allow input from employees to effect our planning

Most CEOs do not know the nuances of their company culture. Does that mean it is incumbent upon line managers and employees to hide problems from their executives? If you happen upon the CEO at the water cooler and he/she asks how things are going, you will tell him/her "exceptionally well" and dart off in the other direction.

There has to be a way to inform the CEO of the issues that are causing turnover. There needs to be a way to eliminate the things that are not working and develop initiatives that make sense to the employee. When jobs are performed well employees should be rewarded, when employees stay late on a Friday they should be thanked, and if a middle manager protects employee feedback from the CEO...that person should be fired.

There are no easy answers but we need to keep in mind where our energy is best utilized.

If a company is a bad prospective customer they will be a terrible customer. This will waste valuable time and resources without producing sufficient revenue. This is an affect of pretending to be someone you are not. You cannot fit a whole donut in a coffee cup (take one bite at a time).

If you hate your job consider WHY. Are you paying attention to the right things? If someone is an a-hole...work around them. You don't have to freak out every time said a-hole attacks you....let them drown themselves. Focus on where your talent is best appreciated and make your current job, your dream job.

Executive leaders appreciate confidence, concise language and solution oriented thinking. You can tell the CEO of a issue in the workplace if you have the above mentioned 3 traits in mind.

Your job will be awesome if you love your customers and co-workers (and they love you). Your job will be awesome if you ignore the a-holes and focus on the good stuff. Your job will be awesome if your well-educated opinion is respected in the board room.

Don't Forget to Remember!

~ Dave

Just Pretend

In a former life I was a lyricist and singer in a Rock Band. I never felt right singing songs that other people had written. I wasn't able to understand the journey behind the words. I didn't feel authentic delivering the message.

My friend Mike Robbins introduced me to his concept of Authenticity in business a few years back. A seemingly simple concept but continuously over-looked. Mike's concept has spread to the masses in the last few years. Every company is adamant in promoting their commitment to transparency.

Last night the HR Happy Hour gang had a lively back channel Twitter Chat regarding Employer Branding. Authenticity, Transparency and Executive Awareness were the predominate agenda items. My passion for the aforementioned subject matter prompting a community member to call me a Bolshevik. Every company wants to admit that they are perfectly in tune with barstool banter. There are great HR Professionals (Oracle) that will tell you straight away that if you want to have fun you are in the wrong place. But if I were a CEO I would visit http://www.glassdoor.com/ and take the feedback seriously.

I am a Salesman and I love winning but at this stage in my career I am equally pleased with people who flat out tell me "we will never do business with you". Fair enough, now I can spend time with someone who appreciates my effort! Unfortunately, interviewers cannot look you in the eye and tell you that you are not a good fit for their company. Nor can a potential client tell you that your organizations don't mesh. Most CEO's have more to worry about than public perception but millions of dollars ride on barstool conversation and glassdoor.com reviews. Believe it!

At some point it became necessary to differentiate yourself by wearing a suit and tie. Dress has nothing to do with on-the-job performance and that's a fact. When we talk to the CEO, we hold our hands in front of us and speak in polite terms, instantly putting ourselves in the unremarkable category. We meet with a client and politely talk about what we do. Why would they give a shit?

There are 3 questions to ponder:

• Which companies do you want to partner with because you know they cannot function without your partnership?
• What is your dream job and how can you get hired in 5 years?
• Are you willing to tell your CEO that from where you are sitting things are not working?

We will attack this subject matter in great detail next week!

"After all, in the end, just pretend"
- Ben Folds, Ben Kweller & Ben Lee (in unison)

Don't Forget to Remember

Dave

Personal Public Persona

Earlier this week I authored a piece about social media in potential hire profiling. The responses have been varied but one point has become certain:

Without your boss sitting on your lap at all times, the choices you make are your own!


This sentiment is not specific to social media but it may be the area in which it is most prevalent. Tony Bruno was suspended this week for his choices and many others have suffered an even worse fate. As Erica Albright stated, "the Internet is written in ink". So unavoidably true. Your company cannot police your every thought, your opinions may fall into the wrong inbox, and interpreting the mood of the written word is very difficult. We are not governed by the platform or the organization with which we are affiliated. We can only monitor ourselves. This is a massive responsibility!

I don't believe that Tony Bruno is a racist, he just got caught up in the moment. This week I saw that a person trying to help another revealed confidential mental health information about that person. The intention was good but the after effect served to further limit the person she was trying to help. I saw another post asking sorority women to disable their facebook pages during their recruitment period..? That's a super secret society.

I don't know about you but I'm not willing to give up that easily. I strongly believe that every company should be aligned with their core values (from CEO to Intern). The most prominent core value of any company is: TRUST! If you want a productive and empowered workforce...trust is essential. Everyone appreciates being given the club with the power to swing it as they wish. No one likes rules, restrictions and/or regulations (necessary as they may be).

This social media thing is not going away. In fact, more people communicate through facebook than email these days. We have an opportunity to use the power of our personal influence for good...why ignore it or attempt to regulate it. Like anything else, we learn from our mistakes in social media. We stop putting down others in blog chats, we stop voicing our opinions after 4 beers, and we refrain from jokes that may be conceived as bullying.

For the first time in my professional lifetime the villagers have more influence than the king. The voice of the people has never been stronger. Twitter is the voice of the NFL players union, blogs speak louder than the New York Times and Facebook has more citizens than most countries. We must understand that with great power comes great responsibility. We need to be aware that our words have consequences and that they cannot be erased. Accept the privilege and proceed with riotous intent!

It is certain that social media will improve our communication. We will learn what to say and when to say it. We will stop protecting our words and share them. We will grow, in honesty, together!

Don't Forget to Remember!

Dave

Social Awareness

As a Human Resources Strategist, there are 2 requests that are consistently reiterated to me:
1. How can my company be more like Zappos?
2. How do I write an iron-clad Social Media Policy?

The enquiries of competing ideologies are a microcosm of the double life delegated to HR Pros.

The Great Tony Hsieh recently address the question of social media policy at Zappos. I will paraphrase his feedback:
Our social media policy is pretty simple, we hire people for reasons that would validate that we are comfortable with them using social media under the Zappos brand.

Zappos is a great organization because they understand that people come first. Zappos is a company driven:
1. Individual Personalities
2. Core Values
3. Great Customer Service
....you will note that policy and/or organizational process are not listed in their drivers to success.

So, I can't "make your company like Zappos" if your position description is driven by words like: governance, regulation, policy, performance reviews, exit interviews, etc....

HR has been commoditized to corporate police. Do you think HR at Zappos faces liability.....you bet they do...they are HQ-ed in Vegas and have a bunch of 20 somethings working for them!!!! However, Tony Hsieh, his senior leaders and his legal team would don't heap said liability on said 20 somethings when they enter the office on any given day. Zappos remains an exemplary corporate culture because they keep their policy in the ivory tower and let the natives play. They celebrate what's great about their talent and leave the "legal implications of one's behavior" to the lawyers.

Too often in HR we focus on protecting our brand instead of sharing it. We regulate behavior instead of rewarding it. We write policy instead of educating of core values. We focus on performance reviews instead of service celebration.

Tony Hsieh also commented that you don't need to be a start up with a young workforce to be like Zappos...all you need to do is to align your people with your core values. Question: do you know your company's core values? Can you recite them? Do you live by them? Core Values are the only thing, in any company, that promote uniform purpose to all people regardless of title. Unfortunately, they have been reduced to words on a wall covered by dust in most places.

I know HR Pros want to focus on hiring not firing. I know HR Pros want to spread culture not regulate behavior. We just can't seem to shake the commodity we have allowed ourselves to be reduced to.

Want to be like Zappos? Trust your talent and align them with your uniform organizational purpose.....is that so hard to do?

Don't Forget to Remember!

Dave

SHRM 2011: The Good & The Bad

I must admit, I went into SHRM11 feelings a little apprehensive. The expectation of programming that might let attendees down, the prospect of standing on my feet for 3 days straight, and the pre-formed guilt of the swag footprint always makes me painfully self-aware. As usual, I was wrong to go in feeling uninspired! I saw so many of my virtual friends in the Social Media lounge, was totally blown away by the keynotes, had great conversations with HR Pros from all over the world, and discovered some really great new companies.

In all, it was a marvelous time in Las Vegas. Our company was smart enough to put us up at the Green Valley Ranch; far enough from the strip to avoid creating the concept for Hangover 3. We behaved well at night and we're charged up to make the most of swagville by day.

The Good:
* Tony Hsieh - I have always enjoyed Tony's fun loving approach to doing business. I have seen him present before and have read his book. It is awesome that he was willing to promote his vision to the world of HR. John Hollon wrote a great piece on Tony's Keynote - check it out!

*The SHRM HR Blogging Community - It is no secret that I Love Laurie Ruettimann - she is like the little sister I never had. Totally upbeat but perfectly realistic. The Great Robin Schooling dropped by our booth to discuss wine, the lottery and the Saints. She honors the namesake of her favorite football team. Paul Smith dropped in during down time for a meaningful conversation about influencing managers to help employees make good decisions. Paul is one of my favorite writers and even more engaging in person. I also waived at China Gorman, gave Charlie Judy a high five, and exchanged salutations with my friend Trish McFarlane. The degree of influence that social media has gained @ SHRM over just the last 3 years because of the aforementioned people is simply remarkable! Keep fighting the good fight!

* Bright - My favorite new company....They have a super cool platform, totally engaged employees, and a feeling of purpose in their booth that radiates hope.

* Dice - This vendor hired Laurie Reuttimann, Steve Boese, and China Gorman to speak as HR Experts in their booth - a inventive and profitable decision.

*TLNT - I thought it was just a blog...apparently it's an actual company. Amazingly cool people and great writers who are kind enough to throw us all the part. The troops are throwing an event in Austin this is a can't miss.

The Bad:

* The only complaint I have about SHRM11 is the immaturity of vendors. Several times members of competitive organizations came to our booth in request for information. Some sent their loved ones, others dressed in costume, and there were those who were bold enough to show up and take our collateral (readily available on our website). While their methods were varied they have one thing in common: They think we're stupid! I know who you work for and I don't care what you know about my company. I never worried about competition. I concern myself with forging great relationships, finding customer's who mirror our company philosophy, and developing ways to make companies better.

"Don't Chase the Paper, Chase the Dream" - P Diddy

Thanks to Fabulous Las Vegas and all the people that made SHRM11 a massive success!

See you in Atlanta in 2012!

Don't Forget to Remember!

- Dave

Welcome to Swagville!

The 2011 SHRM Conference is upon us. Attend a few courses, get your certifications renewed, see some old friends....maybe do a little site seeing or grab a drink. But there is a 12,000 pound Elephant in the conference center: SWAGVILLE!

Also know as the Exhibitor Hall, Swagville is a place where uniformed sales people scan your badge and give you a collection of logo-ed items.

I am wondering if this elephant is a necessity. For "vendors" it is an opportunity to essentially have thousands of client meetings in one day. For "attendees" it is an opportunity to gather a bag full of branded toys for the kids.

Question: Have you ever implemented an organizational program because of a logo-ed stapler?

Maybe you have. Maybe the impression of a logo on an office aid actually has an impact. Maybe if you are a kid growing up with a logo-ed stapler in hand, you are forever involuntarily embedded with brand loyalty???

Vendors pay A LOT of money to exhibit at conferences. The quality of the various conversations usually opens opportunity for new partnerships and the investment is paid for. But, I am wondering if the swag is necessary? If you walk past a booth and grab a pen does it have any relevance to making your business better? Does a stuffed animal actually encourage you to seek out a vendor for help?

These chotsky's break pretty easily, they are extra stuff to carry on a plane, and the branded bag they come in will probably taint your fruit if you use it at the farmers market.

So, there is no business relevant conversation, you are forever surrendered to an email list referencing a product that has no significance to the job function you perform...the junk soon breaks and is trashed. Bad for the environment, costly to vendors, meaningless to attendees.


In 2012, I propose we eliminate the swag! All vendors take their previous year's swag budget and make a charitable donation. The Exhibitor Hall is now reserved for people who are serious about adding a product/service to compliment their organization. If you are not a decision maker or do not have a need for a service, you can avoid the Exhibitor Hall. This promotes meaningful and relevant conversation among people who are genuinely invested in forming partnerships. I would bet the same ROI would come to the vendors and meaningless transactions would be terminated.

Businesses grow and prosper, kids are spared the disappointment of their favorite branded toy breaking in half, the environment is spared and a charity of each vendors choosing is rewarded with money they can genuinely use!

Let's get back to partnership building with a purpose! Let's make the world a better place!

Don't Forget to Remember!

Dave

A Challenge to HR

Going into the 2011 Society for Human Resource Management Global Conference, I feel it my duty to re-iterate the "top workplace trends according to HR professionals" conveyed at the onset on 2011:
1. Continuing high cost of employee health care coverage
2. Passage of federal health care legislation
3. Increased global competition for jobs, markets and talent
4. Growing complexity of legal compliance for employers
5. Changes in employee rights due to legislation and/or court rulings
6. Large numbers of Baby Boomers leaving the workforce at around the same time
7. Economic growth of emerging markets such as India, China and Brazil
8. Greater need for cross-cultural understanding/savvy in business settings
9. Growing national budget deficit
10. Greater economic uncertainty and market volatility

In short; Globalization, The Economy, and a whole lot of policy. I guess Laurie Ruettimann was right, HR is all about politics.

How do:
1. Leadership
2. Organizational Strategy
3. Innovation
....fit into the HR notebook?

Should we be concerned that the Administrative stereotypes of Human Resources are re-enforced by the aforementioned survey? If HR really wants a "seat at the table", we need to focus less on legalities and more on our influence in driving organizational strategy.

We need to attract and hire great talent, evolve our company culture with the changing generational dynamic, create programs that drive thought leadership, and foster an employee-centric organizational environment. If these things seem obvious why are they not showing up as our peak concerns. We need to put down the Employee Handbook and pick up the Organizational Playbook.

Every employee in every company starts and ends with HR. We need to be a pipeline from Employee to Senior Managers:
Adopt a Strategic Program Management Plan
Create a Funnel from Employee to CEO
Stop Ignoring the Facts


What Would Google Do...
At the World at Work Global Compensation and Benefits Conference, the Google Compensation Team revealed a case study detailing how they revolutionized Compensation in their organization. Google gave every employee a 10% pay raise and a $1000 spot bonus. As we left their panel discussion a man turned to me and said, "I sure would like to work at a place where 10% pay raises were a reality...but I never will". Many from the conference had similar reactions, but they missed the point. Monica Davis and her team at Google developed a strategic plan for program adoption:
1. Listen to Employees
2. Gather and Analyze Data
3. Obtain Approval
4. Communicate
5. Build a Model
6. Implement

The key of this presentation was not that Google has millions of dollars to shell out on the ready (because they don't). The Google team wanted to show other HR professionals how to be business relevant.

When you come to the board room with data and a communication model to drive employee adoption; the CEO will actually ask you to "sit at the table".

The Voice of the Little People
I've never met a CEO that has any idea of a entry level professional's level of discontent with organizational directives. We implement performance reviews, surveys, and town hall meetings in an effort to gather employee feedback. Most employees feel they will be cast in a bad light if they point out areas of organizational deficiency in these forums. So they keep their mouth shut and work around organizational challenges.

This is where HR needs to assert leadership. Every HR Leader knows where the organization is falling short. With data in hand, and a plan for restructuring, we can be the driving force to organizational improvement.

What are you afraid of..?

Watch Your Back...
I worked for an organization that had a technique. Gather exit feedback from employees...then run to those who have been complained about and warn them to watch their back. This is how mediocre organizations stay mediocre, great employees leave for greener pastures, and bad middle management maintains it's place in marginalizing talent.

We are in denial! We start a 'good ol' boy/girl network' and protect our own. Millions of dollars are spent opening exits for true talent while protecting people who suck at their job. What a shame.

Another opportunity for HR to bang on the Boardroom door and demand attention.

So, as we enter the conference center in Las Vegas for the 2011 SHRM Annual Conference, I want to issue a challenge to every HR professional at every level...

Acquire knowledge to solidify your position as a Change Manager!

Gather tools to improve your strategic approach, the courage to convey information and the uncompromising drive to make your company better!

Don't Forget to Remember!

Dave

5 Questions for Dave Kovacovich

I am starting a new series on DFTR called 5 questions. Once a week, I will showcase some of my favorite people by asking them differentiating questions. The goal is to give my readers an alternative view of the professional world through the eyes of those who have fought the good fight and won!

If you or someone you know would like to be part of this series just let me know.

Our first guest on the 5 Questions series is me....here is the transcription of an interview I did with myself on the car ride to work this morning. I hope you enjoy this guest, he is one of my favorite people!

1. You have made some professional adjustments that have really benefited you as a person. How did this work?
I was caught up in the corporate rat race. My goal was to climb the ladder of a large corporation. I wanted to align myself with the right people, accept additional responsibility, and bring attention to my achievements...it all back fired. I was young so I let the bravado of my motivation overwhelm my body of work. I was far too transparent in my ulterior motives and people got sick of me. When the light at the top of the ladder went dim, I had to switch careers.

I did a total career make over. I went from a large company to a smaller one, transferred from Technology to Human Resources, and started working from home. I made a commitment to let my work speak for itself. I stopped speaking up on conference calls and in meetings (unless called upon). I realized I had created a lot of extra, unnecessary stress in navigating my career path. When I let my work speak for itself the success wasn't forced. I saved a lot of time and a lot of hair follicles.

2. What do you enjoy most about working with HR Professionals?
I enjoy helping the more administrative team members develop confidence. There are folks who have been kept in generalists roles because of their lack of confidence. It's awesome to empower introverted people by helping them design a program (while giving them the metrics to defend their decision). I love it when a Senior Manager gives me a the 'go ahead' on a new program and the aforementioned catalyst is promoted.

3. Most Salesmen are fast talking jerks, how have you tried to avoid that stereotype?
I try to listen more than I talk, think with the customers mind, answer questions directly, make the solution applicable to a conveyed need, and to infuse some common sense.

As sales people, we tend to get hung up pretending to be product experts. Prospects don't care about our product knowledge, they care about how the product will fix a need, bring value to their company, and make their job easier. We get too hung up on touting our product without taking time to understand why (or if) our prospect needs what we're pushing. I hate to see a prospect ask a simple yes/no question and get a 10 minute product capability dump (that doesn't address their question). You wanna be a successful sales professional: listen and apply your solution to a conveyed need....and don't be afraid to say your product is incapable of doing certain things. Prospects appreciate salespeople who are not submissive to every request.

4. What are the latest trends in the world of Employee Recognition?
Who cares! Our industry tends to lack creativity. We latch on to themes like Employee Engagement and Motivating Millennials and we pretend we have a one size fits all solution. I don't believe there is such thing as an industry expert and I don't believe in best practices. Every industry, company, and employee have unique identities...trying to throw a blanket over it, makes consulting a commodity.

5. You are a big fan of sports and music. How do your personal preferences relate to your profession?
It's all about inspiration. I love the thrill of victory. Seeing the underdog overcome pre-conceived adversity makes me believe I can do anything. It's the same with music. I listen to Bon Iver and the sound scape opens my soul...I instantly forget the mundane pressures of life and I am filled with purpose for the moment. The challenge is always remembering the great stuff. Music and sports help me remember how amazingly awesome I can be.

Life is good for Dave! He lives to work because he loves his work. He loves his work because he takes no detail too seriously, has great relationships, and celebrates the strengths in everyone around him.

Next week we will talk to another amazing professional with genuine intent. Until then...

Don't Forget to Remember!

Dave

What Sucks About Conferences

Memorial Day Weekend is the introduction to Summer....which can only mean one thing....It's Conference Time!!! That's right....the time when your company sends you off to an exotic location to spend 3 days in a conference hall learning about the latest industry best practices. You rub elbows with the experts, make a few new friends, acquire a ton of knowledge....and return home with a hangover and a foam Gieco Lizard for the kids!

I have the pleasure of spending my summer weekends as a 'vendor', presenter, and attendee of several conferences in various industries. My time and practice have helped me develop a rhythm for maximizing quality information intake.

There are 2 distinct types of presenters at conferences:
Those who genuinely wish to educate
Those who grandstand in a effort to push their products

I love attending sessions with dynamic speakers! Those who can keep an audience engaged for 45 minutes and leave them asking for more. These masters of public speaking are few and far between at conferences. Far too often we are subjected to 50 powerpoint slides of bland information hosted by a guy in a suit behind a podium saying ummm every fourth word. This sucks!

Another type of presentation that brings me displeasure is a 'vendor' that sponsors the conference who is afforded an opportunity to present. The session is titled "Strategic Finance Management" - you walk in and see a vendor logo presented prominently on the screen. They proceed to spend 45 minutes going through an introduction of their finance management software.....there is no strategy, no relevant information, and you spend the session trying to find the Geico booth on the exhibit hall map.

There are special events at conferences: Happy Hours, luncheons, dinners, and boat cruises. You want to go back to your hotel and sit at the bar for a half hour before getting some well needed rest but your boss told you that you have to network. You board a crowded bus, get to the Boat, and are bombarded by more 'vendors' handing out logo-ed cups and flashing logo necklaces. As you grab some food and seek an uncrowded place to enjoy your first meal of the day. Then you are joined by 6 young men in matching t-shirts. They proceed to spend the evening telling you about how great their products are and how much they want to work with your company. They give you their cards and take yours.....time to catch a cab back to the hotel!!!!!!!

Then there is the exhibit hall. Your boss has asked you to find an incentive planning partner...there are 46 of them exhibiting. They all look the same and they all have the same approach. Scan your badge, give you a logo-ed pen, and say they will have a salesman call you as soon as you get back home.

After visiting 46 companies that look exactly the same, having your lunch ruined by networking 101 bravado, sitting through a product pushing session, and collecting 923business cards; you finally get to the Geico booth....they are out of foam lizards....FUCK!

As you finally make it to the airport you find an empty bar stool. A nice gentleman pours you a beer and offers you a shot for only $1.00 more. You accept. The thought that crosses your mind as you reflect on the conference...

DO THEY THINK I'M STUPID?

I've been gorilla marketed to the point that I will have logo sponsored nightmares for months. I sat through sessions that push products without consideration of audience interest. I've given my cards to 100 gel heads that will spam me for months to come....and I didn't even get a goddamn lizard for the kids.

Department Managers: make no mistake about it, sending your Jr Associates to conferences is very motivating! They will do everything in their power to move up the ladder so they don't have to go to that conference again next year!

Don't Forget to Remember!

Dave

Trends in Employee Recognition

In May 2011 World at Work released a report on Trends in Employee Recognition. Much of the information in this report confirms what we know about this facet of employee rewards. There were a few head scratchers. Today, we will investigate the head scrathers...


Disbursement Strategy
70% of organizations offer 3 to 6 different recognition programs. This raises the question as to whether there is a synchronized strategy in delivering these various programs. Let's say the transportation supervisor rewards his/her crew for workplace safety while the sales team administers an incentive performance program. These programs are unique to their organizational sub-culture but they could benefit a larger organizational strategy. Why is safety limited to the operational workforce? Why are incentive programs limited to sales? If the right hand and the left hand are on different dials can the body actually work in harmony? The aforementioned programs run famously within their respective branches of the company but why can't the rest of the organization benefit from their success? If a tree falls in the warehouse, and nobody sees it, does it really count against your insurance premium?

Who's The Boss?
The majority of those surveyed for the World at Work report revealed that Senior Management was neutral to their Employee Recognition programs. We now discover an indifference from those in the boardroom in addition to the unsynchronized strategy. An employee works all weekend to complete a project, a rookie sales executive develops an up-selling initiative, an administrative assistant celebrates 30 years with the company....and the CEO is unaware. That is a shame!

Happy Anniversary
90% of organizations celebrate employees on their service anniversary. The most commonly distributed reward.......A certificate.

One Source - Total Recognition
The employee recognition trends of 2011 are not new. There continues to be a few areas of concern:
1. Inconsistent Strategy
2. Lack of Senior Management Attention
3. Poor Execution in Recognizing Employee Performance

Employee Recognition is the most important element of any organization. Employees leave companies because they feel their hard work is not validated. What makes your company unique? Are you celebrating your irreplaceable differentiators? Everyone in the company should be aware when an employee completes a special achievement. A certificate can mean the world to someone if it is presented in the right way by the right person.

The most meaningful professional reward I ever received is a watch. I'm sure it is valued at under $100 but to me it is worth a million dollars. It was presented to me by my peer's slightly after I was overlooked for a promotion. Their kindness revealed to me that I didn't need a title to be a leader, that my fellow team members mattered just as much as the area VP, and that my effort had changed people's lives for the better. My most treasured gift dispels a few preconceived notions:
* It's a logo-ed watch and I like it.
* The dollar value of any gift is insignificant.
* Praise from any angle feels good.

I've heard CEOs say they don't believe in rewarding people for doing their job...shameful! I've heard employees say they do not want to be embarrassed by being recognized for their achievements....that's a lie! Managers think employees would rather receive a Starbucks card than a watch...have you ever had a cup of coffee that you will never forget?

We humans need to know that our time and effort is worth something. We spend most of our waking hours at work so the least we can do is leave (or better yet arrive) every day with a smile....

Don't Forget to Remember!

Dave

Embrace Impossible

It's the 5th Installment of the Employee Purpose Perspective (EPP) and our task today is simple:
Embrace Impossible

When you join a new company the outstanding performer pulls you aside and lets you know, "how things are done around here".

Some see the extending of the olive branch as an honor. Others see proposed limits on the standard for success. It is simple to look at the best, admire their talent and strive to be like them. You can also understand that top performers want to stay at the top and every new team member may serve as a threat to their throne. Don't get me wrong, I despise internal competition, I also dislike the abuse of tenure!

Everyone has a plateau and it is horrifying to see the great fall from grace. Those who cling to the past do so because they have lost their ability to repeat greatness. Allow not proposed limits to keep you from exceeding the norm and redefining the standard. There is nothing impolite about doing the best you can, it helps everyone get better! If ever you are told to 'slow down' you know you have victory in your clutches. Never Slow Down...re-establish the standard.

Possibility is merely a metric of what has been. That time is past and there are no limits to where we go from here! If you are willing to accept the norm, you should stay in bed. If you are comfortable playing second fiddle, you shouldn't join the band. You belong on the field not on the bench. Allow no one to set the standard for you.

3 Keys to Achieving the Impossible:
Consider the Source
Give Yourself Credit
Do Not Entitle

The Best?
The team's number one producer is often not the most credible resource. Some people get lucky, others know how to work the system, there are those who use their resources well, and others that are massively disciplined in their approach. There is nothing wrong with succeeding by the means that fit your personality.

Warning: Do not assume 'top producer' means most knowledgeable!

What Got YOU here?
I was once told to go to the team's top producers to understand the formula for success. None of the advice I received made sense. I asked an employee in another department what he thought? He said, "If they define success, you should consider yourself a leader already"!

It made sense...be humble in seeking advice but don't take it as gospel. Don't forget who you are, what got you here and the achievements that got you hired. Don't think because you are the 'new girl' that you cannot be a leader.

Round Here....
Titles, tenure and earning statements don't tell the whole story. You do not need a trophy to prove your worth. You don't need to be at the top of the ranking report to know you are great at your job!

Think about who you really want to be and start from there. No one reserves the right to define boundaries for you. Maybe you have failed to establish the success you had five years ago....that does not mean you cannot get back there. Maybe you are the best on the team, that doesn't mean you have plateaued.

Think of your life's greatest achievements, keep them in your heart, and take the Glory back.

There is nothing you cannot achieve if you define, for yourself, what is possible.

When you get to the top of the mountain turn around and do it all over again.

There is no Finish Line!

Don't Forget to Remember!

Dave

Personal Relevance

This is the 3rd installment of the Employee Purpose Perspective (EPP). What have we learned so far?

* Collaboration is better than competition
* One must have purposeful intent to discover a meaningful worklife


We have agreed to find purpose in a common cause. Now it's time to understand the extended relevance of this cause to our livelihood.

The worst advice I ever got was to keep my employees at arms length. I was told not to get too close to my team because it would make leading more difficult. That's hogwash.

I believe forging personal relationships beyond products and services is what turns a company into a culture. By simple premise, if I respect you as a person, I will respect you as a professional. It does not always work the other way.

The person who advised me to keep from engaging my team in my personal life was afraid. She thought revealing her true self made her vulnerable. If you dislike yourself you may assume others will too...so you put up a facade. My contention is that by making ourselves personally available we cross the line from numbers to people and make it personal. Human connection is what makes good companies great.

Even the most strategic facade creators are always revealed. Anyone can put together a company, sign checks and produce profits. People come and go from companies, they stay in cultures of appreciation driven by leaders with Human Connection.

So Let's Get Personal!

I sat with a client a few months back. I advised him how to run his company, he nodded and appreciated the advice. After enduring my professional bravado he asked me where I lived. I told him and returned the question. For the next half hour he told me a story of his house burning down and the uncertainty of 2 hours away from his children after hearing of the fire. A humanizing story. I will never forget this man!

We walk in and out of buildings, file contracts, make copies, shake hands, smile and give advice. But, without getting to the center of people's being we cannot form lasting connections. Without lasting connections we commoditize our relationships. If our relationships are commodities they are easily replaced by the next thing with a smaller price tag.

Think about the best boss you ever had. My guess is that he/she was a better friend than an advisor. We learn from our mistakes, but we do not want to be consistently reminded of our inefficiencies. Think about the best customer you ever had. My guess is the personal connection was more important than products and services. You could probably speak in honest terms to this person when your product failed. If expertise is all you have, and your product fails, your credibility is shot.

Why are we afraid to admit we are fallible? Why are we surprised that we are easily replicable if we do not have personal connections. You are a person not a number. You have a unique presence that no training course or product knowledge can replace.

Your unique, differentiating skills are what make you indispensable. Why would you be afraid to reveal them.

If I know a man has no home to return to, I will strive to make his worklife easier!

Revealing your personality in your professional life is an element of personal security. If you think in opposite terms, you are a replicable commodity.

Make It Personal!

Don't Forget to Remember!

Dave

The Employee Purpose Perspective

The catch phrase "employee engagement" has already become an over-used commodity. That's what we do. We grab on to a catch phrase and seek to wish it into existence. We buy a worn out strategy and hope for unique results.

Everyone wants employee benefits like Google. Everyone wants a corporate culture like Zappos. So they invite a team of consultants in, pay them a ton of money and say, "make my company like Google".

Newsflash: Google, Zappos and all great organizations got that way by taking chances. They did not ask for 'best practices', they created their own. They did not seek to copy a company culture, they took time to understand their employees and create relevance for them.

In the book Linchpin, Seth Godin challenges us to create an indispensable personal value by utilizing our irreplaceable skill. The Blue Ocean Strategy focuses not on bloodying the water in a competitive shark fight but to eliminate competition by charting new waters. Students go to Harvard to 'create careers' not to qualify themselves for a top paying 'job'.

There are no easy answers, there are no expert consultants, and there is no such thing as best practices. I cannot put a 'one size fits all' business plan on your desk and expect to change your organization. You have to try harder. You have to put aside perceived standards and roll up your sleeves. You have to challenge yourself to get up from your desk, get out into your hallways, and find the "IT" that exists there like no where else.

If you are not willing to do the emotional work....your company will never change. Stop wasting your money by paying an outsider to create the next soon-to-be irrelevant catch phrase. Stop paying people to energize your team with temporary motivation. Stop telling your employees to read a book in hope of creating a common organizational purpose.

Over the next several weeks we will review the roadmap for The Employee Purpose Perspective. A challenging 7 step self-analysis that any organization must invest themselves in to create a purpose driven culture. While the execution will be difficult, the premise is simple:
1. Collaboration not competition
2. Purposeful intent creates cultural perspective
3. Organizational initiatives must have personal relevance
4. Every directive must have a unique value proposition
5. Reward the willingness to embrace the impossible
6. Extend a personal mission to each employee
7. Professional purpose is a willingness to fulfill personal desire

Sound Impossible? Good! Let's start thinking about what is impossible and use the aforementioned 7 step process to make it reality.

If you are not ready to dedicate yourself to investigating what today seems completely unachievable, you cannot change your organizational culture.

The only way to enhance employee engagement is to do a deep dive into your culture and enhance daily.

There are no perfect metrics, no case studies, no benchmarking, no references, no best practices and a finish line does not exist. You will have to throw down your crutches and sprint through this process, every day!

If you are willing to change your organization, the lives of your employees, and the world for the better; stay tuned to this blog. If you are looking for easy answers, unsubscribe.

Don't Forget to Remember!

Dave

The Art of Being Selfless

How is it possible to be giving and self-motivated at the same time?

To support others while focusing on personal directives may categorically be competing ideologies. We strive to convince ourselves that there are two types of people in this world:

1. Those who focus, win, and allow no one to deter their forward motion
2. Those who are passive, ability free, and weak

Today we are going to explore how these seemingly competing ideologies may just be part of the same emotional package. I will do this by examining 3 simple principles:
* The will to win is an act of Love
* To compete only for validation is an act of insecurity
* Giving with the expectation of recognition is an act of cowardice

The Heart is on the Inside
You see the person who wins a football game and thanks God. His faith in himself being just as important. What drove him to win was the total confidence that he had in his ability and his willingness to recreate possible as it happened. His faith in god may have given him the extra inch but the other 10,000 inches came from preparation, self discipline, and creativity.

To win is not in effort to see others lose but rather an offering to lift them up. It is hard to be the best - everyone is always gunning for you while you have reached your highest point of potential. The great ones find an art in the game. They win for the sake of redefining themselves in an effort to create a different landscape; every day. Art is an act of creativity. Creativity is powered by the human condition of Love. Those who find new landscapes win and therefore; Winning is an Act of Love.

In order to be truly great, one must be ignorant of their competition not driven to best them.

Look At Me!!!!!!!!!
You can detect those who are full of sh*t pretty easily:
They talk too much
They consistently tout their achievements
They make an effort to point out their selfless nature

To speak without intent is to babble like a fool. There is never a need for explanation. People get hung up on re-iterating their greatness. They think that by consistently mentioning how awesome they are, we are going to have an Epiphany, and bow to their excellence. Don't flatter yourself and don't insult our intelligence.

The big mouths only act so because they want to beat you to the punch. They would not dare sit down and reveal themselves...they need to be represented by the bravado of their self marketing. They are not shouting for joy, they are crying for help.

No Reciept Necessary
No one ever sees the richest people in the world. Those who are truly charitable send an envelope, they don't require a red carpet. People who are genuinely dedicated to helping in the workplace do not need anything in return for evolving others: they do it because they care about their company and it's legacy.

Halls of Corporations are filled with so-called do-gooders who mask their goals for personal development in the positioning of helping others.

The test is simple: if you wait to pick up that piece of paper in the hall until the boss walks by you are masking your selfishness in pseudo-community service. If you have to have 4 vodka tonics before voicing your professional opinion, your thoughts will never be respected.

It's OK to care and show that you do. It's OK to shelf the facade and speak your mind. You have to help those around you without expecting a pat on the back.

No deed goes unnoticed and the pretenders are always exposed!!!!!!! Trust me on that one!

You need to validate those that are busting their tail for the sake of contributing to the success of your organization (and expect nothing in return). The moment you pull your hand back and put your head down, everything you were grabbing for will come to you. Helping others is the only way to help yourself. Do unto others without worrying about how it will advance you!

Don't Forget to Remember!

Dave

3 Trends to Sunset in 2011

The great Paul Hebert wrote a piece for Fistful of Talent that touched on the metric validation most organizations seem to seek in programming. His point was not lost on me. I have seen an influx of organizations seeking buzz words and statistical proof to frame new directives. Paul's extended point being that there is not a score that can address the level of engagement in a corporate culture and that there is no 'end game' in assessing Employee Engagement.

Too often organizations seek statistics to validate employee's shelf life or pull in a 'vendor' to formulate a program upon whom to blame failed engagement. Is there a less flattering term than 'vendor'?

Great companies love their people, unconditionally, every day. Great companies find an honest approach to forming business partnerships and honor their 'vendors' in the same respect that they do their employees. Organizational culture starts with an Executive vision, extends through your Linchpin employees and further to the fantastic professionals that represent you as business partners (not vendors).

We have lost our ability to cultivate and grow unique and meaningful human motivation. We have taken the people out of the equation and made it about numbers....shame on us.

In furtherance to Paul Hebert's blog post and the great minds of Keith Ferrazzi, Tony Hsieh, Seth Godin, Chris Guillebeau and Dan Pink....I am going to issue a challenge to the world:
Stop looking for statistics to marginalize thought leadership (or lack there of)
Stop looking for the next catch phrase to fuel white paper and webinar dribble

There are 3 trends that I would like to see sunset in 2011:
Generational Generalization
The request for ROI
Transparent Insecurity

X, Y, Boomer
The Millennials are taking over the workplace, the Baby Boomers are retiring. We get it: different generations have different forms of education, training and resource access. Regardless of our date of birth, We are not babies. Quit trying to simplify the organizational vision 'in terms we can understand'.

How do you think your Gen Y employees feel when you publish marketing materials that categorize them as complacent?
How do you think Baby Boomers feel when you invalidate their existence?

Here's the big picture: There are 90 year old people who are wizards on an I-pad and 22 year old people that do not use Facebook.

When a 'new' worker comes into a company an elder statesman or woman pulls him/her aside and tells them 'how it is around here'. The 'new' person dismisses the elder statesman or woman as insecure and shoots for their sales record. At a certain point the 'new' person begins to assert themselves and the elder statesman or woman dismisses them as a loud mouth without a proven track record. It's exhausting...and there in lies my point!

Return Our Investment
ROI is the talk of the town. Show me the money. Show me how my competitors have used your services and how they have profited accordingly. I want a formula to show to my boss to defend my decision in case the 'vendor' turns out to be bad at what they do.

Are we not beyond the point of needing a reciept to validate our decisions? Can we not watch 3 acts on American Idol and decide whose record we would buy? Can we not judge human character rather than crunching numbers.....?

Trust Fuels Partnerships!

The request for an ROI formula enhances BS, it does not dissolve it!

A diatribe in Defense of what I'm about to say....
Test your client's company culture. Make an inquiry. If you get a 2 paragraph diatribe...the culture is broken.

The 'struggling economy' (another tired term) has prompted Managers to beat their employees into submission. It is no longer OK to say, 'I screwed up'. You have to explain every detail of the thought process and every other person who touched the product....Micro-Management driven by negative consequence creates a culture of fear and paranoia. Motivation is replaced by indecision, blame passing and the unexplainable need to explain one's every action. Employees are forced to beg forgiveness before they act....It's Exhausting and there in continues my point!

We Have To Get Better!

4 wishes for 2011:
1. Dissolve catch phrases that marginalize our behavior
2. Stop simplifying employees existence by categorizing by generation
3. ROI formulas are BS...build trusting relationships instead
4. Dispel transparent insecurity by trusting your employees to make decisions

Don't Forget to Remember!

Dave