Expressions of Power

Power is an interesting concept. We chase it...we are fearful of it...we are quick to identify abuses of it...

...and then we chase it some more.

What's the Real Story
There is an allure to success, and the trappings that come along with it. Titles, money, respect, authority. Hmmm...authority. That component of power that offers the ability to guide others in the way you want them to go. 

That path can be something wonderful...creating a culture that brings the great minds of your team together to push through to new levels of success. A culture whereby everyone feels connected to the vision. 

Damn, that can be exciting.

Power for Power's Sake
There is, of course, a dark side to power. In times of war power is projected in the most overwhelming ways possible to demoralize the enemy. Perhaps the same can be said for those leaders who are solely focused on power as a personal issue.

They are the ones that feel threatened in every meeting. They are quick to challenge others so as to redirect the focus away from their shortcomings. They see an inclusive leadership approach as somehow diminishing their own status.

We've all seen them. Maybe you've been one at some point in your career?
We've all seen their behavior as well: the body language, the words they choose, the tone of their electronic messages.

How About You
Who do you know in your company that views power in such a disruptive way? How can you help them? As we look to the start of a new year, it might be time for you to pull them aside, provide the thoughtful coaching they need, and help them start 2020 in a very different way.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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The Inability to Respond

As Human Resources leaders, we care deeply about leadership competencies in two ways:

- The first, is putting forth the effort to identify, develop, and implement them. 

- The second, which is BY FAR the one we immediately forget, is to hold our leaders accountable to live up to those competencies.

Things Happen
Every day we're challenged as unexpected circumstances arise. These aren't necessarily 'bad things' but they do require attention. Our attention.

For example...new initiatives are planned and launched...milestones must not only be met, but a significant amount of effort must go into reaching those milestones on schedule...

But somehow, things aren't moving along as they should.

Another example...outdated policies and practices are identified that no longer make sense (think anything your organization has written relative to social media, employer brand strategies, or sharing content)...yet, somehow, no one ever gets around to being courageous enough to challenge the old-school thinking in the compliance department... 

So yet again, things aren't moving along as they should.

Not Unwilling...Just Unable
Back to leadership competencies. We write them. We agonize over the exact words that will represent what our organization values most in our leaders. We roll them out through training and communication plans, and ultimately integrate them into job descriptions.

Why then, after all of that effort, do we allow leaders to avoid living up to them? How is it that so much high quality work can be so quickly squandered when "leaders" appear to choose not to follow through and execute?

I submit that it is for one simple reason. It's not that they don't want to do the hard work. I am convinced more than ever, that many leaders simply can not do it. 

The over-inflated arrogance they carry with them consistently crashes and burns for all to see when projects do not move forward. 

They can not respond to the challenge, and when leaders are unable, they no longer deserve to serve in that role.

Harsh? Honestly friends, I don't think so.

How About You
Take a look at your leaders, and compare their behavior with the leadership competencies you've committed to as an organization. Who consistently misses the mark, despite intervention, support, and 'fresh starts?'

Something to think about.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Market Garden Leadership

I hear a lot of big talk from leaders. Epic plans! Grandiose statements about "doing this" and "delivering on that!" 

Big talk is important. It can inspire others to follow you. It can motivate teams to take that extra risk to achieve breakthrough results. It can be...something special.

It can also be a colossal failure.

Plan the Big Talk
I've tried lots of bold strategies in my career. Some were wildly successful, and others....well...not so much. One phrase, however, proved to be true in each scenario whether it was a winning idea or a losing one: preparation and execution.

The common trap of over-preparation often leads to inaction, which I've railed against many times before on this blog. We can never be fully prepared; rather, we just have to be as prepared as possibly without delaying the second half of this phrase.

Execution.

Execute (and monitor closely) the Big Talk
Simply putting together a good plan is not even remotely close to actually leading the effort. High success rates require leaders understand what is happening, recognize when the situation starts to drift from the original intent, and most importantly, not be afraid to jump in and literally lead the project across the finish line.

Too many leaders cower in fear when the anticipated outcome is "suddenly" at risk. They freeze up hoping to blame others instead of making real-time decisions to keep things moving forward.

Oh, how arrogance and fear get in the way of success!

How About You
When have you seen a leader struggle with the execution of a plan? Have they frozen in place when that plan seemed to be in jeopardy; or, did they have the resolve to pivot and personally ensure the correct decisions were made?

What did you do while they struggled? Did you jump in to help...or, stand idly by?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Your Delivery, Though

You're smart, successful, and have a whole bunch of authority. You've arrived. It's your time, and you are going to make sure you prove to everyone that you deserve to be in your job.

...and right now...this moment...is one of the riskiest of your career...

Slow Down
One of the pitfalls new leaders face is their own enthusiasm. They are so fired up to make an impact (good thing) that they don't invest the time to learn the culture, skills of the team, and organizational norms before they roar down their own path (very bad thing.)

The challenge can quickly move past simple enthusiasm and impatience to losing credibility if not addressed in a timely manner. So, while the new leader's style can transition from a positive to a negative, it is also incumbent on the other members of the leadership team to support the new leader with the appropriate coaching right from the start.

Listening Is Not Optional
If only life was as easy as I described above. An over zealous leader, some timely coaching, and all is right with the world.

However, sometimes very talented and driven professionals need extra support. This does not mean they are a bad fit for your organization; or that they can not recover from a few well-intended stumbles.

It does require direct and sustained feedback (think --> bordering on confrontational) to ensure the message gets through.

Again, most leaders want to do a great job. They want to add value. 

But some struggle to understand that the leadership style that may have served them well in the past no longer applies in their new organization.

Instead of considering their approach as a failure, the real opportunity is to leverage their skills to pivot, embrace the new culture, and channel their expertise and energy in full alignment with their new team.

How About You
Who do you know that is fired up, but could use a helping hand to complete their transition to their new role? It is easy to criticize, but the real professional inside each of us needs to provide the help our cultures would indicate should come automatically, right?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

A Thank You Letter to Mom and Dad

Dear Mom and Dad,

Today marks the end of one of the most embarrassing times in the history of our country. As I've reflected on the last year, I realized that I needed to thank you both for a whole bunch of things. 

Thank you for...

- teaching me that every single person has value

- showing me how to care for those that are less fortunate than us

- demonstrating what it means to respectfully disagree with someone 

- caring enough to let me make mistakes without shaming me

- incorporating a loving way into how you treated me and my sister

- welcoming people into our home who had struggled in wars, were damaged, and had strong opinions that did not match ours, so I could l appreciate all people

- discussing important issues, including the "other side's point of view" so I could learn 

- making sure I didn't treat people unfairly, regardless of my position

- coaching me when I got too full of myself

- teaching me to be an effective parent so my children could grow up to make their own choices

- helping me learn the power of listening

- teaching me to be an advocate for those who don't have a voice

- to have the confidence necessary to stand up to hatred when it is a lonely place to be

You both have give me so much...I can only hope that I do half as well passing on these values to my amazing kids.

Love you,

-Jay

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We Only Need One HR Policy

I’ve been in human resources for twenty years. I’ve written, revised, edited, printed, emailed, posted and leveraged policies to make decisions over and over again. Too many times following the policies morphed into the focus of the work…instead of the work being the focus of the work.

Sound familiar?

We Need A Policy for “That”

My favorite policy of all time is the “policy on policies.” You know the one. It describes the proper format, headers, indentations, when to bold and not to bold, etc. Argh!

How has such a high impact function in the organization devolved into a paper pushing bureaucratic machine? 

It’s as if we in human resources believe we are the core business, when in fact we are the engine that fuels the core business. I’ve even seen policies called “Policy on ___.” 

Seriously? We love them so much we even put the word policy first! 

All for One and One for All

Here’s where I'm going with this concept. The noise, criticism, and candidly glacier-like movement that typically comes from HR relative to change must end. The one-policy approach can send a powerful message to the organization, that no longer will human resources hide behind a stack of excuses…er, paper…any longer.

Here's my human resources policy of the future:

“We will follow all applicable laws that impact our organization and will treat each team member with respect as we strive to be a truly world class company.”

Done.

How About You

One policy says it all. The only piece you need to ensure you keep track of is the consistent practices for various issues so as to avoid unwarranted discrimination or third party claims. Let’s start moving away from the paper, and get into the business of driving the business forward.

I’d love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Don't Tread...On the Brand!

Recently I walked into the building where my office is located, and one of our Security Officers stopped me to ask a question. She wondered why I step to the side every time I come into the building as the doors slide open? 

I thanked her for asking me, and explained there are rugs with the organization's name and logo printed on them at the entrances to every building, and that I refuse to step on the logo for any reason. I told her it's one of the ways I show respect for our brand.

All In My Head
I have been doing this little maneuver for a long time, but it is rare that any one notices. I've wondered if it is worth paying attention at that level...we have a lot of rugs with logos on them! What came to me next was quite surprising.

Even if no one ever notices my private sign of respect, I know I'm doing it. My consistent respect for the brand reinforces in my head each time how important the brand is and what it represents. It doesn't matter if anyone every notices. I know I'm doing it, which is a little jolt of energy around how important the brand is each time I step to the side.


How About You
What action do you take to ensure you respect your company's brand? 

As leaders, our personal and professional brands are interwoven to such a degree, that everything we do can make an impact. 


Using designated hashtags (like #ACHculture for me), re-posting or sharing company generated content, or writing in forums like this are just some of the ways we can represent our organizations and ourselves. 

What do you do?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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Left for Dead

If only the world of work was free from drama, false accusations, unnecessary stress, and energy being spent dealing with people intent on tearing others down in pursuit of their own agenda. When I think about the time I've spent addressing issues that were exclusively intended to be hurtful and were untrue, versus helping others achieve breakthrough performance, it makes me sad.

Maybe that is the role of the human resources practitioner today; maybe it is the result of an accountability-based leadership style; or perhaps it is simply the result of working with other human beings. Whatever the reason, there is an overlooked group in all of the noise that swirls around us, and they deserve to be looked after. 

Rock Solid

We all have team members who we rely on to deliver quality work. They are the ones who are on board with our ideas, strategies, and changes. We look to them to deliver time and time again and they represent the brand better than most. We rely on their track record of success and count on them to keep pushing the organization forward.

These are people we've learned to trust because they've earned it over a period of years.

 

Firestorm

So what happens when that team member is the target of an attack? What happens when someone else decides their own agenda is more important than the truth and they go after that team member?

Do we jump? Do we overreact? Do we blindly believe the accusations without understanding the dynamics involved? 

Of course we don't.

We're professionals, and we invest the time necessary to make sure all sides are heard so we can cut through the personal agendas and get to the truth.

But what about that strong performer who is now stuck in the middle of a mess? Particularly when all indications point to someone else's self-serving agenda? Do you reach out to support that team member; or, are they alone in a very unfamiliar place? 

How About You

When you're working on a difficult situation, do you reach out to support everyone involved? Or, do you shun the one in the middle of the storm? Is that fair? Don't you think those strong members of your team deserve better?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Pefectionists Are Suckers

You operate at a different level. Your standards are higher than those around you. You're confident you can make a huge difference in your organization if everyone would make sure the work gets done the right way. Your way. Why can't they make sure that everything is going to be just right before they start implementing changes? Isn't it obvious their ideas aren't perfect?

You my friend are a sucker...and everybody knows it.

What's Wrong With Perfection?
There is really only one thing wrong with perfection: it's completely unattainable. Other than that, have at it. Go for it. Strain, stretch, and push yourself and those around you as hard as you would like. I'm sure you'll...well...no...actually you'll never get there. So why is perfection your only option?

You my friend are still a sucker.

Make Progress, Not Enemies

Over the years I've shifted my view on the quality of work, at least on a macro-scale. For me, making progress each year is much more valuable than making work perfect.

I've already clarified perfection is out of reach, yet so many of my colleagues strive for it despite the casualties that are inherent in that approach (low morale, unwelcome turnover, lost productivity, lack in decisions being made, etc...).

How About You
Perhaps it's time for us all to focus on making work better instead of making work perfect? I love talking about progress. Besides, being a sucker...well...sucks.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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Thank God for HR

"I could never do your job."  "How do you deal with this day after day?"  "I don't know how you do it, this is just too stressful for me."


We do it because we have no fear of confrontation.  None.


No Respect, Until LOTS of Respect

Sure, we're not in the spotlight of our organizations.  We're not supposed to be.  We don't chase the glory because we demonstrate the ultimate commitment to the companies we work for -> we put all of our efforts into supporting the execution of corporate strategy and supporting and growing our workforce. In so doing, the accolades go to others on the Operations side of the house.  And that's okay with us.

But when things go wrong...call out the Cavalry.  Get HR on the phone now.  Set up a meeting today.  Drop everything.  Suddenly the HR-respect-o-meter hits 100%.  And that's okay with us too.


We Love the 2%
Fortunately for us the overwhelming majority of our organizations are filled with high-performing and dedicated professionals who come to work each day wanting to make a difference.  But just like the proverbial rotten apple, a small percentage of employees can create havoc for those around them.  And that is why I love being in HR...because I can do something about the 2% so the other 98% doesn't have to deal with their sophomoric behavior.  I'm guessing you love the 2% too.


How About You
Confrontation is in our DNA, or at least it's supposed to be.  Soft HR means no HR, so don't let your customers down.  Be strong in the face of frivolous retaliatory action.  Who goes to battle when an employee situation blows up?  We do.  We wouldn't have it any other way.


I'd love to hear from you.


No Excuses.




pic courtesy of epicparent