I Don't Have Time for Social Media & Other Excuses

I am blessed to work with great clients across the country...and for that matter I've been blessed to work with fantastic leaders for decades. 

One of the more interesting (and humorous) things I've heard while consulting, training and designing strategies over the years is the odd list of excuses as to why those same leaders are unwilling to jump into the 21st century.

Here are some of my favorites.

...I don't have time for that

...digital work isn't real work

...social media doesn't impact anything important

...we have a business to run here

But then, sometimes leaders open up and share what they really mean.

...I'm embarrassed that I haven't kept up and I don't want to look foolish

...I know social media is critically important for my personal brand our employer brand but I don't know where to start

...I'm in! Help me learn so I can teach my team

How About You
What excuses do you hear in your organization (or, perhaps say yourself?) It's time to leave those behind and move your leadership game forward. I'll help you!

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Artificial Intelligence and Me

"The upheavals [of artificial intelligence] can escalate quickly and become scarier and even cataclysmic. 

Imagine how a medical robot originally programmed to rid cancer, could conclude that the best way to obliterate cancer is to exterminate humans who are genetically prone to the disease."
- Nick Bilton, tech columnist wrote in the New York Times

What Is Going On Out There
Okay...Nick's view on AI may be a bit much, but that doesn't mean that taking the deep dive into the world of artificial intelligence isn't a potentially risky endeavor.

Consider what's at stake in your world:
- your employer brand integrity
- consistent messaging and tone
- avoidance of potential discriminatory issues
- and needless mistakes being made over and over again

As you consider stepping into the world of AI in your HR organization, can you honestly say that you trust the technology solutions you are considering rolling out?

Who tested them?
What is their full / limited functionality?
Are you prepared to trust the results of the AI 'work' done in place of a human?

I'm Fired Up
As for me, I am absolutely fired up about what AI will mean for me in 2019! 

We are rolling out cutting edge tools that we have confidence will deliver for our clients.

In just the last few months major milestones have been achieved with a variety of solutions that move from basic clunky 'tech' to actual operationalized AI.

That is exciting stuff!

How About You
Is your CEO asking you about AI? What is your answer? Are you prepared to deliver in a world that is accelerating faster than ever? 

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.
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The Secret Talent Weapon You're Wasting

Every organization I speak with "wants" to be a contemporary player in the ongoing struggle to attract talent. However, most have no idea how to leverage social or digital tools to make that desire a reality.

Sadly, one of the most powerful and frequently overlooked weapons available is walking in and out of the front door every day.

The employees.

Brand Ambassadors
Whether we call them brand ambassadors, employee advocates, or formal members of the recruitment marketing team, there is no voice more powerful than the voice of the those that have already committed to representing the employer brand.

Let's leave the whole "building an employer brand strategy" discussion for another post, and focus on the massive amount of horsepower that is ready, willing and able to launch that strategy right now.

The first step is easy and effective: identify the employees who are already on social, or who have expressed an interest in being more active on social platforms.

If you think it is impossible to find these internal superusers, you are actually saying more about how out of touch you are vs. expressing frustration with the process. If you haven't kept up with the changes in the world of work, of course it will be difficult to identify your own brand champions.

Start Small, Go Big
A simple search of the various social channels will help you identify who is actively supporting your employer brand. Set up a twitter list to help keep track of the team's efforts quickly and efficiently.

Next, reach out to those individuals and draft them into service as part of your overall employer brand strategy.

Formalize the support you provide your initial core group of brand champions with training, guidance, content recommendations, and support. From there, you can add new employees to the group in a thoughtful and coordinated way.

How About You
There really is no excuse to hide behind the fear of social media. It is a core component of every industry. In fact, your employees are probably wondering why you don't ask them to help. They are already advocating for your company, you just don't know it!

The only thing standing in your way...is you. Let me help!

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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I Don't Have the Time for My Personal Brand

The questions, and the obvious struggle, seems to be popping up everywhere I turn. Colleagues and clients alike are starting to understand just how important having a personal brand is for their career.

Now, for those of you that think "personal brand talk" doesn't hold any weight; really impact the world of work, or make a difference in the trajectory of your career, please stop reading and go back to watching Happy Days.

It's a digital world now...are you with me?

Time or Priority

Here's the chatter...

"Jay, I wish I had the time to work on this stuff....I work hard, love my job, but know I should be doing more for myself....and I know it will help my company too..."

And here's my response...

"How about we replace the word 'time' with 'priority?' It goes something like this...I haven't made my brand a priority." 

How does that feel?

Getting Started Is Easy
I'm not sure how the "mystery of a personal brand" started, but candidly friends, there is no mystery. If you can copy and paste, text, or click a share button you are well on your way.

3 Steps to a Fast Start!
- Make sure your social media accounts are up to date (LinkedIn, twitter, Instagram, etc.)

- Identify 10-15 sources of content you would like to share (always include your employer's content)

- Share content across your social channels throughout the week

BOOM!

You're off and running!

How About You

Let me help you get started. Reach out when you're ready, and we'll get you set up and rocking in no time! 

Let's do this!

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

Invisible Leader in a Digital World

I have the privilege of meeting and working with many talented leaders across the country. They are bright, experienced, successful, and motivated to take their organizations to the next level.

They share a common bond in that each one is struggling to find the talent their organizations are desperate for; yet when it comes to positioning themselves and their employer brands in the mainstream, suddenly the reality of their inaction becomes painfully clear.

They are invisible...and so are their organizations.

But We Provide Great Care
What is so often confusing for leaders in hospitals, and other organizations along the healthcare continuum, is that their status as a provider (think MD, Hospital, Long Term Care facility, etc.) has nothing to do with their reputation as an employer.

For some reason, these concepts get interwoven so frequently that today's leaders are missing an enormous opportunity to differentiate themselves from their competition.

Everyone knows what you do...no one knows what it's like to work for you.

Digital World
Whether or not "experienced" leaders want to accept it or not, we live in a digital world. There is no point in making lame excuses that you don't have time to learn (read here, it is not a priority to learn.)

Or, that you don't understand how digital business tools work (read here, I can save patients lives with my clinical skills but I am too embarrassed to let anyone know I can't figure out twitter.)

Trust me, we already know. You're invisible, remember?

How About You
So, what are you going to do about your status as an accomplished leader who has not remained current? Who are you going to reach out to for help without publicly shaming yourself?

Me, that's who. I'd love to help you get started. If I could do it...you absolutely can.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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The CEO Question HR Fears Most

The long list of pressures HR leaders are under is well documented. It's as if every organizational ailment somehow finds it's way to the human resources department to either get fixed or take the blame. 

There is a new issue lurking however, that most HR leaders, particularly those in the healthcare industry, are ill-prepared to address. That issue comes in the form of a question directly from the CEO.

The Context
Let me set the stage...

Traditional CEO, accomplished, bright, and driven is paying attention to the radically changing labor market. The stress they feel from the Board of Directors, Physician and Nursing leadership to solve the staffing shortages are now becoming an all too regular topic in meeting after meeting.

It feels a bit odd to the CEO. She's always been able to figure out some sort of new pay program or engagement play that keeps the positions filled while not completely blowing up the salary line in the budget.

But the world is just...well...different now. 

The Nightmare Question for HR
During the next routine one-on-one meeting between the CEO and the CHRO they get on the topic of labor, talent, and staffing shortages across the organization. It's at this point that the CHRO's world caves in.

CEO: "So, tell me what you're doing to ensure we are viewed as a viable employer? What are we doing with millennials? Are you current on all of these social media and content strategies I keep reading about? Where exactly are we on this?"

CHRO: "Um....well...we, uh."

CEO: "We are doing something on this, right? I mean, the whole world is getting into this stuff."

CHRO: "Well, Marketing...and Legal...they, uh..."

CEO: "You've got to be kidding me. Those departments don't have anything to do with recruitment. We're not doing anything? Do you even know how to use these things yourself?"

How About You
What's your answer? I want to help you not only give the right answer, but look like the most contemporary leader in the world while doing it. It only takes one thing...

...the courage to start.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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We Shall Destroy - #Thinkathon 2014

Last week I had the privilege to attend the inaugural Thinkathon session in New York City hosted by the amazing team at purematter and IBM Social Business. Thirty of us were brought together from all walks of digital life to tackle the future of work. 

What does it look like? 
How will people work? 

What will the workplace...and workspace...look like?
What about loyalty?

What about full-time employment?
Will any work get done?

What about the younger-aged (and younger-minded!) workforce? Are they all self-serving work-life balance fanatics who don't appreciate 70 hour work weeks?

We were brought together to destroy the world of work as it exists today.

The Future is Cool...and Scary!
Our session kicked off with a fascinating (and haunting) message from Faith Popcorn, a prophetic futurist who is so accurate you'll want to follow her around and simply listen. 

Robots, genetic transformation, and the potential for more than one hundred million displaced workers got us all fired up to continue our mission!


Start Destroying!
The afternoon was then taken over by Hendre Coetzee, an absolutely brilliant facilitator and leader who guided our group of "world-of-work assassins" through a series of highly interactive and challenging sessions on what it will mean to work in the future.

We powered through five key drivers that will change how we work forever:
- the future of work talent
- the future of work culture
- the future of big data/analytics at work
- the future of technology at work
- the future of work collaboration/communication

Whoa! Heavy topics for a group of heavy-hitters!

By the way, when, not if, you seek out Hendre for guidance in your own organization you will not be disappointed. He is masterful at his craft.

How About You
The man that made this all possible was Bryan Kramer, CEO of purematter and the connection to the IBM Social Business team. Kudos to you Bryan and your amazing team for putting together an event that blew me away. (The following two days focused on IBM's #NewWayToWork campaign...more on that later!)

What are you doing to get out in front of the evolving world of work? Are you clinging to the status quo? Don't do it! The future is now! I'm fired up to hack the future of work in my organization! Who's ready to destroy with me?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.




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The (Brand, Marketing, Digital, HR) Beast Inside of Me

I get fired up about work. Specifically, my work. I've had the privilege of being a human resources leader for many years; and the longer I work in that space the more opportunities I see outside HR that can dramatically improve how I get my work done.

More Than HR
In the early part of my leadership journey I couldn't get enough of good "HR" content. I was like a sponge soaking up every legal tidbit, compliance-related issue, or best-practice I could find. I was on a one man HR scavenger hunt. 

Sad, when I think about it now; but at the time it seemed like I was focused, driven and learning my craft. That may be true, but for the contemporary HR leader of today, the nuts and bolts of HR represent only a piece of what is important.

Brand
The energy around the term brand crosses many disciplines in the world of work, and HR is one of those that should embrace a brand strategy. Going far beyond a consistent logo on recruitment ads, a brand strategy that integrates organizational strategy with HR outreach (both personally and professionally) is essential. 

For those HR teams that still believe they should come up with their own strategies outside of what the corporate plan is are woefully ill-prepared to compete in the modern world. Gone are the days of separate "HR" and "PR" campaigns. The contemporary HR leader leverages the work done on the organizational-side and uses that to multiply the effectiveness of their brand strategy.

Marketing
The breadth of terrific content marketing resources available today feels like finding buried treasure. That is, if you realize these resources are treasure! The strategies, tools, and opportunities to partner with your Marketing colleagues are more important than ever before. Scarce resources, and the ability to leverage similar content across multiple channels makes for wise leadership. But only for the savvy leader. 

Convincing yourself that "you can do it better alone" is not only a waste of time...it's wrong too.

Digital
Every effective HR leader should now be comfortable in the digital world. Notice I didn't say "a" digital world...I see "the" digital world. Social media, web strategies, sharing content, building and supporting personal and professional brands, and adding value to the profession all happen in the digital space we live in.

There is no point to try and "get by" or "avoid technology" any longer. If you're not on board, you're living in the 1970s. Open a twitter account and get on with it. The time to move forward is now!

How About You
Has your approach to effective HR changed over the years; or, is the idea that "all this new fangled thinking" is just too much for you? It's never too late to get started. Expand how you think about contemporary HR, start making a difference in your organization and career, and let the beast inside of you break free.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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The One Thing I Missed

The pace of my life, both personally and professionally, seems to be moving faster than ever. You probably feel the same way too. With technology keeping us connected 24/7 to our work, and perhaps more significantly, the expectation that we will be available non-stop, has us scrambling.

Too Much?

I see a growing number of posts that discuss the need to "unplug" or be "disconnected" for periods of time. 

The rationale being that we will feel better about ourselves and life in general if we "take a break" from the digital world.

Um...okay. 

But my work gets done in the digital world. My responsibilities, my timely communications with the team, and my ability to coordinate complex issues from long distances requires me to be connected. 

So, when exactly am I supposed to stop doing those things? Too much...for me...feels just right.


Says Who?

Rayanne Thorn and Me

I know there are those who have allowed their devices to take up a disproportionate amount of their time. With so many terrific ways to stay connected, some people end up replacing their real life connections with virtual ones. 

But that's not me. One of the most powerful benefits of connecting in the digital world is when the IRL (in real life) meetings finally happen! Those moments are fantastic, and reinforce the personal connections that the digital world can not replace.

It's unfortunate that the "experts" among us don't take the dialogue further to illustrate the power of the IRL benefits of working in a digital world.

How About You
 
It turns out the one thing I missed was listening to myself. The well-intended (presumably) messages from the "experts" telling me what I should or shouldn't do don't make much sense. Next time, I won't miss my own gut instinct telling me to stay on track.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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Power, Social Media and Tron

A new Tron movie - "Legacy"-  came out a couple of years ago and I thought it was awesome. (Yeah, I used the word awesome.) It combined a fascinating digital world of technology (a.k.a. gaming/social media/web) and the real world into a dangerous society focused on power and dreams of a better life.

Wait, that was just a movie, right?

Power, Everybody Wants Some
In this good versus evil science fiction flick the twist on power is an interesting one. Partners who originally dreamed of creating a Utopian society that would take care of people in a positive way gets all mixed up. Where once these two worked together toward a common goal, now they were at odds with each other chasing ultimate power.

Wait, that was just a movie, right?

Art Imitates Life
So how does Tron apply to the world of work? Easily. Right now in your organization people are maneuvering to gain more power, to cover their bases, or both. I'm not judging it, I'm simply saying it's happening. For the shrewd leader, being aware of these behaviors among employees, and their peers, allows for inappropriate power-plays to be reacted to immediately. We like to think we're all rowing in the same direction, but to ignore the fact that many sub-plots are going on constantly is simply naive.


How About You
How do you balance your career aspirations, dreams of a better workplace and desire for power? Are you pushing your social media brand, leadership authority, and ideas for change in an ethical way? I'm going to try and answer these questions too.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.




pic courtesy of paris-confidential